MA Sound Design for Screen

• Sound Design: Theory & Practice: An introduction to specific sound design techniques and thinking. You'll develop a critical understanding of the theoretical aspects of sound/image relationships alongside your production work. You will gain an understanding of industry-standard technology for sound production and post-production environments for screen-based media.
• Storytelling: This unit aims to examine concepts of storytelling across audio visual formats, cultures and production industries. You’ll engage with practice research methodologies to critically engage with a diverse range of narrative forms and approaches.
• Sound Design: Format & Genre: Develop your understanding of a range of screen-based media genres. You'll engage in the development, planning and execution of complex production projects, while focusing on the impact of various genres and formats in film, TV and game sound design.
• Approaches to Industry: An introduction to key skills and knowledge you'll need for employment in the media industries. An opportunity to develop your ambitions and strategies for entering the creative industries wherever you choose.
• Media Production Masters Project: You’ll develop a significant production-based project. The specific nature and duration of this will be decided through a discussion with your appointed tutor. You'll encounter a range of learning and teaching methods, including individual tutorials with an academic tutor to share approaches and project development. 

You’ll gain basic skills in post-production sound work. This includes:

• Dialogue editing 
• Sound effects editing 
• Music editing 
• Working with OMFs/AAFs 
• Foley recording / editing 
• ADR recording / editing 
• Sound effects recording & creation 
• Location sound recording 
• Tracklaying 
• Mixing (stereo and multichannel) 
• Creating deliverables (DM&E stems) 

You’ll also learn about the aesthetics of sound and film. This includes:

• How sound and image affect each other and work together 
• How to use sound effectively in film, TV and other screen-based media 
• How to communicate with directors, producers and other lead creatives 
• How to make judgements about sound design 

You’ll create integrated sound designs for a range of practical projects including, but not limited to, animation, drama and documentary. These can be included in your coursework and encouraged in extra-curricular collaborations. While much of your practical production work will be in based in linear media workflows (film & TV), there will be opportunities to widen the scope of this to explore other screen-based narrative media such as VR, games and other immersive media relating to moving image.  

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the university's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry. If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

The admissions team will look at your online application including your qualifications, personal statement and any work experience. All applicants will be asked to provide a showreel and/ or take part in an online interview if you do not meet our entry requirements.

Your showreel should demonstrate some engagement with moving image from a sound perspective. This could include an independent short film to which you provided the sound or a re-worked soundtrack for a feature film section or video game cutscene. Please note, music compositions and sound work without images would not be considered acceptable as part of a showreel. 

Please see our website for the application deadlines. You should apply as early as possible to be considered for your course of choice. If you require a student visa, apply for the visa as soon as you have an unconditional offer and receive your CAS. There may be delays in visa processing in your country and you need to be in Bournemouth ready to study for the start of term.

Click the green ‘Apply now’ button to submit your application free of charge online through myHub, our application portal. You will create your own myHub account so that you can track the progress of your application. Don’t forget to save your application as you go; you can return to it at as many times as you want before you submit it. For more information visit our How to apply section.

This course has compulsory elements involving practical production activities. When required, students must complete a health and safety risk assessment to take part in these activities, for their safety and that of others. As part of that assessment students provide information about any conditions or disabilities that might affect their ability to undertake these activities fully or safely. 

If you have such a condition or disability, please let us know as soon as possible. You can contact our Additional Learning Support (ALS) service about this before or after making an application. We will then work with you to identify any support or adjustments you would need. Our ALS team works with the Faculty to seek to put in place reasonable adjustments and health and safety plans.

Exceptionally, it may not be possible to arrange for a student to access these courses without either over-riding their core standards or competencies or creating unacceptable risks to health and safety. If that is the case we will help you explore alternative course choices.

You are required to have your own laptop that meets the below criteria: 

• Operating System: Mac OS or Windows 10 / Windows 11 
• Either Intel or AMD multi-core/ thread processor (6 or 8 cores) 
• 16GB RAM (or more) 
• 13 inch screen minimum 
• HDMI output (or adaptor) 
• Portable HDDs for backups / transfers 

Please check Avid’s website for the latest Pro Tools system requirements and for OS compatibility.

The following software will be required: 

• AVID Pro Tools (Standard). We recommend that you subscribe once you are at university. This ensures you have the current version and support. The cost is approximately £10/pcm. 
• Physical iLok or iLok Cloud account.  

A Bachelors Honours degree with 2:2 in any subject.

In some cases industry experience may compensate for the omission of this qualification. Applicants are encouraged to provide details of relevant work experience.

The admissions team will look at your online application including your qualifications, personal statement and any work experience. Applicants who do not meet the academic entry requirements will be asked to provide a showreel and may be asked to take part in an online interview.

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry:

• India: Bachelor’s degree (three years) from a recognised HE institution with a minimum overall result of 55%  
• Nigeria: Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution with a minimum classification of 2:4  
• China: Chinese Bachelor's (Honours) degree from a recognised higher education institution with 65% or above  
• Turkey: Bachelor’s degree (Lisans Diplomasi - four years) with a minimum overall GPA of 2.3/4.0  
• Ghana: Bachelor's degrees from University of Ghana or Legon with a grade of 2.00 or above, or from Cape Coast with a grade 2.5 or above  
• USA: US Bachelor’s degree (four years), with a 2.5 GPA or above  

All applications will be subject to a minimum grade and your degree may need to be in a relevant subject area.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in writing, speaking, listening and reading, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level. 

