Course overview
School of Arts & Creative Industries
See what it's like to study at our School of Arts & Creative Industries.
Are you excited by the thought of working in film production, the video games industry, or on live productions and music events? Streaming and gaming are contributing to a continued growth in global recorded music revenues and music production now spans an increasingly wide range of industries. Learn how to create, produce, mix and master stereo and surround recordings in state-of-the-art recording studios with our music production degree at Teesside University.
Perform and engineer live performances and programme sound synthesizers, as well as producing pre-recorded sound for a range of digital outputs such as games, films, TV and a host of online content. Supported by our lecturers and specialist technicians, many of whom have worked in industry, you gain knowledge enabling you to set up and run student-led projects such as a record label, a gaming soundtrack, promotion events or a radio station. You learn how to professionally create and dub music, sound effects and Foley to video and other media.
In the School of Arts & Creative Industries we care about you and your future. Our approach is to focus on you as an individual and to help you to replicate what could become your life in industry. This degree has a strong emphasis on teaching you how to apply what you learn about music production within professional practice, so that you gain practical and marketable skills for a wide range of music and audio-related careers.
Graduates from Teesside University have gone on to work in a variety of successful careers as recording artists, sound engineers, broadcasters and producers. You will find us well placed within a vibrant and growing industry, with the North East region seeing increasing amounts of investment across creative industry sectors. The BBC is making its biggest investment for 25 years in the region developing TV Production. Recent research has identified a cluster of recording, production and post-production studios in the North East region maintaining a presence in the national music and sound production landscape (Music Studio Market Assessment, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, June 2021).
Free online maths course
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Course details
Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Learn how to apply the principles of digital audio and MIDI specifications to digital audio workstation practice for music production. Find out how to use MIDI compatible and virtual instruments to create and process musical sequences.
Develop basic knowledge and skills relevant to music composition, and apply relevant concepts such as western tradition music theory and keyboard skills, to the composition of music.
Introduction to the Recording Studio
Gain a solid foundation of recording studio practice, and learn the fundamental theory of safely operating industry-standard recording studio hardware and software.
Learn about the theory and practice of music production techniques, and develop your knowledge and skills of recording studio practice.
Explore the theory and practice of the relationships between sound in air (acoustics), the perception of sound (psychoacoustics) and audio signals (electroacoustics). You are given time (waveform) and frequency (spectral) descriptions of sound before investigating the relationship between the two. You are also introduced to acoustic ecology r to examine the relationships between yourself, sound and the environment, and to improve their sonological competence. The importance of hearing conservation is stressed throughout.
Working in the Creative Industries
Explore opportunities available in the creative industries, how to start a career path and vital employability skills including networking and digital presence. You learn about the structure of the sector and how it operates locally, nationally and globally, debating the role of policy and the importance of sustainability.
Year 2 core modules
Develop your understanding of building a career in the creative industries through key skills in creative leadership, collaborative entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Develop further knowledge and skills relevant to music composition and arrangement, including extended study of western tradition music theory and its application in the composition of more complex music structures.
Further investigate a range of contemporary social, environmental, technological and ethical issues to inform all types of art and design practice. You broaden your understanding of creativity as a practice-based form of contemporary social discourse and explore a variety of issues through the development, production and presentation of potential future scenarios.
Apply previous learning of recording studio practice in a music production project. You learn additional theory and practice of music production techniques as a music producer.
Explore your creativity in the creation, production and post-production of sound that is synchronised to video. Create material that requires Foley, sound design, automated dialogue replacement and music composition that is mixed to stereo and surround formats.
Year 3 core modules
Develop advanced knowledge and skills relevant to music composition and arrangement, and research composition and arrangement techniques and processes, demonstrating your creativity in a portfolio of work.
Develop your technical and organisational skills in live sound production, utilising techniques including microphone placement, PA systems, live mixing and signal processing in live sound environments. You study technical topics including venue characteristics, speaker systems, analogue and digital signal routing, and the health and safety and legal issues relating to the live performance environment, such as sound levels and electrical considerations.
Expand your learning of music production practice in an extended music production project to develop your own portfolio. You learn about advanced theory and practice of music production techniques to further develop your role as a music producer.
Devise a professional development strategy to your future career, with achievable milestones, targets and schedules. You analyse possible career opportunities and develop your own personal and specialist skills.
Use your imagination in the creation, production and post-production of sound that is synchronised to games visuals. You create material that requires audio asset production practice and dynamic music composition, which may be mixed to stereo or surround formats.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
You are taught by industry practitioners who help you acquire the skills and knowledge to creatively use the latest technologies. Your study involves lectures, seminars, laboratory classes and individual or group project work. You have access to our excellently equipped recording studios, control rooms and music laboratories as part of your learning.
How you are assessed
Modules are assessed by in-course assessment of a range of music-related media, written assignments and reports, individual and group presentations and live performances.
Professional placement
Study this course with an optional work placement year, at no extra cost. Alongside this, you can gain valuable experience and engagement with the sector through our shorter work placements, internships and work experience opportunities.Work placements
Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services
Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
96-112 tariff points including any Level 3 STEM or music-related subject (32p/C or above)
Consideration is also given to students without formal qualifications but with evidence of practical music technology experience at an appropriate level. Applicants may be invited to share a portfolio where applicable to show skills in music production.
Applicants are invited join us on campus for an applicant day, enabling you to see our music technology facilities, meet staff and students and learn more about studying at Teesside University.
English language and maths requirement
Normally GCSE English language and maths at grade C, or 4 under the new grading system. Alternative equivalent qualifications may be considered.
Non-EU international students who need a student visa to study in the UK should check our web pages on UKVI-compliant English language requirements. The University also provides pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements.
Helping you meet the entry requirements
We may be able to help you meet the requirements for admission by offering you the opportunity to study one or more Summer University modules, some of which can be studied by distance learning.
Alternative degree with integrated foundation year
If you are unable to achieve the minimum admission requirements for Year 1 entry you could, subject to eligibility, join one of our degree courses with an integrated foundation year.
Direct entry to later years
If you have previously studied at higher education level (for example, a foundation degree, HNC, HND or one or more years at degree level at another institution) you may request direct entry to Year 2 or year 3 of this degree.
Mature applicants
We welcome applications from mature students (aged over 21) who can demonstrate, through portfolio/written work and relevant experience, that they have developed cognitive and technical skills through their life experiences.
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country
You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL
Employability
Career opportunities
Our students follow careers in sound and music production, sound capture (sound engineering), live sound production and engineering (gigs, theatre, events), sound design, processing and control, music for time-based media (film, video), broadcast (radio, television, internet), recording artists, music technology journalism and multimedia authoring.
Information for international applicants
Qualifications
International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.
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Useful information
Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.
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