Music Studies major
Music Studies provides you with a broad grounding in music and allows you to focus on a chosen area of music study through option units, in addition to studying a range of core units. This major ensures you develop expertise and skills in the areas of performance and composition, harmony and aural, Western art music history and popular world music. The Music Studies major attracts students from across the University, at all levels, who are keen to develop their passion and skills in music. As a result you will have the experience of studying alongside students from diverse backgrounds, creating a dynamic and engaging learning environment. Students wishing to specialise in performance, composition or musicology should consider taking the Music Studies major concurrently with the Specialist Music Studies major.
Outcomes
Students are able to (1) demonstrate an established instrumental or vocal technique, an awareness of relevant historical and stylistic conventions, an experimental and creative orientation, and a high level of musicianship and presentation in solo, small and/or large ensemble settings, and/or demonstrate an established compositional technique, an awareness of relevant historical and stylistic conventions, an experimental and creative orientation, and a high level of presentation and attention to detail that enables effective musical realisation; (2) identify, describe and apply basic concepts and devices in music language (harmony, rhythm, melody, timbre, texture, dynamic) in aural and written analysis, and in compositional exercises; (3) critically engage with, and interpret key texts from, a range of music sub-disciplines (e.g. historical musicology, ethnomusicology, psychology of music, music sociology); (4) articulate broad historical perspectives on the nature and contexts of art music in Western culture from the Renaissance to the present day; (5) understand basic performance skills in one non-Western musical tradition; (6) demonstrate a sociocultural and musical understanding of various forms of world and popular musics from a global perspective; (7) demonstrate foundational knowledge of key music education issues, philosophies and practices; (8) develop transferable skills in research, critical thinking and communication which enable successful tertiary study, and facilitate postgraduate studies and patterns of lifelong learning; and (9) develop some specialised knowledge in particular areas through elective studies in music.
Degree-specific major
Music Studies can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:
BP001 Bachelor of Arts
BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Overview of unit sequence
Music Studies is a degree-specific single major comprising:
- two Level 1 units
- three Level 2 units
- three Level 3 units
- four Level 1 complementary units
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2019 |
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2020 or 2021.
Pre-2019 students re-enrolling, refer to the 2018 Handbook for course sequence.
Level 1
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MUSC1340 | Musical Revolutions |
|
| S2 | MUSC1350 | Popular Music in Global Perspective |
|
Take all complementary units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MUSC1321 | Music Language 1 |
|
| S2 | MUSC1322 | Music Language 2 |
|
| S1, S2 | MUSC1341 | Principal Studies 1 | |
| S1, S2 | MUSC1342 | Principal Studies 2 |
Level 2
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | MUSC2341 | Music and Practices of Listening | |
| N/A | MUSC2342 | Music in Action |
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | MUSC2350 | Music in World Cultures |
Level 3
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | MUSC3341 | Music, Society, and Ideas |
Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | MUSC3323 | Music in Theory and Practice |
|
| N/A | MUSC3332 | Drama through Music: Studies in Opera |
|
| N/A | MUSC3334 | Soundscapes of Australia |
|
| S2 | MUSC3335 | Music in the Sixties |
|
| S2 | MUSC3336 | Music in Film, TV and Video Games |
|
| N/A | MUSC3352 | Music and Identity |
|
| S1 | MUSC3353 | Music in the Community |
|
| S1, S2 | MUSC3543 | Advanced Ensemble |
|
Choosing your degree-specific major
You must satisfy the requirements of a degree-specific major before you complete your course. The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you to try out a number of different subjects to see what interests you before nominating your degree-specific major. You have the choice to either nominate your degree-specific major when you first enrol in the course or delay nominating it until your second year.
To plan the first year of your study without nominating a degree-specific major, you are advised to choose units that will pave the way to two or more degree-specific majors that are of interest to you. For examples of the choice of units available in first year, search the first-year study plans .
To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.
The following example illustrates how the Music Studies degree-specific major can be included in the Bachelor of Arts course.
There are more choices open to you. For more examples, search the study plans .
Choosing a second major
You also have the option to choose a second major from those available in the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students. or Bachelor of Science course, giving you the opportunity to pursue your interests no matter how different they are.
The following example illustrates how the Music Studies degree-specific major can be combined with a second major in the Bachelor of Arts course.
For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .
Music Studies can also be taken as a second major.
Second major
Music Studies can be taken as a second major in the following degree courses:
- BP001 Bachelor of Arts
- BP006 Bachelor of Biomedical Science
- BP002 Bachelor of Commerce
- BP003 Bachelor of Design Only available to re-enrolling students.
- BP004 Bachelor of Science
- BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Overview of unit sequence
The Music Studies second major is a single major comprising:
- two Level 1 units
- three Level 2 units
- three Level 3 units
| Key to availability of units: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2019 |
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2020 or 2021.
Pre-2019 students re-enrolling, refer to the 2018 Handbook for course sequence.
Level 1
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MUSC1340 | Musical Revolutions |
|
| S2 | MUSC1350 | Popular Music in Global Perspective |
|
Level 2
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | MUSC2341 | Music and Practices of Listening | |
| N/A | MUSC2342 | Music in Action |
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | MUSC2350 | Music in World Cultures |
Level 3
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | MUSC3341 | Music, Society, and Ideas |
Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | MUSC3323 | Music in Theory and Practice |
|
| N/A | MUSC3332 | Drama through Music: Studies in Opera |
|
| N/A | MUSC3334 | Soundscapes of Australia |
|
| S2 | MUSC3335 | Music in the Sixties |
|
| S2 | MUSC3336 | Music in Film, TV and Video Games |
|
| N/A | MUSC3352 | Music and Identity |
|
| S1 | MUSC3353 | Music in the Community |
|
| S1, S2 | MUSC3543 | Advanced Ensemble |
|
Choosing a second major
The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you the option of including a second major. You have the choice to either nominate your second major when you first enrol in the course or delay it until your second year. For a major to be recorded on your academic record it must be nominated before the requirements of the course are completed.
To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course, read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.
The following example illustrates how Music Studies can be included as a second major in an undergraduate degree course.
For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .
Music Studies can also be taken as a degree-specific major.