This degree program is right for you if you hold a bachelor’s degree in jazz and would like to further refine your skills as a musician while making use of an institutional framework (skilled teaching staff, networks, infrastructure…).

You should be curious, open, enjoy improvisation, have good communication skills, be able to work independently and in a structured manner, and enjoy being on a stage.

The entrance requirements for the Jazz and Pop Music master’s degree program include proof of a completed bachelor’s degree in jazz and pop music or in a comparable area of study at a higher education institution. In exceptional cases, a bachelor’s degree in music may be accepted as fulfilling the entrance requirements. The Mainz School of Music’s examination committee has the final say in these cases.

An aptitude test will determine whether you possess the necessary subject-specific skills for the master’s degree program, particularly the required musical aptitude in the selected vocal or instrumental major, as well as sufficient motivation for the program of study.

If you did not earn your university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, HZB) at a German institution and do not hold a degree in which German was the language of instruction, you must provide proof of sufficient German language proficiency (A1 level, CEFR). You can provide proof of sufficient German language proficiency either by submitting corresponding certificates or by participating in a conversation with the examination committee as part of the aptitude test.

At the time of enrollment, no more than one year may have passed since you took the aptitude test. The same applies for enrollment in advanced semesters.

More information on the aptitude test can be found in the School of Music’s aptitude test regulations.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

If you did not earn your university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, HZB) at a German institution and do not hold a degree in which German was the language of instruction, you must submit proof of sufficient German language proficiency (B1 level, CEFR). This proof is to be submitted in the form of relevant examination certificates.

If necessary, the examination committee recommends taking German language courses alongside your regular courses, depending on your language proficiency.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information in the master’s degree program’s examination regulations.

Course sequence

Throughout the entire program of study:

• Individual lessons in your major subject
• Specialist project (students in the same major work on a project together)
• Jazz forum (weekly opportunity for all jazz students to perform)
• Ensemble lessons (smaller ensembles and big band)

For one or two semesters:

• Master’s project/orchestra project
• Advanced jazz theory
• Composition
• Academic teaching practice

Additionally, the program offers:

• Participation in other musical projects at the department
• Workshops with visiting musicians
• Time in the recording studio
• A network and infrastructure for individual musical projects

You can choose your own focus areas for the most part, particularly regarding the major subject lessons, when choosing ensembles, and when developing your own musical projects. Members of the teaching staff will provide support by giving recommendations and assisting you in the conception and practical implementation of projects.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Stays abroad for Accompaniment / Répétiteur Work (M.Mus.) are highly recommended! The Mainz School of Music provides individual support for planning and implementing your stay.

Internships

In the third semester, you will complete an internship on academic teaching practice. This internship gives you the opportunity to teach jazz courses at the Mainz School of Music for a span of time. You will be supervised by a member of the teaching staff, who will give you feedback at the end. The length of time you teach can vary, subject to consultation with the department.

Voluntary internships are another good opportunity to obtain more in-depth insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

After the groundwork laid in the bachelor’s degree program, this master’s degree program gives you the opportunity to expand your skills and knowledge base leaving you with the ability to work as a professional jazz and pop musician. You can practice your profession in different settings, such as

• working as a pop and jazz musician (instrumental or vocal), giving concerts, working on your own musical projects, or playing in ensembles/productions;
• music education, teaching and schools of music, giving private lessons, workshops;
• composition and arrangements for different ensembles, composing your own works or commissioned works;
• music productions, working in a recording studio, as a producer (artistic & technical) or a musical director.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.