There is a large and growing industrial need for engineers to control and mitigate noise and its effects, providing a healthy job market for appropriately trained graduates. This course is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to work in environmental acoustics, whether in consultancy, local / central government or in research.
This MSc is aimed at graduates of numerate science and technology disciplines, either fresh from undergraduate study or as Continual Professional Development for persons already in service.The University of Salford has a long history of research and teaching in environmental acoustics - by taking this course you will be joining a community of alumni who can be found at the heart of many leading organisations both in the UK and internationally.
You will study core topics including architectural acoustics, psychoacoustics, dynamics and vibration, computer modelling and measurement. Beyond this, the course provides specialist modules in environmental noise monitoring and noise control. Further specialisation is then developed in the Project module.
You will be based in the university’s internationally-renowned Acoustics Research Group. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework panel praised our outputs, saying that the Salford submission showed “particular strengths in acoustics”, and our industrial links led our REF impact case study to be singled out by the EPSRC and Royal Academy of Engineering for highlight the economic benefits of engineering and training.
This course is accredited by the Institute of Acoustics for the purposes of meeting the educational requirements for Corporate Membership of the Institute. Graduates may attain Engineering Council registration via the Institute of Acoustics.
This course offers a variety of flexible study formats, including full and part-time modes, either on campus or via distance learning. Those considering part-time study should bear in mind that the programme is intensive, and that generally, we advise that part-time means half time, i.e. you would need to allocate half the week to you studies ≈ 19 working hours.
This course comprises eight 15 credit taught modules, followed by a 60 credit project module leading to the dissertation. For full-time students, the taught modules all take place in trimesters one and two, followed by the project module in trimester three. For part-time students, the taught modules are spread over trimesters one and two of two years, followed by the project module in year three.
The majority of teaching and learning takes place through tutorial and seminar groups. There is a strong focus on guided self-learning. Assessment is generally in the form of assignments, which improve problem solving and other skills as well as providing a strong background in the subject area. The ‘Measurement, Analysis and Assessment’ and ‘Environmental Noise Measurement’ modules also include practical group work.
All students benefit from the supply of a range of high-quality teaching materials, text books and software. Interaction with students is face-to-face wherever practical, but we also use web-based learning support packages (databases of materials, discussion boards etc.) to support the cohorts. Distance learning students are able to stream classes via our Virtual Learning Environment, either to participate live or watch back later.
Our MSc Environmental Acoustics meets the needs of people wanting a career dealing with building design, noise and its control. With noise being a significant problem worldwide, there is increasing demand from companies wanting to employ graduates understanding acoustics. Building design and architectural acoustics needs specialist engineering consultants looking at room configurations and surface treatments, noise ingress and egress, sound reinforcement system design and so on. Many other businesses employ specialists in acoustics from Salford: Apple, Bentley and JLR to name a few. Our reputation in acoustics means that our graduates have an excellent chance of quickly finding a job, and many employers come directly to Salford to recruit graduates from our courses.
Acoustic consultancy offers the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of projects and clients, and consultancy practices who recruit our graduates are spread widely throughout the UK, the EU, Canada, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Students also go on to study for a higher degree by research, here at Salford or elsewhere.
Acousticians with engineering, science and mathematical skills are currently in short supply, and Salford MSc Acoustics graduates are in a very strong position in the jobs market. Salford University has over 25 years’ experience of placing graduates in key audio and acoustic industries carrying out consultancy, research, development and design. These include well-known companies such as Apple, Dolby and the BBC, and with almost every major acoustic consultancy in the world.
Typically our graduates go into:
Staff have strong links with industry either through collaborative R&D projects with industry through the Acoustics Research Centre and our commercial test laboratories. These all help to keep the MSc Acoustics up to date with the current needs of industry, including the latest research findings. This course is an exemplar of the University’s Industry Collaboration Zones (ICZs) strategy- our single strategic priority.
The generation, manipulation and reproduction of high quality audio are core elements of the rapidly expanding communication, entertainment, music and sound engineering industries. This course is aimed at graduates of numerate science disciplines, who wish to make the transfer into this exciting and growing sector. Building on the engineering fundamentals you already know, it will provide you with the specialist expert knowledge required to become a future leader in audio technology. The University of Salford has a long history of research and teaching in audio and acoustics - by taking this course you will be joining a community of alumni who can be found at the heart of many leading organisations both in the UK and abroad.
You will study core topics including architectural acoustics, psychoacoustics, dynamics and vibration, computer modelling and measurement. Beyond this, the course provides specialist modules in digital signal processing and advanced loudspeaker and microphone design. Further specialisation is then developed in the Project module.
