On BA (Hons) Sound Arts you will explore a wide range of sound art and design areas including: fine art, installation and gallery practices, sound design for film, animation, game environments and virtual reality, creative coding, interactive media, and experimental musical work.
This course is subject to revalidation, which is a process that makes sure students get a high quality academic experience. During revalidation there may be some changes to course content. Please contact us if you have any questions about this course.
See work from first year students on BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design.
See work from 2nd year students on BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design.
See work from 3rd year students graduating from BA (Hons) Sound Arts.
Chiara is a recent graduate of the course and talks through the themes of her dissertation and degree show installation, both focusing on the exploration of objects and bodies.
Here Kayla talks through her video projection, exploring gender stereotypes and wanting those who experience her work to understand the struggles that a woman can experience.
BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design graduate Lina Lapelytė took home the Golden Lion for Best National Participation for the Lithuania at the 58th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia
Explore projects from graduating students from London College of Communication's BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design, exhibiting as part of LCC Degree Shows 2019.
Find out about the range of facilities on offer to students studying Sound Arts.
Find out about the workspaces and studios that support Lens-based and Audio-visual practice.
The Digital Space is an open-plan, creative hub with computers set up with specialist software.
On the BA (Hons) Sound Arts course, students and staff explore the many possibilities of sound arts in a well-established and future-facing program of student-centred activity.
The course covers the diverse ways that sound is used creatively in the contemporary world and you are taught how to apply your creativity to produce original pieces of work in wide range of artistic areas.
The course is accordingly broad, including: fine art, sound studies, art installations and gallery practice, audio-visual communication, game environments and virtual reality, community projects, creative coding, soundscape pieces, interactive work and new media, experimental musical work of all genres and more.
As students on the course you will come from a variety of backgrounds and have a wide range of interests in all things sonic. You will be curious and open-minded and want to develop and expand your potential as a creative artist/practitioner.
Your creative, contextual and technical knowledge will be built throughout the course, allowing you to face the challenges and opportunities of the contemporary creative sound practitioner.
You can expect this course to take you on an exploration of sound art and design as a constantly emerging culture to be found in many forms and international contexts, in which your own analysis and evaluation will be central.
You will mature and expand your potential in a personal journey through a range of areas including:
Your increasing technical, creative and theoretical knowledge will support you in the development of a professional portfolio. You will produce this work within a context of the history, practices and concerns of the sonic arts and of the major theoretical, philosophical and aesthetic issues in the media arts.
Our classes are relatively intimate (20 to 30 students) – this enables us to provide flexible, personal content and orientate our delivery according to the emergent requests of our individual students.
You are also encouraged to engage in professional sound arts work alongside your studies and many students participate in activities with creative spaces and groups such as The Laptop Orchestra, IKLETIK, Corsica Studios, Resonance FM, Gallery 46, The Economist and London Sinfonietta.
In common with all courses at the University of the Arts London, this course is credit rated. The course is 3 years, levels 4-6. Each year requires you to achieve 120 credit points. To be awarded the BA (Hons) Sound Arts qualification, you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits.
Your first year provides a tutor-led general introduction to sound arts and enhances your existing creative skills with a shared expansion of ideas, skills and knowledge.
The second year provides you with more optionality and personal specialisation along with the chance to work collaboratively with your newly honed individual abilities.
In the third year, the emphasis shifts as you develop your ability to direct your own learning, moving towards becoming an independent creative professional.
The first year of the course establishes a foundation of creative approaches, technical skills, contextual knowledge and communication skills associated with contemporary sound art.
This year is focused on enabling you to create innovative, relevant and personal sound art and design, guided by your tutors and allowing you to gain confidence in presenting your work to your peers.
Unit Summary
This unit orientates you within the Sound Arts course, the College and university. Introducing the learning skills and requirements of effective studentship.
Introduces the critical, creative and technical fundamentals that underpin sound arts through a series of lectures, performances and workshops.
You will be introduced to 21st century sound art and experimental music, the practitioners involved, the historic and geographic background and the issues that arise from their work.
Developing further skills for making contemporary sound art using a range of relevant materials, techniques and strategies. It builds upon the previous unit Sonic Doing and Thinking.
Having completed Year 1, you choose and develop specific skills in greater depth during Year 2. The capacity for creative practice and critical thinking is developed during practical projects, informed by the Specialising Options Unit. You will also undertake individual sound studies research and opportunities for public-facing collaborative sound art production.
Unit Summary
This unit develops critical awareness of the primary themes which emerge from sound art culture in the 21st century.
