Music Major Requirements
Course Grades and GPA Minimums
To maintain Music Major (and Pre-Music Major) status at USU, students must:
- Complete all Individual Instruction (primary instrument) with a grade of B- or higher
- Any grade lower than B- may result in an extra required semester of Individual Instruction.
- Any subsequent semester in which a student fails to meet this minimum grade may result in dismissal from the music program.
- Complete all music major core and emphasis classes with a grade of C or higher
- Any music course grade lower than C will not count towards graduation.
- Core courses may be repeated once in an attempt to earn a grade of C or better.
- Any subsequent semester in which a student fails to meet this minimum grade may result in
dismissal from the music program.
- Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all music classes required for graduation
- If a student’s cumulative GPA falls under this minimum, the student will be placed on
departmental academic probation for one semester. - Inability to meet these GPA minimums during the probationary period may result in dismissal
from the music program.
- If a student’s cumulative GPA falls under this minimum, the student will be placed on
- Maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA in all USU courses
- If a student’s cumulative GPA falls under this minimum, the student will be placed on
departmental academic probation for one semester. - Inability to meet these GPA minimums during the probationary period may result in dismissal
from the music program.
- If a student’s cumulative GPA falls under this minimum, the student will be placed on
Individual Instruction and Jury Examinations
Music Performance Majors must take Individual Instruction on their primary instrument each semester they attend USU.
Music Education Majors must take Individual Instruction on their primary instrument each semester they attend USU, not including their student teaching semester.
Music BA Majors must take Individual Instruction on their primary instrument for a minimum 4
semesters. BA students who wish to complete the recital track (rather than the capstone project track) must receive approval from faculty and take 8 semesters of Individual Instruction on their primary instrument.
Music Therapy Majors must take Individual Instruction on their primary instrument for a minimum of 4 semesters. It is strongly recommended that this requirement be completed during the first two years of the degree program.
Jury Examinations
Every music major taking Individual Instruction must perform for a jury of faculty at the end of each semester. Juries are held to measure progress, and they serve as the final examination for Individual Instruction courses. Students must pass their jury examination with a B- or higher to continue progressing along the Individual Instruction sequence.
Concert Attendance
All Music Majors are required to attend a minimum of 10 concerts or recitals each semester while attending USU, for a total of 80 concerts over four years. Transfer students will be credited 10 concerts for each semester they were a full-time music major at a previous institution.
New music majors will be added to the Canvas course at the beginning of each academic year. If you don't see the Recital and Concert Attendance course on your Canvas dashboard, please email musicservices@usu.edu.
Piano Proficiency
Every music major must complete required Keyboard Harmony courses with a grade of C or higher, or pass a piano proficiency exam (contact Dr. Mayumi Matzen to take the test). Transfer students are not exempt, even if they have met piano proficiency requirements at other schools.
Piano Performance and Pedagogy majors take Keyboard Skills instead of Keyboard Harmony. Keyboard Skills courses do not have the option to test out.
- MUSC 1170 Keyboard Harmony I
- MUSC 1180 Keyboard Harmony II
- MUSC 1270 Keyboard Skills I (piano majors)
- MUSC 1280 Keyboard Skills II (piano majors)
Student Recitals & Capstone Projects
Music Performance Majors must present both a junior recital and a senior recital. Register for:
- 1 credit of MUSC 3920 Junior Recital
- 2 credits of MUSC 4920 Senior Recital
Music Education Majors are required to present a senior recital. This must be completed before student teaching. Register for:
- 1 credit of MUSC 4920 Senior Recital
Music BA Majors must submit a capstone project proposal by week 12 of their third-to-last semester, using the Capstone Proposal Form. It is strongly suggested that you begin discussions with an appropriate faculty mentor at the beginning of your junior year in order to be well-prepared for this proposal. In your second-to-last semester, any changes to the proposal should again be submitted by week 12, using the same form.
BA students who wish to complete the recital track rather than the capstone project track must receive approval from faculty and continue Individual Instruction on their primary instrument until the recital is completed.
