Bachelor of Music
Culture and Arts - Music
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
This qualification prepares qualifying learners to function as professional musicians, composers, music industry specialists, and music scholars. Qualifying learners will have specialist knowledge and skills in African music, composition studies, music technology, musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and the music business. They will be able to interpret music from historical and oral sources, compose music in a range of popular, jazz, and art music styles, and orchestrate combinations of African and Western musical instruments. Graduates will be qualified to conduct basic research, which will allow graduates admission to postgraduate studies in musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, and composition studies.
Rationale:
This qualification is designed to provide qualifying graduates with professional training in Music in order to practice as professional musicians and music industry specialists. Secondly, this qualification provides the local and global communities with leaders in the field of music who will be able to understand the crucial role they have to play in society and who can make a significant contribution to the cultural life of African and global communities through the application and transfer of knowledge and skills in the music. Thirdly, the qualification enables learners to continue to postgraduate studies in the fields of music composition, musicology, ethnomusicology, music technology, and music theory.
Since this is the only Bachelor of Music Degree offered through distance learning in South Africa and in Africa, and therefore caters specifically for learners who do not have access to residential universities in major centres. It is also a Degree that caters for professional musicians and music industry specialists who work full time. On completion of their studies learners will be qualified for careers as professional musicians as composers, producers, and researchers, or in collaboration with other musicians in recording, editing, and mastering professional work for the recording industry. Graduates will also be qualified to work in the music business and the creative arts industries in general. Graduates will also be qualified to work in the educational sector, as music critics and writers, and as composers and producers for film, television, radio, and broadcast media.
Outcomes
- Engage in critical and creative thinking and demonstrate competency with regard to articulating, understanding and assimilating contemporary modes of understanding and interpreting popular music and jazz, Western art music and indigenous and popular African music.
- Think critically including reflecting on learning from individual and professional experience and academic disciplines in relation to political, social, cultural, and technological realities influencing music production and interpretation locally and globally.
- Conduct and deal with problems and issues specific to research in the field of music.
- Engage with the diversity of African, indigenous and world music in historical perspective, and relate knowledge of these types of music to a range of contexts.
- Use and apply academic and music literacy to become a life-long learner who is able to respond to the changing needs of society within the field of music.
- Demonstrate an understanding of, and apply, basic principles of business management and entrepreneurship related to the music industry.
- Plan, design, and create compositions at a workplace entry level in the following four areas: concert, electronic, popular, jazz, and commercial music.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Analyse and reflect on academic debates in music studies and sub-disciplines.
- Consider musical practices in African and other world societies.
- Reflect on the relationship between music and the community or public.
- Analyse music as an expression of socio-political ideologies.
- Reflect on the concepts and history of patronage in music.
- Interpret and reflect on categorisations and definitions of musical styles and genres.
- Evaluate the role of Music Studies in broader socio-economic and cultural perspectives.
- Relate gained knowledge, skills, and competencies to various contexts and disciplines.
- Show potential contribution to the development of Music Studies.
- Interact critically with musical texts in written and audio-visual form.
- Analyse and interpret works of Western art music, jazz, popular music, and African music.
- Compare and contrast repertoires and techniques of various musical styles.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Conceptualise subject matter, methodology, and compositional techniques.
- Use research methodologies for oral and literate sources.
- Apply research paradigms to generate ideas applicable to studied music.
- Analyse cultural production using discipline-specific rubrics.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Analyse and interpret musical texts in contemporary approaches.
- Use critical and music theoretical methodologies in analysis and interpretation.
- Select suitable methodologies for composition of musical works.
- Identify and solve problems in music contexts.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Interpret African and world music phenomena in cultural contexts.
- Analyse African musical practices regionally and stylistically.
- Bring fresh insights to known views in music.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Interact with visual, verbal, and oral texts critically.
- Integrate cultural elements from different sources in critical texts and musical works.
- Produce creative work in various media.
- Reflect critically on cultural texts and visual arts.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Develop creative and generative thinking for job opportunities.
- Create self-employment in music-related fields.
- Demonstrate entrepreneurial skills in the music industry.
- Formulate feasible business plans for the music industry.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
- Compose musical works in various styles.
- Use African compositional resources in music composition.
- Utilize advanced techniques of harmony and counterpoint.
- Compose electronic and commercial music using appropriate software.
- Compose music for film and television.
Integrated Assessment:
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Formative Assessment:
- Continuous assessment through practical and theoretical assignments.
- Self-evaluation exercises and tasks.
- Feedback provided through tutorial letters.
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Summative Assessment:
- Practical and theoretical examinations assessed by a panel of lecturers.
- Submission of a portfolio of practical year work.
- Testing of learning through exhibition of cultural objects.
Qualification Details
- Type
- National First Degree
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 360
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.