The BFA in Jazz Studies is a performance focused degree that grounds students in the music theory and music history of jazz. Creativity is fostered not only in improvisation, but in jazz composition and arranging. Students learn to improvise in traditional and modern styles, and to compose and arrange in varied jazz genres from traditional, early dixieland, through mainstream, to contemporary modern styles. Flexibility is offered in degree requirements so that the student's primary area of interest can be featured. The major also offers the student additional flexibility to pursue courses in other fields, or to double major.
Students in the Jazz Studies program have access to an absolutely top notch faculty of professional New Orleans musicians, extensive course offerings in theory, musicology and ethnomusicology, the world-class Hogan Jazz Archives, and the immense, intense musical atmosphere of New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz.
Students in the Jazz Studies program are part of the larger community of students participating in the Jazz Combo program, which is comprised of 6 to 7 ensembles, including big band, which are formed each semester. Jazz ensembles perform eight times per year on campus, and there is an annual Spring Concert.
Admission to the Jazz Studies B.F.A. program is based on an audition, which takes place during the sophomore year. For this reason, no initial audition is required for applicants interested in Tulane's jazz program.