Bachelor of Music and Sound Design

The Bachelor of Music and Sound Design at UTS is built on the understanding that good practitioners have a strong base in artistic, professional and theoretical skills. Combining the domains of music, sound and screens, the Music and Sound Design course focuses on developing real-world skills for the digital sound industry, giving students the ability to apply their craft to films, TV, games, online platforms and music production. Students learn from leading industry figures – such as sound designers, songwriters and producers – in this practice-led course.

Working with UTS’s specialist sound facilities and equipment in the creative precinct of inner-Sydney, students develop and advance their interest in popular music, sound design, sound engineering and interactive media. Throughout the course students build a portfolio of sound works that demonstrates their creativity and professional skills to employers. They will have opportunities to run a music label, record in professional sound studios, collaborate with likeminded students in both this course and other disciplines, and design and compose sound and music for film, games and digital media. This is a future-focused course that provides students with the tools to succeed in the industry of today and tomorrow.

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Course aims

This course aims to provide students with core skills in digital music production and sound design. Students' learning outcomes include the capacity to think creatively and critically about, and contribute to, developments within the music, sound and digital media industries; an awareness of industry practices in sound design and music production; and the capacity to collaborate, develop and critically revise their own work.

Innovation and Transdisciplinary program

Transdisciplinarity and Innovation at UTS

All UTS students have the opportunity to develop distinctive capabilities around transdisciplinary thinking and innovation through the TD School. Transdisciplinary education at UTS brings together great minds from different disciplines to explore ideas that improve the way we live and work in the world. These offerings are unique to UTS and directly translate to many existing and emerging roles and careers.

Diploma in Innovation

The Diploma in Innovation (C20060) teaches innovation, supports personal transformation and provides the hard skills needed to support the inventors and inventions of the future. Students come out of the Diploma in Innovation, with the hard skills to create and support sectoral and societal transformation. Graduates are able to fluently integrate ideas, across professional disciplines and are inventors of the future.

All UTS undergraduate students (with the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation) can apply for the Diploma in Innovation upon admission in their chosen undergraduate degree. It is a complete degree program that runs in parallel to any undergraduate degree. The course is offered on a three-year, part-time basis, with subjects running in 3-week long intensive blocks in July, December and February sessions. More information including a link to apply is available at https://dipinn.uts.edu.au.

Transdisciplinary electives program

Transdisciplinary electives broaden students' horizons and supercharge their problem-solving skills, helping them to learn outside, beyond and across their degrees. Students enrolled in an undergraduate course that includes electives can choose to take a transdisciplinary subject (with the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation). More information about the TD Electives program is available here.

UTS Bachelor of Music and Sound Design video transcript

[Text] UTS Music and Sound Design

[Music]

Shots of sound studio facilities, mixing boards and instruments

[Text] Collaborate with students from film and animation

[Text] Create innovative sound and multimedia work

[Text] Build a portfolio of industry ready work

[Text] Access industry-standard equipment and facilities

[Text] Launch your career as a sound designer, sound engineer, artist, producer, label manager, podcaster, A&R manager, music marketer, composer

Students playing instruments

Students setting up equipment

Students recording foley sound

Animation set to music produced by UTS students

Students in high-tech facility

Man in a motion-capture suit being recorded

450 Records Label logo

Shots of students from 450 Records

Students working in digital audio workstations

[Text] UTS Bachelor of Music and Sound Design

Aerial shot of UTS city campus

[Text] Copyright University of Technology Sydney 2023, CRICOS 00099F, TEQSA PRV12060

Study plan

The typical program shown below is for a full-time student commencing in Autumn session who has chosen to complete 8-credit point (cp) electives. Students who would like to choose 6cp or a combination of 8cp and 6cp electives may need to enrol in two electives per session to maintain progression and complete the course in 3 years.

