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Bachelor of Music and Performing Arts

BM1901

Course details

  • Feb 2025
    Jul 2025
  • Three years
  • Full-time or Part-time
  • $7,780* per year
  • Level 7
  • Available for International Students. International Fee Guideline
  • Hamilton City Campus
Note: For mid-year intakes, please contact info@wintec.ac.nz to discuss pathway options.

Summary

Students will develop their own musical voice and learn skills for a career on stage, behind the curtain, or in the production suite. 

Music and performing arts students work alongside each other to learn technical, theoretical and professional skills while developing their expertise in their chosen endorsements. Through additional elective modules and large-scale projects, students have the opportunity to specialise in their chosen field as they move through the degree.

This degree has two pathways:

  • Music (audio production, composition/songwriting, performance)
  • Performing Arts (theatre)

Music

Along with technical, theoretical, and professional skills, students will explore audio production, composition/songwriting and performance, and develop expertise in one or more of these areas through elective choices and specialisation within the core modules.

Audio production 

Capture and shape sound in innovative ways. Audio production students will learn:

  • Audio engineering
  • Mixing and producing
  • Sound design

Technically engage with a wide range of music and multimedia contexts and develop a heightened sense of listening. Students will develop an understanding of the technologies and innovations of how sound is captured, manipulated, and reproduced. 

Music students performing in studio

Intro Ensemble, Photo Geoff Ridder

Performance

Perform music in live and studio environments. Performance students will learn:

  • Vocal and instrumental technique
  • Performance stagecraft
  • Vocal, instrumental, and ensemble performance
  • Studio recording

Students will develop a rich understanding of musical interpretation and enhance their practical, creative, and critical skills to become a professional musician in a variety of performance settings. Students will have opportunities to learn from professional teachers to develop technical and artistic skills on their chosen instrument/voice.

Composition/songwriting

Expertly craft the elements of music. Composition and songwriting students will learn:

  • Songwriting
  • Music and multimedia
  • Notation and recording technology
  • Instrumental genres and styles including film/game music, classical music, and sound art

Gaining the expertise to create music as a standalone art form alongside video/film, theatre, games, and other emergent technologies, students will develop control of the technology needed to craft the elements of music for a range of musical genres. 

Performing arts 

Along with technical, theoretical, and professional competencies, students will develop further skills to be creative theatre practitioners. 

Performing arts students will work on arena musicals to intimate plays, dance shows to cabaret, and explore:

  • Acting techniques
  • Voice and singing 
  • Directing and producing
  • Movement and dance
  • Stage management, set design, lighting, and sound 

Students learn in real theatre environments from some of New Zealand’s leading directors, choreographers, actors, musical directors, and writers. Additionally, students will perform regularly within the Wintec music and performing arts scene and are encouraged to audition for and participate in community, regional, and national productions while studying.

Rikki Tikki Tavi, photo Geoff Ridder

What you will learn

In the first year of the Bachelor of Music and Performing Arts, students will take three core modules:

  • Music and Performing Arts Craft: Develop specialised skills
  • Critical Methods: Understand the arts and the cultural world
  • Professional Practice: Learn the ways of industry

To complement these modules, students will add two electives of their choice so they can broaden their creative toolkit—these electives include introductory papers on songwriting, performance, sound fundamentals, storytelling, moving image, design, photography, and more. 

These courses will give students a secure grounding in their discipline's technical, theoretical, and professional skills while also exposing them to broader ideas about the arts and the cultural world around them.

View programme modules

Note: no value in the pre/co-requisite columns means there are no pre/co-requisites for that module.

Table A: Craft and core modules

Module Code Module title Pre-requisites Co-requisites Credits Level
MAPA510
Music and Performing Arts 510  305
MAPA520Music and Performing Arts 520MAPA510
305
MAPA610Music and Performing Arts 610MAPA520
306
MAPA620Music and Performing Arts 620MAPA610 306
MAPA710Music and Performing Arts 710MAPA620 307
MAPA720Music and Performing Arts 720MAPA710   
CRIT501Critical Methods 1  155
CRIT601Critical Methods 2CRIT501 156
PROF501Professional Practice 1  155
PROF601Professional Practice 2PROF501 156
PROF702Professional Practice 3PROF601 157

