Overview 2024
Location
This course may not be available to international students. Please see the list of distance courses (i.e. online and taken outside Australia) that are offered to international students
View archived years for this course
For years prior to 2015, please view the Course and Unit Handbook Archive
View the current year's course page
Based in Hobart and enjoying the excellent recording, rehearsal and performance spaces at the Hedberg, you will join a learning community that values and explores diverse forms of music. As the Associate Degree in Music is closely aligned to the Bachelor of Music, you can choose to take the Associate Degree as a stand-alone experience, or continue your studies in the Bachelor of Music.
In the Associate Degree, you will participate in a variety of individual and collaborative learning environments, and will develop your specialist skills through Music Practice units. Whether you are a Classical Performer, a Songwriter, a Composer or whether your interests lie in Jazz and Popular Music, Music Technology or Commercial Music Creation, the Associate Degree in Music has a path for you. You can also combine two of these specialisations, or two different instruments within a single specialisation, with the Dual Practice option.
Alongside Music Practice, you will develop contextual enquiry and core theoretical and associated skills through the ‘Music and …’ and Tools and Techniques suites of units. In-built flexibility encourages you to expand and complement your practice by choosing four units from related fields. You can choose units to increase your skills in collaboration through ensemble participation and interdisciplinary projects, explore the role of the creative arts in health and wellbeing, and develop skills in theatre and screen production.
Part of Tasmania’s intimate yet internationally recognised creative community, Music at the University of Tasmania offers inspiring staff, facilities, study and performance opportunities, and the personal attention and incredible working relationships that are only possible in a smaller institution.
Learning Outcomes
Practical experience
All new, purpose-built facilities for collaboration, rehearsing, performing, and recording
The Hedberg is our exciting new, state-of-the-art building that takes the University of Tasmania boldly into the creative future, giving music and creative arts students a world-class learning space and bringing students, staff, industry and community together. The site features a wide range of facilities and the latest technology to support your musical learning and performance journey, that are also utilised by multi-disciplinary researchers and the musical industry.
As an incubator for place-based creative activity, you can realise your creative vision from forming a concept and taking it to the audience, through performance or recording. Along the way, engage with professional musicians, take part in internationally acclaimed festivals, and build a portfolio of work practice, research, partnerships and engagement.
One-on-one tuition
Music students experience one-on-one tuition in many streams and build strong working relationships with staff, students and industry. Be a part of Tasmanian’s intimate and internationally recognised creative community. This all occurs at the Hedberg, which provides you with access to some of the world's most cutting edge music learning spaces and technology, attracting international talent and expertise to the space.
Learn beyond the classroom
Studying in Tasmania, our whole Island becomes your campus. Speak with your unit coordinator about how you can gain practical experience by volunteering in research initiatives, becoming an ambassador, or taking part in a work experience program.
Study overseas at one of our partner institutions
Our international exchange program offers opportunities to study at universities around the world, and it counts towards your degree. Exchange can allow you to have an affordable educational and cultural experience in a foreign country for a semester, or a full year. To facilitate this, we offer a range of scholarships and financial assistance. You may also be eligible for OS-HELP Loans or scholarship funding to assist with airfares, accommodation and other expenses.
For more information please visit Learning Abroad.
Become a Student Ambassador
Improve your communication, teamwork and leadership skills, meet new people, inspire and help others, and developing lasting friendships and networks as a student ambassador. Our ambassadors proudly represent the University throughout Tasmania in schools, at University and community events, and support a range of recruitment and engagement activities. Through the Student Ambassador Program you will have many opportunities for training and professional development, experience in real-world community engagement and outreach, networking, and public speaking, plus end up with a key point of distinction on your CV.
Work placement
Work with festival and industry leaders
Students have the opportunity to take part in internationally acclaimed festivals such as Mona Foma and Festival of Voices. Students, hear from and work with professional musicians through partnerships with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and visiting artists. Many staff still play active roles in the music industry, giving students unique access to our thriving Tasmanian music scene.
Career outcomes
Course structure
The Associate Degree in Music requires the completion of 200 credit points comprising:
- 150 credit points of Core units; and
- 50 credit points of Core Option units
If you are starting in 2023 you can find your course planner here. Your course planner gives you a visual representation of your course and will help you plan which units to enrol in and when.
