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4.04.0
dBs Institute is one of the UK's leading specialists in music technology and game development degrees. This cutting-edge education hub is an environment where musicians, sound engineers, producers, programmers, and digital creatives are given the practical means to challenge industry conventions and break new creative boundaries.
Located across campuses in desirable locations such as Manchester, Bristol and Plymouth, dBs is an innovative educational pioneer that specialises in both hands-on and research-driven approaches to sound and digital technology career pathways.
At dBs Institute, the student experience is tailored to suit the complex needs of young creative professionals by tutors with years of expertise in the ever-shifting worlds of music technology and games development.
dBs empowers students to turn their personal passions into thriving careers, counting numerous successful creative professionals amongst its alumni.
Established in 1998, dBs Institute has been at the forefront of sound and audio education for more than 20 years. dBs' commitment to new emerging technologies is complemented by a diverse and flexible range of sound, audio, and game development undergraduate degrees, with further options for postgraduate study.
dBs is dedicated, first and foremost, to helping students build meaningful careers in the sound, music and gaming industry. Experienced tutors and staff help students to unlock their individual potential in a highly competitive industry.
4.6dBs Institute is equipped with superb facilities across its three campuses.
The Bristol campus is equipped with 11 recording and production studios, live rooms, a surround sound studio, a VR Lab, a mastering suite, and a Foley room.
The original dBs campus in Plymouth is a world-class audio facility housing seven recording studios, seven DJ suites and 150 iMacs equipped with cutting-edge creative software.
dBs' new campus in the NOMA neighbourhood of Manchester is home to four production rooms, four recording studios, two booths and a sizeable live room. There are purpose-built game development studios and a multi-functional Pro Suite, perfect for critical listening, recording and mixing workshops.
4.0Students at dBs Institute can choose from a range of private accommodation options.
Private student halls are available in the city centre and provide a range of living options, including shared flat and studio apartment rooms. They come fully furnished and have access to common areas and a gym.
It's also possible to rent private accommodation through a landlord or letting agent. Students can use dBs' in-house accommodation support officer, who provides support and guidance on how to secure housing.
dBs Institute provides industry-leading education in music technology and games production across three locations in Bristol, Manchester and Plymouth.
In central Bristol, students are at the heart of a vibrant music and creative scene, with a rich cultural history of music and art.
dBs Institute's first campus is located in Plymouth, a buzzing student town on Britain's stunning south-west coast.
dBs' third campus is located in Manchester's up-and-coming NOMA district, an ambitious mixed-use redevelopment scheme in the city's north, revitalising an area of the city with a rich and varied cultural history.
University isn't just about studying. It's about forming lifelong friendships and sharing passions and interests with like-minded individuals. That's where societies come in. At dBs, students take the lead on founding and developing a range of societies, which have included Womxn of dBs, Gaming Society, Ableton Push Society, Film Society, LGBTQ+ Society and many more.
2.3dBs Institute equips students with a wide skill set and professional level experience to ensure graduates can pursue the creative careers they aspire towards. dBs teaches for professional success in music technologies and games development, offering personalised career support throughout its students' programme of study.
As a career-focused learning institution, all of the courses are designed to equip students with the skills and experiences they need to build relevant creative careers once they have graduated.
Moreover, an extensive alumni network offers continued community support following the completion of studies.
Some of the careers past graduates have moved on to include:
dBs offers a comprehensive ‘Career Spotlight' to illustrate the diversity and prestige of roles achieved by past graduates. Here prospective students can find potential salary guides, what working hours to expect, typical job satisfaction ratings and the expected growth in particular industries.
At dBs Institute, students will have access to a variety of new scholarships, financial support initiatives and assistance. More information can be found on the dBs website.
UK/Home full-time tuition fees for the 2024/2025 academic year are £9,250. Fees will rise for 2025 entry to £9,535 per year.
UK students may be eligible to apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of their course via Student Finance. Additional loans are also available to assist students in covering their costs of living.
dBs Institute recognises that navigating student finance can be a daunting prospect, and as such encourages prospective students to get in contact with their friendly and attentive admissions department where required.
dBs Institute also estimates that students should budget for possible additional course costs such as optional study visits, certifications and placements while studying. They advise that this may come to an extra £550.
Whilst students have access to all the software they require through dBs' fantastic onsite facilities, students may wish to budget for their own personal software also.
Courses at dBs are split across three core departments:
BA (Hons) Music Production & Sound Engineering is aimed at students who aspire to work as producers or engineers in a studio-based environment. The course fosters a deep understanding of working in a studio environment and provides students with an advanced set of skills for audio recording and production.
BA (Hons) Electronic Music Production equips students with the skill set needed to create, produce and perform in the field of electronic music. An intensely industry-focused study experience, students explore innovative practices of sound creation, advanced composition, and production techniques.
Courses in the sound & audio specialism are made for the practical application of creative sound design, composition, and communication. The BA (Hons) in Sound Design and BA (Hons) Music & Sound for Film & TV courses bring together exciting aspects of art, science, technology, and engineering to create innovative new approaches to composition and creative audio production for students to study.
Practical approaches to live sound courses are also at the core of the dBs syllabus, with a BSc (Hons) Live Sound challenging students to develop listening skills and hone professional practices in working environments.
Game and digital technologies courses offer industry pathways that focus on the development of game art and programming. Courses include BA (Hons) Game Art and BA (Hons) Game Development: Programming. Experienced tutors lead a syllabus focusing on transferable and creative skill sets, which are a fundamental asset for future careers in the game and digital technologies sector.
dBs Institute is known professionally in the music technology and games development industry as a respected educational institution, which actively prepares graduates for future careers in a wide variety of creative careers.
Bringing together a comprehensive array of sound and digital technology specialisms across the arts and sciences, dBs is a pioneer in technological education and research that seeks to actively improve the social sector. Since 1998, dBs have focused on changing the way audio technology education is taught, with a focus on transforming lives and uniting communities.
dBs empower students to turn their personal passions into professional careers. In April 2022, for example, dBs reported that 100% of their most recent cohort of ‘Innovation in Sound' postgraduate students progressed from graduation into further education, employment in the creative industries or their own notable creative projects.
dBs also carry out an innovative research programme called dBs-i. This ground-breaking research project seeks to initiate and develop cutting-edge research. The research and innovation lab for sound and music is designed to explore, create, and deliver modern and unique sound-based solutions that elevate and evolve the quality of life.
3.1Although dBs does not have a formalised students' union, is has a close-knit and inclusive student community which organises events, activities, and represents the voice of dBs students.
4.5dBs Institute is committed to providing an empowering educational experience for students of the creative industries, working to cultivate a supportive environment where the student experience is personalised.
Support is offered across a number of departments, from study skills and academic support to international student services, DSA support, free and confidential counselling, as well as health and wellbeing.
The institute's experienced team of tutors are also there to support students with student finance or admissions issues, as well as advice on finding suitable accommodation. Students will easily be able to find all the help they need during their studies by getting in touch with the student support team, who are a friendly and approachable team that are available to contact either in-person or by email. They are often the first point of contact for any academic or personal issue, and are able to give general advice and guidance as well as make referrals to more specialist services where necessary.
Student reviewers frequently praise the quality of support from tutors, course leaders and administrative teams.
4.2
