Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 129 hours, of which 42 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree as specified in the University Core Curriculum  in the Academic policies  section of this catalog and the College of Music Degree Requirements .

Major requirements

For certain jazz studies classes that form part of a sequence (e.g. theory or improvisation), a course grade of C or better may be required in order to move to the next course in the sequence. See course descriptions for individual course prerequisites.

• HIST 3240 - African American History and Culture to 1865
• HIST 3250 - African American History and Culture Since 1865
• MUAC 1500-level applied concentration lessons (2)(2)(2)(2)
• MUAC 3500-level applied jazz concentration lessons (2)(2)(2)
• MUAE 3100 - Fundamentals of Digital Audio Workstations
• MUCM 3550 - Jazz Chamber Music  (1)(1)(1)(1)
• MUET 3030 - Music Cultures of the World
• MUET 3060 - African-American Music
• MUJS 1013 - Keyboard Skills III (for Jazz Studies Majors)  or MUAS 1500-level applied secondary lessons (1)
• MUJS 1014 - Keyboard Skills IV (for Jazz Studies Majors)  or MUAS 1500-level applied secondary lessons (1)
• MUJS 1131 - Jazz Performance Fundamentals I (Fall only - percussion concentration students to take MUAG 1117  instead; jazz guitar concentration students do not take this course)
• MUJS 1132 - Jazz Performance Fundamentals II  (Spring only - jazz guitar concentration students do not take this course)
• MUJS 2360 - Jazz Improvisation I
• MUJS 2370 - Jazz Improvisation II
• MUJS 2400 - Theory III (for Jazz Studies Majors)
• MUJS 2410 - Aural Skills III (for Jazz Studies Majors)
• MUJS 2500 - Theory IV (for Jazz Studies Majors)
• MUJS 2510 - Aural Skills IV (for Jazz Studies Majors)
• MUJS 3070 - History of Jazz
• MUJS 3470 - Jazz Lecture Series (Spring only) (1)(1)
• MUJS 3610 - Jazz Arranging
• MUJS 3620 - Jazz Arranging
• MUJS 3800 - Conducting Jazz Ensembles
• MUJS 4720 - Jazz Senior Recital Capstone
• MUMH 3520 - Issues in Western Music History
• MUTH 1400 - Theory I
• MUTH 1410 - Aural Skills I
• MUTH 1500 - Theory II
• MUTH 1510 - Aural Skills II

Minor

None required.

Electives

9 hours (or as many as needed to complete the requirements for the degree).

Other requirements

• All non-keyboard majors must enroll in Keyboard Skills classes each long term/semester until Jazz Secondary Piano Proficiency is passed.
• Keyboard majors must pass OpenScore/Transposition Exam.
• To enroll in upper division coursework in their emphasis majors must complete MUJS 2370  with a grade of C or higher.
• A minimum 2.75 GPA in all music courses is required.
• Students majoring in jazz studies must also abide by the policies and procedures set forth in the Jazz Studies Student Handbook.
• Students will complete Africana Studies Certificate with HIST 3240 , HIST 3250 , MUET 3060 , and MUJS 3070 .

Supplemental information

​Completion of the University Core Curriculum (required):

See University Core Curriculum requirements . Some courses required on degree plans may be used to fulfill requirements under Communication, Mathematics, Life and Physical Sciences, American History, Government/Political Science, Creative Arts, Language, Philosophy and Culture, Social and Behavioral Sciences and Core Option (Component Area Option) Courses. 

• Communication (6) — ENGL 1310  and ENGL 1320  recommended.
• Mathematics (3) — MATH 1580  recommended.
• Life and Physical Sciences (6) — met by PHYS 1270  and an additional laboratory science course.
• Language, Philosophy and Culture (3) — met by MUET 3030 .
• American History (6) — met by HIST 2610  and HIST 2620 .
• Government/Political Science (6) — met by PSCI 2305  and PSCI 2306 .
• Creative Arts (3) — met by MUET 3060 .
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (3).
• Core Option/Component Area Option Courses (6) — met by MUJS 3070  and MUMH 3520 .
• Proficiency examinations (required):
  • Piano Proficiency Examination.
  • Successful completion of the Upper Division Examination in applied lessons (MUAC and MUAM).

Africana Studies certificate (required):

The following courses, which are required for the Bachelor of Music in jazz studies, also meet the criteria for the Africana studies certificate offered through the Department of History :

• HIST 3240 - African American History and Culture to 1865  
• HIST 3250 - African American History and Culture Since 1865  
• MUET 3060 - African-American Music  
• MUJS 3070 - History of Jazz   

Therefore, by virtue of completing the requirements for the jazz studies, BM, students will also receive the Africana studies certificate from the Department of History.

Commercial Music minor (optional):

The structure of the jazz studies, BM, allows students to complete the commercial music minor (18 hours) without exceeding the 129 degree hours. The minor is optional but can be pursued within the jazz studies, BM, in the following manner:

• Complete MUAE 3100 - Fundamentals of Digital Audio Workstations  (required for the Jazz Studies, BM)
• Use the 9 elective hours within the jazz studies, BM, to complete 3 of the required courses for the commercial music minor:
  • MUAE 3200 - Digital Audio Workstation Techniques  
  • MUAE 3950 - Commercial Songwriting , and
  • MUAE 3400 - Album Making, Pre- to Post-Production  
• Enroll in at least 3 hours of MULB 1819 - Commercial Music Laboratory  (counts towards required 8 hours of MULB credit)
• Students may substitute the jazz studies, BM, capstone requirement (MUJS 4720 ) for the commercial music minor capstone ( MUAE 4500 ) with approval of the commercial music minor supervisor and the major professor in the Division of Jazz Studies. Students pursuing this substitution will be required to create a solo album or EP as part of MUJS 4720 , either in lieu of or in addition to a live recital.

Four-year degree plan (example)

The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as a guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4