Audio

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

If your goal is to create vibrant, immersive audio experiences across today’s evolving extended reality and games landscape, SAE’s BSc (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio is the course for you. This industry-focused degree blends sound design, game engines, audio middleware and adaptive systems, giving you the tools to design, implement and optimise audio for interactive environments.

Launching: September 2026

Campuses

Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Leeds, Leamington Spa

Fees

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

Domestic Fees

London

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

£11,440 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

£9,535 per year

_{The annual tuition fee is fully funded via Student Finance England for eligible home-fee students.}

Glasgow

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

£9,000 per year

_{You may also be eligible for a bursary or discount, please enquire with our friendly Admissions Team.}

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

£7,500 per year

_{You may also be eligible for a bursary or discount, please enquire with our friendly Admissions Team.}

Liverpool

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

£11,440 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

£9,535 per year

_{The annual tuition fee is fully funded via Student Finance England for eligible home-fee students.}

Leeds

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

£11,440 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

£9,535 per year

Leamington Spa

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

£11,440 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

£9,535 per year

_{The annual tuition fee is fully funded via Student Finance England for eligible home-fee students.}

Enquire now

Not a domestic student?

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

International Fees

London

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £12,500 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £15,750 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,250 per year

_{*Student visa required}

_{For more information regarding SAE’s EU/EEA/Swiss students bursary policy, please read the SAE UK EU Students Bursary Policy.}

Glasgow

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £12,500 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £15,750 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,250 per year

_{*Student visa required}

_{For more information regarding SAE’s EU/EEA/Swiss students bursary policy, please read the SAE UK EU Students Bursary Policy.}

Liverpool

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £12,500 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £15,750 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,250 per year

_{*Student visa required}

_{For more information regarding SAE’s EU/EEA/Swiss students bursary policy, please read the SAE UK EU Students Bursary Policy.}

Leamington Spa

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £12,500 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £15,750 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,250 per year

_{*Student visa required}

_{For more information regarding SAE’s EU/EEA/Swiss students bursary policy, please read the SAE UK EU Students Bursary Policy.}

Leeds

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £16,500 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £12,500 per year

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

International students (non-EU/EEA/Swiss)*: £15,750 per year
EU/EEA/Swiss students*: £11,250 per year

_{*Student visa required}

_{For more information regarding SAE’s EU/EEA/Swiss students bursary policy, please read the SAE UK EU Students Bursary Policy.}

Enquire now

Not a international student?

Duration(s)

2 years full-time (Accelerated)

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

Course Durations

2 years full-time (Accelerated)

3 years full-time

Start Date(s)

September 2026

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

Start Dates

Glasgow

September 2026

Liverpool

September 2026

London

September 2026

Leeds

September 2026

Leamington Spa

September 2026

Enquire now

Entry Requirements

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

Domestic Entry Requirements

Domestic students must meet one of the following criteria:

Degree entry

Offers will be made to applicants who are expected to meet, or exceed the entry requirements below, in addition to supplying a personal statement:

72 UCAS points

GCSE level A* - C in English 9 - 4 (or equivalent). For students studying in Scotland this is equivalent to National 5, C grade

Personal statement

Non-standard entry routes

SAE Institute will accept non-standard entry applications, which do not meet the 72 UCAS points or equivalent, and/or maths/English at level 2 or equivalent as required:

Portfolio of related work - This could include recordings, films, sketch books, a blog or any suitable medium that gives you the best opportunity to show us your creative potential.

Successful pass mark achieved via the SAE UK Maths test

Academic Essay

Further Domestic Entry Information

For more information, please look at our Domestic Entry page

Domestic Entry Requirements

Enquire now

Not a domestic student?

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

International Entry Requirements

Non-UK Applicants

English language requirements

Students whose first language is not English will need a qualification that demonstrates competence in English, equivalent to UK GCSE (Level 2) grade 4 (c) or above.

