Music
Pursue professional excellence with our music degree
The Music degree at UNSW is designed for curious, open-minded and ambitious students, preparing you for a long and fulfilling career in music. Our comprehensive programs emphasise technical and stylistic expertise, engagement with complex, universal issues and collaborative learning. You'll develop globally applicable skills through flexibility and individual pathways, making the most of the university environment to build a successful music career.
There are multiple ways of studying music at UNSW:
- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music: A three-year undergraduate degree with specialisations in Creative Practice, Sonic Arts, and Pedagogy.
- Bachelor of Music (Honours): High-performing UNSW students can add an Honours year to graduate with two degrees. This is also open to students from other universities with a Bachelor-level degree in music.
- Bachelor of Arts: Offers a minor and two majors, one tailored for education students and one more flexible.
- General Education Courses: Available to any student at the university.
- PhD Research: Supports a community of researchers working on dissertations or combining dissertations with creative outputs.
We are open to all musicians, regardless of genre, style, or instrument, including composers and sonic artists.
Careers in music
Turn your passion and purpose into a professional career with UNSW in the potential careers in music below:
- Arts administrator
- Classroom music teacher
- Composer
- Performer
- Music studio teacher
- Sonic Artist - Freelance musician
Discovering new ways of creating music at UNSW
Learn about music from diverse perspectives by developing your technical and expressive skills, enabling you to make music with confidence and artistic conviction. You'll collaborate with students and professional musicians, learning about music's historical contexts and cultural transformations. Our programs nurture your aspirations and abilities in performing, composing, researching and teaching at the highest standards. You'll perform in ensembles, attend masterclasses, learn key skills, and work with a one-to-one teacher.
The music degree is designed to be taken as a single or dual degree, which can be combined seamlessly with degrees across the university such as Arts, Education, Computer Science, Science, Advanced Science, Engineering, Media, Commerce and Law. Similarly, if you are enrolled in another degree at UNSW our courses can be integrated into your program.
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Learn from internationally recognised academics and outstanding researchers
At UNSW, you'll be inspired by our internationally recognised academics who excel in both mainstream academic research and creative artistic practice. Our staff publish, compose, perform and record globally, including in Australia, New Zealand, US, UK and Europe. Our music research spans analytical, cultural, philosophical, psychological, pedagogical and practice-based approaches, with leaders in jazz, improvised music and new classical music. These researchers regularly perform at major international festivals and have their compositions performed by renowned orchestras and ensembles worldwide.
Meet our renowned academics and researchers
Music research at UNSW spans analytical, cultural, philosophical, psychological, pedagogical and practice-based approaches. We have international leaders in performing arts, empirical musicology and ethnomusicology, who are also experienced teachers. For more information, visit each person’s research page.
- Dr Kim Burwell
- Professor Dorottya Fabian
- Associate Professor Michael Hooper (Music Convenor)
- Dr Adam Hulbert
- Associate Professor Eric Isaacson
- Dr Sonya Lifschitz
- Dr John Napier
- Professor Emery Schubert
- Brad Taylor-Newling
We also work with a large community of musicians and scholars to teach our courses. To apply for a PhD, first contact one the music academics, or email: sampg@unsw.edu.au
A thriving community with a rich history
Music has been a thriving activity at UNSW for more than 50 years. The founder of the original Department of Music, Professor Roger Covell, joined the academic staff in 1966 and taught courses across several faculties, established concerts, and developed a chamber opera company and vocal ensembles.
The inauguration of the resident chamber group, the Australia Ensemble, followed in 1980, as well as the university's Collegium Musicum Choir, and eventually the UNSW Orchestra and the Wind Symphony. With our passionate staff and strong music history at UNSW, we offer an extensive range of courses and performance opportunities for every musician.
Music performances and events
Most ensembles perform each term, with Honours recitals typically near the start of Term 3. We also collaborate with the Music Performance Unit (MPU) to deliver academic programs, who manages the UNSW Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Collegium Musicum Choir, and Corde and offers performance opportunities for music students. The MPU also coordinates the Australia Ensemble, UNSW’s professional ensemble-in-residence for over 40 years and hosts various events at UNSW.
Lessons and ensembles
We offer a lessons subsidy for students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts’ Music Craft Courses, honours in creative fields and other select courses, allowing you to study with the teacher of your choice.
Studying music at UNSW offers students a vibrant and diverse experience, with opportunities to join various ensembles such as the UNSW Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Collegium Musicum Choir. These ensembles provide a platform for students to enhance their performance skills and collaborate with peers and professionals. For more information, visit the UNSW Music Ensembles page.