Sound Design MSc

You will study a broad, flexible and integrated range of key and emerging sound design practices. The programme is designed to allow you to develop according to your skills and interests.

In the first semester, the programme focuses on:

• developing sound design skills
• exploring the potential for sound recording
• editing in the digital domain
• processing sound to create new sonic structures
• considering relationships between code and sound that allow sound designers and music makers to develop sound work that changes according to context.

In the second semester, you will consolidate your knowledge. You will work with non-linear sound design and sound on screen by exploring how sound can be used to tell stories, create spaces and support interactions. There will be opportunities to develop competency in programming creative audio applications.

Across the taught semesters you can tailor your studies to your interests by exploring suitable elective options.

The programme ends with a self-directed but supervised research-led sound design project over the summer period in an appropriate area of sound design.

Our overall objective across the year is to support the development of personal skills, insights and experience while encouraging a rounded, outlook that has a wide appreciation of the issues of sound design in a range of creative contexts.

Graduates of the programme will be armed with professional, practical, analytical and intellectual skills to take into sound-related industries or on towards further academic study, such as a PhD.

Part-time study

The programme can be studied part-time over two years, taking two taught courses per semester in the first year, and one taught course per semester in the second year. You will finish with the final sound design project over the summer period of the second year.

Part-time study will typically require 25 hours per week across learning and teaching activities and coursework.

Teaching

You will be taught through a combination of:

• lectures
• seminars
• tutorials
• practical sessions
• critique.

This is supported by occasional input from external professionals in the field of sound design and related areas, and by peer learning and collaborative practice.

Students will receive technical training in a wide range of sound design areas. The specific content will vary but typically will include:

• advanced work with digital audio workstations
• microphones and other recording equipment
• mixing and spatialisation
• game audio software (depending on course electives).

Assessment

Each taught course provides advanced tuition in a specialised aspect of the subject. In common with general design education practice, the main assessment of progress is by means of project-work (some of it group project-work) complemented by a relatively short written report.

Typically, project briefs emphasise creative production projects which develop and integrate practical skills in Sound Design with critical reflection.

Depending on course electives there may be more substantial essay type submissions, and/or other forms of work such as a video essay, presentation and so on.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

You gain a wide range of skills and experience across the degree through the focus on practical coursework and can extend this through opportunities to collaborate with students on other programmes at ECA.

In addition, depending on electives, you may be involved in developing exhibitions, concerts and other forms of public engagement.

Students who follow this programme will:

• Obtain a broad foundation in sound design and related technologies.
• Explore the use of existing computer-aided sound design techniques in a creative way.
• Be able to analyse and think deeply about sound and its role in a wider creative arts environment.
• Develop understanding of the scope and limitations of applications of sound design.
• Engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration in the context of audio-visual practice.
• Discover new creative uses of advanced technologies for sound design.
• Foster the ability to work cooperatively in groups in the context of sound design.

The rich, cross-disciplinary programme of study we offer provides graduates with advanced skills in:

• game sound
• audio programming
• audio production
• post-production and other digital technologies relevant to sound design and the crafts of sonic art.

These skills will allow you to take on commissions in professional sound design areas or pursue your own creative path.

Our graduates are now working for major theatre, TV and video games companies.

Graduates work as freelance sonic artists and composers, and for various sound post-production studios across the world.

Many are running successful sound-related businesses and several have PhDs and are pursuing academic careers.

You will gain a wide variety of transferable skills, such as the ability to:

• research and analyse sound
• structure and manage your time
• effective teamwork and communication.

These skills will increase your employability across the arts and further afield.

The Reid School has six production studios in stereo or 5.1 configurations. There are numerous labs and maker spaces across the campus and various venues available to be booked for live performances, recording experiments and installations. There is also a bank of music practice rooms available in the basement of the Reid School of Music.

We have developed two new 360 audio mixing spaces which are available for experiments in VR, AR, Dolby Atmos and ambisonics. Our studio cupboard is stocked with a wealth of microphones, location recorders, cameras, speakers, cables and VR equipment available to be booked and used flexibly.

Since 2019, the Reid School of Music has enjoyed the benefits of being an All Steinway School with 28 pianos available for performance and rehearsal across the campus.

In addition to a large number of university venues, ECA boasts several performance spaces (The Reid Concert Hall, St. Cecilia’s Hall and ECA West Court among the most prestigious spaces in town).

The Atrium of the Graduate School has been developed into a hybrid performance and presentation space with high quality loudspeakers and several large screens, curtains and truss for spatial audio and lighting.

Lauriston campus redevelopment

ECA are excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston campus over the next 3 years, from April 2024 to April 2027.

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus, including technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project at the below link:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston campus | Edinburgh College of Art

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant subject such as music, sound design, sonic arts, media arts, sound engineering, acoustics, film, animation or art/design, accompanied by a portfolio introducing us to some recent work that you are proud of.

You should also submit a portfolio introducing us to some recent work that you are proud of. Your portfolio should include at least three pieces of work and can include a range of items such as a small collection of sound design examples covering films, games and animations, an essay on sound or sound recordings and other documentation of sound-based projects such as an installation or creative work with sound software development.

Your portfolio can include examples of music compositions, but as the programme focus is on sound design, it's desirable for portfolio examples to reflect a commitment to work in this area, e.g., by including examples of creative work using experimental sound processing. Applicants who have primarily more music composition experience may be more suitable for our MMus in Composition.

Whatever you include, it should be your own work. A short explanation of your role in collaborative projects is required. Your portfolio is best uploaded with the application as a PDF file with explanations about the projects and links to the work hosted on a reliable space online.

When we review portfolio examples, we consider how the work samples demonstrate existing skill, imagination, curiosity and aptitude for working with sound in terms of competency, creativity, originality and ambition, and how the programme may be able to help develop further your knowledge and experience.

If you do not meet the academic entry requirements or if you do not have a sound-related degree, we may still consider your application if you have significant professional sound-related experience supported by a substantial portfolio.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Depending on your main interests and what you hope to achieve in your final project you may face some additional costs relating to realising aspects of your work.

ECA is well stocked with technical sound equipment and a wide range of hardware and software to assist the development of your learning and research.

Most students have their own laptop, but there is bookable access to fast, effective lab machines and some laptops available for loan.

It is strongly recommended that you own your own computer suitable for contemporary sound production.

Almost all software we teach from comes without the requirement to purchase a license to use it in an educational context.

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding