External summary

The MSc in Acoustics and Music Technology is run by the Acoustics and Audio Group (AAG), which is a University-wide research group led by the Reid School of Music in the Edinburgh College of Art, but with staff in the Schools of Physics and Astronomy and Engineering.

The AAG is dedicated to the scientific study and technology of sound, from the point of view of: experimental musical acoustics; computational architectural acoustics and spatial audio; physical modelling sound synthesis; modelling of the auditory system; and audio signal processing. The AAG is located in the James Clerk Maxwell Building in the Kings Buildings campus, allowing students access to a wide variety of laboratory spaces, including an instrumented lab suitable for experimental musical acoustics investigations, an anechoic chamber as well as a recording studio suite. In addition to these facilities, there is also a large suite of studios available for use in the Reid School of Music. The AAG also runs a dedicated seminar series entitled MUSICA: Music Informatics, Cognition and Acoustics jointly with the School of Informatics, with 6-10 seminars yearly, and MSc students are encouraged to attend.

Teaching on the MSc in Acoustics and Music Technology is mainly lecture-based, with a strong emphasis on mathematical problem solving as well as programming, particularly in the Matlab prototyping environment. Beyond such lecture-based courses, there is ample opportunity for individual project-based work, both during the first two semesters, and then as part of the dissertation during the summer period. There is flexibility in the course structure to allow outside options, both from the sciences and engineering, as well as from technology-focused arts courses such as Sound Design.

Educational aims of programme

The aim of the Acoustics and Music Technology (AMT) MSc/Diploma programme is to develop skills in the interdisciplinary area of acoustics, music, and audio technology.

The emphasis is on science, computing, and technology in the context of musical and multimedia applications. Graduates should have a thorough understanding of the scientific foundations of the appropriate technologies.

Students who successfully complete this cross-disciplinary programme will develop skills in the area of music, acoustics and audio technology.

Graduates will have a thorough understanding of the appropriate technologies and the science underlying them, as well as an understanding of their role in a wider creative arts environment.

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding

By engaging with and completing this degree, graduates will be able to demonstrate:

• Knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of acoustics and musical acoustics.
• Knowledge of techniques in audio digital signal processing.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

Programme structure and features

Programme Structure:

In accordance with the University???s Curriculum Framework, the programme is of 24 months duration. It consists of 180 SQCF credit points, of which 120 constitutes the taught portion of the programme with the remaining 60 devoted to the dissertation component of the degree. The programme has three fundamental components:

• 60 credits at SCQF level 11 for compulsory courses
• 60 credits at SCQF level 11 for optional courses
• 60 credits at SCQF level 11 for the dissertation/final project element of the programme

Student are permitted to take a maximum of 30 credits (for optional courses only) at level 10.

Degree Programme Table and Modes of Study:

The DPT for this programme can be viewed here:

http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/18-19/dpt/ptmscacmut1p.htm

Assessment:

The programme uses the University???s Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme CMS4. The programme outcomes are articulated as a series of learning outcomes for each course hosted by the programme. These are then tested through a series of assignments that have a series of assessment criteria that reflect the learning outcomes for each course. Each assignment is given a percentage mark, the aggregate of all the assignment marks for a course forming the final mark for the course. The quantitative weighting for each assignment in relation to course as a whole is set out in the course handbook.

Assessment is by means of problem sets, computer code, project dissertations, presentations, and (for certain subjects) exams.

Teaching staff are available for feedback and discussion throughout the year.

Criteria for assessment are further elaborated in each course description and in the marking scheme. Further information is also available through the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study (DRPS) system.

Progression and Awards:

The programme conforms to the University???s taught Assessment Regulations.

Progression Requirements:

Students must pass the assessment requirements of the taught stage at an appropriate level at the first attempt before progression to the dissertation.

For MSc programmes, progression to final project will be considered following completion of the first four semesters of the programme. In order to progress students must:

a) Pass at least 80 credits with a mark of at least 50% in each of the courses which make up these credits; and;

b) Attain a weighted average of at least 50% for the 120 credits of study examined at the point of decision for progression.

If not permitted to continue to final project they will be considered for a postgraduate diploma.

Award: Acoustics and Music Technology (MSc) (pass)

Students must average at least 50% over their course marks for the first 120 credits of the programme. In addition they must secure a mark of 50% or higher in the final project.