Table B: Project modules

Module code Module title Pre-requisites Co-requisites Credits Level
CRTV701Research MethodsCRIT601 15 7
CRTV702Freelance ProjectCOMM610 & 620 or
DSGN610 & 620 or
CART610 & 620 or
MAPA610
 157
CRTV703Capstone ProjectCOMM710 or
DSGN710 or
MAPA710 or
CART710
 157
CRTV704Art Education - Matauranga ToiCOMM610 & 620 or
DSGN610 & 620 or
CART610 & 620 or
MAPA610

157
CRTV705Creative Work Industry LearningPROF702 or equivalent 157
DFNZ701Design Factory Industry Project75 credits at level 6 or
pre-requisites may be waived at the discretion
of the relevant Head of School/Centre Director
or designated authority
 307

The 30 credit module DFNZ701: Design Factory 1 can be offered as an option within any Wintec degree programme, wherever the degree programme structures allows such an option. Admission into the Design Factory module is on negotiation with the Centre Director or delegated authority and selection into the module is in line with the Design Factory process.

Table C: Elective modules

Module code Module title Pre-requisites Co-requisites Credits Level
DSGN502CMS Web Publishing  155
DSGN503Graphic Design Fundamentals  155
CRTV501Creative Special Topic 1  155
CRTV502Creative Special Topic 2  155
MAPA502Sound Fundamentals  155
MAPA503Lighting Fundamentals  155
MAPA504Songwriting  155
MAPA604Songwriting 2MAPA504 156
MAPA505Intro to Ensemble Performance   155
MAPA506Repertoire Studies 1
   
MAPA507Performance Studies 1
   
CRTV601Creative Special Topic 360 credits level 5 156
CRTV602Creative Special Topic 460 credits level 5 156
COMM502Storytelling, Myth and Ritual  155
PRNT501Screen Printing  155
MAPA504Screen Fundamentals  155
SCRN503Screen Technology One  155
JOUR505Media Law and Context  155
BMA0G210Illustration, Concept MediaDSGN510 or
CART510 or
DSGN503 or
equivalent knowledge or skills
 156
DSGN602Motion GraphicsDSGN510 or
DSGN503 or
equivalent knowledge or skills
 156
DSGN603Type DesignDSGN510 or
DSGN503 or
equivalent knowledge or skills
 156
PHOT501Photography Fundamentals  155
PHOT502Photography Tech OnePHOT501 or
equivalent knowledge or skills
 155
PHOT503Darkroom Photography  155
CART502Drawing Fundamentals  155
CART503Painting Fundamentals  155
MAPA606Repertoire Studies 2MAPA506 or equivalent proficiency 155
MAPA607Performance Studies 1MAPA507 or equivalent proficiency 155
CART602Eco Creative Practice60 credits level 5 including either
CRIT501 or PROF501
 156
DFNZ601Design Thinking Launchpad60 credits at level 6 or equivalent 156
COMM602Feature Writing  156
DSGN604Surface DesignDSGN503 or equivalent 156

Or other modules and packages of learning as agreed to by the designated media arts staff.

Design Factory NZ

In their third year of study, students can apply to study the 30 credit Design Factory NZ module. This experience teaches a range of problem-solving methodologies, which students will apply to a real-world challenge provided by an industry partner. Students will work in a multi-disciplinary team alongside students from engineering, business, IT, sport and exercise science, media arts, and more. 

Joining Design Factory NZ will provide students with the opportunity to learn and work in new ways, prototype solutions to complex problems, and develop their soft skills of creativity, empathy and communication - all in high-demand for the workplace of the future.

Read more about Design Factory NZ here.

Design factory NZ logo small size

Career/further opportunities

  • Live sound engineer
  • Studio sound engineer
  • Mixing engineer
  • Mastering engineer
  • Songwriter
  • Composer
  • Private instrument teacher
  • Actor
  • Lighting designer
  • Stagehand
  • Theatre technician
  • Event co-ordinator
  • Events management
  • Software operator
  • Session player
  • Producer
  • Performer
  • DJ
  • Sonic artist
  • Music arranger
  • Orchestrator 
  • Musical director (including school productions and/or community-based groups)
  • Conductor 
  • Choral director

Graduates will be qualified to work in a range of theatre, music, media, and creative roles. Graduates will have developed transferable skills and professional attributes that will position them for many other jobs, they will have the skills to work collaboratively and creatively within the increasingly complex and dynamic creative industries.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Music and Performing Arts are positioned to pathway into postgraduate programmes at Wintec such as the Bachelor of Media Arts with Honours.

Student projects

Look through our graduate publications to see the work students create. In these, you will find short bios and images of student projects from across the media arts disciplines over the years.

