Music Industry College offers a ‘real interest’ educational program that inspires and develops music enjoyment, production, performance, marketing and distribution. The college offers a focused selection of subjects that best equips  young people to launch their career in the music industry. Our curriculum model and syllabus framework are based on that of the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and Vocational Education and Training.

GENERAL SUBJECTS

General subjects are an important part of subject choice for students who are interested in pathways beyond senior secondary schooling that lead to tertiary studies and to pathways for vocational education and training and work. They include Extension subjects.  Results in General subjects contribute to the award of a QCE and may contribute to an ATAR .

GENERAL ENGLISH

English in years 11 and 12 involves students studying language and how it works in our society, particularly as technology has created rapid change across various cultures and greater demands are placed on students to analyse and critique texts. Students will develop a number of texts for personal, cultural, social and aesthetic purposes and learn how language varies depending on context, purpose and audience, content, modes and mediums. During the two years students will also have opportunities to develop narrative, prose and verse writing, as well as scripting and delivering performances with a multi-media element and writing analyses in academic and literary forms. Each Year 11 unit is designed to familiarise students and develop their language skills for their final assessments in Year 12.

GENERAL MATHS

General Mathematics is designed for students who want to extend their mathematical skills beyond Year 10 but whose future studies or employment pathways do not require calculus. It incorporates a practical approach that equips learners for their needs as future citizens. Students will learn to ask appropriate questions, map out pathways, reason about complex solutions, set up models and communicate in different forms. They will experience the relevance of mathematics to their daily lives, communities and cultural backgrounds. At MIC, General Maths contextualises the Music Industry wherever possible. Examples include devising a budget for a band’s international tour, and determining whether a statistical association exists between a song’s placement in the Triple J Hottest 100 and number of streams.

MUSIC

Considered the more ‘academic’ of the music subjects offered, this subject encompasses performance, composition, theory, and analysis. Topics vary, covering a broad range of musical styles—from medieval to contemporary music. General Music aims to help students not only make music but to understand it, analyse it, and communicate about it. It is an essential step toward tertiary education and equips students with a deeper grasp of music-making as they move into professional life Music includes performance, composition, music theory and analysis. Students also learn to use the school’s extensive music technology, particularly to create and record their compositions.

MUSIC EXTENSION - PERFORMANCE

Music extension (performance) is a one-year ATAR course in which students extend their performance work beyond what they are already doing in Music. Students engage with a mentor to develop their performance skills and work increasingly independently throughout the course. The curriculum is tailored to both the assessment demands and the specific professional aspirations of the students. Students are encouraged to independently pursue mastery of their chosen instrument/s through private tuition or other learning tools. The autonomy, discipline, and curiosity nurtured in this subject bridges the gap between classroom and professional practice, preparing students for their next professional steps or their continuing education.

MUSIC EXTENSION - COMPOSITION

Music extension (composition) is a one-year ATAR course in which students extend their composition work beyond what they are already doing in Music. Students engage with a mentor to develop their composition skills and work increasingly independently throughout the course. It is a less structured subject than general music, and students are given time to develop their compositions, with teacher guidance where appropriate.

FILM, TELEVISION & NEW MEDIA

The course aims to promote an understanding of a variety of film and television texts.  It focuses on the dynamic world of moving-image media. Students explore how meaning is created through media languages and how institutions and audiences interact in a digital, multi-platform landscape. It aims to develop students as both creative producers and critical consumers of film, television, and new media texts.   Students learn through three main areas: Researching, Analyzing, and Creating. In our digital world, students design stories that work across different screens, like films paired with websites or apps. By learning professional camera skills and how the media industry works, students gain flexible skills for modern careers.

VISUAL ART

Visual Art provides students with opportunities to understand and appreciate the role of visual art in past and present traditions and cultures, as well as the contributions of contemporary visual artists and their aesthetic, historical and cultural influences. Students interact with artists, artworks, institutions and communities to enrich their experiences and understandings of their own and others’ art practices. Students have opportunities to construct knowledge and communicate personal interpretations by working as both artist and audience. They use their imagination and creativity to innovatively solve problems and experiment with visual language and expression. In responding to artworks, students employ essential literacy skills to investigate artistic expression and critically analyse artworks in diverse contexts. They consider meaning, purposes and theoretical approaches when ascribing aesthetic value and challenging ideas.

PHILOSOPHY & REASONING

The unit aims to develop an inquiring mind through critical evaluation and reasoning. Through the study of Philosophy & Reason, students collaboratively investigate philosophical ideas that have shaped and continue to influence contemporary society. These ideas include what it means to be human, how we understand the role of reason in our individual and collective lives and how we think about and care for each other and the world around us. 

Students analyse arguments from a variety of sources and contexts as they develop an understanding of what constitutes effective reasoning. They formalise arguments and choose appropriate techniques of reasoning to attempt to solve problems. The collaborative nature of philosophical inquiry is an essential component for students to understand and develop norms of effective thinking and to value and seek a range of ideas beyond their own.

Applied subjects in Year 11 and 12 (specifically in Queensland) are senior subjects designed for students focused on vocational education, training, or direct workforce entry, focusing on practical, real-world skills. These subjects contribute to the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and can contribute to an ATAR.

