Bachelor of Music (Music Business)

The Bachelor of Music (Music Business) is a three-year degree for people who want to work behind the scenes in music. You study the business side of the industry: how artists get paid, how tours are budgeted, how labels and publishers work, how streaming royalties are split, and how to market a release. Alongside that, you build real musical skills, you still play, write and understand how music is made, which matters when you are the one negotiating on an artist's behalf.

Australian bachelor degrees are made up of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You normally enrol in a full-time load each semester or trimester and accumulate credit points until you meet the requirements for the award. The degree runs three years full time, and many institutions let you spread it over more years part time. Expect a mix of core units in music business and industry practice, electives you choose to shape your direction, and a final-year capstone project where you pull everything together, often a business plan, an industry report or a real release or event you manage yourself.

Work-integrated learning is central to music business study in Australia. Placements and industry projects put you inside venues, festivals, management companies, labels, publishers, booking agencies and artist services businesses. Sydney and Melbourne have dense live music and recording sectors, and the Australian music industry runs on small teams, so students who do placements often end up with their first paid work through those contacts.

The degree suits school leavers who love music but do not want to be only a performer, and also people already working in events, hospitality, marketing or community radio who want formal training. You should be comfortable with numbers, contracts and spreadsheets as well as creative work. International students can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Entry requirements, English proficiency, tuition and intake dates are set by the institute, check the official page and the CRICOS register for current details.

• Artist manager, managing careers, bookings and day-to-day decisions for musicians and bands
• Booking agent or tour coordinator, routing tours, negotiating fees and working with venues and promoters
• Record label roles, A&R, label management, release coordination and catalogue work
• Music publisher or royalties administrator, copyright, licensing, sync and royalty collection and distribution
• Live events and festival roles, production coordination, artist liaison, programming and operations
• Digital marketing and streaming specialist, playlist pitching, campaign management and audience analytics
• Music marketing and PR, publicity, social media and brand partnerships for artists and labels
• Venue and arts organisation roles, programming, sponsorship and administration in live music venues and arts bodies
• Self-managed artist or independent producer, running your own releases, bookings and business affairs

Hiring happens across Australian labels, publishers, booking agencies, festivals, venues, artist management companies, community and public radio, arts councils and music tech businesses. Many graduates also work freelance or start their own companies. Confirm current course and visa details on the official page.