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Laptop Requirement for Music Technology Programs

Effective with the Fall 2024 semester, newly matriculated students enrolled in Music Technology degree programs are required to purchase Apple laptop computers and compatible software using the timeline appearing directly below. The degree programs are:

Following the suggested academic plan, Music Technology undergraduate majors will be required to have individual Apple laptops at the beginning of the sophomore year, or prior to taking MUST 4714: Sound Editing. However, students are encouraged to have a laptop as early as their first semester of study in the program, and to purchase required software for individual classes as necessary.

Students in the Master of Science degree program will be required to have individual Apple laptops at the beginning of their first semester of study in the program.

Currently matriculated students are exempt from the requirement; however most current students in the program already own and bring laptops to class.

Minimum Apple Hardware and Software Specifications

Minimum Hardware Specifications
  • M2, M1 or Intel Dual Core i5 or faster. 
  • Minimum 16GB RAM 
  • 512 GB SSD or Fusion (1 TB preferred) 
  • A portable, external Solid-State Drive (SSD) of 500GB (1TB is recommended, but not required) 
  • Stereo Headphones 
  • Arduino Uno hardware and free IDE (required for graduate students only) 
  • We strongly recommend getting AppleCare+ with your system 

Temple Students can purchase hardware using an Educational Discount online or at any official Apple store or through Temple’s OwlTech Store on campus.

Minimum Software Specifications
  • Apple Pro Apps Bundle for Education, one-time $199 cost that includes: 
    • Final Cut Pro
    • Logic Pro X
    • Motion
    • Compressor
    • MainStage
  • Avid Pro Tools ($9.99 monthly reduced price for students)
    • Updated Pro Tools compatibility can be found here
  • Sibelius or Finale ($99 subscription) or the option of using MuseScore (freeware)
  • Max 8 ($59 annual subscription for MS students; BS students will need to purchase the annual subscription only if they take MUST 4732 “Programming in Max” as a Music Technology elective.)
  • Ableton Live 11 Suite (90-day free trial)
  • Microsoft Office 365 (free to Temple students)
  • Adobe Creative Cloud (free to Temple students)
  • Additional requirements include an iLok account (free) and a Sample Library (free or paid)

Software updates made available by vendors will be noted on the Music Technology Canvas page, accessible to all Music Technology students, faculty, and staff, and pushed out to everyone through Canvas Announcements. 

With the exception of the Apple Pro Apps bundle for Education ($199 one-time cost), and the Microsoft 365 and the Adobe Creative Cloud software (the Microsoft and Adobe suites are free to Temple students), students are encouraged to wait before subscribing to or purchasing additional software to determine what, if any, additional software is needed from the list above for their courses.  

Financial Aid can be used to pay for electronic devices that are required. It should be noted that requiring the device will not increase the amount of the financial aid awarded; it will just mean that there is more of a gap between what is awarded and the cost for the student. 529 Plans may be used to pay for any electronic devices required, but parents/students should verify this with their plan/tax advisors. 

Be sure to check out Temple’s Information Technology site!

Rationale

Apple hardware and compatible software are now the industry standards in music technology. Because digital technology is at the heart of the Boyer Music Technology programs, a personal laptop enables 24-hour access to the Apple hardware and compatible software used specifically in students’ courses and in the music technology industry. With the movement away from analog hardware to digital recording, editing, mixing, and music creation, a personal Apple computer is necessary because it has become the music technologist’s instrument, much like the violin or cello is to the string player. It is a personalized creative instrument, and the availability and instruction on a personal device is crucial to student success during college and afterward in the field. Additionally, a personal Apple laptop computer enables students to customize their workflow and begin working immediately once they open their laptop, providing a far superior learning environment than one finds in an open computer lab since class time is not needed to reset personal preferences and workflow.