Equivalent qualifications can be accepted, where these qualifications have been verified by ENIC and are adopted widely within the UK Higher Education sector, including:

IELTS (UKVI or Academic) (minimum 5.5 in all components and an overall score of 6.0)

Pearson Test of English (minimum 59 in all subscores)

Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (minimum grade C)

Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (minimum grade B)

Cambridge English: Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International (B2 First) – minimum grade C

TOEFL (IBT or IBT Home Edition online) 72 overall with the following component scores: Listening – 17 Writing – 17 Speaking – 20 Reading – 18

LanguageCert ESOL examinations:

International ESOL C1 Expert – pass in all four components
International ESOL SELT B2 (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) – minimum 33 in all components
ESOL Integrated Skills in English II – pass in all components

• IELTS Indicator* (online) – minimum 5.5 in all components and an overall score of 6.0
_{*Accepted on exceptional basis for the applicants whose local test centres are affected by
closures due to Covid-19}

Further International Entry Information

For more information, please look at our International Entry page

International Entry Requirements

Enquire now

Not a international student?

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR GAME AND INTERACTIVE AUDIO DEGREE

As games, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) continue to advance, so too does the demand for specialists who can create immersive, responsive and dynamic audio experiences. SAE’s BSc (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio course has been built for the next generation of sound designers and audio developers, equipping you with the creative mindset, industry connections and technical know-how to meet that demand.

Whether your goal is to work on games, immersive installations or experimental interactive experiences, this course is your launchpad. During your time at SAE, you’ll dive into every aspect of interactive audio – from sound design and game engines to audio middleware, adaptive music systems and real-time implementation. You’ll also explore industry-standard tools like Unreal Engine, FMOD and Wwise, while working with DAWs such as Reaper and Ableton Live.

With guidance from SAE’s expert tutors, plus a host of real-world industry input, you’ll gain vital industry knowledge and experience across team-based projects on this game and interactive audio course. Through a series of hands-on, interdisciplinary projects in modules including Creative Studio 1 and 2, you’ll collaborate regularly with your fellow course mates, as well as SAE and ICMP students from other creative disciplines like Audio Software Engineering, Games Programming, Film, Animation and Music Production. You’ll compose audio across rich, multimedia environments as you turn theory into practice and take your creative experimentation to new levels.

By the time you complete your Major Project in an area of your choosing – which could involve building an audio plugin, games soundtrack, music app or something else entirely – you’ll have compiled a compelling portfolio to present to industry for the next stage of your audio for games career. Upon graduation, you’ll have discovered your own unique voice in the world of interactive sound, as well as the skills and confidence to launch a long and sustainable career in game audio or interactive sound design. Whichever creative path you choose next, you’ll have the connections and motivation to make it a success – as you hit the ground running to shape the future of sound.

The back of a pair of students working on recording a track.

What you'll learn

By the end of your game and interactive audio degree, you’ll have:

Learned the core principles of sound theory, game audio pipelines and interactive audio design.
Explored real-time implementation techniques using Unreal Engine, FMOD, Wwise and Pure Data.
Developed advanced skills in adaptive music systems and generative composition.
Created immersive multichannel and spatial audio for games, VR, AR and XR.
Collaborated with students from other SAE and ICMP creative courses to complete real-world briefs.
Built a portfolio showcasing your interactive audio skills, creative vision and technical proficiency.
Graduated career-ready with a BSc (Hons) from one of the world’s most respected creative education institutions.
Interactive audio for games courses begin in January and September.

What your course structure will look like

The BSc (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio is an accelerated two-year degree taught over 6 trimesters. The audio for games course structure follows 3 distinct stages – each designed to

help you develop specific technical, creative and professional skills. Dividing it this way means you graduate as a well-rounded audio professional with a thorough understanding of the entire games and interactive audio process.

· Stage 1 (T1 and T2) provides a foundation of core technical knowledge across games and interactive audio.
· Stage 2 (T3 and T4) broadens your skills, exploring new areas in games and interactive audio.
· Stage 3 (T5 and T6) is all-encompassing, covering every aspect of games and interactive audio from conception to completion, including self-directed industry and research projects.

graphic explanation of how the SAE courses are delivered

Trimester/Semester 1

At the beginning of your degree in game and interactive audio, you’ll learn core technical skills that will serve as a strong foundation for the rest of your course.

During the Principles of Audio module, you’ll study sound as a physical phenomenon, as you start to predict its behaviour across a range of different scenarios. Using Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) for recording and editing, you’ll also discover the essential theories of audio production, as you build a core understanding of key physics and maths models to support your knowledge development. A highly practical course, you’ll become familiar with the basic applications of microphones and loudspeakers, including the set-up of sound reinforcement systems, plus theoretical concepts such as signal routing.

Topics include:
· Sound theory
· Decibels
· Electronics
· Cabling and connections
· Live sound
· Acoustics and psychoacoustics
· Introduction to Pro Tools
· Sequencing environments
· Basic audio signal routing and wiring
· Equalisation (EQ), effects and dynamic range processors

Across this module – which is an introduction to game engine and middleware workflows – you’ll discover how game engines and audio middleware connect to bring sound to life in games and interactive media. As you explore how games are designed and made, you’ll get hands on with industry tools such as Unreal Engine, REAPER, Wwise and FMOD. You’ll also explore DAW signal flow for games, game development pipelines and key roles and responsibilities across the games industry.

Topics include:
· Game design fundamentals
· Unreal Engine workflows
· Audio middleware such as FMOD and Wwise
· DAW-to-game implementation
· Blueprint visual scripting

Trimester/Semester 2

As you continue the sound for games course, you’ll explore the theory behind the practice, developing your technical skills and applying your newfound knowledge across practical projects to grow your creative portfolio.

Across this module, you’ll investigate sounds and soundscapes, deconstructing them element by element before rebuilding them using pure synthesis techniques. You’ll also explore the Ableton Live DAW system, getting creative with this hugely popular digital tool. Next you’ll experiment with prototyping as you work on digital audio projects in areas of interest, such as the development of software plugins or virtual instruments.

Topics include:
· Synthesis and sampling
· Graphical programming
· Max/MSP
· Critical listening
· Pure Data
· Soundscape construction
· Ableton Live

Across this music for games course module, you’ll explore interactive and generative audio composition systems as you learn how music can adapt and respond to player input and different game environments. Using audio middleware like FMOD, you’ll experiment to create a range of adaptive music pieces with guidance from your tutor. You’ll also cover topics such as human–computer interaction, the fundamentals of algorithmic music and computer programming in the creative arts industry.

Topics include:
· Interactive and generative music
· Algorithmic composition
· Basic studio recording
· Performative systems
· Adaptive composition
· Middleware music integration

Trimester/Semester 3

Across Stage 2, you’ll work in a highly creative environment building your teamwork skills and taking part in real-world interdisciplinary project briefs in the field of game and interactive audio. SAE’s popular Creative Studio approach ensures you undertake assessment activities that reflect current industry trends and practices.

In this module, you’ll take part in your first collaborative cross-discipline project in the field of game and interactive audio. You’ll liaise with your fellow SAE classmates, plus SAE and ICMP students from other courses – such as Audio Production, Games Programming, Game Art and Animation, and Audio Engineering and Production – to build a creative project of your choice. Using industry-standard project management workflows, you’ll focus on game audio implementation across your project, as you delve into a key personal interest area.

Topics could cover:
· Immersive audio
· Foley recording
· Sound design and editing
· Audio tool development
· Multichannel recording
· Spatial audio
· Game implementation with Wwise

Trimester/Semester 4

In Trimester 4, you’ll work in teams to build your collaborative and communication skills. You’ll explore the professional workflows used across the creative industries as you develop your portfolio and improve your theoretical and practical knowledge.

In Creative Studio 2, you’ll increase your collaboration with fellow students to build a creative audio app project of your choosing in a game and interactive audio team environment. You’ll combine advanced knowledge and skills in audio applications with business acumen to develop an exciting artefact for your portfolio – likely a virtual instrument or software plugin. Investigating entrepreneurial elements like financial viability, marketing, market segments, audience analysis, sustainability and profitability, you’ll work with SAE/ICMP students from other disciplines to launch your creative proposal before undertaking a business analysis of your initiative.

