With an emphasis on compositional originality, the Jazz Composition Program intends to provide students with opportunities for advanced study in jazz composition and orchestration to develop the jazz composition skills beyond that developed in their undergraduate and master's programs.

The program objectives are to:

• Identify, recruit, and retain high quality students who are seeking to develop their jazz and studio writing skills beyond that developed in their undergraduate and master's programs;
• Evaluate, revise, and develop curricular offerings to continue to meet the challenges facing professional musicians today;
• Maintain, present, and develop performance and outreach programs that will enable the jazz department to serve as a cultural resource in South Florida;
• Provide a creative, challenging, and nurturing educational experience that respects jazz tradition, reflects current professional trends, fosters innovation, and stimulates growth among students and faculty alike.