Bachelor of Music (Creative Practice)

  • N/A
    Guaranteed Entry Score - ATAR
  • Duration

    3 years full-time
    (or part-time equiv.)
  • Start Dates

    February and July

  • Location


Ignite your sound

Want to take your talent to its fullest potential? Enhance your creative voice with a comprehensive program offering opportunities in music composition, song writing, recording and production.

Become a dynamic and versatile artist. Leave your mark on an expanding global industry. 

What will you do?

Our Creative Practice degree equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to excel as a music industry professional. You will:

  • produce your own original music and gain industry experience with regular recording and performance
  • have 24/7 access to cutting-edge facilities, including production studios, recording rooms and digital audio laboratories
  • learn an extensive range of stylistic approaches throughout arts history and contemporary sound
  • explore your interests in creating music for film, computer game audio, sound engineering, and live sound design
  • build a strong, adaptable range of skills in musical structure, theory and composition
  • receive mentorship and business coaching from industry professionals.

 Where could it take you?

You might compose award-winning scores for film or computer games. You could fill the audiences for prestigious concert halls, original musical theatre, or major music festivals. Perhaps you’ll work behind the scenes, recording and producing with an exciting line-up of fresh artists.



  • Understand how music is made, its history and how it affects us
  • Study at Australia's most distinguished tertiary music school
  • Compose your creative future with academic mentors and award-winning staff

Thinking of studying soon?

Study at the new ÐÂÀË²ÊÆ± University in 2026

The University of ÐÂÀË²ÊÆ± and the University of South Australia are combining their strengths to create a new university for the future, ÐÂÀË²ÊÆ± University, opening in January 2026.
From 4 August 2025, the University of ÐÂÀË²ÊÆ± and University of South Australia will no longer be acccepting applications for new students.
Apply now to .

Entry Requirements

Choose your applicant type to view the relevant admissions information for this program.
I am a:

Before applying make sure you understand the eligibility and entry requirements for your chosen degree.

Look out for any prerequisites or assumed knowledge subjects. Some degrees also have additional entry requirements like interviews and auditions.

Domestic applicants

Admissions information

SATAC Code 354641
Deferment No
Intake

February and July

Assumed Knowledge

Year 12 Solo Performance or AMEB Practical Grade 6-7, plus Year 12 Musicianship or AMEB Grade 5 Theory

Additional Entry Requirements

All prospective students applying to the Elder Conservatorium of Music are required to attend an audition/interview for each area of specialisation, regardless of the number or type of music programs they are applying for.

The audition/interview will assess each applicant's current skill level and potential for future studies and offers will be made on the basis of the audition/interview score, academic achievement and the musicianship test. 

The Musicianship test aims to assess the applicant's general level of musicianship, which involves the ability to identify and recognise musical concepts within aural, written and theoretical contexts. The test comprises: aural questions covering rhythm, tonality, melody and harmony; score interpretation questions about a given short piano extract; theoretical questions such as keys, major and minor scales, intervals and chords.

For details regarding the audition rounds and the application process, please visit the Elder Conservatorium of Music ().

Selection Criteria
Recent Secondary Education

Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the last two years, however if you completed your secondary education more than two years ago, you may still be able to be considered on the basis of your secondary schooling. You must not have completed more than 2 years full time equivalent university study (48 units).

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score.

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Higher Education Study

You must have completed at least six months full time equivalent higher education study (the number of courses and units will vary depending on your prior institution however at the University of ÐÂÀË²ÊÆ±, this equates to 4 courses / 12 units).

A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated for each separate program you have undertaken (apart from some double degree programs where the GPA is combined).

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score. Your best GPA is used in the case of a tie-breaker.

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) study

You must have completed an AQF Certificate IV or above from a Registered Training Organisation.

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score. Further ranking according to the level of TAFE award is undertaken in the case of a tie-breaker.

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Work and life experience

To be eligible to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) as a pathway for entry, you must be 18 years or over before 1 February 2024. If you have studied at higher education level in the last two years (for 2024 entry this means you were enrolled in either 2023 or 2022), you must not have accumulated more than a TOTAL of 2 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education study (ie. including any study prior to 2022).

You must also undertake an audition/interview including an aural/theory test. You compete for a place based on your audition score. Your STAT rank is used in the case of a tie-breaker.

Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.

Other Entry Pathways

2023 Admissions Data for school leavers
ATAR
(raw ATAR, excluding any applicable adjustment factors)
Lowest ATAR to receive an offer N/A
Median ATAR to receive an offer N/A
Highest ATAR to receive an offer N/A
Selection Rank
(ATAR plus any adjustment factors)
Lowest Selection Rank to receive an offer N/A
Median Selection Rank to receive an offer N/A
Highest Selection Rank to receive an offer N/A
Minimum eligibility score n/a
Additional criteria considered Audition required

Fees and Scholarships

Choose your applicant type to view the relevant fees and scholarships information for this program.
I am a:

Domestic applicants

Indicative annual tuition fees
Commonwealth-supported place: $8,990

Where the standard duration of the program is less than one year the full cost of the program is displayed.

More information on Student Contribution Amounts.

Scholarships

Scholarships are not only for high achievers—they are also available to provide students with an equal opportunity to study at university, no matter where they live or what their financial situation might be.

Scholarships are available to both new and continuing students. We encourage students to apply for any scholarships for which they may be eligible.

To browse scholarships offered by the University, visit:

To explore scholarships offered by organisations external to the University, visit: External Scholarships

Careers

Potential careers

Graduates of this program have gone on to roles such as:

Music Coordinator;  Music Educator;  Music Historian;  Music Journalist / Music Critic;  Music Librarian;  Music Producer;  Music Researcher;  Music Technologist;  Music Theory Teacher;  Music Tutor ...

Degree Structure

The Bachelor of Music provides the intensive professional training required for employment in the music industry. It seeks to provide a challenging and stimulating learning environment in which all students may achieve their full potential in their chosen major. It aims to develop educated, flexible and imaginative graduates who possess the knowledge and skills required to function effectively in a wide range of professional contexts. The program provides students with the option to undertake a major in either Classical Performance, Jazz Performance, Music Education or Creative Practice (a broad area of study that includes courses in music composition, popular music and sonic art