Faculty Program Music - Jazz (B.Mus.) (123 credits)
Offered by: Music Research (Schulich School of Music)
Degree: Bachelor of Music
Program credit weight: 123
Program Description
The Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.); Faculty Program in Music; Jazz requires 123 credits and has been designed to accommodate students who trained as jazz musicians and who are interested in a pattern of specialization not provided in the established major programs, or who are interested in combining studies in music with studies in other disciplines. Students registered in the Faculty Program in Music; Jazz may, with the approval of a staff adviser, design their own programs around specific interests or develop programs with a broader base by incorporating courses from other disciplines and faculties.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Program Prerequisites - Freshman Program (32 credits)
32 credits selected as described below, in consultation with the Program Adviser:
22 credits of Prerequisite courses
4 credits of Large Ensemble
6 credits of non-Music electives
Prerequisite Courses
22 credits, all of the courses below:
Note: Students who can demonstrate through auditions, placement tests or equivalencies that they have mastered the material in any of the courses below will be exempt from them and may proceed to more advanced courses.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUIN 180 | BMus Practical Lessons 1. | 3 |
BMus Practical Lessons 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 181 | BMus Practical Lessons 2. | 3 |
BMus Practical Lessons 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical examination in clarinet techniques. | ||
| MUJZ 160 | Jazz Materials 1. | 3 |
Jazz Materials 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental aural and theoretical skills associated with the jazz idiom. Nomenclature, chord construction, chord/scale relationships, harmonic progression, circle of 5ths, simple turnarounds, simple substitution, symmetrical scales and chord relationships, voice leading. | ||
| MUJZ 161 | Jazz Materials 2. | 3 |
Jazz Materials 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Simple and advanced substitution, borrowed chords, reharmonisation, modes of harmonic minor and melodic minor diatonic systems, unresolved tensions, odd and infrequent modulations, mixed two-five-ones, introduction to polychords, slashchords and non-functional harmony. | ||
| MUJZ 170 | Jazz Keyboard Proficiency 1. | 1 |
Jazz Keyboard Proficiency 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic piano skills, basic comping techniques, standard 3 note rootless voicings in 7, 3 and 3, 7 position with one extension, two-five-ones in major and minor - limited keys. Simple substitution and reharmonisation. | ||
| MUJZ 171 | Jazz Keyboard Proficiency 2. | 1 |
Jazz Keyboard Proficiency 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Continuation of previous semester. Two-five-ones and mixed two-five-ones using 4 note close position voicings and 4 and 5 note spreads, in all keys, diminished passing chords, half step shifts, voice leading extensions, quartal and modal voicing, sight reading of standard jazz repertoire. | ||
| MUJZ 187 | Jazz History Survey. | 3 |
Jazz History Survey. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introductory study of the principal recordings, artists and musical trends in jazz from its origins to the present day. | ||
| MUPD 135 | Music as a Profession 1. | 1 |
Music as a Profession 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Music Professional Development: An introduction to information, resources, and skills related to physical, mental, and professional well-being for the musician and scholar. | ||
| MUSP 123 | Jazz Ear Training 1. | 2 |
Jazz Ear Training 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Rhythmic, melodic and harmonic materials from the jazz idiom. Sight-singing, dictation and transcription with some classical materials. | ||
| MUSP 124 | Jazz Ear Training 2. | 2 |
Jazz Ear Training 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced jazz idioms. | ||
Required Courses (26 credits)
Theory
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUJZ 262 | Applied Jazz Theory. | 3 |
Applied Jazz Theory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An examination of harmonic practices and compositional styles in post-1960 jazz. Various theoretical approaches to jazz harmonic analysis will be addressed. Students analyze and compose jazz tunes and longer forms. | ||
| MUTH 150 | Theory and Analysis 1. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Diatonic chords and harmonic progressions, focus on outer-voice framework, cadences, embellishments, building chordal fluency in common-practice tonality, applied chords. | ||
| MUTH 151 | Theory and Analysis 2. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Sequences and modulation, chromatic vocabulary, analysis of simple theme types (sentence, period, hybrids) and fugal techniques. | ||
| MUTH 250 | Theory and Analysis 3. | 3 |
Theory and Analysis 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Compositional resources of late 18th and early 19th century music. Analysis of forms common to the period c. 1770 - 1840, including Classical sonata forms in several media. | ||
Musicianship
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUJZ 213 | Fundamentals of Jazz Improvisation 1. | 2 |
Fundamentals of Jazz Improvisation 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to basic improvisation concepts of phrasing, articulation, melodic development, harmonic control, musical vocabulary and style. Pedagogical techniques will be discussed. | ||
| MUJZ 214 | Fundamentals of Jazz Improvisation 2. | 2 |
Fundamentals of Jazz Improvisation 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A continuation of development of basic improvisation concepts of phrasing, articulation, melodic development, harmonic control, musical vocabulary and style. Pedagogical techniques will be discussed. | ||
Music History
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUHL 286 | Critical Thinking About Music. | 3 |
Critical Thinking About Music. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Examination of various periods and styles: e.g., central works from different traditions, the interaction of music and society, performance practice, and music's relation to other arts. | ||
Performance
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUIN 280 | BMus Practical Lessons 3. | 2.5 |
BMus Practical Lessons 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 281 | BMus Practical Lessons 4. | 2.5 |
BMus Practical Lessons 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Practical instruction on an instrument or voice. | ||
| MUIN 283 | BMus Concentration Final Examination. | 1 |
BMus Concentration Final Examination. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Assessment of student's progress in the practical area. | ||
Professional Development
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUPD 235 | Music as a Profession 2. | 1 |
Music as a Profession 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of the responsibilities and skills required of professions in music and of the varied career paths leading from a music degree. | ||
Complementary Courses (12 credits)
Music History
6 credits from courses with a prefix of MUHL or MUPP.
