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About the course
The Composition honours specialisation develops advanced compositional skills and helps students refine a personal artistic voice through deep engagement with contemporary composition practice. Entry involves a supplementary application with a folio of original works and a short personal artistic statement video, allowing applicants to demonstrate creativity, craft, and potential for distinctive artistic development.
What you might learn
Students build higher-level compositional technique, craft and sonic awareness through the creation and presentation of original works in varied media. The specialisation aims to strengthen artistic conception and musical creativity while supporting the development of an individual compositional identity and professional readiness for further artistic growth.
Career outcome
Graduates may pursue creative careers as composers across concert music, contemporary ensembles, screen and media, and interdisciplinary performance contexts. Opportunities can include composing and arranging for instrumental groups, collaborative creative projects, commissioning pathways, and further research or postgraduate study leading to specialist artistic roles.
Entry requirements
2027 Start Year Intake: Applications open 3 August and close 31 October. All applicants must meet the standard eligibility for the Bachelor of Music (Degree with Honours) in addition to the following: graduates of other institutions or University of Melbourne students without at least H2A (75%) in the Bachelor of Music subject Composition 6 must complete the Bachelor of Music (Degree with Honours) application process and submit a composition folio; University of Melbourne Bachelor of Music students with at least H2A (75%) in Composition 6 do not need to submit a composition folio. All applicants must submit a direct University application and a supplementary application. Folio (via supplementary application) requires: three original works (up to 20 minutes total; at least two with notated score PDFs; at least one composed within last two years; no more than one orchestral/large ensemble work), audio realisations/recordings (mp3; live encouraged; MIDI acceptable rendered as audio), a one-minute test piece for bassoon and vibraphone with score (PDF) and audio (mp3), list of works composed to date (title, instrumentation, duration, year), and a personal artistic statement video (~90 seconds) addressing musical heroes, artistic ideals, and a dream compositional project. Applicants are assessed on artistic conception, musical creativity, technique and craft, sonic effectiveness, and potential to develop a distinctive voice. No interview required.
Average Salary***
