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 36 credit points.

All students take a Principal Study in an instrument, voice, contemporary music practice, 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: Horn, trombone, trumpet, tuba
• Composition: instrumental/vocal and electroacoustic
• Contemporary Music Practice
• Historical Performance: baroque flute, harpsichord, lute, recorder, viola da gamba, baroque trumpet
• Musicology stream (General Stream)
• 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

Students should follow the typical enrolment pattern appropriate to their specialisation. Students are required to ensure the award course is completed within three years full-time or equivalent.