You will be based in the university’s internationally-renowned Acoustics Research Group. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework panel praised our outputs, saying that the Salford submission showed “particular strengths in acoustics”, and our industrial links led our REF impact case study to be singled out by the EPSRC and Royal Academy of Engineering for highlight the economic benefits of engineering and training.
This course is accredited by the Institute of Acoustics for the purposes of meeting the educational requirements for Corporate Membership of the Institute. Graduates may attain Engineering Council registration via the Institute of Acoustics.
This course offers a variety of flexible study formats, including full and part-time modes, either on campus or via distance learning. Those considering part-time study should bear in mind that the programme is intensive, and that generally, we advise that part-time means half time, i.e. you would need to allocate half the week to you studies ≈ 19 working hours.
This course comprises eight 15 credit taught modules, followed by a 60 credit project module leading to the dissertation. For full-time students, the taught modules all take place in trimesters one and two, followed by the project module in trimester three. For part-time students, the taught modules are spread over trimesters one and two of two years, followed by the project module in year three.
The majority of teaching and learning takes place through tutorial and seminar groups. There is a strong focus on guided self-learning. Assessment is generally in the form of assignments, which improve problem solving and other skills as well as providing a strong background in the subject area. The ‘Measurement, Analysis and Assessment’ module also includes practical group work.
All students benefit from the supply of a range of high-quality teaching materials, text books and software. Interaction with students is face-to-face wherever practical, but we also use web-based learning support packages (databases of materials, discussion boards etc.) to support the cohorts. Distance learning students are able to stream classes via our Virtual Learning Environment, either to participate live or watch back later.
Our MSc Audio Acoustics course is designed to train graduates to meet a growing demand for audio skills in industry, and also to enable employees to reach their full potential. This postgraduate course has been used as in-service training by a number of UK and global companies (e.g. mobile telecoms). While one naturally thinks of mobile phone design as belonging to 'telecommunications', there are considerable audio engineering challenges in designing good quality sound from the small transducers used in confined spaces, often in the presence of considerable background noise. Also, increasing markets exist for sophisticated audio systems in the home (smart speakers), at work (virtual and augmented environments) and in transport (car audio or ‘infotainment’).
The audio acoustics industry is diverse. It includes major firms with 'core' audio-related market share such as Philips, Sony, Dolby, B&O and KEF. Many other businesses employ specialists in acoustics from Salford: Apple, Bentley, JLR to name a few. Building design and architectural acoustics needs specialist engineering consultants looking at room configurations and surface treatments, noise ingress and egress, sound reinforcement system design and so on, and a very wide variety of companies (Arup Acoustics are one large example in our area) employ graduates from our courses. Students also go on to study for a higher degree by research, here at Salford or elsewhere.
Acousticians with engineering, science and mathematical skills are currently in short supply, and Salford MSc Audio Acoustics graduates are in a very strong position in the jobs market. The University of Salford has over 25 years’ experience of placing graduates in key audio and acoustic industries carrying out consultancy, research, development and design. These include well-known companies such as Apple, Dolby and the BBC, and with almost every major acoustic consultancy in the world.
Typically our graduates go into:
In 2013, A survey of 500 of our acoustic and audio alumni found 1 in 5 of our graduates live outside the UK and 45% are in Senior jobs or are Directors. The 6 most popular industries were: research (15%), environmental (11%), university (10%), construction (9%), architecture (9%) and consumer electronics (6%).
Audio engineering is the application of science to design, analysis and problem solving in sound recording and audio production, and it is a key aspect of all areas of modern computing, communications and entertainment. If you are technically minded with a strong science or technology background and possess a passion for music and audio, this course is ideal.
The topics you will study on this course have wide reaching impact. Digital signal processing is fundamental to processing and delivering voice and audio in the digital domain. A huge amount of research is being conducted into the way we interact with the digital world, and our Interfaces & Interactivity and Audio Software Engineering modules will explore this area in-depth.
The Acoustics and Advanced Audio Engineering modules will investigate how sound behaves in the acoustic and electro-acoustic domains by exploring loudspeaker design, audio hardware design, building acoustics and environmental acoustics. You will have access to reverberation and anechoic chambers, high-specification recording studios and the latest computing resources for audio engineering.
Research Excellence Framework 2014
Research Excellence Framework 2014: our University demonstrated strength in five emerging areas of research which it entered into the assessment for the first time, including in music, drama, dance and performing arts.
You will have access to an array of the latest equipment, including our reverberation chamber in which you can move panels to control reverberation time and accurately create spaces, while our anechoic chamber will provide you with experience of measuring audio equipment.Thanks to our strong links with live sound industries and audio plug-in development software companies you will hear from industry experts at guest lectures, while our tutors are some of the best acousticians around.
If you are an audio professional, we will help you formalise your knowledge of acoustics and live sound - from setting up PA systems, sound checks and making modifications when the audience arrives, to improving your knowledge of what is happens to sound so you can build a system that gives an audience the best possible experience.
