Primary instrument/specialism
- Clarinet (Jazz)
- Composition (Jazz)
- Double Bass (Jazz)
- Drumkit (Jazz)
- Electric bass (jazz)
- Flute (Jazz)
Leeds Conservatoire has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
Course summary
Leeds Conservatoire's jazz degree was the first in the UK, and over the last 50 years we've become a leading authority in jazz across the UK and Europe. Our course was the first Jazz degree to be established in Europe. Our Foundation Year route gives you an extra year to focus on your musical development. Led by Programme Leader, Jamil Sheriff, and supported by a host of renowned jazz musicians, our highly collaborative curriculum will shape you into a forward-thinking, creative artist grounded in tradition but with a hunger to take music to new dimensions. This course follows the same specifications as our three year BA (Hons) Music (Jazz) except that the extra Foundation Year allows for students who need an extra year of study to achieve the standard of our entry requirements for the 3-year BA. On completion of the Foundation Year you will continue to Year 1 of the BA (Hons) Music (Jazz). You’ll play with jazz musicians from all backgrounds, from raw talent to polished, and from progressive to purist. You’ll also benefit from working alongside students from other pathways, collaborating with producers, sound engineers, composers and entrepreneurs on your own independent projects. As well as one-to-one tuition with experts in your specialism, you will form innovative ensembles, develop composition, musicology and critical listening skills, and receive expert advice and instruction from illustrious performers, composers and music industry professionals. Graduates from Jazz degrees at Leeds Conservatoire have gone on to a wide variety of careers including Recording Artists, Band Leaders, Composers, and Performers.
Course details
Principal study options
During the application and audition process, you must select which instrument(s) you wish to specialise in for the duration of your course. On this course, you can choose from the following options:
Main specialism
Only one specialism is studied. It may be possible to study a further instrument, but this will not contribute towards the qualification.
Instrument/specialisms
For all courses, you must select at least one specialism from the 'primary' list. For those studying primary/secondary pathways, two instruments may be selected – one from the 'primary' list and one from the 'secondary' list. Joint pathway students may select any two instruments from either list.
Modules
The BA (Hons) Music (Jazz) with Foundation Year modules focus on developing you as a professional musician through one-to-one tuition, ensemble study and creative projects. The professional studies strand will develop your core business skills, and other optional modules will introduce additional cross-genre opportunities. The programme has strands in Specialist Study and Contextual Studies that span the four levels of the programme, as well as a Professional Studies strand throughout Levels 4, 5 and 6. Students focus primarily on their Specialist Study. Foundation Year (Level 3) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study Foundation (Composition / Performance) Specialist Group Study Foundation (Composition / Performance) Contextual Studies Foundation Musicianship Skills Aural and Theory Year 1 (Level 4) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study 1 (Composition / Performance) Specialist Group Study 1 Contextual Studies 1 Professional Studies 1: Working in the Creative Industries Creative Project Year 2 (Level 5) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study 2 (Composition / Performance) Specialist Group Study 2 Contextual Studies 2 Professional Studies 2 Contextual Studies 2 optional modules, one of: Arranging and Orchestration Collaborative Composition Entrepreneurship Introduction to Music Technology Music and Ideology Music for the Moving Image Musical Direction Performance with Electronics Songwriting Professional Studies 2 optional modules, one of: Artistic Management Business Start-up Concerts and Touring Instrumental Music Tuition Self-Promotion and Music Marketing Structure and Functions of the Film Music Industry Working with Music in the Community Year 3 (Level 6) Compulsory modules: Specialist Study 3 (Composition / Performance) Final Project Contextual Studies 3 Professional Studies 3 Contextual Studies 3 optional modules, one of: Composed Theatre Composition and Production for Film and Television Computer-Based Composition Electro-acoustic Composition Emerging Music Models Extended Improvisation Intercultural Music Software Environments – Performance and Sound Creation Professional Studies 3 optional modules, one of: Business Leadership and Ethics Community Music Project Film Music – Aesthetics and Narrative Function Live Music Management Music Journalism Module specifications can be found via the Leeds Conservatoire website: http://bit.ly/LC-JazzFY-UCAS
Assessment method
The course is assessed in a variety of ways to reflect the diversity of creative and professional practice. Assessment methods include recitals, coursework, musical portfolios, recordings, technical tests, presentations and written work. The exact nature of assessments will depend on the Musicianship Skills, Contextual Studies and Professional Studies module options chosen at Level 3, Level 5 and Level 6, as well as the choice of project for the Final Project module at Level 6. Formal assessments tend to take place at the end of each semester or the end of the year. There are a handful of assignments with deadlines halfway through a semester.
How to apply
*If you are an international applicant, or you are applying for a postgraduate course, or are choosing certain assessment locations, the 'on time' deadline may be later in the year - please contact the conservatoire directly.
02Oct
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- W37F
- Institution code:
- L31
- Campus name:
- Main Site
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
International applicants
Please visit the international page on our website for further information: http://bit.ly/UCAS-international-apply
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 64 points
A level
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Access to HE Diploma
Scottish Higher
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Additional entry requirements: Applicants should also have achieved a minimum of three GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above. UCAS tariff points from music graded exams are also accepted (highest achieved per instrument (grade 6 and above), awarded by ABRSM, London College of Music, Trinity College, Rock School). All applicants will be required to either attend an audition or submit a portfolio of work. Please see https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/audition for up to date details of our audition process. English Language requirements: All applicants must meet the minimum English Language requirement, as set by the conservatoire. For UK applicants this is GCSE English Language at grade C/4. Equivalent qualifications, such as Functional Skills English Level 2 or National 5 English grade C, will also be accepted. For applicants that require a Student Visa to study in the UK, the standard requirement is IELTS 6.0 with no sub-test less than 5.5.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Additional entry requirements
Audition
Portfolio
Assessment locations
In the event of a successful assessment, applicants may be invited for a further interview prior to being made an offer.
Remote assessment recordings may be accepted in the event that you cannot attend an assessment in person.
Single specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online or in Person (All Applicants) | No fee charged | |
Joint principal specialism assessment
| Location | On-time Fee | Late Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online or in Person (All Applicants) | No fee charged | |
Additional information
Leeds Conservatoire wants to ensure that our application and audition process is fair and accessible to all. For this reason we do not charge an audition fee for any of our courses and are able to refund travel expenses for applicants from low income households for in-person auditions. Please see https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/audition for up to date details of our audition process.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| EU | £15700 | Year 1 |
| International | £15700 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
For details of any additional costs associated with your course, please see https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate-study/fees-funding/tuition-fees/
International and EU: Fees for Year 1 onwards for 2026/27 will be confirmed later in the academic year. The fee for Year 1 onwards for 2025/26 is £20,300 per year. This fee is subject to annual review and may change for 2026/27.
Provider information
Leeds Conservatoire
3 Quarry Hill
Leeds
LS2 7PD