Early Music Performance Emphasis (MA)

Overview

The MA in early music is a two-year, 32-unit program consisting of course work in music history, individual instruction on a historical instrument or voice, early music ensemble and collegium workshop, culminating with a thesis.This degree is under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Students should also refer to The Graduate School  section of this catalogue for general regulations.

Admission

Admission to Thornton programs is granted through the USC admission process. Applicants are screened by appropriate faculty selection committees. Specific entrance requirements are reviewed on an annual basis and published online at music.usc.edu.

Departmental Requirements

Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of transcripts of previous college courses, a research paper and letters of reference.

Regular (classified) standing is achieved when the Music Graduate Entrance Examinations have been completed satisfactorily. Remedial course work, if recommended, may be substituted for repetition of examinations.

Music Graduate Entrance Exams

All students entering a graduate-level degree program (MA, MM, DMA and PhD) at USC Thornton, who have not previously completed a degree at USC Thornton, must take a series of entrance exams in core music subjects. These exams are called Music Graduate Entrance Exams (MGEEs). Information regarding which exams are required for specific majors is available from the Thornton Student Affairs office. Also see the Thornton School of Music Admission to Graduate Standing  section of this catalogue for specific policies relating to these exams.

Foreign Language

An academic reading knowledge of a language other than English is required of all Thornton master of arts students. This requirement can be met in any of the following ways:

• Completion of a prior degree, as verified on an official transcript, from an accredited institution of higher education at which the primary language of instruction is a language other than English.
• Completion of at least three semesters of college-level language instruction in a language other than English, as verified on an official transcript, at an accredited institution of higher education.
• Completion of one or more USC language course(s) (in a language other than English) as approved by the Thornton School.
• Earning a passing score on a written examination (in a language other than English) as approved by the Thornton School.

Departments within the Thornton School may require additional language skills. All language requirements must be fulfilled before entering the third semester in the program. Students who have engaged in extensive study of one or more languages other than English that does not meet this requirement as described above may request an exception.

Prerequisites

Applicants should have an undergraduate degree with a major in music or the equivalent, and a substantial background in languages, arts and letters.