Follow your love of music
Study Music within your Bachelor of Arts (BA) if you love listening to, thinking about, and talking about music.
You'll explore music from cultural, historical, critical, technical, and creative perspectives. Combine a Music major with other subjects in the BA to understand how music relates to, and is reflected in, other disciplines, cultures, art forms, and activities.
This critical approach teaches you to analyse and interpret music compositions and performances, and helps you gain skills in research, writing, teamwork, and communication that are valuable in many careers.
National Music Centre
Opening in 2027, the National Music Centre will be a vibrant and innovative hub celebrating music, creativity, and connection in the heart of our city.
Bringing together Te Kōkī students, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra musicians, and industry leaders, the Centre will enable some of the best music education and performance experiences in the world.
Choose your study path
You can study Music as a major, or as a minor, in the Bachelor of Arts (BA).
The BA with a major in Music is different from the Bachelor of Music (BMus), in that you can study more subjects outside the discipline of Music.
You can choose from a wide range of Music subjects depending on your interests and experience—many courses don't require prior musical knowledge. You could study:
- popular music
- the foundational principles of audio production and music technology
- audio production and recording—including for film
- Western art music history, performance, or composition
- music in global contexts.
The NZSM often also offers Performance courses in areas like Māori music and Indonesian gamelan. See the requirements for the Music major within the Bachelor of Arts for more information.
BA requirements for the Music major
Explore how music relates to other areas of study
Many Music students take the opportunity to combine Music courses with other arts subjects
Many students doing a BA who are interested in Music choose to specialise, or major, in both Music and another subject such as:
- Film
- Theatre
- a language
- English Literature
- Media Studies
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Education.
Degree support and advice
We can help you match your interests and career goals with the right course of study.
If you’re a new student, talk to a Future Student Adviser.
If you’re already studying with us, talk to Tītoko—Student Success.
Study options
Find out how you can study Music at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Future careers
A BA in Music helps develop:
- interpersonal and communication skills
- research and analysis abilities
- problem-solving skills
- organisational skills.
These abilities combine with your knowledge of music to help you start a career in:
- the music industry
- film and theatre
- events management
- music education
- arts and culture administration.
More career information
Find out more about careers in music.
The government careers website, Tahatū, offers more information about jobs, salaries, and current opportunities.
Scholarships
You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.
We have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It's a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Music
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Applicants will be current violin, viola or violoncello students, enrolled in the NZSM. A particular of the scholarship is to fund postgraduate study, travel, accommodation and other expenses incurred in the pursuit of such study, both within and outside New Zealand. The scholarship is available to both domestic and international students.
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The Scholarship exists to attract and support cellists of outstanding ability and potential to study cello performance at NZSM, and to engage each recipient with the life, artistry, and legacy of Greta Ostova.
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This scholarship is available to students intending to do research at postgraduate level at the New Zealand School of Music – Te Kōkī in the field of Music Education. Master’s or Doctoral research is preferred, though Honours level research and projects may be considered. Research or projects which may lead to qualification or enhanced professional practice of the applicant may...
Scholarships for international students
We are currently offering a NZ$10,000 VUW Postgraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma programme.
Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.
Other scholarships
We also have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It's a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Music
-
Applicants will be current violin, viola or violoncello students, enrolled in the NZSM. A particular of the scholarship is to fund postgraduate study, travel, accommodation and other expenses incurred in the pursuit of such study, both within and outside New Zealand. The scholarship is available to both domestic and international students.
-
The Scholarship exists to attract and support cellists of outstanding ability and potential to study cello performance at NZSM, and to engage each recipient with the life, artistry, and legacy of Greta Ostova.
-
This scholarship is available to students intending to do research at postgraduate level at the New Zealand School of Music – Te Kōkī in the field of Music Education. Master’s or Doctoral research is preferred, though Honours level research and projects may be considered. Research or projects which may lead to qualification or enhanced professional practice of the applicant may...
Postgraduate study
If you get good results in your undergraduate study, you could continue your study in Music for an Honours or Master’s degree. And if you want to do independent research, you could apply to study for a PhD.
Change direction to study Music
Exploring your musical interests for the first time? We also offer the Graduate Diploma in Arts (GDipArts)—a flexible two-trimester (full time) qualification in which you can explore postgraduate study in Music before committing to further postgraduate study.
Get help to manage your finances
We can help you:
- budget your money
- manage your student loan or allowance
- work out your accommodation payment schedule.
If you're facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for the Hardship Fund.
You may be eligible for government or community support, too.
Wellington Global Exchange
If you're a current student at Victoria University of Wellington, you can complete part of your degree overseas. Choose from our 140 partner universities worldwide.
Study Abroad and Exchange Programme
If you're an overseas student, you can spend a trimester or a year at Victoria University of Wellington. You'll earn credits at your home university while you study here.