Frequently asked questions

What can I expect from the class schedule and workload?

Expect to spend about 26 hours a week in scheduled classes. Some of these will be on campus, but students will also spend time on industry visits and working on client projects.

How much time outside of class will I need to spend on study?

Students are expected to do another 14 hours of independent learning on top of classes - in total the mix of class time and independent study should add up to about 40 hours per week.

What opportunities will I get to work on industry projects?

There are four project zones per year, during which students will work for up to three weeks with an industry or community partner on a cross-disciplinary project. Students will also do a work placement in second year and a major internship in their third year.

Undergraduate, semester, pathway, module and cross-disciplinary - what do these words mean?

Undergraduate means any study up to the level of completing a bachelor degree. Our academic year is made up of two main semesters, one from February to June and the other from July to November. We also have a summer semester for some classes. A degree is made up of a mix of compulsory and elective modules, modules are worth between 15 and 60 credits. A year’s worth of full time study is 120 credits. 

Who will teach me?

You will learn directly from active practitioners who are composers, arrangers, directors, actors, studio producers, songwriters, sonic artists, classical and jazz performers. Meet the School of Media Arts team here.

Disclaimers

Entry criteria

General academic admission

a) Candidates are required to have:
  i. NCEA Level 3 comprised of 60 credits at NCEA Level 3 or above and 20 credits at NCEA Level 2 or above, including:
    (1) 14 credits each at NCEA Level 3 in three approved subjects; and
    (2) Literacy (10 credits at NCEA Level 2 or above made up of 5 credits each in reading and writing); and
    (3) Numeracy (10 credits at NCEA Level 1 or above); or
  ii. A relevant level 4 qualification; or
  iii. Equivalent.

b) In exceptional cases, candidates with 60 credits at NCEA Level 2 across four subjects including 12 credits in a Language Rich  subject, or equivalent, will be considered.

c) In addition, for admission into the BMusPA Composition and Audio Production endorsements, candidates will:
  i. Have gained grade three music theory, or sit a music theory test as determined by the School, and
  ii. submit a portfolio of work as specified below, and
  iii. If shortlisted, may be required to participate in an interview and/or audition

d) For admission into the BMusPA Performance endorsement, candidates will:
  i. Have gained grade 6 Practical Trinity College London, Royal School of Music London, Rock School London, or
  ii. Attend an audition to demonstrate equivalent skills and abilities in instrumental performance.

e) In addition, for admission into the BMusPA theatre endorsement, candidates will:
  i. submit a portfolio of work, and
  ii. If shortlisted, may be required to participate in an interview and/or audition

UE 2020

Applicants who achieved University Entrance through NCEA in 2020 will be assessed under separate NZQA entry requirements that take into account the impacts of COVID-19. Candidates are required to have: 

  • NCEA Level 3 comprised of 60 credits at NCEA Level 3 or above and 20 credits at NCEA Level 2 or above, including:
    • 12 credits each at NCEA Level 3 in three approved subjects; and
    • UE Literacy (10 credits at NCEA Level 2 or above made up of 5 credits each in reading and writing); and
    • UE Numeracy (10 credits at NCEA Level 1 or above).

Special admission

Domestic applicants aged 20 years or above who have not met the General Admission or entry requirements for a programme but whose skills, education or work experience indicate that they have a reasonable chance of success may be eligible for Special Admission.  Special admission will be granted at the discretion of the relevant Head of School/Centre Director or designated nominee.  Such applicants may be required to successfully complete a foundation, bridging or tertiary introductory programme as a condition of entry into higher level programmes.

Provisional entry

Domestic applicants aged under 20 years who have not met the general academic admission and entry criteria for a programme but who can demonstrate a reasonable chance of success through other educational attainment and/or work or life experience may be eligible for provisional entry at the discretion of the relevant Head of School/Centre Director or designated nominee. Provisional entry places restrictions on re-enrolment to be lifted if the applicant’s performance is deemed satisfactory by the relevant Head of School/Centre Director or designated nominee.

Selection criteria

Selection will be determined on the basis of the candidate’s application and academic performance.  An interview and written language test may also be required as part of the selection process.

English language requirements

a) Candidates who have English as a second language are required to have an International English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 6.0 with no individual band score lower than 5.5; or,
b) Equivalent.

Want to see full details of the entry criteria?
Don't meet the entry criteria?

