Located in upstate South Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains' foothills, Clemson University offers a bachelor of arts degree with a focus on audio technology from its department of performing arts. Students who follow a degree in production studies tailor their classes to explore recording techniques, live sound reinforcement and music technology to prepare for what administrators describe as a variety of career options in the music business.
Coursework involves acoustics, music technology, live sound reinforcement, audio engineering, music theory and music history. Faculty members assist more experienced students in securing job placements and related part-time positions using the campus' cutting-edge sound theater as a resource for related audio projects. All students can collaborate on production requirements for school-produced shows, concerts and sporting events in small and large campus venues.
Bachelor 's degree contenders usually study for four years. Tuition runs $3,500 per semester for South Carolina residents; out-of-state residents pay $7,300 per semester.
Clemson University
221 Brooks Center
Clemson, SC 29634
864-656-4031
clemson.edu
NESC is a private college offering a bachelor of science degree in communications with a focus on various disciplines, including audio engineering. Founded in 1981 as a broadcasting school, it now serves about 400 students, three quarters of whom are male.
The Bangor, Maine, facility offers audio engineering students the opportunity to work on the student-run recording label, Nescom Records, which launched in 2007 to showcase student works. Coursework includes a multifaceted approach to the industry, including marketing, business practices and distribution, with seminars and lectures by visiting industry veterans.
The NESC recording studio boasts six control rooms, two isolation booths, two digital audio recording work stations, an extensive microphone closet and 13 audio editing suites with advanced ProTool software. Graduates leave NESC with portfolios demonstrating that they posses the skills to embark on a career in their field, complete with self-produced and engineered full-length CDs. Tuition runs $4,295 per semester for the four-year degree program, plus room and board.
New England School of Communications
1 College Circle
Bangor, ME 04401
207-941-7176
nescom.edu
The University of Hartford's College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture offers a bachelor of science degree in audio, computer and electronic engineering technology. The university is a private institution located in West Hartford, Conn., on a 350-acre campus.
Those on the audio engineering technology track focus on electronics, acoustics and music for a comprehensive understanding of the recording and music industries. Coursework is rooted in the fundamentals: music theory, harmony and sound technology. Students can pursue additional studies in related areas, including music management, radio, television and business administration.
UHart boasts an impressive array of facilities and laboratories where students can hone their audio engineering skills. Classes average fewer than 18 students and, with faculty assistance, they can participate in a co-op industry job placement program for up to six course credits. Annual tuition is over $30,000. The B.S. program typically runs four years.
University of Hartford
200 Bloomfield Ave
West Hartford, CT 06117
860-768-7146
uhaweb.hartford.edu