Diploma in Psychoacoustics and Sound Branding for Vehicles
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in Psychoacoustics and Sound Branding for Vehicles. 8 modules covering applied psychoacoustics, vehicle acoustics, sound quality evaluation, sound branding, vehicle sound design, technical implementation and noise regulations with ISO 532-1, UN/ECE Regulation No. 51 and UN/ECE Regulation No. 138, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Psychoacoustics and Sound Branding for Vehicles — studying from South Africa
Product design and human-machine interface work is increasingly important across South African manufacturing, consumer goods and software. Industrial design teams in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal work on products for local and export markets, from appliances to automotive interiors. Digital product and interface design is in demand as companies build more connected products. Designers often collaborate with engineers, ergonomics specialists and quality teams throughout the development process.
Fees for South Africa: R 27 900 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Do South African professional bodies recognise qualifications in HMI and product design?
In South Africa, design professions are overseen by bodies such as the South African Council for the Architectural Profession for architecture and the South African Institute of Interior Designers for interior work, while product and UX design is largely unregulated. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not state degrees or accredited by a national body. Employers and clients decide how much weight to give them.
Will this programme help me get work in product or HMI design in South Africa?
South Africa's technology, automotive, consumer goods and software firms hire designers, usually assessing portfolios, practical skills and experience. A private online qualification can add to your credentials and show specialist knowledge, but it does not guarantee a role. Build a strong portfolio and ask target employers how they view the qualification.
How much time does it take, and can I pay in instalments?
The programme is delivered entirely online and in English, so you need good English for coursework and communication with your tutor. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so choose a level that suits your schedule. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible if your employer supports professional development.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Apply psychoacoustic metrics such as loudness, sharpness and roughness.
Analyse the vehicle's interior and exterior soundscape.
Design and analyse listening tests with juries.
Define sound identities consistent with the brand.
Synthesise propulsion and interface sounds for vehicles.
Implement the sound design within the vehicle's audio architecture.
Reconcile sound branding with noise and AVAS regulations.
Who it's for
- Vehicle sound designers
- Sound quality engineers
- NVH engineers
- Sound branding specialists
- In-vehicle audio engineers
- Psychoacoustics researchers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the automotive sector
What you'll work with
- ISO 532-1:2017 (loudness calculation, Zwicker method)
- UN/ECE Regulation No. 51 (sound level of vehicles)
- UN/ECE Regulation No. 138 (quiet road transport vehicles)
- Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 (sound level of motor vehicles)
- ISO 226:2023 (normal equal-loudness-level contours)
- DIN 45692:2009 (sharpness)
- ISO 362-1:2022 (noise emitted by accelerating road vehicles)
- Directive 2002/49/EC (environmental noise)
- HEAD ArtemiS SUITE
- Simcenter Testlab
- Audiokinetic Wwise
- MATLAB
- Max/MSP
8 modules
1.1Human hearing and anatomy of the ear1.2Hearing thresholds and equal-loudness contours1.3Loudness in phons and sones1.4Temporal and frequency masking1.5Critical bands and the Bark scale1.6Sharpness and roughness1.7Fluctuation strength and tonality1.8Zwicker models1.9Perception of sounds in the vehicle1.10Workshop: Zwicker loudness calculation
2.1Noise sources: engine, rolling and wind2.2Noise in electric vehicles2.3Airborne and structure-borne transmission2.4Interior sound quality2.5Measurement with binaural heads2.6Order analysis and spectrograms2.7On-road recordings2.8Exterior noise standards2.9Vehicle acoustic targets2.10Practical exercise: binaural analysis of an electric vehicle interior
3.1Listening tests with juries3.2Paired comparison and scales3.3Semantic differential scales3.4Correlation between metrics and judgements3.5Binaural playback over headphones3.6Design of listening experiments3.7Statistical analysis of juries3.8Predictive preference models3.9Cultural differences in preference3.10Lab: paired-comparison listening test
4.1Brand sound identity4.2Sound logo and acoustic signature4.3Consistency between product and communication4.4Welcome and farewell sounds4.5Emotion and meaning of sound4.6Sound design of automotive brands4.7Protecting sound as a trade mark4.8Managing the sound palette4.9Brand case studies4.10Case study: sound identity guide for a brand
5.1Sound synthesis: additive, granular and FM5.2Sound design tools5.3Propulsion sound in electric vehicles5.4Active sound design in the cabin5.5Engine sound enhancement5.6Active noise cancellation5.7Sounds as a function of speed and load5.8Integration with the vehicle's loudspeakers5.9Customer acceptance5.10Workshop: speed-dependent synthesised propulsion sound
6.1Vehicle audio architecture6.2Digital signal processors6.3Wwise and FMOD audio middleware6.4Loudspeakers and positioning6.5Cabin equalisation and calibration6.6Latency and synchronisation6.7Priority between system sounds6.8Sound software updates6.9In-vehicle validation6.10Practical exercise: interactive sound project in Wwise
7.1Exterior noise under UN/ECE Regulation No. 517.2Regulation (EU) No 540/2014 on sound level7.3AVAS and UN/ECE Regulation No. 1387.4Noise exposure and health7.5Urban noise pollution7.6Environmental Noise Directive7.7Accessibility for people with disabilities7.8Ethics of sound design7.9Regulatory trends in exterior sound7.10Case study: compatibility between sound branding and AVAS
8.1Brand analysis8.2Psychoacoustic study of the vehicle8.3Sound identity concept8.4Sound design8.5Listening test8.6Implementation in a prototype8.7Regulatory assessment of the design8.8Sound style guide8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is HEAD ArtemiS SUITE, Simcenter Testlab, Audiokinetic Wwise, MATLAB and Max/MSP, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures: binaural recording and psychoacoustic analysis of interiors, listening tests with juries, and design of propulsion and brand sounds. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 532-1:2017, UN/ECE Regulation No. 51, UN/ECE Regulation No. 138, Regulation (EU) No 540/2014, ISO 226:2023, DIN 45692:2009, ISO 362-1:2022, Directive 2002/49/EC.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with HEAD ArtemiS SUITE, Simcenter Testlab, Audiokinetic Wwise, MATLAB and Max/MSP, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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