The Doctor of Musical Arts Degree

Composition — Completion of at least 12 credits of composition, including 4 credits of applied composition (MUSC 716) and 6 credits of closely related classroom study (e.g., arranging, score reading)
Conducting — Completion of at least 12 credits of conducting, including 4 credits of applied conducting (MUSC 711) and 6 credits of related studies (e.g., area literature, methods, score reading, performance practice); credit for one public conducting recital (MUSC 796) may be included if scheduling permits
Jazz Studies — Completion of at least 12 credits in jazz studies, including 4 credits of jazz performance (MUSC 711Z) or composition (MUSC 716Z) and 6 credits of jazz classes; credit for one public recital (MUSC 790 or 796) may be included
Music History, Music Theory, Piano Pedagogy, or Music Education — Completion of at least 12 credits in the chosen area
Opera Theater — Completion of at least 12 credits in opera-theater studies, including MUSC 545, 3 credits of approved studies in the Department of Theatre, 2 credits each in MUSC 734 and MUSC 780, and either 2 credits of MUSC 781 (for an emphasis in voice performance) or THSP 759 (for an emphasis in stage direction); dual credit for MUSC 793-796 or MUSC 891-896 when enrolled in MUSC 781 is not permitted
Performance — Completion of at least 12 credits in the chosen area, including 6 credits in applied music (MUSC 711) and 4-9 credits in the area literature and pedagogy; credit for one public solo recital (MUSC 796) may be included.

CANDIDACY

All master’s students will be considered for candidacy after the completion of one semester of full-time study or the completion of twelve credits of study, whichever comes first. Grades, faculty recommendations, juries, and other relevant information will be considered by the area faculty, who will recommend or not recommend candidacy. The Music Graduate Director will inform the student of the recommendation and will counsel those not recommended. A master’s student accepted into degree candidacy will submit a program of study to the Music Graduate Director within one month after the date that candidacy is approved. Guidelines for preparing the program-of-study proposal are available in the Music Graduate Office. A student may not register for thesis or recital credit until officially admitted as a degree candidate. Admittance to degree candidacy indicates that the student is fully qualified to pursue the intended degree

ENSEMBLE

A minimum of two semesters of ensemble (MUSC 734) is required of all master’s students majoring in conducting, jazz studies, multiple woodwinds, opera theater, percussion, strings, voice, winds, choral music education, or instrumental music education.

CHAMBER MUSIC

Experience in chamber music is integral to the development of important skills and knowledge for certain musicians. Performance majors in jazz studies (performance track), multiple woodwinds, strings, or winds are therefore required to enroll in and satisfactorily complete at least two semesters of chamber music (MUSC 735), and piano majors are required to complete at least one semester. For the purpose of degree studies, chamber music is considered to be music written for an unconducted ensemble of 3 to 9 musicians, with one performer per part (examples: string quartets by Mozart; piano trios by Beethoven; wind quintets by Nielsen).

CONCERTO

As part of their graduate program, all students pursuing the MM-performance degree in guitar, percussion, strings, multiple woodwinds, or winds are required to perform publicly on campus a complete concerto from the instrument’s standard repertory (with permission of the instructor, guitar majors may present a chamber-music recital). The concerto must have been learned during the student’s study at USC. This noncredit requirement is in addition to the degree recital. Because some members of the area faculty may not be available, a student should first consult the Music Graduate Director before submitting a prospectus or planning to fulfill the concerto requirement during the summer months.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Reading proficiency in one foreign language is required for the Master of Music degree in choral conducting, the Master of Music degree in music history, and the Master of Music degree in Opera Theater (see the respective degree requirements). This proficiency, which must be demonstrated prior to registration for recital or thesis credit, may be satisfied by earning a grade of at least “B” in a foreign-language 315 reading course or by successfully completing an examination given by the appropriate USC foreign-language faculty. Choral-conducting majors may satisfy the requirement through the successful completion of at least two years of college-level foreign-language study.
Students pursuing the Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting must demonstrate the equivalent of one year of college-level study of French, German, or Italian before enrolling in recital credit.JURY
All students taking applied music or conducting at the 500 or 700 level (MUSC 501 excepted) must complete a performance jury before the area faculty at the end of each regular academic semester (fall and spring). If a student is given an “Incomplete” in an applied or conducting course because of failure to take a jury examination, the incomplete may be removed through either of the following methods: 1) passing a special jury examination; or 2) enrolling in the same course again the following semester for additional credit and taking a double jury exam, the grade of which will be used in determining the grade for both semesters. At the discretion of the teacher, a student who is to present a degree recital may be exempted from a jury examination during the semester that the recital is presented.
All students taking graduate-level composition or jazz composition will present their work to the composition or jazz faculty at the end of each regular academic semester (fall and spring). Students may be quizzed on any aspect of their composition(s). Those enrolled in composition-thesis credit are exempted from this requirement unless the composition teacher indicates otherwise.

RECITAL

Students pursuing the Master of Music degree in performance, conducting, jazz performance, opera performance, or piano pedagogy (recital track), and those pursuing the Master of Music Education (recital track) are required to present a full-length solo recital of 50 to 65 minutes; students in jazz composition must present a 50-65 minute recital of works composed or arranged since beginning graduate work at USC. The literature performed on a solo recital will be learned specifically for that performance. All recitals will be adjudicated by at least a three-member committee selected from the area faculty. Because some members of the recital committee may not be available, a student should first consult the Music Graduate Director before submitting a prospectus or planning to schedule a degree recital for presentation during the summer months. A master’s student may not register for recital credit or present a degree recital until admitted to degree candidacy. In addition, a degree recital may not be presented unless the student has officially enrolled in recital credit and is enrolled at the University during the term the recital is presented. In order to receive applied lessons, a student must be enrolled for applied credit.

The student should submit a typed recital prospectus to his or her major professor, who will see that it is signed by each member of the area faculty and submitted to the Music Graduate Office at least three weeks before the recital is to be presented. Information about preparing the recital copy as well as scheduling the recital may be obtained from that office. All recitals (including those presented off campus) must be scheduled through the Music Office and should be presented when classes are officially in session. Each graduate recital is to be recorded and a copy placed in the Music Library (a videotape is required of all conducting recitals).

With the prior approval of the area faculty and the Music Graduate Director, a student pursuing the Master of Music degree in performance may count a chamber-music or concerto recital or a major opera role as elective credit (such a presentation cannot replace the required solo recital). The literature performed should have been learned during the student’s study at USC. The following pertain:

Opera Role (MUSC 793) — The approved role, which is to be presented and adjudicated in a public performance, must be considered a major (i.e., nonsupporting) role in an opera. With the approval of the Music Graduate Committee, the opera role may be presented outside the Columbia metropolitan area if the performance is video-taped (one member of the area faculty should be present for the video-taping).
Concerto Recital (MUSC 794) — The work chosen for the concerto recital should come from the standard concerto repertory of the student’s performance medium. Public performance with an orchestra (or the appropriate original “accompanying” instrumentation) is required. With the permission of the Music Graduate Committee, the concerto recital may be presented outside the Columbia metropolitan area if the performance is video-taped (one member of the area faculty should be present for the video-taping).
Chamber-Music Recital (MUSC 795) — The works should be chosen from the standard chamber-music repertory of the student’s performance medium, though one recently composed work that may not have become a “standard” repertory item may be included.

THESIS

Students pursuing the Master of Music degree in piano pedagogy (thesis track), music history, or music theory, and those pursuing the Master of Music Education degree (thesis track) are required to write a thesis; composition majors should consult information available from the Music Graduate Office. In consultation with the student and the student’s advisor, the Music Graduate Director will appoint a three-member thesis committee, one of whom will be the director of the thesis. The thesis director will advise the student in the preparation of both the prospectus and the thesis. Any student who wishes to use University facilities or submit a thesis must be officially enrolled, and those who wish to confer with the faculty on thesis or composition work must be officially enrolled for thesis credit. Admittance to degree candidacy is a prerequisite for registration in thesis credit. All theses are approved by the student’s thesis committee, the Music Graduate Director, and the Dean of the Graduate School. Because some members of the thesis committee may not be available, the student should first consult the Music Graduate Director before submitting a prospectus or thesis during the summer months.
Prospectus — Two typewritten copies of the prospectus are to be submitted to the Music Graduate Office. Once the prospectus is approved, a corrected copy is to be filed in that office within one month. Guidelines for preparing the prospectus are available in the Music Graduate Office.
Thesis — After the thesis director has approved the paper but no fewer than 60 days before the degree is to be conferred, the student should submit three typewritten copies of the thesis to the Music Graduate Office for consideration by the thesis committee. Each copy is to have the thesis director’s signature of approval in the upper right-hand corner of the title page. After making all necessary changes but no later than 30 days before the degree is to be conferred, the student should submit four copies of the corrected thesis to the Music Graduate Office for final approval by the thesis committee and the Music Graduate Director. At least 20 days before the date of graduation, all four signed copies are to be submitted to the Graduate School for approval and binding. Guidelines for preparing the thesis are available in the Music Graduate Office.
Composition Thesis — Please consult information available from the Music Graduate Office.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

All candidates for a master’s degree in music or music education are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination. The examination will cover the major area, music history/literature, and music theory. The examination committee will consist of five members — three in the student’s major area, one in music history, and one in music theory. A failed examination may be retaken only once. In extenuating circumstances, however, and with the approval of the Music Graduate Committee, the examination may be taken a third time. The examination is to be scheduled in the Music Graduate Office. Because some faculty may not be available, the student should consult the Music Graduate Director before planning to take the examination during the summer months. The examination must be passed at least 15 days but not more than two calendar years before the degree is to be conferred.

TRANSFER CREDIT

Up to 6 semester hours of credit of B or better (or equivalent grades if a different system is used) from other NASM-accredited institutions may be transferred for use toward a master’s degree in music or music education if those credits were not counted toward another graduate degree. All transferred credits must be approved by both the Music Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School, and all must be dated within the six-year period allowed for a master’s degree. There is no revalidation mechanism for transfer credit that does not fall within this time limit. Grades earned on credits transferred from other schools do not count in the USC grade-point average.MAXIMUM PERIOD ALLOWED
Six years is regarded as the maximum time allowed for graduate credits to count toward a master’s degree. Should more time be needed to complete a degree program, special arrangements may be made with the Graduate School for the revalidation of outdated credits in courses given by the University, if approved by the Music Graduate Director (see the current Graduate Studies Bulletin for information concerning the revalidation fee). For revalidation of USC courses, the student must demonstrate a contemporary knowledge of the course content by passing an examination administered by a music faculty member who currently teaches the course. Any student who fails to complete the program in the period allowed becomes subject to changes in degree requirements adopted up to a date six years prior to graduation.

A SECOND MASTER’S DEGREE FROM USC

In general, when applying for a second master’s degree from USC, a student must meet the requirements of the second degree in full. No more than 9 semester hours from the plan of study of the previous USC degree may be applied toward the second USC degree. Students should consult the Music Graduate Director for further information.