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Bachelor of Music Studies

The Bachelor of Music Studies is a degree for students seeking a broad musical education and its structure facilitates creative interdisciplinary links within music disciplines and between music and other subject areas in the University of Sydney.

The course develops broadly educated musicians who are able to apply their knowledge, skills and attitudes creatively and flexibly in a variety of music and music-related professions.

The goals of the Bachelor of Music Studies are:

  • to develop general musical abilities in the areas of performance, musicology, composition and music education
  • to develop students' ability to see themselves, their musical art and their educational activities in a wide cultural perspective, and
  • to develop the generic attributes of graduates of the University of Sydney.

Course structure

The degree is structured to allow students flexibility in their choice of units so they may pursue their own combinations of musical and non-musical disciplines, and students may choose units of study taught at another faculty of the University of Sydney, up to a maximum of 28 credit points.

All students take a Principal Study in an instrument, voice, composition or musicology, core units in music skills, music pedagogy and music history and other units of their own choice.

Principal study is available in the following areas:

  • Brass: french horn, trombone, trumpet, tuba
  • Composition: instrumental/vocal and electroacoustic
  • Early Music Performance: baroque flute, harpsichord, lute, recorder, viola da gamba, baroque trumpet
  • Musicology
  • Organ
  • Percussion
  • Piano
  • Strings: cello, double bass, guitar, harp, viola, violin
  • Voice: classical or jazz
  • Woodwind: bassoon, clarinet, flute, oboe, saxophone.

Core requirements

Students must successfully complete 144 credit points and reach the minimum levels of achievement in each core area of their specialisation as outlined in the degree resolutions.

Typical enrolment patterns

A typical program in the Bachelor of Music Studies, together with the credit point value, is set out in the following tables.

Bachelor of Music Studies (Composition Principal Study)

Semester 1

 

Semester 2

 

Semester 3

 

Composition 1

6

Composition 2

6

Composition 3

6

Music Skills

(H&A + AP)

6

Music Skills

(H&A + AP)

6

Music Skills

(H&A + AP)

6

Instrumentation and Orchestration

6

New Music, New Thinking

6

Compositional Techniques: Number & Process

6

Ensemble or Comp Through Impro

3

Ensemble or Comp Through Impro

3

Electroacoustic Music 1

6

Music Technology

3

Sound Recording Fundamentals

3

  

 

 

24

 

24

 

24

Semester 4

 

Semester 5

 

Semester 6

 

Composition 4

6

Composition 5

6

Composition 6

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Electroacoustic Music 2

6

Composer Performer Workshop 1

3

Composition elective or free choice

12

Compositional Techniques: Tonality & Process

6

Composition elective or free choice

9

  

 

 

24

 

24

 

24
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Bachelor of Music Studies (Musicology Principal Study)

Semester 1

 

Semester 2

 

Semester 3

 

Musicology 1

6

Musicology 2

6

Musicology 3

6

Aural Perception 1

3

Aural Perception 2

3

Aural Perception 3

3

Harmony and Analysis 1

3

Harmony and Analysis 2

3

Harmony and Analysis 3

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Teaching Music/Pedagogy

3

Free Choice

3

Musicology Workshop 1

3

Ensemble

3

Ensemble

3

Ensemble

3

 

24

 

24

 

24

Semester 4

  

Semester 5

  

Semester 6

  

Musicology 4

6

Musicology 5

6

Musicology 6

6

Aural Perception 4

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

12

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Harmony and Analysis 4

3

Musicology Workshop 3

3

Musicology Workshop 4

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Free Choice

3

Free Choice

9

Musicology Workshop 2

3

 

 

  

 

Ensemble

3

        
 

24

  

24

  

24
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Bachelor of Music Studies (Classical Voice Principal Study)

Semester 1

 

Semester 2

 

Semester 3

 

Voice 1

6

Voice 2

6

Voice 3

6

Aural Perception 1

3

Aural Perception 2

3

Aural Perception 3

3

Harmony and Analysis 1

3

Harmony and Analysis 2

3

Harmony and Analysis 3

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

3

Diction 1

3

Diction 2

3

Diction 3

6

Teaching Music/Pedagogy

3

 Free Choice

3

 Vocal Performance Class 1

3

 

24

 

24

 

24

Semester 4

 

Semester 5

 

Semester 6

 

Voice 4

6

Voice 5

6

Voice 6

6

Aural Perception 4

3

Vocal Performance Class 3

3

Vocal Performance Class 4

3

Harmony and Analysis 4

3

Diction 5

3

Diction 6

3

Diction 4

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Free Choice

12

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Free Choice

6

  

 
Vocal Performance Class 2

3

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

24

 

24
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Bachelor of Music Studies (Instrumental Principal Study)

Semester 1

 

Semester 2

 

Semester 3

 

Principal Study 1

6

Principal Study 2

6

Principal Study 3

6

Aural Perception 1

3

Aural Perception 2

3

Aural Perception 3

3

Harmony and Analysis 1

3

Harmony and Analysis 2

3

Harmony and Analysis 3

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Ensemble

3

Ensemble

3

Teaching Music/Pedagogy

3
Free Choice

3

Free Choice

3

Ensemble

3

 

24

 

24

 

24

Semester 4

 

Semester 5

 

Semester 6

 

Principal Study 4

6

Principal Study 5

6

Principal Study 6

6

Aural Perception 4

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Harmony and Analysis 4

3

Free Choice

12

Free Choice

12

Ensemble

3

  

 

  

 

Free Choice

9

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

24

 

24
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Bachelor of Music Studies (Jazz Voice Principal Study)

Semester 1

  

Semester 2

  

Semester 3

  

