Career opportunities
Graduates of the BPA pursue careers in a wide range of performance forms and styles, as well as in performing arts-related education, media and other related fields. Our programme enables the development of a range of skills.
While the skills and knowledge gained will prove invaluable for those desiring a career in musical/theatrical forms and performing arts education, they are equally useful for many career paths.
Cultural knowledge and skills gained through creative practice and historical and theoretical study are valued, for example, in journalism, advertising, marketing, law, medicine, and many other occupations. You will develop many generic skills employers seek including:
- teamwork and leadership
- effective oral and written communication
- gathering and processing of information
- analysis, critical evaluation and problem solving
- organisational skills and time-management
- lateral and critical thinking
- creativity
- self-confidence and self-motivation
- independent judgement
Requirements for other music papers
The first-year composition paper, MUSI 131, requires that beginning students are comfortable in both the reading and writing of music. The songwriting paper, MUSI 135, does not require an audition or other requirements and is open to all students regardless of whether they can read or write music notation.
Requirements for entry into the theatre and dance papers
There are no auditions required for entry into the theatre and dance papers.
Recommended background
The Bachelor of Performing Arts is a blended specialist degree that contains practice-based training in some key areas for which students must pass an audition to be accepted.
If you choose papers in singing or playing an instrument, you must audition for entry. These papers are MUSI 141 (Performance), MUSI 146 (Contemporary Music Performance), PERF 102 (Musical Theatre Voice) and MUSI 140 (Music Studies – available in any instrument).
Auditions for these performance papers normally take place in Dunedin during the last weekend of September for entry the following year. It is also possible to audition by video, with these due by 1 September for entry the following year. Late applications may be considered.
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Programme details
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.
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