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Performing arts

The discipline

The teaching program in the performing arts is designed to foster performance and academic excellence in courses that integrate the various arts and the media. It aims to give students (i) specialist training in a single art form, and (ii) working practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of other art forms. It trains performing artists with wide artistic interests and a high degree of flexibility.

Students undertaking the Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) degree will complete a range of integrated, interdisciplinary courses in two or more of the following arts: (i) music, (ii) drama, (iii) dance studies, (iv) film and television, and (v) visual/studio arts. The course provides a balance of practical, theoretical, critical and contextual studies. Students will be involved in cooperative productions working in two or more art forms, for example in music theatre or dance-drama productions and sound sculpture exhibitions. The BPA has a greater concentration on practical creative and performing art courses than is customary in the program for the Bachelor of Arts, and takes a broader approach across the arts than the more specialised music subjects leading to the Bachelor of Music degree.

Monash University's Clayton campus is blessed with some excellent performance venues. These include the Robert Blackwood Hall, which is one of the finest concert halls in Australia, the Alexander Theatre, the Music Auditorium, the Drama Theatre and the Religious Centre. Creative work plays an increasingly prominent role in courses offered in the departments of Music, Visual Arts and English as well as the Centre for Drama and Theatre Studies. Courses in Australian, European, Asia-Pacific, American and other arts are a feature of the Monash programs. High quality performances by both professional and student artists are regularly presented to community audiences.

Courses are offered in classical, contemporary and popular arts of Asia, Europe and Australia. In addition, short courses in the arts, such as winter and summer schools, and arts festivals are offered. Some performances are presented in association with courses offered by the various language departments in the Faculty of Arts, which teaches a wide variety of European and Asian languages.

Objectives

The Bachelor of Performing Arts aims to:

On completion of the course, students should:

Honours degree

It is expected that a fourth or honours year will be available from 1998 offering an opportunity for more specialised and advanced work in the student's major area of study, leading to the degree of BPA (Hons). Intending honours students will be required to have completed a major sequence with at least credit grades in subjects to the value of twenty-four points at second or third-year level, including at least sixteen points at third-year level.

Departments may grant an extension of time for submission of the honours thesis or for final coursework up to the last day of the examination period of the semester in which the work is due. Applications for extensions beyond this date must be made to the Committee for Undergraduate Studies.

Graduate work

Students with approved results will be able to extend their studies at masters level in various practical and theoretical courses and by research thesis in the following art forms - music, drama and theatre, film and television, visual arts and dance, or combinations of these. Staff are involved in research and performance of medieval and Renaissance music and drama, early European and Asian dance, Indonesian theatre and puppet theatre, European and Asian visual arts, and contemporary Australian performance work.

Subjects offered

Art forms included in this degree are music, drama, dance studies, visual arts, film and television and creative writing.

Students must undertake (i) a major sequence of not less than fifty-two points and not more than sixty-four points in one of music, drama, visual arts or film and television studies and (ii) a minor sequence in a different art form, or in a discipline taught by another department or faculty. Students who choose a fifty-two-point major may elect to complete a first-year sequence in a second (or third) art form. Students may not, however, undertake a major and a minor in the visual arts/film and television combination.

Students enrolling for the degree will normally complete all programs A- D as set out below. Please note that in 1997 majors are available only in music, drama, visual arts and film and television studies.

Program

First year
Second year
Third year
Total points
A Sequence in the history, nature and analysis of the arts eg PER1010, or in music theatre production work subjected to comparable analysis eg PER1050
6
8
8/16
22/30
B Interdisciplinary studies sequence eg PER1040
6
8
8
22
C Major sequence in a single artform (eg music, drama, visual arts)
12/24
16
24/32
52/64
D Minor sequence in a second art form
12
16

28
Total
48
48
48
144
Note that first-year semester subjects are worth six points each and later-year subjects are worth eight points each.

Major, minor and first-year sequences for the BPA

The following sequences of subjects form the normal pattern for a major, a minor, or a first-year sequence in each area. Some variations in the combinations of subjects may be allowed with the permission of the coordinators of the degree.

Music

(i) A major sequence - choose fifty-two or sixty-four points from the following:

First year: 12 or 24 points
Second year: 16 points
MUS2520 Orchestral and choral performance and repertoire

* Indicates core unit.

Third year: 24 or 32 points
A rotating genre or area study, for example: (ii) A minor sequence - twenty-eight points
First year: 12 or 24 points
Second year: 16 points
(iii) A first-year sequence - twelve points

Choose two of the following:

Drama

(i) A major sequence - choose fifty-two or sixty-four points from the following:

First year: 12 points

* Indicates core unit.

Second year: 16 points
Third year: 24 or 32 points

* Indicates core unit.

(ii) A minor sequence - twenty-eight points
First year (12 points)
Second year (16 points)

Any combination of two eight-point DTS second-year units

(iii) A first-year sequence - twelve points

First year

Art history and theory

(i) A major sequence - choose fifty-two or sixty-four points from the following:

First year: 12 points
Second year: 16 points
Third year: 24 or 32 points
(ii) A minor sequence

An approved sequence of twenty-eight points from the first and second-year subjects above.

(iii) A first-year sequence

First year

Film and television

(i) A major sequence - choose fifty-two points or sixty-four points from the following:

First year: 12 points
Second year: 16 points
Third year: 24 or 32 points
(ii) A minor sequence - twenty-eight points

Students may choose from the above first and second-year subjects.

(iii) A first-year sequence - twelve points

Students may choose from the above first-year subjects.

Dance

(i) A minor sequence - twenty-eight points

First year: 12 points
Second/third year: 16 points

Core sequences in the performing arts

Sequence in the history, nature and analysis of the arts

Students must complete a sequence including six points at first-year level, eight points at second-year level and eight or sixteen points at third-year level. The first subject in this sequence is PER1010 (Introduction to cultural studies I) or PER1050 (Music theatre: theory and practice). Second-year students will be required to take PER2000 (The aesthetics of performance), and third-year students PER3000 (Contemporary performance culture).

Interdisciplinary performance sequence - 22 points

Students complete PER1040 (Interdisciplinary project,) plus an additional subject at second and third-year levels.

A first-year sequence in a third artform

Students may take twelve points of study in a third art form if they take a fifty-two-point major sequence in their principal artform.

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