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Study Composition at Otago

    A comprehensive training in Composition (including Music Technology and Song-Writing) for students at all levels of study.

    Broad-ranging in content, composition offers students training in many forms of musical creativity and music style.

    In the first year of study, students may specialise in one area or mix different interests, such as Classical Music or Popular Music. In the following years, opportunities are made available for specialisation in writing for other media such as film, dance, television or theatre.

    There are no minimum entry requirements for the first-year composition papers, although students with little or no music reading ability are strongly encouraged to up-skill in the first semester through the paper MUSI 191 Introduction to Music.

    Students who complete the 36 point third-year paper MUSI 331 Composition Projects can choose to have their Bachelor of Music (MusB) degree endorsed in composition.

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    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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    Papers

    View a list of all related papers below.

    MUSI papers

    Paper Code Year Title Points Teaching period
    MUSI101 2025 Materials of Music 1 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI103 2025 Popular Music 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI104 2025 World Music 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI105 2025 Music Matters in Human Life 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI131 2025 Composition 1 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI132 2025 Music Production 1 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2
    MUSI135 2025 Songwriting 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI140 2025 Performance Studies 1 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
    MUSI143 2025 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 1 18 points Full Year
    MUSI144 2025 Music Ensemble 1 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI191 2025 Introduction to Music 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI201 2025 Materials of Music 2 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI207 2025 Radical Works 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI232 2025 Music Production 2 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI233 2025 Electronic Music Production 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI234 2025 Contemporary Composition 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI240 2025 Performance Studies 2 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
    MUSI243 2025 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 2 18 points Full Year
    MUSI244 2025 Music Ensemble 2 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI249 2025 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI259 2025 Special Topic 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI260 2025 Special Topic 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI266 2025 Film Music 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI267 2025 Music in Aotearoa 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI268 2025 Performance in Asia and the Pacific 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI269 2025 Popular Music 2 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI307 2025 Radical Works (Advanced) 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI310 2025 Materials of Music 3 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI331 2025 Composition Projects 36 points Full Year
    MUSI332 2025 Music Production 3 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI333 2025 Electronic Music Production (Advanced) 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI334 2025 Music Production Projects 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI340 2025 Performance Studies 3 18 points Semester 1, Full Year
    MUSI343 2025 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 3 36 points Full Year
    MUSI344 2025 Music Ensemble 3 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI349 2025 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI366 2025 Film Music 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI367 2025 Music in Aotearoa (Advanced) 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI368 2025 Performance in Asia and the Pacific 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI369 2025 Popular Music 3 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI371 2025 Research Methods and Approaches 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI375 2025 Music Performance Pedagogy 18 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI379 2025 Performance, Health and Well-being 18 points Semester 2
    MUSI386 2025 Community Project 18 points Semester 1
    MUSI440 2025 Performance Studies 4 30 points Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
    MUSI443 2025 Creative Project 60 points Full Year
    MUSI471 2025 Research Methods and Approaches (Advanced) 30 points Semester 2
    MUSI475 2025 Music Performance Pedagogy (Advanced) 30 points Not offered in 2025
    MUSI479 2025 Performance, Health and Well-being (Advanced) 30 points Semester 2
    MUSI486 2025 Community Project (Advanced) 30 points Semester 1
    MUSI487 2025 Creative Practice 30 points Semester 2
    MUSI490 2025 Dissertation 60 points Full Year
    MUSI590 2025 Research Dissertation 60 points 1st Non standard period (28 February 2025 - 21 February 2026), 2nd Non standard period (11 July 2025 - 3 July 2026)

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    Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.

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