Students liked the enthusiastic professor and learning about jazz in an enjoyable class setting. The worst aspect of the course was the lengthy class time, which could not really be controlled because the class only met once a week. The course would improve if there were a few more resources like PowerPoint’s and homework sheets to help students retain the information better. Prospective students should know that is a really splendid course in which they get to listen to a lot of music. One does not need a music background to enjoy the course, but they should be ready to listen and pay attention to the music being presented. 221

Students loved the listening aspects of this course and felt that the best aspects included the in-depth analysis of the music’s history and the professor’s passion and knowledge about the subject. Students felt that the lectures could be a bit long and that more emphasis could be placed on jazz music itself. Students suggested that the class be broken into two shorter sessions to help students focus on key concepts of the material. Prospective students should have an interest in jazz or music history and do not need a background in music or history to get a lot out of the course.

Students praised this course for giving them an opportunity to not only listen to jazz but to learn about its history. Perceived issues with the course varied; however, multiple students found that the course was entirely lecture centered and not that interactive. Students complained that lectures seemed to primarily revolve around the instructor going over “dense” PowerPoint slides. Suggestions for improvement varied; however, multiple students asked that the course be more interactive. Prospective students should know that students found that the course focused more on the history of jazz versus the musical components of the art.