Minor in Jazz/Commercial Music

The Minor in Jazz/Commercial Music requires at least 20 units. Jazz/Commercial (J/C) Music minors are required to have a department adviser to assist with building meaningful schedules. Students who intend to minor in Jazz/Commercial Music are advised to so declare no later than the fourth term. It ordinarily requires four or more terms to complete the minor. Acceptance to the Jazz/Commercial Music minor requires an audition and interview. Contact the music office for audition information. Jazz/Commercial Music minors must complete minimum 12 units toward the minor at Towson University. This minor requires students to complete a minimum of six units at the upper level (3xx or 4xx), which may be earned in any combination of MUSA J/C applied lessons, MUSA J/C ensembles, or MUSC courses, if included in the table below.

Required Courses

MUSA XXX: Jazz/Commercial Applied Lessons in a single medium
Select one from the following for all four units:4
MUSA X01
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C COMPOSITION
MUSA X40
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C GUITAR
MUSA X41
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C STRING BASS
MUSA X42
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C PIANO
MUSA X43
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C DRUMS
MUSA X44
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C TRUMPET
MUSA X45
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C SAXOPHONE
MUSA X46
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C TROMBONE
MUSA X47
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C ELECTRIC BASS
MUSA X48
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C VOICE
MUSA X49
APPLIED LESSONS: J/C MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUMENTS
MUSA 2XX: Jazz/Commercial Ensembles
Select from the following:2
ENSEMBLE: FREE IMPROVISATION ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE: JAZZ ORCHESTRA
ENSEMBLE: JAZZ/COMMERCIAL COMBO
ENSEMBLE: JAZZ/COMMERCIAL GUITAR ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE: JAZZ/COMMERCIAL VOCAL ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE: LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE: POPULAR MUSIC ENSEMBLE
Foundations Courses
MUSC 222FOUNDATIONS OF JAZZ/COMMERCIAL MUSIC: HARMONY1
MUSC 223FOUNDATIONS OF JAZZ/COMMERCIAL MUSIC: RHYTHM1
MUSC 224FOUNDATIONS OF JAZZ/COMMERCIAL MUSIC: IMPROVISATION1
Select one of the following courses:3
JAZZ HISTORY FOR NON-MAJORS
HONORS HISTORY OF JAZZ FOR NON-MAJORS
ELEMENTS OF THE HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC
MUSIC IN THE UNITED STATES
HIP-HOP MUSIC AND CULTURE
JAZZ/COMMERCIAL THEORY AND IMPROVISATION I 1
JAZZ REPERTOIRE 1
JAZZ HISTORY 1
JAZZ/COMMERCIAL ARRANGING I 1
MUSA or MUSC electives: Choice of academic and/or applied opportunities 28
Total Units20
1

Students enrolled in the J/C Music Minor will be exempt from the prerequisites for these courses, should they elect to take these classes.

2

Students may take any J/C applied lesson or J/C ensemble as elective credit. Students are required to complete the J/C Upper-Division Jury in order to be eligible for 300/400-level MUSA lessons. Additional MUSC courses may be chosen from the list above.