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Contemporary instruments · 8 verified programs with a bass guitar pathway

Bass Guitar: degrees, diplomas and programs

Bass guitar study centres on groove, harmony and ensemble support in jazz and contemporary programs, and is often taught alongside double bass.

Also called: Electric bass, Bass (electric), E-Bass, Basse électrique, Bajo eléctrico.

What the listings below mean

A program is listed for bass guitar only where its official page names the instrument in the title, as a major, or as a formal principal-study pathway. These are formal degree, diploma or certificate pathways; the page says which. An instrument taught in private lessons, or a teacher on the faculty, does not create a listing.

5 Bachelor’s · 3 Master’s · 8 named major

8 programs

How results are ordered: alphabetically by institution, or by most recently checked when you choose that sort. There is no price ranking, because tuition in different currencies, fee categories and bases (per year, per credit, whole program) is not comparable. A program appears under a subject only through a verified link (dedicated degree, major, concentration or documented pathway). A value we could not verify is shown as “not published”, never as “no”. Items marked Sponsored are paid placements; they never change verification or order. Online programs are not counted as physically located in a state or city, and an institution’s location does not tell you whether it enrols students from your country.

About bass guitar study

The bass guitar is the electric low-register instrument that anchors rhythm sections in jazz, funk, rock, pop and many other styles. Degree-level study focuses on time feel, note choice, locking in with the drummer, and shaping a bass line to the harmony of the music. Students work on both fingerstyle and pick techniques, and on slap, tapping and other approaches where relevant, along with tone and amplification.

Because the bass is rarely a solo instrument in the way a violin is, programs stress ensemble work. Bassists play in combos, big bands and bands of contemporary styles, learning to read charts, transcribe recorded lines, and build walking and groove-based parts. Many programs include harmony, ear training and arranging so that bassists understand the music from the bottom up, and some teach upright bass alongside the electric instrument.

Typical degree contexts include the Bachelor of Music in jazz studies or contemporary performance with bass as principal instrument, popular music degrees, and master's study in jazz or contemporary performance. Bass guitar is distinct from double bass, which has classical and jazz traditions of its own, though some programs combine them under 'bass'. Check how each school defines the specialization before applying.

What study typically involves

  • Groove, time feel and rhythmic precision
  • Fingerstyle, pick and slap or tapping techniques
  • Walking lines and harmonic support in jazz
  • Funk, rock, pop, Latin and other contemporary styles
  • Ensemble and rhythm-section playing
  • Chart reading, transcription and arranging
  • Harmony, ear training and theory
  • Tone, amplification and, in some programs, upright bass

Award titles. Bass guitar is typically studied within a Bachelor of Music or BMus in jazz studies, contemporary performance or popular music, and at postgraduate level in a Master of Music or MMus or comparable degree. Some institutions offer vocational diplomas and certificates in contemporary performance. Graduate or postgraduate diplomas are not master's degrees. Names differ by country, and no equivalence claims are made here.

This directory lists a program under bass guitar only when its official page names the instrument in the title, as a major, or as a formal principal-study option. A private teacher or a faculty bassist does not count. Many schools offer double bass, or combined bass study, instead of bass guitar as a named specialization, and some do not offer bass at all.

Auditions and admissions guidance

General orientation only. Each program publishes its own repertoire, format and deadlines; this directory cannot guarantee acceptance.

Bass guitar auditions are usually live with a rhythm section or backing track, and the school often provides an amplifier, though applicants should confirm in advance. Applicants might be asked to play a walking line over a standard, a funk or rock groove, and perhaps a prepared solo piece. Panels listen closely for time, feel and note choice.

Reading and ear tests are common, such as playing from a chart, copying a short bass line by ear or identifying chord types. Theory tests and interviews may be included, and some programs accept a video first.

Each program publishes its own audition format and style requirements, and these change annually. Read the current-year information for each school. Nothing here guarantees admission.

See also preparing for auditions and prescreening vs final auditions.

Costs and funding

Bassists are essential to ensembles, and some programs offer scholarships connected to ensemble needs. Graduate students may be considered for assistantships such as playing in studio ensembles or teaching undergraduate lessons.

Funding varies by school, country and year, and many students receive partial support or none. Ask each department what is available.

Costs beyond tuition. Bass guitarists may pay for one or more basses, an amplifier, cables, strings and setups or repairs, and sometimes effects. Students who also play upright bass may face additional costs. Transport of amplifiers and audition travel are other possibilities.