First year

Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Audio and Music Production 50817 8
Audio Cultures 50816 8
Select 8 credit points from the following: 8
Electives cbk92109 48
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Digital Literacies 54001 8
Songwriting and Composition for Context 50824 8
Select 8 credit points from the following: 8
Electives cbk92109 48

Second year

Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Communicating Difference 54002 8
Podcasting 50818 8
Select 8 credit points from the following: 8
Electives cbk92109 48
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Composing with Sound 50819 8
Sound Design 50820 8
Select 8 credit points from the following: 8
Electives cbk92109 48

Third year

Autumn session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Music Business and Professional Practice 50826 8
Screen Soundtrack Production 50825 8
Select 8 credit points from the following: 8
Electives cbk92109 48
Spring session Subject Code Credit PointsA credit point is the unit of measure of workload for individual subjects.
Sound Project 50823 8
Creative Entrepreneurship 54003 8
Select 8 credit points from the following: 8
Electives cbk92109 48

Honours

The Bachelor of Communication (Honours) (C09047) is available with an additional year of full-time study for eligible students to pursue music and sound design research or advanced creative practice.

Course fees

For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:

Local student

All students at UTS pay tuition fees to contribute towards the cost of their studies.

In 2024 all offers made to domestic undergraduate students will be for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP), which means that the Australian government makes a substantial contribution towards the cost of your education, and you pay the balance through student contributions.

The amount you pay depends on your area of study and the number of credit points (cp) in which you enrol. At UTS 48 credit points is considered to be one Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL).

The table to the right shows the amount a student can expect to pay for one year of full-time study (1.0 EFTSL).

Students can choose to pay their student contribution upfront, or if eligible, can defer their fees through HECS-HELP.

In addition to tuition fees, students are required to pay a Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). The purchase of textbooks and other course materials may also result in additional cost.

You can calculate your student contribution as a percentage of the amounts shown on the table. Fee rates are divided into four bands covering broad discipline areas.  It is important to note that a particular subject within a course may fall within a different band.

For example, if you are enrolled in a 6-credit point Architecture subject, your contribution would be 6/48 x $9,314 = $1,164.

Student contribution amounts for 2025 commencing students

2025 student contribution - Area of StudyAmount for 48 cp
Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications and Society and Culture$16,992
Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science$13,241
Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual & Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science and Pathology$9,314
Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Nursing or Foreign Languages and Agriculture$4,627

International student

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students can be found using tuition fees search.

Tuition fees must be paid in advance each session and are subject to annual increase. Fees for future year(s) published in fees search, whilst unlikely to change, are estimates only. UTS makes every effort to provide up to date future year(s) fee estimates and to limit any changes, however, UTS reserves the right to vary fees for future year(s) at any time.

For this course, the cost per credit point for 2025 is $1007. The total credit points are 144.


All international students should familiarise themselves with the following documents:

In addition to tuition fees, students may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). Textbooks and other course materials will also result in additional costs.

UTS Alumni save 10%: alumni.uts.edu.au/advantage

For further information on costs related to your study at UTS, visit the international students' fees information page.

Careers

Possible careers are varied and include working in sound design and music production across a range of media like television, advertising, film, web and digital media. Careers as a composer, sound engineer, or music business professional are open to graduates of the Bachelor of Music and Sound Design.

Course structure

Course structure explained

Students must complete 144 credit points, comprising 80 credit points of major subjects, 16 credit points of core subjects and 48 credit points of electives.

For their electives, students can choose to complete either 6-credit point, 8-credit point or a combination of 6 and 8-credit point subjects by selecting the relevant elective choice block. Students must ensure their electives total 48 credit points.

Industrial training/professional practice

Studio-based subjects are highly flexible, allowing students to foster their specialisation and interests through practical professionally oriented projects. Songwriting, production and sound design skills are applied to real-world needs, and all students have the opportunity for a professional internship. Students run a public-facing digital music label releasing and promoting their own work. Broadcast opportunities are also available for student podcast productions. Entrepreneurship training provides a strong foundation for professional graduate enterprises.

Course completion requirements
Requirement Credit Points
MAJ10062 Music and Sound Design 80
STM91648 Communication Literacies stream 16
CBK92109 Electives 48
Total 144

Additional information

Course duration

The course is offered on a three-year, full-time basis.

Full time, on campus

Admission requirements

Admission requirements

Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.

The Faculty has an optional Music and Sound Design Portfolio Scheme which awards up to five (5) adjustment points towards the selection rank, based on an applicant’s portfolio of music and sound design work.

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

International students

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

Check to see if there are additional admission requirements for this course.

