Bachelor of Music (Advanced)(Creative Practice) New

Go deeper with your artistry

The Bachelor of Music Advanced (Creative Practice) is a distinctive degree for students who want to excel in their field and take their talent to its fullest potential.

Explore your creative voice through opportunities in music composition, song writing, recording and production. Leave your mark on an expanding global industry. 

What will you do?

Our advanced degree offers exclusive courses specifically designed for high-achieving students who share your drive and ambition. Your learning will culminate in a special major project, which can be further developed for postgraduate study. 

This degree equips you with the knowledge and skills needed for a world-class music career. You will:

  • produce your own original music and gain industry experience with regular recording and performance
  • have 24/7 access to cutting-edge facilities, including production studios, recording rooms and digital audio laboratories
  • learn an extensive range of stylistic approaches throughout arts history and contemporary sound
  • explore your interests in creating music for film, computer game audio, sound engineering, and live sound design
  • build a strong, adaptable range of skills in musical structure, theory and composition
  • receive mentorship and business coaching from industry professionals.

 Note: You must maintain a GPA of 5.0 or you’ll be required to transfer to the Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance).

 

Where could it take you?

You might compose award-winning scores for film or computer games. You could fill the audiences for prestigious concert halls, original musical theatre, or major music festivals. Perhaps you’ll work behind the scenes, recording and producing with an exciting line-up of fresh artists.

 
 

  • Understand how music is made, its history and how if affects us
  • Study at Australia's most distinguished tertiary music school
  • Compose your creative future with academic mentors and award-winning staff

Entry Requirements

Choose your applicant type to view the relevant admissions information for this program.
I am a:

Before applying make sure you understand the eligibility and entry requirements for your chosen degree.

Look out for any prerequisites or assumed knowledge subjects. Some degrees also have additional entry requirements like interviews and auditions.

Domestic applicants

Admissions information

SATAC Code 354611
Deferment No
Intake

February and July

Prerequisites

Applicants to the Bachelor of Music (Advanced)(Creative Practice) must have:

  • Audition/interview with a minimum score of 90 or above
  • South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) or equivalent
  • Musicianship test.
Assumed Knowledge

Year 12 Solo Performance or AMEB Practical Grade 6-7, plus Year 12 Musicianship or AMEB Grade 5 Theory

Additional Entry Requirements

All prospective students applying to the Elder Conservatorium of Music are required to attend an audition/interview for each area of specialisation, regardless of the number or type of music programs they are applying for.

The audition/interview will assess each applicant's current skill level and potential for future studies and offers will be made on the basis of the audition/interview score, academic achievement and the musicianship test.

The Musicianship test aims to assess the applicant's general level of musicianship, which involves the ability to identify and recognise musical concepts within aural, written and theoretical contexts. The test comprises: aural questions covering rhythm, tonality, melody and harmony; score interpretation questions about a given short piano extract; theoretical questions such as keys, major and minor scales, intervals and chords.

For details regarding the audition rounds and the application process, please visit the Elder Conservatorium of Music (https://able.adelaide.edu.au/music/study/auditions).

Selection Criteria
Recent Secondary Education

Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the last two years, however if you completed your secondary education more than two years ago, you may still be able to be considered on the basis of your secondary schooling. You must not have completed more than 2 years full time equivalent university study (48 units).

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score. 

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Higher Education Study

You must have completed at least six months full time equivalent higher education study (the number of courses and units will vary depending on your prior institution however at the University of Adelaide, this equates to 4 courses / 12 units). A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated for each separate program you have undertaken (apart from some double degree programs where the GPA is combined).

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score. Your best GPA is used in the case of a tie-breaker.

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Work and life experience

To be eligible to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) as as pathway for entry, you must be 18 years or over before 1 February 2024. If you have studied at higher education level in the last two years (for 2024 entry this means you were enrolled in either 2023 or 2022), you must not have accumulated more than a TOTAL of 2 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education study (ie. including any study prior to 2022). Your STAT result is not weighted between verbal and quantitative components. 

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score. Your STAT result is used in the case of a tie-breaker.

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Other Entry Pathways

2023 Admissions Data for school leavers
ATAR
(raw ATAR, excluding any applicable adjustment factors)
Lowest ATAR to receive an offer N/A
Median ATAR to receive an offer N/A
Highest ATAR to receive an offer N/A
Selection Rank
(ATAR plus any adjustment factors)
Lowest Selection Rank to receive an offer N/A
Median Selection Rank to receive an offer N/A
Highest Selection Rank to receive an offer N/A
Minimum eligibility score See Entry Req.
Additional criteria considered Audition required

Fees and Scholarships

Choose your applicant type to view the relevant fees and scholarships information for this program.
I am a:

Domestic applicants

Indicative annual tuition fees
Commonwealth-supported place: $9,275

Where the standard duration of the program is less than one year the full cost of the program is displayed.

More information on Student Contribution Amounts.

Scholarships

These scholarships, as well as many others funded by industry and non-profit organisations, are available to potential and currently enrolled students.

Find a Scholarship.

Careers

Potential careers

Graduates of this program have gone on to roles such as:

Artist;  Artistic Director;  Music Coordinator;  Music Festival Director;  Music Historian;  Music Journalist / Music Critic;  Music Librarian;  Music Producer;  Music Researcher;  Music Technologist ...

Degree Structure

The Bachelor of Music (Advanced) is intended to provide an enhanced learning experience for high achieving students. Students will benefit from more intensive individual tuition, access to advanced classes in their major and special opportunities for higher level study through masterclasses and professional placements. It is anticipated that such an offering will attract higher-level students seeking a more challenging and rewarding learning experience.

