Major Overview

Description

The Music Theatre Studies Major allows students to develop their artistry and knowledge to engage with the professional and amateur music theatre community. Within the Major, students gain experience and skills across the three major aspects of performance, singing, dancing, and acting. As well as developing their performance skills, students will study topics in music analysis and music theatre history, allowing them to frame their performance through understanding the theoretical frameworks of music. Students will be able to work independently, as well as be given the opportunity to work collaboratively.

Students should be aware that this major does not provide a pathway to an Honours.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. demonstrate a developing singing technique in a music theatre style
  2. demonstrate an intermediate level of musicianship in presentation of works within solo, small group and company settings
  3. apply skills in singing, acting, and dancing to music theatre performance
  4. articulate broad historical perspectives on the nature and contexts of music theatre works and their antecedents
  5. implement techniques in artistic self-management, entrepreneurship, and networking relevant to the music theatre industry
  6. demonstrate an experimental and creative orientation.
Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so and to pursue as many areas of interest as you can during your course of study. At the same time, we k now that many of you value the University's guidance and assistance in planning your enrolment throughout your course, so we offer the following suggestions for your consideration as possible avenues to broaden your degree. Do always remember, however, that there is no wrong way to broaden your studies as long as you complete at least four units not associated with your Degree Specific Major.
Suggested Minors to broaden you study area, are:
Digital MNR-DCREA Digital Creativity
Suggested units to broaden your study area, are:
(1) ENGL1401 Narrative in the Digital Age
(2) ENGL2210 Cinema Classics
Prerequisites

Successful audition with the Conservatorium of Music, and have completed the Aural placement assessment.

Incompatibilities

MJD-MUSDM Music; MJD-MUSST Music Studies; MJD-MSTGM Music General Studies in Voice

Courses

Music Theatre can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plan

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2026 – may be available in 2027 or 2028

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 MUSC1352 Music Theatre: Oklahoma! to Hamilton None
S1, S2 MUSC1591 Music Large Ensemble 1
Co-requisites
MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1
or MUSC1741 Practical Studies A
or MUSC1345 Keyboard and Performance Technologies 1
or MUSC1751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 1
S1, S2 MUSC1592 Music Large Ensemble 2
Prerequisites
MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1
or MUSC1741 Practical Studies A
or MUSC1345 Keyboard and Performance Technologies 1
Co-requisites
MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2
or MUSC1742 Practical Studies B
or MUSC2455 Keyboard and Performance Technologies 2
or MUSC1752 Music Theatre Performance Skills 2
S1 MUSC1751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 1
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
MJD-MUSMT Music Theatre
Co-requisites
Enrolment in
MUSC1591 Music Large Ensemble 1
Incompatibility
All of the following
Enrolment in
MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1
or Successful completion of
MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1
S1, S2 MUSC1752 Music Theatre Performance Skills 2
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
MJD-MUSMT Music Theatre
and Successful completion of
MUSC1751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 1
Co-requisites
Enrolment in
MUSC1592 Music Large Ensemble 2
Incompatibility
All of the following MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1 MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2 MUSC2541 Principal Studies 3 MUSC2542 Principal Studies 4 MUSC3541 Principal Studies 5 MUSC3542 Principal Studies 6 MUSC3581 Principal Studies 5: Composition MUSC3582 Principal Studies 6: Composition MUSC3583 Principal Studies 5: Musicology MUSC3584 Principal Studies 6: Musicology MUSC3585 Principal Studies 5: Performance MUSC3586 Principal Studies 6: Performance MUSC3587 Studio Teaching 1 MUSC3588 Studio Teaching 2
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 MUSC1320 Music Language Foundations
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
Conservatorium of Music Aural placement assessment
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC1321 Music Language 1
or Enrolment in
Unit(s) MUSC1321 Music Language 1
S1 MUSC1321 Music Language 1
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR MUS Music
OR Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) Grade 5 Theory
OR approved equivalents and completion of Aural placement assessment
Incompatibility
MUSC1201 Techniques of Music 1
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 MUSC1322 Music Language 2
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
MUSC1321 Music Language 1 (ID 1121)
Incompatibility
MUSC1202 Techniques of Music 2
S2 MUSC1350 Popular Music in Global Perspective
Incompatibility
MUSC3010 Popular Music and Culture