ESSENTIAL ENGLISH

Essential English develops and refines students’ understanding of language, literature and literacy to enable them to interact confidently and effectively with others in everyday, community and social contexts. Students recognise language and texts as relevant in their lives now and in the future and learn to understand, accept or challenge the values and attitudes in these texts. Students use language effectively to produce texts for a variety of purposes and audiences and engage creative and imaginative thinking to explore their own world and the worlds of others. They actively and critically interact with a range of texts, developing an awareness of how the language they engage with positions them and others.

ESSENTIAL MATHEMATICS

Essential Mathematics focuses on life-related mathematical problems, and develops skills that go beyond basic numeracy. This is achieved through a greater emphasis on estimation, problem solving and reasoning, which develops thinking and decision-making skills. Music Industry based problem-solving tasks include analysing climate information to choose a music festival location, planning a music tour and designing a music venue. 

Students develop their conceptual understanding when they undertake tasks that require them to connect mathematical concepts, operations and relations. They will learn to recognise definitions, rules and facts from everyday mathematics and data, and to calculate using appropriate mathematical processes. Students will see mathematics as applicable to their employability and lifestyles, and develop leadership skills through self-direction and productive engagement in their learning.

BUSINESS STUDIES

The subject Business Studies provides opportunities for students to develop practical business knowledge, understanding and skills for use, participation and work in a range of business contexts. A course of study in Business Studies consists of core ‘Business practices’ and ‘Business functions’ delivered through elective ‘Business contexts’. At MIC our chosen electives are Entertainment and Events Management. Students will explore business functions and develop business practices required to produce and market live music events, festivals, recorded music projects and launch a startup business. Students will be assessed in theoretical and practical aspects of business including festivals, live music events, small business projects as well as others.

ARTS IN PRACTICE

The purpose of the Arts In Practice subject is to help students' develop creativity, technical skills, self-efficacy and industry readiness as they engage with multiple creative disciplines and projects. It utilises real world projects, which allow students to explore and express creative skills whilst finding pathways to bring their products to the public. Through engagement with at least two artistic disciplines, students learn to plan, create, evaluate, and communicate their artistic intentions for various audiences. The subject prepares students for future vocational directions by fostering skills in story-telling, problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability, preparing them for the diversity that a future in the creative industries demands.

MUSIC IN PRACTICE

In Music in Practice, students are involved in making (composing and performing) and responding by exploring and engaging with music practices in class, school and the community. They gain practical, technical and listening skills and make choices to communicate through their music. Through music activities, students have opportunities to engage individually and in groups to express music ideas that serve purposes and contexts. This fosters creativity, helps students develop problem-solving skills, and heightens their imaginative, emotional, aesthetic, analytical and reflective experiences.

 Students learn about workplace health and safety issues relevant to the music industry and effective work practices that foster a positive work ethic, the ability to work as part of a team, and project management skills. They are exposed to authentic music practices that reflect the real-world practices of composers, performers, and audiences. They learn to view the world from different perspectives, experiment with different ways of sharing ideas and feelings, gain confidence and self-esteem, and contribute to the social and cultural lives of their school and local community.

MEDIA ARTS IN PRACTICE

The media arts comprise a range of art forms that have in common their composition and transmission through film, television, print, and web-based media. Increasingly, they are characterised by digitisation and transmission via electronic media. In common with all art forms, in their making and reception, they excite and extend the imagination, and express, inspire, critique or entertain with representations of lived experience and culture. 

Media Arts in Practice gives students opportunities to create and share media artworks that convey meaning and express insight. Media artworks respond to individual, group or community needs and issues, within a variety of contexts and for a variety of purposes. Through media art-making processes and practices, students develop self-knowledge through self-expression, provide commentary or critique, explore social, community and/or cultural identity, and develop aesthetic skills and appreciation.

VISUAL ART IN PRACTICE

This subject supports direct entry into vocational pathways and further training in areas such as graphic design, photography, tattoo art, ceramics, animation, game design and visual merchandising. Students develop practical, industry-relevant skills and a portfolio that can lead to apprenticeships, freelance work or employment in creative and community-based industries.

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY STUDIES (FOUNDATIONS)

Social & Community Studies encourages students to explore and refine personal values and lifestyle choices. In partnership with families, the school community and the community beyond school, including virtual communities, schools may offer a range of contexts and experiences that provide students with opportunities to practise, develop and value social, community and workplace participation skills.

AUDIO ENGINEERING

Audio Engineering gives students fundamentals and hand-on experience in sound production, in both live and studio settings. This is a non-QCAA subject. Students participate in modules that include audio editing, studio mixing, and using a soldering iron to make a guitar lead. They explore the anatomy of a live mixing desk, basics of live audio engineering, fundamentals of studio recording. Moving then to advanced studio recording techniques, independent recording projects including for Starving Kids TV, more independent work as a live audio engineer through open mics and shows hosted at our live music venue.

MIC offers a range of Extra Curricular Activities throughout the year that all students are welcome to join. The activities can range from any of the following:

Photography Club

Art Club

Live Crew

Guitar Maintenance/Pedal Building

Audio Club

Mindfulness

Music podcast

SK TV

Joy Division

Starving Kids Blog

Work experience/Internship

Volunteering

Tertiary subject/Certificate

School based traineeship

Diploma of Music CUA50820