Use our BSc (Hons) Audio & Music Technology degree as a launchpad for a range of employment opportunities where audio expertise is needed. This applied course provides a firm scientific foundation that empowers you to master technology and produce the best creative outcomes.
Guided by expert academics and industry-active practitioners, you’ll build a compelling portfolio for a future-oriented career in the creative industries, including studio engineering, live sound, film, video games, broadcast, and acoustics.
JAMES
Our Audio & Music Technology course is accredited by JAMES (Joint Audio Media Education Support). Their trained assessors and accreditation panel members are working professionals with extensive knowledge and experience of today’s music and audio industry – so you can be sure our course will give you all the relevant skills you need for a successful career.
Hear our music undergraduates talk about their hands-on experience with professional production facilities, both on and off campus.
Why ARU?
Join our community of graduates who engineer in studios, tour the world as live-sound production managers, or become successful entrepreneurs.
Work in industry-standard recording studios and audio/video production facilities supported by our technical team.
Learn from expert academics and industry-active practitioners.
Take an optional work placement year, or internships with our industry partners and practitioners.
Make the most of Cambridge’s diverse music scene with our links to local venues and groups.
Collaborate with students from other music courses to develop all-important skills for your professional life.
Lecturers encourage and support cross-faculty communication so everyone can produce the best portfolio possible.
Clare, Audio and Music Technology graduate
Our Audio & Music Technology course equips you with a balanced, blended skillset, preparing you for many different career destinations.
As a JAMES-accredited graduate, you can join the JAMES Graduate Database after graduating to promote your skills and portfolio to potential employers.
You can develop your skills further by getting involved in the vibrant collaborative community across Cambridge School of Creative Industries, such as our cross-disciplinary CSCI Podcast team or in-house recording label.
Our graduates enjoy successful careers in the music industry and beyond: from recording and mixing engineers, front-of-house engineers for live events, audio specialists and acoustic consultants through to educators and technicians, the choice is yours.
Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our renowned MA Music Therapy. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.
Joseph Simpson was named winner of ARU’s Alumni Contribution to Culture Award 2023 after touring the world with internationally acclaimed artists as a tour / production manager and providing sound experiences for prestigious venues and events like the Mercury Awards and Glastonbury Festival.
Entry-level employment roles that our graduates have assumed and the current starting salaries (annual gross income, as of May 2024) include:
Audio Electronics Technician at studio-technology manufacturer (£21,000)
Production Technician at hi-fi technology manufacturer (£28,000)
Technical Sales Support Specialist at loudspeaker manufacturer (£31,000)
Audio-visual Engineer at educational institution (£27,000)
Graduate Acoustic Consultant (£25,000 plus benefits)
Junior Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer at audio-technology manufacturer (£25,000)
Junior Software QA Engineer at audio-technology manufacturer (£27,000)
Junior Software Developer in Test at audio-technology manufacturer (£27,000)
We want you to be a step ahead when you graduate, so we offer:
We’re here to help you develop your CV and find that all-important role after graduation. Our Employability Service offers tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, help to complete job applications, and much more. You’ll have 24/7 access to an online Careers Centre too, which is packed with useful resources.
The support continues after you graduate, with lifelong access to our Alumni Career Centre.
You’ll jump straight into learning fundamental concepts of audio signals in analogue and digital systems. We'll cover topics like constructing and exploring audio effects, designing acoustical treatments, and using current AI audio tools.
In Year 2 you’ll cover the full breadth of studio engineering, learning to record sound using advanced stereophonic microphone techniques then shape and mix the material further.
Finally, you'll work toward becoming an independent audio expert, tackling an individual research- informed project, producing a compelling portfolio, and applying your audio expertise to a collaborative project with other graduating students.
Student experience
ARU students Emily Cole and Ben Brown share their experiences of working with renowned guitarist and composer Mike Keneally in Finland.
Students Emily Cole and Ben Brown joined Dr Chanan Hanspal's research project, The Landscape Musician, in Finland.
ARU students collaborated with Year 11-13 musicians from Thetford Academy on a recording of Eric Clapton's 'Layla'.
Legendary pop producer Phil Harding, who's worked with artists from The Clash to Rick Astley, visited ARU’s recording studios.
Dr William Campbell talks about the audio signal chain in this 60-second seminar.
Studying Audio and Music Technology at ARU - find out what you can expect from our Audio and Music Technology degree in Cambridge.
Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.
You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.
Placement year
Work Placement - Cambridge School of Creative Industries
A foundation year prepares you for the rest of your course, and focuses on general skills such as researching and referencing, numeracy and ICT, and communication. We'll also start to look at some more subject-specific topics.
Your placement year is a chance to put everything you’ve learnt in Years 1 and 2 into practice. Spend typically 9-12 months working for an organisation, developing your skills and gaining valuable work experience. Our Placements Team is here to help you secure a placement.
You’ll show your progress through a variety of methods that will best prepare you for your future career. These include portfolios of recorded works, essays, reports, log books, posters and presentations.
Read profiles of teaching and research staff on this course.
five recording studios featuring analogue, digital or hybrid mixing desks, all equipped with DAWs Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live and plenty of hardware outboard, software plug-ins and instruments
audio-visual studio
spacious recital hall, band rooms and practice rooms
electronic and orchestral instruments, including a range of synthesisers and five grand pianos
professional-grade condenser, ribbon, and dynamic microphones, recording equipment, and other cutting-edge technologies (Audio via ethernet, Wwise audio middleware for games).
Entry requirements
Important additional notes
Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.
Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.
You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.
We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.
Main
5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3.
If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two years post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements.
Applicants who do not meet the two years post GCSE study at level 3 may be considered based on their satisfactory employment history, which must be a minimum of two years full time employment supported by employer evidence and deemed appropriate by the University for meeting the course of study applied for.
If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 5.5 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
Important additional notes
Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.
Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.
You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.
We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.
See entry requirements for the BA or BSc (Hons)
Important additional notes
Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.
Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.
You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.
We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.
International students
We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.
This course includes an optional placement year. The placement year fee is:
£1,500 (2025-26)
£1,700 (2026-27)
You will be responsible for covering the cost of travelling to your placement during your placement year. This cost could vary significantly depending on where your placement is located, where you live during your course and how you travel.
Living at university
We understand that affordability is an important issue when you’re thinking about studying at university.
The overall cost of university can vary depending on where you’re studying and which course you’re taking.
Costs may also be lower if you're living at home. However, some of the main costs you’ll want to think about include:
accommodation
bills
internet, mobile phone and calls
travel
food and drink
socialising and going out
study materials.
Most full-time UK students can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help cover living costs. More about maintenance loans.
Our Money Advice Service is on hand if you’d like to chat about living costs, budgets and managing your money. You can also find out more about student finance at one of our Open Days.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, which provide extra financial support while you’re at university.
If you're eligible for a scholarship, you'll generally receive it automatically – there's no need to apply.
Our campus employment bureau, ARU Temps, can help you find part-time work that fits around your studies. It's a great chance to enhance your CV and boost your income while you study.
Dr Sven-Amin Lembke
Dr William Campbell
Mark Pickering
Tim Webster
Richard Edwards
Dr Nikki Sheth
