2008 Woodie Awards
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The Scene
Audio tech draws music savvy students
Small program boasts big reputation
By Iliana Imberman Berkowitz on 3/1/07
Of the 5,500 undergraduates at AU, about half are enrolled in the renowned School of International Service with intentions of political careers. In stark contrast, there are approximately 80 who have chosen the path of the audio technology major.
For these individuals, passion for music and audio production is essential. AU is one of only a handful of four-year universities that offer a degree in audio technology. Though the program is comparatively much smaller than the international studies program, students flock to AU for its audio tech major in the same way.
Founded in 1978, the audio technology department has evolved into a well-established degree program with an average of 40 majors per year, according to the AU Web site. The program concentrates on the technology of modern sound recording and reproduction. The core training is based in multitrack recording engineering, and it is supported by a firm knowledge of physical and technical principles.
Graduates of the program are qualified to work as audio engineers in professional commercial or private recording studios, multimedia and postproduction facilities, in the broadcast industry as engineers and producers, in technical theater, in sound reinforcement and as acoustical and sound system engineers and consultants.
There are two degrees one can pursue at AU. The Bachelor of Science in audio technology is the more technical, electronic path. To complete this, one must take calculus, physics and engineering classes. These subjects prepare students for careers in the audio, entertainment, acoustics, computer and electronics fields.
While the Bachelor of Science is for the more scientific-minded, the Bachelor of Arts in Audio Production is for the more artistically inclined. The Bachelor of Arts allows a student to take more liberal arts courses while concentrating on audio and music production. The program focuses on the art and science of audio and music technology, including sound synthesis and electronic music production, multitrack studio recording, analog and digital electronics, physics/acoustics and digital audio workstations.
For these individuals, passion for music and audio production is essential. AU is one of only a handful of four-year universities that offer a degree in audio technology. Though the program is comparatively much smaller than the international studies program, students flock to AU for its audio tech major in the same way.
Founded in 1978, the audio technology department has evolved into a well-established degree program with an average of 40 majors per year, according to the AU Web site. The program concentrates on the technology of modern sound recording and reproduction. The core training is based in multitrack recording engineering, and it is supported by a firm knowledge of physical and technical principles.
Graduates of the program are qualified to work as audio engineers in professional commercial or private recording studios, multimedia and postproduction facilities, in the broadcast industry as engineers and producers, in technical theater, in sound reinforcement and as acoustical and sound system engineers and consultants.
There are two degrees one can pursue at AU. The Bachelor of Science in audio technology is the more technical, electronic path. To complete this, one must take calculus, physics and engineering classes. These subjects prepare students for careers in the audio, entertainment, acoustics, computer and electronics fields.
While the Bachelor of Science is for the more scientific-minded, the Bachelor of Arts in Audio Production is for the more artistically inclined. The Bachelor of Arts allows a student to take more liberal arts courses while concentrating on audio and music production. The program focuses on the art and science of audio and music technology, including sound synthesis and electronic music production, multitrack studio recording, analog and digital electronics, physics/acoustics and digital audio workstations.
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