Program Overview

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Undergraduate

Contemporary Popular Music

Engage with the popular music industry to develop your artistry and knowledge.

About the course

Study Contemporary Popular Music and gain experience and skills in contemporary performance and composition, songwriting and digital creativity, as well as developing your entrepreneurial and networking skills.

Quick details

Status

• Available

Locations

• Perth (Crawley campus)

Attendance

• Full-time
• Part-time

Delivery

• On-campus

Starting dates

• Semester 1

Level of study

• Undergraduate

Course Code

• MJD-MUSCO

Full time/part time duration

• 3 years (BA); 4 years (BPhil [Hons])

Degrees course is available in

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Why study this course at UWA?

• This course is a comprehensive program, developing invaluable skills across different areas
• Engage with fast-growing industry
• Combine this major with almost any other major across UWA, allowing you to pursue your passions and interests on stage and beyond

You'll learn to

• Develop practical skills through individual and collaborative projects
• Hone your analytical and listening skills to stay competitive in industry
• Explore digital production techniques
• Refine entrepreneurial and networking skills

Course Structure

Our undergraduate degrees offer you a broad range of options allowing you to combine subjects in a way that matches your career goals and personal interests.

Level 1

• Core:
  • MUSC1350 Popular Music in Global Perspective (6)
  • MUSC1441 Contemporary Popular Music Principal Studies 1 (6)
  • MUSC1442 Contemporary Popular Music Principal Studies 2 (6)
• Option:
  • MUSC1054 Music Theory for Electronic Musicians (6)
  • MUSC1203 Songwriting: An Introduction (6)
  • MUSC1321 Music Language 1 (6)

Level 2

• Core:
  • MUSC2274 Electronic Music: Sampling and Synthesis (6)
  • MUSC2441 Contemporary Popular Music Principal Studies 3 (6)
  • MUSC2442 Contemporary Popular Music Principal Studies 4 (6)

Level 3

• Core:
  • MUSC3441 Contemporary Popular Music Principal Studies 5 (6)
  • MUSC3538 Professional Skills: Music Industry and Artist (6)
• Option:
  • MUSC3335 Music in the Sixties (6)
  • MUSC3336 Music in Film, TV and Video Games (6)
  • MUSC3341 Music, Society, and Ideas (6)
  • MUSC3544 Topics in Performance Practice (6)

Careers and further study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

You'll benefit from communication, music, analytical, written, and research skills that are desirable in a wide range of professions. Upon graduating, you can either pursue a career within the creative arts, or in another field if you choose to study another degree or major alongside Contemporary and Popular Music.

Career Opportunities

• Musician
• Songwriter
• Composer
• Performing Artist
• Teacher*
• Audio Engineer

*Requires postgraduate studies

Further Study

After completing the Contemporary Popular Music major, you can pursue further studies at honours level or undertake a master’s degree such as the Master of Music in one of the four specialisations: composition, musicology, performance or orchestral performance.

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course. For fee type definitions and further assistance, see the Fee Calculator Help page. You can also search our database for scholarships that are relevant to you or this course.

Domestic Student Fees

For Commonwealth-supported places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit, based on area of study. For a fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator and select “I want to price my units”. Fees are subject to annual indexation. Refer to the Handbook to identify the units required.

International Student Fees

Annual course fee

2025

$48,300.00

Onshore international students are charged an annual course fee, charged per credit point at a rate dependent on the course in which the student is enrolled. Annual course fees are calculated based on an annual study load. Check the handbook to confirm the annual study load for your course.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to students from a diverse range of backgrounds, including academic achievement, financial need, educational disadvantage, leadership and community service, artistic or sporting achievements, and being from a rural or remote area.

Admission requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying one of these majors, find out the admission details below.

Minimum entry requirements

Below you’ll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

All India Senior School Certificate (CBSE)

• 9

Canadian High School (except Quebec)

• 68

French Baccalaureate

• 10

Gao Kao (PR China NCEE)/750

• 507

GCE A-Levels

• 8

German Abitur

• 3.6

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education

• 14

Indian Senior School Certificate (CISCE)

• 45

Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65

• 75.5

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

• 24

Malaysian STPM

• 10

Monash University Foundation Year

• 254

NCUK Foundation Program

• 8

Norwegian Vitnemål

• 3.5

Singapore - Cambridge A Levels

• 6.5

South African National Senior Certificate

• 4

South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)

• 324

Sweden Slutbetyg

• 14.5

Trinity College Foundation

• 280

Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)

• 14

University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program

• 61

US College Board Advanced Placements

• 7

US College Board SAT

• 1130

Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)

• 56

Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards

• 75

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

How to apply

The application process to this course is different for the assured and graduate entry pathways, and for international and domestic applicants.

Refer to the below regarding application processes for each of the pathways. More information regarding admission requirements and prerequisites for each pathway can be found on the 'Admission Requirements' tab.

Domestic Pathways

• Domestic Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via TISC. Refer to TISC Online for current course codes and application deadlines.
• Domestic Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via GEMSAS, which open and close in accordance with the GEMSAS timeline. All domestic applicants must submit a valid GAMSAT score by the application closing date.

International Pathways

• International Assured Pathway/School Leaver Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.
• International Graduate Entry: Applications are lodged via UWA's online application system or via an authorised international education agent.