Jazz has been increasingly “legitimized” in formal academia 

1.

university jazz studies programs proliferated in the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s  

2.

today, jazz students study and practice side by side with their classical music counterparts in America’s most prestigious university schools of music and conservatories (e.g., Eastman, Indiana University, Juilliard, New England Conservatory) 

3.

today, students can earn a bachelors, masters, and even a doctoral degree in jazz studies 

Today there are more than 120 American colleges and universities where students can major in jazz studies 

Jazz education has become a major cultural export with post-secondary degree programs established all over the world 

Jazz pedagogy courses are included in most college curricula, available (although often not required) for music education majors 

Mainstream music educators no longer consider jazz a passing trend; jazz is affirmed as both a highly expressive style of music and an appropriate topic for serious study 

Research has enhanced the historical, theoretical, and pedagogical knowledge of jazz 

1.

scholarly investigations have become more prevalent in the last decade (especially in pedagogy and history) 

2.

more and more professional musicians/educators/scholars are conducting and contributing formal research, expanding the knowledge base 

3.

research has helped jazz become recognized as a legitimate art form and strengthened its position in academia 

4.

the recognized journal for jazz education research is Jazz Education in Research and Practice; it explores diverse topics of jazz scholarship and its applications to pedagogy, providing a forum for interaction and exchange between researchers and practitioners grounded in scholarship 

Jazz ensembles have become increasingly common in middle schools (and even have begun to appear in elementary schools) 

General Music students and college students in music survey courses are receiving more and more exposure to jazz 

Jazz improvisation (at all levels) is receiving more and more attention 

Performing arts high schools have proliferated in the US (only five in 1970, over 100 today), most with specialized courses in jazz studies (e.g., combo performance, improvisation, jazz history, etc.) 

The number of available jazz education materials – including books, computer apps, and YouTube videos – continues to increase; hundreds of jazz and jazz-related educational materials are available on the Internet 

1.

an outgrowth of the International Association of Jazz Education (IAJE), the Jazz Education Network (JEN) began in 2009 under the leadership of Mary Jo Papich with a mission dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences 

2.

the major publication of the Jazz Education Network (JEN) is JazzEd magazine, currently published 10 times per year 

Historians, musicians, and educators widely consider jazz to be among America’s most significant contributions to the world of music 

Hundreds of high school and collegiate jazz festivals and competitions are presented each year; numerous professional jazz festivals include an education component 

Contemporary concerns deal with the quality of the student jazz experience and the discovery of more effective ways to teach and assess curricula now in place 

A number of universities offer a doctoral degree in jazz studies, including: 

1.

Eastman School of Music 

2.

Manhattan School of Music 

3.

New England Conservatory 

4.

New York University 

5.

University of Colorado - Boulder 

6.

University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign 

7.

University of Miami 

8.

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 

9.

University of North Texas 

10.

University of Northern Colorado 

11.

University of Southern California 

12.

University of Texas - Austin 

13.

University of Toronto 

The mission of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, a world renowned non profit education and outreach organization, is to offer the world's most promising young musicians college level training by America's jazz masters and to present public school-based jazz education programs for young people around the world. In so doing, the Institute helps students develop imaginative thinking, creativity, curiosity, a positive self image, and a respect for their own and others' cultural heritage. Jazz great Herbie Hancock serves as chairman. 

1.

includes a bona fide jazz conservatory (located at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music) for exceptional graduate students, each receiving a full Fellowship (tuition, room & board, stipend) 

2.

producer of Jazz in America: The National Jazz Curriculum which provides all public elementary, middle, and high school students the opportunity to study jazz history as part of their social studies and American history courses (in an effort to teach America’s youth about its indigenous art form and develop jazz audiences for the future) 

3.

in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is the primary sponsor of International Jazz Day, producing its All-Star Global Concert in a different country every April 30th and presenting jazz education masterclasses, clinics, and seminars across the globe 

Located in Boston, the Berklee College of Music was originally founded in 1945 under the name Schillinger House. Berklee has consistently produced Grammy-winning artists, and is known for being the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. 

1.

offers approximately 650 jazz and jazz-related courses and ensembles, many highly specific including dozens of jazz improvisation courses (e.g., Improvisation in the Rock and R & B Idioms; Improvisation in the Jazz-Rock/Fusion Idioms; Improvisation on Standard Songs; Improvisation in the Jazz/Blues Idiom; Improvisation in the Latin/Jazz Idiom; etc.) 

2.

four-year degrees are offered in Jazz Performance (instrumental and vocal), Jazz Composition, Music Production & Engineering, Film Scoring, Music Business/Management, Composition, Music Synthesis, Contemporary Writing & Production, Music Education (jazz emphasis), Songwriting, and Professional Music  

Jazz at Lincoln Center, under the artistic direction of trumpet great Wynton Marsalis, is part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. 

1.

the Center hosts performances by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and by visiting musicians; many concerts are streamed live on the Center's YouTube channel 

2.

through its Swing U, the Center presents virtual educational programs online
 

According to CareersInMusic.com, the top 15 colleges, universities, and conservatories to study jazz are listed below (in alphabetical order). For a brief description of each school's jazz program, click here. 

1.

Berklee College of Music 

2.

Columbia University 

3.

Eastman School of Music 

4.

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music 

5.

John Hopkins Peabody Institute 

6.

Juilliard School 

7.

Manhattan School of Music 

8.

New England Conservatory of Music 

9.

New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music 

10.

Northwestern University Bienen School of Music 

11.

Oberlin Conservatory 

12.

University of Miami Frost School of Music 

13.

University of North Texas College of Music 

14.

University of Southern California Thornton School of Music 

15.

Western Michigan University School of Music


Portions taken from "Jazz Studies in American Schools and Colleges: a Brief History" by Daniel Murphy originally published in Jazz Educators Journal, Vol 26, 1994, pp 34-8