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Designing Audio Experiences: Art, Science and Production MA

London, Stratford (UCL East)

The sound industry is crying out for scientifically-informed, creative audio designers. This MA will give you a sought-after mix of specialist technical spatial audio skills, in an environment where you’ll be mixing regularly with leading practitioners. You’ll learn how humans make sense of the world through sound, and apply that knowledge to create compelling, convincing audio experiences for diverse audiences and contexts.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£18,400
£9,200
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
£18,250
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

We seek students who can show evidence of active engagement with visual or audio storytelling in previous work or study experience. We require a portfolio of work to support all applications. This should consist of one piece of creative work including (but not limited to) audio production/ filmmaking / installation of no more than 20 minutes duration. We also accept writing, painting, photography, music composition, or theatre. For those with a performing arts background, evidence of productions such as photos or reviews can be submitted in place of portfolio works.

We normally require an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants with lower second class degrees (i.e. UK 2:2 or the overseas equivalent) may be considered if their application is supported strongly by relevant experience. In exceptional circumstances, we will also consider applicants without higher education qualifications provided they demonstrate a significant track record in this or a related field.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This practice-based Designing Audio Experiences: Art, Science and Production MA will train you to understand how humans make sense of the world through sound, and to create compelling, convincing audio experiences for diverse audiences and contexts.

You will explore many aspects of sound, including its propagation and perception, audio storytelling techniques, soundscape composition and sonic anthropology, aesthetic principles of sound, real and virtual sonic spaces, sound for moving image and sound in material environments.

The expansion of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (XR) means more opportunities for delivering and experiencing immersive audio. You will graduate an expert in spatial audio technologies, including the features and creative approaches that differentiate spatial audio from traditional audio.

You will learn to think critically about the role sound plays in human development across different societies and cultures, developing your artistic, personal interpretation of sound and soundscapes that you’ll be able to apply to ambitious works with the audience at their core.

From documentary filmmaking to experimental cinema, you will specialise in the elements of public anthropology that interest you most, choosing from a range of optional modules to enrich your learning experience.

You will study at the top university in London, and 4th in the world, for Anthropology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024) and The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024.

You will study in a warm and welcoming department that is also one of the largest and broadest anthropology departments in the UK, which researches and teaches across five sub-sections, and which continually works to expand and reshape the discipline.

Who this course is for

The Designing Audio Experiences: Art, Science and Production MA degree is best suited to students looking to develop their immersive audio experience design in a professional framework, guided by leading industry figures and informed by innovative and scientific approaches to immersive audio.

The course is well-suited to working professionals who wish to study part-time over two years.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

You will receive advanced training in the fundamentals of audio experience design, production and delivery, including independent research design and implementation; 3D sound design; editing; and delivery.

You will also develop demonstrable competencies transferable to any profession, including complex problem solving and creative initiative; communication skills and the ability to interpret and present complex data to diverse audiences; independent and team working; leadership; and time and project management.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

You will graduate an expert in audio experience design, fully equipped to pursue a successful career in immersive audio design or production or any profession requiring strong project management, problem-solving and communication skills.

Employability

Designing Audio Experiences: Art, Science and Production MA graduates will be equipped to pursue a range of careers, including broadcasting; immersive audio; installation; theatre; and virtual and mixed reality.

Networking

As a student in the Department you have access to many opportunities to help further your career:

  • You will become part of the department's Public Anthropology section, learning from and networking with leading internal and external industry practitioners through a weekly seminar series, regular masterclasses and visits to audio specialist partners.
  • You will be supported by an industry mentor while planning and producing your final project, who will help you to forge links with and gain access to relevant professional organisations.
  • You will be encouraged to attend complementary departmental seminars given by active researchers in environmental, evolutionary and social anthropology and material, visual and digital culture throughout your studies.
  • You will benefit from cultural and educational connections with our East Bank partners, including the V&A and BBC Music.
  • You will be encouraged to take advantage of the broader audio and factual storytelling communities at UCL, our neighbouring institutions and across London more widely, including attending and participating in seminars, conferences, exhibitions and research partnership opportunities to help you establish industry connections and extend your professional networks.
  • You will be encouraged to engage with the department’s active careers support activities and initiatives, which include regular career development seminars and networking events.

All students are encouraged to host and/or participate in a Reading and Research Group (RRG), which are open spaces to exchange ideas on themes of mutual interest and welcome staff and student participation from across UCL and our neighbouring institutions.

