New courses

Mr. CooL ICE

Im asking for someone else about this, but there are two new courses coming into UL, Bachelor of Science in Digital Media Design and Bachelor of Science in Music, Media & Performance Technology. Said person is currently filling out their CAO, due in next week, and is putting both down, MMPT being first, because they have a particular interest in sound engineering, both studio and live, but isnt interested in actually playing music.

My concern is that this person may be wasting a four year degree on being a sound engineer, when it is possible to do sound engineering in one year. AFAIK, two boardsies here, cornbb and 440Hz are doing postgrads on something similiar, so i hope they can offer advice as to whether or not said person is doing the right thing...

Links to both courses:
Digital media Design
Music, Media & Performance Technology

440Hz

Checkout http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=308263&highlight=music+tech for the Mus Tech one. Or PM me with specific questions.

I did the Music Technology masters here before. Cornbb is doing it at the moment. Right now Im doing a DSP/Audio based PhD in the Elec Eng dept.

There are very few jobs in sound engineering. That is the first thing to say. Secondly, the music, media and performance course will only cover a VERY SMALL bit of sound engineering. The course will be ALOT broader than that. If your friend ONLY wants to be a sound engineer then he/she is better off looking at some of the private colleges in Dublin. Something like www.poppyschool.com has a very good name.

cornbb

Yup, just what she said...

If your friend is interested in getting a broad education in programming, multimedia, human-computer interaction, video, sound engineering, sound design, composition etc the course would probably be ideal. It would offer fairly a fairly advanced education in a number of these fields. Personally i like the broad nature of the masters course as i don't find sound engineering incredibly interesting in itself. But thats just me. If s/he is JUST into the engineering side (recording, mixing, post production) probably best to look elsewhere. I doubt the course would suit a non-musician. Also, again as 440Hz says, employment prospects are fairly crap.

If your friend would like to email me with questions or even to take a tour of the facilities I'd be more than happy to accomodate. Or get him/her to email Jurgen.Simpson@ul.ie, the course director.

440Hz

Actually yeah, I have sent some threads about this course as email links to Jurgen the course director before. He seemed very interested in the discussions going on here about the course. Thing is he wont be the director for the undergrad course, but I am sure he would be happy to answer any questions your friend might have.

Mr. CooL ICE

Ok, thanks for the responses. Information has been passed on

Mongo

I am interested in the new Music Tech course.Does anyone have rough estimates into points?

exiot

Its impossible to tell as it depends on how many people apply to it, thats how the CAO determine the points. I was talking to people at the Open Day, they knew loads of people who were interested, and I know one. So theres about 10 anyway

440Hz

The music tech undergrad is set to have high intro points, for a new course... I would imagine anyway for the following reasons:

* it is EXTREMELY popular already, as there really is no undergrad course in the country like it
* the masters course has built up the reputation already so people are encouraged by that which makes a big difference when applying for a new course
* finally, while not DIRECTLY (or not supposed to be) influential to the points system, there are no strong prerequisites for the course, however they will want to give the message indirectly that this course IS NOT an easy ride, far from it... it will be a tough 4 years... enjoyable yes, but not easy. Lots of hard work, and a good understanding of physics and math to a lesser extent IS advisable.

Hope that helps. I am only speculating of course, but based on my own experiences...

Cosine

Just after spotting a new BEng in robotics. I take it that it'll be a few years till a masters of it comes along?

zuma

Cosine wrote:

Just after spotting a new BEng in robotics. I take it that it'll be a few years till a masters of it comes along?

Robotics appears to be a very popular course with colleges these days...CIT have one already and now UL will have one in Sept.

It will probable be mostly electronic/computer engineering with mabye a little mechanical engineering.

dory

Well, Maynooth Music Technology course was 440 points last year, I'd say this would prob be a little higher.