Music Technology is a rapidly evolving field of study with a diverse and expanding range of possibilities.
The MSc in Audio Technology is designed to go beyond the simple provision of training, and to instead enable you to engage with current debates and actively participate in some of the most vibrant areas of contemporary research.
Throughout the course you will be encouraged to demonstrate self-direction and autonomy as you critically explore and define your position within the wider field. One overarching aim is that you should leave the course as not only an adept user of various hardware and software technologies, but as someone able to actively shape and develop their own, responding as necessary to future developments.
Thus, in addition to developing your theoretical and methodological understanding, the MSc in Audio Technology features a strong emphasis on practical work in a number of different (but related) areas. For example, you will study modules in Advanced Studio Practice, Sound on Screen, Music Computing and Musical Human-Computer Interaction. These are supported by a technology-orientated Research and Development module that provides robust foundation for the final Audio Technology Project.
Acting as summary of all that you have learned and a portfolio going forward, the Audio Technology Project provides an opportunity to plan and execute a substantial project in an area of personal specialism or interest. Innovative projects are encouraged, and there exists the potential for interdisciplinary and/or collaboration with practitioners in other fields.
Advanced Studio Practice
This module explores various methodologies employed in the planning, recording, editing, mix down and mastering stages of audio production. You will conduct research into genre and equipment-specific working practices, which will lead to the development of innovative engineering concepts and techniques. You will evaluate and use a variety of software and hardware tools and produce work in both stereo and surround sound.
Sound on Screen
The module aims to investigate the relationship between sound and the moving image in contexts such as film, television, advertising and video games. Throughout the module you will develop your understanding of theories, practices and techniques used in the production of music intended to be experienced in conjunction with other media. This will initially involve analysing and deconstructing a range of audio-visual media, examining their aims and how effectively these aims are met. You will then use your understanding of the work of others in the field to critically inform and evolve your own approaches. Using a variety of techniques and technologies, you will create a number of short practical pieces to accompany a variety of linear and non-linear media.
Music Computing
In this module you will explore the relationship between theories of music and computing and creative practice. More specifically, you will study perception and cognition of sound, the ways in which computers can analyse music and audio, generative musical structures, and how these compositional processes can be applied to the generation and transformation of audio. In carrying out the practical assignment, you will critically evaluate, understand the differences between, and demonstrate mastery of common musical programming languages in the realisation of your ideas.
Musical Human-Computer Interaction
Musical interaction is a vibrant area of contemporary research with considerable crossover into more established areas such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Physical/Ubiquitous Computing. In the first part of the module you will look at recent work by the New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) community, using these examples to examine and explore a range of pertinent design issues. These include: novice versus virtuoso users (i.e. ease of use versus the potential for mastery), single versus multi-user, discrete versus continuous data control, the provision of haptic feedback, and causality of sound. Using appropriate Physical Computing technologies (e.g. Arduino, Beagleboard, sensors, actuators, basic electronics), you will then design and implement a musical interface for a chosen real-time application (i.e. analysis, composition, or performance). Finally, you will consider how HCI-inspired evaluation methods may be applied to your work, and document your design (online) in such a way that it can be recreated and developed further by interested others.
Research and Development
The Research and Development module initially explores the nature of innovation, then moves on to examine research process including design and development, fundamentals of both quantitative and qualitative traditions, and HCI-inspired methodologies for the evaluation of audio software, musical interfaces and other technologies. Towards the end of the module the emphasis then shifts to the development of an individual research design/proposal that may form the basis of your final Audio Technology Project.
Audio Technology Project
The Audio Technology Project is an opportunity for students to pursue a substantial, self-directed project in a chosen area of audio or musical technology.
The course will actively equip both graduates and those already in industry with a diverse range of skills to enhance their career prospects. It will also develop a range of opportunities for experience and employment in areas such as studio recording, media production and content creation, video game and software development, education (FE/HE), research assistantships/studentships, and employment in HE institutions.
