School of Humanities and Performing Arts

BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology

Technology drives the music industry and influences the way we consume, produce and use audio. It enables us to create music on our laptop and have instant access to songs via the internet. The industry's reliance on technology is providing new jobs and changing what audio and music tech firms want from their employees. Today, employment in Audio and Music Technology spans beyond the recording studio and concert hall to the realms of software development, assistive technologies and gaming.

Graduates of this degree will be prepared for employment in the modern Audio and Music Technology sectors along with other domains in Computing and Engineering. This course is perfect for people who have a love for all things music and technology. No prior musical training or technical expertise is necessary to undertake this course, just enthusiasm and new ideas!

New course

We are very pleased to announce our new BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology. We are now accepting applications for September 2020. Find out more at our Open Day

Key features

  • Be immersed in an environment that benefits from the passion-driven and creative thinking attributes associated with the arts while covering topics such as audio engineering, music technology, and computing. You will accumulate skills that are professionally-relevant to today's modern technology industry. 
  • Become an expert in recording, mixing, mastering, acoustics, digital audio workstations, audio processing, sound synthesis, and sampling whilst using the very latest technologies in the industry. 
  • Learn hands-on and liberating computer programming and signal processing techniques that will empower you to realise your own innovative ideas. No longer will your creativity be confined by pre-made software!
  • Go beyond the recording studio to explore how music technologies can change and enrich lives. You will be introduced to areas such as intelligent creative systems, algorithmic composition, automated mixing, computational creativity, and music neurotechnology. Discover how to apply your advanced knowledge to enable people with severe disabilities to interact with a computer or how to create intelligent assistive technologies for people living with dementia. 
  • Learn from academics who have written field-defining texts that are used to teach the topic throughout the world.
  • Prepare for a career in either the technology or creative industries. Our curriculum aligns with music technology employers who are seeking candidates with knowledge of both computing for audio/music and contextual use of the systems the industry is developing.
  • Graduate with a diverse portfolio of practical work that evidences innovation in computing, music technology, and audio, which will provide a unique edge in a competitive job market.

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff

104 - 112

A levels

104 points. General studies accepted.

International Baccalaureate 

26 Points

Including Higher Level Music or a Technology related subject (e.g. Computer Science) at Grade 5. English and Mathematics accepted within as GCSE equivalent.

BTEC National Extended Diploma

DMM

BTEC National Diploma modules

If you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

Access to HE Diploma

Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma, with at least 33 credits at Merit and/or Distinction.

Equivalent qualifications may be considered.

English language requirements.

For a full list of all acceptable qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

Fees, costs and funding

EU applicants should refer to our dedicated Brexit webpage for details of the implications of the UK’s plans to leave the European Union.

New Student 2019 2020
Home/EU To be confirmed To be confirmed
International To be confirmed To be confirmed
Part time (Home/EU) To be confirmed To be confirmed
Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per a number of credits. Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances.

Additional costs

This course is delivered by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and more details of any additional costs associated with the faculty's courses are listed on the following page: Faculty of Arts and Humanities additional costs.

How to apply

All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). 

UCAS will ask for the information contained in the box at the top of this course page including the UCAS course code and the institution code. 

To apply for this course and for more information about submitting an application including application deadline dates, please visit the UCAS website.

Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office via our how to apply webpage or email international-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Start your journey with us

  • Taught out of the world-leading Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR).
  • Study under industry experts and learn from world-leading academics.
  • Become an expert in recording, mixing, mastering, digital audio workstations, computer programming, audio signal programming, sound synthesis and sampling, acoustics and many other areas.
  • Discover how music technologies can change and enrich lives.
  • Graduate with a diverse portfolio of music that will provide a unique edge in a competitive job market.

"I visited the ICCMR from India through a semester abroad programme, to pursue my passion at the crossroads of science and music. I worked on ICCMR’s world-leading project, Biocomputing and Artificial Intelligence for Music, and under Eduardo Miranda and Edward Braund strengthened skills like computer programming, digital signal processing and research methodology. The project gave me the courage to innovate, and I started using these technologies in my creative practice as a musician. The creative, free-thinking and friendly atmosphere of ICCMR led me to pursue a masters degree at the centre, investigating brain-computer interfaces for musical applications. I got the opportunity to present my research at conferences and in journals and book chapters, and develop assistive music technology for individuals suffering from motor disabilities. ICCMR and its staff have served as an excellent foundation for my career, and I am going to start a PhD this year." Satvik Venkatesh

Cutting edge facilities

Facilities

You’ll have access to ICCMR’s well-resourced research lab and music studios. ICCMR is located in the newly completed multi-million pound building, The House, where you’ll mix with other staff and students from across the arts faculty.

This creates opportunities for interdisciplinary and practice-based research.

Find out more about The House
<p>BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology<br></p>
Become a professional and effective audio engineer
<p>BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology<br></p><p>Eduardo Miranda. computer music</p>
Learn how music technology can change and enrich lives
<p>Master professional audio software<br></p><p>BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology</p>
Master professional audio software
<p>Build innovative and creative tools</p><p>BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology<br></p>
Build innovative and creative tools
<p>Mix and collaborate with musicians&nbsp;</p><p>BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology<br></p>
Mix and collaborate with musicians
<p>Develop your own software</p><p>BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology<br></p>
Develop your own software

Ground-breaking research

Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR)

The course is taught out of the University of Plymouth's Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR). 

This centre has been recognised as world-leading by the UK Government's last assessment of research quality. It works on projects with industry partners such as the BBC R&D, Grey London, Rigetti Computing, Bauer Media, and CereProc. Each year, students will be invited to exhibit their work at the ICCMR's Contemporary Music Festival.

<p>Professor Miranda -&nbsp; The Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR) </p>
Imagine if you could design something to reconnect a person with music
<p>Digital radio</p>
Multimillion pound project will see AI remixing radio to help people living with dementia

Learn from world experts

Featured publications

The BSc (Hons) Computing, Audio and Music Technology team have written field-defining texts that are used to teach the topic throughout the world.

  • New Digital Music Instruments: Control and Interaction Beyond the Keyboard – Eduardo Miranda and Marcelo Wanderley

    New Digital Music Instruments: Control and Interaction Beyond the Keyboard – Eduardo Miranda and Marcelo Wanderley
  • Computer Sound Design: Synthesis Techniques and Programming – Eduardo Reck Miranda

    Computer Sound Design: Synthesis Techniques and Programming – Eduardo Reck Miranda
  • Computer Music With Computers – Eduardo Reck Miranda

    Computer Music With Computers – Eduardo Reck Miranda
  • Readings in Music and Artificial Intelligence – Eduardo Reck Miranda

    Readings in Music and Artificial Intelligence – Eduardo Reck Miranda
  • A-life for Music: Music and Computer Models of Living Systems – Eduardo Reck Miranda

    A-life for Music: Music and Computer Models of Living Systems – Eduardo Reck Miranda
  • Guide to Brain-Computer Music Interfacing – Eduardo Reck Miranda and Julien Castet

    Guide to Brain-Computer Music Interfacing – Eduardo Reck Miranda and Julien Castet
  • Evolutionary Computer Music – Eduardo Reck Miranda and John Al Biles

    Evolutionary Computer Music – Eduardo Reck Miranda and John Al Biles
  • Thinking Music: The inner workings of a composer's mind – Eduardo Reck Miranda

    Thinking Music: The inner workings of a composer's mind – Eduardo Reck Miranda
  • Guide to Unconventional Computing for Music – Eduardo Reck Miranda

    Guide to Unconventional Computing for Music – Eduardo Reck Miranda

People