Course details

Summary

The music industry is a dynamic employment market, offering paid work to a vast array of practitioners around the world. This is befitting of an art form that has prevailed across even the most remote tribes and societies throughout history.

Much of the rapid development of the music industry has occurred very recently, in the last 25 years, and is the result of the explosion of digital technology and re-definition of social communities and culture. This has opened up new areas of expertise for music professionals, though not eclipsing the more traditional roles of teaching, conducting, music leadership and performing as a soloist, in a small group, orchestra or band.

PGCertArts students will be introduced to sophisticated subject matter and develop skills in the critical evaluation of academic literature in their discipline or area of specialisation. They will also foster high-level skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.

Qualification structure and duration

To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts, a student must complete at least 60 points from taught courses, as approved by the Head of Department and the Dean of Arts.

This certificate takes six months full-time or 12 months part-time to complete.

Further study

Subject to the approval of the Dean of Arts, a student may transfer courses passed with a B grade or higher for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts to:

the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts

the Bachelor of Arts with Honours

the coursework section of a master's degree (there are a number of taught master's operated by the College of Arts)

Career opportunities

Music graduates are found in a wide range of occupations including positions in orchestras, choirs, opera houses, conservatories, universities, schools and other education contexts. They are prominent in areas of musical leadership.

Those who wish to work in education, find that the inclusion of some music in their degree can be beneficial.

UC Music graduates also work in fields such as journalism, television and radio (planning as well as production), publishing and in technical areas such as recording, computer instruments, sound engineering and music technology.

People with musical talent are sought after by festival organisers and arts organisations.

Entry criteria

Candidates must have qualified for a Bachelor of Arts or an equivalent degree and satisfied the prerequisites for the subject concerned. Prerequisites vary between departments, but normally good grades in 300-level courses in that subject are required.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.