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
Compare programmes for this subject as a major and minor (where available).
| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100-level | THEA 153 Voice and Movement | 18 |
|
Plus 90 points from the following papers from at least TWO different subject codes (DANC, MUSI, THEA):
DANC 101, MUSI 104, MUSI 131, MUSI 132, MUSI 135 , MUSI 140, MUSI 143, MUSI 144, THEA 152, THEA 154 MAOR 108 can be substituted for one 100-level MUSI paper. | 90 | |
| Above 100-level | PERF 205 The Creative Industries or PERF 305 The Creative Industries | 18 |
|
A further 144 points from the following papers from at least TWO different subject codes (DANC, MUSI, THEA)
DANC 201, DANC 204, MUSI 232, MUSI 233, MUSI 234, MUSI 240, MUSI 243, MUSI 244, MUSI 268, THEA 241, THEA 252, THEA 256, DANC 301, DANC 304, MUSI 332 , MUSI 333, MUSI 334, MUSI 340, MUSI 343, MUSI 344, MUSI 368, MUSI 375, MUSI 379, MUSI 386, THEA 341 , THEA 351, THEA 352, THEA 356 90 points must be at the 300-level and must include at least one of PERF 301; MUSI 343 (Musical Theatre Voice option). MAOR 208 can be substituted for one 200-level MUSI paper and MAOR 308 can be substituted for one 300-level MUSI paper. | 144 | |
| Plus | Further papers in any subjects at any level worth 90 points. | 90 |
| Total | 360 |
More information
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.
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