This unit offers you the opportunity to specialise developing critical, creative and technical excellence in specific areas of sound art practice. These specialisms may include: Advanced Recording Techniques, Game Audio, Improvisation, Instrument Design and Fabrication, Modular Electronics, Multichannel and Spatial Sound, Sound and Interactive Media, and Sound for Screen.
Focuses on sound installation and more broadly the position of sound in a gallery, museum or other public art contexts.
This unit allows you to develop a major piece of practical work and prepares you for the final year research and creative portfolio. It builds upon previous learning and enables you to combine new strategies when creating contemporary sound art practice.
This unit offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with students from other courses and disciplines, and more widely with external collaborators. In addition, the unit focuses on enterprise, employability, professional ethics.
Year 3 develops those skills learnt in previous years by immersing students in their chosen specialist areas. This accompanied by a written dissertation or alternatively by other modes of critical reflection (i.e. an extensive audio documentary / podcast).
An important part of Year 3 prepares you for professional life and helps you to define and explore potential career paths following graduation. These include working for production houses, creative agencies, record labels, festivals, arts organisations and games companies or working independently as a freelance sound artist / designer. Students may also progress onto a master’s program, either here at LCC (e.g. MA Sound Arts) or elsewhere.
Unit summary
This unit allows you to study and develop extended knowledge of a specific topic of your choice within sound arts through either text or an equivalent audio paper with supporting text.
The aim of this unit is to provide you with the opportunity to research, develop, produce and present a substantial portfolio of original creative work which integrates the techniques, practices, aesthetics and contextual background provided by the other units of the course
Building a professional development pack comprising of online presence, CV, show reel (or equivalent), critical appraisal of learning journey, research into employment progression opportunities.
Course Leader, BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design
Programme Director, Sound and Music
Professor of Sound Arts/Research Centre Director:(CRiSAP)
Associate Lecturer, BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design
Associate Lecturer, BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design
Associate Lecturer, BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design
Tutor, BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Lecturer, MA Sound Arts
Associate Lecturer, MA Sound Arts
Associate Lecturer
Course Tutor
Tutors on this course are respected practising sound artists, composers and musicians.
You will also benefit from a programme of visiting performers and speakers from all areas of contemporary sound practice, from wildlife recording to plunderphonics.
Annie Goh
Dr Ed Baxter
Gareth Mitchell
Ingrid Plum
Jessica Marlowe
Joel Cahen
Jose Macabre
Louise Marshall
Dr Mark Peter Wright
Matthias Kispert
Steve Beresford
The Creative Research into Sound Arts Practice and LCC's Sound Arts department co-run a Visiting Practitioners Series of weekly talks at the college, exploring the diverse field of sound arts practice. Each term a number of sound practitioners are invited in to share their work.
Visiting Practitioners include:
We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and to supporting all of our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.
We welcome applications from people with disabilities. If you have a disability (e.g. mobility difficulties, sensory impairments, medical or mental health conditions or Asperger’s syndrome) we strongly encourage you to contact us on disability@arts.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 7514 6156 so that we can plan the right support for you. All enquiries are treated confidentially. To find out more, visit our Disability & Dyslexia webpages.
The course team welcomes applicants from a broad range of backgrounds from all over the world. The course attracts students who apply direct from A-level (or equivalent) or from Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, or other art or design courses, as well as mature students who may have previously worked in industry.
80 UCAS tariff points, which can be made up of one or a combination of the following accepted full level 3 qualifications:
And 3 GCSE passes at grade 4 or above (grade A*-C).
Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.
IELTS level 6.0 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Please check our main English language requirements page for more information.
All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language ability when you enrol.
The portfolio, along with the details on your UCAS application (including the academic reference and your personal statement) will be assessed against the following criteria:
This is an important part of your application and should demonstrate to the team that you are interested in sound arts and that you have thought carefully about why you want to study on this course.
You can demonstrate this through your previous work experience or study, personal experience and your ambitions for personal development as a student at LCC.
You should ensure it is written clearly, and free of any spelling mistakes. It is your chance to impress the team by demonstrating your appreciation of what the course can offer you and how you feel it will help you in the future.
State what you personally would bring to the course, and explain what motivates you to learn, explore and experiment.
You must apply for this course though Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), where you'll need the following information:
London College of Communication courses are listed under University of the Arts London.
We recommend you apply by 15th January for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
Home/EU applicants are permitted to make a deferred application.
If you have successfully completed 120 credits (year 1) or 240 credits (years 1 and 2) in the equivalent units/modules on a degree course at another institution and wish to continue your studies at London College of Communication, you can apply to transfer to year 2 or year 3 respectively.
