Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts / BOYER COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND DANCE

Learn more about the Master of Music in Jazz Studies.

About the Program

The master's degree in Jazz Studies consists of advanced training in Jazz Performance and support academic areas vital to the field. Studio and ensemble experiences are combined with rigorous coursework to provide comprehensive training in performance and scholarship. This broad and rigorous program is built on an ideal blend of performance and academic courses taught by an outstanding faculty. Intensive studio training and the proper blend of supportive academic coursework are designed to prompt students to enhance technical expertise while further honing a unique creative/artistic vision.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 6 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Interdisciplinary Study: With approval of the major advisor, students may elect to take up to 5 graduate credits outside the field of music.

Accreditation: This degree program has been submitted for Plan Approval by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Areas of Specialization: Study focuses on performance of the major instrument in both solo and ensemble settings combined with academic support areas in music. Students must select a concentration from among these major instruments:

• Bassoon
• Cello
• Clarinet
• Double Bass
• Euphonium
• Flute
• French Horn
• Guitar
• Oboe
• Percussion
• Piano
• Saxophone
• Trombone
• Trumpet
• Tuba
• Viola
• Violin
• Voice

Job Prospects: The program prepares musicians for either professional activity or doctoral study.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students may enroll in select courses in music with permission, but may not take applied lessons until they have been fully admitted and matriculated.

Financing Opportunities: Boyer College of Music and Dance offers a number of assistantships and academic internships to matriculated graduate students. Full awards carry a cash stipend plus full tuition remission for the Fall and Spring terms. Partial awards also are available in values of 1/4 or 1/2 of a full award. Duties for assistantships and internships vary, but typically include teaching, tutoring, classroom assistance, research, artistic performance and/or direct service related to academic programs. Assistantship and internship awards are made only in the Fall term for up to two terms: Fall and Spring. Awards may be renewed on an annual basis (typically up to one additional year for master's students and up to three years for doctoral students) based on departmental needs as well as satisfactory academic and musical progress by the recipient.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: March 1
Spring: November 1

Applications are processed as they arrive. Late applications may be considered for admission.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators who can provide insight into an applicant's abilities, talents and aptitude for graduate study.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate Bachelor of Music degree at Temple University, which is based on a curriculum of 124 to 135 hours.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A degree in Music is expected.

Statement of Goals: Share your special interests within the discipline and expectations for the program.

Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 71
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 49

Audition: See https://www.temple.edu/boyer/admissions/graduate-admissions/audition-requirements.asp for audition repertoire requirements.

Resume: Current resume required.

Transfer Credit: A student who wishes to transfer credit should speak with their academic advisor and obtain a "Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit" form, found in TUportal under the Tools tab within "University Forms." Transfer credits must be approved by the advisor, the department chair, and the Associate Dean. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Other: Due to the large number of applications for admission and the competitive nature of its music programs, the College admits only a portion of its applicants. In addition to the general admissions credentials required of all Temple University graduate applicants, specialized admission criteria (i.e., auditions, portfolios, interviews, recommendations, departmental term papers, and standardized examinations) are very heavily weighted in admission decisions of the Boyer College of Music and Dance. Graduate applicants may be rejected for admission for failing to obtain the required level of proficiency in any one area of the specialized admission criteria regardless of the level of success in meeting the Temple University general admission criteria. In addition to the level of success demonstrated in the above-mentioned criteria, a final admission factor is the College's Optimum Enrollment Policy. This policy may preclude the admission of any student who meets the minimum requirements.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30

Required Courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
MUST 8100	Jazz Ensemble (4 terms) 1	4
MUST 8104	Jazz Major	3
MUST 8114	Jazz Major	3
MUST 8124	Jazz Major	3
Jazz Seminars or Jazz Special Topics Courses		9
Electives 2		5
Final Project
MUST 8184	Jazz Major (Recital)	3
Total Credit Hours		30

¹

MM candidates must be available for ensemble assignments, which are determined by the department chair and may exceed curricular requirements.

²

Select from Music, Music Education, Music Studies, or other graduate departments. At least 3 credits must be in academic, non-performance coursework. Advisor approval required.

Additional Requirements:
Diagnostic Examinations:
All entering Master of Music students in Jazz Studies are required to take Diagnostic Examinations in Jazz Theory and Jazz Styles and Analysis prior to the first term of graduate study. The purpose of these examinations is to determine weaknesses in undergraduate preparation. Depending on the examination results, students may be required to take one or more remedial courses. In these instances, the remedial courses will be graded on a "Credit / No Credit" basis and the official university transcript will indicate "CR" (for "Credit," meaning that the deficiency has been satisfied) or "NC" (for "No Credit," meaning that the deficiency has not been satisfied). Students must have a "B-" or better average in any remedial course or section thereof to earn the grade of "Credit" and to satisfy the requirement. Students who earn a grade of "NC" (that is, having a class average below "B-") must retake that course or section until an average of "B-" or higher is achieved and a grade of "CR" is recorded on the official university transcript.

Remedial courses are offered for undergraduate credit only, and may not count toward graduate degree requirements. Students may take the test only once, and if they do not pass the test or any portion thereof, they must enroll in the remedial course(s) during their first term of study. Depending on which section(s) of the examination are failed, the examiners will stipulate which sections of remedial coursework the student must take. The courses are:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
MUST 5105	Remedial Studies in Jazz History	1-3
MUST 5106	Remedial Studies in Jazz Theory	1-3

The requirement to take the Diagnostic Examination in any area is waived only for graduates of the Boyer College of Music and Dance who

1. matriculate and enroll in the term immediately following completion of all undergraduate degree requirements; and
2. received grades of "B-" or better in every undergraduate course taken in each individual examination area to be waived.

