Music: Jazz Studies (BMus)

https://musicanddance.uoregon.edu/jazz-studies

The University of Oregon is home to a renowned program in Jazz Studies, known for an innovative and rigorous curriculum that prepares students adapt to the ever-evolving musical world in which we live. We believe that an in-depth study of improvisation, composition, and arranging facilitates the development of a versatile skill set that allows our graduates to embrace opportunities in a professional landscape that is always changing.

Program's Admission Requirements

Please visit the program's website.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• General Studies - Competencies: Think, speak, and write clearly and effectively.
• General Studies - Competencies: A familiarity with fields of study beyond music such as those in the arts and humanities, the natural and physical sciences, and the social sciences.
• General Studies - Competencies: A functional awareness of the differences and commonalities regarding work in artistic, scientific, and humanistic domains.
• General Studies - Competencies: Awareness that multiple disciplinary perspectives and techniques are available to consider all issues and responsibilities including, but not limited to history, culture, moral and ethical issues, and decision-making.
• General Studies - Competencies: The ability to identify possibilities and locate information in other fields that have bearing on musical questions and endeavors.
• Common Body of Musical Knowledge and Skills - Performance: Technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression in at least one major performance area at a level appropriate for the particular music degree.
• Common Body of Musical Knowledge and Skills - Performance: An overview understanding of the repertory in their major performance area and the ability to perform from a cross-section of that repertory.
• Common Body of Musical Knowledge and Skills - Performance: The ability to read at sight with fluency demonstrating both general musicianship and, in the major performance area, a level of skill relevant to professional standards appropriate for the particular music degree.
• Common Body of Musical Knowledge and Skills - Performance: Knowledge and skills sufficient to work as a leader and in collaboration on matters of musical interpretation. Rehearsal and conducting skills are required as appropriate to the particular music degree.
• Common Body of Musical Knowledge and Skills - Performance: Keyboard competency.
• Common Body of Musical Knowledge and Skills - Performance: Growth in artistry, technical skills, collaborative competence and knowledge of repertory through regular ensemble experiences. Ensembles should be varied both in size and nature.
• Musicianship Skills and Analysis: An understanding of the common elements and organizational patterns of music and their interaction, the ability to employ this understanding in aural, verbal, and visual analyses, and the ability to take aural dictation.
• Musicianship Skills and Analysis: Sufficient understanding of and capability with musical forms, processes, and structures to use this knowledge and skill in compositional, performance, analytical, scholarly, and pedagogical applications according to the requisites of their specializations.
• Musicianship Skills and Analysis: The ability to place music in historical, cultural, and stylistic contexts.
• Composition/Improvisation: Students must acquire a rudimentary capacity to create original or derivative music: written, electronic, or improvisatory forms and methods. These may include but are not limited to the creation of original compositions or improvisations, variations or improvisations on existing materials, experimentation with various sound sources, the imitation of musical styles, and manipulating the common elements in non-traditional ways. A basic understanding of how to work freely and cogently with musical materials in various composition-based activities, particularly those most associated with the major field shall be demonstrated.
• History and Repertory: Students must acquire basic knowledge of music history and repertories through the present time, including study and experience of musical language and achievement in addition to that of the primary culture encompassing the area of specialization.
• Synthesis: While synthesis is a lifetime process, by the end of undergraduate study students must be able to work on musical problems by combining, as appropriate to the issue, their capabilities in performance; aural, verbal, and visual analysis; composition/improvisation; and history and repertory.

Music: Jazz Studies Major Requirements

Courses used to fulfill the major requirements must be passed with a grade of at least C-, or a mark of P* where pass/no pass is the only grading option for the course.

¹

At least 4 credits must be from MUS 267-269.

²

Including nine terms of jazz performance studies (at MUP 165 or MUP 365) and five terms of classical performance studies at MUP 165 or MUP 365.  Classical and jazz performance studios may be taken concurrently.

³

For students whose primary instrument is guitar: Three additional terms of MUP 165 or MUP 365 Jazz Performance Studies may be taken in place of Classical Performance Studies. Three terms of Guitar Ensemble or three additional terms of large jazz ensemble may be taken in place of Classical Ensembles.

⁴

Chamber Ensemble: [Topic] (MUS 394) with Chamber Ensemble topic only

⁵

For details, consult jazz studies advisor.

Other Requirements

Continuation in the jazz studies program requires successful completion of sophomore and junior proficiency examinations. 

Four-Year Degree Plan

The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.