MA Sound Design for Screen

Program Overview

Bournemouth University's MA Sound Design for Screen is a one-year full-time program that equips students with the creative, technical, and collaborative skills for sound design in the film, TV, games, and VR industries. Combining theoretical knowledge with practical training, the program fosters a critical understanding of sound/image relationships, industry-standard technologies, and diverse screen-based media genres. Graduates are highly sought after in the entertainment and media fields, securing roles such as Sound Designer, Audio Producer, and Audio Director.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The MA Sound Design for Screen is a one-year full-time program offered by Bournemouth University. It is the first UK university to offer an MA in Sound Design, providing a blend of practical and theoretical learning to develop the creative, technical and collaborative skills needed to work professionally in the film, TV, games and VR industries. The program aims to:

• Develop a critical understanding of the theoretical aspects of sound/image relationships alongside production work.
• Develop an understanding of a range of screen-based media genres.
• Engage in the development, planning and execution of complex production projects, while focusing on the impact of various genres and formats in film, TV and game sound design.
• Introduce key skills and knowledge needed for employment in the media industries.
• Develop ambitions and strategies for entering the creative industries.
• Develop a significant production-based project.

Outline:

The program is structured around core units:

• Sound Design: Theory & Practice: An introduction to specific sound design techniques and thinking.
Students develop a critical understanding of the theoretical aspects of sound/image relationships alongside their production work.
• Storytelling: This unit examines concepts of storytelling across audio visual formats, cultures and production industries.
Students engage with practice research methodologies to critically engage with a diverse range of narrative forms and approaches.
• Sound Design: Format & Genre: Students develop their understanding of a range of screen-based media genres.
They engage in the development, planning and execution of complex production projects, while focusing on the impact of various genres and formats in film, TV and game sound design.
• Approaches to Industry: An introduction to key skills and knowledge needed for employment in the media industries.
Students have the opportunity to develop their ambitions and strategies for entering the creative industries wherever they choose.
• Media Production Masters Project: Students develop a significant production-based project.
The specific nature and duration of this will be decided through a discussion with their appointed tutor. They encounter a range of learning and teaching methods, including individual tutorials with an academic tutor to share approaches and project development.

Assessment:

Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification.

Teaching:

The course is taught by a range of staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This will include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners, demonstrators, technicians and research students. Students also benefit from regular guest lectures from industry.

Careers:

Graduates are highly sought after in the film and TV sector. Alumni have worked on high-profile projects in a range of sound design disciplines for feature films, high end TV drama and advertising and video games. Typical starting job roles include:

• Sound Assistant
• Location Sound Recordist
• Recording Engineer
• Audio Producer
• Sound Designer
• Supervising Sound Editor
• Sound Effects Editor
• ADR / Foley Recordist
• Dialogue Editor (games, film & TV)
• Dubbing Mixer / Re-Recording Mixer (Film & TV)
• Audio Lead (Games)
• Audio Director (Games)
Industries worked in:
• TV / Broadcast / Online
• Film
• Commercial / Digital
• Video Game & Immersive Media
• Radio / Podcast / Audio

Other:

• The course is one of the few sound design MA programmes recognised by BAFTA UK as an eligible course for the BAFTA UK Scholarship Programme.
• Students work collaboratively on original projects with students from a range of film and TV disciplines.
• Students build networks and collaborations with animation students from BU’s National Centre for Computer Animation.
• Students have access to industry standard facilities and kit including, Sound Devices location recorders, AVID S3 & Pro Tools Ultimate stereo mixing suites, Foley / ADR studio, AVID S6 equipped 7.1 dubbing suite and AVID S6 equipped Dolby ATMOS mixing theatre.
• As an AVID Learning Partner, the course provides industry relevance and credibility for graduates looking to enter the industry, including the option of gaining the Pro Tools 101 qualification.
• Students gain industry experience and develop showreel material by taking advantage of opportunities with RedBalloon, an award-winning professional production unit based in the Faculty of Media & Communication.
• Students become part of a long-standing alumni network of industry professionals working at every level of the industry since 1998 and learn from staff who are current industry professionals.
• The course is an International Moving Image Society (IMIS) accredited degree, awarded to practice-based courses that best prepare students for a career in the industry.
• The Department of Media Production has close ties with various industry professionals and organisations, ensuring courses are always up to date and teach the most relevant skills and techniques.
• The course has compulsory elements involving practical production activities.
Students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities.
• Students are required to have their own laptop with AVID Pro Tools (standard).
• The course provides the opportunity to take the Pro Tools 101 exam in order to enhance basic skills and employability.

£9,250 (UK, ROI & CI) £17,000 (Int'l)