Bachelor of Science and Music majoring in Astrophysics

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Monash University

Program Overview

If you love both music and science, this double degree is a rare opportunity to explore both worlds — diving deep into the mysteries of the universe through astrophysics, while also nurturing your creative and musical side. It’s ideal for curious, well-rounded students who want to understand how the cosmos works and also develop their artistry, whether in composition, performance, or music technology.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year lays the foundation: you’ll start with introductory science and mathematics courses that set the stage for astrophysics later on. For example, you’ll take mathematics/statistics (like the equivalent of “Analysis of Change” or a basic modeling unit) and at least one approved science sequence. This may also include a physics/astronomy unit like “Earth to cosmos — introductory astronomy” (or “Life and the universe” if you prefer a broader, less math‑intensive start). Meanwhile, you begin your music study with the first two units of your chosen music specialisation (for instance, in composition & music technology). By the end of year one, you’ll have a good sense of what both sides of the degree entail — fundamental physics/math on one hand, and creative music grounding on the other.

Year 2

In the second year, you begin more focused astrophysics‑related science units — for example “Astronomy” and “Introduction to astrophysics” — which start moving beyond basics into real astronomical ideas. Alongside, you continue with your music specialisation, likely doing the next sequential music units. This gives you a chance to balance the analytical thinking required for astrophysics with the creative thinking of music. You’ll start to get a taste of how scientific and musical thinking might interplay in interesting ways.

Year 3

Third year is where the astrophysics major really kicks in. You’ll take advanced units like “Stars and galaxies”, “Relativity and cosmology”, “Computational astrophysics and the extreme universe” or “Observational astronomy” — depending on your interest. These classes dive deep into how we understand the universe: from stars, galaxies, black holes, to cosmology, using mathematics, physics, and computational modelling. Meanwhile, your music studies will reach higher‑level music specialist units, rounding out your artistic development. By now you’ll be blending a sophisticated science mindset with mature musical skills — a combination few others carry.

Year 4 (if you continue full degree)

Over the full four‑year span, you’ll finish the remaining science and music units needed: completing the full astrophysics major (with required level‑3 units) and the final advanced music specialist units. The science side will consolidate your astrophysics knowledge: conceptually, mathematically, and (where relevant) observationally. The music side will leave you ready for performance, composition, or music technology work. By the end of year four, you emerge as someone who understands the cosmos — and can express yourself musically too.

Focus Areas

Astrophysics, Mathematics & Physics fundamentals, Music Composition / Performance / Technology

Learning Outcomes

You graduate with a solid grasp of how astrophysics builds on physics and mathematics to explore and model the universe — combined with advanced musical skills and creative discipline that add breadth and depth to your thinking.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This double degree gives you accredited credentials in both Science and Music. If you ever choose to pivot — say, toward astronomical research, data‑driven science roles, or music‑related careers — you’ll have the formal training and degrees to support it.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings)

Monash is well respected internationally for both its science and arts faculties, and a strong astrophysics major from a top‑tier university like Monash gives you a competitive edge. Whether you aim for research, data‑heavy tech roles, science communication, or creative industries — this blend signals versatility, deep thinking, and creativity, qualities employers and institutions value.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Great question — the combined Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music (S2005) at Monash University with a major in Astrophysics is actually a really exciting path — especially if you love both science and music. It’s designed to give you real, hands‑on experience across both disciplines, so you graduate not just with theory, but with practical skills, tools, and experience that are career‑ready.

Here’s how it builds those strengths in a genuine, experiential way:

In the astrophysics part of the degree, from early on you’re learning in the dedicated Physics and Astronomy Collaborative‑learning Environment (PACE) — rather than just lectures, you get to work in specially designed “PACE Studios” that emphasise problem‑solving, collaboration, communication and teamwork — skills that mirror how real science is done.
As you progress, you’ll study advanced level astrophysics units where you get to use specialised astronomical equipment — including telescopes and instrumentation — enabling you to observe stars, galaxies and other celestial phenomena directly, rather than just reading about them.
On top of observation, you’ll also learn the computational and mathematical side: developing numerical codes and doing computer‑based simulations or modelling — the kind of work that modern astrophysics relies on.
Through this combination of observational astronomy, theoretical physics, math, and computation, you build strong analytical, computational, and problem‑solving skills — exactly the kind used in scientific research, data‑driven industries, and high‑level quantitative jobs.
Meanwhile, the music component gives you specialist music training (whether through performance, composition/music technology or musicology, depending on your chosen music specialisation), and balances your scientific training with artistic and creative skills — giving a truly interdisciplinary perspective that opens up unusual and interesting career combinations (like audio‑technology, sound analysis, acoustics, media & science communication, etc.).

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from this program emerge with a unique, interdisciplinary toolkit — combining rigorous scientific training (with options like an astrophysics or physics‑based major) and a deep understanding of music. That gives you flexibility: many go on to careers in physics/astrophysics, scientific research, data/technology roles, or music‑ and audio‑based fields (composition, production, audio engineering, music performance or music journalism).

Here’s what this means for you:

Monash supports employability through structured opportunities: you can take internship units or industry‑placement courses as part of the science component, giving you real‑world experience even before you graduate.
During the course you’ll develop strong analytical, computational, numerical, experimental, and problem‑solving skills — exactly the skills employers value in physics, data science, instrumentation, acoustics, and research‑heavy roles.
On the music side, you’ll get specialist training: whether you lean toward performance, composition, music technology, or musicology, Monash’s Bachelor of Music curriculum prepares you for roles in performance, production, music‑writing, audio engineering, music journalism, or media broadly.
Because you combine science + music, you stand out: this interdisciplinary edge makes you more versatile — for example, working on acoustic research, sound‑tech development, or audio‑engineering in scientific or creative industries.
If you pick a science major like astrophysics or physics, you open paths toward advanced scientific careers or research, including working with astronomical equipment, computational modelling, or scientific instrumentation.

Further Academic Progression:
After finishing the double degree, you could choose to do an honours year in either science (e.g. BSc Honours) or music (BMus Honours), depending on which direction resonates more with you. From there, many science grads further proceed to postgraduate studies — for instance a Master of Science at Monash (or in a related field like mathematics, environmental science, or applied science) — particularly if you want to deepen technical or research skills. On the music side, you could pursue advanced studies in composition, music technology, performance or even music research.

In plain terms: this degree keeps your options wide open. If you love both science and music (or aren’t sure which you want to lean into yet), this program gives you the freedom to explore both — and still graduate ready for real, rewarding work or further study.