Pathways

Media Arts pathway diagram for semester 2 2019

To check what you need to gain direct entry to a course, review the entry criteria available on each programme page. These assist you in understanding what qualifications or experience are typically required to gain entry. You can contact our team at info@wintec.ac.nz or 0800 2 Wintec at any time for further guidance.

Your first day

Are you ready for your first day of class? Check out your start date and where you need to be. You can also find useful information about studying at Wintec on our welcome page.

Semester 2 2024

Date: Monday 22 July 2024
Time: 10.30am-4pm
Venue: Events Room 1, City Campus

Itinerary:
  • Welcome and staff introductions
  • Tours, ID cards, and parking
  • Lunch
  • Class

Returning students
Please check your timetable for your first class details.

What you will need

Please bring a notebook and pen. We also recommend you bring a laptop or smartphone.

Music students
We utilise Mac computers and industry-standard software such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Sibelius. While you will have access to computers as part of your study, it is strongly recommended that you bring your own laptop to be able to continue working on projects off-campus. The 13” MacBook Air Apple M1 Chip with 8-Core CPU and 8-Core GPU 512GB Storage is sufficient as a starting point for the software and tools used in class. The PC equivalent is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 13.5“ Ryzen 5 256GB (Platinum). For any enquiries about more advanced software and computer requirements, please send us an email

Performing arts students
In preparation for class, we recommend you wear/purchase the following attire:
  • Dance: split-sole jazz shoes, tap shoes, appropriate dance attire (activewear/track pants/singlet/t-shirt that is comfortable for movement and not too baggy).
  • Performance: black t-shirt, black buttoned shirt, black pants/skirt (not jeans or tracksuit), black dress/stage shoes.

Timetable information

All Wintec timetables are available online here.

How to find your way around

Campus maps can be found here.

Parking and bus information

Both the Rotokauri and City campuses have parking available - payment and permits may be required. The Gardens Campus has free parking available. Learn more about parking and find out about bus services here.

He reo pōwhiri, your official welcome to Wintec

Tēnei te mihi mahana ki a koe e piki nei, e kake nei ki te Kuratini o Waikato.

You are warmly invited to attend the official welcome to Wintec for all new students, staff and whānau (family) at either our marae, Te Kōpū Mānia o Kirikiriroa or Rotokauri campus. The pōwhiri is a welcoming ceremony involving mihimihi (speeches), waiata (singing), and will conclude with kai timotimo (light refreshments). Please gather at the campus hubs, and a staff member will guide you through our pōwhiri.

Click here to find out when the next pōwhiri will be.

Paying for your study

Course-related costs

Additional information

Booklist

Purchasing textbooks

If your programme requires you to have access to textbooks, these can be purchased through a range of suppliers listed below:

    New Zealand-based suppliers

    General book suppliers

    First aid certificate

    Health status

    Uniform

    Equipment

    Clinical placement

    Prospectus (course guide)

    The Wintec Prospectus (otherwise known as a course guide) outlines everything you need to know about Wintec. It contains information about the Wintec campuses, student life, and the programmes that are on offer.

    Access your copy of the Wintec Prospectus

    The Wintec Prospectus (course guide) is available by downloading the file - click on the document below to access the file. Alternatively, to request a copy via email or the post, please complete the form below.

    Request an emailable or printed copy of the Prospectus

    Portfolio

    If you have not received NCEA credits in arts or visual design, do not meet the entry criteria, or are applying as a mature student, you may need to submit a portfolio/audition. You will be advised of this when you apply.

    What do I need to submit with my application? 

    A 300-word personal statement: State why you wish to be accepted onto the music and performing arts programme. You could talk about the following: career goals and aspirations, musical experience, industry professionals/mentors, music and performing arts genres that interest you, chosen instrument or area of musical/performing arts strength (eg composition, production, instrumental performance, singing, acting, dancing). In addition, please include your CV.

    Music portfolio: If you want to study music, include an audition USB or internet link with approximately five minutes of music that demonstrates your abilities in any/all of performance, composition, and production. This can include both cover songs and originals. Please note what your contributions are to the music (e.g. songwriter, performer). If presenting a performance, the work can be a simple home recording. Alternatively, you may audition at the interview; please state this clearly on your application.

    Performing arts audition: If you want to study theatre performing arts, please prepare a song of your choosing (preferably from a musical theatre context) and a short monologue (minimum 1 minute) from any drama genre. You may also present a dance piece in any style. The audition process will ideally occur in person; however, video performances can be attached to your application where this is not possible.

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