All USC undergraduate students must complete a number of General Education courses to satisfy their degree requirements. 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).

We also encourage you to explore our Elective Courses, which are open to all USC students.

For more information about our General Education course offerings, contact the Thornton Student Affairs office: TMC 200 • Phone: (213) 740-4721 • thornton.studentaffairs@usc.edu

Fall 2023

MUSC 102gw, World Music (GE-A and GE-G)

Exploration of music and cultures of the world. Engagement with international musicians, global issues, field work and musical diasporas in Los Angeles.

MUSC 115gp, Western Music as Sounding History (GE-A and GE-H)

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.

MUSC 200gw, The Broadway Musical: Reflections of American Diversity (GE-A and GE-G)

Selected Broadway musicals serve as a catalyst for inquiry into human diversity, cross-culturalism, and significant social and political issues.

MUSC 210g, Electronic Music and Dance Culture (GE-A)

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.

MUSC 250gw, The Music of Black Americans (GE-A and GE-G)

A chronicle of the musical contribution of Africans and African Americans to American society and to the foundations of musical genres and styles throughout the world.

MUSC 320gw, Hip-Hop Music and Culture (GE-A and GE-G)

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.

MUSC 374g, Beatles, Stone, Bowie: Empire and Masculinity (GE-A)

Historical survey of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie that explores their contributions to contemporary notions of “masculinity,” “Empire,” and “classic rock.”