For course planners from previous years, refer to the handbook entry for that year.
Core
Introductory units
This unit introduces you to music and cultural expression in the Australian context. You will explore the breadth and distinctiveness of Australian music, investigate and discuss a diverse range of musical works, contemporary and historical, and create your own musical…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
Music festivals, films and genres such as stadium rock and contemporary circus exemplify how music and the visual combine for spectacular effect. In this unit, through the exploration of a diverse range of contemporary and historical musical works, concepts and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit focuses on your major area of musical expression and practice and accommodates a diversity of specialisations. Music Practice is central and crucial to developing the core technical and artistic skills necessary for the creation and realisation of musical…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
Building on your initial introduction to the core elements of your music practice, this unit enables you to consolidate the core technical and artistic skills necessary for the creation and realisation of musical works through practical and productive engagement and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
This is the second of three units designed to develop key practical and theoretical skills relating to the practice of music required for today’s creative musician. You will engage in a variety of learning environments and activities aimed at developing…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for FCA119 Tools, Techniques and Digital Audio
This is the first of three units designed to establish key practical and theoretical skills relating to the practice of music required for today’s creative musician. You will establish essential literacies through integrated music theory and musicianship training using relevant…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
Intermediate units
This is the third unit designed to consolidate key practical and theoretical skills relating to the practice of music required for today’s creative practitioner. You will further develop essential literacies through integrated music theory and musicianship training and apply them…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit focusses on the interrelationship between music and politics by exploring aspects such as musical activism, propaganda, censorship and the underground. You will investigate the creation, reception and transmission of music from diverse styles, cultures, periods and global perspectives…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
What will it mean to be a musician in the future? How might music continue to evolve and adapt to change? How will audiences of the future access their preferred genre? Who will fund music production and consumption? Will live…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit will challenge you to extend your music practice. From the foundation of core technical and artistic skills you have previously developed, you will explore elements of musicianship, making informed and reflective decisions about how to apply these skills…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
Expanding your musicianship skills and enabling the development of the aesthetic judgement is a central focus of this unit. This is crucial for the creation and realisation of maturing musical work which you will demonstrate by focusing on communication with…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
Collaborative work is integral to working in and with the creative and cultural industries. This unit encourages you to take supported creative risks and introduces you to work-integrated learning methods and practices. Students and staff will propose creative projects that…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
Core Options
If you’ve ever predicted the final scene of a dramatic narrative based on the soundtrack, put on your headphones for a better video game experience, entered a space and had your mood changed, or been transported by birdsong to a…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
This unit introduces the skills required for ensemble performance and/or music production. In this unit students experience processes of preparation and performance and/or production through participation in one of a varied set of ensembles. Students are expected to participate in…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit develops the skills required for ensemble performance and/or music production and continues the work of Ensemble Skills 1 . In this unit students develop processes of preparation and performance and/or production through participation in one of a varied…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit continues the development of ensemble skills in performance and/or music production. In this unit students consolidate the processes of preparation and performance and/or production through participation in one of a varied set of ensembles. Students are expected to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit consolidates the development of ensemble skills in performance and/or music production. In this unit students refine the processes of preparation and performance and/or production through participation in one of a varied set of ensembles. Students are expected to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
In this unit we explore the creation of meaning through the interactions a performer makes with other performers, sites, objects, texts, and contexts. A key focus is building sustained dramatic performance, using effective storytelling to convey ideas and communicate affect…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
This unit focuses on introductory skills and knowledge central to technical production for the theatre. It includes an introduction to the duties and skills required by technical support staff in theatre venues as well as the organisational skills appropriate to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit introduces you to foundational methods and traditions of movement for the performer. You will learn how to identify your own habits of movement and physical awareness, and test ways your movement practice might evolve through analysing and applying…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
