Master of Music (Performance Teaching) (MC-MUSPT)

For students who commenced the Master of Music (Performance Teaching) prior to 2026, please navigate to the 2025 Handbook to view your course structure and subject options.

The Master of Music (Performance Teaching) is a specialist coursework degree, preparing graduates in Western classical and contemporary music as performer-teachers. Our graduates work as instrumental or vocal instructors in schools, studios, community programs, and in private provider and further education settings, both in Australia and overseas.

The course focuses on instrumental/vocal pedagogy and has two specialisations:

• The Instrumental Specialisation prepares students for school-based instrumental/vocal teaching and includes a range of professional placements and observations of professional teaching practice and a specific focus on teaching, conducting, practical instrumental knowledge, leadership, arranging, and orchestration skills applicable in diverse secondary school contexts.
  
  
• The Studio Specialisation prepares students for private studio-based instrumental/vocal teaching, and a specific focus on studio teaching, including a range of professional teaching observations, practical instrumental knowledge, conducting, placements and a focus on studio teaching.

The course provides advanced music performance tuition, specialist instrumental placements, instrumental/vocal pedagogy, second instrument studies, conducting and ensemble participation and direction, offering a wide range of performance teaching studies areas. The coursework involves investigation of professional teaching practice including curriculum, assessment, reporting, the teacher as critical and reflective practitioner and researcher.

A range of professional placements are completed in a variety of settings including schools, studios and community organisations. There is also a range of elective subjects in practical, theoretical and research areas.

Completing the Instrumental Specialisation in the Master of Music (Performance Teaching) will enable students to obtain advanced standing with a range of education providers, leading to Victorian Institute of Teaching registration after an additional period of study.

This course also offers a pathway to graduate research programs via the Research Capstone Pathway.