Acoustics

This module aims to provide a core grounding in acoustics that will ground your knowledge and support your learning in the other taught modules. In it you will develop a systematic understanding of the physical and mathematical representations of vibrating systems and acoustic waves, notably including loudspeakers and microphones as sound transduction devices. You will learn about the descriptions and physical units of acoustic and vibration phenomena and apply critical thinking to understanding of the assumptions and limitations inherent in acoustics and vibration theory. Using this, you will solve advanced problems in acoustics by application of theory and mathematical techniques. The module will also give you an understanding of how acoustic signals may be handled and processed digitally, and you will study the decomposition of signals in frequency. A key feature of the module is the three half-day lab sessions that aim to both consolidate the other learning and provide practical skills to students. These will occur in a block midway through the trimester allowing distance learners to travel and attend them (some overseas students may require ATAS clearance).

This module aims to provide you with a thorough grasp of room acoustics principles, including theoretical models for both low and high frequencies, developing your ability to apply these in order to analyse existing rooms or design new ones. During the module, you will study wave theory and statistical theory for acoustic enclosures, including objective descriptions of and how these tally with listeners' perceptions. Techniques for designing and applying sound absorbing and scattering treatments will be covered, and you will consider the effectiveness and limitations of these in important application areas such as musical performances spaces and critical listening rooms. Techniques to mitigate noise ingress and egress will also be taught.

This module will allow you to study in depth how the human auditory system works. Starting with the physiology and physics of the ear, you will develop a solid grasp of how loudness, pitch and the ear’s frequency bands really work. You will grapple with the fundamental difficulties of psychophysics – we cannot have direct access to any human’s perception, and you’ll discover how we get round this with clever experimental design. As the module progresses, we move up the chain of auditory perception, ending up with contemporary topics such as soundscape perception. You’ll apply your new knowledge and skills in coursework.

In this module you will devise, design and document a small-scale research project. A mixture of lecture and seminar sessions will be used to introduce the idea of doing research and the methods and theoretical frameworks needed to design a successful project. You will develop your understanding of the importance of interdisciplinary research, and the value of using different methods to elicit different types of data, leading to a well-informed research project proposal and design. 

This module will teach you about two fundamental uses of computational methods in acoustics: for simulation and for signal classification. Both of these are increasingly essential and ubiquitous tools in modern acoustical engineering. The first part of the module will focus on established computer simulation techniques, such as finite element method and geometric room acoustics, learning the principles through simple examples in Matlab and then applying commercial software packages (e.g. COMSOL Multiphysics) to realistic problems. You will undertake practical problem-solving using these methods, assessing their suitability, accuracy and limitations. The second part of the module will focus on machine learning and signal classification following an introduction of acoustics signal feature extraction in the time, frequency and time-frequency domains, you will learn and develop in-depth understanding of two machine learning frameworks named supervised and unsupervised learning, and conceptualise deep learning, which is the mainstream of contemporary AI. And then your will put these in practice and develop a suite of codes using relevant toolboxes or algorithm block codes to blind- separate mixed audio signals and classify them, which will form the assessment for the second part of the module.  

In this module, you will learn about environmental noise measurement, modelling, and mitigation. You will carry out practical measurement and modelling exercises using appropriate instrumentation and state-of-the-art tools for the environmental noise assessment of road, rail, and air vehicles. The module will develop your ability to interpret and apply current environmental noise legislation, guidance, and best practice based on client requirements. You will also gain knowledge of noise control processes and methodologies, learning to select and apply suitable control options for realistic scenarios within the transport sector. Emphasis is placed on understanding and critically assessing current best practices in environmental noise management and adapting them for application in complex or unfamiliar situations.

You will develop understanding of transducer systems for the capture and reproduction of 3D sound. You will then go on to develop understanding of how the human auditory system works and how this can be exploited to deliver realistic and immersive spatial audio experiences. You will also learn how to design loudspeaker systems using typical enclosures or horns and develop the skills necessary to design PA systems using suitable loudspeaker systems and arrays.

This module provides an in-depth understanding of vibro- and aero- acoustics, and the noise generation and transfer paths and mechanisms they include. Ideal for students aiming to work in automotive, aerospace, environmental acoustics, or noise control engineering, this module combines theoretical knowledge with industry-relevant skills and practices. In the vibroacoustics part, students will learn state-of-the-art ‘component-based’ approaches to the analysis, simulation, virtual prototyping and ‘digital twinning’ of machines and mechanical systems. Notably, this will include the in-situ blocked force method, through which many of the developments in the component-based approach have been based. In the aeroacoustic part, students will explore propulsion and airframe noise mechanisms, sound propagation, and the impact of atmospheric conditions, focusing on the physical principles of aeroacoustics and the key noise sources in modern aircraft.

The aim of the MSc Acoustics project is for you to carry out, under supervision, an extended individual study into a topic in audio acoustics. The topic will be agreed with your supervisor and can be industry based, if appropriate. You will be marked on your initiative and project management, as well as your ability to bring together the skills, knowledge and understanding you have acquired from the course. The project module is often used to further develop specialist interests of students, for example audio product design or emerging measurement and/or analysis techniques.