BA (Hons) Music and Sound Design for Film, Television, and Interactive Media Bachelor's degree at Royal Holloway, University of London
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Design for Film, Television, and Interactive Media at RHUL. Royal Holloway's approach combines core music theory with hands-on work in sound design for film, television, games and other media, allowing you to develop both traditional musical knowledge and contemporary production skills.
About this course
A flexible, all-round music degree with particular focus on music and sound for film, TV, games and other media. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Music and Sound Design for Film, Television, and Interactive Media is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at RHUL, based in Egham Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Performing arts graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £26,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, 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: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 96% (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 6 modules
- Theory and AnalysisCore
Module details
Develop basic music-analytical literacy; introduce basic concepts concerning counterpoint, harmony, melody and form that underpin the analysis of music; put these concepts into practice in the analysis of pieces from a variety of repertories. The course addresses the contrapuntal, melodic, harmonic and formal elements of tonal music.
- Fundamentals of Music TheoryCore
Module details
Develop students' awareness of music theory through practical exercises and musical analysis. Through practical exercises that focus on musical literacy as well as aural awareness, students develop the ability to identify and analyse the musical parameters of metre, rhythm, pitch, harmony, counterpoint and form.
- Introduction to Composing with Music TechnologyCore
Module details
Develop skills in working with music technology, write music to a brief and develop skills in independent creative work. Topics taught will include a selection from: introduction to media, film and game music composition; introduction to non-linear compositional techniques; the basics of digital audio; composing to a brief; interpreting images; and audio engines for games.
- Creative Composition TechniquesOptional
Module details
Introduce students to some fundamental techniques of music composition. Topics typically include: Soundworlds and scale formations; The vertical dimension: chords and simultaneities; The horizontal dimension: melody and voice leading; Developments in rhythm; Developments in harmonic vocabulary and tonalities; Form in contemporary composition; Acoustic timbre and texture.
- A Very Short History of MusicOptional
Module details
Introduce a wide range of repertories within the history of music. Stimulate students to relate features of musical compositions and performances to their wider historical contexts. Provide a conceptual map of musical styles, composers and practices by introducing them to a wide chronological range of repertories, from early music to music of the twentieth century.
- Introduction to Historical MusicologyOptional
Module details
Introduce concepts underlying the historical and critical study of music. Enable students to begin thinking critically about the priorities that underlie historical texts from different intellectual traditions and stimulate them to relate features of musical compositions and performances to wider historical contexts.
Year 2 4 modules
- Studies in CompositionCore
Module details
Develop knowledge of a range of fundamental techniques of musical composition with particular focus on structure, harmonic control and the manipulation of rhythmic and melodic material. Provide an opportunity to practise the art of musical composition and to develop skills in creative work. Develop a portfolio of technical exercises and a short composition written in response to a given brief.
- Studies in Music, Media and TechnologyCore
Module details
Explore ways that electronic media and technology have brought about change in and opened up new possibilities for musical production, consumption, sounds, practices, experience, contexts and meanings. Examine how developments in electronic media and technology have affected and continue to affect dynamics of power in musical production and consumption. Introduce concepts and techniques for the study of the interaction of music, media and technology.
- Sound Art and DesignCore
Module details
Explore the practices of the 20th Century Modernist Avant Garde within a digital environment. Focus on digital creative outcomes produced whilst working within Logic Pro X. Examine the role of sound within abstract film, radio broadcast and gallery installation. Practically explore the use of designed sound within an industry focussed, post-production context, including the relationship between the picture editor and the sound designer.
- Composing with Technology 1Core
Module details
With a focus on commercial music, cover the essential techniques necessary to compose music using a computer. Include strengthening technical knowledge as well as harmonic, melodic and rhythmic strategies for making compelling music. Look at methods of programming and designing sounds, soundtrack composition, library music and contemporary pop production.
Year 3 3 modules
- Composing with Technology 2Core
Module details
Continue with all the technological and compositional techniques and methods introduced in Composing with Technology 1 but take a more in-depth look at them and delve much deeper into the software. Study compositional and technological techniques from the experimental and electronica fields and from the music to moving-image repertoire, including film, TV, adverts and games.
- Creative Sound DesignCore
Module details
Examine, through the employment of practical methodologies, the work of significant avant-garde sound/noise practitioners throughout the 20th century analogue and digital eras. Examine the relationship between significant artworks and the technology of the era. Recreate kinetic mixing processes and develop the concept digitally within an installation paradigm.
- Special Study Composing with Music TechnologyCore
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 degree combines a rounded music training with particular emphasis on composing and designing sound for film, television, games and other interactive media. You'll usually start with foundations in visual and sonic principles, ear training and music history that ground your practice. As you progress, you'll typically move into sustained studio work developing a personal creative direction, alongside modules in digital and emerging audio technologies, such as DAWs, mixing, sound design for moving image, and interactive audio systems. In your final year, you'll usually specialise deeper within areas such as film composition, game audio, or broadcast sound design, whilst building a professional portfolio and completing a major project that demonstrates your distinctive voice in media sound.
Who it's for
You are drawn to music, sound and storytelling, and want to understand how audio shapes film and interactive experiences. You should be comfortable with both analytical study and practical creation, reading about harmonic structure one week, then mixing a film scene the next. This course suits people who think musically but also technically, and who want real-world experience alongside academic depth.
Careers & job market
According to national graduate outcomes data for Art & Design courses, 87% of graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 55% were in highly skilled roles or continued studies. Starting salaries across the sector ranged from £22,000 to £27,000 at the 15-month mark; after five years, graduates earned between £20,825 and £29,400. These are national figures and outcomes vary by individual roles, location and progression. The institution holds a Silver award for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
University & format
This is a 3-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BA Hons) taught in English at Royal Holloway, University of London, a higher education college located on the Egham Campus. The degree is a recognised UK qualification and holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
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.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 93% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| a Baccalaureate | 2% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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 W350). 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at RHUL →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 Art & Design 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 | £26,000 | £24,500 – £31,500 | 10 |
| 3 years after | £22,500 | £15,000 – £27,000 | 135 |
| 5 years after | £28,000 | £23,000 – £34,500 | 135 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 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 Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design 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: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. 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 Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 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 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £33,824
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
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: 30; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design 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 Art & Design 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
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentIs 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
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £26,000. 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 9.1 out of 10: NSS 82.3% · in work or study 95% · continued 96%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Egham Campus
437 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 Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to RHUL from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £28,500 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 RHUL’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 RHUL and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at RHUL
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
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