Program Goals
The audio production and post-production industry, which includes audio production and post-production for film/TV, music recording, live sound, sound design for theater, and sound design for animation, is a quickly growing field. Projections in the 2015 Otis Report on the Creative Economy project that by 2019 there will be over 142,000 jobs in the entertainment industry, an increase of over 6% since 2015. Many of these positions will be filled by audio technicians. The annual median wage, according to the Otis Report, is over $57,000 a year for sound engineering technicians. In addition, the live music industry, which relies heavily on audio technicians and enjoys annual revenues of over $7 billion, is rapidly growing.
The Centers of Excellence Labor Market Supply and Demand Table from Fall 2016 projects an undersupply of graduates in audio-related occupations. In Los Angeles and Orange County, there are anticipated to be 871 annual openings in audio-related fields and only 58 graduates per year being produced.
Currently, there are few audio programs at either the community college or four-year level. Audio courses are generally included as part of a commercial music or music technology degree. Unfortunately, because they are music-focused, they do not provide the depth or breadth of audio skills needed to pursue employment in fields outside of music. In addition, there are no audio courses at Mt San Antonio College that serve this purpose.
As a result, Mt San Antonio College is developing the Audio Arts program to meet the unmet need for trained audio professionals. We will provide them skill that will allow them to work in a variety of fields, including music, film, TV, theater, live sound, animation, gaming, events, and commercial installations.
The goals of this program are to provide the following in the field of audio:
1) Career and technical training.
2) Training for immediate workforce placement.
3) Maximum course transferability.
4) Life-long learning.
5) Training for work in a variety of industries.
To attain these goals, our objectives are to:
1) Offer an Associates of Science in Audio Arts for advanced training in audio and academic breadth.
2) Offer a 36-unit Certificate Level II in Audio Arts for advanced training in audio.
3) Offer a 21-unit Certificate Level I in Audio Arts for entry-level employable skills in audio.
4) Align as many courses as possible to C-ID descriptors to maximize transfer opportunities.
5) Provide pass/no pass courses for immediate skills-gain or lifelong-learning.
6) Avoid selection criteria for entry.
7) Train students for audio jobs in a variety of fields such as music, animation, gaming, film, TV, radio, theater, dance, and commercial applications.
As a result of completing the AS degree, students will be able to:
1) Collaborate effectively in the development of high-quality audio productions.
2) Lead and manage all aspects of an audio production.
3) Develop audio productions for a specified purpose in a variety of settings.
4) Analyze and critique audio productions in their historical and cultural context.
5) Analyze emerging technology and industry developments to make informed career-related decisions.
6) Operate advanced audio systems in recording, live, and multimedia settings.
7) Apply scientific and technical knowledge and skills to the development of high-quality audio productions.
8) Apply creative audio techniques to the development of effective audio productions.
Students will then be prepared for employment in the following occupations or fields:
1) Audio and Video Equipment Technicians
2) Sound Engineering Technicians
3) Communications Equipment Operators
4) Producers and Directors
5) Media and Communication Workers
The Certificate Level I consists of 21 units, or seven courses. It provides the minimum training for entry level positions. The training is primarily technical. The Certificate Level II adds 15 units, or five courses to the Certificate Level I. It provides advanced training for audio jobs. It covers more conceptual, creative, and leadership skills. The degree adds the Mt SAC general education and degree requirements to the Certificate Level II.
Although this is not a transferrable degree, six of the courses are aligned with C-ID descriptors so students can have transferability options. These C-ID descriptors are under commercial music. Even though we are not offering a commercial music program, we were able to align with these descriptors because they were very stripped down. By adding to the provided topics and outcomes, we could design courses that meet our needs for providing instruction across the audio spectrum. It is emphasized that while this is neither a transferrable nor music degree, students may find they are able to transfer a significant amount of their coursework towards a four-year commercial music or music technology program. We believe this is a significant benefit for our students. Some example institutions with such programs include CSU Pomona, CSU Los Angeles, CSU Fullerton, and CSU San Bernardino. The following courses align with the indicated C-ID descriptors:
Mt SAC Course
C-ID Course
MUSA 100: Introduction to Audio Technology
CMUS 100X: Introduction to Music Technology
MUSA 120: Electronic Music
CMUS 110X: Electronic Music I
MUSA 130: Business of Audio Production
CMUS 140X: Music Business
MUSA 150: Audio Recording
CMUS 130X: Recording I
MUSA 160: Live Sound Engineering
CMUS 120X: Live Sound I
MUSA 230: Songwriting
CMUS 150X: Songwriting
There are no selection criteria for entry into the program nor associated fees.