Course Overview
Does experimenting with sound recordings and music interest you? Audio and Music Production explores the technical and creative aspect of sound. And it gives you the opportunity to work with companies such as the BBC.
You don’t have to be musically trained. We’re looking for students who have a fascination for sound and a flair for music. If that’s you, then we’ll give you the skills you’ll need for a career in the industry.
Create projects as a team
Any media production draws on a range of skills. To reflect the real world, you’ll work as a part of a production crew on campus and off on site with our partners. You’ll collaborate with students from other courses, including Film & TV and Performing Arts on projects ranging from the screen to the stage.
Working with other courses is a lot of fun. We’ve had briefs taking students to Glastonbury, Dolby and Pinewood. And it means you start making professional relationships that carry on after university.
Prepare for future employment
There’s more to Music Production than performance. It’s also a business. We include business modules to give you an insight into the challenges that freelance technicians face, such as finance and legal guidance.
By the time you graduate, you’ll have the ability to project manage yourself and a portfolio crammed with real life experience. Our Careers and Employability team will also help to find you work placements in and around the area. Recent placements have included Sennheiser.
Watch the Audio and Music Production video below
More placements, more choices
Bucks is a Placements Plus university. So, whatever degree you do, you can be sure there’ll be plenty of industry-relevant opportunities on offer, to help you get into your chosen field.
We’ll also prepare you for work beforehand, with special skills for work training, further boosting your CV, and building skills employers will value. In recognition of the value we place on these skills we have incorporated this experience into your study time.
Placements Plus is all about helping you get some valuable experience under your belt while you’re a student. To increase your choices later, and help you get the graduate-level job you want.
Course Details
UCAS CODE: J930
At Bucks New University, we have excellent teachers, well-equipped spaces and household names as partners. Audio and Music Production is a JAMES accredited course, which carries real weight with employers when you graduate.
Our tutors have worked in live studio-based music production, sound design and location. They bring a wealth of experience from film, TV and radio to their teaching. We also have visiting tutors who keep you updated on the latest developments in sound production.
Work with the BBC
Every month, Bucks students work with BBC Introducing, a project for unsigned artists to promote themselves online and on BBC radio. Working with the Film and TV students, you’ll record sound and work on post-production. Your work will get airtime on the Bucks, Berks and Beds BBC Introducing radio show, as well as BBC YouTube and possibly even iPlayer.
Use professional equipment and studios
You’ll record and produce audio in the Sennheiser Sound Lab. Our main studio has been fully equipped by our partners, Sennheiser, a world leading production supplier. We have other top quality suppliers, including Midas, Focusrite, Novation and AC Lighting, so you can get your hands on the same tools as the best in the business.
We have a working relationship with our local theatres, such as Wycombe Swan Theatre and Wycombe Town Hall. You’ll work as sound technician for university productions, responsible for the audio. You’ll be a valued part of the team and gain lots of experience along the way.
What are the course entry requirements?
A typical offer will be a UCAS Tariff score of 80. A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.
For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course, can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year; find out more.
Course Modules
Module Map
This module map provides a list of the modules that make up your course.
Each module is worth a specified number of credits (typically either 15 or 30 credits for undergraduate courses). Compulsory (or ‘core’) modules cover key subject knowledge, while ‘option’ modules enable you to develop your own interests. For a full-time course you must take modules worth a total of 120 credits at each level of the course. The number of option modules you can take depends on the number of compulsory modules at each level. You can find more information about how your course is structured via the Academic Advice pages.
Our teaching is informed by research and employer requirements, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the subject area. In addition, where we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an option module, this may not be offered. If an option module does not run, we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
The modules available on this course are as follows:
Year 1 Modules
- Audio Production Technologies
- Introduction to Recording
- Entertainment Industry Framework
- The DIY Musician
- Audio Production Practice
- Introduction to Pro Tools
- Introduction to Live Audio: Analogue
- Introduction to Live Audio: Digital
Year 2 Modules
- Audio Production Techniques: Live
- Sound for Vision
- Audio Production Techniques: Studio
- The Music Entrepreneur
Year 3 Modules
- Dissertation
- Introduction to Research Methods
- Live Event Project
- Professional Production Project
- Sound Design
Fees
How much does it cost
Full Time Home and EU, September 2019: £9,250 per year
Full Time International, September 2019: £12,000 per year
Full Time Home and EU, February 2020: £9,250 per year
Full Time International, February 2020: £12,000 per year
Most courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees.
You could benefit from financial support through a bursary or scholarship during your time as a student. For more details visit our financial support, bursaries and scholarships section.
Questions about fees?
Contact our Enquiries Team:
0330 123 2023
advice@bucks.ac.uk
How do I apply?
For application details please visit bucks.ac.uk/applying-to-bucks
Teaching team
Student Testimonials
Our students are our best ambassadors and their voices here will provide you with a clear sense of their Bucks experience.
Paulina Kowalik
There are lots of things I love about Bucks New University. The lecturers and people who work here are incredibly helpful and supportive, the studios are really well equipped and there are plenty of opportunities for students to develop their interests. It is a really understanding and stimulating environment.
Regarding my future aspirations, for now I'm trying to be open minded and learn about every aspect of sound engineering, although I can see myself working in a recording studio one day. Whichever path I choose I hope I'll be able to excel and improve my skills every day.
