Next fall, Marywood will have a new minor available for students: jazz.

The program is being coordinated by David Jumper, assistant professor of music, theater, and dance. The program is 18 credits, and all required classes are three credits.

“Before we proposed it, one of the reasons why we chose to do it was because students were asking for it. There was interest in it from all different majors,” said Jumper.

A jazz history and discography course will be offered to the entire university. The course is based on the history of jazz but it is also a listening course. Half the time, students will be listening to music and discussing how the music is relevant to the history of jazz. This class will serve as an option for the required Fine Arts class, according to Jumper.

Most of the students interested in the minor are juggling their schedule around to allow the 3-5 extra credits per semester. Students interested in the jazz minor must have one year of formal ear training.

Formal ear training is when a musician is trained to recognize pitches, chords, rhythms, melody and more by ear. This training course is also offered through the music department.

“A lot of instrumentalists look for diversity in programs, which we think this offers for incoming students, but also for the students who are here. They asked us if this was ever going to happen. It’s attractive for both our current students and our incoming students,” said Jumper.

Nick Viccia is a sophomore music education major who decided to minor in the new program.

“I’m classically trained so I don’t really have a jazz background whatsoever, so to me it’s like uncharted. I guess it was the interest of doing something I never did before that drew me in the most,” said Viccia.

Music teachers are being brought in to help teach the classes from around the area.

“I think [the new jazz minor] will bring variety. I think it’ll open up the music program a little more. There will be different opinions and types of music being brought