THE PLACE FOR SOUND
LAUNCH YOUR CAREER AS A SOUND PROFESSIONAL WITH A MASTER’S IN SOUND AT NORTHWESTERN.
Put yourself at the forefront of cutting-edge sound production in diverse sound-based industries with an MA in Sound Arts and Industries at Northwestern. Our unique one-year program combines courses in sound production, sound studies, and sound science so that you will understand sound from neurons in the brain to global industries, from the past to the future. Be part of a creative research community in sound and build a strong portfolio of work that includes podcasts, film soundtracks, sound installations, and more.
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
One-Year Program
Earn a master’s degree in one year, with a capstone internship opportunity to prepare you for a career in sound
Flexible Curriculum
Our interdisciplinary approach combines production, studies, and science, to expand your portfolio and increase your job skills
Speakers and Events
Interact with leading figures in the sound industries through workshops, guest speakers, and site visits to potential employers
Collaborate with world-class faculty, including sound artists, storytellers, filmmakers, historians, scientists, and engineers
Located on the doorstep of Chicago, a thriving center for music, sound art, and radio, find your intersection of education and industry exposure
Explore year-long professional development programs, capstone summer internship, and access to well-connected alumni network
Advanced Sound Production, Sound Studies, Sound for Augmented and Virtual Reality, The Art of the Podcast, Acoustics for the Built Environment, Experimental Film Sound, Digital Musical Instrument Design, Audio Documentary, Interactive Audio Programming, Creative Usage of Field, Found, and Archival Recordings
“The program has given me a holistic experience. I’m filling in the gaps and getting a much more comprehensive understanding. It’s allowed me to get a deeper understanding of tech and sound and to get more experience recording music, which I never had the opportunity to do before. There’s also a fascinating collection of people coming from really different backgrounds.”
– Jeffrey Gardner, MA in Sound Arts and Industries Expected 2019
“I don’t know of any other program that combines sound arts, sound science and sound studies like the MA at Northwestern, but to me it’s a natural. To find those connections could be very powerful.”
– Seven-time Academy Award Winner Gary Rydstrom