Students are encouraged to work in their own bands in addition to the course playing; this degree aims to develop accomplished musicians with a 'rounded' background, focusing on the study of jazz performance techniques and styles; the course features a study of music idioms from around the world and incorporates cultural characteristic musical elements performed through contemporary jazz techniques; the 1st 2 stages of the course stress musicianship in terms of aural transcription, harmony and arrangement and jazz techniques both in composition and performance; there is an exploration of contemporary jazz movements on a world stage.