Higher Nationals

Sound Engineering

BTEC Higher National Diploma in Music (Sound Engineering)

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DETAILS IN-BRIEF

Duration: Two years, with an optional exit award after year one.

Certification: Pearson International BTEC Higher National Diploma in Music (Sound Engineering), with optional Higher National Certificate after year one.

Level: Level 6 Higher Certificate (HNC/D)

Course Code: SND

YEAR ONE MODULES

Applied Sound Principles

Music Production

Live Sound Engineering

Marketing and Promotion

Professional Development

Recording Studio Technology

Sound Engineering Fundamentals

The Music Industry

YEAR TWO MODULES

Advanced Music Production

Advanced Sound Design for Interactive Media

Advanced Sound Engineering

Creative Portfolio

Creative Research Project

Live Mixing

Mixing and Mastering

Please note that all the modules listed are subject to change due to availability and demand.

WHAT ARE THE HIGHER NATIONALS IN sound?

The Higher National Diploma in Sound Engineering is a practical, hands-on course that prepares you for work in studio recording, live sound, music production, and audio for film, games, and interactive media. You’ll train in professional studios and live venues, using industry-standard gear while building the creative and technical skills needed for a career in sound.

With access to professional recording studios, live venues, and specialist computer labs, students train on industry-standard equipment and gain practical experience in real-world environments. The course combines technical training with creative development, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for the evolving demands of the industry.

Graduates of this course pursue careers as recording engineers, live sound engineers, sound designers, and audio post-production specialists across the music, film, gaming, and live event sectors.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The Higher National Diploma in Sound Engineering is structured to provide in-depth training across four key areas of the industry. Each section of the course is designed to develop both technical expertise and creative problem-solving skills, ensuring graduates are equipped for a range of professional roles.

Live Sound Engineering
Students gain hands-on experience in live sound production, working in real-world environments such as music venues and performance spaces. The modules cover system setup, mixing techniques, stage monitoring, and sound reinforcement, preparing students for roles in concerts, theatre productions, and live events.

Studio Recording
This section focuses on recording techniques, microphone placement, signal flow, and studio workflow. Students work in professional recording studios, learning to capture and produce high-quality audio across different genres and styles. Training includes both analogue and digital recording methods, as well as mixing and mastering techniques.

Music Production
With a focus on creativity, this area covers the use of Ableton to develop skills in MIDI sequencing, synthesis, and arrangement. Students develop skills in composing, editing, and producing music for various media, gaining an understanding of contemporary production techniques and industry standards.

Sound Design for Film and Animation
This specialism explores the role of sound in visual media, including film, animation, and interactive content. Students learn about Foley recording, dialogue editing, spatial audio, and soundscapes, gaining the ability to create immersive audio experiences for screen-based productions.

The combination of these four key areas ensures graduates receive well-rounded training, providing graduates with the versatility and technical expertise to succeed in the ever-evolving audio industry.

Check out our Music Artist Development students perform in our recording studio, produced by our HND in Sound Engineering students.

MODULES IN DETAIL

Year One

Applied Sound Principles: Building on first-year music production skills, this module refines students’ technical proficiency and workflow efficiency in professional studio environments. Emphasising industry best practices, it explores advanced techniques in audio and MIDI manipulation, synthesis, sampling, mixing, and mastering. Students develop critical listening and session management skills, preparing them to produce high-quality recordings using industry-standard DAWs.

Music Production: This music production focused module teaches students how to use digital audio workstations (DAWs) such as Ableton to create multi-track recordings and mixes, a key skill in the modern music industry. By exploring MIDI sequencing, virtual instruments, software synths, beat programming, and mixing techniques, students can learn to create polished and innovative recordings suitable for various genres and applications.

Live Sound Engineering: This module focuses on live sound operations for music concerts, a practical skill in high demand in the industry. By learning to plan, set up, and operate a sound system for live events, students can develop skills transferable to other sound engineering areas, such as theatre, broadcasting, corporate events, and houses of worship.

Marketing and Promotion: This module is important for freelancers and entrepreneurs in the music industry, as it provides a toolkit of offline and online marketing techniques to help them build their careers. By exploring effective networking, social media, and resources for creating a professional marketing presence, students can learn to promote themselves and their work in a competitive industry.

Professional Development for Sound and Music Producers: This module helps students to explore potential employment opportunities in the music industry and build an awareness of their professional strengths and identity. By developing a strategy for success, students can become versatile and enterprising professionals equipped to pursue various career opportunities in the industry.

Recording Studio Technology: This module is important for sound engineers, music producers, and musicians, as it explores the recording techniques and technology used in a range of settings. By learning studio setup procedures, investigating recording equipment used by industry professionals, and exploring pre-production planning, students can become competent with the audio equipment used to record audio sources to industry standards.

Sound Engineering Fundamentals: This module provides essential knowledge of sound engineering practices, covering both technical and creative aspects. Students learn to manage production sessions effectively, ensuring safe and professional operation across various settings.

The Music Industry: This module provides an introduction to the structure of the music industry, including revenue flows, employment opportunities, business activities, and growth potential. By analysing income streams and assessing which revenue streams are relevant to their own personal career goals, students can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the industry and the potential income opportunities available to them.