Additional information relating to this course, including the ATAR profile of domestic students who commenced this course in Autumn 2022, is located under UTS' admissions requirements, alongside information relating to the commencing student cohort who were enrolled in this course past the Autumn 2022 census date.

If you don't meet the admission requirements for this course, there may be alternative pathways to help you gain admission.

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential to the successful completion of a course. For more information about inherent requirements and where prospective and current students can get assistance and advice regarding these, see the UTS Inherent requirements page.

Prospective and current students should carefully read the Inherent Requirements Statement below and consider whether they might experience challenges in successfully completing this course.

UTS will make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, professional experiences, course related work experience and other course activities to facilitate maximum participation by students with disabilities, carer responsibilities, and religious or cultural obligations in their courses.

For course specific information see the Bachelor of Music and Sound Design, Bachelor of Communication (Media Arts and Production), Bachelor of Communication (Journalism), Bachelor of Animation Production Inherent (Essential) Requirements Statement.

ATAR and selection ranks

To find out further information regarding ATAR and selection ranks from previous applicants who received an offer to this course, please visit our Admissions Stats Tool

Year 12 adjustment factor scheme

To see a list of courses where HSC subjects provide adjustment factors, please refer to the Year 12 adjustment factors page.

Alternative entry

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has established credit recognition packages with the following institution:

  • TAFE, Australia

Details of all arrangements are available via the credit recognition search tool.

Scholarships and prizes

Scholarships

For Communication students

Only for international students

For all domestic students

Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students

Prizes and awards

For Communication students

Download a course guide

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Course Guides

UTS: Handbook

See the Bachelor of Music and Sound Design in the UTS: Handbook for comprehensive course details.

Information for international students

Find out about support services, the Australian education system, accommodation and more to help you get the most out of your study at UTS.

Part of UTS Arts and Social Sciences

Domestic students

Before you apply

Here are a few important things for you to check out before you apply:

How to apply

Domestic applicants can apply via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) (opens an external site)

UAC code(s): 600006 (Autumn session)

Make a note of the relevant UAC code before starting the UAC application.

Intake

Autumn Session 2025

Important dates

NOVEMBER 2024
1
Closing date for change of preferences (November Round 1)
8
UAC offers released (November Round 1)
14
Closing date for change of preferences (November Round 2)
21
UAC offers released (November Round 2)
28
Closing date for change of preferences (December Round 1)
DECEMBER 2024
5
UAC offers released (December Round 1)
18
UTS Info Day
18
Closing date for change of preferences (December Round 2)
23
UAC offers released (December Round 2)
JANUARY 2025
2
Closing date for change of preferences (January Round 1)
9
UAC offers released (January Round 1)
16
Closing date for change of preferences (January Round 2)
23
UAC offers released (January Round 2)
30
Closing date for change of preferences (February Round 1)
FEBRUARY 2025
3 - 14
Autumn session orientation
6
UAC offers released (February Round 1)
7
Closing date for change of preferences (February Round 2)
13
UAC offers released (February Round 2)
17
Autumn session commences (main calendar)
27
Closing date for change of preferences (March Round 1)
MARCH 2025
3
Last day to enrol for Autumn session
6
UAC offers released (March Round 1)
20
Autumn census date – last day to withdraw from subjects or apply for leave of absence

Need more information?

Ask UTS

Scholarships, prizes and awards

Scholarships

For Communication students

Only for international students

For all domestic students

Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students

Prizes and awards

For Communication students

International students

Before you apply

Here are a few important things for you to check out before you apply:

You can meet an international student advisor at one of our events worldwide to ask questions and submit an application.

Important dates

Visit the UTS Handbook for full academic dates. Visit essential information for international students for the application closing dates.

How to apply

International applicants can apply to study through UTS International.

International applicants who are currently doing:

  • an Australian Year 12 qualification in or outside Australia
  • an International Baccalaureate, or
  • a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3

can apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) (opens external site).

Intake

Autumn Session 2025

Apply online

Download an application form

Need more information?

Ask a question

Scholarships, prizes and awards

Scholarships

For Communication students

Only for international students

For all domestic students

Only for Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander students

Prizes and awards

For Communication students

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.