Victoria University
3 years full-time or longer for part-time
Discover your sound and shape the future with Victoria University's Bachelor of Applied Music. This innovative 3-year degree blends creativity with real-world application, preparing you for diverse careers in music teaching, production, performance, and community work while exploring music's power to support wellbeing and inspire social change.
You must have successfully completed secondary school and meet English-language requirements. Applicants need minimum 2 years' experience playing a musical instrument and/or singing. You must provide a one-page written statement identifying your voice/instrument(s), music styles, years of experience, and level of musical training, plus a short performance video (one song, 3-5 minutes). No minimum ATAR required. Mature-age applicants (left secondary school more than 2 years ago) may apply with evidence of 5 years relevant work/life experience.
Year 1 focuses on foundational music knowledge including Academic Discourse in Music, Music and Text, Music Inquiry, Creativity and Communication, and the history of popular music from Blues through Hip Hop. Year 2 introduces Technology of Music and Audio, Learning and Teaching Music, Practical Ear Training and Applied Music Theory, Music and Wellbeing, Home Studio Music Production, and From Concept to Production. Year 3 advances to Learning and Teaching Music 2, Practical Ear Training and Applied Music Theory 2, Musical Futures (Streaming and AI in Music), Aboriginal Popular Music, and two Graduating Projects. Students also complete 48 credit points of minor studies from options including Writing, Digital Media, Popular Music Studies, The Musical Mind, Visual Art, and Aboriginal Yulendj (Knowledge) and Community.
Victoria University is ranked in the top 3% of universities worldwide and is known for its award-winning VU Block Model®, which delivers workshop-style classes instead of lectures, allowing you to complete one subject at a time over four weeks. VU is ranked #1 for skills development (QILT) and offers 4000+ industry connections. Melbourne is the world's live-music capital with more venues per capita than any other major city, providing exceptional performance and inspiration opportunities. The university provides 24/7 learning support through The Learning Hub.
Graduates can pursue careers as professional performers, songwriters/composers, music producers, remix artists, music streamers/influencers, music video producers, mixed-media artists, instrumental music teachers, private music teachers, music theory tutors, and project workers in arts and community organisations. With further postgraduate study, you can transition into school-based music teaching, early childhood education, music therapy, mental health work, youth work, community work, social work, and criminal justice. The Master of Teaching (Secondary Education) pathway enables you to become a secondary-school music teacher.
Course fee
Start date
You will be redirected to the training provider to enquire directly. Workinitiatives is not the course or training provider. We aggregate and list courses only.