COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
The Master of Music degree requires the successful completion of
an approved program of study that provides a minimum of thirty-two
(32) semester hours of graduate study. At least one half of the
total credit hours must be in courses numbered 700 or above, exclusive
of recital or thesis credit. The remaining hours may be taken from
courses numbered 500 or above when registered as graduate credit.
Immediately
after a student has been admitted to candidacy, specific course
requirements for a particular degree program must be approved by
the student's major professor and the Music Graduate Director. The
candidate must satisfactorily complete all courses and studies required
by the School of Music. No more than 12 credits with grades of C+
or below that have been taken at the master's level may be accumulated
within a six-year period. In addition, an average grade of B
(3.0) is required for all courses taken in the major program, and
a grade-point average of not less than B for all graduate
work is required for graduation. A student who plans to complete
the Master of Music degree and also qualify for advanced teacher
certification through the University should include in the program
of study at least six semester hours of graduate-level courses in
music education or education. No more than six hours of workshop
credit may be applied toward any master's degree, and no more than
three credits of ensemble and chamber music (MUSC 734 and 735) may
be counted as electives. For further information about academic
regulations see the Graduate Studies Bulletin.
DEGREE
PROGRAMS
The curricula
given below outline minimum credit requirements for the successful
completion of the chosen degree and area. Although a master's degree
requires a minimum of 32 semester hours of approved coursework, the
actual number of credits may be higher. A master's degree can be earned
in as few as two semesters and one summer term, though the usual time
is four semesters (two years). Students who have successfully completed
a similar graduate-level course or who have developed extensive research
and writing skills may petition in advance of initial registration
to exempt MUSC 707 (for further information contact the Music Graduate
Director).
Master of Music in
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.
RESIDENCE
The value
of graduate study is greatly enhanced by the pursuit of a unified
program, by musical as well as intellectual stimulus derived from
contacts with fellow graduate students, and by close association with
the graduate music faculty. Consequently, candidates for the master's
degree are to complete at least two regular semesters of full-time
work or, if courses are available, the equivalent in full-time summer
study.
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 will present their
work to the composition 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.
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 percussion, strings, multiple woodwinds, or winds are required
to perform on campus a complete concerto from the instrument's standard
repertory. 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 and the Master of Music degree in
music history (see the respective degree requirements). This proficiency,
which must be demonstrated prior to registration for recital or thesis
credit, may be satisfied by any of the following: 1) earning a grade
of at least B in a foreign-language 315 reading course; 2) successfully
completing an examination given by the appropriate USC foreign-language
faculty; 3) earning a score of at least 500 on the Graduate Studies
Foreign Language test given by Princeton Educational Testing; 4) with
the permission of the Music Graduate Director, transferring from another
school certification of reading knowledge. 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.
RECITAL
Students
pursuing the Master of Music degree in 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.
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. Further information is available
from the Music Graduate Office
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 are required to compose a major musical work comparable in
scope and quality to a master's thesis. Further information about
thesis procedures are 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.
Return
to Graduate Studies / Return
to Bulletin & Courses
|
