Explore your love of music with a Bachelor of Music at VU, and prepare for a range of exciting careers.

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.

To attain the Bachelor of Music students will be required to complete 288 credit points (equivalent to 24 units) in total consisting of:

• 48 credit points (equivalent to 4 units) College Core studies;
• 192 credit points (equivalent to 16 units) Professional Core studies including 24 credit points (equivalent to 2 units) of Capstone studies;
• 48 credit points (equivalent to 4 units) of Minor studies

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.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Devise, compose, transform and analyse musical works by employing theory, practice and research in the fields of music performance, music theory, music technology, music culture and music cognition;

2. Conceptualise and adapt their knowledge and skills to implement new and emerging technologies and practices in music;

3. Reflect on their knowledge and interpersonal skills to network with other professionals, and negotiate their own roles as professionals, in the music industry;

4. Contextualise music practice in relation to other creative arts disciplines, and adapt to the diversity of fields required for music practitioners;

5. Integrate technical skills and craft in music with the creative, cultural, technological and entrepreneurial acumen required for successful participation and employment in the music industry; and

6. Exhibit academic skills in independent research, critical analysis, reading, note-taking and collection and organisation of resource materials, including the presentation of oral and written material, and online and digital media resources.

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or 20 in any other English (or equivalent).

IELTS (Academic module): Overall score of 6.0 (no band less than 6.0)

TOEFL Internet: Overall score of 67 (Listening 12, Speaking 18, Reading 15, Writing 21)

Pearson Test of English (PTE): Overall score of 50 (no section score less than 50)

University of Cambridge - Advanced (CAE): Overall score of 169. No individual band less than 169.

VU English - English for Academic Purposes (EAP) (Level 4): achieved.