Education & Training

The Institute offers a range of professionally recognised courses for those interested working in any aspect of acoustics. The Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control normally requires a year of (part-time) study, including coursework, written examinations and a project. Successful completion of the Diploma automatically qualifies for AMIOA.

Short courses, normally requiring five days of study including a practical assessment and examination, lead to Certificates of Competence. As well as general principles and fundamental concepts the short courses cover specific applications including building and environmental acoustic measurement and the management, regulation and control of noise and vibration in the workplace and environment. Successful completion of any of the short courses can be used in applying for TechIOA.

Most teaching and learning for the Diploma is delivered via in person tutorials at accredited centres and regional distance learning hubs, however the possibility to attend online tutorials continues to be available to distance learning candidates of the Diploma in the UK and overseas through the IOA headquarters at Milton Keynes.

Four accredited centres will be running the IOA Diploma in 2024-25, London South Bank University (LSBU), the University of Derby and KP Acoustics will be offering the Diploma at two regional centres in Manchester (hosted at the University of Salford) and Southampton. These centres are accepting enquiries, applications and registrations for academic year 2024-25 already. Please refer to the diploma accredited centres list 2024-25 for contact details for your preferred centre and approach them directly to register your interest and for more information.

UK based candidates are advised to study through an accredited centre since the frequent opportunities for face-to-face interaction with tutors offers the best learning experience.

Centre based candidates carry out the experiments for the laboratory and experimental methods Module at their accredited centres.

Prospective candidates in regions where Centre-based courses are not available, or, in principle, for any candidate who can show due reason why he or she is unable to make use of an Accredited Centre in the usual way, can register for a Tutored Distance Learning Scheme that involves the distribution, to a timetable, of learning-support material and assessments. This is supported by a programme of group tutorials at a small number of venues throughout the UK and two residential laboratory-work sessions.

For distance learning candidates, the laboratory module is delivered onsite at the University of Liverpool, Trinity College Dublin and at the Dubai Acoustics Research Laboratory (DARL). The laboratory sessions enable tutored distance learning candidates to gain hands on experience of instrumentation and measurement procedures in a collegiate environment and to meet fellow candidates. Since the easing of pandemic restrictions, virtual lab schools which were introduced to cope with these restrictions are no longer offered. 

For the Diploma in traditional closed book invigilated written examinations will be held at examination centres in the UK and overseas on 6th and 7th June 2024.

(Prof.) Keith Attenborough, HonFIOA
Education Manager