The department's London location presents a range of opportunities to work, volunteer and carry out fieldwork in major government, business and third sector organisations.

The department also houses London's global non-fiction film festival, Open City Documentary Festival, which all students are invited to volunteer to support to network with non-fiction film industry leading professionals.

Teaching and learning

You will learn through lectures; interactive seminars involving critical discussion; fast-turnaround practical exercises; personal listening; and independent directed and self-directed reading.

Across the programme, you will spend a minimum of six hours every week completing recording and editing exercises, building up a portfolio of work.

While planning and producing your final project, you will benefit from one-to-one academic supervision.

You will be assessed through a series of summative exercises for which you will receive feedback. These include audio works of varying lengths and styles, critical evaluation, pre-production folders and your final project. You will also need to submit a number of formative exercises (for which you will receive feedback, but do not count toward the degree).

In terms one and two, full-time students can typically expect between 10 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, crits and tutorials. In term three and the summer period students will be completing their own graduation project research and will keep regular contact with their graduation project mentors.

On average, across the programme, in a typical week, your time is spent as follows:

  • Approx. 20% in workshops.
  • Approx. 30% in lectures.
  • Approx. 30% in seminars.
  • 20% dedicated to administrative, research and self-directed learning.

The first 12 weeks of the programme are conducted full-time as they set the stage for the rest of the year. Part-time students will also need to be available on a full-time basis during this period to fulfil these requirements.

The specific days vary throughout the year depending on the modules, and the teaching and training needs.

Modules

The degree comprises three compulsory modules and one optional module.

In the first and second term, Introduction to Designing Audio Experiences: Art and Science and Sonic Experience Production will prepare you to design and produce engaging immersive audio experiences using relevant technology.

In the third term, to be completed over the summer, Advanced Design of Audio Experiences enables you to apply your learning to design and produce ambitious audio experiences. You will also produce an extended written work, critically evaluating your work and how it contributes to the field of immersive audio storytelling.

As a part-time student, you will complete Introduction to Designing Audio Experiences: Art and Science and Sonic Experience Production in the first year (and likely also your optional module). 

In the second year, you will complete Advanced Design of Audio Experiences (and your optional module if you did not take it in the first year). You will also produce an extended written work, critically evaluating your work and how it contributes to the field of immersive audio storytelling.

Compulsory modules





Optional modules






Intermediate Radio and Broadcasting Production



Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Designing Audio Experiences: Art, Science and Production.

Fieldwork

You will spend the summer term researching and producing your final project, with many students choosing to undertake self-funded fieldwork-based projects in the UK or abroad.

The scope and nature of fieldwork is formulated in discussion with your appointed supervisor, and subject to departmental approval.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £18,400 £9,200
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500 £18,250

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

All students will be provided with an external hard drive and professional monitoring headphones. You will be able to access audio editing software whilst using UCL computers. We encourage and expect students to complete their coursework on campus as the computers on site are equipped to support audio editing. Some user licenses will allow you to work from home but we cannot guarantee this, or support you to upgrade or purchase personal devices.

As this programme is based at the UCL East campus in Stratford, students choosing to take an optional module only available at the Bloomsbury campus will need to fund their own travel between campuses. Tickets from zone 2 to zone 1 costs £8.50 for students or a travel card zone 1-4 for £15.90.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

UCL East Scholarship

The scholarship works to support the ambitions of east Londoners by funding the fees and living costs of eligible Master's programmes including this MA at UCL. For further details, visit: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/ucl-east-london-scholarship.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Aziz Foundation Scholarships in Social and Historical Sciences

Value: Full tuition fees (equivalent to 1yr full-time) (1 year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

UCL East London Scholarship

Deadline: 26 June 2025
Value: Tuition fees plus £16,000 stipend ()
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

• why you want to study Designing Audio Experiences at graduate level
• why you want to study Designing Audio Experiences at UCL
• how your personal, academic and professional skills and experience inform your interest in, and will enable you to succeed on, this MA degree
• where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Please also include a portfolio of work evidencing active engagement with audio experience design. This should consist of one piece of creative work including (but not limited to) audio production, film or installation (up to 20 minutes), writing, painting, photography, music composition or theatre. For those with a performing arts background, evidence of productions e.g. photos and reviews can be submitted in place of a portfolio of work.

Please submit your portfolio by including a link to an external site of your choice at the end of your personal statement, or your photos and reviews by attaching a PDF to your application.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Anthropology
Anthropology

public.anthro@ucl.ac.uk

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