Composition (BM)

Bachelor of Music

The Bachelor of Music (BM) is a professional degree granted by the Thornton School of Music. The various majors for the degree are listed below, along with specified requirements for each.

Senior Recital/Culminative Project

All performance majors are required, as indicated in the specific curriculum listings below, to either present a senior recital or complete a culminative project. Both must be completed under approved faculty supervision and guidance. The faculty of the department of the student’s major program determine the detailed requirements of these recitals and projects, including content, length, format, and other specifications. In cases in which a performance venue is required in order to present the recital or complete the project, reservations must be made according to the current guidelines of the Music Operations office.

General Education Requirements

The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This program is effective for all students entering USC in fall 2015 or later, or transfer students beginning college elsewhere at that time and subsequently transferring to USC. It requires eight courses in six Core Literacies, plus two courses in Global Perspectives (which may double-count with courses in the Core Literacies) and two courses in writing.

The provost has allowed an exception to the rules governing the new general education requirements for certain groups of students pursuing performance degrees in music. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies or the Bachelor of Music in Performance (in all tracks except organ) may satisfy their social issues and first writing requirement separately by taking WRIT 130  (instead of WRIT 150 ) in the spring of their freshman year. In addition those pursuing the Bachelor of Music in Performance (vocal arts) may satisfy Category I of the new program with MUHL 331  and MUHL 332 .

In all other respects, students in the Thornton School of Music must satisfy the general education requirements as described on the General Education  Program page.

Individual Instruction Limitations

Music majors may accumulate a maximum of 16 units of individual instruction at the 300 level toward an undergraduate degree program.

Entrance Requirements

Applicants must submit the Thornton School of Music Supplementary Application, a statement of objectives, resume, complete academic transcripts, three original compositions, and a complete list of all original compositions including dates and media. If available, audio recordings of the submitted scores should also be included. An on-campus interview with the composition faculty is encouraged but not required. Admission to the BM in Composition is highly competitive. The program is a four-year program, to which transfer students are rarely admitted. Admission to programs in composition is limited to fall semester only.