Careers Brief - Music & Sound Technology FdSc
Overview
The Foundation degree in Music & Sound Technology offers you the opportunity for progression onto an Honours degree course and direct job entry.
This course is designed to give you training in practical and theoretical aspects of music, sound and audio generation, and to provide you with the skills and knowledge for the widest range of job roles.
To make a success within the audio visual industry, you need to combine specialist skills with an entrepreneurial attitude and a commitment to keep your skills up-to-date.
Use the website links below to find out more.
To consider a wider choice of careers, matched to your interests, use Prospects Planner and other tools listed in the Career Planning section of this Careers Guide.
Further Study
You will be able to apply for a Top-up degree. Top-up degrees are designed as a direct progression from Foundation degree to achieve an Ordinary or Honours degree levels.
Alternatively, you could transfer into a relevant Honours degree. Entry point would depend on your grades, experience and overlap between courses but could be into the final year.
Use the Links on the HE Home page for information on the BSc (Hons) Music and Audio Technology (designated linked course) at Bournemouth University (click on sub-heading 'Courses').
Institutions offering related Top-ups include:
Northbrook College Sussex; University of Plymouth; University of Wolverhampton.
To search degree courses go to www.ucas.com (UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK ) - click on the appropriate year and ‘Subject Search’. Use the university/college links for course details.
You will need to use UCAS to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.
Find out how much this will cost you. Where is the funding coming from? Go to the university/college website for information on course costs and finance and to www.direct.gov.uk/uni/ for additional help with student support.
With a good Honours degree (First or 2.1), you could progress onto an appropriate higher level Masters and/or PhD doctorate. This could be to develop your area of study to a more in-depth practical and/or academic level or to gain other specialist training.
For information on all postgraduate courses and research, go to the national online directory at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/pgstudy/ .
Go to the main section Further Study of this Guide for more information and help.
Resources
The Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media - Careers section:
Go to sector sub-headings or input 'audio and sound' into 'Search for' for a wide selection of job roles and other related information.
Creative Choices - online service supporting the individual and business in the Creative industries and cultural sector:
Drop down sub-heading 'Knowledge' + go to sector side-heading.
Sound and Music - UK's landmark organisation for new music and sound
The Engineering and Technology Board - careers and news
ETB - for Job Profiles go to 'Real life engineering'
The Radio Academy promoting UK broadcasting and audio production - drop down sub-headings 'Knowledge Bank' + 'News'
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/
Careers Advice Service
www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u/
Jobs4U Careers Database - click on sub-heading ‘Job Families & Articles’
Go to Divisions 'Blitz Academy Career Advice' - careers guidance website for those interested in a career in games
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic/industry/
Industry job roles - find out how to break into the music industry
www.ukperformingarts.co.uk/music
UKP-Arts the UK performance industry training and careers site
Record Production - start at 'Recording Studio Jobs & Careers'. Check out video tours of UK recording studios or producer interviews shot at the studio.
Check out side-heading '4TALENT'
Graduate Prospects - online national careers service for HE students studying in the UK:
Drop down 'Jobs and work' - click on 'Explore types of jobs' - go to 'Media and broadcasting'
The Guardian newspaper online - key source for current media news and jobs
Careersbox - careers films on the web. Choose Sector 'Creative & Media'.
The Institute of Broadcast Sound
The Association of Motion Picture Sound
The Professional Recording Association
BPI - The British Recorded Music Industry
Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers
Professional Lighting and Sound Association
EntsWeb Directory of Entertainment, Music & Leisure
Showcase – the international music industry guide
BECTU The Media & Entertainment Union
Incorporated Society of Musicians
The Musicians Union offers a range of services for professional and student musicians
UK Music represents the UK music industry
Arts Council England – the national development agency for the arts in England . See ‘funding’.
www.artswales.org.uk/ Arts Council of Wales
www.scottisharts.org.uk/ The Scottish Arts Council
www.artscouncil-ni.org/ Arts Council of Northern Ireland
www.guidance-research.org/future-trends/media/
Warwick Institute for Employment Research - 'Audio-visual industries'
www.intute.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/
Intute is a free online service providing a database and access to web resources for education and research in the Creative Arts and Humanities. Under ‘Arts and Creative Industries’ click on ‘Music and the Performing Arts’ – ‘Music’.
Go to the Job Applications section of this Careers Guide for additional help and advice on making applications.