Register for one of the following:
- 2 credits of MUSC 4935 Music BA Capstone Project
- OR 2 credits of MUSC 4920 Senior Recital
Recital Publicity
Many students put up flyers and posters around the FAC. Some bulletin boards are open to public posting. If you are not sure which bulletin boards you can use, please ask the Music Office. Do not hang any materials on FAC walls or doors.
You can have your recital/capstone presentation added to the USU Music Events Calendar by submitting your event information there. You can also submit a digital file of your poster to be featured on the monitors in the Fine Arts Center by emailing musicservices@usu.edu.
Recital Scheduling
Arts Venues
The following venues must be reserved more than six weeks in advance. These are managed by Production Services and require a reservation fee. Go to scheduling.usu.edu and submit the Student Recital Request.
Student recital scheduling information
- Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall
- Caine Room (Family Life Building)
- Impact Commons
Music Classrooms
Many students choose to present their recitals/capstone projects in music classrooms. Reservations are free for music students. Contact the Music Department at musicservices@usu.edu or (435) 797-3204.
- FAC 214 – Choir Room
- FAC 104 – Band Room
- Large Classrooms (capacities from 35-50)
- FAC 218
- FAC 220
- FAC 222
- Small Classrooms (capacities from 18-23)
- FAC 116
- FAC 118
- FAC 123
Other Venue Options
If you are interested in other venue options on campus, please see the Event Services website. They
have information about reserving the following:
- Other Arts Venues
- Other USU Classrooms
- Eccles Conference Center
- Taggart Student Center
- David B Haight Center
- University Inn
- Patios and Courtyards
Individual Instruction Sequence
If you aren’t sure which course you need to take, work with your applied instructor and the Music
Advisor. For primary instrument instruction:
- Freshmen who have passed their entrance audition are accepted as Pre-Music Majors and they should register for the 1000-level Pre-Music Individual Instruction courses for two semesters. If a student passes their 1000-level juries with a B- or better, they move to full music major status.
- In their third semester of study, students register for the 2000-level Pre-Barrier Individual Instruction course. This course culminates in a more rigorous Barrier Jury which must be passed with a B- or better in order to continue as a Music Major.
- The Barrier Jury instruction course may only be taken once. Exceptions are evaluated on an individual basis and require instructor permission.
- After passing their Barrier Jury, students will enroll in 3000-level or 4000-level Music Major Individual Instruction.
Primary Instrument
| Instrument | Course Name | Course Number |
|---|---|---|
| Bassoon | Individual Pre-Music Bassoon Instruction | MUSC 1735 |
| Bassoon | Individual Pre-Barrier Bassoon Instruction | MUSC 2785 |
| Bassoon | Individual Bassoon Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3740 |
| Cello | Individual Pre-Major Cello Instruction | MUSC 1515 |
| Cello | Individual Pre-Barrier Cello Instruction | MUSC 2525 |
| Cello | Individual Cello Instruction - Majors | MUSC 4530 |
| Clarinet | Individual Pre-Music Clarinet Instruction | MUSC 1725 |
| Clarinet | Individual Pre-Barrier Clarinet Instruction | MUSC 2775 |
| Clarinet | Individual Clarinet Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3730 |
| Flute | Individual Pre-Music Flute Instruction | MUSC 1705 |
| Flute | Individual Pre-Barrier Flute Instruction | MUSC 2755 |
| Flute | Individual Flute Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3710 |
| French Horn | Individual Pre-Music French Horn Instruction | MUSC 1835 |
| French Horn | Individual Pre-Barrier French Horn Instruction | MUSC 2875 |
| French Horn | Individual French Horn Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3830 |
| Guitar | Individual Pre-Music Guitar Instruction | MUSC 1585 |
| Guitar | Individual Pre-Barrier Guitar Instruction | MUSC 2595 |