The program provides students with the option to undertake specialised study in either Classical Performance, Jazz Performance, Music Education or Creative Practice (a broad area of study that includes courses in Music Composition, Popular Music and Sonic Arts).

The Bachelor of Music (Advanced) is an AQF Level 7 qualification with a standard full-time duration of 3 years.

Academic Program Rules

The Calendar is a comprehensive handbook of the University's academic program rules.

To qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Music (Advanced)(Creative Practice), the student must complete satisfactorily a program of study consisting of the following requirements with a combined total of not less than 72 units.

  1. Level I courses not exceeding 30 units including MUSGEN 1301 Life in Music
  2. Level III courses to the value of at least 24 units
  3. Sufficient courses at Level II to make the total of 72 units
  4. Chosen major - Creative Practice
  5. A minimum of 12 units at Level I before undertaking courses at Level II
  6. A minimum of 6 units at Level II before undertaking courses at Level III.

Areas of Specialisation

Creative Practice major

Example Study Plan

Core Courses:
MUSGEN 1301   Life in Music    3 units

Major:
To satisfy the requirements for Creative Practice Major students must complete courses to the value of 60 units.

Level I
All of the following courses must be completed:

MUSONIC 1000  Music Technology Foundations  3 units

plus

Subject to academic advice received by each student following audition, students will enrol in either Composition, Popular Music or Sonic Arts Level I courses as follows:

All of the following courses must be completed:
COMPOSITION

MUSCOMP 1001 Composition 1A 3 units
MUSCOMP 1002 Composition 1B 3 units
MUSCOMP 1100 Orchestration 1 3 units
MUSSUPST 1001 Musicianship 1A 3 units
MUSSUPST 1002 Musicianship 1B 3 units

or

All of the following courses must be completed:
POPULAR MUSIC

MUSPOP 1003 Contemporary Musicianship 1A 3 units
MUSPOP 1004 Contemporary Musicianship 1B 3 units
MUSPOP 1100 Contemporary Music in Practice 1 3 units
MUSPOP 1201 Song Writing & Performance 1A 3 units
MUSPOP 1202 Song Writing & Performance 1A 3 units

 or

All of the following courses must be completed: 
SONIC ARTS

MUSONIC 1001 Music & Sound Fundamentals 1A 3 units
MUSONIC 1002 Music & Sound Fundamentals 1B 3 units
MUSONIC 1210 Sound Engineering 3 units
MUSONIC 1220 Sonic Arts 3 units
MUSONIC 1300 Sonic Arts in Practice 1 3 units


Level II

All of the following courses must be completed:

MUSSUPST 2000    Music Advanced Minor Project    3 units
MUSSUPST 2001    Musicianship 2A                         3 units
MUSSUPST 2002    Musicianship 2B                         3 units

or 
All of the following courses must be completed:
MUSGEN 2001      From Elvis to YouTube II                            3 units
MUSGEN 2003      Music, Media & Contemporary Society II    3 units
MUSSUPST 2000   Music Advanced Minor Project                   3 units

and

Courses to the value of 12 units from the following:
Students are not permitted to cross-count courses already presented in Level I.

MUSCOMP 1001 Composition 1A 3 units
MUSCOMP 1001 Composition 1B 3 units
MUSCOMP 1100 Orchestration 1 3 units
MUSCOMP 2001 Composition 2A 3 units
MUSCOMP 2002 Composition 2B 3 units
MUSCOMP 2100 Orchestration 2 3 units
MUSCOMP 2101 Music Analysis 2 3 units
MUSPOP 1201 Song Writing & Performance 1A 3 units
MUSPOP 1201 Song Writing & Performance 1B 3 units
MUSPOP 2100 Contemporary Music in Practice 2 3 units
MUSPOP 2201 Song Writing & Performance 2B 3 units
MUSPOP 2202 Song Writing & Performance 2B 3 units
MUSONIC 1210 Sound Engineering 3 units
MUSONIC 1220 Sonic Arts 3 units
MUSONIC 2300 Sonic Arts in Practice 2 3 units
MUSONIC 2310 Computer Music Composition 2 3 units
MUSONIC 2610 Sound Engineering Live 3 units
MUSONIC 2820 Sound Design for Film II 3 units
MUSONIC 2905 Circuit Bending and Hardware Hacking  3 units


Level III

All of the following courses must be completed:

Capstone
MUSPOP 3100        Contemporary Music in Practice 3      6 units
MUSSUPST 3000    Music Advanced Major Project           6 units

and

Courses to the value of 9 units from the following:

MUSCOMP 3001 Composition 3A 3 units
MUSCOMP 3002 Composition 3B 3 units
MUSCOMP 3100 Orchestration 3 3 units
MUSCOMP 3101 Music Analysis 3 3 units
MUSPOP 3201 Song Writing & Performance 3 3 units
MUSONIC 3001 Advanced Sound Engineering 3 3 units
MUSONIC 3020 Interaction Design and the Sonic Arts 3 units
MUSONIC 3030 The Sampled Source 3 units
MUSONIC 3310 Computer Music Composition 3 3 units
MUSONIC 3720 Sound Design for Games III 3 units


Electives:
To satisfy the requirements for Electives, students must complete up to 12 units of open and/or closed electives depending on the major studied as follows:
Creative Practice (9 units)
Level I - 3 units
Level II - 3 units
Level III - 3 units


The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Last updated: Tuesday, 5 Mar 2024