Music Industry
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Application Deadline for Current USC Students
Spring Admission: October 1 | Fall Admission: December 1
Not a Current USC Student?
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Graduate Student?
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Undergraduate Application Requirements for Current USC Students
This section is for current USC students applying to the Bachelor of Science (BS) Music Industry program, including current Thornton students wishing to add or switch their major. All required materials for spring admission must be submitted by October 1. All required materials for fall admission must be submitted by December 1.
The total application fee is $25 for the Thornton Portfolio in SlideRoom. Recordings/materials must be submitted online through the SlideRoom Portfolio by the appropriate deadline and will not be accepted via mail or email for any program. We cannot guarantee the review of any material received after the deadline. Any application not complete by the appropriate deadline may be removed from consideration.
Applicants experiencing hardship or extenuating circumstances due to natural disaster or public health concerns in their local area that may affect their ability to satisfy application requirements may contact the Thornton Office of Admission at uscmusic@usc.edu to explore possible accommodations. Though we cannot guarantee that accommodations/exceptions will be possible, applicants are encouraged to contact the Admission Office as soon as possible to allow the maximum amount of time to consider the options.
Prerequisite Course
Completion of MUIN 272x: Basics of the Music Industry is required for current USC students applying to the BS Music Industry program. Based on this requirement, current USC students must do one of the following in order to be eligible to apply: 1) Complete MUIN 272x: Basics of the Music Industry prior to submitting the application or; 2) Be currently enrolled in MUIN 272x: Basics of the Music Industry at the time of application. Applicants currently enrolled in MUIN 272x at the time of application may be required to wait until the end of the semester to receive their admission decision. Satisfying the MUIN272x requirement does not guarantee admission to the BS Music Industry program. If you are considering applying to the BS Music Industry program, we strongly advise enrolling in MUIN 272x: Basics of the Music Industry before submitting an application. The application fee is non-refundable. Students who submit an application but do not enroll in MUIN 272x (or are not able to enroll due to spaces not being available in the course) will not be granted a refund of the application fee.
Note: Current Thornton majors who wish to apply for admission to the BS Music Industry program and have already completed MUIN 270: Introduction to the Music Industry are eligible to apply without taking MUIN 272x.
Applying For
Fall and Spring Admission
Auditions Required?
No.
Questions?
Email: uscmusic@usc.edu | Phone: (213)740-8986
Complete the SlideRoom Portfolio
Applicants must complete the USC Thornton Portfolio for Current USC Students via SlideRoom. Applicants are only permitted to select one program through the SlideRoom application. Applicants who would like to be considered for admission to a second Thornton program must contact Brittany Jimenez at seits@usc.edu prior to the application deadline to receive instructions on how to submit a second SlideRoom application.
To access the Current USC Student SlideRoom portal to submit your application click here.
Important Note: Once in SlideRoom, make sure to select the form titled “FOR CURRENT USC STUDENTS ONLY” and the appropriate term (spring or fall). All other forms will require you to have a Common Application and current USC students do not need to complete the Common Application.
Applicants will be asked to provide the following materials in the SlideRoom portfolio:
SlideRoom Requirements
Statement of Purpose
You are required to submit a Statement of Purpose (400 – 550 words) that communicates your plans and goals related to the pursuit of this program. Why do you wish to pursue the BS in Music Industry degree at USC Thornton? Name at least two (2) classes offered by the Music Industry Program at USC Thornton that you anticipate taking and why?
Two supplemental short essays
Essay 1
You are required to submit a short essay/answer not to exceed seventy (70) words to the following question:
- Which of the following statements best describes you? Explain why.
- I want to be a successful artist, songwriter or producer.
- I want to be successful in assisting artists, songwriters, or producers (who are not me) to develop their careers.
Essay 2
You are required to submit a short essay (100-350 words) for one (1) of the following prompts:
- Is intention or perception more important in communication?
- Global artists like BTS exemplify the power of intercultural exchange in the music industry. What other artist’s approach contributes to fostering global understanding and why is it effective?
- What do you see is the future of the music industry in regards to AI created music?
- The soundtrack can make or break a movie. If you could put any song in a movie scene, what song would you use? Describe the scene.
- If you could host two currently living people in the music industry for dinner, who would you host and what is the first question you would ask each of them?
Video/Digital Media Submissions
A video submission consisting of one (1) recording: You are required to submit a video recording (not to exceed one (1) minute) in the SlideRoom media section responding to the following prompt:
- What will your first job be once you graduate from the Music Industry Program? How will you go about finding and securing this job?
Introductory Video for All Undergraduate Applicants
All applicants to undergraduate Thornton programs are required to submit a single-take, unedited, and preferably unscripted 1-2 minute video that offers a brief personal introduction and answers the following question: How do you envision using your USC Thornton education to become a force for positive change in the evolution of the music profession and music as an art form?
Music Industry Final Project Video
The music profession is changing, and we’re changing with it. USC Thornton’s undergraduate music curriculum maintains a rigorous foundation of the finest professional training, while also offering flexibility for students to chart their own pathway. We aim to develop leaders in the music profession, who can not only take advantage of traditional opportunities, but also discover new ones – and even create their own.
One of the components of this forward-thinking curriculum is the required Final Project, completed in the senior year, which allows students to develop and fully realize a unique project related to their work as young music professionals. This could involve product development, a live music concept, exploring new technologies, addressing a pressing social issue through music, conducting original research, or any number of other possible approaches.
To help us get to know our applicants and their unique identity as young music professionals, all applicants to undergraduate programs in the Thornton School are required to submit (via SlideRoom) a single-take, unedited, and preferably unscripted video of no more than two minutes. In this video applicants must answer the following question: If you were pitching your Final Project idea today, what is the project you would propose and why?”
Résumé
The résumé is generally 1-2 pages in length and should focus on the following:
- Education- emphasizing your academic history
- Professional endeavors: identify work, internships, and/or volunteer positions
- Extra-curricular activities: identify activities beyond your classes
- Leadership: identify leadership roles you may have held as part of any of your previous experience(s)
Academic Information
Current USC students are required to submit an unofficial USC transcript and “Registered Course List” available through myUSC.
To access your “Unofficial Transcript,” log into myUSC (my.usc.edu) and click “OASIS.” Under “Course Information,” select “Unofficial Transcript,” which is the history of your completed courses including units and grades. Important note: the STARS report will not be accepted in lieu of the “Unofficial Transcript.”
- Note: If you are currently enrolled in your first semester at USC and have not yet completed any courses, upload a PDF document with the following statement: “I am currently enrolled in my first semester at USC and have not yet completed any courses at USC.”
To access your “Registered Course List,” log into myUSC (my.usc.edu) and click “OASIS.” Click “Continue” to access your course information and then select “Registered Course List.”
- Note: you only need to upload your registered courses for the current fall semester.
Letters of Recommendation (Optional)
Optional letters of recommendation for the Thornton School may be submitted through the SlideRoom References section. Important notes for optional letters of recommendation:
- Any optional letters of recommendation you want reviewed by the faculty must be submitted via the Thornton SlideRoom References form by the appropriate deadline (December 1 for fall admission). We cannot guarantee the review of any material received after the deadline.
- Any recommendations sent via mail or email will not be reviewed by the faculty.
Consent Form
Applicants to the Thornton School will be required to complete and upload the following form in SlideRoom:
- Consent and Release Form (if applicant is under 18 years of age by December 1, 2024)
Slideroom Media Troubleshooting Tips
For helpful Slideroom media upload troubleshooting tips, please click here.