About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: J932
- Applications: UCAS
- Level: Undergraduate
- Tariff points: 300
- Department: Computer Science and Creative Technologies
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: Three years full-time; Four years sandwich; part-time by negotiation
- Delivery: Full-time, Sandwich, Part-time.
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Stephen Allan
- Key fact: **Bristol has been named as the "most musical city" in Britain by the Performing Right Society (PRS for Music). March 2010**
Introduction
The study of music technology can be approached from many directions. In this degree you will focus on the computing aspects of music and audio. This should be your choice if you have no formal training in music but nonetheless have a serious interest in the technology behind the music.
Many skilled audio technicians are able to produce music of considerable quality without calling themselves 'true musicians' in the traditional sense. They are able to use computer systems to generate complex audio work and, together with musicians and engineers, to explore new technologies creatively.
Facilities for music systems and technology students at UWE are excellent. In our recording studio we have both analogue and digital consoles of a full professional standard. Multi track recording, mixes, sequencing and recording are all done in the studio, where you are also able to produce your own CDs. There is an excellent range of microphones including B&K, Electrovoice, Shure and Beyer.
Due to the popularity of music technology courses at UWE, we have recently built additional new facilities. These include two new music control rooms, linked to the music studio, and eight isolated booths where student groups can work on sound recording and mixing projects.
Music technology student wins AKG Scholarship of Sound 2010 award
University of the West of England, student Josh Ward was chosen as one of only ten would-be music producers and engineers in Europe, to be awarded an AKG Scholarship of Soundin Berlin.
Josh, who studied BSc(Hons) Audio and Music Technology, set off on 31 July 2010on an expenses-paid trip to the buzzing city of Berlin. He benefited from tutoring sessions with acclaimed audio engineers, mentoring sessions with successful DJs and producers and workshops hosted in partnership with music technology companies. Find out more in the full press release.
Structure
Content
This course is essentially about the application of technology in a creative environment. Your studies will concentrate on current music and audio technologies in computing and signal processing and their application to creativity and the arts.
The underlying content of this degree is audio and computing, underpinned in the first year with basic engineering skills. The module Professional Studio Practice teaches you a professional approach to the use of the recording studio, covering not just how to use the equipment but providing you with the opportunity and direction to develop the professional approach to work which is expected at UWE. This includes those skills which have been specifically mentioned by potential employers, such as good oral and written communication, good interpersonal relationships, effective planning and conformity to recognised standards in a variety of areas.
Your second year will contain some technological aspects of music but with an emphasis on creativity and the creative application of technology. Your work will move beyond basic recording techniques to the science and engineering of sound and the recording environment. You will also study the physics of sound itself and how various musical instruments are engineered to produce their characteristic sound behaviour.
In your final year you will study acoustics and recording in depth, as well as the appreciation of audio for video and film. Module options will allow you the freedom to develop your own particular specialisms, including the opportunity to enhance your language skills. You will also undertake an individual final year project, a substantial body of work in which you will demonstrate your own particular talents.
Teaching and learning
Getting to grips with new subjects can be demanding, but by offering the correct level of assistance we aim to support you throughout your studies. Using a practical approach, during laboratory investigation and directed experiment, theory and principles can be more easily assimilated. Also, much of the work is carried out in pairs or small teams, which helps to really understand difficult concepts by discussing them with friends and colleagues. Programmes of lectures provide explanation and overall guidance for the work.
Assessment
Each module is assessed individually. There is a mixture of assessment styles but the pattern of assessments is designed to be appropriate to the learning within each module. Some modules are assessed entirely on coursework and in-class tests whilst for others there are written assignments and end of module exams.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
This course is fully accredited by JAMES, the education arm of the APRS and MPG. The Association of Professional Recording Services (APRS) and the Music Producers Guild (MPG) have combined their educational efforts to create JAMES, set up to support Education and Training. The APRS and MPG are the principal music industry associations representing recording and audio post-production studios, engineers, producers and manufacturers. JAMES accreditation is both a rigorous and supportive process which assesses the quality and suitability of a course to meet industry needs.
During the recent accreditation process JAMES assessors commented that "The philosophy behind the team is very innovative and greatly benefits the students and the course. This innovative approach will ensure that UWE is at the forefront of this industry orientated education in the UK and internationally."