In addition to subject-specific practical skills, you will also acquire a range of transferable skills relevant for pursuing a research degree. These include critical, analytical, project management and research skills from the study of a broad spectrum of literature, research, and external projects.
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.
The MSc in Digital Audio Engineering is a unique and innovate course designed to give you advanced knowledge and skills related to digital audio, which can be found in every area of modern technology and culture. On this course you will gain the creative, investigative and critical thinking abilities to apply your knowledge and skills to real-world situations and problems, such as audio analysis, effects and synthesis plug-ins, digital controllers, installation and embedded systems for public spaces.
Digital audio is part of all aspects of modern life. This includes areas such as music and sound production, media and gaming, 3D spatial audio, mobile devices and streaming, online media and the internet of things (IoT), plus many others. The need for people to have the necessary technical and creative abilities to enable and progress how digital audio is embedded in all these areas and many more, is significant.
The course promotes an independent and self-motivating approach to learning by encouraging you to develop real-world technical expertise to effectively innovate, design, develop and operate a range of digital audio systems. Upon graduation you will be prepared as a professional, equipped with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to develop a successful career as a digital audio engineer.
The course provides you the opportunity to engage in a wide range of digital audio application developments and potential collaborations with postgraduate students in other areas of the university. These include music technology, software engineering other subject areas in the School of Computing and Engineering and the London College of Music.
The development of learning skills includes processes and activities such as critical appraisal, reflection, literature searching, information technology, peer review, group work, presentation, research, practice/professional skills, note-taking, writing skills, electronic information retrieval, communication skills and independent study at home. These skills will be an integral part of learning courses.
The course modules will enable you to evidence your ability to combine different but related audio engineering subjects in an applied manner. Students from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds in related subjects will be able to enrol and succeed on the course. The type of undergraduate courses students may join the MSc from include:
As would be expected at masters’ level, there is an appropriate balance of theory and practice, and in order to be successful students will need to demonstrate high levels of analytical, critical and reflective skills alongside a professional level of practical skills and knowledge. Teaching and learning on the programme is underpinned by the research and development activities of the course team.
Click the following link for information on how to apply to this course.
Information about scholarships and bursaries can be found here.
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.
The Masters in Sound Design & Audiovisual Practice provides advanced training in creative practice with sound and audiovisual technologies. The programme offers topics relevant to practicing musicians, artists, and the creative industries, such as sound shaping and design, audiovisual composition, field recording, creative and experimental approaches to technology, live performance, interdisciplinary perspectives on sound, and sonic aesthetics. You then develop an individual portfolio of sonic and audiovisual artwork based on your particular skills and interests.
The programme aims to:
The MSc comprises 180 credits as follows:
Semester 1 compulsory courses (60 credits):
Semester 2 compulsory courses (40 credits):
Semester 2 option (one 20 credit course chosen from):
Additionally you will produce an individual creative portfolio over the summer (60 credits).
Teaching methods include small group tutorials, seminars and workshops, lab and studio sessions, and individual guidance meetings.
The attributes you gain will be attractive to employers from the creative industries, and are particularly relevant for contemporary music, sound design and sound production, games, theatre, film and television. Many of our graduates undertake successful portfolio careers as artists and sound practitioners in their own right. The programme also offers an excellent foundation upon which to progress to PhD studies and an academic career.
This well-established Masters is the world-leading course in audio production, highly regarded both nationally and internationally. It is accredited by the leading industry bodies, including APRS, and is the JAMES National Regional Centre – London, an Apple-accredited training centre and a Skillset Media Academy. The course is designed to meet and exceed professional standards and will enable you to reach the highest level in the creative use of audio, and explore how creative ideas and new technologies can be combined, enhanced and redefined.
As the major media education site in Europe, the University's Harrow Campus includes 14 professional recording studios (three surround studios), a new teaching recording studio, Music Lab and an array of TV, post-production, radio, film and multimedia facilities built and equipped to the highest standards.
