Undergraduate
Music Extended Major
Contact us
Address
Student Central
The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009
Telephone
131 UWA (131 892)
International
(+61 8) 6488 1000
Hours
Frequently asked questions
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Careers and further study
This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career options.
Career Pathways
Elise Reitze-Swensen
Music and composition graduate, Elise Reitze-Swensen is now a full-time multi-instrumentalist, composer, music producer, sound designer, music community founder, record label CEO and booking agency CEO - and still finds time to teach Electronic Music and Sound Design at UWA.
Elise Reitze-Swensen
Music and composition graduate, Elise Reitze-Swensen is now a full-time multi-instrumentalist, composer, music producer, sound designer, music community founder, record label CEO and booking agency CEO - and still finds time to teach Electronic Music and Sound Design at UWA.
Elise makes up half of the electronic duo Feels, who regularly perform at Australian music festivals such as Listen Out, Falls Festival, Laneway Festival, Groovin The Moo and American music festival, SXSW. They have also had the opportunity to support artists such as Ngaiire, Mansionair, Yeo, Kimbra, G Flip, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Oribtal.
Both a performer and music producer of Feels, Elise has won multiple awards including West Australian Music’s (WAM) ‘Song of The Year’ 2017-18 and 2018-19, ‘Best Live Electronic Artist’ 2017 and 2018, ‘Best Electronic Producer’ 2018 and ‘Label of The Year’ 2018 for label Women of Music Production Perth (WOMPP) for which she is the Founding Director. She has recently been nominated for ‘Best Electronic Producer’, ‘Best Live Electronic Artist’ and ‘Label of The Year’ (WOMPP) for the 2019 WAM Awards.
Elise also works as a freelance artist with her compositions performed and presented around Australia and internationally at events such as Melbourne’s ‘White Night Festival’, Ireland’s Fringe Festival and Sydney’s Art Month Festival and has been commissioned as a composer for Perth International Arts Festival, The Blueroom Theatre, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre and The Sound Collectors.
My degree
Elise studied music, majoring in Composition at UWA. She always wanted to be a composer and to refine her skills in the area so she could pursue music as a full time career.
"The aspect I enjoyed most about my course were the one-on-one lessons with my percussion tutor and composition tutor. Being able to touch base with a creative mentor every week was essential for my development as a composer and musician. I was lucky enough to have two wonderful tutors that encouraged me to play and write music that sounded like ‘me’, while also giving insightful advice to guide my creativity."
During her study, Elise was very proactive in seeking out employment and practical opportunities relating to her career including performing for the Queen at the 2011 CHOGM opening ceremony, taking an internship with Brady Drums, working as a freelance composer, performer and sound designer, tutoring piano, percussion and composition and performing for the Perth Proximity Festival. In her final year of study, she secured a grant from the Department of Culture and the Arts to build an interactive electronics and sound installation ‘Adventure Tune’ during a studio residency at The Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).
"My study at UWA gave me the knowledge in music theory to develop my skills in composition and become the music producer I am today. I feel that my degree also prepared me for the professional music industry by giving me many rehearsals, practice and study commitments to juggle - which I have found very realistic of a full time job in music."
Why UWA?
"I loved the reputation of the university, the location and the music composition program, in particular. I love Perth and have always wanted to learn from my local surrounding. Perth has so many talented educators and artists! I also liked the idea of being able to give back to my local community with my own knowledge and skillset. I am thrilled to now be back here, teaching electronic music at UWA."
WOMPP
WOMPP is the only female, trans and non-binary Ableton User Group community in the world, founded by Elise in January 2017, which now has over 500 members and has expanded to include all of Australia and New Zealand.
The community runs events in Perth every month, which are supported by UWA. The monthly WOMPP meetings aim to educate, nurture and inspire female, trans and non-binary music makers of all levels. The overall goal of the community is to improve the representation of women in music production, which is currently just 5% worldwide.
Through Elise's hard work and dedication to WOMPP, she has managed to help correct an imbalance in the representation of women in electronic music within Perth.
Since starting in 2017, the reputation and size of the WOMPP community has grown, members have started learning to produce electronic music for themselves.
"Those members have started playing their own gigs and putting out music and those artists’ creative outputs have started being nominated for awards! It is exciting to see the change and I am proud to be a leader for these music makers."
Further Study
Postgraduate options include all areas of music specialisation:
Master of Music
Fees and scholarships
Undergraduate – Full Fee Paying (FFP) & Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)
The Annual Fee is an estimate only based on a standard annual study load of 48 points. (Courses may teach up to 72 points in a year)
FFP
For Full Fee Paying places, students are charged an annual course fee. Visit the Fee Calculator select 'Postgraduate Coursework Fee-Paying' and chose your course to see the annual and total course fees.
CSP
For Commonwealth Supported Places, student contribution amounts are charged by unit. For an accurate fee estimate, go to the Fee Calculator select 'Postgraduate Coursework Commonwealth-Supported' and chose ‘I want to price my units’.
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.
Cost of living
Undergraduate – onshore students
Annual course fees are calculated based on a standard annual study load of 48 credit points.
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.
Cost of living
Admission requirements
The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you’re interested in studying this major, find out the admission details below.
Minimum entry requirements
- 8
- 525
- 12
- 3.3
- 27
- 8
- 66
- 60
- 270
- 75
- 75
- 320
Admission requirements
Streams and requirements
Performance/Musicology/Studio Teaching Streams:
A practical requirement equivalent to AMEB Grade 7, demonstrated by an audition
A strong background in music theory
Composition Stream:
A practical requirement equivalent to AMEB Grade 5, demonstrated by an audition
A strong background in music theory
A portfolio is also required
Creative Music Technology Stream:
A practical requirement equivalent to AMEB Grade 4, demonstrated by an audition
A background in music theory
A portfolio is also required
Admission requirements
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 score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 (must include Academic Reading and Writing modules).