Professional Development Policy:
In addition to taking the required subjects for their degrees, all students in the Boyer College of Music and Dance are obligated to serve in a number of capacities in order to enrich their academic and musical expertise. Boyer College of Music and Dance believes that such experiences give impetus to successful professional careers. Among the duties that may be required are conducting laboratory classes; tutoring; teaching private lessons; coaching; participating in the distribution and inventory control of Temple University-owned musical instruments and instructional materials; participating in ensembles; accompanying; performing at admissions and open house events; supervising performance classes; and engaging in other academic activities.

Performing Ensembles:

1. Touring: All students in touring performing ensembles are required to participate in all scheduled tours. These tours, usually one or two weeks in length, often take place immediately after termination of terms. Students must arrange their schedules to accommodate this requirement.
2. Participation: Master's degree candidates in Jazz Studies must be available for ensemble assignments at the discretion of the department chair, including participation beyond curricular requirements.
3. Non-Credit Participation: With special permission, graduate students for whom there is no ensemble requirement, or where previous ensemble credits exceed the graduation requirement, may participate in choral and instrumental ensembles without cost, with prior permission from the ensemble director, the department chair and the Associate Dean.

Independent Study Courses:
Independent study courses provide a special opportunity for graduate students to work in a highly individualized setting with one or more faculty members. All such study must receive the approval of the faculty member providing the instruction, the students' major advisor, and the Associate Dean. Approval is granted only after the student has presented a detailed description of the intended independent study project. Approval of independent study projects is granted only for students whose academic and musical record provides substantial support for the benefits of this type of study. In no case may more than 20% of a graduate student's curriculum be taken as independent study. Private lessons beyond those required in the curriculum are not an appropriate form of independent study.

Acceptable English:
All students, including those for whom English is not the native language, are expected to present all written work in acceptable English. No double standard exists to differentiate students on the basis of proficiency in the use of the English language. Students are also responsible for becoming familiar with the College's statement on plagiarism and academic honesty.

Graduate Private Lesson Policy:
Weekly one-hour private lessons are provided for all matriculated master's and doctoral performance majors in good standing, provided at least three additional credits of programmatically required graduate-level study are taken simultaneously. A $250 per term lesson fee (subject to change without notice) is charged for all private lessons. Tuition remission may not be used to cover the private lesson fee.

Private applied lessons beyond the four-term requirement currently in effect for graduate performance students may be extended with the permission of the jury, department chair, and the Associate Dean or Dean of the Boyer College of Music and Dance.

Recital Extension:
Students withdrawing from the recital requirement during the recital term receive an Incomplete and must register for extended study for non-degree credit (MUSC 5000 Recital Extension for 2 credits). Recital Extension must be taken each term until the recital has been presented. This course is offered on a "Credit/No Credit" basis only. Upon satisfactory completion of the recital, the Incomplete for the recital course is replaced by a letter grade and MUSC 5000 Recital Extension is issued a grade of "CR." Credit derived from Recital Extension is not counted toward degree requirements.

1. Recital Extension Fees: Tuition for these additional terms of private study is the cost of 2 graduate credits plus a $500 Recital Extension fee. Graduate assistantships and other forms of University-sponsored financial aid do not cover the Recital Extension fee.
2. Exceptions to Recital Extension:
   1. Students who perform their recitals during the first three weeks of the Spring term are not required to register for Recital Extension that term.
   2. Students who register for Recital Extension during the Summer may perform their recitals during the first three weeks of the Fall term. However, any student who does not take Recital Extension during the Summer may not present the recital in the Fall term, regardless of the date, without also registering for the Fall term of Recital Extension.
3. Failure to Present Recital: The degree status of students who are unable to present a recital after one term of Recital Extension is reviewed by the Associate Dean and the major advisor, who, in consultation with the major teacher and department, determine whether or not the student may continue in the program. Inability to present the recital after one term of Recital Extension may be grounds for dismissal from the degree program for failing to maintain reasonable academic progress.

Incompletes:
All incomplete grades and keyboard proficiencies must be fulfilled by the first day of the month in which the student expects to graduate.

Culminating Events:
Comprehensive Final Project:
Embedded in MUST 8184 Jazz Major (Recital), the final project is based on the total studio experience and the final recital, the program of which demonstrates completed research, composition and arranging.

Public Recital:
Performance majors present a public recital as the culminating event for the master's degree [MUST 8184 Jazz Major (Recital)]. Graduation recitals are typically one hour in length; presented on campus in either Rock Hall or Klein Recital Hall; and adjudicated by three full-time music faculty members. The student must show evidence through Temple University transcript records of having taken private lessons up to the time of the graduation recital. Students who wish to play a recital in the early Fall should plan to register for and complete the final term of lessons during the preceding Summer months.

A Recital Permission Form indicating the private teacher's approval for performance of the graduation recital must be signed by the private teacher and submitted six weeks prior to the recital. (If the recital is in the first five weeks of the Spring term, the form must be submitted two weeks before the end of the Fall term.) If required by the private teacher, a Recital Permission Jury must be scheduled at least four weeks prior to the recital. If the form is not submitted or a required jury is not scheduled, the department reserves the right to cancel or postpone the recital.

Contacts

Department Contacts: