Graduate & Professional Degrees

Regulatory science relates the regulatory and legal requirements of biomedical product development to the scientific study needed to establish product safety and efficacy. A Master of Science degree in regulatory science will be granted upon completion of at least 36 units of formal course work.  Course requirements normally include a minimum of three courses concerned with regulatory aspects of medical product development and a minimum of one course each in quality assurance, clinical research, business, statistics and law. Recommended course work includes some courses available in other departments of the university. Students should develop a specific plan of study in consultation with the graduate advisers before beginning the program.

The department does not accept applicants for a Master of Arts degree in religion. PhD students who are currently enrolled in the religion PhD program will be eligible to receive a religion MA degree after taking all the course specified requirements for the religion PhD and passing their qualifying exams. Religion PhD students who complete the course requirements for the religion PhD and pass their qualifying exams, but are unable to complete the requirements for the PhD, may also earn the religion MA degree.

Course Requirements

Sixty-four units of course work are required for the PhD degree, including units of previous graduate work for which credit is allowed. No more than two language courses at the 400-level and no more than two non-language courses at the 400-level (i.e., 16 units) may be applied to the total requirement of 64 units. Time of residency is contingent upon the background and preparation of the student.

Core requirements for all doctoral students regardless of track include REL 500, REL 592, REL 593 and a maximum of 8 units of REL 794a Doctoral Dissertation to be applied toward the 64-unit total requirement.

Additionally, mandatory courses for students in the Asia Pacific Religions track include REL 545, REL 645, and one course from the REL 652/REL 653/REL 654/REL 655 series. Mandatory courses for students in the Christian Studies track include REL 535, REL 635 and REL 651. Mandatory courses for students in the Global Islam track include REL 525, REL 625 and REL 650.

In addition to the mandatory courses, students are expected to take elective courses in areas that will support their dissertation work. Such courses may be offered in related departments in the university as well as in the School of Religion and should be selected in consultation with the primary adviser.

Each student entering the PhD program will select a primary academic adviser before classes begin. The adviser must be a member of one of the three tracks that the student envisions specializing in. In addition, at least one other faculty member from that track is selected to constitute, along with the primary adviser, the student's "mentoring committee." The mentoring committee is responsible for overseeing the student's program of course work, course of language study, timing of qualifying exams and so on. The membership of the mentoring committee can be changed at any time with the agreement of the student, the student's primary adviser, and the School of Religion director of Graduate Studies. The dissertation Committee (see below) will replace the mentoring committee once candidacy is achieved. Students are expected to maintain a 3.5 GPA in course work.

The mentoring committee conducts an annual review of the student's academic performance and progress toward the degree in the spring of each year, before the end of the spring term. Should a student's performance be considered unsatisfactory, following consultation with the director of Graduate Studies, the student will be placed on probation for one year and given the opportunity to improve his or her performance. If a student's performance is still considered unsatisfactory at the end of the probationary year, the student will be dismissed from the program. Only after a successful annual review in the second year will the student be permitted to convene their qualifying examination committee.

Foreign Language Requirements

Language competencies vary by track and are determined in consultation with the mentoring committee. Here are some general guidelines:

Asia Pacific Religions Track: Advanced facility in at least one Asian language is considered essential to the Asia Pacific Religions Track. Each student selects a primary language area. The Mentoring Committee determines which possible additional languages are necessary for the student's course of study, and the procedures for the evaluation of proficiency in those languages. The following is provided as a guideline depending on the area of sub-specialization.

• Chinese: Classical and modern Chinese, as well as modern Japanese (as a research language) and a modern European research language.
• Japanese: Classical (Bungo) and modern Japanese, as well as Kanbun, and one modern research language (European, modern Chinese, or modern Korean)
• Korean: Advanced Korean, as well as either modern Japanese (as a research language) or a European modern research language.
• Sanskrit and Hindi: Advanced competency in two South Asian languages, classical or modern, plus a modern research language judged relevant to the student's research.

Christian Studies Track: Students are required to demonstrate advanced ability in two languages other than English in order to enable comparative research. Given the temporal and global span of Christian traditions, the specific languages will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the student's mentoring committee. Customarily the committee will select one or two ancient languages and one or two modern languages. The following are the languages most frequently studied in the Christian Studies Track, but the mentoring committee can select others as needed:

• Ancient: Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Latin, as well as medieval vernaculars
• Modern: French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean

Global Islam Track: Required to demonstrate advanced ability in the primary lingua franca of Islamic civilization to ensure the ability to conduct original research. Secondarily, students are generally encouraged to acquire facility in a secondary language within traditional Muslim religious and secular literature. Students are also encouraged to acquire facility in one European research language where deemed appropriate.

