The New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī endeavours to ensure that the information contained on this page is accurate and up to date. The resources here are subject to a continuous process of review and the information covered here may change.

General information for NZSM students

Below you will find practical information relating to your study at NZSM. For information about general student services at Victoria University of Wellington, including information about IT access, student ID cards, library services, and health and counselling services, please see the University's student support services pages and the New Student guide.

Details of the content and requirements of your courses are given in the Course Outlines which will be available on the course syllabus page in Nuku. Nuku is the university’s online learning environment..

For details of NZSM's programmes, events, activities, scholarship information and much more, see other pages on the NZSM website.

All students of the New Zealand School of Music are legally bound by the student policies and procedures of Victoria University of Wellington. Details of these can be found here.

NZSM office details

Main Music Block, Gate 7 Kelburn Parade, Wellington

Phone: +64-4-463 5369
Email: music@vuw.ac.nz

Office hours: 10am – 2pm Monday to Friday

Student queries, issues or concerns

If issues arise of a nature that cannot be resolved in the first instance through discussion with your Artist Teacher or Course Coordinator (in the case of a class-taught course) please approach your Programme Director for the course where you have the query or issue. The University also has a system of student representatives who can convey anonymously to the Course Coordinator any concerns that class members may have.

After these options above have been explored, Sally Jane Norman Director of NZSM is available to speak with you. Email music@vuw.ac.nz to make an appointment.

To ensure the process is as speedy as possible, please ensure any complaints or issues are well documented to date before approaching the Director.

The Victoria University of Wellington Student Association (VUWSA) is available for support to NZSM students.

Access hours

NZSM buildings are open from approximately 8am–6pm Monday to Friday. After-hours access is available to certain areas at other times with a swipe card (your Victoria University of Wellington ID card). Your swipe card will automatically be activated once your fees are paid.

Change of contact details

It is likely that while studying at NZSM you will change your contact details at least once. Make sure you keep your contact details on Student Records up to date, so we can always contact you with important information.

Security

NZSM is not responsible if you lose any of your personal effects, or for any theft that takes place while belongings are left unattended. External doors must not be propped open after hours under any circumstances — this endangers other students’ safety and poses a security risk to NZSM facilities, which may result in after-hours access being curtailed.

Security phone number: ring 04 463 5398 (or 8888 from an internal phone in an emergency).

Computer rooms/ keyboard labs

For general wordprocessing and web browsing, please use the computers in the Kelburn Library or other locations on campus.

The keyboard lab is in Room MS202, next to NZSM Reception. This lab is available when classes are not being held, from 8am–6pm Monday to Friday to all students, with priority for students working on their ear training. Generally, the main music block is open on Saturday due to activities being held in the Adam Concert Room (ACR). Contact Campus Safety at 4 Wai-te-ata Road for any access issues after hours.

Photocopying

Please note that NZSM adheres to strict copyright law. Do not copy more than 5% of any book or copyrighted material.

There is no free photocopying available for undergraduate and non-research postgraduate students at Victoria University of Wellington.

Student photocopying is available in the NZSM foyer, and at the VUW Library and computer labs, among other places. You can top up your printing account by logging onto a Student Computer and clicking on the Print Balance and Payments icon on the desktop, or you can use a DocuPOS machine, which is available at the library.

Lockers

There are a variety of lockers available in the music school buildings. These are allocated by the NZSM office. Please come to reception to request a locker. Those lockers that have a key provided by NZSM will require a $25 bond. Students will be asked to empty their lockers at the end of the Trimester 2. Locks will be cut and lockers emptied after Trimester 2 examinations. Students wanting to retain their locker over the summer period will have to make a special request to the office.

Instrument storerooms

91 Kelburn Parade has a general instrument storeroom located near the combo rooms. All jazz performance students will have automatic access through their swipe card.

Use of facilities and practice rooms

Access to NZSM rooms is dependent on your course of study. Swipe access is automatically assigned based on the courses you are enrolled in.

Access to NZSM rooms is for NZSM students only. Non-NZSM students may not be brought into NZSM buildings for rehearsals or otherwise without prior permission from NZSM.

Students are not permitted to teach private students on campus.

Performance students can book the practice and combo rooms on Level 1 of the main music block and at 91 Kelburn Parade online at Bookingbug. This link is available via our website.

Only students in classical and jazz performance courses can book these practice rooms, for a maximum of two hours per day. You will be loaded into the system before teaching begins for the year. All other music students can use the rooms if they are free, but cannot book. Further information can be found displayed in practice room areas.