Jazz Vocal 1

6

Jazz Vocal 2

6

Jazz Vocal 3

6

Jazz Music Skills 1

6

Jazz Music Skills 2

6

Jazz Music Skills 3

6

Jazz History 1

3

Jazz History 2

3

Jazz History 3

3

Jazz Pedagogy

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6

Jazz Vocal Workshop 1

3
Free Choice

6

  

3

Analysis, history and culture studies

6
 

24

  

24

  

24

Semester 4

  

Semester 5

  

Semester 6

  

Jazz Vocal 4

6

Jazz Vocal 5

6

Jazz Vocal 6

6

Jazz Music Skills 4

6

Jazz Ensemble 1

6

Jazz Ensemble 2

6

Jazz Vocal Workshop 2

3

Music Business Skills

6

Free Choice

12

Jazz History 4

3

Free Choice

6

  

 

Free Choice

6

        
 

24

  

24

  

24
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Course rules

 

Bachelor of Music Studies


These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

Course resolutions

1 Course codes

Code

Course title

QH020

Bachelor of Music Studies

QH030

Bachelor of Music Studies (Honours)

2 Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for this course is normally full time. Part time study may be permitted upon successful application.

3 Admission to candidature

(1)
Admission to this course is on the basis of a secondary school leaving qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents), tertiary study or an approved preparation program. English language requirements must be met where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English. Special admission pathways are open for mature aged applicants who do not possess a school leaving qualification, educationally disadvantaged applicants and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants are ranked by merit and offers for available places are issued according to the ranking. Details of admission policies are found in the Coursework Rule.
(2)
In addition, admission to this course requires the applicant to complete a music skills test or jazz aptitude test and:
(a)
Principal Study in Composition, to submit at least three compositions in different performance media which should represent their present level of achievement as composers and to attend an interview;
(b)
Principal Study in Musicology, to present an example of recent written work and to attend an interview;
(c)
Principal Study in Performance, to undertake a practical audition in their nominated instrument or in voice.
(3)
The results of this process will form part of the ranking of applicants.

4 Requirements for award

(1)
The units of study that may be taken for the course are set out in the Table of units of study for Undergraduate Degrees.
(2)
To qualify for the award of the pass degree, a candidate must successfully complete 144 credit points and reach the minimum levels of achievement as set out in the tables below:
(a)
Composition

Area of Study

Credit Points

Minimum level of achievement

Principal Study

36

Principal Study 6

Composition

36

Instrumentation & Orchestration

New Music, New Thinking

Electroacoustic Music 1 & 2

Composer Performer Workshop 1

plus a further 9 cps in Composition

Performance

6

6 cps in Ensemble or Composition Through Improvisation

Music Skills

24

18 cps in Harmony & Analysis + Aural Perception

Music Technology

Sound Recording Fundamentals

Studies in analysis, history and culture

30

At least 12 credit points from Foundation units

Comp Tech and Analysis 3 & 4

Electives

 

12

  
(b)
Musicology

Area of Study

Credit Points

Minimum level of achievement

Principal Study

36

Principal Study 6

Musicology

12

Musicology Workshop 4

Studies in analysis, history and culture

42

At least 24 credit points from Foundation units

Music Skills

24

Harmony and Analysis 4 and Aural Perception 4

Performance

12

  

Teaching Music

3

Can be taken in studio pedagogy or music education units of study

Electives

15

  
(c)
Instrumental

Area of Study

Credit Points

Minimum level of achievement

Principal Study

36

Principal Study 6

Performance

12

  

Music Skills

24

Harmony and Analysis 4 and Aural Perception 4; or

Jazz Music Skills 4

Studies in analysis, history and culture

30

At least 12 credit points from Foundation units

Teaching Music

3

Can be taken in studio pedagogy or music education units of study

Electives

39

  
(d)
Voice

Area of Study

Credit Points

Minimum level of achievement

Principal Study

36

Principal Study 6

Performance

30

Vocal Performance Class 4; and

18 credit points of Diction units

Music Skills

24

Harmony and Analysis 4 and Aural Perception 4

Studies in analysis, history and culture

30

At least 12 credit points from Foundation units

Teaching Music

3

Can be taken in studio pedagogy or music education units of study

Electives

21

  

5 Principal Studies

(1)
The Principal Studies available are:
(a)
Composition
(b)
Musicology
(c)
Performance
(i)  Brass
(ii)  Early Music
(iii)  Jazz Vocal Studies
(iv)  Keyboard
(v)  Percussion
(vi)  Strings
(vii)  Voice (classical)
(viii)  Woodwind

6 Requirements for the Honours degree

(1)
Honours is available to students who complete an additional year of full-time study, after the completion of the pass degree.
(2)
To qualify for admission to the honours year a student should:
(a)
have completed the requirements of the pass degree of the Bachelor of Music Studies, or an equivalent degree from a recognised institution; and
(b)
have achieved a credit average in second and third year units of study and a distinction average in second and third year Principal Study or equivalent units; and
(c)
have the permission of the relevant Chair and/or Honours Coordinator.
(3)
In addition, admission to this course requires the applicant to submit an Honours project proposal and successfully complete an audition and/or interview. The results of this process will form part of the ranking of applicants.
(4)
To qualify for the award of the honours degree a candidate must complete 48 credit points of Honours units of study.

7 Award of the degree

(1)
The Bachelor of Music Studies is awarded in the grades of either Pass or Honours. The honours degree is awarded in classes ranging from First Class to Third Class according to the rules specified in the Resolutions of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and a single result is provided as an aggregated mark based on the Honours units of study the student has completed.

8 Transitional provisions

(1)
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2011 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2011 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
(2)
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2011 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that the requirements are completed by 1 January, 2016. The Faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.

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