Diploma in Audio & Music Production

Learn the fundamentals of recording, mixing, and producing music. At USV, you’ll gain the hands-on technical skills to launch your audio career — or stack your credits toward a bachelor’s degree.

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 On-Campus or 100% Online

A close-up of a professional audio mixing console in a recording studio, showcasing numerous knobs, faders, and switches, creating a complex and dynamic interface for sound engineering.
A close-up of a professional audio mixing console in a recording studio, showcasing numerous knobs, faders, and switches, creating a complex and dynamic interface for sound engineering.
A close-up of a professional audio mixing console in a recording studio, showcasing numerous knobs, faders, and switches, creating a complex and dynamic interface for sound engineering.

ALUMNI SUCCESS

Program Overview

The Audio & Music Production diploma equips you with the tools and techniques to produce professional-quality sound. You’ll train in studio recording, electronic music, and desktop production while mastering the fundamentals of audio technology. This diploma also serves as a direct pathway into the BS in Digital Audio Technology, giving you the flexibility to continue your studies while building your career portfolio.

What you'll learn:

Studio recording and mixing techniques

Electronic music production and sequencing

Digital audio workstations (DAWs) and plug-ins

MIDI sequencing and orchestration

Fundamentals of sound design and acoustics

A concert scene with vibrant stage lighting illuminates a band performing in the background, while a sound engineer in the foreground manages the control panel, surrounded by an attentive audience in a dimly lit venue.
A person operates a sound mixing board at a live music concert, with a brightly lit stage where a guitarist performs in front of a crowd, surrounded by colorful stage lights and smoke effects.
A vibrant live concert scene unfolds with a musician playing on a stage bathed in warm, red lighting, while an audience watches from below, and a technician manages the audio equipment in the foreground.
A vibrant live concert scene features a guitarist performing on stage amidst a backdrop of dramatic red and orange lighting, with an audio engineer at a control panel silhouetted in the foreground, and a crowd of attendees enjoying the music.
A live music concert with vibrant orange and red stage lights illuminating a band performing in front of an enthusiastic audience, while a sound engineer adjusts controls on an illuminated mixing console in the foreground.
A futuristic, abstract landscape with glowing red and white undulating waves and scattered sparkling particles against a dark background, evoking a sense of cosmic energy and digital innovation.
A futuristic, abstract landscape with glowing red and white undulating waves and scattered sparkling particles against a dark background, evoking a sense of cosmic energy and digital innovation.
A futuristic, abstract landscape with glowing red and white undulating waves and scattered sparkling particles against a dark background, evoking a sense of cosmic energy and digital innovation.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Audio & Music Production diploma will be able to:

Record, edit, and mix tracks using professional DAWs.

Apply critical listening and frequency analysis in mixing and mastering.

Compose and produce electronic music across genres.

Manage audio sessions and apply signal flow in analog and digital systems.

Build a portfolio of polished audio projects.

Audio Diploma Course Highlights

A person wearing a cap and headphones is focused on mixing music at a professional audio workstation, featuring a digital mixing console and multiple monitors displaying music production software with vibrant LED lighting.
A person wearing a cap and headphones is focused on mixing music at a professional audio workstation, featuring a digital mixing console and multiple monitors displaying music production software with vibrant LED lighting.
A person wearing a cap and headphones is focused on mixing music at a professional audio workstation, featuring a digital mixing console and multiple monitors displaying music production software with vibrant LED lighting.
A person wearing a cap and headphones is focused on mixing music at a professional audio workstation, featuring a digital mixing console and multiple monitors displaying music production software with vibrant LED lighting.

Studio Recording Techniques

Hands-on training with DAWs, microphones, and signal flow. Record, edit, and mix multi-track sessions like a pro.

A silhouetted DJ performs energetically on a stage enveloped in dramatic blue and orange smoke, highlighting the vibrant atmosphere of the music scene.
A silhouetted DJ performs energetically on a stage enveloped in dramatic blue and orange smoke, highlighting the vibrant atmosphere of the music scene.
A silhouette of a DJ is performing on stage, surrounded by vibrant blue and orange smoke, creating a dramatic and atmospheric scene with dynamic lighting effects.
A silhouetted DJ performs energetically on stage, enveloped by dramatic blue and orange smoke, creating a vibrant, atmospheric scene.
A silhouette of a DJ is mixing tracks on a turntable, surrounded by vibrant blue and orange stage lights and swirling smoke, creating a dramatic and energetic atmosphere.

Electronic Music Production

Analyze and recreate electronic genres, then produce original tracks with research-backed context in music culture and history.

