MSc/PgDip Audio Production

Program Overview

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Audio Production

Overview

The MSc Audio Production postgraduate degree is designed to develop your professional audio skills, backed up with thorough theoretical knowledge about its design, management, and production across many platforms. You will gain practical, theoretical, and creative experience of sound engineering, sound innovation, music production, and audio technology.

Course Details

Course Delivery

Our MSc Audio Production postgraduate course is available with flexible full and part-time pathways. There are course intakes each September and January. The MSc award course comprises eight 15-credit taught modules, followed by a 60 credit dissertation project.

• As a full-time student starting in September, your studies will take approximately 12 months to complete. Full-time January starts will take approximately 16 months to complete. You will study taught modules in trimesters one and two, and complete your final project during trimester three.
• As a part-time student, your studies for both start dates will take approximately 36 months to complete. Taught modules are spread over trimesters one and two for two years, and you will complete your final project in year three.

Course Team

Drawing on over 60 years of acoustics expertise at Salford, the Audio Production postgraduate course is delivered by an academic team with exceptional research experience and extensive professional connections throughout the world.

• Course leader: Dr. Ben Shirley

Modules

Trimester One

• Audio Production
• Audio Post Production
• Emerging Technologies and Digital Culture
• Audio Theory

Trimester Two

• Spatial Audio
• Recording Studio Design
• Sound Synthesis
• Research Methods

Trimester Three

• Project

What Will I Be Doing?

Teaching

The majority of teaching and learning is delivered through tutorials, seminar groups, and studio-based activities in the recording studios, the audio technology suite, and audio post-production suite.

Assessment

Assessment involves a mixture of practical work, report writing, and project work. By the end of the course, you will have a portfolio of audio and new media work to demonstrate to future employers.

• Practical work (30%)
• Report/assignment (35%)
• Presentation (5%)
• Dissertation - that may entail practical elements (30%)

Facilities

As an Audio Production student, you will use our post-production and audio suites featuring industry-standard software packages including Pro Tools, Reason, Adobe Creative Cloud, and the Native Instruments suite. The post-production suite includes Pro Tools S6 console and has Dolby Atmos monitoring capabilities. Our recording studios house Solid State Logic, Neve, and Audient mixing consoles. There are also dedicated dubbing and foley facilities.

Industry Collaboration and Research

Many of our academics and technicians who support your course also deliver collaborative, interdisciplinary, high-impact work in a range of local and global issues and challenges with noise, sound, and vibration.

Employment and Stats

Employment

The growth of digital media has increased industry demand for talented professionals who can help deliver exceptional audio-visual experiences and drive sound innovation. Salford has over 25 years of experience nurturing graduates into audio and acoustics careers that span consultancy, research, development, and design roles with leading companies such as Apple, Dolby, and the BBC.

Further Study

You might also choose to take your subject interest further with postgraduate research. Our Acoustics Research Centre is home to PhD and Research Master’s opportunities exploring a range of topics, including noise and soundscapes, sound modelling, psychoacoustics, vibro-acoustics, building acoustics, acoustic materials, sound innovation, and audio engineering.

Requirements

Applicant Profile

This course is recommended for sound engineering or music technology graduates or working professionals with a keen interest in the subject area. Applicants will require skills in both the operational and theoretical aspects of audio production.

English Language Requirements

All of our courses are taught and assessed in English. If English is not your first language, you must meet our minimum English language entry requirements. An IELTS score of 6.0 (no element below 5.5) is proof of this, however, we do accept a range of equivalent qualifications.

International Applications

Please check international intakes for the latest information and application dates.

Standard Entry Requirements

• Undergraduate degree: A second-class honours degree that must contain significant elements of audio technology or production.
• International student entry requirements: We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.

Alternative Entry Requirements

• Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL): We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.

Fees

• Type of study | Year | Fees
  • Full-time home | 2025/26 | £10,350 per year
  • Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,000 per year
  • Part-time | 2025/26 | Calculated on a pro-rata basis

Additional Costs

You should consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding, and general subsistence on trips and visits.

International Student Scholarships

If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Learn more about our latest international scholarships.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

• In a nutshell: This program focuses on the latest technologies and their impact on sound and audio experiences.
• Objectives:
• Equip students with practical, theoretical, and creative skills in sound engineering, music production, and audio technology.
• Develop professional audio skills with a solid foundation in design, management, and production across various platforms.
• Ideal for graduates seeking a career in the audio and media industries, building upon their existing knowledge and expanding their skill set to pursue exciting opportunities.

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Outline:

• Course Type: Full-time or Part-time
• Duration: 1 year (Full-time), 16 months (Full-time January start), 3 years (Part-time)
• Trimester Structure:
• Trimester 1: Audio Production, Audio Post Production, Emerging Technologies and Digital Culture, Audio Theory
• Trimester 2: Spatial Audio, Recording Studio Design, Sound Synthesis, Research Methods
• Trimester 3: Dissertation Project
• Modules:
• Audio Production:
Develop advanced sound recording, editing, processing, and surround techniques, working on challenging projects.
• Audio Post Production: Master tools and techniques for audio post-production, including dialogue editing, ADR, Foley work, and 5.1 surround mixing.
• Audio Theory: Gain a deep understanding of analog and digital audio signals and systems, focusing on synchronization, clocking, and automation in various audio production contexts.
• Spatial Audio: Explore the capabilities of the human auditory system in relation to spatial audio technologies, including stereo, binaural, transaural, and wave field synthesis.
• Recording Studio Design: Learn acoustic principles for designing sound-treated spaces, and complete a design project for a creative space (recording or control room).
• Sound Synthesis: Explore musical instrument sounds, synthesis techniques, and utilize software to build complex synthesizers and multi-effects units.
• Research Methods: Learn research techniques specific to audio, acoustics, and video, including data analysis and integration of research methods.
• Dissertation: Conduct an independent study under supervision on a topic in audio, digital media, or acoustics.

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Assessment:

• Teaching:
• Combines tutorials, seminar groups, and studio-based activities utilizing industry-standard software.
• High focus on guided self-learning and interaction.
• Assessment:
• Practical work (30%)
• Report/assignment (35%)
• Presentation (5%)
• Dissertation (30%, may include practical elements)

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Teaching:

• Led by experienced academics with strong industry connections, research experience, and expertise in acoustics.
• Post-production and audio suites equipped with industry-standard software like Pro Tools, Reason, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Native Instruments suite.
• Pro Tools S6 console with Dolby Atmos monitoring capabilities in post-production suite.
• Recording studios featuring Solid State Logic, Neve, and Audient mixing consoles.
• Dedicated dubbing and foley facilities.

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Careers:

• Career paths: Audio post-production, freelance sound engineering, convergent technologies, and broadcast.
• Employers: Leading organizations like BBC, Sky TV, and Channel 4.
• Participation in ongoing research projects through the Acoustics Research Centre.
• Regular research seminars with industry partners.
• Masterclasses and workshops hosted by industry experts.

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| Type of study | Year | Fees | |---|---|---| | Full-time home | 2024/25 | £9,990.00 per year | | Full-time international | 2024/25 | £16,380.00 per year | | Part-time | 2024/25 | £1,665 per 30 credits | | Full-time home | 2025/26 | £10,350.00 per year | | Full-time international | 2025/26 | £17,000.00 per year |