Career opportunities
You’ll finish your Bachelor of Music (MusB) with studio-production skills that open doors across the music and audio industries.
Possible career pathways include:
- Recording engineer or studio technician
- Music producer (independent or label-based)
- Audio-media creator for podcasts, film/TV sound or interactive media
- Music industry professional in distribution, label operations or artist development
- Music-tech educator or facilitator in creative industries
How you will learn
During your MusB with the Studio Production endorsement you’ll work in real studio environments, collaborate with peers and staff, and progress through production-based papers that give you increasing autonomy.
You’ll use the School of Performing Arts’ modern facilities – recording studios, digital workflows, production software and hardware – to bring ideas into finished audio work.
Rather than just sitting in lectures, you’ll be creating, experimenting, getting feedback, refining your craft and building a portfolio of work that showcases what you can do.
Recommended high school subjects for undergraduate study
You’ll get the most from this endorsement if you’re enthusiastic about music, curious about how recording and production work and comfortable exploring technology and creative workflows. Some experience with music-making or audio software is helpful but not essential.
Choose a study option
Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Undergraduate qualifications
For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.
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Where music meets innovation: Te Korokoro o te Tūī
At Otago you will learn and create in Te Korokoro o te Tūī, our state-of-the-art Performing Arts building. This purpose-built space brings together music, theatre and performing arts students in one vibrant, collaborative hub. You will have access to professional recording studios, rehearsal rooms and technology-rich production spaces designed for real-world learning.
Surrounded by people who share your passion for sound, you will find endless opportunities to experiment, perform and grow. Located in the heart of Dunedin’s creative community, Te Korokoro o te Tūī is more than a building. It is a place where ideas come alive and your future in music begins.
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
MUSI papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUSI101 | 2026, 2027 | Materials of Music 1 | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI103 | 2026, 2027 | Popular Music | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI104 | 2026, 2027 | World Music | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| MUSI105 | 2026, 2027 | Music Matters in Human Life | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI131 | 2026, 2027 | Composition 1 | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI132 | 2026, 2027 | Music Production 1 | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| MUSI135 | 2026, 2027 | Songwriting | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI140 | 2026, 2027 | Performance Studies 1 | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year |
| MUSI143 | 2026, 2027 | Instrumental or Vocal Performance 1 | 18 points, 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI144 | 2026, 2027 | Music Ensemble 1 | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI191 | 2026, 2027 | Introduction to Music | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI201 | 2026, 2027 | Materials of Music 2 | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI207 | 2026, 2027 | Radical Works | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| MUSI232 | 2026, 2027 | Music Production 2 | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI233 | 2026, 2027 | Electronic Music Production | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI234 | 2026, 2027 | Contemporary Composition | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI240 | 2026, 2027 | Performance Studies 2 | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year |
| MUSI243 | 2026, 2027 | Instrumental or Vocal Performance 2 | 18 points, 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI244 | 2026, 2027 | Music Ensemble 2 | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI249 | 2026, 2027 | Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI259 | 2026, 2027 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI260 | 2026, 2027 | Special Topic | 18 points | Summer School |
| MUSI266 | 2026, 2027 | Film Music | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI267 | 2026, 2027 | Music in Aotearoa | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI268 | 2026, 2027 | Performance in Asia and the Pacific | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| MUSI269 | 2026, 2027 | Popular Music 2 | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI307 | 2026, 2027 | Radical Works (Advanced) | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 1 |
| MUSI310 | 2026, 2027 | Materials of Music 3 | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI331 | 2026, 2027 | Composition Projects | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI332 | 2026, 2027 | Music Production 3 | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI333 | 2026, 2027 | Electronic Music Production (Advanced) | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI334 | 2026, 2027 | Music Production Projects | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI340 | 2026, 2027 | Performance Studies 3 | 18 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year |
| MUSI343 | 2026, 2027 | Instrumental or Vocal Performance 3 | 36 points | Full Year |
| MUSI344 | 2026, 2027 | Music Ensemble 3 | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI349 | 2026, 2027 | Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI366 | 2026, 2027 | Film Music | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI367 | 2026, 2027 | Music in Aotearoa (Advanced) | 18 points | Semester 1, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI368 | 2026, 2027 | Performance in Asia and the Pacific | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| MUSI369 | 2026, 2027 | Popular Music 3 | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI371 | 2026, 2027 | Research Methods and Approaches | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI375 | 2026, 2027 | Music Performance Pedagogy | 18 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI379 | 2026, 2027 | Performance, Health and Well-being | 18 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| MUSI386 | 2026, 2027 | Community Project | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI440 | 2026, 2027 | Performance Studies 4 | 30 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year |
| MUSI443 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Project 1 | 60 points | Full Year, 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 15 February 2027), 1st Non standard period (13 July 2027 - 15 February 2028) |
| MUSI471 | 2026, 2027 | Research Methods and Approaches (Advanced) | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI475 | 2026, 2027 | Music Performance Pedagogy (Advanced) | 30 points | Semester 2, Not offered in 2027 |
| MUSI479 | 2026, 2027 | Performance, Health and Well-being (Advanced) | 30 points | Not offered in 2026, Semester 2 |
| MUSI486 | 2026, 2027 | Community Project (Advanced) | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| MUSI487 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Practice | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| MUSI490 | 2026, 2027 | Dissertation | 60 points | Full Year, 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 15 February 2027), 1st Non standard period (13 July 2027 - 15 February 2028) |
| MUSI543 | 2026, 2027 | Creative Project 2 | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (1 March 2026 - 28 February 2027), 2nd Non standard period (1 July 2026 - 30 June 2027), 1st Non standard period (5 March 2027 - 25 February 2028), 2nd Non standard period (16 July 2027 - 7 June 2028) |
| MUSI590 | 2026, 2027 | Research Dissertation | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (27 February 2026 - 19 February 2027), 2nd Non standard period (17 July 2026 - 9 July 2027), 1st Non standard period (5 March 2027 - 25 February 2028), 2nd Non standard period (16 July 2027 - 7 July 2028) |
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