Bachelor of Music (Performing Arts) at Nelson Mandela University

Programme overview

This programme has been approved in terms of the new Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF). The overall purpose of the BMus programme is to produce professional musicians who have the requisite skills and knowledge to function effectively in the workplace, who possess the necessary critical thinking skills to be creative, innovative and adaptable in changing circumstances, and who have the ability to apply these in selected, specialised contexts. The purpose of the BMus (Performing Arts) is to equip students with the ability to work as performing artists in a creative environment, and to develop the ability to critically engage with relevant conventions of performance practice.

Faculty: Humanities | Duration: 4 years | Study mode: full-time | Location: Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

What you will study

· The purpose of the BMus (Performing Arts) is to equip students with the ability to work as performing artists in a creative environment, and to develop the ability to critically engage with relevant conventions of performance practice. The published curriculum is an NQF Level 8 qualification of 480 credits.

Career pathways

Career fields listed on the page: Musician, Music Teacher.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Minimum APS: 350. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS Minimum statutory NSC requirements for degree entry must be met. An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematics or Technical Mathematics requires a minimum Applicant Score of 350. An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematical Literacy requires a minimum Applicant Score of 365. NSC achievement rating of at least 40% for Mathematics or Technical Mathematics or 60% for Mathematical Literacy. A minimum practical music standard equivalent to Grade 6 of the external examining bodies for music is required for admission to the first module of First Instrument: Advanced. A minimum standard in music theory equivalent to Grade 5 of the external examining bodies for music is required for admission to the first module of Music Theory, Analysis and Aural Development. Admission is subject to an audition in the applicant’s chosen First Instrument and to a music theory entrance test.

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Applications for the 2027 academic year opened on 13 April 2026. Applications for MBChB, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing Extended, BPharm and Bachelor of Radiography (Diagnostic) close on 30 June 2026.

Early applications for 2027 (excluding MBChB, Nursing, BPharm and BRad) close on 03 August 2026; late applications close on 30 September 2026.

International student applications for 2027 (excluding MBChB, BPharm and BRad) close on 30 September 2026. The application fee for international students is R500 per year; online applications by South African applicants carry no application fee.

Student accommodation applications for 2027 close on 30 September 2026.

2026 down-payments before registration: R10 600 full-time (R6 200 part-time) for degrees, postgraduate diplomas, advanced diplomas, Masters and Doctorates; R7 500 full-time (R5 200 part-time) for diplomas and certificates; enrolment fee R1 770. International students pay 100% upfront.

Apply through the official page: https://applyonline.mandela.ac.za

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