Essential Information
An associate's degree in sound engineering is designed to train producer-engineers musically and technically to work in the modern recording industry. Students will leave the program with a large recording portfolio. A bachelor's degree prepares students for a career in the recording industry by combining coursework with hands-on lab and studio experiences. Students can learn to apply their studies toward music, television post-production audio or working as an artist or producer.
Those interested in an associate's or bachelor's degree program must have a school diploma or equivalent, ACT or SAT scores, fluency in the English language, aptitude for work with computers (typically Apple products) and other technology, along with a basic understanding of music.
Associate's Degree in Sound Engineering
Students learn the fundamentals of sound engineering in this two year program, including acoustics, recording, music theory, digital audio and audio signal flow, along with background on the entertainment business. Coursework builds on a liberal arts base with additional requirements in music fundamentals, audio production and studio engineering. This can lead to a bachelor's degree in audio engineering as well. Some courses include:
- Sound reinforcement
- Studio maintenance
- Audio mixing
- Consoles
- Surround sound techniques
Bachelor's Degree in Audio Engineering
Bachelor's degree programs normally take four years to complete. Through courses split between the classroom and the studio, students will master acoustics, live sound, production and electronics, among other recording topics. Classes involve understanding music theory, electronics, recording equipment and the music/entertainment business. Topics may include the following:
- Track programming
- Digital signal processing
- Pre-production
- Editing
Popular Career Options
Associate's graduates can use their degree and portfolio to seek out an entry-level job assisting in a sound studio or other related company. Some careers include:
- Audio-visual technician
- Audio technician
- Audio installer
- Sound mixer
There are several options for bachelor's graduates. Most of these include working in a sound studio, but graduates go on to work as musicians, recording artists and other careers within digital media.
- Studio manager
- Music producer
- Live sound engineer
- Mastering engineer
- Music and dialogue editor
- Electronic musician
Individuals may complete a sound engineering degree program at the associate's or bachelor's level. Associate's programs focus on the foundational skills needed in sound engineering, while bachelor's students focus on more advanced topics while completing coursework in the classroom and in the studio for hands-on experience.
