Bachelor of Music (Musicology)

The Bachelor of Music (Musicology) is a three-year degree for people who want to understand how music works, where it came from and why it matters. It's not a performance degree first and foremost, though you'll still make music. Most of your time goes into listening, reading, writing and arguing about music across history and cultures, Western art music, jazz, popular music, and the musics of Asia and the Pacific. You'll study harmony and analysis, transcription, historiography, and research methods, then use those tools to write about music at length.

Australian bachelor degrees sit at level 7 of the Australian Qualifications Framework and normally run three years full-time. At the Australian Institute of Music, the year is split into trimesters, and you enrol in units of study that carry credit points. You need to pass the required units and accumulate the credit points set for the award. There's usually a capstone in the final year, a research project or thesis on a topic you choose, supervised by an academic, plus a professional practice or industry project unit. Assessment is mostly essays, presentations, critical analyses and a final research paper, with some practical work.

Musicology graduates come out with skills that transfer well beyond music: close reading, archival research, clear writing, and the ability to explain complex ideas to a general audience. You'll learn to use music notation software, library and archive databases, and referencing systems properly. You'll also get a grounding in the Australian music scene, its orchestras, community music organisations, festivals, broadcasters and archives, and the ethical and cultural questions that come with writing about other people's music.

This degree suits students who love music but don't see themselves on stage every night. If you're the person who reads the liner notes, wants to know why a piece was written, or enjoys arguing about interpretation, musicology is a good fit. It also works for teachers, arts administrators, journalists and archivists who want a formal qualification in music scholarship. International students should note that while studying in Australia on a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during teaching periods, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. English proficiency is required, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common undergraduate standard, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institute's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 111577B. Check the official page for current unit lists, entry requirements and intake dates.

• Music researcher or academic, universities, research centres and archives, often after further study such as an honours year or master's.
• Music journalist or critic, newspapers, magazines, online publications and radio, writing reviews, features and program notes.
• Arts administrator, orchestras, festivals, community music organisations and government arts agencies.
• Archivist or librarian, sound archives, special collections, university libraries and cultural institutions.
• Music teacher or private tutor, schools, community programs and private studios (further teaching qualifications may be required for school registration).
• Program note writer or editor, concert halls, record labels and publishing houses.
• Broadcaster or producer, ABC Classic, community radio and podcast production.
• Arts policy or grants officer, Australia Council, state arts bodies and local councils.