Birmingham is an ideal location for anyone interested in studying Sound Engineering. Located in the heart of the UK, Birmingham City University has excellent relationships with industry and a range of state-of-the-art facilities that you can use throughout your time on the course, to prepare you for an exciting career.
Here are eight reasons why you should study Music and Sound with us in Birmingham.
Industry on your doorstep
Being in the heart of Birmingham City Centre is not only great for local amenities, but also being close to potential employers too. We have a great partnership with the BBC, as well as companies such as Focusrite, Universal and The Music Group.
State-of-the-art facilities
Our City Centre Campus is home to the prestigious Millennium Point, where we have recently invested £6.5 million into new labs and equipment, our £62 million Parkside Building and £57 million Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Your learning will span across all of these campuses to make the most of our outstanding facilities – including seven industry standard recording studios, SSL mixing desks (more than anywhere else in Europe!) and complete AV digital interconnection.
Access to these industry-standard facilities means that you will graduate with employable skills and be equipped to go into the work place.
Sound Engineering courses
Find out more about our courses.
Innovation Fest
Sound Engineering students get the opportunity to take part in InnovationFest which is a week-long festival across the School of Architecture, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering (ABCE) that celebrates students work and showcases innovation to industry professionals. The week is a fantastic opportunity to network with peers and industry professionals, and past students have secured internships and work opportunities across the week.
Collaborate with musicians
Our unique facilities and offering, that is the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, not only gives you access to state-of-the-art facilities, but it also provides a great opportunity to collaborate with aspiring professional musicians. You will get to work on lots of different projects with different musicians and performers – one week you could be working with a symphony orchestra, and a string quartet the next! For example, some of our final year students worked together with the Jazz Club to make a record.
Industrial Mentors Forums
Developed to prepare you for careers in the music industry, this initiative was developed to enhance your employability and confidence by connecting you with people working in the music industry and graduates. You can connect with industry 'mentors' through our online virtual learning platform to discuss assessments, projects or work experience. We also have a partnership with the University of Rochester in the USA, and this initiative provides an easy way to connect with staff and students there too.
Learn from experts
The Sound Engineering course team consists of a number of experienced academics who bring a wealth of specialist knowledge and industry experience.
Course Leader, Dr Ben West leads on the acoustic modules at BCU. He was an Acoustic Engineer in the automotive industry for ten years, holds an MSc in Acoustics with Audio Applications from the University of Salford, and is a member of the Institute of Acoustics (MIOA). His industry and academic experience cover a range of acoustic measurement, analysis and simulation methods. Ben’s research interests include soundscapes, sound quality and immersive audio applications.
Optional placement year
Our courses offer a one-year optional placement year within the course, so that you can make your CV stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Our Careers+ Team is dedicated to supporting you find placements, graduate jobs, and offer support with your CV and making applications.
Special Interest Groups
Our passionate staff run interest groups for you to explore your areas of interest. When you join the course you might have a lot, or a little knowledge and experience of music and sound technology. However, on the course you will learn it all, so the special interest groups are there for you to delve deeper into the subjects you love and enjoy the most.