This innovative course develops your creative abilities in audio across music production, sound design, radio, TV, film and multimedia, all supported by a robust understanding of the technologies involved. You will be able to explore and expand as a creative artist while achieving control and experience of a professional audio environment.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Modules
We offer fully equipped rehearsal rooms, state-of-the-art recording studios and a brand new live music venue. We aim to give our students first-hand experience of "real world" recording environments and to set them on their paths to successful music industry careers.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the way we live, work and learn. Both governments and industries have recognised the need for strategic development of AI -- technology giants such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook have each established their own AI research institutes, and the UK government recently announced its £75 million investment in the November 2017 Budget.
There is however a real shortage of AI talents worldwide, both to serve the industry and drive future research. Artificial Intelligence jobs are amongst the best paid in industry nowadays – an AI Specialist typically earns among the highest salaries (New York Times, 22nd Oct 2017), while having a solid AI background is strongly desired in multiple research disciplines.
MSc Artificial Intelligence importantly recognises such need for training cutting-edge AI talents, and is specifically designed to maximise student employability on AI-specific jobs.
• comprehensive: covering all five of the most popular AI topics
• up-to-date: each topic backed up by a world-leading group with cutting edge research
• unique: offering Game AI that represents some of the most advanced AI to date (e.g., AlphaGo)
• practical: focusing on developing practical machine-learning skills across all five AI topics
The programme brings together our teaching, research and industrial contacts to allow students to mix the different AI topics that best suits their personal requirements and future plans. Students will be offered lectures that explain the fundamental AI concepts, universal machine-learning tools essential for any AI job profile, and specific practical and research skills on all five of the AI topics. Students will gain experience with cutting-edge tools such as Deep Neural Networks (DNN), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), and Deep Reinforcement Learning (Deep RL) via regular exercises and practical labs. Students will be taught by world-renowned academics in their specific subject areas, and have regular contacts with them throughout the duration of the programme.
MSc Artificial Intelligence is currently available for one year full-time study or two years part-time study.
Semester 1: Four modules that operate on a 3+1 scheme
3 core modules that cover the foundational machine learning techniques and introduction of Artificial Intelligence for Games (e.g., AlphaGo); and 1 optional module to select from three other AI topics (vision, music and language).
Semester 2: Four modules themed around all five AI topics offered
The module selection allows students to focus on topic-specific research or industry applications for AI. More importantly, these module options allow students to gain advanced and up-to-date knowledge on selected AI topics.
Semester 3:
Students carry out a large project on the AI topic that they want to specialise in, after agreeing on a specific topic with an academic supervisor in the first semester, and completing the preparation phase over the second semester.
Undertaking a masters programme is a serious commitment, with weekly contact hours in addition to numerous hours of independent learning and research needed to progress at the required level. When coursework or examination deadlines are approaching, independent learning hours may need to increase significantly. Please contact the course convenor for precise information on the number of contact hours per week for this programme.
Part-time study options often mean that the number of modules taken is reduced per semester, with the full modules required to complete the programme spread over two academic years. Teaching is generally done during the day and part-time students should contact the course convenor to get an idea of when these teaching hours are likely to take place. Timetables are likely to be finalised in September but you may be able to gain an expectation of what will be required.
Important note regarding Part Time Study
We regret that due to complex timetabling constraints, we are not able to guarantee that lectures and labs for part time students will be limited to two days per week, neither do we currently support any evening classes. If you have specific enquiries about the timetabling of part time courses, please contact the MSc Administrator
· Computational Intelligence and Games
· Machine Learning
· Data Mining
· MSc Project module
· Introduction to Computer Vision
· Machine Learning for Visual Data Analysis
· Deep Learning and Computer Vision
· Music Perception and Cognition
· Music and Speech Modelling
· Music Analysis and Synthesis
· Natural Language Processing
· Advanced Natural Language Processing
· Artificial Intelligence
· Information Retrieval
· Advanced Robotics Systems
· Multi-platform Game Development
*All new courses are required to undergo a two-stage internal review and approval process before being advertised to students. Courses that are marked "subject to approval" have successfully completed the first stage of this process. Applications are welcome but we will not make formal offers for this course until it has passed this second (and final) stage.
