Computing and Music

Computing and music is a combination that reflects the increasingly close relationship between digital technology and musical practice. Modern music production depends on sophisticated computing, from digital audio workstations and synthesis engines to algorithmic composition tools and machine learning applications that generate or transform sound. At the same time, computing science draws on mathematical and physical principles that have deep connections to the science of sound and signal processing.

Studying both gives you a genuinely distinctive profile at the intersection of two fields that are becoming more intertwined with every passing year.

At the University of Aberdeen this four-year, full-time programme is designed for students with a strong interest in music, and perhaps particularly in music production. You will develop understanding of core computing concepts including programming, algorithms, and systems, alongside musical knowledge and skills in areas that may include theory, harmony, history, and the technology of sound. The combination is particularly well suited to students who want to move into careers like music production and sound engineering, where strong computing skills are of direct benefit and where the ability to understand both the musical and the technical dimensions of a production process is genuinely valuable.

A year abroad is built into the programme, broadening your academic and personal experience.

Graduates of computing and music build careers in music production, sound engineering, game audio, film and television sound, music technology development, and the software and platform companies that serve the music industry. Others move into programming roles in media and entertainment technology, into research at the intersection of AI and music, or into music technology education. The computing skills developed on the programme are also fully transferable to mainstream technology careers, and many graduates move into software development, data science, or technical roles in media companies that value both their computing and their musical background.

Further study at postgraduate level in music technology, audio engineering, or computer science is an option for those who want to develop a specialist direction.