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Bachelor of Music (B-MUS)

Bachelors DegreeYear: 2020 Delivered: On Campus (Southbank)

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Overview

Award titleBachelor of Music
Year & campus2020 — Southbank
CRICOS code058837J
Fees informationSubject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & typeUndergraduate Coursework
AQF level 7
Credit points300 credit points
Duration36 months full-time or 72 months part-time

The Bachelor of Music program is a three-year, full-time degree that offers pre-professional music training in the following areas of study: Music Performance, Composition, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Jazz & Improvisation, and Interactive Composition.

The specialisations develop technically advanced and experienced musicians through an immersive and practical curriculum with core studies, music electives and complementary Breadth subjects.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed one of:
(a) the Victorian Certificate of Education, including VCE Units 3 and 4 – either a study score of at least 25 in one of English, English Language or Literature, or a study score of at least 30 in English as an Additional Language;
(b) the International Baccalaureate Diploma, including at least Grade 4 in English or English B (Standard Level or Higher Level);
(c) a senior secondary program, foundation studies program, or equivalent approved by the Academic Board, including appropriate English language studies.

and

• an audition, musicianship test, interview and/or folio presentation, as applicable for the specialisation for which entry is sought.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

  • prior academic performance, and
  • the audition, interview or folio presentation.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. For applicants who have not completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the undergraduate English language requirements must be met.


Note. For applications through the Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre, “middle-band” selection adjustments are made only on the basis of eligibility for Access Melbourne.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music policy to take reasonable steps to make adjustments so as to enable the student’s participation in the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music’s programs, especially the Bachelor of Music. The Music degree involves acquisition and refinement of musical knowledge and practice. All students of Music must possess intellectual, ethical, physical and emotional capabilities required to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the levels of competence required by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

A candidate for the BMus degree must have abilities and skills that include the following:

a) Well-developed proficiency in at least one musical instrument (or voice) or composition. This instrumental or vocal proficiency is initially measured at the application stage by audition into the Bachelor of Music and requires satisfactory demonstration of a well-developed level of physical control of the instrument or voice;

b) Well-developed music literacy. A candidate must be capable of reading music notation fluently either in standard musical notation or Braille musical notation;

c) Aural discrimination skills. A candidate needs to have well developed-hearing skills to ensure that the aural requirements essential to the study of Music can be met;

d) The ability to comprehend complex music information and material independently. A candidate needs to possess an appropriate level of cognition to deal with required material relating to the theory and history of Music; this material may be in written, aural or schematised forms;

e) The capacity to communicate clearly a knowledge and application of music principles and practice in assessment activities and the ability to function as part of a musical team. A candidate must possess the emotional health required for full use of his/her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the prompt completion of all responsibilities required by the course. All candidates need to be aware of their personal limitations and when and where to seek professional advice or supervision. Candidates must be able to tolerate physically taxing musical practice and to function effectively under stress and isolation in musical preparation. They must also be able to function effectively as part of a musical ensemble, to adapt to changing environments, and to display flexibility.

f) Behavioural and Social Attributes. Candidates must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of others. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

Students who feel their disability will prevent them from meeting the above academic requirements are encouraged to contact Student Equity and Disability Support.

Intended learning outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Music should be able to:



  • contextualise their practice and performance within the best practices of local, national and international standards;
  • demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of their discipline;
  • pursue musical knowledge and skills independently, with intellectual honesty and rigorous methods of inquiry both in a specialisation and in the discipline as a whole;
  • use and assimilate the potential of technologies to facilitate the dissemination of musical skills, knowledge and information;
  • make critical, informed and sophisticated responses to new musical ideas, methodologies and theoretical frameworks, both in their specialisation and in the discipline of music as a whole;
  • show empathy, self-reflection and critical intelligence in the dissemination of skills and knowledge in their specialisation;
  • work competently and productively in a musical setting, both alone and in groups;
  • integrate a holistic view of music from different times and places into their working and intellectual lives;
  • participate with integrity, discrimination and sound knowledge and understanding in national and international debates, dialogues and discussions in their area of specialisation and in the discipline as a whole;
  • communicate effectively;
  • qualify for employment in a wide range of occupations in the music profession;
  • have a lifelong commitment to learning.

Generic skills

Every subject you take in the BMus has a set of objectives which relate the content of the subject and its assessment requirements to your acquisition, not only of specific skills and knowledge, but also of generic skills. Generic skills will accompany you throughout your life and will provide you with the expertise to enter a wide variety of careers in or related to the music profession. For example:

  • Juggling your practice, study, leisure and work-time commitments provides you with generic skills in planning and time management, an ability necessary in almost any career.
  • Playing in ensembles, and organising rehearsals and performances, involves you in the generic skills of teamwork and leadership, which you will also need in your future career.
  • Many of the assessment tasks in your music history and theory subjects involve generic "thinking skills", including critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. You will also gain a sophisticated attitude towards knowledge, and develop and enhance your abilities in seeking, evaluating and retrieving information.
  • Your written and spoken presentations in many subjects develop your communication skills.
  • Your life at the MCM will bring you into contact with students from many different backgrounds with whom you will work closely in practical and academic tasks, increasing your skills in intercultural understanding and sensitivity.