Find out more about accreditation in the Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies.
Teaching Excellence
Many of our lecturers are practising professionals. Our music technology staff include BAFTA and EMMY award winner Martyn Harries, plus Dr Tom Mitchell who regularly collaborates with GRAMMY award winning artist Imogen Heap, who has performed with his 'magical musical gloves'. The research collaboration has also featured in New Scientist.
Placements
In your third year, you will have the option of spending a year on a salaried placement. We highly recommend our students take up this option. The benefits are tremendous - you will develop and hone a range of soft skills which enhance your employability, you are more likely to get a better degree classification and the experience gained will give you an edge in your future career. In the past, our students have worked in places such as Chicago, Denver, Lisbon and Rome as well closer to home with the BBC, Stage Electrics, Dolby and Acoustic Design.
The department's Placement Team will show you how to prepare your CV correctly, advise you on how to write letters of application and help you learn successful interview techniques. Find out more information about our work placements on our department's website.
Study facilities
Facilities for Music Systems and Technology students in the department are excellent. In our recording studios we have both analogue and digital consoles of a full professional standard. Multi-track recording, mixes, sequencing and recording are done in the studio, and you are able to produce your own CDs. There is an excellent range of microphones including Neumann, B&K, Electrovoice, Shure and Beyer.
A recent expansion means that we now also have six control rooms and four performance spaces. The biggest studio has a large control room with an Audient ASP8024 24 channel console. This has two performance spaces - one has a live acoustic, one has a dead acoustic. We also have a second suite of rooms including a surround mixing room with a Yamaha 02R-96 console and a second smaller control room. These also share a performance space that is almost anechoic.
We also have a video post room with a Yamaha DM1000, plus a teaching room with 8 smaller rooms each with a computer, speakers and keyboard.
All the rooms have Mac computers, Pro Tools and Logic.
The studios are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, however this will be reduced outside of teaching time.
Additionally the department hosts its own servers to provide Windows, Linux and Unix based operating systems. There are over 500 available workstations in our teaching laboratories, as well as a large open-access laboratory, providing PC and Unix based machines. The department has its own IT Helpdesk, staffed by students from within the Faculty, and available for both students and staff to use. There are also 24 hour computer labs on campus available for student use.
Careers/further study
Through this new degree, we aim to develop your ability to embark on a career in music production. You will leave UWE with a clear understanding of the role of technology in music and audio, ideally placed to take up positions within the music industry. You will be able to use a wide range of modern technologies underpinned with basic engineering concepts. Potential employment opportunities will be found in audio and sound engineering as well as in any creative area which has a heavy reliance on technology, such as film, theatre or the arts.
Graduate destinations
Find out what our graduates are doing six months after graduating- includes examples of careers, employers and further study. Download a PDF from graduate destinations.
Key employer partnerships
Our degrees can lead to a wide variety of career choices. To ensure that our degrees make you as employable as possible we work closely with seven major partner employers in our engineering and computing consortium.
Creating employable students
UWE places strong emphasis on employability and skills development at every level. Through work placements, volunteering, study abroad and UWE initiatives which nurture talent and encourage innovation, students gain valuable real world experience and graduate with diverse career opportunities and a competitive place in the job market.
See great graduate prospects for further information.
Useful links
UWE - graduate occupations
The UWE careers service provides guidance and support throughout your studies in addition to useful resources, CV checks, career coaching and details of current job vacancies.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 300
- GCSE: Maths and English Language at grade C or above required.
- A-level subjects: A Science or Technology subject, ideally Music Technology or one of: Chemistry; Computing / Computer Science; Design and Technology; Electronics; Engineering; Information and Communications Technology; Music Technology; Physics.
- EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: BTEC Nationals accepted: ideally Music Technology, otherwise Computing or Engineering.
- Access: Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma; achievement of level 3 credits in a Science or a Technology subject (see list for A level subjects); achievement of level 2 credits in Maths and English Language.
- Baccalaureate IB: Accepted (see the UCAS website for UCAS tariff points that you can gain from the IB to put towards our tariff point requirement above)
Advice on typical offers
In addition to the 'typical offer' given below, please read the general information about
entry requirements.
How to apply
Please see the general information about
applications.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011