URochester launches interdisciplinary Department of Sound Arts and Engineering

The University of Rochester has launched the Department of Sound Arts and Engineering, a new interdisciplinary academic department bringing together two of URochester’s world-class schools—the Eastman School of Music and the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. The integrated department advances research, education, creative practice, and public engagement at the nexus of sound, technology, and the musical arts.

The Department of Sound Arts and Engineering unites Hajim programs (the bachelor of science in audio and music engineering and the bachelor of arts in audio arts and technology) with Eastman’s Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media, which houses the master of music in contemporary media/film composition, as well as future programs in music creation and technology.

“Our newest department continues the story of the University of Rochester’s longstanding history of research and teaching excellence in engineering, music performance, and innovation,” says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “By leveraging the strengths of two of our groundbreaking schools, we begin our latest chapter as leaders in creating and sharing music with new audiences and through new technologies.”

“The history of music is full of technology-driven disruptions and adaptations, from when the gramophone drove the dawn of the music recording industry to today’s advancements in artificial intelligence,” says Wendi Heinzelman, the John and Barbara Bruning Dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “Fusing the strengths of the Hajim School and the Eastman School allows us to create a one-of-a-kind program to prepare bright and talented students to lead the future of AI and creative practice, immersive audio, sound for games and film, and digital arts.”

“Eastman and Hajim have long been celebrated for excellence in their respective areas, and this new unified department bridges the gap between these two distinct but immersive areas—music and engineering—offering a multitude of career paths for future students,” says Kate Sheeran, the Joan and Martin Messinger Dean of the Eastman School of Music. “With established programs and exciting forthcoming degree paths, we are poised to lead the future world of music, technology, and engineering, with endless possibilities for learning, creativity, research, performance, and innovation.”

As of fall 2025, the Hajim School enrolls 62 students in its audio and music engineering and audio arts and technology programs, while Eastman’s Beal Institute enrolls 15 students in its film music and contemporary media graduate program. The newly formed department will grow enrollment and will soon announce new degree programs.

Chaired by Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Mark Bocko, the department will be composed of faculty from both schools, providing students with opportunities to learn from both areas of expertise, engage in collaborative projects, and take courses at both campuses.

The sound arts and engineering department offers state-of-the-art facilities across both campuses, including audio engineering spaces, audio production facilities, labs for acoustics, immersive audio, and sound design, mix rooms, and performance and synthesizer labs. Future space for this department includes the recently announced Beal Innovation Hub on Eastman’s campus, as part of the Beal Institute expansion—a collaborative center being built that will include 6,000 square feet of additional labs, creative spaces, classrooms, teaching studios, and a recording studio.

The department also serves as the academic home to faculty engaged in SoundSpace, a new transdisciplinary center advancing the University’s leadership in music and technology in partnership between both schools.