Award: Acoustics and Music Technology (MSc) with Distinction

The student must be awarded at least 70% on the University???s Postgraduate Common Marking Scheme for the dissertation/final project and must pass all other courses with an average of at least 70%.

When a student does not qualify for a distinction as of right, they may be considered for the award of distinction if (a) their final research project mark and (b) their credit-weighted average mark across all the taught courses are both 68.00% or higher.?? The decision whether or not to award the distinction in such cases is at the discretion of the Board of examiners.?? In exercising its discretion, the Board will take into account the following factors: (a) the student???s credit-weighted average across the degree as a whole; (b) the number of courses (including the dissertation/final project) in which the student received a mark of 70% or above, and the credit weighting of those courses; (c) any special circumstances, such as illness or other adverse personal circumstances, which have been brought to the Board???s attention.

Exit Award: Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) in Acoustics and Music Technology

Students who have not fulfilled the criteria to be presented for the award of an MSc degree can be awarded a Diploma in Acoustics and Music Technology (MSc). In order to be awarded the Diploma, students must pass at least 80 credits at SCQF level 11; and attain an average of at least 40% for the 120 credits of study examined for the Diploma.

Students who have fulfilled the criteria to proceed to dissertation/final project but do not wish to progress are eligible for the award of the Diploma in Acoustics and Music Technology.??

Students who achieve a mark below 50% in their dissertation/final project may be awarded a Diploma in Acoustics and Music Technology (MSc) for attainment in the taught component only.

Exit award: Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Acoustics and Music Technology

In order to be awarded a Certificate in Acoustics and Music Technology, students must pass at least 40 credits at SCQF level 11; and attain an average of at least 40% for the 60 credits of study examined for the Certificate.??

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

The MSc is taught by a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical work. Courses are assessed through a combination of report submissions and written examinations. In the final three months, you will carry out an individual project, which is assessed by submission of a dissertation.

Credit Requirements

Students taking the Programme can study for either a Master of Science (MSc) degree or a Postgraduate Diploma in Acoustics and Music Technology. The University???s teaching year is divided into two Semesters, Semester 1 running from mid-September to mid-December and Semester 2 from early January to late March. The Diploma Programme comprises taught courses across both Semesters, while the MSc supplements that with a Final Project assessed by dissertation and presentation, to complete a full year of study.

The University has adopted the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (www.scqf.org.uk), which places educational courses in Scotland on a common scale. In the SCQF each course is worth a certain number of Credit Points at a particular Level. All courses on the taught component of the Programme, whether compulsory or elective, are worth either 10 or 20 credit points each, depending on the course. Only courses at level 10 or 11 are relevant to the programme (most courses are worth 20 credits at level 11).

Compulsory and Elective Course Requirements

The taught component of the AMT MSc/Diploma comprises 120 credits at Level 10 or 11. At least 90 of these credits must be taken at Level 11 (see previous section).

The 120 taught component credits are normally spread equally across Semester???s 1 and 2 (i.e. 60 credits per Semester), though there may be flexibility in this requirement at the discretion of the Programme Director.

Of the 120 taught component credits, 60 credits (at Level 11) come from the three core compulsory courses, listed below, with the remaining 60 credits chosen by students as appropriate from the Degree Programme Table (Option Courses).

Course Selection and Registration

You will meet with the Programme Director early in the academic year to discuss the courses you will take. Arrangements for these meetings will be decided upon when you arrive, but the registration procedure should be complete within the first two weeks of Semester 1. It is thus extremely useful for you to think carefully about your course selection as soon as you receive this handbook and in advance of the commencement of the Programme.

Students may take the MSc/Diploma in Acoustics and Music Technology on a part-time basis, over two years. Flexibility as regards the setting of assessment deadlines will be offered to part-time students where possible, but written examinations can only be offered once during each year. Any students wishing to take the MSc/Diploma in Acoustics and Music Technology on a part-time basis should contact the Programme Director to discuss how a programme of study can be designed to fit their individual constraints.

Organisation of Teaching

The first semester and first half of semester two (September to March) are based around lectures, tutorials, and supervised projects. However, much of the responsibility for study will be the students??? own and you will be encouraged to form study groups, work together and share expertise. Teaching staff are available for feedback and discussion throughout the year.

