School of Music

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Michael A. Miles, Director
118 College Drive, #5081
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
601.266.5543

Beard, Brumbeloe, Ciraldo, A. Davis, K. M. Davis, Dean, Flanery, Fuller, Goertzen, Gwozdz, Hafer, Hightower, Holden, Kyle, Lee, Leventhal, Lucas, Machado, Mezzadri, Miles, Moak, Moser, Panella, Perry, Redfield, Russakovsky, Rust, Schlegel, Schuman, Shank, Smith, Standland, Woolly, Wooton

The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music is a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music. Requirements are in accordance with the published regulations of this association.

Music Program

There are three undergraduate majors available to students in the School of Music: music, music education and bachelor of arts in music. Emphasis areas in music are jazz studies, music history and literature, and performance (percussion, piano, strings, voice, and wind instruments). Music education emphasis areas are instrumental and choral.

All prospective music majors must audition regardless of their choice of degree plan. To be admitted to the School of Music, applicants must meet minimum standards in applied music through the Admission Audition and meet the academic requirements of the university.

Students taking applied lessons are required to pay an additional fee. (See Special Fees and Expenses .)

Major Instrument Requirement

Major instrument credit hour requirements vary based on degree sought. They are as follows:

Major Ensemble Requirement

The BM, BME and BA degrees require participation in the same major ensemble, excluding summers. Requirements are as follows:

Placement Exams

Every potential music major is required to take a placement examination in piano and music theory.

Recital Attendance Requirements

The term “recital class” refers collectively to the weekly student recital hour (department and general), as well as the 12 formal recitals attended each semester. Course number assigned is MUP 499. All majors are required to successfully complete recital class. The requirements are as follows:

Jury Policy

Music majors and music minors enrolled in MUP private lessons in their principal applied area must perform a jury for appropriate applied faculty. All others enrolled in MUP private lessons must perform a final examination for the applied teacher. At the finish of each semester, the applied teacher must complete a Final Jury/Examination Form for each student and file it with student services. Students enrolled in applied music who do not take a final examination or a jury will receive the grade I or F. The applied teacher must record and submit any exception to this policy to the academic adviser; signatures of all appropriate area faculty must be included on this form.

Piano Competency

All BM and BME students must pass a piano competency. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Music and the Bachelor of Music Education degrees must enroll in class piano until this competency is passed. Advanced standing is available for these courses. For a BME, the piano competency must be passed the semester prior to student teaching.

Senior Capstone Experience

The University of Southern Mississippi requires a senior capstone experience. This experience may be met by a senior thesis, student teaching, or project with a writing-intensive component. This requirement varies by degree. See your adviser for details.

Emphasis: Music History and Literature

The curriculum in music history and literature is planned for those who intend ultimately to teach musicology on the college level or for those who desire careers in music librarianship, music journalism, music publishing or the recording industry — fields in which a wide and comprehensive knowledge of music history and literature is essential.

The student in music history and literature will receive a strong foundation not only in his or her chosen field but also in theory and in academic subjects that will enrich the student’s cultural background.

During the final semesters of matriculation, the student must enroll in MUS 491 - Senior Thesis/Research Project  (three hours) for an independent study that culminates in a senior thesis. The exact nature of the thesis will be decided by the student and the musicology faculty of the School of Music. The thesis project should reflect significant individual effort that involves library or field research. The project must conform to scholarly procedures accepted within the discipline. A prospectus acceptable to the thesis adviser must be submitted no later than one semester prior to graduation.

Emphasis: Jazz

Thirty-minute recital is required. Recital must be approved by major instrument professor and director of Jazz Studies.

Requirements for a Major in Music Education
(Bachelor of Music Education—BME)

The curricula in music education are designed to prepare musicians who will teach in public or private schools or teach privately. The emphases listed below are designed to provide a balance between music performance, music pedagogy and general education. These curricula are fully certified by the National Association of Schools of Music, and satisfy teacher licensure requirements. To satisfy requirements in the state of Mississippi, students seeking the Bachelor of Music Education degree must earn a grade of C or better in ENG 101 , ENG 102  and all music courses.

Criteria for admission to teacher education programs, completion of teacher education programs, forms, deadlines and procedures can be found in this Bulletin under the heading “College of Education and Psychology .” Students applying for admission to teacher education must be in good academic standing at Southern Miss. Students on probation, probation continued or suspension status will not be admitted to teacher education until such a time when their transcript reflects that they are in good standing.

Students seeking the Bachelor of Music Education degree must:

1. make satisfactory progress with one concentration (e.g., flute, voice) in at least six semesters of applied music study (summers are not included) with at least one semester at the 400-level;
2. the semester prior to student teaching, present a 30-minute recital (MUP 395 ), open to the public, that is graded “satisfactory” by the appropriate faculty area;
3. complete all course work before student teaching; grades of I are not acceptable;
4. pass the piano proficiency the semester prior to student teaching.

Nonmajor Enrollment in Private Instrument/Voice Lessons

Nonmajors who enroll in private lessons may be unable to take the course due to lack of available instructors. Nonmajors should consult the School of Music director’s office personnel (Performing Arts Center) before Wednesday of the first week of school to obtain instructor availability.

Programs

• Music, B.A.

• Music (History and Literature), B.M.
• Music (Jazz Studies), B.M.
• Music (Performance-Percussion), B.M.
• Music (Performance-Piano), B.M.
• Music (Performance-Strings), B.M.
• Music (Performance-Voice), B.M.
• Music (Performance-Wind), B.M.

• Music Education (Choral-Licensure), B.M.Ed.
• Music Education (Instrumental Licensure), B.M.Ed.

• Applied Music Minor
• Music History and Theory Minor

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