Artist in Residence Programme
The Artist in Residence programme gives our students an opportunity to work with professional artists and gives them a taste of what is it like to work on a professional music project. So far we have welcomed artists Chris T-T, Ian Prowse, I Monster, Tom Williams and Utah Saints.
This course will give you a specialist skill set across software, hardware, acoustics and interfacing. You could find yourself working for audio equipment companies, in technical roles in the TV, film and media industries, in acoustics consultancy, in research roles or in live sound engineering.
On this course, you’ll gain practical, theoretical and creative experience of sound engineering, music production and audio technology.
You’ll explore the design, manipulation and production of audio across many platforms, using our state-of-the-art audio-post recording, radio and TV studios to study a mix of sound engineering and theory modules.
The aim of the course is to develop the skills that you’ll need to create and deliver professional audio, whilst under pinning these skills with a sound theoretical background.
94% of our postgraduates go on to employment and/or further study within six months of graduating.DLHE 2009 and 2010
This course entails both practical based and theory modules. The modules are delivered in the recording studios, the audio technology suite, audio post production suite and lecture theatres.
DURATION
September start
MSc (one year full-time or up to three years part-time)
PgDip (nine months full-time or 18 months part-time)
January start
MSc (16 months full-time)
PgDip (one year full-time or up to two years part-time)
Teaching and learning involves a mix of lectures and practical sound engineering work, involving individual and group learning, There is an emphasis on motivated students' self-study.
Assessment involves a mixture of practical work, report writing and project work. By the end of the course students will have built up a substantial portfolio of audio, video and new media work.
Assessment is approximately divided across the course as follows:
This degree is based in MediaCityUK,the new home for the BBC, ITV, Coronation Street and parts of the University of Salford. MediaCityUK is located at Salford Quays on the banks of Manchester's historic ship canal. The University has the first four floors of a new, purpose built facility that looks over the water to The Lowry theatre, Imperial War Museum North and the new Coronation Street set. ITV occupy the floors above us, with the three BBC buildings on one side of us and Peel Media Studios on the other.
A number of BBC departments are based at MediaCityUK, having moved from London, including BBC Breakfast, BBC Children's, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Future Media and Technology, BBC Learning, BBC Sport and BBC Academy. All of the BBC Manchester operations have also moved to MediaCityUK, including BBC Religion and Ethics, Current Affairs and the BBC Philharmonic.
For more information, check out the Salford MediaCityUK site and the main MediaCityUK site.
Here is a summary of our relevant facilities at MediaCityUK:
On the main campus, we also have a Pro Tools equipped studio recording complex consisting of four control rooms and recording areas. Please see this brochure for more detailed information brochure.
The wide range of skills provided on this course will enhance your employability. Possible career paths include: audio manufacturer research and design, broadcast engineer in audio for radio or TV, audio and visual design and installation, education, interactive media and sonic arts.
Possible career paths include:
Staff have strong links with industry either through collaborative R&D projects with industry through the Acoustics Research Centre and our commercial test laboratories. Our research department is a Centre of Excellence for BBC Research.
Some students could go on to study a PhD at our world-class Acoustics Research Centre. We have been carrying out acoustics and audio research for over 30 years. Our research is funded by research councils, government bodies, and industry. It has fed into audio products that companies make and sell worldwide, as well as regulations and standards used in the UK, Europe and beyond. We are also involved in public engagement - getting more people aware of and interested in acoustic science and engineering.
There is increasing pressure to make life quieter and to gain a better understanding of how noise and vibration affect people. Our MSc in Acoustical Engineering is a full-time masters degree that offers an academically challenging exposure to modern developments in sound, vibration and signal processing.
Acoustical engineers are in great demand in almost every field of engineering. Whether they’re creating better-sounding concert halls, superior sound reproduction systems, clearer ultrasound scans or quieter aeroplanes, acoustical engineers combine solid understanding of engineering fundamentals with specialist knowledge of sound and vibration to make the world sound better. A unique degree course for those with a passion for sound.
Learning and teaching
The programme is split into two components: a 'taught' component (October to June) and a research component (February to September). The courses are taught at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR), which is a world-leading centre for acoustical engineering.
Taught Modules
The 'taught' component will consist of a range of modules based on lectures, hands-on demonstrations, laboratory teaching and exercises in small groups.
You are encouraged throughout to contribute your own professional experiences and thoughts to the learning of the whole class through a free exchange of ideas.
Research Project
The research project is the climax of the MSc programme. The project offers an opportunity to perform advanced research supervised by a member of academic staff. A list of projects offered by members of teaching staff is posted during Semester 1. You may also propose your own project.
