BA (Hons) Audio Engineering And Production Bachelor's degree at Institute of Contemporary Music Performance
BA (Hons) Audio Engineering And Production at ICMP. Audio engineering and music production demands technical precision and creative sensitivity in equal measure.
About this course
Develop advanced technical understanding of all aspects of sound engineering and music production, using state-of-the-art gear in a professional environment. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Audio Engineering And Production is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at ICMP, based in Dyne Road. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Others in technology graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Engineering, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 85% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4) 6 modules
- Digital Audio Workstations
Module details
Learn how to operate a selection of industry-standard audio software used in the recording and making of music, while experimenting with it creatively. Planning, managing and delivering an orderly and effectual digital audio workstation (DAW) session is a vital talent for any audio engineer.
- Audio Engineering Techniques
Module details
Delve into the core principles of audio theory, within the setting of a professional or personal music recording studio. Master the utilisation of industry-standard recording and production equipment, becoming adept at recording and engineering processes.
- Live Sound Engineering
Module details
Practical module offering regular collaboration opportunities, as you familiarise yourself with industry-standard sound engineering techniques in the context of a live performance. Develop strong technical skills for live sound recording as you explore everything from mic placements and monitor positions to sound behaviours in a live environment.
- Music Business for Audio Engineers
Module details
Explore the music business specifically from the point of view of an audio engineer and music producer. Study current industry models, practices and processes as you learn about revenue streams, music copyright and the role of trade bodies and professional organisations.
- Theory of Sound
Module details
Concentrate on the essentials of audio theory, while also ensuring plenty of practical opportunities to capture recordings with the cleanest and clearest signal possible. Study the theory of sound and discover how sound engineering processes have evolved over time.
- Audio Programming
Module details
Gain an understanding of the technologies and methodologies used for programming a range of different instruments. Explore the software used in professional music-making environments, as you experiment with audio programming using digital audio workstations (DAWs).
YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5) 5 modules
- Sound Design and Creative Synthesis
Module details
Dive into technical and creative approaches to sound design and synthesis as you explore different types of synthesis, including subtractive, additive, FM and wavetable, and various synthesiser components such as oscillators, filters and envelopes.
- Marketing Strategies
Module details
Introduction to the fundamental principles of marketing for the modern music industry, particularly from the viewpoint of the self-employed audio engineer/producer. Covers both traditional theory and contemporary approaches to marketing and branding.
- Advanced Live Sound Engineering
Module details
Building on the Level 4 'Live Sound Engineering' programme, this module extends on previously studied concepts and techniques. With emphasis on more complex live performance and sound environments, you'll put your skills and knowledge into practice as you run your own live sound gig as part of the module's assessment.
- Mix Engineering
Module details
Build upon first-year learnings to produce professional, clear and exciting mixes using industry-standard hardware and software such as Pro Tools. Study a variety of mixing techniques, learning how to adapt and experiment with these to develop your sonic signature.
- Studio Engineering
Module details
Continue to build your abilities in using industry-standard recording and production equipment in this module. Advance your editing and sound production processes as you explore the fundamental principles of audio recording theory in a studio.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course develops your advanced technical understanding of sound engineering and music production using state-of-the-art equipment in a professional environment. You'll usually begin with foundational audio theory and practical recording techniques, then progress through hands-on studio work covering signal flow, mixing, mastering and acoustic principles. As you advance, a course like this typically introduces specialisations such as mechanical, electrical and electronic, civil and structural engineering alongside audio-specific modules. In your final year, you'll undertake a substantial individual project where you apply your technical knowledge to a real-world audio challenge. Throughout, you'll develop both the theoretical understanding and practical skills needed for professional sound engineering and music production work.
Who it's for
You're drawn to the intersection of technical problem-solving and creative expression. You have a disciplined approach to learning, comfortable with theory, eager to translate it into hands-on practice, and a genuine ear for sound. You may already play an instrument or produce music casually; you might come to this with formal training or self-taught experience. What you'll gain is rigour: understanding *why* techniques work, not just *how* to apply them. You'll work alongside others who share your commitment to precision audio work, whether your ambition is to engineer in commercial studios, master for streaming platforms, produce your own music, or move into broadcast or game audio. This course suits those who want to build a sustainable technical career in sound.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 90% of engineering graduates are in work or further study 15 months after completing their degree, with 80% of those in work in highly skilled roles. Graduate earnings across Engineering courses range from £29,000–£35,000 at the 15-month mark, rising to £33,150–£46,800 after five years. Your career path may lead into commercial music production, live sound engineering, broadcast audio, post-production for film and television, or audio direction in interactive media. Many graduates establish freelance practices or move into technical management. Earnings and progression depend on your specialism, location and the sector you enter.
University & format
This BA (Hons) in Audio Engineering and Production is taught at Institute of Contemporary Music Performance, a University on Dyne Road, over 3 years on a full-time basis. Instruction is in English. The degree is recognised by a UK degree-awarding body, ensuring national recognition, and the university holds Silver status in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 assessment of teaching quality.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 35% |
| another higher-education qualification | 30% |
| a previous degree | 25% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 10% |
| a Baccalaureate | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code W101). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at ICMP →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Engineering graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,000 | £20,000 – £33,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £21,000 | £15,500 – £27,500 | 165 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £20,000 – £36,000 | 160 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in engineering · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Engineering nationally
National figures for Engineering graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Engineering courses at the same study level.
Compared with 2,256 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Artistic, literary and media occupationsSOC 2020 341 · 50% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 155; response rate: 58%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Engineering graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Engineering graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Engineering & manufacturing firms
- Automotive & aerospace
- Energy & utilities
- Defence & consultancies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Engineering graduates.
Engineering Surveyor (Machine Control)BAM UK & IrelandEngineering Operations Project ManagerFdo Consulting LimitedEngineering ManagerVerto PeopleEngineering ManagerRobert WaltersEngineering ManagerPremier Technical RecruitmentEngineering ManagerRedline Group LtdIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.3 out of 10: NSS 74.7% · in work or study 90% · continued 85%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Institute of Contemporary Music Performance
Engineering and technology across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Dyne Road
3,638 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Engineering right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to ICMP from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by ICMP; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check ICMP’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with ICMP and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at ICMP
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
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