Academy of Art University

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Sound Design

Graduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:

MFA Thesis Project

• Plan an original portfolio of work worthy of the MFA degree
• Complete an original MFA thesis which represents an advanced level of achievement in the field of sound design for visual media

Listening Skills and Critical Thinking

• Analyze visual elements and execute the innovative sound design and editorial for visual media
• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the singular elements and overall combinations of sound design
• Think critically and demonstrate flexibility in creating or editing music for client needs

Soundtrack for Visual Media

• Create compelling, balanced, and professional sound mixes
• Create sound which supports or heightens the emotional impacts of visual images (or visual material)

Production Skills and Technical Knowledge

• Demonstrate expert-level proficiency with software related to contemporary sound production techniques

Professional Readiness

• Present a comprehensive demo reel/portfolio demonstrating professional-level achievement
• Collaborate effectively with a creative team on a given project, such as a film, television shows, animation, game, multimedia project, or commercial

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

• Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
• Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
• Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
• Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
• Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
• Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
• Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.

Academy of Art University offers some of the best training and hands-on experience to help accelerate careers in music production. We pride ourselves in doing an exceptional job preparing you to excel in your chosen profession. Our degree programs are designed to equip aspiring music professionals with a comprehensive toolbox of marketable skills that lead to success in the music industry.

Score Composer

Compose original music to accompany narrative storytelling in visual media. Work with sound editors and mixers to balance music with other soundtrack elements, creating the sonic world in which characters live. Drive the emotions of the audience by crafting musical ideas that reflect the unspoken thoughts of a character.

Music Editor

Work closely with a composer to effectively create music scores that drive the emotion of the scene. Create temp scores. Edit music to fit specific cue lengths and effectively create just the right music cues to fit the scene.

Production Recordist

Manage the set and location sound recordings. Quality checks all recorded material from set and location. Assist the production mixer in all duties. Maintain equipment.

Re-recording Mixer

The last step in post-production is the final mix. Effectively balance music, dialogue, and SFX into a cohesive soundtrack that supports and enhances visual storytelling. Work on large format audio consoles with hundreds of audio tracks, and craft the sonic world for visual media.

Sound Designer

Be responsible for the overall aural concept of a film, game, or other media. Collaborate with other creatives to develop a cohesive sound and create specific sounds for visual media.

Sound Editor

Edit dialog, sound effects, ambiances, and other sounds to fit with the visual material. Use filters and plug-ins to transform audio for a specific setting. Work with the Supervising Sound Editor to deliver all audio assets for a given project, whether film, game or animation.

Unit Requirements

Degree Requirements

• Successful completion of Final Thesis Project
• Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
• A minimum grade of C in all required 63 units

Curriculum

Semester 1

• GLA 658: Creative Perspectives in Sound Design (Graduate Liberal Arts)
• MPT 632: Sound Design (Major)
• MUS 601: Pro Tools User Certification Preparation (Major)
• MUS 602: Soundtrack Industry Overview (Major)

Semester 2

• MUS 616: Audio Production (Major)
• MUS 629: Music Editing for Visual Media (Major)
• MUS 643: Creative Sound Design for Visual Media (Major)
• MUS 705: Experimental Sound Design & Synthesis (Major)

Semester 3

• GLA 603: Anthropology: Experiencing Culture (Graduate Liberal Arts)
• MUS 617: Sound Design for Games (Major)
• MUS 701: ProTools 2 Operator Certification Preparation (Major)
• MUS 715: The Music Mix (Major)

Semester 4

• COM 750: Podcast Production and Promotion (Elective)
• MUS 800: Directed Study (Directed Studies)
• MUS 811: Sound Design Thesis (Directed Studies)

Semester 5

• GAM 601: Elements of Video Games (Elective)
• MUS 800: Directed Study (Directed Studies)
• MUS 811: Sound Design Thesis (Directed Studies)

Semester 6

• MUS 780: Music and Sound Design Professional Practices (Major)
• MUS 800: Directed Study (Directed Studies)
• MUS 900: Internship (Directed Studies)