Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Audio Engineering

College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Digital Media Arts

Program Description

The B.A. in Audio Engineering at CSUDH is a hands-on, professionally-oriented program geared for students who want marketable job skills for careers in studio recording, live sound reinforcement, and sound design for television, film, and live theatre. Students track, mix, and master their own audio projects for television documentaries, public service announcements (PSA’s), instructional films, and a variety of client-based projects for nonprofit organizations, community groups, and corporate partners.

The mission of the Audio Engineering degree is to

  1. provide an academic program that gives students a solid base in the theory and technology skills required for professional careers in studio recording, live sound reinforcement, and sound design;
  2. provide hands-on experience in the basic software and hardware tools utilized in studio recording, live sound reinforcement, and sound design;
  3. provide the opportunity for students to work in teams, applying their producing, directing, writing, editing, and engineering skills to produce a variety of professional-quality studio recording, live sound reinforcement, and sound design; and
  4. develop interpersonal skills and professional demeanor that will enable students to work effectively and cooperatively as team players on collaborative projects in the industry.

The Audio Engineering curriculum emphasizes collaborative teamwork among the students in the Digital Media Arts Department’s degree programs. For example, Film &Television students will write, produce, film, and edit a television documentary or short movie that our Audio Engineering students then take over to perform the sound design elements of ADR, foley, and sound effects editing, while our Music Technology students compose, arrange, and record original music scores for the film’s soundtrack. Conversely, our Audio and Music Technology students record and produce a band’s song while the Film & Television students film and edit the music video of the song as well as the bonus material such as interviews with the band and behind-the-scenes “making of” footage for the interactive DVD, Blu-ray, or website.

The Audio Engineering degree is geared for students who want to have careers working as professionals in the media industry. These career goals include producer, sound engineer, sound designer, re-record mixer, sound effects editor, and audio/video post production. With Hollywood just 20 minutes from campus, our students have the opportunity to work for and serve internships at a variety of commercial recording studios, live sound reinforcement companies, TV stations, motion picture studios, audio and video post production houses, and cable networks. There are also internship and employment opportunities for our students in noncommercial media venues such as educational media at schools and colleges and in-house media production at major corporations and community organizations.

Features

Recording Studios equipped with Pro Tools 10 HD with HDX 24 In/Outs; SSL AWS-900+SE, 32x24x2 Console, 32x24x2 Sound Workshop Console, Furman HDS-6 and HR-6 headphone distribution system, Blue Sky monitors, various plug-ins by Sony, Oxford, Line 6, Digidesign, Native Instruments, Focusrite, Massenberg Design Works, M-Audio, and McDSP, and a variety of professional microphones such as Neumann U-87, TLM-170, KM-83/84, AKG C414, Audix DP-5 drum pack, Groove Tube MD-1, and Sennheiser MD421 for recording, mixing, and mastering in stereo and 5.1 surround. Avantone Reference Monitors are also available for composite soundtrack mixing of dialogue, foley, sound effects, and music score for television and film projects.

Design Labs equipped with Mac Pro computer stations allow students to design disc cover packaging, motion graphics, television titles, websites, and green screen effects using Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and Dreamweaver.

Graduation with Honors

Undergraduate students may be candidates for graduation with honors in Digital Media Arts if they meet the following criteria:

  1. A minimum of 45 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills.
  2. A minimum grade point average of 3.7 in all courses used to satisfy the requirements for the Digital Media Arts major.
  3. A cumulative grade point average of 3.7 in all courses taken at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Academic Advisement

Audio Engineering courses are offered in a specific sequence that requires prerequisite and co-requisite courses. Therefore, it is crucial that students contact the department advisor, Dr. George Vinovich at gvinovich@csudh.edu before enrolling in or planning a course schedule. Consulting with the appropriate advisor ensures that students complete their program in the most expedient and efficient manner possible. In this way, students do not waste time and energy by completing unnecessary courses and units. Department advisors also serve as career counselors and concerned mentors to help bridge the gap between the world of the university and the world of the working professional

Preparation

Students interested in pursuing professional careers in the highly-competitive audio engineering industry should be aware that those who succeed in establishing a career in the industry are characteristically hard-working, disciplined, focused on a career, and most of all, resilient to persevere in the face of continuous rejection. Strong computer skills are a definite advantage in this field. Additionally, students familiar with computer software such as Pro Tools, Logic, Reason, and the Adobe Creative Suite will find these skills essential in the rapidly changing world of media production and delivery.

Recommended Lower Division Electives

There are no specific lower division courses recommended for this major; however, any experience with software programs such as Pro Tools, Logic, Reason, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Audition would be helpful.

Student Organizations

Audio Engineering students can enhance their academic studies and involvement in the industry by joining the DMA Success Club on campus or by becoming student members of professional organizations such as the Audio Engineering Society (AES) or the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). Student membership in these professional associations allows students to network with industry executives and working professionals regarding internships and job opportunities in the field. The proximity of the campus to the center of the media and entertainment industry of Hollywood, Burbank, and Los Angeles allows students to attend major trade show conferences such as ShowBiz Expo, Post L.A., DV Expo, SMPTE, and NAB.