The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

Jazz Studies Audition Information

Jazz Studies is a concentration within the undergraduate major in the Department of Ethnomusicology. Majors in jazz studies take private lessons, participate in combos and orchestras, and take courses in jazz history, theory, and improvisation. The presence of jazz studies within the ethnomusicology department facilitates exploration of the significant link between jazz and music traditions from around the world.

The jazz studies concentration seeks to produce outstanding and well-rounded jazz musicians with a strong academic foundation and to prepare them to enter professional careers in the music world. It also lays the foundation for graduate study in various aspects of music such as composition, arranging, film scoring, jazz performance, research, and teaching.

Jazz and other genres of African-American music may also be studied by music and musicology majors and nonmajors in jazz history courses in the Departments of Ethnomusicology and Musicology. Check the Department of Ethnomusicology course listings and the Department of Musicology course listings in the UCLA General Catalog to find those courses.

Jazz performance is also offered at the Master's level through the Department of Music in partnership with The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.

Ethnomusicology & Global Jazz Studies Undergraduate Admissions

Thank you for your interest in applying to the Ethnomusicology or Global Jazz Studies major at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music!  First-year and transfer applicants begin the admissions process by completing the University of California Application for Undergraduate Admission.  The filing period for the UC application is November 1 - November 30 for enrollment in September of the following year.  Only applicants who have indicated Ethnomusicology or Global Jazz Studies as their first choice major to UCLA on the general UC application will be considered for admission to the programs.

In order to be eligible for admission, applicants must meet all minimum academic eligibility requirements for admission to the University of California either as a freshman or transfer student.  For more information on UC eligibility, please visit the University of California website. 

SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION

All applicants to the Ethnomusicology or Global Jazz Studies major are required to submit a supplemental application.  Access to the supplemental application will be provided to applicants via email on a rolling basis following the submission of the UC application.  Supplemental materials are due by December 12, 2018.  The supplemental application includes the following components:
-Questionnaire
-Personal statement
-Unofficial transcripts
-Performance resume (optional)

AUDITIONS

All applicants are required to audition for program faculty.  Applicants are encouraged to attend on-campus auditions if possible.  Applicants who are unable to attend on-campus auditions/interviews may submit a video audition instead. 

Please review the following documents for additional information about the supplemental application and audition requirements for the Ethnomusicology and Global Jazz Studies majors:

Ethnomusicology Supplemental Application Worksheet

Global Jazz Studies Supplemental Application Worksheet
 

CHANGE OF MAJOR APPLICATION

Current UCLA students who wish to change their major to Ethnomusicology or Global Jazz Studies must complete a UCLA Undergraduate Petition for Change of Major, submit a supplemental application, and audition for department faculty.  Carefully review the appropriate Change of Major Supplemental Application Worksheet for detailed information regarding the application process and deadlines:

Ethnomusicology Change of Major Supplemental Application Worksheet

Global Jazz Studies Change of Major Supplemental Application Worksheet

If you have any questions about applying to the School of Music, please contact .

LINKS

UCLA Undergraduate Admissions

University of California Undergraduate Application

UCLA Housing

                                                  Updated on 08/14/2018