Jazz Studies (BFA)
Why choose Jazz Studies?
Rhythm, syncopation, improvisation… Jazz lets you swing as a virtuoso soloist and a member of a tight ensemble of musicians pushing each other further. The mental agility you develop as a jazz musician is matched only by your dexterity as a performer, your audacity as a composer, and your skills as an arranger.
Students in the Jazz Studies program, the first university-level jazz program created in Canada, have a unique opportunity to become fully immersed in the sounds and traditions of a 100 year-old art form that’s truly modern and still evolving. From jazz language and composition to theory classes, you’ll learn music in an environment that’s grounded in the traditions and leading the next wave.
In the heart of downtown Montreal, a vibrant metropolis with a deep jazz tradition, you’ll have enormous opportunity for cross-pollination with other university-level jazz students across the city. And you’ll be in a rich environment for jamming and seeing the best acts in the world perform at one of the city’s jazz clubs.
Program highlights
- Access to fully equipped practice rooms, recording studios, and two great performance halls
- Smart classrooms with multimedia playback capacity
Program structure
A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree takes a minimum of three or four years (90 – 120 credits) of full-time study, depending on your academic background.
Program option
- Specialization in Jazz Studies (66 credits)
Courses
For a list of required courses, please download the Program Guide according to your year of entry. Consult the Undergraduate Calendar for a complete list of current Music courses.
United States students: A U.S. Federal Student Aid-eligible version of this program is offered. This version meets all U.S. regulations (such as no co-operative education or e-courses) for eligible programs.
Admission criteria
This program is available for Fall admission only.
Minimum cut-off averages and course requirements
- Quebec CEGEP: DEC
- High School: C+
- ACT or SAT is NOT required
- Canadian curricula course requirements
- Accepted international qualifications
- International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma: 26
- International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (CP): 4.3/7
- Baccalauréat français: 11
- British system of education (GCE):
- A-levels: At least two A-level exams CD or
- AS-levels: At least 4 AS-level exams with equivalent results or
- BTEC: Level 3 Diploma or Extended Diploma in a related subject area with equivalent results
- Additional information for British System of Education (GCE) applicants
- University Transfers (internal/external): C
Additional requirements for admission
Applicants must submit additional requirements for admission directly to the department.
Music admissions package submission deadline: March 1
Applicants must apply online before submitting the music admissions package.
We need to know more about you than the general University application provides.
- Information about you and your music
- Online theory test
- Online theory and ear-training placement tests
- Video audition
It is the applicant’s responsibility to upload the video audition online by the prescribed deadline. Test results are sent after the audition has been evaluated.
Please remember:
- To check the program availability for the fall, as late applications will continue to be accepted for certain programs for an undetermined amount of time
- Applicants must apply online before completing the online theory test and submitting their audition video
For more information on these additional requirements, please read the following:
Minimum cut-off averages should be used as indicators. The cut-off data may change depending on the applicant pool. Applicants who meet the stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission to these programs.
After your degree
Your hard work while at Concordia will give you the knowledge and discipline to further your solo work, plus the teamwork skills to collaborate with others. Our alumni compose, perform, tour, produce original CDs, and write for theatre, dance, film, TV and video games; their cultural work has been recognized through awards and prizes.
Your degree can lead to many paths such as:
- Composer, arranger
- Performer
- Administrator in the arts (band manager, festival organizer)
- Teacher, musicologist, researcher
