MM in Jazz Studies

All applicants to the USM Graduate School must submit the following:

• Application form
• Application fee
• Official transcripts of all previous college and university work
• Three letters of recommendation
• An essay of 300-500 words

Jazz Audition

Once the Graduate School application is complete, applicants for graduate music study will be contacted by the School of Music to arrange an audition. All applicants will take a sightsinging exam at the time of the audition. Each degree concentration has specific application and audition requirements outlined below.

• Prepare a 15-minute performance of jazz repertoire that is diverse in style and that shows improvisational abilities.

Graduate Placement Exams

All new School of Music graduate students must take the Graduate Placement Exams scheduled at the beginning of each semester.  The exams cover music theory and music history & literature. Also, composers will be tested on orchestration and jazz candidates on jazz piano. Consult the School of Music for sample exams.

Descriptions of the exams

Music History and Literature

The content of the music history exam will be based on information contained in a standard text on the music of western civilization, such as Grout/Palisca A History of Western Music or Stolba The Development of Western Music.

Theory

• Ear Training: identify intervals and three- and four-voice chords; detect errors in a phrase of music; and take dictation of melody, harmony, and rhythm.
• ·    Written: do a short musical analysis of thematic, formal, and harmonic structures of a Mozart sonata, and realize a figured bass
• Sight Singing: sightread a melody containing chromaticism and modulation
• Keyboard Harmonization: harmonize at sight a melody using appropriate common practice progressions and illustrating various types of altered chords.

Exit Requirements

All graduate students in music must take exit exams in music history and music theory. These exams will be graded pass/fail. The exam may be taken no more than three times. Other requirements are particular to specific concentrations; please consult the faculty in these concentrations for a list of requirements.

Special Requirements and Standards

All music graduate programs must be completed six years from the date of matriculation.

Students must maintain a B average in all course work and must have no grade lower than B in courses in the major field. Students not meeting this standard will be placed on probation for one semester. Students not fulfilling the conditions of probation will be dismissed from the program by majority vote of the faculty. Additional jury reviews may be called for at any time during the course of study in order to monitor the student's progress.

Transfer credits: Six graduate credits may be transferred to USM from another accredited college or university. Admissions credit: Additionally six graduate credits for work earned at USM after application but prior to matriculation may be credited to the masters degree.

Residency: A one-year residency is required of conducting, jazz, and performance programs, except voice and piano, which require two years. Composition requires a two-year residency. Music education may be completed summers only.