Practical interventions employing arts-based activities, including music, theatre, dance and visual arts, are increasingly being employed nationally and internationally to improve mood and well-being, physical activity and cognitive processing for people with dementia. Arts-based programs have also been shown to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit will provide an introduction to existing evidence-based research on the benefits of engagement with the arts, through the lifespan and strategies employing creativity to support better ageing and mitigate risk factors for dementia. The unit offers opportunities for…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | ||||
| Online | Spring school (extended) | ||||
We know the impact that photographic images can have on us, individually and collectively. When images and words come together to tell a story they can be entertaining, revelatory, breath-taking, and even powerful agents of change. In this unit, you…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for FXA202 The Photo Essay: Storytelling with image and text
Ever wonder why that tune gets stuck in your head, or when you listen to your favourite song your foot starts tapping, or why it's easier to remember the words of a song when you sing the tune? How do…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | ||||
Research is providing increasing evidence for the positive benefits of engagement with the arts for individual and community wellbeing at all stages of life and can provide a non-pharmaceutical adjunct to health interventions. This unit explores case studies of successful…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 1 | ||||
This unit explores historical and current case studies of creative arts practitioners from a range of cultural contexts living with physical or mental illness and the ways this is reflected or subsumed in their work. This engagement with creative work…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for FXA302 Perspectives of the Arts on Health and Wellbeing
Producing screen content is becoming increasingly valued in today's media environment. This unit introduces you to the key concepts, methods and practices of screen production. You will gain hands-on experience in filming and recording sound, editing, and design with an…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for HEJ140 Making Media: Filming, Editing and Design
Entry requirements
For Domestic students
We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Enquire online for advice on the application process and the available pathways to study.
This course does not use ATAR as part of the assessment process.
To be eligible for an offer, domestic applicants from all educational backgrounds must:
- Meet the University’s General Entry Requirements based on your prior studies and experience; and
- If applying from within Tasmania, successfully complete an audition and interview in person on-campus in Hobart; or
- If applying from interstate, successfully complete an audition by submitting a private internet link, USB, CD or DVD of your audition repertoire in lieu of a live audition in Hobart, and interview over the phone/internet.
Learn more about the audition process in the Audition Information Guide (PDF 1.6 MB) or call 1300 363 864 or enquire online.
We recommend pre-tertiary TASC subjects in music at the senior secondary level or equivalent, but this is not a prerequisite for admission. AMEB qualification of Grade 7 (performance) and Grade 5 (theory) may be advantageous in some specialisations, but not a prerequisite for admission.
Special considerationIf your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors, including economic hardship, serious medical condition or disability.
We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
For International students
We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Enquire online for advice on the application process and the available pathways to study.
This course does not use ATAR as part of the assessment process.
To be eligible for an offer, domestic applicants from all educational backgrounds must:
- Meet the University’s General Entry Requirements based on your prior studies and experience; and
- If applying from within Tasmania, successfully complete an audition and interview in person on-campus in Hobart; or
- If applying from interstate, successfully complete an audition by submitting a private internet link, USB, CD or DVD of your audition repertoire in lieu of a live audition in Hobart, and interview over the phone/internet.
Learn more about the audition process in the Audition Information Guide (PDF 1.6 MB) or call 1300 363 864 or enquire online.
We recommend pre-tertiary TASC subjects in music at the senior secondary level or equivalent, but this is not a prerequisite for admission. AMEB qualification of Grade 7 (performance) and Grade 5 (theory) may be advantageous in some specialisations, but not a prerequisite for admission.
Special considerationIf your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors, including economic hardship, serious medical condition or disability.
We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the UTAS admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
Articulation
Students can exit with a Diploma of Music if they meet the requirements of that award. Students who successfully complete the Associate Degree in Music may articulate with full credit into the Bachelor of Music, and can also articulate into the Bachelor of Arts with full credit.
Detailed Admissions Information
Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Cost shouldn’t get in the way of you studying.
If you’re a domestic student, you may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place in this course. This means your fees will be subsidised by the Australian Government. You’ll only need to pay the student contribution amount for each unit you study within the course.
You may also be able to defer payment of the student contribution amount by accessing a HECS-HELP loan from the Government. If eligible, you’ll only have to pay your tuition fees once you start earning above a specific amount.
Further information is available at Scholarships, fees and costs.
Student contributionStudent contribution amounts are charged for each unit of study. This means that how much you’ll pay will depend on which units you choose. Find out more about student contribution amounts.
Further informationDetailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
Scholarships
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 13 8827 (13 UTAS)
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries