Program Information
If you have an ear for perfection, San Jacinto College can help you get started down the road to a career as an audio engineer working in studio recording or live sound reinforcement. Musicians, singers, actors, announcers, and public speakers spend their entire careers trying to sound their best, and audio engineers are their most important allies in accomplishing this goal. San Jacinto College gives you hands-on training in recording, mixing, and special effects processing, along with a curriculum of music instruction. Master your skills here, and you’ll go far!
The San Jacinto College Audio Engineering curriculum:
- Is designed for students seeking careers as sound recording or sound reinforcement engineers;
- Emphasizes the theory and hands-on application of recording, mixing, and effects-processing equipment; and
- Requires musical proficiency and an understanding of business and music business systems.
Additional Information
San Jacinto College offers an Associate of Applied Science in Music Recording, a Certificate of Technology in Techniques of Audio Engineering, and an Occupational Certificate in Sound Recording.
Graduates of this program have become professionals working in:
- Recording studios,
- Television and radio stations,
- Convention centers and event venues,
- Hotels, and
- Churches.
Earning Potential
Broadcast Technician: $43,8141
Sound Engineering Technician: $64,8171
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Source: texaswages.com, median salary, Gulf Coast region, 2022
For more information, students may contact Lynne Brandt, Department Chair, 281-476-1831.
Campus
Central Campus
Information
The Audio Engineering curriculum is designed for students seeking careers as sound recording or sound reinforcement engineers. Employment opportunities exist in recording studios, television and radio stations, convention centers, hotels, churches, and other private entities. The training places a heavy emphasis on the theory and hands-on application of recording, mixing, and effects-processing equipment. Also required are musical proficiency and an understanding of business and music business systems.
Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.
Plan of Study
3MUS-RCRD
| First Term | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| MUSI 1303 | Fundamentals of Music 1 | 3 |
| MUSI 1181 | Piano Class I 2 | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 1 | |
MUAP | Private Music Lesson | |
| Class Percussion | ||
| Guitar Class | ||
| Voice Class | ||
| MUSC 1327 | Audio Engineering I | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Speech Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Business and Professional Speech | ||
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Term | ||
| MUSC 2427 | Audio Engineering II | 4 |
| ENGL 2311 or ENGL 1302 | Technical and Business Writing or Composition II | 3 |
| MUSC 1331 | Musical Instrument Digital Interface | 3 |
| MUSI 1306 or MUSI 1310 | Music Appreciation or American Music | 3 |
| MUEN | Ensemble | 1 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Summer Year One Term | ||
| MATH 1332 or MATH 1314 | Contemporary Mathematics (Quantitative Reasoning) or College Algebra | 3 |
| MUSC 2101 | Audio Engineering Practices | 1 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences or Government/Political Science or American History | 3 | |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Third Term | ||
| MUSC 1405 | Live Sound I or Musical Instrument Digital Interface II and Audio Engineering Practices | 4 |
| MUSI 1311 | Music Theory I | 3 |
| MUSI 1116 | Sight Singing and Ear Training I | 1 |
| MUAP | Private Lesson | 2 |
| MUEN | Ensemble | 1 |
| Credits | 11 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| MUSB 1305 | Survey of Music Business | 3 |
| MUSC 1323 | Audio Electronics Troubleshooting | 3 |
| MUEN: Ensemble or Private Lesson | 1 | |
| MUSC 2386 | Internship-Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 3 |
| MUSC 2447 or MUSC 2403 | Audio Engineering III or Live Sound II | 4 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Capstone Experience: MUSC 2386 Internship-Recording Arts Technology/Technician
Verification of workplace competencies.
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Subject to placement testing, a student placing out of MUSI 1303 Fundamentals of Music may take MUSI 1311 Music Theory I and MUSI 1116 Sight Singing and Ear Training I during the first year and substitute a three-hour elective for MUSI 1303 Fundamentals of Music.
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Students may substitute private piano for class piano. A student whose major instrument is piano should substitute another secondary instrument.
Students planning to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program in music may substitute MUSI 1307 Music Literature for MUSI 1306 Music Appreciation.