Musicianship
2 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUJZ 323 | Advanced Jazz Ear Training. | 2 |
Advanced Jazz Ear Training. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Dictation workshop. Content includes tonal functions commonly found in Blues, Standard Tunes and post-1960s tunes; all harmonic structures commonly used in jazz; modulations to all keys; harmonic sequences and turnaround patterns; all commonly used jazz scales; melodic dictation of tonic, II-V and turnaround patterns. | ||
| MUSP 324 | Musicianship for Strings. | 2 |
Musicianship for Strings. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental musicianship issues in the context of performance with an emphasis on intonation accuracy, rhythm, articulation, voice-leading and sound texture for strings. | ||
| MUSP 346 | Post-Tonal Musicianship. | 2 |
Post-Tonal Musicianship. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Extended tonal and post-tonal harmonic and contrapuntal structures, rhythmic practices of the 20th and 21st century, score reading. | ||
| MUSP 353 | Musicianship for Voice. | 2 |
Musicianship for Voice. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental musicianship issues in the context of performance with an emphasis on intonation accuracy, rhythm, voice-leading and sound texture. | ||
| MUSP 354 | Introduction to Improvisation and Ornamentation. | 2 |
Introduction to Improvisation and Ornamentation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of improvisation and ornamentation for music before 1800, including harmonic progressions and voice-leading and contrapuntal patterns for instrumentalists and singers, along with examples of ornamented vocal and instrumental works from 17th and 18th century sources. | ||
| MUSP 355 | Musicianship for Percussion. | 2 |
Musicianship for Percussion. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental musicianship issues in the context of performance with an emphasis on polyrhythm. | ||
| MUSP 361 | Topics in Musicianship. | 2 |
Topics in Musicianship. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced ear training challenges in rhythm, pitch, harmony, form, or timbre. | ||
| MUSP 363 | Topics in Global Musicianship. | 2 |
Topics in Global Musicianship. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Musicianship skills from one or more global musical practice(s), with specific challenges and approaches corresponding to the selected topic. | ||
| MUSP 381 | Singing Renaissance Notation. | 2 |
Singing Renaissance Notation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Choral sightsinging of mensural notation, with a focus on white notation c. 1420-1600. Development of basic fluency in the notation, interpretation of values in triple meter, addition of accidentals given the contrapuntal context as perceived aurally, Renaissance solmisation. | ||
Performance
4 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MUEN 563 | Jazz Vocal Workshop. | 2 |
Jazz Vocal Workshop. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Vocal workshop for jazz musicians. | ||
| MUEN 572 | Cappella Antica. | 2 |
Cappella Antica. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ensemble of 8 to 12 voices specializing in early music. N.B. This ensemble may substitute as a Basic Ensemble in programs that specify Choral Ensemble, with Departmental approval. | ||
| MUEN 573 | Baroque Orchestra. | 2 |
Baroque Orchestra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Open to singers and instrumentalists, this ensemble specializes in chamber music primarily of the Baroque era. | ||
| MUEN 587 | Cappella McGill. | 2 |
Cappella McGill. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An ensemble of 16 voices performing challenging repertoire from the Renaissance to the present day. Since the expectation is a level of performance equivalent to a professional chamber ensemble, singers wishing to join this group should have had considerable ensemble experience, and advanced vocal and sight-reading skills. | ||
| MUEN 590 | McGill Wind Orchestra. | 2 |
McGill Wind Orchestra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Large ensemble for wind instruments. | ||
| MUEN 592 | Chamber Jazz Ensemble. | 2 |
Chamber Jazz Ensemble. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This ensemble will deal with the extensive repertoire of music which exists for small jazz orchestra (9-13 instruments). | ||
| MUEN 593 | Choral Ensembles. | 2 |
Choral Ensembles. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Students enrolling in Choral Ensembles will be assigned to one of the above groups. | ||
| MUEN 594 | Contemporary Music Ensemble. | 2 |
Contemporary Music Ensemble. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ensemble for contemporary music - instruments and voice. | ||
| MUEN 595 | Jazz Ensembles. | 2 |
Jazz Ensembles. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ensemble for jazz - instruments and voice. | ||
| MUEN 597 | McGill Symphony Orchestra. | 2 |
McGill Symphony Orchestra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ensemble for orchestral instruments. | ||
Elective Courses (53 credits)
20 credits of Music Electives.
3 credits of non-Music Electives.
30 credits of Free Electives