Among the roles our Sound Design for Film and Television graduates have taken on are:

• Sound Assistant 
• Location Sound Recordist 
• Recording Engineer 
• Audio Producer 
• Sound Designer 
• Supervising Sound Editor 
• Sound Effects Editor 
• ADR / Foley Recordist 
• Dialogue Editor (games, film & TV) 
• Dubbing Mixer / Re-Recording Mixer (Film & TV 
• Audio Lead (Games) 
• Audio Director (Games) 

• TV / Broadcast / Online 
• Film 
• Commercial / Digital   
• Video Game & Immersive Media 
• Radio / Podcast / Audio 

​If you want to continue your studies after achieving your Master’s, you can look into our range of doctoral programmes.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Our fees commitment means your tuition fees are fixed at the price quoted.
• Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity.
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and fieldwork, and non-financial support whilst on placement if this is part of your course of study.
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• ​Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies. 
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• ​Travel costs for optional field trips, outdoor wear and footwear for mandatory and optional field trips (if applicable).
• Travel costs to and from the University campus. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately.
• ​Travel costs to and from your placement (both in the UK and overseas) if this is part of your course of study. Placement year funding information can be found on our website.
• Clothing or equipment costs required for your placement if this is part of your course of study. 
• SportBU membership.
• You will need to meet the cost of any Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check if required by your placement setting, including any Post Office or Digital ID verification charges.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during the course of your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full time fee.

We offer a range of scholarships to students who are beginning their studies at BU. Our fees and funding pages also provide details on living costs, budgeting and paying your tuition fees.

International (not Rep. of Ireland) students need to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on a postgraduate course. You will need to pay your deposit by the date stated in your offer letter. The remainder of your fee will be payable on registration/enrolment. There are two exceptions to the non-refundable rule on the deposit:

• You fail to meet the academic or English requirements of your offer
• You are refused a visa to enter the UK, provided the reason for the refusal is not a fraudulent application.

Gary Hayton is a member of the Association of Sound Designers and has worked at BU for many years. He teaches music production and post-production sound for television, film and audio drama. 

He works as a sound designer for theatre. Recent Productions include: Iron, Visitors and Look Back In Anger for ImpAct Theatre; and Titus Andronicus, The Tempest and As You Like It for Brownsea Open Air Theatre. He is currently working on the sound for Richard the Third for Brownsea Open Air Theatre and The White Bike for ImpAct Theatre.

Gary also works as a sound designer on multi-cast audio Dramas. Credits for Audible Books include The X-Files: Cold Cases (nominated for an Audie Award), The X-Files: Stolen Lives and Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals (dialogue and Foley editor). Credits for BBC Radio 4 Drama include: Low and We’re Backing Britain.

Gary is interested in the effect of sound on audiences when used for storytelling and he is currently researching the use of Dolby Atmos sound delivery in multi-cast audio drama productions.

“My experience at Bournemouth was incredible! To this day I find myself relying on skills that I developed during my time on the course.  Along with software programmes and technical skills, I was taught the theory behind sound design, why it is we do the things we do! Having this knowledge pushes you past the surface of post sound, and into the creativity realm that makes for an excellent collaborator in film, television, and multi-media.

“Since my time at Bournemouth, I have worked freelance as a sound designer on programmes for WETV, A&E, Discovery, Disney Interactive, DC Comics, and many independent features and projects. I have also branched out into video editing and received my Final Cut Pro Certification as a result of my exposure to other post-production disciplines while at Bournemouth.”

“The MA course at Bournemouth was a crucial stepping stone for me into the professional world of sound design and audio direction. Without the open and collaborative approach with filmmakers and animation students, it is unlikely I would have succeeded at all in the highly competitive world of sound. I not only found world-class practical and technological skills as a bedrock on the MA, but also, and for me more importantly, a focus on how to think about and make decisions regarding the aesthetic direction and meaning of sound in visual media.”

“Bournemouth's course in sound deepened my fascination with film sound history, theory and practice, so much so I was encouraged to complete a PhD in film sound there. Both courses not only prepared me with the knowledge necessary for approaching sound creatively, but they also gave me the practical skills needed for collaborating effectively with filmmakers. Since graduating, I've worked as a freelance sound designer, boom operator and mixer on five full-length features and four short films.”

“The Sound Design MA proved to be an invaluable resource to my career progression as it supplied me with an excellent mixture of both academic study and vital practical skills to create a career in audio post-production. I was shortlisted in the 'Best Sound Design' category at the British Animation Awards for collaborative work I undertook while at Bournemouth. This would not have been possible without the guidance and expertise of the lecturers on the course and their true passion for all things audio.

“Since graduating I have worked on some fantastic theatre productions, independent films and documentaries. The course is a hard full-time body of work that requires strong dedication but what you will get out of it will be indispensable to your career.”

“I became an independent film producer and consultant, and founded my own company, INSP! Media. My experience of the MA Sound Design course was overall positive. I gained advanced skills in the use of Pro Tools through practice, and although I came from a BA in Film and Media Studies, most of the theoretical part of the course was new knowledge to me. As an all-round producer, the sound production course gave me a strong focus on the importance of sound in audiovisual communication which makes my products stand out in the crowd.”