Please be considerate when using the practice rooms. Don’t play too loudly, as it may disturb those around you and/or damage the equipment. For example, if you are a jazz student wanting to play funk/fusion style, please use the room with the appropriate drum kit; other kits are bop kits and will not stand up to the punishment.

The following rooms may be booked at NZSM reception on a case by case basis: MS 211, MS 209, ACR, MS 110, 90FT 106 and MS 308.

Student common room/kitchens

There is a student common room/kitchen located in the courtyard of the main NZSM building and Level 2 of 91KP. Use of these rooms is a privilege. Please keep them tidy at all times.

Audio and visual recordings

On occasion and especially during performance and assessment events, video, audio and/or photographic images may be recorded by NZSM staff. NZSM may wish to use these recordings or images for promotional, informational or archival purposes: on the NZSM website, Facebook page, Youtube channels, in brochures, posters, guides or advertisements. Students have the right to request that these recordings not be used for anything other than assessment purposes.

In the case of printed materials, NZSM will make all reasonable efforts to gain specific permission to use images. Where images or recordings have been published on websites, students have the right to request that they be removed by applying to the NZSM Engagement Manager, NZSM Leadership Group or their Programme Directors.

Events

NZSM runs a full events programme and apart from a few select events through the year, most are free for students to attend. Upcoming events are listed here. All NZSM students are automatically signed up to receive the Dawn Chorus events newsletter—if you are not receiving this you can sign up here.

NZSM also welcomes proposals from students who would like to run an event, and there is some funding available for this. Submit an event proposal here.

Conduct

The consumption of food and drink in any lecture, tutorial, practice and laboratory room including the ACR is prohibited at all times. Students are not permitted to bring or consume alcohol or drugs in NZSM premises and environs.

Please use the link below to access the Student Conduct Statute.

Smoking policy

Victoria University of Wellington has a smoke-free environment.

The University does not permit smoking anywhere on campus. The full smoking policy can be viewed online.

Leave

The NZSM Leave Policy is available in Nuku.

If you are away due to illness, please contact your Course Coordinator. You must provide a medical certificate for the period of absence to the Course Coordinator.

If illness is likely to prevent you completing the final assessment for a course in performance, you can apply to your Programme Director to have your assessment delayed, but if you have already had your quota of lessons for the course, you will not be entitled to extra lessons. If you have missed more than 20% of classes and lessons, the Programme Director may recommend you withdraw from the course. Late withdrawals require Associate Dean approval. Delayed assessment for one student may not be granted if the whole group is to be assessed.

In the case of written work, extensions may be granted by the Course Coordinator. If, for reasons of illness or adverse personal circumstances, you cannot complete your final piece of assessment for the course, or its preparation was impaired, you can apply for an aegrotat pass in the whole course. In general, it is better to seek an extension for the final assessment. For performance courses assessed by recitals an aegrotat cannot apply. For both performance and written work, extensions for any work beyond the final exam period require the approval of the Associate Dean. Contact the NZSM office to discuss your options or find out more about what help is available at final assessment or exam time.

NZSM guidelines for presenting academic work

The NZSM Guidelines for Presenting Academic Workpdf310KB is a style and format guide to ensure that your academic presentations, at every level, meet expected standards. The Guidelines have comprehensive and detailed information on:

• Formatting documents presented for assessment
• Footnotes – when and how to use them for a wide array of source materials, from books and articles to videos, internet and translations
• Bibliographies – style
• Further hints including abbreviations, contractions, numbers, dates, pitch, music terminology, language, and titles of musical works

NZSM composition and orchestration style guide

NZSM Composition and Orchestration Style Guidepdf650KB

This document is an evolving repository of professional knowledge that all composers and orchestrators should read and follow when submitting notated scores for assessment at NZSM.

Following these guidelines from the outset will ensure a professionally presented score, and stand you in good stead not only with your lecturer, but also with your performers.

Plagiarism and how to avoid it

Academic integrity is about honesty and put simply it means no cheating. All members of the university community are responsible for upholding academic integrity, which means staff and students are expected to behave honestly, fairly and with respect for other at all times. Lying, stealing and misusing others’ academic work are not acceptable. Plagiarism is a form of cheating which undermines academic integrity and is prohibited at Victoria University of Wellington.

Academic integrity is important because it is the core value on which university learning, teaching and research activities are based.

Find out more about academic integrity and plagiarism.