• Arabic: Classical and Modern Standard, as the primary research language.
• Persian: Classical and Modern, as a possible secondary research language.
• French or Spanish: (Elective) a reading knowledge to conduct research on or in specific modern communities.

Qualifying Examination and Dissertation Prospectus

The qualifying examination process consists of five stages: (1) constituting the qualifying examination committee (this would normally include the members of the mentoring committee), (2) determining the three exam areas by the student and the qualifying examination committee, (3) taking the written examinations, (4) submission of the dissertation prospectus, (5) the qualifying oral examination.

Preparation for these exams should begin early in the student's course work. In consultation with the mentoring committee the students will select their primary area and also take an exam in the other two cognate areas. Preparation for the qualifying exam continues with supplementary readings based on a bibliography prepared by the student in conjunction with the qualifying examination committee. This committee is responsible for setting the exam questions for the cognate written exams. The student is given 24 hours to write on a total of three questions for each exam. Each of the written exams is evaluated by all members of the examination committee.

The dissertation prospectus should begin with a general review of the scholarship in the field, and situate the thesis within that field. It should clearly articulate the thesis and program of research, identifying the available source material to be consulted. The prospectus must include a chapter outline, and a full bibliography of primary and secondary sources.

The oral examination will occur shortly after the submission of the dissertation prospectus. It will focus on the content of the written exams, the basic literature in the student's primary field, as well as the content and cogency of the prospectus.

Dissertation

The dissertation committee, consisting of three faculty members, is formed immediately following advancement to candidacy. The committee consists of at least two faculty members in the track of the student's specialization as well as one other School of Religion faculty member. Candidates may also add an additional faculty member external to the School of Religion if appropriate. This final stage of the program requires the submission of an acceptable dissertation based on original investigation. The dissertation must show technical mastery expected in each track, evidence of independent research, and the analytical and interpretive ability expected of a scholar.

The Graduate Certificate in Religious Studies (GCRS) allows students across diverse fields in the humanities, social sciences and professional schools to take advantage of the broad knowledge and expertise of Dornsife's Religion faculty.

Students interested in pursuing the GCRS program should meet with the director of Graduate Studies to apply to the program and plan a course of study. In addition to taking relevant course work, candidates must also do one of the following: (1) include the study of religion in their dissertation projects; or (2) take a concluding qualifying oral exam based on three seminar or research papers written in conjunction with their Religion course work.

Students admitted into the GCRS program will be required to complete REL 500 Methods and Theories in the Study of Religion or REL 502 Themes in the Study of Religion. They must also take 12 units of elective courses from the pre-approved list below. (Students may also take as an elective whichever of the REL 500 - REL 502 series they did not take as a requirement.) In addition to the courses listed below, others may also be considered for credit on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the director of Graduate Studies. All GCRS courses must be at the 500-level or above, and at least 50 percent of their content must focus on the study of religion. REL 590 Directed Research may not count for more than 4 of these additional 12 units.

The online and residential graduate certificate in Remote Sensing for Earth Observation requires 16 units of graduate course work in the rapidly evolving and expanding area of remote sensing and geographic information science (GIS) as it is applied to Earth observation, spatial data collection and the integration and management of Big Data, including human-generated geo-referenced information.

Overview

The DMA in Sacred Music consists of the following areas of study: the basic DMA curriculum, course work in the major, an academic field and two elective fields.

Degree Prerequisites

DMA applicants must complete the appropriate master of music degree program or its equivalent.

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.

Grade Point Average Requirements

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) is required for all graduate course units in music. A grade of B or higher is required for all courses in the major field. For courses in academic and elective fields, the minimum passing grade is C.

Transfer Credit

The Degree Progress Department in the Office of Academic Records and Registrar determines whether course work taken elsewhere is available for transfer credit. A maximum of 30 units of transfer credit may be applied toward a doctoral degree in music. Whether such credit is applicable toward a specific requirement in a major or minor field is determined by the Thornton School department in which the subject is taught, pending approval by the dean of the Thornton School. Transfer credit petitions must be filed with the Thornton doctoral adviser during the first semester in residence. Transfer work must have been completed within 10 years of admission to the DMA program to be applied toward that degree.