Year Two

Advanced Music Production: Building on first-year music production skills, this module refines students’ technical proficiency and workflow efficiency in professional studio environments. Emphasising industry best practices, it explores advanced techniques in audio and MIDI manipulation, synthesis, sampling, mixing, and mastering. Students develop critical listening and session management skills, preparing them to produce high-quality recordings using industry-standard DAWs.

Advanced Sound Design: This module focuses on sound design for film, animation, and interactive media. Students gain practical experience in dialogue recording, Foley sound, sound editing, and mixing, learning to create immersive and expressive audio for a variety of media projects.

Advanced Sound Engineering: This module develops the problem-solving and technical skills required to plan, set up, and manage complex sound engineering projects. Students oversee two productions in contrasting environments, gaining expertise in system design, compliance, personnel management, and high-quality audio reproduction. The completed projects contribute to their professional portfolio, with client feedback providing valuable industry insight.

Creative Research Project: Students conduct an in-depth research project on a contemporary music industry topic, developing skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods. Through a mini-dissertation, they gain experience in academic writing and critical analysis, preparing them for further study or professional roles that require research and strategic thinking.

Live Mixing: Expanding on first-year live sound techniques, this module explores advanced live engineering and the interpersonal skills required for professional concert mixing. Students learn to create input lists, stage plans, and technical riders, build PA systems, and manage front-of-house and monitor mixes. Emphasis is placed on effective communication with performers and crew, ensuring a seamless live performance experience.

Mixing and Mastering
This module provides in-depth training in professional mixing and mastering techniques, focusing on optimising audio for public release across multiple platforms. Students learn to balance, enhance, and finalise multi-track projects, preparing mastered audio for broadcast, digital distribution, and physical formats. The module ensures students can deliver industry-standard audio products for a range of media applications.

WHY STUDY HIGHER NATIONALS IN SOUND AT DCFE?

Our Higher National Diploma (HND) in Sound Engineering is designed for aspiring audio professionals, combining a comprehensive curriculum with hands-on learning and industry-focused skills. This course covers everything from foundational principles to advanced music production and sound design, providing a well-rounded education in the audio industry.

Students gain practical experience through real-world projects, developing the technical expertise and problem-solving abilities needed to transition smoothly into professional roles. The course evolves with industry trends and technologies, ensuring graduates are equipped with in-demand skills. With opportunities to specialise in areas that align with individual career goals, students can tailor their learning experience to suit their ambitions.

Collaboration and networking are key aspects of the programme, fostering teamwork and providing valuable industry connections. Graduates can pursue diverse career paths, including live sound engineering, studio recording, music production, and sound design.

The HND also serves as a strong foundation for further study, offering a pathway to bachelor’s degrees in sound engineering or related fields.

The Higher National Diploma’s more extensive coursework and advanced skillset make its graduates more competitive in the job market and better prepared for various creative media roles.

The Higher National Diploma is a recognised international qualification, delivered in over 50 countries worldwide. Graduates of our Higher Nationals in Sound Engineering can progress to various undergraduate degree courses upon successfully completing their studies.

The two-year duration and deep focus of the Higher National Diploma at DCFE often leads to stronger connections with industry professionals and organizations, providing students with valuable networking opportunities and a better understanding of the media production landscape. Plus, students will build an extensive portfolio of work to secure employment.

CERTIFICATION

Being a two-year course, we know how important flexibility is. This is why we offer our students the option of an exit award after successfully completing the first year. This can suit those who wish to take a break from study or progress onto a different course in DCFE or elsewhere.

Year One
– Pearson BTEC Higher National Certificate in Music (Technology)

Year Two
– Pearson BTEC Higher National Diploma in Music (Sound Engineering)

Links
Click here for the NARIC Academic Recognition of the HNC
Click here for the NARIC Academic Recognition of the HND

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Our Higher National Diploma in Sound Engineering program opens up a world of exciting and diverse career paths for aspiring music and sound professionals. With this qualification, you will be well-prepared to explore a multitude of roles in the music, film and greater creative media industry.

Our program prepares you for a range of exciting careers in the music industry. From music production to live sound engineering, film sound to recording, acoustics and studio design to mix engineering, our comprehensive practical course equips students with the skills and knowledge to succeed.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

At least one of the following:

Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)
QQI Level 5 major award in a related subject
Mature students of all background
Other equivalent qualification

In addition to the following:

Submitting of a personal statement (more details of which will be provided upon application)

HOW TO APPLY

You can apply for the course using the “Apply Now” on the website which will bring you to the colleges’ application system.

Our Partners

We are proud to partner with Camelot Studios, home to four professional rehearsal rooms, a fully equipped recording studio, a live sound venue, and dedicated production spaces. All practical elements of our music and sound courses take place at our Camelot campus, giving students direct access to industry-standard facilities.

EXAMPLES OF HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRESSION

Graduates can take advantage of many degree progression routes, such as the one-year top-up degrees and advanced entry routes into Universities, Institutes of Technologies and Technological Universities across Ireland. As the Higher Nationals are international qualifications, offered in over 50 countries around the world, advanced entry opportunities are also available in the EU and UK. Please note that in all cases, entry is not guaranteed as per institution admissions policies.