Bachelor of Music (Advanced)

Take your music further

Want to become a master of your art? Committed to a career in music? High-achieving? The Bachelor of Music (Advanced) is a distinctive degree for passionate students who want to excel.

What will you do?

Our advanced music degree creates a unique environment where you can thrive creatively and reach your full potential. You will:

  • benefit from more intensive, one-on-one tuition
  • access special opportunities for higher-level study through masterclasses and professional placements
  • take advanced classes in your specialisation
  • become a member of a small but distinctive community within the wider University.

You’ll focus your abilities in one of following specialisations: 

  • Performance (Classical or Jazz or Voice)
  • Creative Arts (Composition or Popular Music or Sonic Arts)
  • Research Studies (Musicology or Music Education/Pedagogy)

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

Where could it take you?

Your advanced professional training will give you significant employment advantages in the music industry. You could secure a place in a world-class symphony orchestra. You might perform internationally as an influential jazz virtuoso, or win an Academy Award for Best Score as a film composer. Perhaps you’ll discover an entirely new genre of music.

Please note: This degree program contains some courses with practical elements where on-campus attendance is required.  If you are student in this program and unable to attend campus, please contact the Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics for enrolment advice.


  • A distinctive degree for high-achievers wanting to excel
  • Link with academic mentors and award-winning staff
  • In partnership with Australian String Quartet

Entry Requirements

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Domestic applicants

Admissions information

SATAC Code 334671
Deferment No
Intake February and July
Prerequisites Applicants to the Bachelor of Music (Advanced) with majors in Performance (Classical or Jazz or Voice) or Creative Arts (Popular Music or Sonic Arts)

Must have:
- audition/interview with a minimum score of 90 or above - South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) or equivalent - musicianship test.

Applicants to the Bachelor of Music (Advanced) with majors in Creative Arts (Composition) or Research Studies (Musicology or Music Education & Pedagogy)

Must have:
- ATAR of 95 or equivalent / GPA of 5.5 - audition/interview with a minimum score of 90 or above - musicianship test.

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). If you meet this criteria, you will be ranked according to your result in the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). Your STAT result is not weighted between verbal and quantitative components. 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

  • Admissions Transparency Data
    2023 Admissions Data for school leavers
    ATAR
    (raw ATAR, excluding any applicable adjustment factors)
    Lowest ATAR to receive an offer *
    Median ATAR to receive an offer *
    Highest ATAR to receive an offer *
    Selection Rank
    (ATAR plus any adjustment factors)
    Lowest Selection Rank to receive an offer *
    Median Selection Rank to receive an offer *
    Highest Selection Rank to receive an offer *
    Minimum eligibility score See Entry Req.
    Additional criteria considered Audition required
    Student Profile
    Applicant background Semester one/Full year intake 2023
    Number of students Percentage of all students
    (A) Higher Education study
    (includes a bridging or enabling course)
    N/A N/A
    (B) Vocational education and training (VET) study n/a N/A
    (C) Work and life experience
    (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories)
    N/A N/A
    (D) Recent secondary education:
    • Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
      (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors)
    N/A N/A
    • Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered
      (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)
    N/A N/A
    • Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
      (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)
    <5 N/A
    International students N/A N/A
    All students <5 100.0%

Fees and Scholarships

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Domestic applicants

Indicative annual tuition fees
Commonwealth-supported place

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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.

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Careers

Industry Placement

Proudly in partnership with Australian String quartet

Potential careers

Accompanist, Art Director, Arts Administrator, Band Musician, Music Journalist / Music Critic, Music Technologist, Music Tutor, Musical Theatre Performer, Musician / Singer, Musicologist, Chamber Musician, Opera Singer, Composer, Conductor, Production Assistant, Recording Artist / Musician, Research and Education, Singer, Instrumentalist

Degree Structure

Academic Program Rules

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

Related Degrees

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Last updated: Wednesday, 13 Sep 2023