The mission of the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Jazz Performance is to:

• Provide the terminal degree through advanced, in-depth study in the areas of musicianship and performance practice that will support a professional performance career as a jazz artist;
• Provide performance opportunities that integrate the skills learned in both performance and academic classes, foster creativity and research, demonstrate advanced musical techniques and a thorough understanding of historical style and performance practice;
• Continue to develop the skills for analyzing and articulating thoughts about music in a scholarly written format;
• Provide requisite skills to manage the non-performance aspects of a career.