Got a uni question? Find your answer now on The Student Room.

University of Brighton

UCAS Code: W380 | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

B,C,C-B,B,B

Access to HE Diploma

M:24

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H3,H3,H3,H3,H3

Or equivalent combination of grades.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMM-DMM

UCAS Tariff

104-120

Further Details: Your portfolio of work is the most important part of your applications for this course. It’s not just about finished work, this is your opportunity to show us your thinking, ideas and abilities. We will assess it alongside your UCAS application.

You may also need to…

Present a portfolio

image

About this course

Course option

1year

Full-time | 2025

Subjects

Music

Sonic arts

Explore your creativity with our practice-based degree course in musical composition and sound design, where experimentation and innovation are key.

This dynamic programme offers an excellent foundation for careers in film, TV, video games, radio, theatre, performing arts, and more. It places you at the forefront of modern sound and music practices, in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

Our team of lecturers will guide you in engaging critically with how sound and music are represented in media and art, all within a city famed for its vibrant arts and cultural scene. Join us and shape the future of sound.

**TOP REASONS TO CHOOSE THIS COURSE**

- Inspirational graduates who have gone on to rewarding careers, many of whom are celebrated in the field of sound and music.

- Links with local music venues so you can get used to playing live and make industry connections. For example: regular night at the Rosehill, one of Brighton’s foremost venues; student and alumni involvement in Outlands Network; student work has been featured in Festivals including Brighton Festival, Brighton Digital Festival, Fort Process, International Design Research and Society Conference, Sound Art Brighton; commissions and collaborations with organisations and companies including projects ran by alumni such as Soundcamp, and Ithaca.

- Lecturers are professional musicians and artists with a passion for sharing their knowledge, experience and industry insights

- An artistic and experimental approach and encourage you to find your own creative path

- Excellently equipped studios and workshops – take a virtual tour in the Facilities tab on the course page

- Personal use of the studios is encouraged, giving you the freedom to experiment widely

- An engaging learning journey through practising and experimenting creates conditions that ensure you make the very most out of your chosen craft and learn through various contexts and activities

- Staff and student collaboration is pivotal and encouraged

- The third-year professional practice module teaches you key employment skills.

Modules

Year 1
Practice 1: Introduction to Sound
Practice 2: Sound as Material – Perception and Experimentation
Practice 3: Sound Organisation
Practice 4: Creative Audio Systems
HCS 1: Programme Profile Introduction
HCS 2: Experimental Sound and Music in Contemporary Culture

Year 2
Practice 5 and 6: Sound for Screen
HCS 3: Sound/Music and the Moving Image
The Global Challenge Project: Art as Activism
Practice 7: Sound Arts Practice
Practice 8: Final Project and Research Essay Proposals
HCS 4: Theory and History of Sound Art

Final Year
Practice 9: Final Project Development
Professional Practice
HCS 5: Final Research Essay
Practice 10: Final Project

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,535
per year
England
£9,535
per year
EU
£17,250
per year
International
£17,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,535
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,535
per year
Scotland
£9,535
per year
Wales
£9,535
per year

The Uni

Course location:

Brighton

Department:

School of Art and Media

Read full university profile

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

88%
Music
88%
Sonic arts

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Music

Teaching and learning

85%
Staff make the subject interesting
85%
Staff are good at explaining things
62%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
69%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

58%
Library resources
69%
IT resources
85%
Course specific equipment and facilities
54%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
71%
Male students
29%
Female students
81%
2:1 or above
12%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Music

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

Top job areas of graduates

34%
Artistic, literary and media occupations
12%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
9%
Other elementary services occupations

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Music

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here