A person wearing headphones is playing a compact MIDI keyboard connected to a laptop displaying digital audio production software, with a full-sized keyboard in the background.
A person wearing headphones is creating music on a laptop using a digital audio workstation, with a MIDI controller keyboard on a desk beside an additional electronic keyboard.
A person wearing headphones is creating music on a laptop using a digital audio workstation, with a MIDI controller keyboard on a desk beside an additional electronic keyboard.
A person wearing headphones is creating music on a laptop using a digital audio workstation, with a MIDI controller keyboard on a desk beside an additional electronic keyboard.
A person wearing headphones is creating music on a laptop using a digital audio workstation, with a MIDI controller keyboard on a desk beside an additional electronic keyboard.

Desktop Audio Production

Master MIDI sequencing, plug-ins, and digital orchestration while learning the fundamentals of soundtrack creation.

Two young men in a music studio are focused on playing an electronic keyboard, surrounded by computer screens and audio equipment, capturing a creative and collaborative atmosphere.
Two young men in a music studio are focused on playing an electronic keyboard, surrounded by computer screens and audio equipment, capturing a creative and collaborative atmosphere.
Two young individuals wearing casual attire and caps are intensely focused on playing electronic keyboards in a music studio setting, surrounded by computer screens and digital audio equipment.
Two young men focus intently on playing a digital keyboard in a music studio, surrounded by computer equipment and wearing casual clothing, emphasizing a creative and educational environment.
Two young men in a music studio are focused on playing an electronic keyboard, surrounded by computer screens and audio equipment, capturing a creative and collaborative atmosphere.

Studio Mixing Techniques

Sharpen your mixing, EQ, compression, and spatial effects skills to achieve professional-level results.

The USV Difference

USV students take 3 courses per term instead of the traditional 4. That means:

Deeper learning

You’ll dive deeper into each subject, with more time to absorb concepts, apply them in projects, and build lasting mastery that goes beyond memorization.

Better Balance

Fewer concurrent courses means less stress and more focus. You’ll have room to manage school, work, and life — without sacrificing academic performance.

Higher Success

With improved retention and a healthier pace, students are more likely to graduate on time and enter the job market prepared with real skills and strong portfolios.

Flexible Learning

Earn your diploma on-campus or online. This program also stacks directly into the BS in Digital Audio Technology, so you can continue your education seamlessly while advancing your career.

A person with headphones sits at a desk in a dimly lit music studio, surrounded by sound equipment, large speakers, and LED lights in blue and orange hues.
A person with headphones sits at a desk in a dimly lit music studio, surrounded by sound equipment, large speakers, and LED lights in blue and orange hues.
A person with headphones sits at a desk in a dimly lit music studio, surrounded by sound equipment, large speakers, and LED lights in blue and orange hues.
A person sits in a dimly lit recording studio, wearing headphones and working on a computer surrounded by large speakers and colorful LED lights, creating a professional audio production atmosphere.
A person with headphones sits at a desk in a dimly lit music studio, surrounded by sound equipment, large speakers, and LED lights in blue and orange hues.

Faculty Spotlight

Black and white portrait of a USV professor.
Black and white photo of a male USV faculty member.
Black and white photo of a male USV faculty member.
Black and white photo of USV faculty member.

"Our students get real industry experience and skills — a tremendous benefit that sets them apart from other graduates."

"Our students get real industry experience and skills — a tremendous benefit that sets them apart from other graduates."

Julius Dobos
Distinguished Professor

Julius Dobos
Distinguished Professor

View Our Faculty

View Our Faculty

View Our Faculty

A lone samurai, silhouetted against a vibrant cyberpunk cityscape of neon blues and fiery reds, stands on the edge of a weathered rooftop, gazing at the sprawling urban expanse below.
A lone samurai, silhouetted against a vibrant cyberpunk cityscape of neon blues and fiery reds, stands on the edge of a weathered rooftop, gazing at the sprawling urban expanse below.
A lone samurai, silhouetted against a vibrant cyberpunk cityscape of neon blues and fiery reds, stands on the edge of a weathered rooftop, gazing at the sprawling urban expanse below.
A lone samurai, silhouetted against a vibrant cyberpunk cityscape of neon blues and fiery reds, stands on the edge of a weathered rooftop, gazing at the sprawling urban expanse below.

Real-World Learning

In USV Studios, audio students team up with animation and design students on commercial projects for Silicon Valley clients and beyond. You’ll graduate with a portfolio that includes real work, preparing you to launch your career in music, film, or game audio.

Mediaworks 2024

CAREER PATHS

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