Topics could cover:
· Advanced audio tools and techniques
· Business planning
· Marketing
· Version control and collaboration
· Deployment
· Performance analysis

Trimester/Semester 5

As you approach the final modules of your accelerated game and interactive audio degree, you’ll consolidate your learning, selecting areas of specific professional interest to concentrate on. This allows for a much deeper understanding of your chosen fields.

In this module, you’ll take part in a complex self-directed project in your chosen field of specialism across the game and interactive audio spectrum. You’ll focus on an area of professional passion – which could be interactive audio, embedded technologies or something else of your choosing – and your project could involve a live project brief from an industry sponsor. In readiness for your final trimester, you’ll also hone your skills, build connections and networks with industry professionals and develop a portfolio that showcases your evolving talent.

Topics could cover:
· Game audio
· Immersive audio
· Electroacoustic music
· Machine learning
· Industry-sponsored projects

Trimester/Semester 6

In the final module of your degree in game and interactive audio, you’ll showcase your practical and academic skills to deliver an exciting high-level industry project.

During the final stage of your SAE study, you’ll complete a Major Project in the field of game and interactive audio. This all-encompassing module lets you deepen your game and interactive audio skills in an area of your choice to create an impressive piece for your portfolio. The scope and design of this project will have been planned in previous modules. Use your Major Project to design an adaptive music system, develop a full game soundtrack or build an interactive sound installation, making crucial industry connections as you go.

University of Hertfordshire

Level 6 This programme is being developed by SAE Institute and will be delivered and assessed by SAE Institute. The programme is currently subject to validation. However, upon completing this process, will be awarded by and quality assured by University of Hertfordshire.

A close-up of a compilation of headphones hanging on a wall.

YOUR DREAM CAREER BEGINS NOW

With our industry connections, specialised teachers and personalised education in world-class facilities, you can unleash your creative future with an Audio Software Engineering degree.

Tools & Software

WHY STUDY GAME AND INTERACTIVE AUDIO AT SAE?

Accelerated learning

Finish your accelerated game and interactive audio degree in just 2 years, so you can join the job market sooner and save on course and living costs.

Our accelerated degrees explained

Future Focused

Explore immersive sound, AI and other emerging trends to stay on top of the fast-moving audio industry.

Explore more

A close-up of a tutor teaching a class about creative media.

Expert tution

Learn from SAE’s sound engineer, game audio and interactive audio specialist tutors for an impressive start to your industry career.

Meet your mentors

Creative community

Collaborate with our extensive network of creative individuals such as game developers, musicians, animators and filmmakers to bring your ideas to life.

START YOUR GAME AND INTERACTIVE AUDIO CAREER TODAY

Apply to study our BSc (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio degree and bring your sonic ideas to life in the worlds of games, VR, AR, XR and beyond.

A close-up of a student smiling whilst operating a sound desk in a recording studio.

Career Outcomes

What Jobs will this course lead to?

The BSs (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio degree has been developed in collaboration with key players across the creative industries. Jobs you’ll be suited to once you graduate include:

Game Sound Designer
Technical Sound Designer
Game Audio Programmer
Interactive Sound Artist
XR/VR Audio Designer
Games and Interactive Media Composer
Creative Technologist
Audio Integration Specialist

Enquire today!

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Audio

BSC (Hons) Game and Interactive Audio

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

TWO-YEAR ACCELERATED DEGREE:

THREE-YEAR DEGREE:

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR GAME AND INTERACTIVE AUDIO DEGREE

What you'll learn

What your course structure will look like

YOUR DREAM CAREER BEGINS NOW

Tools & Software

WHY STUDY GAME AND INTERACTIVE AUDIO AT SAE?

Accelerated learning

Future Focused

Expert tution

Creative community

START YOUR GAME AND INTERACTIVE AUDIO CAREER TODAY

Career Outcomes

What Jobs will this course lead to?

Enquire today!

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