AI is rapidly changing the way we live, work and learn. Both governments and industry have recognised the need for strategic development of AI -- technology giants such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook have each established their own AI research institutes, and the UK government recently announced its £75 million investment in the November 2017 Budget.
There is however a real shortage of AI talents worldwide, both to serve the industry and drive future research. AI jobs are amongst the best paid in industry nowadays – an AI Specialist typically earns among the highest salaries (New York Times, 22nd Oct 2017), while having a solid AI background is strongly desired in multiple research disciplines.
MSc Artificial Intelligence importantly recognises such need for training cutting-edge AI talents, and is specifically designed to maximise student employability on AI-specific jobs.
The programme brings together our teaching, research and industrial contacts to allow students to mix the different AI topics that best suits their personal requirements and future plans. Students will be offered lectures that explain the fundamental AI concepts, universal machine learning tools essential for any AI job profile, and specific practical and research skills on all five of the AI topics. Students will gain experience with cutting-edge tools such as Deep Neural Networks (DNN), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), and Deep Reinforcement Learning (Deep RL) via regular exercises and practical labs. Students will be taught by world-renowned academics in their specific subject areas, and have regular contacts with them throughout the duration of the programme.
The industrial placement consists of 8-12 months spent working with an appropriate employer in a role that relates directly to your field of study. The placement is currently undertaken after you have completed, passed the taught component of the degree and submitted your MSc project. The placement will provide the opportunity to apply key technical knowledge and skills gained from your taught modules and will enable you to gain a better understanding of your own abilities, aptitudes, attitudes and employment potential. The module is only open to students enrolled on a programme of study with integrated placement.
In the event that you are unable to secure a placement, we will transfer you onto the 1 year FT taught programme without the Industrial Experience. This change will also apply to any student visa you hold at the time.
MSc Artificial Intelligence is currently available for one year full-time study or two years part-time study.
Semester 1: Four modules that operate on a 3+1 scheme
3 core modules that cover the foundational machine learning techniques and introduction of Artificial Intelligence for Games (e.g., AlphaGo); and 1 optional module to select from three other AI topics (vision, music and language).
Semester 2: Four modules themed around all five AI topics offered
The module selection allows students to focus on topic-specific research or industry applications for AI. More importantly, these module options allow students to gain advanced and up-to-date knowledge on selected AI topics.
Semester 3:
Students carry out a large project on the AI topic that they want to specialise in, after agreeing on a specific topic with an academic supervisor in the first semester, and completing the preparation phase over the second semester.
Undertaking a masters programme is a serious commitment, with weekly contact hours being in addition to numerous hours of independent learning and research needed to progress at the required level. When coursework or examination deadlines are approaching independent learning hours may need to increase significantly. Please contact the course convenor for precise information on the number of contact hours per week for this programme.
Part-time study options often mean that the number of modules taken is reduced per semester, with the full modules required to complete the programme spread over two academic years. Teaching is generally done during the day and part-time students should contact the course convenor to get an idea of when these teaching hours are likely to take place. Timetables are likely to be finalised in September but you may be able to gain an expectation of what will be required.
· Computational Intelligence and Games
· Machine Learning
· Data Mining
· MSc Project module
· Introduction to Computer Vision
· Machine Learning for Visual Data Analysis
· Deep Learning and Computer Vision
· Music Perception and Cognition
· Music and Speech Modelling
· Music Analysis and Synthesis
· Natural Language Processing
· Advanced Natural Language Processing
· Artificial Intelligence
· Information Retrieval
· Advanced Robotics Systems
· Multi-platform Game Development
*All new courses are required to undergo a two-stage internal review and approval process before being advertised to students. Courses that are marked "subject to approval" have successfully completed the first stage of this process. Applications are welcome but we will not make formal offers for this course until it has passed this second (and final) stage.
Create your own story at the University of Hertfordshire’s School of Creative Arts!
