Content and structure

Course content. 

The degree programme will focus on developing your individual profile as a sound engineer. This means that you might do more work live or in the studio, focus more on film or installations, or deal more with jazz, chamber music, pop music or orchestral musicians. As only a few subjects are compulsory, you can adapt your studies to your interests and benefit from a wide variety of courses and lecturers. 

Course structure.

The focus is on implementing challenging recording and sound projects and setting studio and film music in our in-house recording studios and concert halls, at the Mehrspur music club and at external event locations. In the process, you will be supervised individually by a team of lecturers. To ensure that your studies are as successful as possible, you will define your objectives together with the head of the programme and adjust them each semester.
 

Module plan:

Skills acquired in the course.

Via an individually extendable range of modules, you will acquire technical and artistic/design skills in the areas of sound recording and manipulation as well as sound dramaturgy. You will learn how to think about and perceive music critically and how to focus, note down and discuss ideas authoritatively and implement them in a precise manner. As a sound engineer, you will be an artist and a technician in equal measure. You will understand the artists’ language, implement their visions and bring your own creativity to the production process. 

Admissions requirements.

You are resilient and have an outstanding musical understanding, a good and healthy ear, excellent social skills, daring creativity and imagination, and strong technical expertise.

Benefits of studying at ZHdK.

  • You will study at the Toni Campus at one of the largest integrated universities of the arts in Europe.
  • You will attend courses of your choice, for example in the areas of composition/producing, theory, film music and sound design. You will also gain insights into the Immersive Arts Space (IAS) and the renowned Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST), where you will have the opportunity to take part in research projects. 
  • ZHdK’s broad international network not only comprises its good contacts with other sound engineering courses in the German-speaking area, it also offers opportunities for exchange semesters and many possibilities to explore other cultures.
  • The self-designed graduation projects will motivate you to organize your work independently. 
  • You will gain extensive practical experience thanks to the diverse relationships with the regional cultural scene and its event organizations. 
  • You can also apply to do a doctorate following the Master’s programme (cooperation between ZHdK and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG)).