With such a range of specific and generic skills you will be set for lifelong learning and enjoyment of music.

Graduate attributes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Music will be:

  • Academically excellent as a result of:
    • participation in a diversity of teaching and learning modes, including individual tuition, tutorials, masterclasses, performance and concert classes, on-line learning, seminars, large lectures and ensemble experiences
    • assessment practices that demand independent thinking, critical analysis and an openness to new ideas
  • Articulate and authoritatively informed in musical discourse
  • Familiar and competent with research protocols, written and spoken communication skills, and the ethics of scholarship through a program of core and elective academic subjects over three years
  • Artistically sophisticated with a high level of understanding of the aesthetic of their discipline
  • Competent across disciplines as a result of:
    • participation in a variety of "ways of knowing" within the discipline of music - solo, chamber and orchestral competency; theoretical knowledge of music; historical and contextual knowledge of music; aural acuity
    • participation in up to 75 points of breadth subjects
    • able to use the interaction of music and other disciplines with creativity and insight
  • Community leaders through:
    • undertaking and developing new initiatives in community awareness and understanding of the place of music in society
    • leadership roles in University and community-based public performances, workshops and outreach programs
    • high-level development of teamwork and group dynamic skills through participation in music ensembles
  • Attuned to cultural diversity through:
    • a raft of academic elective and ensemble opportunities that involve thinking about differences in ways of being musical as well as participating in music from other times and places
    • familiarity with culturally diverse ways of conceptualising and talking about music
    • hands-on experiences of culturally diverse styles of music making and musical pedagogy
  • Global citizens through:
    • experiences gained through Study Abroad
    • participation throughout the course in the inherently international nature of music in all its manifestations
    • awareness as ambassadors for Australia through promotion of its cultural richness
    • facilitators and communicators between diverse cultural communities

Course structure

The Bachelor of Music requires the successful completion of 300 points:

  • 225 points of music subjects
  • 50 points of breadth subjects including at least 12.5 points at Level 2 or 3 (and no more than 37.5 points at Level 1)
  • 25 points of free subjects (either music or breadth) at Levels 1 to 3
  • No more than 125 points may be taken at Level 1.
  • It is recommended that free subjects are undertaken in the third year.

Breadth requirements

Find breadth subjects

Use the Handbook Search function to find subjects that can be used as breadth studies in the Bachelor of Music

Majors, minors & specialisations

Bachelor of Music Specialisations

For all students who commenced study from 2016 onwards:

Name Credit Points
Performance/ Composition/ Musicology/ Ethnomusicology
Jazz & Improvisation
Interactive Composition

For all students who commenced their study prior to 2016:

Name Credit Points
Performance stream
Composition stream
Musicology/Ethnomusicology stream

Further study

The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music offers a wide range of study options including:

Bachelor of Music (Honours) - specialisations available in Performance, Composition, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Jazz & Improvisation, Interactive Composition

Graduate Research programs:

  • Master of Music - specialisations available in Performance, Conducting, Composition, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Jazz & Improvisation, Interactive Composition, Music Therapy and Music Psychology & Performance
  • Doctor of Philosophy - specialisations available in Performance, Conducting, Composition, Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Jazz & Improvisation, Interactive Composition, Music Therapy and Music Psychology & Performance

Graduate Coursework programs:

  • Master of Music (Performance Teaching) - a specialist coursework degree enabling graduates in Western classical and contemporary music to work as performer-teachers in a variety of situations including community, private provider and further education settings and as instrumental/vocal instructors in schools.
  • Master of Music (Opera Performance) - a specialist coursework degree, offered in conjunction with Victorian Opera, delivering elite-level training for opera performers.
  • Master of Music Therapy - a coursework program leading to professional registration as Music Therapists (RMT) with the Australian Music Therapy Association (Inc.).
  • Graduate Diploma in Guided Imagery and Music - an intensive mode program providing advanced level training in Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) therapy.
  • Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Music - designed for university graduates in any field who wish to undertake university-level study in music. Specialisations available in Practical Study, Composition, Musicology and Ethnomusicology.

For full details of graduate courses offered by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, see www.mcm.unimelb.edu.au/study/degrees

For other graduate courses offered by the University, see www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au

Reassessment is available in this course

Reassessment is a second attempt at passing a compulsory subject if a borderline failure in a single subject has a significant impact on the student's progression through their course. A borderline failure is usually a mark of 45% or more. Reassessment is not available if failure in the subject is a result of a finding of student academic misconduct; or a student was awarded a NH grade due to failure to participate in a component of assessment that was a hurdle requirement or failure to attend or participate in the subject as required.

Refer to Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326): https://policy.unimelb.edu.au/MPF1326

Last updated: 25 April 2024