Residence Requirement

A minimum of two years of full-time study beyond the Master of Music degree is required for the Doctor of Musical Arts. At least one year of full-time study beyond the master's degree (six units or more per semester) must be in residence at USC.

Time Schedule

The time limit for completing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree is eight years. For students who earned an applicable master's degree within five years prior to admission to the doctoral program, the time limit for completing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree is six years. Progress is measured from the beginning of the first course at USC applied toward the degree. Extensions will be granted by petition to the Thornton School for only the most compelling reasons.

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 doctoral 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.

Course Requirements

Each student is required to complete four areas of concentration: the major field, an academic field and two elective fields.

Required courses for each major curriculum are listed in the description of major programs below. Required courses for any academic or elective field are determined for their respective fields by the faculty advisers on a student's DMA guidance committee.

A minimum of 65 graduate units beyond the bachelor's degree are required to complete a DMA degree. Fifty-five or more units must be in music, 12 of these beyond the master's level must be in the major. At least 40 of these must be at the 500 level or higher. All course work earned under these requirements for a doctoral degree is considered to be obsolete after 10 years from the date of completion of such work and may not be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Academic and Elective Fields

For the academic field students must choose one from Musicology, Theory and Analysis, Music Teaching and Learning, Choral Music or Sacred Music. For the elective fields students will choose two fields from among 50 possible areas, including Composition, Performance, Early Music, Jazz Studies, Music Teaching and Learning, Choral Music, Sacred Music, Conducting, Pedagogy, Electroacoustic Media, Music Industry, as well as areas outside of music. The fields comprise courses that are determined by the department in which they are administered. Eight to ten units are taken in the academic field. Six to eight units are taken in each elective field. The academic field may not duplicate a major or an elective field. No more than two of the four fields of concentration may be under the guidance of the same department within the Thornton School of Music, and at least one of the elective fields must culminate in a substantial written paper or examination. Students must apply to their chosen fields. Admission to academic and elective fields is determined by the appropriate department, prior to the Graduate Committee Interview. Individualized programs of study will be created in each field in consultation with a faculty adviser in each area.

Graduate Committee Interview

Before the completion of 16 units beyond the master's degree and before permission to present the second doctoral recital is requested, doctoral students must meet with the Graduate Advisory Committee of the Thornton School of Music to discuss their progress in the program and their goals for the future. In preparation for this interview, students must prepare a dossier according to specific instructions available from the Thornton doctoral adviser. The committee determines the student's continuation in the program, and approves both the student's individualized curriculum (including all fields of concentration) and the members of his or her DMA guidance committee.

DMA Guidance Committee

The DMA guidance committee is composed of at least five members: two faculty members from the major department, one of whom will serve as chair, and a faculty member from each of the three other areas of concentration. At least three members of a committee must be full-time faculty of rank in the Thornton School. The composition of the DMA Guidance Committee is proposed and approved as part of the Graduate Committee Interview.

The guidance committee administers the written and oral parts of the comprehensive examination. The committee continues to serve until the comprehensive examination has been passed, the dissertation topic approved (if applicable) and the student is admitted to candidacy (if applicable). For students in curricula that require recitals, the two major field advisers serve as the recital committee and are responsible for determining the approved format, content, scheduling, and presentation of these performances for credit toward the requirements of the degree.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination for the DMA is administered by the student's guidance committee. This examination consists of written and oral components and is designed to assess the student's mastery of his or her fields of concentration and readiness for professional independence as a performer, composer, teacher, researcher and/or scholar. The student must obtain permission from the guidance committee to take the comprehensive examination and schedule it at least two months in advance to ensure the committee's availability. The examination must be taken after completion of all required course work for all fields of concentration, except (in some cases) a limited number of the required units of Individual Instruction in the major field. In degree programs that require the presentation of four major recitals, at least two major recitals must be presented prior to the administration of the comprehensive examination. Up to two required recitals may be presented after the comprehensive examination. The dissertation (if required) must be written after the comprehensive examination. Comprehensive examinations will not be scheduled during summer sessions except under extraordinary circumstances and only with the written approval of members of the guidance committee. All portions of the examination must be completed within one month.

