TOPIC STUDY: JAZZ STUDIES - 2025/6

Module Overview

The purpose of this module is to build on the knowledge and skills students have acquired in FHEQ 4 in research methods, discussion, and writing about music, in order to study the history, culture, and techniques of jazz.

The module provides further foundation for historical and analytical study at FHEQ 6.

Module provider

Music & Media

Module Leader

BARHAM Jeremy (Music & Med)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Exploration of the history and socio-cultural contexts of jazz


• Analysis of jazz: techniques, structure, performance


• Developing skills in jazz transcription


• Researching scholarly, and other, literature on jazz


• Guided listening to jazz repertoire


• Optional informal presentations on selected jazz recordings and performances

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the issues surrounding the study of jazz through engagement with appropriate secondary texts and selections of the repertoire. The assessment addresses all the module learning outcomes.

The summative assessment:

• The coursework essay with a maximum length of 3000 words.

Formative assessment

Discussion in tutorials and in class support students in the development of their skills in the coursework and summative assessment

Feedback

Timely written feedback will be provided for the summative assessment, providing opportunity for self-reflection, and for formulating strategies for future personal and academic development

Module aims

• - Develop students' knowledge of approaches to the historical, cultural, and technical understanding of jazz, as well as socio-cultural issues that impinge on this repertoire
• - Develop students' resourcefulness in skills of learning, research and writing (including advanced use of digital sources) that underpin the above
• - Strengthen students' cultural awareness and capabilities through engaging in a scholarly context with the range of topics addressed in the module
• - Extend students' professional and academic skillset within the topic areas in order to enhance post-degree employability

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Enable students to develop critical understanding of the contemporary study of jazz, and to employ this understanding to produce written work on topics relating to ther repertoire. This will involve directed reading and listening, class discussion, and the formation of critical responses to secondary literature used in the coursework essay. The strategy will also introduce techniques and styles of academic writing and analysis that are critical to student success in FHEQ level 6. 

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures, incorporating listening and class discussions as appropriate


• Tutorials (either individual or small-group)


• Guided reading and listening


• Individual research


• Use of SurreyLearn

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MUS2063

Other information

The Department of Music and Media is committed to developing graduates with attributes encompassing employability, digital skills, global and culture awareness, sustainability as it relates to music and the wider arts and, finally, resourcefulness and resilience.

This module provides opportunities to engage with these attributes in myriad ways including:

Resourcefulness and resilience:

Resourcefulness in developing skills of learning, researching, discussing and writing (including advanced use of digital sources)

Cultural and global capabilities:

Cultural awareness and capabilities through engaging in a scholarly context with the range of topics addressed in the module.

Employability:

Professional and academic skillset within the topic areas in order to enhance post-degree employability.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.