The Admissions Tutor will consider applicants for entry to year 2 and 3 on a case by case basis, subject to places being available on the course. You must apply through UCAS and indicate POE 2 for entry to year 2 or POE 3 for entry to year 3 on your application.
Click here for important information about our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.
The University operates a cross-referral system, where applicants can be considered for and offered a place on an alternative course, if the admissions tutor feels they are more suited to that course. If you wish to opt out of the cross-referral process you can do so at the application form stage.
For further information on Erasmus and UAL exchange schemes, please visit the Erasmus and Non-Erasmus Exchanges section on the UAL website.
International applicants can apply through either of the following routes:
If you are applying through UCAS you will need the following information:
London College of Communication courses are listed under University of the Arts London.
Further information on applying via UCAS is provided on the University Applying through UCAS page.
For full details on the application process, visit the Undergraduate Application page, and for further advice for international applicants, please visit the UAL International Application page.
We recommend you apply by 15th January for equal consideration. However this course will consider applications after that date, subject to places being available.
International applicants, whether applying online via UCAS or through a UAL representative or by direct application, you will need to complete an immigration history check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you do not complete the check, we will not be able to proceed with your application.
International applicants are not permitted to make a deferred application.
If you have successfully completed 120 credits (year 1) or 240 credits (years 1 and 2) in the equivalent units/modules on a degree course at another institution and wish to continue your studies at London College of Communication, you can apply to transfer to year 2 or year 3 respectively.
The Admissions Tutor will consider applicants for entry to year 2 and 3 on a case by case basis, subject to places being available on the course. You must apply through UCAS and indicate POE 2 for entry to year 2 or POE 3 for entry to year 3 on your application.
Click here for important information about our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.
The University operates a cross-referral system, where applicants can be considered for and offered a place on an alternative course, if the admissions tutor feels they are more suited to that course. If you wish to opt out of the cross-referral process you can do so at the application form stage.
International undergraduate students can apply to join BA (Hons) Sound Arts and Design for a period of up to three terms as a Study Abroad student.
Visit the Study Abroad page for details of how to apply.
After you have successfully submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have successfully received your application and providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We will request any additional information from you, including inviting you to upload documents through the portal. You should check your UAL Portal regularly for any important updates and requests.
If you have achieved or expect to achieve the standard entry requirements we will invite you to submit a full digital portfolio.
We make our offers based on the strength of the whole application, and therefore don’t routinely invite applicants to interview. To find out more, view our Undergraduate Application Process page.
International applicants may be invited to interview in person at LCC, or via Skype if overseas or unable to attend. Details of this interview will be sent via the UAL Portal.
Your portfolio of work is the most important part of your application, and you must clearly evidence development work as well as work from completed projects.
Please provide us with no more than 10 examples of your current work. Within this work sample, please include no more than five minutes of durational work (film, moving image or sound) along with a contextual statement that explains your contribution to the finished product.
It is important that the course admissions tutors are clear about your role within the production of the durational work.
Important Note: You are strongly advised not to delay the upload by trying to create new work; your main aim should be to demonstrate the creativity within your current portfolio.
We will advise you of your application outcome through UCAS Track. If you are an International applicant and have applied directly or through an agent, we will notify you through the UAL Portal.
We invite all offer holders to come to London College of Communication to attend one of our Offer Holder events. Offer holders will have the chance to meet the team, find out more about the course, and see our diverse and vibrant student community in action.
Successful applicants will be guided through the rest of our admissions stages and towards enrolment on the course.
If you are offered a place for 2020/21 but wish to defer to 2021/22, information on how to do this and who to contact can be found in your offer letter.
International applicants will have to pay a pre-payment in order to defer. In all cases, deferred places will be held for one year.
£9,250 (2020/21).
Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students, in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Please visit our undergraduate tuition fees page for more information.
£20,920 (2020/21).
In addition to tuition fees you are very likely to incur additional costs such as travel expenses and the cost of materials. Please read the information on our additional costs page.
Find out about the accommodation options available and how much they will cost.
There are a number of scholarships and awards available to students on this course. Use our search tool to find out more information.
The field of sound arts is diverse and growing discipline. Some recent graduates have gone on to postgraduate study; others have found work in music studios or as sound designers and composers for television.
Some become freelance sound designers; others work as sound specialists on professional film and video projects. Some have pursued careers in sound art and installation; others are pursuing performance-based opportunities.
Graduates have gone on to work in diverse areas including film sound, theatre sound design and solo performance work. Some are pursuing careers as independent sound artists, play and perform at venues in London or on the radio, while others have set up their own companies or gone on to study at postgraduate level.