The comprehensive examination is comprised of a substantial culminative work for each field of concentration, as well as an oral examination with the student's guidance committee. The culminative work for each field may be a written examination, paper, project or recital, as appropriate for the particular field. For the academic field and at least one elective field, this culminative requirement must be a substantial written examination or paper. Following the successful completion of all culminative requirements and the approval of each by the corresponding faculty adviser, the student will sit for a two-hour oral examination with the guidance committee. This oral examination covers in greater depth the topics discussed in the written examinations and other requirements for the fields of concentration. The oral examination may also cover new material as determined by the guidance committee.

The two major field advisers and the academic field adviser must be present at the oral examination and render a judgment on the acceptability of the comprehensive examinations as a whole. It is highly preferable that the faculty advisers for the two elective fields participate in the oral examination with the other members of the guidance committee. If, however, there are challenges with scheduling or other issues that are reasonably unresolvable, the participation of the faculty advisers for elective fields is not required for the oral examination if they feel that the candidate has demonstrated knowledge and mastery of material that is appropriate for an elective field in their disciplines.

The examinations will be reported as passing if there is no more than one dissenting vote on the committee. A student must pass both the written and oral portions to pass the comprehensive examination. A pass on the examination cannot be made contingent upon any form of additional work.

If a student fails the comprehensive examination, the guidance committee may permit the student to repeat it once at a mutually satisfactory time within a period of not less than six months nor more than one year from the date of the first oral examination. A student may not take the comprehensive examination more than twice.

The comprehensive examination serves as the qualifying examination for programs that require a dissertation.

Admission to Candidacy

For students pursuing the dissertation option, admission to candidacy occurs after the student has passed the comprehensive examination, upon formal action of the dean of the Thornton School. The dissertation must be completed after admission to candidacy.  For students pursuing the project option, the project must also be completed after the student has passed the comprehensive examination.

Doctoral Project

The doctoral project must be approved by the department and may take the form of a lecture recital, a composition, a musical edition, or other appropriate creative endeavor.  The doctoral project must reveal creative and scholarly ability, technical mastery, and must take a form relevant to the field.  The evaluation of the doctoral project is made by the department in accordance with Thornton School of Music practice in evaluation of capstone doctoral recitals.

Doctoral Dissertation

A dissertation based on original investigation and/or creative work is required of candidates in Composition, Music Teaching and Learning, and Choral Music. This also applies to Sacred Music candidates who pursue the dissertation option. The dissertation must reveal scholarly ability, technical mastery, capacity for independent research and originality in creative thought.

Dissertation Committee

After the guidance committee recommends admission to candidacy and approves the dissertation topic, the committee is reduced to three members. This smaller committee shall be the dissertation committee and will guide the student through the completion of the dissertation. Additional members may be added at the discretion of the chair of the committee if the topic requires special expertise.

Registration for Dissertation

The student must register in 794 Dissertation each semester after admission to candidacy until degree requirements (including the dissertation) are completed. Registration for 794 in no less than two regular semesters following admission to candidacy entitles the candidate to supervision by the dissertation committee. If the dissertation is not completed and accepted within two semesters, the candidate must register for 794 each semester thereafter until the document has been accepted. No more than 8 units of credit in 794 may be accumulated regardless of the number of semesters the candidate may be required to register.

A candidate who must withdraw temporarily from registration in 794 for a semester must report this in writing to the Thornton doctoral adviser before the beginning of that semester. As part of that report, the candidate must also petition for a formal leave of absence. During a leave of absence the candidate will not be entitled to assistance from his or her dissertation committee or to the use of university services and facilities. A leave of absence will be granted only under exceptional circumstances.

Format for Theses and Dissertations

All dissertations submitted for requirements for graduate degrees must conform to university regulations in format and method of preparation. See the USC Graduate School's guidelines for Theses and Dissertations.

Abstract of Dissertation

Since the abstract of the dissertation is published in Dissertation Abstracts International, it should be written with care and be representative of the final draft of the dissertation.

Defense of the Dissertation

After meeting all requirements including the comprehensive examination, the candidate must defend the dissertation. This defense takes place in order for the committee to determine whether the dissertation should be approved or rejected. While this oral defense is open to the general university community, only the members of the dissertation committee have the authority to recommend its acceptance or rejection. The recommendation must be unanimous in order for the dissertation to be approved.

At least seven weeks before the scheduled date of the defense of the dissertation, written approval by all members of the candidate's dissertation committee, along with a typed copy of the dissertation abstract, must be filed with the doctoral adviser of the Thornton School of Music.

