Curriculum Outline

Music Industry College offers a set cluster of subjects in Year 11 and 12 that are contextualised to suit a career in the music industry.

Core Subjects

All students at Music Industry College will study the following core subjects:

English – This course allows students to study the classics of literature and poetry, including Animal Farm, The Crucible and Hamlet, in a contemporary context. Students will study themes ranging from Representations of Music and Musicians in the Media to Issues of Power and Control.

Business Organisation and Management – This course provides theoretical and practical opportunities for students to successfully navigate their way through a music industry career. Students will gain hands-on experience in festival organisation and management, music marketing, micro-business operations and managing staff in a live music venue setting. Through a partnership with Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE Year 11 students will have an opportunity to attain a Certificate III in Music Business.

Elective Subjects

All students at Music Industry College can choose to study a minimum of three of the following elective subjects:

Mathematics A - Maths A as a subject applies maths to real-life situations. Wherever possible the subjects studied and assessment instruments are geared towards an application in the music industry. Very rarely do the students ask “When are we ever going to use this?” At MIC we explore situations within Maths A which include: budgeting for the recording and release of an EP, understanding the musicians award, what tax deductions musicians and performers are entitled to claim, calculation of minimum area required at a venue for a capacity crowd, bracing to support the structure of musical instruments and analysis of data of attendances at gigs to make predictions. Although this course is not compulsory it is highly recommended for any student wishing to sit the QCS test and obtain an OP.

Music – The Music course at MIC is designed to be as relevant as possible to the skills needed in the music industry. Students develop their abilities in the areas of performing, composing, music theory and recording technology while being encouraged to get active in the local scene.

Film, Television & New Media – During this course students will have the opportunity to learn film making techniques and put them into practice during hands-on production development. Students will use state-of-the-art equipment and software to produce music video clips, youth-focused TV pilots, short films and documentaries.

Visual Art – In Visual Art students are encouraged to explore their world and philosophies using various creative media. In Year 11 the course of study is focused on Diversification. Across semesters one and two, students are encouraged to discover a wide variety of possible responses through making and appraising experiences relating to Multiplicity, Gender and Existence. In Year 12 the underpinning focus is Specialisation. Students do this by reviewing their views on their own practice and gaining insight into the importance of Art and relating to the concepts of Truth and Reality, Excess and Restraint and Personal Artistic Extension.

All subjects listed are QSA–approved Authority subjects and will allow students to be eligible for an Overall Position (OP).

VET Certificate

In addition to the Core Subjects students at Music Industry College will also be eligible for a Certificate III Music Business. The majority of the content for this course is integrated into the Business Organisation & Management subject. Two extra periods per week have been set aside for Cert III in Year 11 to allow students adequate time to meet the course requirements and complete the necessary tasks. Completion of the Cert III will give students up to 8 points towards their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) as well as allowing direct entry to Certificate IV courses at TAFE.

The Timetable

Our timetable is designed to give students the best opportunity to gain depth of learning in all subjects and industry areas. Each day begins at 10 am and is divided into three 1 hour 40 minute classroom teaching sessions. The 1hr 40m sessions allow the teaching staff to cover theoretical aspects of the subject and provide opportunities for the students to experience practical, hands-on application of the theory in the same session.

Year 12 students also have two SDL (Student Directed Learning) sessions per week to focus on the following:

•     individual assignment work
•     group work
•     work experience

•     individual study

•     research
•     individual tuition with College staff
•     industry work placement, and
•     tertiary study.