Undergraduate BA(hons) or BSc (Hons) Creative Industries Futures (Music) Sound Recording and Engineering

Modules

MIF-407 Music Industry Futures

Studying alongside students from every music pathway, you’ll explore the people, organisations and processes that shape today’s music business, from recording and publishing to live events and emerging technologies. You’ll gain an understanding of how recording engineers collaborate with artists and industry professionals, whilst developing a broad awareness of the opportunities, challenges and career paths that define the modern music industry.

MIF-411 Specialist Creative Practice 1

Build the practical skills that form the foundation of your future career as a sound engineer. This module is taught through hands-on Skills Labs where you will develop confidence using industry-standard studios, software and equipment whilst exploring the creative and technical techniques used by professional producers and engineers. From getting to grips with Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) to developing recording techniques and building digital audio using professional microphones, mixing consoles and studio workflows, you’ll gain the essential skills needed to begin developing your professional practice.

CIF-405 Preparing for Collaborative Projects

During this module, you’ll develop the skills needed to prepare you for working with peers across the music degree to apply your production skills to an interdisciplinary creative project.

MIF-412 Specialist Creative Practice 2

As you build on the foundations established in Specialist Creative Practice 1, you’ll refine your technical approach, strengthen your creative decision-making and explore acoustics, alongside the core principles of professional audio mixing, including signal flow, routing and gain staging. Through your practical Skills Labs, you’ll develop more advanced technical techniques that support your ongoing growth as a recording engineer.

MIF-413 Music Culture & Communities

Music shapes cultures, communities and influences the world around us. In this module, you’ll study alongside other pathways across music and explore how the music industry connects with society, identity and creative communities. Through discussion, research and shared perspectives, you’ll gain a broader understanding of the cultural impact of music whilst developing valuable research skills that will inform your own practice as a recording engineer and help you create work that connects with your clients and audiences.

CIF-406 Engaging in Collaborative Projects

Following on from CIF-405, you’ll work collaboratively on a shared project brief with students from other disciplines. You’ll build upon your skills to support larger projects with the creative industry and contribute your production skills to fulfilling a creative brief.

Modules

CIF-501 Specialist Collaborative Work

This module allows you to apply your production skills within ambitious, cross-disciplinary creative projects. Working alongside students from across the music degree, you’ll respond to industry-inspired briefs, taking on the role of the recording engineer to shape recordings and contribute your technical expertise to collaborative outcomes. Along the way, you’ll be strengthening your project management, communication and creative problem-solving skills.

CIF-503 Specialist Route Skills

Refine the skills needed to produce professional recordingS in collaborative studio environments. Through specialist skills labs, you’ll develop your ability to direct artists and musicians in the studio and strengthen your studio techniques to achieve the best recording results. Combining advanced technical practice with critical reflection, you’ll build the confidence, creativity and professional understanding required to deliver industry-ready productions.

CIF-502 Professional Collaboration Work

You’ll take your collaborative experience into a professional context by delivering a major project that reflects the realities of the music industry. Working with students across the course, you’ll apply your production expertise to help realise ambitious creative work, managing technical and creative challenges and developing the confidence, adaptability and professional mindset needed to succeed as a producer in today’s collaborative creative industries.

CIF-504 Professional Route Skills

Building on your Specialist Route Skills, you’ll expand your production expertise by applying your skills to a range of professional recording and live sound environments. Through advanced skills labs, you’ll further develop your knowledge of acoustics, whilst developing advanced ensemble recording skills across a variety of musical settings. Through building a portfolio of professional work, you’ll demonstrate the technical ability, adaptability and critical thinking needed to succeed across the modern music production industry.

Modules

CIF-601 Critical Review Preparation

Prepare for your dissertation by developing the research, analysis and critical thinking skills needed to investigate contemporary issues in music production and recording engineering. You’ll explore current debates, technologies and professional practice whilst learning how to evaluate sources, develop research questions and construct evidence-based arguments. This module will provide the foundation for independent research, helping you identify a topic that reflects your interests and future career ambitions.

CIF-601 Critical Review

Undertake an independent research project exploring an area of music production that matters to you. Whether investigating emerging production technologies, creative practice, industry trends, studio workflows, or the wider social and cultural impact of music, you’ll critically evaluate contemporary issues using academic research and professional evidence. You’ll produce a substantial piece of work that demonstrates your ability to think critically, conduct independent research and contribute to conversations shaping the future of music production.

CIF-603 Leadership & CPD

Prepare for life beyond your studies by developing the advanced technical skills and professional mindset expected of today’s contemporary music producers. Through specialist Skills Labs, you’ll explore audio techniques to expand your productions, alongside advanced mastering skills that prepare music for release across today’s distribution platforms. As you refine your technical expertise, you’ll reflect on your strengths and develop your leadership skills.

CIF-602 Leading Professional Collaborative Project

Bring together everything you’ve learned throughout your degree in your final major collaborative project that showcases your skills as a recording engineer. Taking a leading role within an interdisciplinary team, you’ll manage the creative and technical demands of delivering a professional standard body of work. Supported by specialised Skills Labs in immersive audio and audio mixing, you’ll explore cutting-edge production formats and the professional knowledge to support the launch of your career in the music industry.

CIF-604 Independent Portfolio

You’ll prepare to launch your career by creating a professional portfolio that showcases your skills, creativity and technical expertise as a recording engineer. In this module, you’ll curate your best work to develop a strong digital presence that reflects your creative identity.

Modules

CIF-701 Professional Practice Frameworks

Develop the professional expertise expected of senior practitioners in the music production industry. You’ll critically evaluate your own creative practice, reflect on your professional experiences and benchmark your skills against recognised industry standards. This module helps you strengthen your credentials and prepare for leadership roles within the evolving music industry.

CIF-702 Applied Research

Undertake an in-depth research project centred on an area of music production that aligns with your professional ambitions. Whether developing an advanced creative portfolio, investigating emerging production technologies or exploring innovative studio practice, you’ll combine rigorous academic research with specialist practice to produce a substantial body of work that reflects your expertise and individual interests.

CIF-703 Ideas Into Action

Transform ambitious ideas into professionally realised projects. From initial concept through to delivery, you’ll refine your practice whilst building the organisational and entrepreneurial skills required to deliver projects in professional environments.

CIF-704 Making Connections

Success in the music industry is built on relationships as much as talent. This module helps you expand your professional network by connecting with industry practitioners, creative organisations, community partners and potential collaborators. You’ll develop the confidence to build meaningful professional relationships, identify new opportunities and position yourself within the wider music industry.

Advanced Music Production Skills Labs

Alongside your postgraduate studies, you’ll have access to advanced Music Production Skills Labs each term, giving you the opportunity to further develop your specialist technical expertise. These practical sessions allow you to explore emerging production techniques, refine your creative practice and encourage you to experiment with new technologies, ensuring your skills remain aligned with the latest developments in the music industry.