Facilities

Situated in the heart of the old city of Edinburgh, Music enjoys the resources of two extraordinary historic concert halls, unique collections of historic musical instruments and a world-class music library, as well as well-equipped audio studios and IT facilities.

The Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library, a branch of the University Library (www.lib.ed.ac.uk) is located in Kings Buildings, and holds material in the fields of Computer Science, Mathematics, Meteorology, Physics (including Acoustics) Signal Processing, and Statistics. Books and journals in the fields of Music and Music Technology are held in the Music section of the Main Library in George Square.

Students on the Programme will have the opportunity to gain access to a full anechoic chamber, which includes a suspended floor, and a custom-built reverberation chamber (the reverb time is in excess of 8s). There is also a large acoustics research laboratory space which plays host to a range of experimental projects and equipment that can be undertaken and used by students.

There is a wide range of high quality laboratory and field equipment available for project and other work undertaken by students on the Programme. This includes professional-grade sound level meters (SLMs), high quality measurement-grade Bruel and Kjaer and G.R.A.S. microphones and preamplifiers, the Bruel and Kjaer PULSE measurement platform, National Instruments Labiew software and hardware, various measurement-grade loudspeakers, accelerometers, and impact hammers. There is also the potential for access to a scanning laser doppler vibrometry system (LDV), and high-speed camera (up to 89000 frames per second), arranged via the Programme Director.

Computers with the latest version of Matlab and other relevant software are available in numerous computing labs across the Kings Buildings campus (e.g. in JCMB Room 3210). Access to Apple Mac computers with various packages including MaxMSP is provided via the Music Graduate School, Alison House.

Festival of Creative Learning

The University of Edinburgh ???Festival of Creative Learning??? is scheduled in Week 6 of semester two. During this week ???normal??? teaching is suspended which provides space outwith the curriculum for staff and students to explore new learning activities.

Assessment methods and strategies

Formative and Summative Assessment:

For the majority of their studies students will not encounter prescriptive assessment where the absolute answers are known in advance of setting the assessed task. Assessment however is rigorous and robust and depends upon significant involvement of whole programme teams to ensure objectivity, accuracy, consistency and fairness to the students concerned.

Students receive regular formative feedback on their progress which is related directly to the published learning outcomes in their Course Descriptors and in their coursework material, such as project briefs and individual study plans;

The grading of student work is undertaken with close reference to the published learning outcomes and assessment criteria, for the Course Descriptor and for the particular piece(s) of work being assessed;

The method of assessment used is appropriate to the learning outcome(s) being assessed and the student???s performance for each individual learning outcome can be effectively examined and graded where a single method of assessment is used to examine more than one learning outcome;

Students are made fully aware of how they are being assessed and what is being assessed, against the published criteria.

Mode of study

Full-time (24 months)

How the programme maps onto the University???s strategic plan

This programme equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences to flourish in a complex world and become successful graduates who contribute to society.

Excellence in Education: The MSc in Acoustics and Music Technology is committed to excellence in teaching, particularly through preparation for a research career. Former students have gone on to PhD study at many institutions in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Excellence in Research: The MSc in Acoustics and Music Technology is informally attached to the Acoustics and Audio Group, a University-wide research grouping, led by the Edinburgh College of Art, but with staff in the Schools of Physics and Engineering.

Excellence in Innovation: Former students of the MSc in Acoustics and Music Technology have gone on to work at more than 30 audio and acoustics firms worldwide, and have gone on to form several startup companies.

Career opportunities

A knowledge of the science behind music and music production can prove a great asset in your career. Qualified technicians and producers are in demand in all areas of music, as are acoustic scientists. The programme will provide you with the perfect foundation for further study if you???d prefer to continue on an academic path. The highly transferable skills you???ll gain in communication and project management will also take you further up whichever career ladder you choose to climb.

Other items

• Each student will be assigned a supervisor and a Personal Tutor; the supervisor monitors the overall academic progress and directs the final research project.
• Students will have at their disposal a range of relevant university computer services, with network access.
• Students will be entitled to use excellent library facilities including the University Library, the copyright and the National Library of Scotland.
• Edinburgh has a strong research community in the arts and humanities and students will be encouraged to participate in research activities that are relevant to their studies, such as seminars, colloquia and conferences.