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Jazz Studies MM

The graduate jazz studies program provides students a comprehensive education in jazz, allowing students to specialize in either performance or composition. Drawing upon the resources of the Chicago jazz scene, faculty members are highly celebrated performers, teachers, composers, and arrangers. In addition to applied jazz lessons, jazz ensembles, and jazz combos, Master of Music students enroll in courses such as jazz theory, history, pedagogy, improvisation, composing, and/or arranging. Throughout the program, jazz students have multiple opportunities to record performances and compositions in professional recording studios. The Master of Music degree is a two-year program.​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Degree Requirements 48
Total hours required 48

Learning Outcomes

Core Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate basic music research techniques and apply knowledge of standard reference tools and bibliographic sources to the writing of a variety of professional and academic music texts.
  • Develop an expanded global, historical, and cultural understanding of music through the in-depth study of musical elements, compositional processes, and aesthetic properties.

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

A minimum of 48 quarter hours of graduate credit is required for the Master of Music degree. This total is divided between the basic studies required of all master’s degree students, and courses in the specialization. Prior to the conclusion of each degree program, graduate students must pass a written comprehensive examination, administered by each department/program.

Music Core Requirements (16 credits)

Course Title Quarter Hours
JZZ 406JAZZ STYLE AND ANALYSIS4
MUS 400MUSIC RESEARCH4
Music History:
JZZ 405JAZZ HISTORY4
Select one of the following:4
HISTORY OF THE ORATORIO
18th & 19th WIND HISTORY AND LITERATURE
20th CENTURY WIND HISTORY AND LITERATURE
MEDIEVAL MUSIC
RENAISSANCE MUSIC
BAROQUE MUSIC
HISTORY OF OPERA
WORLD MUSIC CULTURES
CLASSICAL MUSIC
ROMANTIC MUSIC
MUSIC SINCE WORLD WAR II
20TH CENTURY MUSIC BEFORE WWII

Specializations

Students must choose one of the following specializations:

Performance Specialization
Course Title Quarter Hours
15 credits of Applied Jazz Lessons:15
JZZ 402ADVANCED JAZZ COMPOSITION I2
JZZ 404ADVANCED JAZZ COMPOSITION II2
JZZ 411JAZZ PEDAGOGY2
JZZ 430ADVANCED JAZZ IMPROVISATION I2
JZZ 431ADVANCED JAZZ IMPROVISATION II2
6 quarters of Ensembles: 3 quarters at 1 credit; 3 quarters at 0 credits3
4 credits of Electives4
Graduate Recitals: two are required at 0 credits each0
JAZZ GRADUATE RECITAL
Composition Specialization
Course Title Quarter Hours
9 credits of Applied Jazz Composition Lessons:9
JZZ 402ADVANCED JAZZ COMPOSITION I2
JZZ 404ADVANCED JAZZ COMPOSITION II2
JZZ 411JAZZ PEDAGOGY2
JZZ 403ADVANCED JAZZ ARRANGING AND ORCHESTRATION4
JZZ 425JAZZ RHYTHM SECTION TECHNIQUES2
6 quarters of Ensembles: 3 quarters at 1 credit; 3 quarters at 0 credits3
8 credits of Electives8
JZZ 410JAZZ COMPOSITION FINAL PROJECT0

Terminal Requirements

Two terminal requirements are required of all students:

  • A written comprehensive examination, in which the students must demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of their major field of study. The comprehensive examination may be taken at any time after 32 quarter hours of graduate credit have been earned.
  • Performance track, the presentation of a public recital; composition track, the completion of a final writing project.

While preparation of the terminal requirement in the major may take place within some course or activity for which a student is registered for credit, additional academic credit is not granted for the project itself.  

Residency Requirements  

All courses for the master’s degree must be taken at DePaul University. Graduate credit for courses completed at other institutions may not be applied toward the degree. 

A full-time graduate student must be registered for a minimum of six quarter hours in any term. All requirements for the degree must be completed within six calendar years from the time a student is first enrolled. For students removing deficiencies, this period will begin when all deficiencies are removed and admission to the master’s degree program has been granted.