University of South Carolina

School of Music

DOCTORAL MINOR

Doctoral students are strongly advised to develop at least one area of musical expertise outside the doctoral major. A doctoral minor is therefore available in the areas listed below. The chosen doctoral minor may not have been the student’s major at the master’s level nor may it be in another area of the degree major (performance majors may not choose a doctoral minor in another area of performance, and conducting majors may not choose another area of conducting). A doctoral minor requires a minimum of 12 post-master’s graduate credits, of which at least nine must be completed at USC after admission into the minor program. Procedures and requirements for acceptance into a doctoral-minor program are the same as for admission into the equivalent major at the master’s level. During the Comprehensive Examination students who have been approved for a doctoral minor will also be tested in that area. The following are general guidelines for a doctoral minor:

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, orchestration).

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 Theater, 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.