We are excited to kick off your journey during the week of 16 September with a programme of welcome activities. This series of introductory activities has been designed to help you transition smoothly into university life. You'll receive crucial information to start your studies on the right foot, meet our dedicated staff, connect with your fellow students, and familiarize yourself with the campus. Dive into the heart of your course and our academic community by participating in as many activities as possible!

Once your University IT account has been activated, you will be able to access our resources, including Library resources and relevant software. On our Blackboard pages (virtual learning environment platform) you will be able to find detailed information about your course, as well as about supporting services and opportunities available to you.

At the beginning of your academic course, you will be assigned to a personal tutor, who will provide you with academic support throughout the course and act as a gateway to support and development services offered elsewhere in the University.

After welcome week you will begin work on your first three modules that you will study in Trimester 1: Sound Recording for Film, Television and Interactive Media; Collaborative Practice; and Creativity, Culture and Community.

In addition to other exciting activities, you will have access to our Creative Agency, which supports students by providing opportunities to engage in paid projects and develop a portfolio of work essential for preparing for your future career. The Agency also facilitates student collaboration, allowing students to contribute to each other's projects across the School of Creative Arts and Industries.

The film director David Lynch once stated, "Sound is 50% of a film, at least. In some scenes, it’s almost 100%." Embracing this philosophy, our MA program is meticulously designed to enhance your practical skills in sound recording, editing, and mixing. You will express your creativity through the essential elements of the soundtrack: dialogue, music, and sound effects. The modules you will study will include:

Trimester 1: Sound Recording Here you will explore the world of sound recording for film, television and interactive. Through practical exercises, you'll master recording dialogue on location, voice-overs in the studio, and Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) in post-production. Learn to capture location sound and Foley effects both on location and in-studio settings. Your journey will also include recording music specifically for media, coupled with an introduction to sound editing using Pro Tools, the industry-standard software for sound postproduction.

Trimester 2: Sound Design Building on your recording skills, this trimester is about the art of mixing and designing soundtracks. You’ll experiment with creative sound to enhance storytelling. This module allows you to explore your artistic inclinations by designing sound for diverse film projects, including working in 5.1 surround sound. Supported by screenings and seminars, you'll gain exposure to exemplary professional sound designs in contemporary cinema.

Trimester 3: Final Project In the final trimester of your course you will have the opportunity to focus on a larger-scale sound design project or undertake further research on sound design. This capstone project can be used to further develop your creative and practical skills, and to build your portfolio, helping you to build a career in sound design when you graduate.

Your welcome and induction will be w/c 16 September 2024 - we look forward to meeting you then.

We look forward to welcoming you into this dynamic field where sound shapes the viewer's experience as profoundly as imagery. Get ready to explore, create, and innovate with us at CCCU!

There is no compulsory reading you need to do before you join the course, but Michel Chion’s Audio-Vision: Sound On Screen (Columbia University Press, 2019) is highly recommended. In addition, try to watch as many films as you can, and get into the habit of making your own notes about the sound in these films.