Higher Certificate in Engineering Music & Instrument Technology

Higher Certificate in Music and Sound Engineering

Course Overview

  • 2

    Years

  • 6

    Level

  • 211

    Points

  • US600

    CAO Course Code

Why take this course?

Have you thought about a career in the Music Industry? TUS Midlands exclusively brings together the industry trifecta of Business Studies, Instrument Technology and Music Technology, creating the unique Higher Certificate in Business with Music and Instrument Technology (M.A.I.T - CAO AL651). 

This dynamic 2 year course combines

Audio Engineering and Instrument Craft & Design with Business expertise, providing you with a multi-disciplinary skill set to start your career in today’s music industry.

As a M.A.I.T student, you will be involved in a wide range of industry specific assignments and practical work which encompasses all aspects of Sound Engineering, Instrument Craft & Design and Business Studies that are all necessities for any creative industry.

This diversity aims to give graduates of the M.A.I.T course a range of skills and the flexibility required to work within a highly competitive & creative industry, and on completion of the course, you will have assembled an impressive portfolio of industry related work to take forward into your career.



Being a musician is not a course prerequisite, so it is suitable for all candidates. Hugely diverse creative modules covering everything from sound engineering to radio broadcast production and sound for film & television. Innovative business modules that unlock the core principles required to craft your own successful career.

World leading guest lecturer presentations at regular intervals over the duration of the course. M.A.I.T offers the opportunity to network and collaborate with marketing,design & gaming students. Unrivalled access to high tech production facilities, industry standard equipment & software in state of the art facilities based in one of Ireland’s most prestigious colleges. Our lecturers have extensive industry experience, specialising in the areas of Luthiery, Sound Engineering, Performance, Music Production and Business.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

  • Work with industry standard software, computing and studio & live audio equipment in a variety of dynamic practical assignments.
  • Collaboration with marketing, design and gaming students as well as sourcing and working with original musical acts and cover groups.
  • Manufacture a Cajon Drum, Mandolin, Electric Guitar and an Acoustic Guitar from raw materials at the wood workshop.
  • Get to grips with the core business concepts required to work in the private or public sector.

What will I learn?

The careful balance of theory and practical work within the M.A.I.T course is designed to make you fully prepared to enter the Music Industry or progress
further in your education.

  • The necessary balance of conceptual understanding and hands-on skills to make you ready for nearly any position found within the Music Industry.
  • The importance of hard work, determination, emotional intelligence, networking and opportunity generation.
  • To be open minded in exploring different careers not only within the Music Industry but also in the private or public sector.

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What opportunities might it lead to?

Working within a creative and very competitive industry such as Music requires graduates to have a very driven attitude and to have “many irons in many fires” - it is not an industry that seeks out individuals, rather it is the individual that must seek the opportunity out. It is the drive and determination to identify and take these opportunities that the M.A.I.T course aims to instil in all graduates.

On completion of the M.A.I.T course, you will have experienced the required practical and theoretical knowledge to be able to apply yourself to the positions below:

  • Recording Studio Sound Engineer/Assistant Engineer
  • Live Sound Engineer
  • Broadcast Sound Engineer for Radio & TV
  • Foley Artist
  • Audio Visual Technician for TV & Film
  • Video Game Audio Technician
  • Multi-Media Sound Designer
  • Event Organiser
  • Instrument Building & Maintenance Technician
  • Business Entrepreneur
  • Music Producer

Additional Information

This course is run over 2 Years Full Time. Modules in Radio Broadcast & Production and Music Technology are available as electives in year 3 of the Bachelor of Business Studies programme.

Assessment Information

We place a lot of emphasis on student support and so we aim to provide a learning environment that is both stimulating and academically challenging, whilst also supporting your learning. You will encounter a range of teaching methods e.g. lectures, workshops and seminars to hands on sessions and lab exercises.

The course is taught by experienced Music Industry Professionals with a track record of success within the many facets of the industry.

We appreciate that different students have different learning styles and so we provide a range of assessment approaches to suit everybody. Here are some of the ways we assess your work:

  • Individual Assignments
  • Presentations
  • Group Work
  • Live Client Work
  • Examinations
  • Multiple Choice Quizes
  • Oral Interviews
  • In Class Practical Assessments

Course Details

Course Duration:
2 Years
CAO Course Code:
US600
Cut Off CAO Points:
211
Course Award:
Higher Certificate in Engineering
Course NFQ Level:
Level 6
Department:
Dept of Mechanical, Polymer Engineering & Design
Minimum Entry Requirements:

Grade 06 at ordinary level in five subjects in the Leaving Certificate examination. Two of these subjects must be Mathematics and a language (English or Irish).

QQI: Any QQI level 5 qualification is acceptable. Applicants to this programme are required, however, to have one specified mathematics module included in their award either module mathematics (5N1833) or Maths for IT (5N18396) or Maths for STEM (5N0556) or alternatively have Leaving Certificate mathematics.

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Lecturer Testimonial

Mike O'Dowd Profile Image

Mike O'Dowd

Being a part of the Music Industry can be one the most rewarding careers around that anyone can aspire to, but ultimately it’s hard work, strong ideas and tenacity that gets you there

Student Testimonial

 Profile Image

Patrick Trautt, M.A.I.T Graduate

MAIT provIded a great foundation for the career I'm currently pursuing in live events. Covering all aspects through practical experiences and hands on lectures, the course definitely helped me gain a deeper understanding of the modern music industry.

Course Structure

Year 1

Year 1 will introduce you to the core concepts around working with computer based sound engineering, live sound engineering, wood working & instrument manufacture and to the importance of business in a creative industry. Modules in Year 1 include:

  • Sound Engineering 1
  • Instrument Technology 1
  • Music Appreciation
  • Music & Production
  • Music Marketing
  • Social Media & Digital Applications
  • Learning & Development for Higher Education
  • Computer Applications
  • Work Experience

Year 2

Year 2 builds on the core concepts from Year 1. As a Year 2 M.A.I.T student, you will be able to hone your studio sound engineering skills with open access to the TUS Midland’s recording studio to complete project work, you will continue making instruments from their raw materials and you will be introduced to more business concepts - particularly Entrepreneurship, which is a critical skill to work in an industry as

competitive as Music. Modules in Year 2 include:

  • Sound Engineering 2
  • Instrument Technology 2
  • Digital Audio
  • Entrepreneurship for M.A.I.T
  • Accounting for M.A.I.T
  • Economics and the Entertainment Industry
  • E-Business

Course Facilities

The M.A.I.T Music Lab
The M.A.I.T Live Room
The M.A.I.T Instrument Technology Workshop

Careers & Opportunities

Career Prospects

With the Higher Certificate you will be qualified to assume a junior position in the sound engineering or instrument technology or business sectors of the music and related industries. The following positions should be typical: Recording Studio Sound Engineer, Live Sound Engineer, Broadcast Sound Engineer for Radio & TV, Foley Artist, Audio Visual Technician for TV & Film, Video Game Audio Technician, Multi-Media Sound Designer, Event Organiser, Instrument Building & Maintenance Technician, Business Entrepreneur, Music Producer.

Further Study

Holders of the qualification are eligible to apply to join a Bachelor of Business (Level 7) programme at TUS where modules in Radio & Production and Music Technology are available as electives.

Bachelor of Engineering Music and Sound Engineering

Bachelor of Science

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