Jazz Studies Concentration
School of Music
Bulletin Year: 2026-2027

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Semester One (17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 101	Critical Reading and Composition (CC-CMW)	3	C
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
!	MUED 155	Group Piano4 (or demonstration of piano proficiency) (MR)	2	C	*
!	MUSC 117	Aural Skills I  (MR)	1	C	*
!	MUSC 211Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 100	Music Convocation (MR)	0	S
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3

Semester Two (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	ENGL 102	Rhetoric and Composition (CC-CMW/CC-INF)	3	C		C or better in ENGL 101
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
!	MUSC 115	Music Theory I (fall only) (CC-AIU)	3	C		C or better in MUSC 114 (or passing score on the Ugrad Theory Diag. Exam)
!	MUED 156	Group Piano4 (or demonstration of piano prof.) (MR)	2	C	*	C or better in MUED 555 or advanced placement via exam
!	MUSC 118	Aural Skills II (MR)	1	C	*	C or better in MUSC 117
!	MUSC 211Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 100	Music Convocation (MR)	0	S
	MUSC 100L	Recital Class Laboratory (MR)	1	C	*

Semester Three (15 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	MUSC 215	Music Theory II (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 115
!	MUSC 217	Aural Skills III (MR)	1	C	*	C or better in MUSC 118
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
!	MUSC 211Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 219	Jazz Improvisation I (MR)	3	C	*
		Concentration Elective4 (MR)	3	C	*

Semester Four (15-16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
!	MUSC 218	Aural Skills IV (MR)	1	C	*	C or better in MUSC 217
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
!	MUSC 211Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 220	Jazz Improvisation II (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 219
	MUSC 319	Jazz Theory I (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 215
		Foreign language7 or other Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC-GFL)	3-4
	MUSC 100A	Music Advocacy I (MR)	0	S

Semester Five (16 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	MUSC 329	Jazz Improvisation III (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 220
	MUSC 333	Basic Choral & Instrumental Conducting (MR)	2	C	*	C or better in MUSC 217
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
	MUSC 411Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 400	Half Solo Recital (MR)	0	S		Coreq: C or better in one version of MUSC 411 (A-Z)
	MUSC 320	Jazz Theory II (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 319
		Foreign language7 or other Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC-GFL)	3

Semester Six (17-18 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
	MUSC 411Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 330	Jazz Improvisation IV (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 329
	MUSC 340	Jazz Literature(MR)	3	C	*
		Foreign language7 or Carolina Core Requirement6 (MR/CC)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3-4

Semester Seven (17 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	MUSC 354	History of Western Music II (MR/CC-INT)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 353 or 340
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
	MUSC 411Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
	MUSC 520	Studio Arranging & Composition (MR)	3	C	*
	MUSC 401	Full Solo Recital (MR)	0	S		Coreq: C or better in one version of MUSC 411 (A-Z)
		Concentration Elective4 (MR)	3	C	*
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3

Semester Eight (17-18 Credit Hours)

Critical	Course Code	Subject and Title	Credit Hours	Min. Grade1	Major GPA2	Prerequisites
	MUSC 445 or MUSC 544 or MUSC 546	ST: Musicology & Ethnomusicology or Topics in Music History or Black Sacred Music: Local & Global Perspective (MR)	3	C	*	C or better in MUSC 354 (MUSC 445 & 546)
		Ensemble3 (MR)	1	C	*
	MUSC 411Z	Applied Music5 (MR)	4	C	*
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 (CC)	3
		Carolina Core Requirement6 or Elective8 (CC/PR)	3-4

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Total Hours	Minimum Major Requirements Hours	Minimum College & Program Requirements Hours	Carolina Core Hours	Minimum Institutional GPA
128	90	1-7	31-37	2.000

1. Regardless of individual course grades, students must maintain a minimum 2.50 GPA on all MUSC & MUED courses and a 2.00 cumulative GPA.
2. Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses. Courses indicated in this column are included in the major GPA for this program of study.
3. Students must declare a primary instrument upon acceptance into the program.    Some ensembles require an audition for membership.  Regulations for attendance at ensemble rehearsals & performances are different from regulations for class attendance.  Members of ensembles are expected to be present at every rehearsal & performance, unless excused by the conductor. Students enrolling in an ensemble to fulfill a degree requirement must register for at least 1 credit hour. Ensemble requirements are as follows: Wind Instrument (6 semesters of MUSC 131 – Jazz Ensemble and 2 semesters of MUSC 130Z – Jazz Combo) or 2) Rhythm Section Instrument (2 semesters of MUSC 131 – Jazz Ensemble, 2 semesters of MUSC 130Z – Jazz Combo, and 4 semesters chosen from MUSC 135C, 131, 130Z). 
4. Concentration Electives: Students must complete a minimum of 10 hours of concentration electives, including MUED 155 & 156, if needed.  MUED 155 and 156 are not required if taking MUSC 111P for Piano as primary instrument or if a student passes the proficiency exam.  Concentration electives include any MUED or MUSC courses (other than MUSC 103, 104, 105, 110, 113, 140, 203. 
5. Applied Music must be completed satisfactorily for a minimum of 32 hours of credit.  Students must take MUSC 211Z Lower Division Applied Music— Performance Track/Jazz (16 hours, minimum of 4 semesters) and MUSC 411Z Upper Division Music—Performance Track/Jazz (16 hours, minimum of 4 semesters).  
6. The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students.
7. Students in the Jazz Studies concentration are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score.
8. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the School of Music. The School of Music allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses.

Program Notes

• Courses identified as “critical” carry specific completion deadlines. ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 must be completed within the first 60 semester hours of work in order to be credited toward graduation. MUSC courses identified as “critical” must be completed in order to be admitted to the upper division.
• To be admitted to the upper division, students must meet the following criteria: approval of the applied jury to progress to the upper-division course (MUSC 311 or MUSC 411), as appropriate to the chosen degree program; and completion of at least 60 credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 in MUSC & MUED courses and 2.00 in all courses.
• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.

Code Definitions

University Requirements: Bachelor’s degree-seeking students must meet Carolina Core (general education) requirements.

Code	Definition
CC	Carolina Core
CC-AIU	Carolina Core – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding
CC-ARP	Carolina Core – Analytical Reasoning and Problem-Solving
CC-CMS	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component
CC-CMW	Carolina Core – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written Component
CC-GFL	Carolina Core – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language
CC-GHS	Carolina Core – Historical Thinking
CC-GSS	Carolina Core – Social Sciences
CC-INF	Carolina Core – Information Literacy
CC-INT	Carolina Core – Integrative Course
CC-SCI	Carolina Core – Scientific Literacy
CC-VSR	Carolina Core – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility
CR	College Requirement
MR	Major Requirement
PR	Program Requirement