University Catalog

Bachelor of Music Performance (Jazz Studies)

About This Program

The Bachelor of Music Performance Jazz Studies option is offered to students interested in pursuing careers involving contemporary music. Students pursuing this degree may desire to teach, perform, or compose either independently or at the collegiate level; others may enter the music industry in areas that rely more directly on the creative or performance aspects of this idiom.

The curriculum was designed to prepare the student with a variety of performance, instructional and creative music courses in jazz, as well as a core of traditional music courses.  Jazz related courses prepare the student for careers in such areas as composition/arranging, music preparation, concert promotion, record production, as a concert or recording performer, and publishing.

An audition or permission of the instructor is required for all large ensembles. All University students, regardless of major, are permitted to audition for and participate in all music department ensembles: concert bands, marching band, jazz ensembles, choirs, and orchestra.

This program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Competencies

  1. Graduates will achieve competency in various jazz idioms, including the ability to perform, improvise, compose, arrange, and score; and knowledge of jazz history and literature, including the cultural sources and influences of jazz.
  2. Graduates will have the ability to work as a performer and composer/arranger with a variety of jazz and studio music idioms in various settings and with various sizes and types of ensembles, including the ability to produce the appropriate expressive style of the music being created or presented.
  3. Graduates will be prepared to perform/compose and produce the appropriate expressive styles of music through exposure to a wide range of experiences.


 

Admissions Criteria

All prospective music majors must audition for proper placement in their respective performance areas and take a music theory placement test. Information concerning auditions and placement tests is available in the Music Office.  Students returning after two long semesters away from University must re-audition and be re-admitted to the department. Exceptions are if student has previously completed all required private lessons and recitals.

All Bachelor of Music majors are required to pass the sophomore proficiency exam on their major instrument.  For transfer students who transfer in at least four semesters of lessons and meet the proficiency requirements, the audition may serve as the proficiency exam. For transfer students who do not meet the necessary proficiency requirements, they will be enrolled in MUSI 2223 for applied lessons. Transfer students may take MUSI 2223 for as many semesters as they have transfer credits from another institution.

For example, if a student transfers in four semesters of lessons, they may take MUSI 2223 up to four times, but they may attempt the proficiency exam at the end of any semester if they are ready. If a transfer student transfers in three semesters of lessons, they may be placed in the fourth semester of the lesson sequence or in MUSI 2223. The lesson sequence is defined as the required list of applied lessons required under an individual student’s degree plan. That student could take MUSI 2223 a total of three times or, with instructor approval, could move to the fourth semester of lessons after one or two semester(s) of MUSI 2223. Once a transfer student enters the lesson sequence, they are no longer eligible for placement in MUSI 2223.

Students can only attempt the proficiency exam two times. If they fail the sophomore proficiency exam the first time (either in MUSI 2223 or MUSI 22XX), they will receive a grade of Incomplete (I) for the semester, and they will be required to enroll in MUSI 2222 the following semester. At the end of MUSI 2222, students will be required to attempt the proficiency exam for a last time. If students do not successfully pass the proficiency exam, they will not be allowed to remain a Bachelor of Music major.  If they pass the second attempt at the sophomore proficiency, their grade for fourth-semester lessons (MUSI 22XX) or preparatory lessons (MUSI 2223) will be changed to the grade earned in their first attempt at 22XX/2223. If the student fails their second attempt at the sophomore proficiency, their grade for fourth-semester lessons (MUSI 22XX) or preparatory lessons (MUSI 2223) will automatically be changed to “F.”

All Bachelor of Music students are required to enroll in a large ensemble each semester in residence. Any student not enrolled in a large ensemble by the end of Late Registration will be given a warning and advised to do so, and students that are still not registered in a large ensemble after Census date may be removed from the music program and required to re-audition in a subsequent semester in order to be re-admitted. Ensembles that meet this requirement, as well as any minimum requirements for number(s) of semester in specific ensembles, are determined by each degree plan. Residence is defined as any semester that a student is enrolled in any private lesson section or enrolled in 6 or more semester hours at the university, except during student teaching or music industry studies internship.

All students are strongly urged to refer to the sections on Academic Regulations and Degree Programs in the current UT Arlington Undergraduate Catalog. Students seeking teacher certification should read the College of Education section of this catalog concerning admission to teacher education programs and state requirements for certification.

In addition to fulfilling University and the College of Liberal Arts requirements for admission to a degree program, students planning to be music majors must also fulfill the listed Music Department requirements.

Students should expect, in addition to attending weekly private lessons, a minimum preparation (individual practice) of five hours per week in courses granting two hours credit, 10 hours per week in courses granting three hours credit, and 12 hours per week in courses granting four hours credit.

Bachelor of Music Students must complete their lesson sequence before they can take elective lessons (MUSI 0171 or MUSI 0271) on their primary instrument.

All private instruction, except MUSI 0171 or MUSI 0271, requires a jury.

Curriculum

Foundations
General Core Requirements 42
UNIV-LA 1000FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE0
Music Specialization
MUSI 1185SIGHTSINGING AND EAR TRAINING I1
MUSI 1186SIGHTSINGING AND EAR TRAINING II1
MUSI 1325THEORY AND HARMONY I3
MUSI 1326THEORY AND HARMONY II3
MUSI 2185SIGHTSINGING AND EAR TRAINING III1
MUSI 2186SIGHTSINGING AND EAR TRAINING IV1
MUSI 2325THEORY AND HARMONY III3
MUSI 0122JAZZ COMBO1
MUSI 0122JAZZ COMBO1
MUSI 0122JAZZ COMBO1
MUSI 2326THEORY AND HARMONY IV3
MUSI 1101JAZZ LISTENING1
MUSI 3125JAZZ THEORY & KEYBOARD FUNDAMENTALS I1
MUSI 3126JAZZ THEORY & KEYBOARD FUNDAMENTALS II1
MUSI 3308INSTRUMENTAL CONDUCTING I3
or MUSI 3309 CHORAL CONDUCTING I
MUSI 3225JAZZ IMPROVISATION I2
MUSI 3226JAZZ IMPROVISATION II2
MUSI 3300MUSIC HISTORY I3
MUSI 3301MUSIC HISTORY II3
MUSI 3394DIGITAL MUSIC TECHNOLOGY3
MUSI 3395JAZZ COMPOSITION3
MUSI 4225JAZZ IMPROVISATION III - ADVANCED2
MUSI 4300JAZZ PERSPECTIVES3
MUSI 4302JAZZ ARRANGING3
MUSI 3323BUSINESS OF MUSIC3
MUSI 4390RECORDING TECHNIQUES I3
MUSI 4392JAZZ STUDIES SENIOR RECITAL/PROJECT3
Select 8 hours in performance concentration (1000/2000 level in one instrument or voice) 2,38
Select 6 additional hours in performance concentration (3000/4000 level in one instrument or voice) 2,36
MUSI 1180FUNCTIONAL PIANO I 11
MUSI 1181FUNCTIONAL PIANO II 11
MUSI 2180FUNCTIONAL PIANO III 11
MUSI 2181FUNCTIONAL PIANO IV 11
Select 7 hours in large jazz ensemble7
Select 2 hours in small jazz ensemble2
Select any Music course3
Total Hours130
1

Keyboard concentrates substitute two hours keyboard ensemble and two hours small jazz ensemble.

2

 Keyboard concentrates elect both classical and jazz private lessons through the barrier exam level. Junior and Senior level private lessons in jazz piano only.

3

Bass concentrates elect both double bass and electric bass private lessons through the barrier exam level.  Junior and Senior level private lessons in jazz bass only.

Oral Communication and Computer Use Competence Requirements

Students majoring in music are required to demonstrate computer use and oral communication competencies.

  • Computer use proficiency can be demonstrated by:
  • successful completion of MUSI 3394; or
  • successful completion of CSE 1301 or INSY 2303 INTRODUCTION TO M.I.S. AND DATA PROCESSING; or
  • passing the University computer use competency exam.

Oral communication proficiency can be demonstrated by:

Students should discuss these options with their undergraduate advisor who may also provide a list of other courses approved by the University of meet these requirements.

Program Completion

All Bachelor of Music students are required to pass the Theory Proficiency exam.

Students must receive a C or better in all music courses in order to graduate. If a student does not earn a C or better, it may not count as a prerequisite for any other course.

If a student fails the same music degree-required course three times (making a D or F), the student must receive a C or better in their fourth attempt of the class or be dismissed from the Music program. They will not be permitted to take the course for credit at UT Arlington in subsequent semesters.

Advising Resources

All UTA Music Degrees require an audition for Music Department acceptance.  First time in college students may contact the Music Department advisor for general degree information and will be advised in the department starting their second semester. Transfer students should contact the Music Department Advisor prior to acceptance for general degree information and again following a successful audition for acceptance into the UTA Music Department for academic advising and clearance to enroll.  Students interested in the Music Minor should contact the Music Department advisor for the Minor course sheet, and Minor approval form, and may do so at any time in the semester.

Location:

Fine Arts 101C

Email:

Undergraduate: music@uta.edu

Graduate: musicgradadvisor@uta.edu

Phone:

817-272-3471

Web:

Degree information, Forms, and Advising