A candidate may defend the dissertation on the basis of an approved preliminary copy. If the defense is satisfactory and the committee is satisfied with the manuscript as presented, the committee then signs the Approval to Submit Defended and Final Copy of the Doctoral Work form. If additional work is required, the form is left unsigned until the work has been approved.

The final electronic PDF copy of the dissertation, together with signed signature sheet and approval forms, must be presented to the Thesis Editor in the USC Graduate School by the Graduate School's submission date and times. Approval of format and acceptance by the Graduate School must be presented to the doctoral adviser of the Thornton School of Music at least one week before the end of the semester.

Overview

The MM in sacred music consists of course work in sacred music, choral conducting, choral literature, choral development, music history, and vocal arts. The program culminates with a graduate recital or project.

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.

Unit and Grade Requirements

Students must complete at least 26 semester units at USC, including the thesis or recital. A grade point average of not less than 3.0 (A = 4.0) is required for all graduate courses in music, and a grade of B or higher is required for all courses in the major department. Students who transfer credits must achieve this average on all combined transferred and residence units.

Transferred Credits

All credits transferred must be the equivalent of corresponding current work at USC. Course work completed at another institution that has been approved by the Thornton School for transfer credit must have been completed within seven years from the date of admission to a master's degree program to be applied toward that degree. Transfer credit petitions must be filed with the appropriate Thornton adviser during the first semester in residence.

Time Limit

The time limit for completing the Master of Music degree is five years. Progress is measured from the beginning of the first course at USC applied toward the degree. Extensions will be granted by petition to the Thornton School for only the most compelling reasons.

Music Graduate Entrance Exams

All students entering a graduate-level degree program (MA, MM, DMA, 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. 

Master's Recital/Project

Students majoring in Sacred Music must complete a recital or a project, as approved by the department. Candidates completing the recital must perform one public recital. Candidates must apply for recital dates, according to the current guidelines of the Music Operations office. Some departments require that a candidate be prepared to play or conduct the recital program for the approval of a faculty committee in advance. Candidates completing the project must work with the department to determine the details for this requirement.

Comprehensive Review

Candidates for the Master of Music must pass a comprehensive review toward the end of their course of study, usually in the final semester. This review, which is administered by the faculty of the major department, consists of an oral or written examination, covering relevant aspects of musical performance, literature, and/or technique. A final oral examination in sacred music and related areas will be administered by the sacred and choral music faculty.

The Master of Education, School Counseling is geared toward socially responsible individuals who are aware that many of the issues pupils confront have societal origins. Designed to prepare educators interested in becoming school counselors in grades pre-K through grade 12, successful candidates will obtain the Master of Education, School Counseling degree along with USC recommendation for the Pupil Personnel Services School Counseling Credential. Forty-nine units of course work, 100 clock hours in a practicum experience and 700 clock hours of supervised field experience are required.

The online School Counseling, Post-Master's Certificate (PMC) will prepare you to become a school counselor who can facilitate the social, emotional and academic development of students. Through the program, you will learn how to be culturally competent and understand the contextual issues that affect students through the lenses of trauma informed practice, restorative justice and college and career readiness.  Successful candidates will obtain a PMC in School Counseling, along with USC recommendation for the Pupil Personnel Services School Counseling Credential. The PMC is designed exclusively for graduates of the USC Rossier Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or Master of Education in Educational Counseling (EC) programs; students in the final semester of their MFT/EC program may apply. Twenty units of course work, 100 clock hours in a practicum experience and 700 clock hours of supervised fieldwork are  required.

The graduate certificate in Science and Technology Studies (STS) provides a foundation for USC doctoral students who wish to gain expertise in the interdisciplinary field of STS and apply it in their research. STS provides tools for critical analysis of the forms of political, epistemological and cultural authority that underpin scientific knowledge and technological systems.

The graduate certificate is open to PhD students in any USC program. It requires doctoral students to take one core course, SOCI 653 Seminar in Science and Technology Studies, as well as three elective seminars focusing on special topics in the field. In addition, students may take electives approved for their particular program of research by the Program faculty. One of these courses may be a research workshop course geared toward doctoral prospectus development. Directed research may not be counted toward the award of the certificate.

In addition to the completion of these course requirements, students must demonstrate a focus on STS as a meaningful component of their doctoral dissertation. This will include working with faculty with expertise in STS on the doctoral committee (as a primary adviser or minor member). Faculty will be responsible for judging the adequacy of the STS component in the student's dissertation.

Completion of the certificate requires a minimum of 16 units.