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 MUSC2342 Music in Action
Incompatibility
MUSC2331 Western Art Music 1 (Renaissance and Baroque) MUSC2332 Western Art Music 2 (Classical and Romantic) MUSC3331 Western Art Music 3 (Modernist and Postmodernist)
S1 MUSC2345 Music Theatre: Exploring Characterisation
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
level 1 24 points
S1, S2 MUSC2591 Music Large Ensemble 3
Prerequisites
MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2
or MUSC1742 Practical Studies B
Co-requisites
MUSC2541 Principal Studies 3
or MUSC2741 Practical Studies C
or MUSC2751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 3
S1, S2 MUSC2751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 3
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
MJD-MUSMT Music Theatre
and MUSC2751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 2 and any three level 1 6 points Discipline(s)
Co-requisites
Enrolment in
MUSC2591 Music Large Ensemble 3
Incompatibility
All of the following MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1 MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2 MUSC2541 Principal Studies 3 MUSC2542 Principal Studies 4 MUSC3541 Principal Studies 5 MUSC3542 Principal Studies 6 MUSC3581 Principal Studies 5: Composition MUSC3582 Principal Studies 6: Composition MUSC3583 Principal Studies 5: Musicology MUSC3584 Principal Studies 6: Musicology MUSC3585 Principal Studies 5: Performance MUSC3585 Principal Studies 5: Performance MUSC3587 Studio Teaching 1 MUSC3588 Studio Teaching 2

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 MUSC2592 Music Large Ensemble 4
Prerequisites
MUSC2541 Principal Studies 3
or MUSC2741 Practical Studies C
Co-requisites
MUSC2542 Principal Studies 4
or MUSC3741 Practical Studies D
or MUSC3751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 4
S1 MUSC3538 Professional Skills: Music Industry and Artist
Prerequisites
one level 2 6 points Unit(s) BP008 Bachelor of Music
or one level 2 6 points Unit(s) MJD-MUSCO Contemporary Popular Music
S1, S2 MUSC3591 Music Large Ensemble 5
Prerequisites
MUSC2542 Principal Studies 4
Co-requisites
MUSC3541 Principal Studies 5
or MUSC3581 Principal Studies 5: Composition
or MUSC3583 Principal Studies 5: Musicology
or MUSC3585 Principal Studies 5: Performance
or MUSC3587 Studio Teaching 1
or MUSC3561 Practical Pedagogy in the Music Studio
S1, S2 MUSC3751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 4
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
MJD-MUSMT Music Theatre
and MUSC3751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 3
and Enrolment in
or Successful completion of
MUSC2342 Music in Action
Co-requisites
Enrolment in
MUSC2592 Music Large Ensemble 4
Incompatibility
All of the following MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1 MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2 MUSC2541 Principal Studies 3 MUSC2542 Principal Studies 4 MUSC3541 Principal Studies 5 MUSC3542 Principal Studies 6 MUSC3581 Principal Studies 5: Composition MUSC3582 Principal Studies 6: Composition MUSC3583 Principal Studies 5: Musicology MUSC3584 Principal Studies 6: Musicology MUSC3585 Principal Studies 5: Performance MUSC3586 Principal Studies 6: Performance MUSC3587 Studio Teaching 1 MUSC3588 Studio Teaching 2
N/A MUSC3752 Music Theatre Performance Skills 5
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC3751 Music Theatre Performance Skills 4
Co-requisites
Enrolment in
Unit(s) MUSC3591 Music Large Ensemble 5
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC1341 Principal Studies 1
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC1342 Principal Studies 2
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC2541 Principal Studies 3
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC2542 Principal Studies 4
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC3585 Principal Studies 5: Performance
Successful completion of
Unit(s) MUSC3586 Principal Studies 6: Performance