Audition process
Prior to the audition, you will be asked to prepare two contrasting pieces. Remember to bring a copy of your music for the members of the audition panel. Given the time constraints for each audition, it is likely you will only have the opportunity to play a portion of each piece. If the members of the panel ask you to stop playing at a certain point, this does not mean the performance is going badly. Being asked to stop is not an indication of anything but a lack of time.
After the performance component of the audition, you will undertake a short aural quiz, followed by a brief discussion with the panel. They may ask about your musical experiences, what sort of music you like, and what else you intend to study. You will be able to ask questions and the members of the audition panel will answer to the best of their ability. During your audition, one of the panel members will look at your prepared portfolio. The whole audition process may take as little as 10 minutes. The length of the audition, however, is no indication of its success.
Read frequently asked questions about the audition process or book your audition here.
How to apply
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Find out how to apply through our simple online application process.
We'll guide you through our entry requirements, admission pathways available to you and application deadlines for your chosen course.
We can’t wait for you to join us!
Course details
About the course
This extended major degree provides you with a rigorous, high-quality tertiary music education and an intensive concentration in a chosen area of specialisation: performance, composition, studio teaching, musicology or creative music technology. As a well-equipped 21st century musician, you will have the opportunity to pursue postgraduate training in many areas, including national and international centres of music excellence, and prepare for a career in the creative arts.
Quick details
- Available
- Perth (Crawley campus)
- Full-time
- Part-time
- On-campus
- Semester 1, Semester 2
- Approximately 15 hours plus own practice and study time, rehearsals and performances
- Undergraduate
- MJD-MUSDM
- 3 years; 4 years (BPhil [Hons])
Carissa Soares
Carissa Soares
UWA has a beautiful campus and a fantastic reputation as one of the world’s top 100 institutions. The staff are very encouraging and inspiring and being able to study under their guidance is an honour.
I joined the Music Students Society (MSS) in my first year. They run lots of fun social activities and these events allow you to meet other music students, which is great for networking.
Thea Rossen
After graduating from UWA, Thea was accepted into the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in Melbourne and moved there to study percussion. She now runs an ensemble called the ‘Ad Lib Collective’ (with two other UWA alumnus Jared Yapp and Jesse Deane) which has taken them all over the world with performances and concert curation. She also presents concerts with her percussion/clarinet ensemble ‘Enyato Duo’.
Thea Rossen
After graduating from UWA, Thea was accepted into the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in Melbourne and moved there to study percussion. She now runs an ensemble called the ‘Ad Lib Collective’ (with two other UWA alumnus Jared Yapp and Jesse Deane) which has taken them all over the world with performances and concert curation from Strasbourg, France to Banff, Canada and Boston and the US. She also presents concerts with her percussion/clarinet ensemble ‘Enyato Duo’ and tours a children’s show around Australian schools with Musica Viva.
“In 2008, I began studying a Music and Engineering but fell in love with music and ended up leaving the engineering to complete a Bachelor of Music with honours in 2013. I majored in percussion performance and had the opportunity to study with Perth’s best percussionists including [UWA's] Dr Louise Devenish.
The staff and lecturers at UWA were inspiring and deeply committed to their work, I am lucky to still be in touch with many of them, and am grateful for the time I spent studying with them. Being a member of the Piñata Percussion Ensemble exposed me to a world of new music that I had never experienced before.
During my studies, I was heavily involved with the Music Students Society (MSS) and was lucky enough to be the President in 2013. We began a new concert series for composers to have their works premiered by students, organised the annual ball for Music Students, and facilitated engagements between other faculties on campus. The skills that I developed working on the MSS committee have been incredibly useful in my professional career as a performer, creator and educator and the people that I worked with are still dear friends and collaborators today.
UWA is well known for being a strong supporter of the arts in Western Australia and nationally. From their support of the Conservatorium of Music on campus to the International Arts Festival, that sort of leadership is vital for an arts community to flourish, and is what makes me proud to be an alumni.
I am passionate about using a high level of music and performance to connect with and engage audiences in new and exciting ways. Through this work I hope to be able to convey messages of global importance such as issues surrounding climate change. While music in itself is one of the most abstract art forms, it has an incredible power to express experiences and emotions we cannot put into words. This is what I believe makes it such a uniting force.
I feel very lucky to have such a variety of work in the music field; I am proud of my Perth roots and grateful to UWA for helping me.”
Thea’s advice to new students
“Balance at university is a great idea. Pick subjects that you love and study hard. But remember to spend time making friends and building networks. The people I studied with at University are now my colleagues, collaborators, peers and friends. Don’t underestimate the power of a strong network of people who are passionate about the same things as you.”
Practical experience
UWA is the sole tertiary education partner of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the West Australian Opera. Students have unprecedented access to artists as well as participation in side-by-side performances with these industry specialists.
Students can expect to participate in regular industry standard performances in the state’s best venues and will benefit from staff who are actively engaged in music making at the highest level.
Admission requirements
Streams and requirements
Performance/Musicology/Studio Teaching Streams:
A practical requirement equivalent to AMEB Grade 7, demonstrated by an audition
A strong background in music theory
Composition Stream:
A practical requirement equivalent to AMEB Grade 5, demonstrated by an audition
A strong background in music theory
A portfolio is also required
Creative Music Technology Stream:
A practical requirement equivalent to AMEB Grade 4, demonstrated by an audition
A background in music theory
A portfolio is also required
Your degree options
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)
Bachelor of Music
Shuan Hern Lee
Music Studies 
Music: Electronic Music and Sound Design 
Music General Studies