Music

Department of Music

The Department of Music is located in the centre of Stellenbosch University’s beautiful campus, in the heart of the Western Cape’s winelands. Stellenbosch University is committed to providing a quality education through personal attention to students from a wide range of backgrounds.

areas of specialisation include -

Offering training in advanced theory and practical applications in the field of music over one year full-time, the Postgraduate Diploma in Film Music programme familiarises students with a variety of concepts and theoretical frameworks in the subject field of film music. The modular nature of the coursework introduces students gradually to the fundamental theoretical concepts that aid the creative processes.

The programme is designed to support practitioners who are currently working in the film music industry, but who do not have any formal background in music. Formal music education is therefore not an entry requirement for this programme.
On completing this programme, students will be ready for the advanced research required by the MPhil in Film Music.

If you love music and get excited about arranging or composing music with computers and software, the Postgraduate Diploma in Music Technology is the programme for you! You take your choice from specialisation areas like audio mastering, electronic composition and music for pictures.

Gaining skills for real-world magic:

By means of projects you will experience the process flow of real-world working environments, focusing on the production of music. You will be introduced to the theoretical and practical skills necessary to experiment in a wide range of music styles with software such as ProTools and Csound.
We also train you to design and develop interactive multimedia systems for music performances, theatre, edutainment and museum exhibitions. Our state of the art sound studios and venues rank among the finest in the country.

The BMusHons in Music offers specialisation in one of the following fields:

Composition
Music Education
Musicology and Music Technology
Practical Music Study

In addition, you take a module in the research methodology of music and complete an assignment.

The MMus programme develops research skills by means of either a 100% thesis or a 50% thesis. The latter programme structure includes either public concert performances or compositions. Admission for the following performance options is subject to auditions:

Solo
Composition
Accompaniment
Chamber music
Conducting

Additional supplementary work may be required.

Presenting the opportunity to conduct advanced research into film music fundamentals, the MPhil in Film Music develops and strengthens candidates' knowledge of film scoring by means of a systematic study of film scores, orchestration, theory and technology.

Taken over one year, the programme consists of a thesis (50% of the final mark) and a composition portfolio. Formal training in music is not a requirement for this programme.

The MPhil programme, a combination of taught modules and research, requires at least one year of full-time study. It focuses on the development of advanced practical and research skills in the technical sound domain, and on software in the broader music field.

The doctoral programme consists of a dissertation and an oral examination. The study can consist of exclusively theoretical work, or can be an integrated study of creative processes (such as public performances or composition) and theoretical work to be reported in the dissertation.