London College of Communication’s BA Sound Arts and Design covers the diverse ways in which sound has become an essential part of today’s media, arts and design industry.

Students are taught how to apply a range of technical and creative skills across new and emerging technologies to produce original pieces of sound for a variety of media and contexts. The course considers an extremely broad area of output, including sound for film, internet and animation, electroacoustic music composition, sound art and multi-channel installation as well as web-based pieces, musical concert works and soundscapes.

You can expect ...

You can expect this course to take you on an exploration of sound art and design as an emerging culture to be found across many arts and media forms, in which your own analysis and evaluation will be central. You will mature and expand your potential as a creative practitioner gaining confidence in studio mixing and mastering, field recording and phonography, digital audio and MIDI sequencing, radiophonic work, synthesis, digital improvisation, interactive programming and experimental music.

The course is delivered within specialist industry standard audio facilities including a sound-treated Performance Laboratory, a Composition Suite, a Video Postproduction Suite and numerous high level audio workstations. Your increasing technical, creative and theoretical knowledge will support you in the creative development of a personally-reflective portfolio. You’ll produce this work within a context of the history, practices and concerns of the sonic arts and of the major theoretical, philosophical and aesthetic issues in the media arts.

In addition, you’ll be encouraged to engage in professional sound arts work and have opportunities to take part in extra-curricula activities such as The Laptop Orchestra. This BA degree further benefits from its affiliation with Creative Research in Sound Arts Practice (CRiSAP) and has established working relationships with companies such as London Sinfonietta and Resonance FM.

Tutors on this course ...

Tutors on this course are respected, practising sound artists, composers and musicians. See soundarts for a full list of our staff, their achievements and research interests. You will also benefit from a programme of visiting performers and speakers from all areas of contemporary sound practice, from wildlife recording to plunderphonics.

Alumni include ...

Graduates have gone on to work in diverse areas including film sound, theatre sound design and solo performance work. Some are pursuing careers as independent sound artists, while others have set up their own companies or gone on to study at postgraduate level. Students' work is regularly played and performed at venues in London and on the radio. Further information about individual Alumni can be found by following the link.

What students say ...

"My favourite project was called 'A Sense of Place'. I had to describe through sound a place and the meaning of the place. I recorded the Underground in London as it was, giving a cinematic sense to sound and then putting it together with my music. You can use the knowledge and skills attained in this course in various areas, such as music production and sound design for TV, theatres and cinema, or in your own music. I'm an electro-acoustic composer, I've produced a few singles and I collaborate with many artists... this course helped me to find new inspirations and ideas in my life." Former student, Luca Roba.

This course is taught within the School of Media.

Year 1

• Introduction to Higher Education
• Sound Creation & Manipulation 
• Sound Capture
• Sound Culture: Perception and Communication 1
• Sound Practitioners 1

Year 2

• Applied Sound Design
• Compositional Strategies
• Collaborative unit
• Sound Culture: Perception and Communication 2 
• Sound Practitioners 2

Year 2 provides you with a structure in which you can generate ideas, develop your creative practice and develop the skills and opportunities necessary for producing original creative work with sound in conjunction with other media and in collaboration with practitioners from other areas. Level Two will provide a framework in which you will extend your awareness of a broad range of sound practice and begin to critically evaluate the technical, theoretical and collaborative aspects of your work within the aesthetic, historical and contemporary context of sound in the arts and media.

The emphasis in Year 2 will be to enable you to learn more about the following:

• Applying the technical background knowledge, practical skills and develop the confidence necessary for working in conjunction with other media and in collaboration with practitioners from other areas 
• Evaluating the technical, theoretical and collaborative aspects of your work within the aesthetic, historical and contemporary context of sound in the arts and media and to engage with intellectual debates related to themes in the media 
• Making a verbal presentation to a group start to research your future career and begin to develop your professional portfolio 
• Composing a written paper based on research and argument 
• Developing and extending your original creative practice and adding to your portfolio of original sound work 
• Aquiring the study/research skills necessary for this stage of the course

Year 3

• Major Project Research & Realisation
• Major Project Portfolio 
• Dissertation

The emphasis at Year Three will be on the following:

• Demonstrating a critical awareness of the aesthetic, historical and contemporary context of sound in the arts and media and an extended critical awareness of how your own work is related to that and to the wider area of the communications media
• Applying a wide range of creative and technical skills and methodologies, transferable across new and emerging technological developments, to produce original sound work for a variety of contexts and media
• Working independently and/or co-operatively in the production of major pieces of work, both practical and theoretical, and present coherent written & verbal arguments, theories, ideas, concepts and visions
• Demonstrating and putting into practice the presentation, research and key skills needed to seek professional employment in the areas of sound in the arts and media that you choose
• Demonstrating and applying the necessary academic skills (research, planning and presentation skills) to be able to pursue postgraduate study
• Producing a portfolio with a variety of work which reflects, as far as possible, both your own interests and specialisms, and an awareness of the broader issues in the field of sound art and design

Sound Arts and Design is relatively new as a discipline in its own right. The field is diverse and growing and the career prospects for graduating students are good. Some recent graduates have gone on to postgraduate study; others have found work in music studios or as sound designers and composers for television. Some become freelance sound designers; others work as sound specialists on professional film and video projects. Some have pursued careers in sound art and installation; others are pursuing performance-based opportunities.

2 A levels plus 5 GCSEs (A-C), or equivalent qualifications, or relevant professional experience/experiential learning, or a combination of formal qualifications and experiential learning. Applicants will also need to demonstrate a level of experience in the area through their portfolio.

International and EU students: If your first language is not English you should check you have achieved the correct IELTS level in English. Further information is available on our International Applications page.

Additional entry requirements
Applicants should have experience of producing some original sound. Those selected for interview are required to bring examples of their work.

Study Abroad Applicants

This course accepts a limited number of Study Abroad students (international students who would like to spend one, two or three terms studying alongside our undergraduates, as part of their course at their home university). To find out further information about Study Abroad fees and the application process please visit the Study Abroad website. 

Please apply through UCAS.

If you are a UK or EU student and you have an admissions enquiry please call +44(0)20 7514 6569 or email ugadmissions@lcc.arts.ac.uk. If your are a none-EU international student and you are unsure about how to apply, admission enquiries should be made through the International Office (call +44 (0)20 7514 8138).

Study Abroad Applicants

International undergraduate students can apply to join this BA course for a period of up to three terms as a Study Abroad student. Please visit the Study Abroad website details on how to apply or contact the Study Abroad office:

T: +44 (0) 207 514 2249
E: studyabroad@lcc.arts.ac.uk