| Guitar | Individual Guitar Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3830 |
| Harp | Individual Pre-Music Harp Instruction | MUSC 1225 |
| Harp | Individual Pre-Barrier Harp Instruction | MUSC 2225 |
| Harp | Individual Harp Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3210 |
| Oboe | Individual Pre-Music Oboe Instruction | MUSC 1715 |
| Oboe | Individual Pre-Barrier Oboe Instruction | MUSC 2765 |
| Oboe | Individual Oboe Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3720 |
| Organ | Individual Pre-Music Organ Instruction | MUSC 1495 |
| Organ | Individual Pre-Barrier Organ Instruction | MUSC 2415 |
| Organ | Individual Organ Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3480 |
| Percussion | Individual Pre-Music Percussion Instruction | MUSC 1855 |
| Percussion | Individual Pre-Barrier Percussion Instruction | MUSC 2895 |
| Percussion | Individual Percussion Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3860 |
| Piano | Individual Pre-Music Piano Instruction for MT Majors | MUSC 1484 |
| Piano | Individual Pre-Music Piano Instruction | MUSC 1485 |
| Piano | Individual Pre-Barrier Piano Instruction for MT Majors | MUSC 2494 |
| Piano | Individual Pre-Barrier Piano Instruction | MUSC 2494 |
| Piano | Individual Piano Instruction for MT Majors | MUSC 3445 |
| Piano | Individual Piano Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3450 |
| Saxophone | Individual Pre-Music Saxophone Instruction | MUSC 1745 |
| Saxophone | Individual Pre-Barrier Saxophone Instruction | MUSC 2795 |
| Saxophone | Individual Saxophone Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3750 |
| String Bass | Individual Pre-Music String Bass Instruction | MUSC 1545 |
| String Bass | Individual Pre-Barrier String Bass Instruction | MUSC 2505 |
| String Bass | Individual String Bass Instruction - Majors | MUSC 4540 |
| Trombone | Individual Pre-Music Trombone Instruction | MUSC 1825 |
| Trombone | Individual Pre-Barrier Trombone Instruction | MUSC 2865 |
| Trombone | Individual Trombone Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3820 |
| Trumpet | Individual Pre-Music Trumpet Instruction | MUSC 1815 |
| Trumpet | Individual Pre-Barrier Trumpet Instruction | MUSC 2855 |
| Trumpet | Individual Trumpet Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3810 |
| Tuba/Euphonium | Individual Pre-Music Tuba/Euphonium Instruction | MUSC 1845 |
| Tuba/Euphonium | Individual Pre-Music Tuba/Euphonium Instruction | MUSC 2885 |
| Tuba/Euphonium | Individual Tuba/Euphonium Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3840 |
| Viola | Individual Pre-Music Viola Instruction | MUSC 1525 |
| Viola | Individual Pre-Barrier Viola Instruction | MUSC 2535 |
| Viola | Individual Viola Instruction - Majors | MUSC 4520 |
| Violin | Individual Pre-Music Violin Instruction | MUSC 1535 |
| Violin | Individual Pre-Barrier Violin Instruction | MUSC 2545 |
| Violin | Individual Violin Instruction - Majors | MUSC 4510 |
| Voice | Individual Pre-Music Vocal Instruction | MUSC 1635 |
| Voice | Individual Pre-Barrier Vocal Instruction | MUSC 2645 |
| Voice | Individual Vocal Instruction - Majors | MUSC 3670 |
Secondary Instrument
| Instrument | Course Name | Course Number |
|---|---|---|
| Bassoon | Individual Bassoon Instruction - 2nd instrument | MUSC 2780 |
| Cello | Individual Cello Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2520 |
| Clarinet | Individual Clarinet Instruction - 2nd instrument | MUSC 2770 |
| Flute | Individual Flute Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2750 |
| French Horn | Individual French Horn Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2870 |
| Guitar | Individual Guitar Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2590 |
| Harp | Individual Harp Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2220 |
| Oboe | Individual Oboe Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2760 |
| Organ | Individual Organ Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2410 |
| Percussion | Individual Percussion Instruction - 2nd instrument | MUSC 2890 |
| Piano | Individual Piano Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2490 |
| