Music Production BSc (Hons)

Music Production BSc (Hons) is an industry-focused course ideal for those with a passion for music and audio production, and who want to develop a highly attractive portfolio of technical and creative skills that will help you pursue a successful career in all industries that require audio expertise.

Entry Criteria
Structure and assessment
Facilities and features
Opportunities and careers
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Overview

Technical Instructor Tim gives us a tour of some of the music spaces available to students at DMU.

This course is subject to validation

If you dream of a career in music production, audio engineering, programming, mastering or mixing, DMU’s course in Music Production is designed specifically for you.

This course covers the science and technology of audio and recording systems and how these can be used effectively in recording, mixing and mastering and sound design. You will develop skills in audio mixing and mastering, learn the principles of electronics and acoustics, study the measurement and design of recording and audio product environments, and produce sound for digital media, including radio, television, film, video games and online content.

Through core modules, you will learn about the fundamentals of audio engineering, discover the acoustical foundations of musical sounds and be introduced to studio techniques. In your second and third year, you will build your portfolio and have the chance to organise and perform your own events in the heart of Leicester.

You will build a skillset that will equip you for roles in areas such as studio recording, audio and post-production, sound system installation, management and sound for film and TV. Our graduates have gone on to work in successful roles for major companies including Bauer Media and Spotify.

Key features

Develop your practical skills in our creative technology studios. You will benefit from access to a host of audio recording studios, broadcast-standard radio production studios and management systems. The studio facilities include mixing desks and digital audio workstations, each equipped with comprehensive libraries of audio effects and samples.
Meet producers and promoters living and working in the East Midlands area and find out how you can develop your professional practice as an artist, producer, mixer or engineer.
Tackle an exciting range of real-life projects and get to meet like-minded students by joining our student societies, including the Audio Recording Society and Sound Design Society.
Enhance your professional skills with a range of exciting work placements, at companies such as HQ Recording Studio, a leading studio specialising in Urban, R&B and Hip Hop.
Gain valuable, industry-relevant experience by contributing to the award-winning Demon Media group, which includes the Demon FM radio station and Demon TV.
Have opportunities to present your work at some of Leicester's most important cultural institutions, including the CURVE Theatre, the Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre, and creative hub LCB Depot.
Gain valuable, industry-relevant experience by contributing to the award-winning Demon Media group, which includes the Demon FM radio station and Demon TV.
Benefit from guest lectures from music industry specialists. Previous guest speakers include Merzbow, Mira Calix, Tim Exile, DJ Sniff, Scanner, Pauline Oliveros, Brian Duffy, GRM, Leafcutter John, Chris Carter (Throbbing Gristle), Keith Rowe and Evan Parker.

News stories

Music students get a taste for the Easy Life at DMU

A world first performance presented as part of Art AI festival

Student success

Check out Jukebox - home to an excellent range of creative work produced by students on our Music programmes.

Rising star of UK rap scene with over 4 million plays on Spotify says studying at DMU helped shape his career

DMU grad shares expertise on BBC show The Repair Shop

More courses like this:

Music Technology BA
Music Performance Foundation Degree FdA
Music Technology Foundation Degree FdSc

UK
EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W374

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W374

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £16,250

Find out more about available funding for international students.

Find out about additional costs and optional extras.

How to apply

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Five GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and Maths or equivalent, plus one of the following:
Normally 104 UCAS points from at least two A-levels or equivalent or
BTEC National Diploma/ Extended Diploma at DMM or
Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE. English GCSE required as a separate qualification as equivalency is not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course or
International Baccalaureate: 24+ points

Portfolio Required: No

Interview Required: No

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Contextual offer

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

Year one

Introduction to Studio Techniques
Industry practice
Acoustics and digital processing
Ideas in Music and Sonic Art

Year two

Studio Recording and Production
Performance and Promotion
Live Sound and Location Recording
Digital Signal Processing

Year three

Advanced Studio Production and Mastering
Audio Recording and Production for Film and TV
Sequencing and Synthesis
Research Project

View detailed module information.

*All modules titles are subject to validation and while terms may change the scope of the degree will remain largely similar.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching involves a mixture of lectures, studio sessions, practical classes and laboratory work. Emphasis is placed upon gaining practical experience and applying it in a professional studio. Our internationally recognised staff provide you with wide-ranging musical, scientific and technological expertise. Teaching is carried out through lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical classes, rehearsals, studio workshops and lab sessions. You will normally attend around 8-12 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week, and can expect to undertake at least 32 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research. Project-based learning is used to develop your research, presentation and communication skills. Self-motivation is a key ingredient and outside set teaching times you will also attend concerts and performances and benefit from a wide range of guest speakers who share insights from their personal experience.

You will normally attend around 13 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week, and are expected to undertake at least 27 further hours of directed independent study and assignments as required. You are assessed through a variety of methods including practical assignments, exams, technical reports, essays and presentations.

Facilities and features

Creative Technology Studios

Our multi-million pound creative technology studios feature a range of high-specification equipment. You will benefit from our multichannel composition studios and a suite of recording studios, as well as industry-standard software for recording, creating and manipulating sound.

Lecturer Susanne gives us a tour of some of the music spaces available to students at DMU.

These studio facilities feature mixing desks by SSL, Audient and Yamaha, microphones by Neumann, AKG and Sennheiser, and digital audio workstations such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro and Ableton Live, each equipped with comprehensive libraries of audio effects and samples.

We have purpose-built audio recording and production facilities, and a multichannel performance space with loudspeaker orchestra and broadcast-standard radio station. You will also be able to borrow from a substantial resource of audio and audio-visual equipment. This includes mixers, audio interfaces, DI boxes, stereo multichannel field recording kits, and studio and stage microphones.

Specifically, the facilities include:

Industry-standard video, audio and radio production suites
A suite of over 20 video workstations, using the very latest industry-standard HD editing software
Television studios with high-definition video cameras, green-screen and virtual-studio capabilities
Two fully-equipped recording studios, featuring analogue and digital recording systems and surround sound monitoring
Broadcast-standard radio production studios with professional playout and management systems
Audio and video laboratories with high specification test equipment for signal analysis
Fused-media and motion-capture studios for the teaching and research of 3D image capture, modelling and display
A high-speed, high-definition, data backbone, enabling the integration of audio, video and computer-generated media projects Hybrid technologies, using the best of current analogue and digital media.

The film studios located in the Queens building makes available multi-camera, blue screen and green screen studios for all students on our media courses. The green screen and blue screen facilities enable students to create videos that take advantage of colour keying to merge video with computer graphics, stock video and still images.

The multi-camera studio replicates the most common setup for TV studios and enables students to practice techniques covering all of the areas of studio work including presenting, camera work, direction, lighting and sound. The film studios also includes a full lighting setup and a viewing gallery so that cameras and presenters can receive direction from the students taking the role of a producer. Using live graphic overlays students can successfully replicate news, shopping channel and chat show environments.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available.

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose.

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub.

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Graduate careers

Students learn a range of skills in on-location, live, AV and studio production, allowing you to pursue a career in music production, audio engineering, sound design, remixing and mastering, radio, TV or games.

Graduates are also well positioned to continue their academic careers by embarking on postgraduate study, in either research or taught areas, which offers the opportunity for further specialisation.

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Students on our audio and music courses have explored sonic arts in Berlin, translated art into music in Stockholm and toured the home of hip hop in New York. Planning is also under way for a trip to Tokyo, where students can experience contemporary Japanese art, youth culture, and music and audio technology.

While overseas DMU Global opportunities are not currently possible, DMU will continue to review government advice and if travel is permitted, we hope to offer a small number of extra-curricular opportunities in the summer of 2021.

Placements

During this course you will have the option to complete a placement year, an invaluable opportunity to put the skills developed during your degree into practice. This insight into the professional world will build on your knowledge in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career.

Previous Music Technology BASc students have taken up placements with major companies, such as audio-visual technology company Dolby Europe Limited and global digital distribution and label services company Horus Music Limited.

Our careers programme DMU Works can help to hone your professional skills with CV writing workshops, mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and an assigned personal tutor will support you throughout your placement.