The Graduate Certificate will cover to an advanced level, the theoretical and practical skills required for students to create, play or sing contemporary music in an industry setting.
The programme will include knowledge of musical concepts, principles and techniques to identify chords, scales and modes in order to provide solutions for issues and problems associated with instrumental soloing. Students can demonstrate knowledge of a targeted area of their own choice, in the field of contemporary music.
20 weeks full-time
2025 Semester 1: 17 February to 27 June
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
Features of the programme include:
Students must choose a minimum of 60 credits from the following schedule of Level 6 and 7 papers. At least 45 of the 60 credits must be at Level 7. The remaining credits may be chosen from Level 6 or 7, with a maximum of 15 credits at Level 6.
Level 6 Electives
BCM601 Music Theory and Aural 2 (15 Credits)
This paper aims to further develop students’ understanding and applications of music theory and analysis. This paper builds on level 5 with advancing concepts in music theory in order to evaluate and apply them to read and write music to a complex level. The advancing concepts of music theory will be supported by analysis and practical application of musicological elements.
BCM603 Contemporary Composition Studies 2 (15 Credits)
This paper aims to develop students’ composition and arranging skills by examining a variety of creative processes and concepts, including composing music for visual media. Students will present their arrangements and compositions using industry standard recording, production and notation software. The creative processes will be documented and examined.
CON601 Contextual Studies 2 (15 Credits)
This paper aims to prepare students for professional practice by presenting research as a uniting strategy for practice, theory and scholarship. Students will learn critical, analytical, and reflective approaches to assess current knowledge, and will be introduced to various research methodologies with a focus on research in the creative arts.
BCM602 Songwriting (15 Credits)
This paper aims to develop students’ songwriting skills by examining a variety of creative processes and concepts. Students will present their songs using industry standard recording, production and notation software. The creative processes will be documented and examined.
BCM606 Music Education Studies 1 (15 Credits)
This paper aims to introduce students to music education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It will examine the skills and techniques related to different ages and contexts of teaching practice. Students will have the opportunity to observe and reflect upon music teaching in a variety of contexts, as well as plan and execute a lesson designed for a particular context. It will also examine the history of music education in New Zealand and current perspectives, as well as exploring other aspects relating to music education, such as multicultural music education and music therapy. It will also provide students with the opportunity to develop a business plan for a small business that is related to music teaching.
CIB601 Creative Industries Business and Legal (15 Credits)
Small business management is essential for anyone intending to, or finding themselves, running their own enterprise within the creative industry sectors such as music, sound engineering and audio production, post production and other related creative industries. Students therefore will learn to manage their own professional business practice, professional development and industry knowledge to develop employment opportunities. They will research and analyse material and contexts for application to a creative industry business.
Level 7 Electives
BCM701 Music Theory and Aural 3 (15 Credits)
This paper aims to further develop students’ understanding and applications of music theory and aural skills. This paper builds on level 6 with advancing concepts in music theory in order to evaluate and apply them to read and write music to a complex level. The advanced concepts of music theory will be supported by analysis and practical application of skills.
BCM704 Practical Studies 5 (30 Credits)
This paper aims to provide the opportunity for students to plan, prepare, and implement a group tour to selected venues in the South Island of New Zealand. There will be further consolidation of the knowledge and techniques introduced in Practical Studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 in performance, technical extension, theory applications and musicianship skills applicable to the chosen instrumental major. Students will further develop their ability to write musical scores and work on further developing musical professionalism through group work and performances.
BCM706 Music Education Studies 2 (30 Credits)
This paper aims to critically examine philosophical, historical, and social issues relating to music and music education. The paper will examine specific pedagogies in music education, such as Orff, Suzuki, and Kodály. A further element of this paper will be reflection on the student’s own experiences of music education and evaluation and examination of a current music education practitioner.
BCM790 Special Project (30 Credits)
This paper provides students with the opportunity to investigate a music-related topic, subject to Programme Manager approval.
Elective 1 Elective (not already completed from another SIT programme - to be approved by the Programme Manager).
Elective 2Elective (not already completed from another SIT programme - to be approved by the Programme Manager).
The overall aim of the Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Music is to equip graduates who may have majored in a different discipline, with the skills and knowledge that fulfil the expectations of the contemporary music industry, its practitioners and clients.
Graduate Certificate students will broaden their knowledge and focus on a targeted area of contemporary music, which will enhance their professional skills or allow them to staircase to further study.
This programme leads students towards employment in the audio or entertainment industry, as well as on to further study in related fields.
Entry is open to degree graduates, however those who are able to demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or educational experience of an appropriate kind, may be granted admission.
In addition, all applicants must gain approval from the Programme Manager regarding paper selection, and any applicable prerequisite requirements. Where the requisite knowledge or skill does not exist to allow direct entry into a Level 6 or 7 paper, some Level 5 study may be required in addition to the credit requirements.
Additional Criteria The following requirements apply to applicants in all admissions categories:
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment
IELTS test - Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5 TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE) TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18) Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill. OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic) Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42 Language Cert - C1 Expert International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than distinction in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current
In order to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Music, the student will have been credited with papers and electives from the schedule of papers (60 credits).
The student completing the Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Music will normally be expected to complete the half-year programme (full-time equivalent) within three years.
Notwithstanding above, the Head of Faculty, with the approval and recommendation of the Board of Studies, may allow a student a longer period to complete the programme.