Bachelor of Arts in Music

Preamble

The Department of Performing Arts and Film, formerly the Department of Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) till 2010, was established in 1971. PAF is one of the most vibrant units at Makerere University, the oldest Institution of higher learning in Eastern Africa, established by the colonial government in1922. PAF, the only one of its kind in Uganda and Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, offers training in music, dance, drama and film under one roof. The Department has produced some of the best musicians, dancers, actors, radio and television presenters, film personnel, and performing arts managers. PAF has also produced internationally recognised academics in the different areas of performing arts. PAF belongs to the School of Liberal and Performing Arts in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Program Objectives

1. To offer music education that responds to the community, national, regional and global demands of the Twenty-first Century

2. To offer an education with transferable skills that could enable the graduates to create jobs, an urgent intervention that is needed to propel Uganda’s economy.

3. To produce all-round graduates that are critical, adaptive, reflective, reflexive to, and aware of their society and surrounding phenomena and environment.

4. To introduce, ground, and allow students to experience and experiment with Indigenous community dance and music traditions from within their regions in Uganda to the entire country and general survey from cultures in Africa and the world.

5. To contribute to the aims and objectives of Uganda’s national development goals, sustainable development goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations (UN), the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of 2003, as well as the world intellectual property organisation (WIPO).

6. To prepare and train students to be/become arts entrepreneurs who understand the history and background of Uganda, Africa’s dance and music industry, and beyond.

Programme Outcomes

1. To offer music education that responds to the community, national, regional and global demands of the Twenty-first Century

2. Graduates with transferable skills that could enable the graduates to create jobs, an urgent intervention needed to propel Uganda’s economy

3. To produce critical, adaptive, reflective, reflexive graduates to and aware of their society and surrounding phenomena and environment.

4. Graduates that appreciate their Indigenous community dance and music traditions from within their regions in Uganda to the entire country and general survey from African and glob.5. To contribute to the aims and objectives of Uganda’s national development goals, sustainable development goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations (UN), the UNESCO Convention forSafeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of 2003, as well as the world intellectual property organisation (WIPO).
5. Entrepreneurial artists who understand the history and background of Uganda, Africa’s dance and music industry, and beyond.

 Employment Prospects

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Music are readily employed. They are among the national and international workforce unaffected by unemployment challenges because they are job creators. Our graduates get employment in the following areas:

• Music Teachers 25%
• Performers Troupes/Bands 10%
• Music Studios 5%
• Music Performance trainers 35%
• Media (Radio/TV) 5%
• NGOs 10%
• Others 5%

2.0 CONDUCT OF THE PROGRAMME

2.1 Nature of the Programme

The BMUS is a full-time day programme.

2.2 Target Group

The reviewed Bachelor of Arts in Music degree has been designed to attract all students with or without prior music education training from arts and science backgrounds. There is no longer the requirement for one to have a prior background in music; the target students are very broad, and they include. Still, not limited to music practitioners and these include 1) popular musicians, especially those who have already graduated in different fields and joined the music industry without any musical training; 2)music producers (including self-taught graduates); 3) church musicians (gospel singers etc.) who qualify to join the University; and trained music teachers who are looking for deeper content in music.

In addition to the University’s traditional means of advertising programmes, this programme will also be advertised through the media at no cost to the University since most of our former students are working in different radio and television media and are willing to advertise for free. Other avenues for advertising include but are not limited to 1) during theatrical performances, 2) in churches, and 3) during the Departmental Performances, at no cost to the University.

2.3 Duration

The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree programme shall cover three years, per the university regulation. Each year of study will have 2 (two) semesters, except for the third year, which has a recess semester. Each semester is 17 (seventeen) weeks, 14 (fourteen) weeks for teaching and 3 (three) weeks for examinations. The whole course will be covered in 7 (seven) semesters and 3 (three) academic years.

2.4 Designation of the Award

A Bachelor of Arts in Music (BMUS) degree will be awarded to the successful candidates.

2.5 Tuition Fees

All students will pay tuition, functional or any other fees as prescribed from time to time by the

Makerere University Council for the specific year of study. However, at the beginning of the

programme, Ugandans and EAC citizens will pay at least 1,064,613/= (one million, sixty-four thousand six hundred thirteen shillings only) and 1,596,919/= (One million, five hundred ninety-six thousand

nine hundred nineteen shillings only) for international students in tuition per annum. Recess and field attachments will be paid separately from the academic semester tuition fees.

3.0 REGULATIONS

3.1 Admission Requirements

Admission to year one does not require one to have had prior music education. However, the programme offers two strands: 1) Advanced Music strand for students with prior music education at a level of either Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or a Diploma in Performing Arts, majoring in music, or a Diploma in Music or their equivalents from recognised institutions; 2) Community and

Popular Music strand for all students who have not had any prior music education up to the levels mention