BSc (Hons)
Computing and Digital Sound
One of just few courses of its kind in the UK
Course Overview
Why take this course?
From the catchy tune that makes you want to buy a particular brand of car to the careful editing that makes you jump at all the right places in the latest horror film, you’ll learn how to use sound as a cue to the world around us.
Covering the creation, manipulation and delivery of digital sound, this exciting course is one of the few in the country to offer such a range of study.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Use our fully equipped sound/music studios and multimedia labs to enhance your learning experience
- Design and develop software, hardware and networks for a variety of fields such as digital forensics and artificial intelligence
- Opt to do a salaried placement year
What opportunities might it lead to?
This course enables you to develop the skills to use sound software, programming and experimental musical technology within a variety of mediums. It is expected, therefore, that you will find a range of employment opportunities within the entertainment and multimedia industries.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- sound design
- sound editing
- multimedia application
- computer programming
- web development
The facilities are at industry-standard level, just as you would find in the workplace.
Ashley Armstrong, computing student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- GJ4Y
- Duration
- 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich with work placement
- Entry
240-300 points to include a minimum of 240 points from A Levels, or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £11,000 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- create.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 4475 - Department
- School of Creative Technologies
Subject:
Computing and Creative Technologies
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Hands-on, practical work and real-life learning, which is transferable to future careers
- Modern facilities and access to the latest technology including numerous computer labs, TV studios and a motion capture suite
- Approachable lecturers who have experience and contacts in the industry
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
The first year is your introduction to the fundamental concepts of computing and digital sound creation and manipulation. Alongside this theoretical learning you’ll experience practical lab sessions, including the use of specialist facilities for digital editing.
Core units in this year include:
- Electroacoustic Music Composition
- Introduction to Programming
- Sound: Practice and Theory
- Tools for Games and Animation
- Web Foundations 1
Year two
Tailor your course via a range of options and broaden your computing and digital sound production abilities, including web programming, project management, electro-acoustic music and creative digital sound.
Core units in this year include:
- Advanced Programming Concepts
- Digital Sound
- Introduction to Software Engineering
- Laptop Music Performance
- Web-Script Programming
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Creative Industries Project Management
- Music Business Practice
- Music: Practice, Performance and Research
- Professional Experience
- Soundtrack Creation
- Student Enterprise
Year three*
In your final year, you’ll continue to expand your knowledge of information systems, software engineering and sound manipulation. Again we offer a selection of optional units allowing for specialisation in an area of your choice. There is also a significant amount of project work for you to consolidate your learning.
Core units in this year include:
- Experimental Music Programming
- Performing Experimental Music
- Final Year Engineering Project
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Advanced Software Engineering
- Applications of Virtual Reality
- Human Computer Interaction Design
- Sound Application
- Interdisciplinary Group Project
*This course is also available as a 4-year sandwich (work placement)
Teaching and Assessment
Here at the University, we aim to provide a lively and modern learning environment. During this course you will experience a mixture of lectures, tutorials, laboratory and project work. While lecture classes can be large, the more personal approach of seminars and tutorials offer more one-to-one support from our expert academics.
How are you assessed?
We assess you in ways that encourage a deeper understanding and allow you to develop your skills including through:
- multiple choice tests
- essays and portfolio work
- written exams
- mini projects
- presentations
- case studies
- review articles
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Sound and Music Studios
Compose your own high-quality music in our purpose-built sound studios
Specialist Software and Equipment
A wide range of powerful and modern multimedia computers equipped with the latest software
Maths Café
The Maths Café - drop in any time and get one-to-one help
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information
Sound and Music Studios
We have purpose-built sound/music studios that give you the ability to compose your own high-quality music. We offer an impressive range of professional recording and mixing equipment including a Pro Tools studio, 24-track recording studio with AMEK desk and radar hard drive and a Studer A80 two inch tape machine for a retro-analogue experience, to name a few. All this equipment enables you to gets loads of practical experience and ensures you are working to an industry-standard level.
Specialist Software and Equipment
You will have easy access to a wide range of powerful and modern multimedia computers equipped with the latest software. The multimedia labs contain iMac Dual i7 computers running Logic, Pro Tools, MaxMsp, Reaktor, Pure Data, and Sibelius. Though these may seem daunting at first – you’ll have day-to-day contact with knowledgeable, enthusiastic and highly motivated staff who will be happy to lend a helping hand. There are also practice rooms for project work and recording activities.
Maths Café
Drop in any time and get one-to-one help with that tricky maths or stats problem. With handouts on key topics to take away and computer-aided learning packages, we can get the problem solved and help you improve your numeracy skills.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
Digital sound impacts directly on a wide range of fields, from multimedia and website development, cinema and television production, to emerging medical technologies. Improvements in the available technologies suggest there will be an expanding range of opportunities in other areas such as crime prevention and audio surveillance among many others. This rapidly-evolving and dynamic industry has many very promising career routes depending on your interests and speciality. Alternatively, you could continue your studies to MSc or PhD level.
Overall you will be well qualified for many of the major computing graduate programmes or employment in varied fields of the computing industry.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- software engineer
- web developer
- computer programmer
- audio developer
- musical technician
Work experience
On this course you have the option to do a year UK or overseas placement with companies such as IBM or smaller organisations. This is a great opportunity to gain real-world perspective and exciting opportunities.
There are also plenty of opportunities to do significant pieces of practical work by getting involved with our TV channel, radio station or other extra-curricular activities within the local community.
Our team at the Student Placement and Employability Centre (SPEC) ensures you have access to a range of volunteering and work experience opportunities. We also offer support during your year-long industrial placements, and provide support for the different types of application processes.
Here are some examples of the roles our students have secured for their placements:
- IT Service Desk at Kelway
- Website Developer/ Designer at @UKPlc
- Player Support Representative at Jagex
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more