Bachelor of Music

This music degree focuses on popular and contemporary music, including international perspectives. You'll develop your music knowledge, technical fluency, and creativity. Through practice, cultural analysis and critical listening, you'll discover an inspiring variety of musical styles.

Areas of study in the Bachelor of Music course include:

• music performance
• music theory
• song writing and arranging
• popular music culture and history
• music technology.

Considered one of the best live-music cities in the world, Melbourne offers a range of performance opportunities. Alongside your collaborative projects with other VU students, you'll have the chance to work with some of the city's industry professionals and community organisations.

You'll also have access to cutting-edge music technology and our commercial recording facilities at Kindred Studios.

All students should be able to read music notation. If you've studied music performance, or worked as a musician, you may be eligible for advanced standing, and credits towards your degree.

The Bachelor of Music prepares you for a wide range of career options within the music industry. You could pursue a career as one of the following:

• music performance artist
• instrumental music or music theory teacher
• composer, songwriter or arranger
• musical director or band leader
• music administrator
• sound artist
• music producer
• accompanist.

Following this music course, you can prepare to become a secondary music teacher with our Masters of Teaching (Secondary), or other postgraduate study at VU. Some graduates of this course go on to study music therapy.

Use Labour Market Insights to find the average salary for music professionals in Australia.

You could also continue with your study with our Master of Teaching to become a secondary-school music teacher.

To attain the Bachelor of Music students will be required to complete 288 credit points in total consisting of:

• 240 credit points Professional Core studies including 24 credit points of Capstone studies;
• 48 credit points of Minor studies from the list below.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.

Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:

• Special admission programs: Depending on your life circumstances you may be eligible for special consideration of your application.
• Advanced standing: If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.

Find out more about applying for our courses.