Modules

Core Module Information
Module title: Sound Design
SCQF level: 09:
SCQF credit value: 20.00
ECTS credit value: 10
Module code: IMD09148
Module leader: Iain McGregor
School School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment
Subject area group: Applied Informatics
Prerequisites

Requisites: Pre-requisite: Background in Sound Engineering or Music Production AND Pre-requisite: [Module IMD08122] Sound Production 1
Description of module content:

This module offers a comprehensive exploration of sound design, equipping you with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills across various media. As a student, you’ll learn how to design sound for a wide range of industries, like film, video games, theatre, animation, and emerging mixed reality applications. Throughout the module, you’ll develop skills in using specialised techniques and tools to create immersive, emotionally engaging auditory environments. Dive into the full sound design process from start to finish, covering preproduction, production, postproduction, and evaluation. You’ll understand how each stage plays a unique role in crafting a cohesive auditory experience, as well as the methods for planning, recording, editing, and assessing soundtracks. Explore sound design techniques tailored to various industries, including audio books, podcasts, video games, film, interactive applications, theatre, television, and more. Gain insights into how each industry uniquely utilises sound to enhance storytelling, interactivity, and immersion. Develop practical skills in creating sounds for different elements and scenarios, from objects and environments to emotional tones and transitions. You’ll learn to use sound to enhance presence, build realistic auditory environments, as well as connect audiences with both characters and settings. Hands-on practice with sound editing software, digital mixers, and spatial audio tools will give you confidence in crafting professional-grade sound assets. Apply your knowledge through projects designed to mirror real-world sound design tasks, such as creating audio for interactive media, designing soundscapes for virtual reality, or enhancing dialogue and effects for film. Gain experience in evaluating your own sound work and making adjustments based on feedback, preparing you for industry expectations of quality and iteration. By the end of this module, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to understand, analyse, and create sound for a variety of media. Whether your focus is on creating immersive environments in gaming, supporting narratives in film, or enhancing user experience in apps, you will be ready to enter the world of sound design with a strong foundation and versatile set of skills.
Learning Outcomes for module:

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Make effective use of the underlying principles of sound design.

LO2: Construct effective methods of planning sound design.

LO3: Analyse appropriate methods of implementing sound designs.

LO4: Critically appraise appropriate methods of evaluating sound designs.
Full Details of Teaching and Assessment
2026/7, Trimester 2, Blended,
VIEW FULL DETAILS
Occurrence: 001
Primary mode of delivery: Blended
Location of delivery: MERCHISTON
Partner:
Member of staff responsible for delivering module: Iain McGregor
Module Organiser:


Student Activity (Notional Equivalent Study Hours (NESH))
Mode of activityLearning & Teaching ActivityNESH (Study Hours)NESH Description
Independent Learning Lecture 60 Series of lectures presented by academic staff and international practitioners that cover in depth Sound design principles, production and evaluation methods directly related to the wide field of media which makes use of Sound Design. Presentation styles range from traditional PowerPoint slides through to practical demonstrations. All content is time-shifted to ensure maximum accessibility for students, with full transcripts.
Face To Face Lecture 20 This in-person series explores sound design principles, production techniques, and evaluation methods. Topics include Foundations, covering psychoacoustics and theoretical frameworks; Production, focusing on Foley, field recording, synthesis, and spatial audio; Critical Listening, examining sound quality and perception; Applied Sound Design, analysing case studies from linear and interactive media; and Emerging Trends, exploring AI-driven sound, procedural audio, and accessibility.
Face To Face Tutorial 20 Designed to simulate creative industry production meetings in order to prepare students for giving and receiving constructive criticism. Coursework related topics are set for each week, and students are expected to both present their ongoing work, as well as actively support others in the class. When more than one tutorial session is run per week, one is on campus, the other online, with students welcome to attend both, in order to improve accessibility.
Online Guided independent study 100 Cross-referenced texts are available online from the university library for directed study. Weekly online fora are utilised to encourage student collaboration, along with personal reflection, which is further reinforced during the tutorial sessions. Extensive marking guidelines are available, along with previous coursework examples and the complete marking rubric to assist students in understanding the brief. Students are also encouraged to reach out the lecturer for individual support.
Total Study Hours200
Expected Total Study Hours for Module200


Assessment
Type of Assessment Weighting % LOs covered Week due Length in Hours/Words Description
Project - Practical 100 1~2~3~4 Week 13 HOURS= 120 hours Construct a 3-minute showreel from commercially released live action film, animation, or video game content, replacing the original soundtrack with a fully original sound design. This assessment is structured as an integrated portfolio comprising a 3-minute practical artefact (the showreel), supporting production documentation, a listener evaluation report, as well as a personal reflective evaluation. The portfolio represents approximately 120 hours of student effort, including scheduled learning activities, alongside independent sound design development, implementation, evaluation, and reflection. Students are required to design and implement sound for a range of elements including Interface/Head Up Display (HUD), fictional creature, autonomous robot, vehicle, weapons, ambience, and weather systems. The work should present a coherent and original interpretation rather than imitation of the source material. The portfolio is developed iteratively through structured tutorial checkpoints embedded within the module, where work-in-progress is presented and discussed in an environment modelled on industry production review practices. These staged interactions support refinement of design intent, technical execution, as well as narrative clarity. Production documentation, listener evaluation, and reflective analysis provide explicit evidence of process, decision-making, development, as well as authorship, supporting both learning and academic integrity in line with current School guidance on Generative AI.
Component 1 subtotal: 100
Component 2 subtotal: 0
Module subtotal: 100

Indicative References and Reading List - URL:
Sound Design IMD09148
 

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