ACADEMICS
General Education Courses
All USC undergraduate students must complete a number of General Education courses to satisfy their degree requirements. USC Thornton offers a wide array of elective courses for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Musical Discoveries
USC Thornton offers several exciting GE courses in The Arts (GE-A), Citizenship in a Diverse World (GE-G), and Traditions and Historical Foundations (GE-H). Scroll down for the current offerings.
We also encourage you to explore our Elective Courses, which are open to all USC students.
Spring 2025 Courses
MUSC 102gw, World Music
Exploration of music and cultures of the world. Engagement with international musicians, global issues, field work and musical diasporas in Los Angeles. (GE-A and GE-G)
MUSC 105g, Exploring our Musical Campus
Exploration of musical styles and elements, creative process and social context through active listening and engagement with live performances on the USC campus. (GE-A)
MUSC 115gp, Western Music as Sounding History
An introduction to Western art music and culture from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras through reading, listening, analyzing and writing about music. (GE-A and GE-H)
MUSC 200gw, The Broadway Musical: Reflections of American Diversity
Selected Broadway musicals serve as a catalyst for inquiry into human diversity, cross-culturalism, and significant social and political issues. (GE-A and GE-G)
MUSC 210g, Electronic Music and Dance Culture
The study of the origins and development of EDM and its relatives such as disco, house, techno, rave and electronica, focusing on the cultural and technological contexts that have influenced the genre. (GE-A)
PSYC 215g, Music, Mind and the Brain
An interdisciplinary approach to music, mind and brain. Explores music as an object with its own properties and as a form of human behavior.
Cross-disciplinary course jointly offered by Thornton and the Psychology Department (GE-D)
MUSC 250gw, The Music of Black Americans
A chronicle of the musical contribution of Africans and African Americans to American society and to the foundations of musical genres & styles throughout the world. (GE-A and GE-G)
MUSC 320gw, Hip-Hop Music and Culture
A history of hip-hop music from its inception to the present: its musical processes and styles, as well as attendant social, political and cultural issues.(GE-A and GE-G)
MUSC 372gw, Music, Turmoil, and Nationalism
A critical study into the competing and chaotic definitions of “nation” and “nationalism” and the role that music has often played in articulating national identity and in shaping or responding to political turmoil. (GE-A)
MUSC 374g, Beatles, Stone, Bowie: Empire and Masculinity
Historical survey of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie that explores their contributions to contemporary notions of “masculinity,” “Empire,” and “classic rock.” (GE-A)
Stay Connected
For more information about our General Education course offerings, contact the Thornton Student Affairs office by visiting TMC 200; calling (213) 740-4721; or emailing thornton.studentaffairs@usc.edu.