What will my study involve?

Entry requirements

Admission to UC with University Entrance (or equivalent) is required to enrol.

If English is your additional language, you are also required to meet UC's English language requirements.

See Admission and enrolment for all information on enrolling at UC.

The Bachelor of Music is open to everyone (except for the Performance major — see below). Having some previous study or knowledge of music will be especially helpful.

Entry to some first-year Performance courses are limited based on an audition with an instrument or in singing.

Applications for 2025 have now closed. However, late audition applications will be considered at the discretion of UC Music. Please contact music@canterbury.ac.nz if you are wanting to submit a late application for 2025 performance study.

Please use this form to apply to audition for 2026. The form contains key information on the audition process.

Subjects and courses

The MusB has been designed to give you flexibility in choosing your courses throughout study. You will take core music courses and select additional courses from your chosen major.

Year 1

• MUSA100 Essentials in Music Techniques
• MUSA101 Musicianship, Harmony and Analysis 1
• MUSA126 Sound Technologies
• MUSA132 Musics of the World

Plus complete the required 100-level courses from your chosen major. Year 2

• MUSA200 Musicianship, Harmony and Analysis 2
• MUSA250 Community Music
• One course chosen from these options

Plus complete the required 200-level courses from your chosen major.

Year 3

• MUSA398 Capstone Project

At least another 45 points will also need to be chosen from elective Music courses.

Plus complete the required 300-level courses from your chosen major.

Further study

Postgraduate Music options at UC include:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Arts in Music
• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Music
• Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Music
• Bachelor of Music with Honours
• Master of Arts in Music
• Master of Arts (Thesis) in Music
• Master of Music
• Doctor of Musical Arts
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Music

Career ready

Find out more about what can you do with a degree from UC.