Jazz History and Research 561

Degree Program Offered: Master of Arts

Director of Graduate Program: Lewis Porter, Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Bradley Hall 224 (973-353-5655; email: lporter@andromeda.rutgers.edu)

Website: http://gsn.newark.rutgers.edu/jazz/index.htm


Faculty:

John Howland, Ph.D., Stanford
Historian; guitarist; vocalist

Henry Martin, Ph.D., Princeton
Composer; theorist; pianist

Lewis Porter, Ph.D., Brandeis
Program director; historian; pianist

Institute of Jazz Studies Staff:

Dan Morgenstern, Director

Vincent Pelote, Sound Recording Preservation Specialist


Founded in 1997, this unique program (the only jazz history and research degree in the world) prepares people to do research, publishing, and teaching. Students rely on the renowned Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS), the largest public access jazz library in the world. The required 12 courses cover such topics as historiography, the literature about jazz, music theory and analysis, archival research, interviewing techniques, as well as in-depth semesters devoted to individual musicians (Coltrane, Monk, Ornette Coleman, Ellington, etc.) and topics such as "jazz and race," and "jazz and world music." At the end of the coursework students take a final comprehensive exam, usually in their fourth semester while putting finishing touches on the thesis. Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in any field and competence in music reading and performing. The GRE is not required at present. A five-year bachelor of arts/master of arts (B.A./M.A.) sequence is available.