Work begins on the project in February with the Project Development module. The research itself is mostly carried out during the summer period. A planning and literature review report is submitted at an early stage in the project, and an interview/presentation with the internal examiner is held at around the mid-point. On completion a dissertation is produced. This has to be completed and submitted before the start of the new academic year.
Assessment
Testing of the knowledge base is through a combination of unseen written examinations and assessed coursework in the form of problem solving exercises, laboratory reports, design exercises, essays, and individual and group projects.
Analysis and problem solving skills are assessed through unseen written examinations and problem based exercises. Experimental, research and design skills are assessed through laboratory reports, coursework exercises, project reports and oral presentations.
As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our programmes to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this programme may be revised during a student’s period of registration; however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Please read our Disclaimer to see why, when and how changes may be made to a student’s programme.
Programmes and major changes to programmes are approved through the University’s programme validation process which is described in the University’s quality handbook.
View the programme specificiation document for this course
Through the wide choice of modules available on the MSc Acoustical Engineering course, you have the possibility to specialise in one of the two following areas, after enrolling on the course:
Signal Processing
The Applied Digital Signal Processing pathway provides in-depth training on modern signal processing techniques for biomedical applications and audio signal processing.
Structural Vibration
The Structural Vibration pathway emphasises the advanced techniques to model, measure and control vibration in mechanical systems such as railways and automotive applications.
Enhance your knowledge and skills in the rapidly developing field of additive manufacturing and advanced manufacturing technologies.
This course has been developed to meet the demands of industry and will expose you to cutting-edge manufacturing techniques and applications.
There are specialist modules in additive manufacturing, state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies, materials and a broad range of modules in advanced mechanical engineering.
You will undertake an industry-focused research project on additive manufacturing, working with both commercial and bespoke manufacturing technologies using high-performance materials.
Further optional modules are available, allowing you to customise the course based on your interests or career aspirations.
Have you ever wanted to invent something mechanical, prevent environmental damage to a building from floods, fire, explosions, landslides and other natural disasters, understand risks and reliability across buildings, renewables, and other areas? Do you want to improve quality of life across environmental remediation, farming, smart grid, green technology, food production, housing, transportation, safety, security, healthcare and water? Do you find it fascinating to try to make things work from what you have available? There will be plenty of major challenges to get involved with in the coming years crossing over into Nano technologies, advanced materials, electronic printing, grapheme technologies, wearable's, 3d printing, renewables and recycling and biotechnologies. Technology now means that you can design and engineer from anywhere in the world, including your home. Advanced Mechanical Engineering looks at computational mechanics, response to materials and reliability engineering. The Victorians set up some of the most advanced mechanical engineering of our times and in many ways they were the biggest mechanical engineering innovators ever.
This programme specialises in mechanical engineering so you are becoming proficient in designing anything that has background moving parts to allow it to work such as engines, motor driven devices and the effects of nature on mechanical objects and their ability to perform. You also look at how material composition can alter performance issues and provide new innovative methods to solve challenges in every day life and natural and other risks to machinery in all situations. Your employment options are very varied, you may want to work within consumer goods to design and improve everyday objects like white goods, or you may like to be involved in very large scale hydro electric and power driving machinery in energy , manufacturing or large scale developments, or you may decide to get involved in innovation and enterprise yourself.
SEMESTER 1
Optional Courses
SEMESTER 2
Optional Courses
SEMESTER 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about international fees:
Find out more about fees on the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
Other engineering disciplines you may be interested in:
Enhance your understanding of acoustics and the way noise can be controlled in the workplace, in buildings and in the wider environment. We offer the highly-regarded Institute of Acoustics (IoA) Diploma and the opportunity on successful completion to progress to a masters award by studying two research modules. Taught through lectures, laboratory classes and via our Virtual Learning Environment, emphasis will be given to studying the theory of acoustics and how this knowledge can be applied to develop practical solutions to noise problems.
Both courses are part-time with attendance on campus limited to half a day per week. The IoA Diploma will enable you to work as an acoustics specialist and it can enhance existing careers in construction, architecture or music technology. Undertaking the MSc will ensure your professional practice is informed by the very latest research, and your qualification will be well regarded both here and abroad.
For information on the IoA Diploma, visit Acoustics & Noise Control Diloma
You will have access to our fully equipped state-of-the-art laboratory, with its anechoic and reverberation chambers and modern noise analysis equipment. Our course is taught by experience acoustic consultants, and we have very close links with local authority employers due to our established courses in environmental health, allowing you to develop your professional network.
Our MSc is highly regarded in the environmental protection field and is a required qualification for many senior posts in local authorities and private sector organisations. We have excellent links with local employers, and many of our students have secured jobs in the consultancy and manufacturing sectors during or immediately after completing our course.
