Bachelor of Music Performance

The Bachelor of Music Performance at Collarts is a three-year degree for musicians who want to spend their time playing, writing, rehearsing and recording rather than reading about music from a distance. You choose an instrument or voice as your principal study and build technique through regular one-to-one lessons, ensemble rehearsals and performance workshops. Alongside that you study musicianship, theory, aural skills and music technology, so you can read a chart, hear a chord progression, arrange for a band and run a session in a DAW.

Australian bachelor degrees are structured around units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. A full-time load is usually eight units a year across two semesters or trimesters, and you need to pass a required number of credit points to graduate. At Collarts the course is performance-heavy: you will play in small groups, take part in recording projects and prepare for public gigs. In the final year you complete a capstone project, which might be a recital, an EP of original material, a collaborative performance season or a research-led performance project with a written component. Work-integrated learning is built into the degree through live performance opportunities, industry placements, studio sessions and mentoring with working musicians. Assessment is mostly practical, performances, recordings, portfolios and reflective writing, rather than exams alone.

Skills you gain include stagecraft, improvisation, sight-reading, arranging, ensemble direction, studio recording, mixing basics, self-management and the business side of a music career: booking gigs, understanding royalties, marketing your work and working safely in venues. You also learn to give and take feedback, which matters more in music than almost anywhere else.

The degree suits school leavers who already play seriously, mature students returning to music, and performers who want a structured environment with teachers and peers who push them. Melbourne is one of the busiest live music cities in the world, and Collarts sits inside that scene, so much of your learning happens off campus as well as in the studio. International students should check the official Collarts page and the CRICOS register for current tuition, intake dates and English requirements, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common undergraduate standard, though the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. While studying, a student visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight during term, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Confirm all details with the institution before applying.

• Performing musician or session player in bands, orchestras, theatre productions and recording studios
• Songwriter or composer for releases, film, television, games and advertising
• Music teacher or instrumental tutor in schools, private studios and community programmes
• Live sound or studio engineer, producer or assistant in recording facilities
• Artist manager, booking agent or music promoter
• Music director or arranger for live events, churches, festivals and community groups
• Arts administrator or production coordinator in venues, festivals and arts organisations
• Content creator or performer in online music platforms and social media

Australian employers in these areas include live music venues, recording studios, festival promoters, music retailers, arts centres, schools, community music organisations and the broader creative industries in cities such as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.