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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Bachelor of Music (MusB), Dunedin, 2024
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Requirements
MUSI papers
Paper Code
Year
Title
Points
Teaching period
MUSI101
2024
Materials of Music 1
18
Semester 2
MUSI103
2024
Popular Music
18
Semester 1
MUSI104
2024
World Music
18
Not offered, expected to be offered in 2025
MUSI105
2024
Music Matters in Human Life
18
Semester 1
MUSI131
2024
Composition 1
18
Semester 2
MUSI132
2024
Music Production 1
18
Semester 1, Semester 2
MUSI135
2024
Songwriting
18
Semester 1
MUSI140
2024
Performance Studies 1
18
Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI141
2024
Performance 1
36
Full Year
MUSI146
2024
Contemporary Music Performance 1
36
Full Year
MUSI191
2024
Introduction to Music
18
Semester 1
MUSI201
2024
Materials of Music 2
18
Semester 1
MUSI223
2024
Classical Music
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI232
2024
Music Production 2
18
Semester 2
MUSI233
2024
Electronic Music Production
18
Semester 1
MUSI234
2024
Contemporary Composition
18
Semester 2
MUSI240
2024
Performance Studies 2
18
Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI241
2024
Performance 2
36
Full Year
MUSI246
2024
Contemporary Music Performance 2
36
Full Year
MUSI249
2024
Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice
18
Summer School
MUSI259
2024
Special Topic: Practical Conducting
18
Summer School
MUSI260
2024
Special Topic: Vocal Performance & Recording
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI261
2024
Music and Visual Culture
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI265
2024
Music and Theatre
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI266
2024
Film Music
18
Semester 1
MUSI267
2024
Music in Aotearoa
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI268
2024
Performance in Asia and the Pacific
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI269
2024
Popular Music 2
18
Semester 2
MUSI270
2024
David Bowie
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI301
2024
Materials of Music
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI323
2024
Classical Music
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI331
2024
Composition Projects
36
Full Year
MUSI332
2024
Music Production 3
18
Semester 1
MUSI333
2024
Electronic Music Production (Advanced)
18
Semester 1
MUSI334
2024
Music Production Projects
18
Semester 2
MUSI340
2024
Performance Studies 3
18
Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year
MUSI341
2024
Performance 3
36
Full Year
MUSI346
2024
Contemporary Music Performance 3
36
Full Year
MUSI349
2024
Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice
18
Summer School
MUSI361
2024
Music and Visual Culture
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI365
2024
Music and Theatre
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI366
2024
Film Music
18
Semester 1
MUSI367
2024
Music in Aotearoa (Advanced)
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI368
2024
Performance in Asia and the Pacific
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI369
2024
Popular Music 3
18
Semester 2
MUSI371
2024
Research Methods and Approaches
18
Semester 2
MUSI375
2024
Music Performance Pedagogy
18
Semester 2
MUSI386
2024
Community Project
18
Not offered in 2024
MUSI401
2024
Materials of Music (Advanced)
20
Not offered in 2024
MUSI407
2024
Radical Works
20
Not offered in 2024
MUSI431
2024
Composition Portfolio
60
Full Year
MUSI432
2024
Studio Production
60
Full Year
MUSI441
2024
Performance 4
60
Full Year
MUSI442
2024
Repertoire Studies
20
Full Year
MUSI446
2024
Contemporary Music Practice 4
60
Full Year
MUSI471
2024
Research Methods and Approaches (Advanced)
20
Semester 2
MUSI475
2024
Music Performance Pedagogy (Advanced)
20
Semester 2
MUSI486
2024
Community Project (Advanced)
20
Not offered in 2024
MUSI490
2024
Dissertation
40
Full Year
MUSI590
2024
Research Dissertation
60
1st Non standard period, 2nd Non standard period
Qualifications
Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages.
More information
Contact us
Email spa@otago.ac.nz Website otago.ac.nz/performing-arts
Studying at Otago
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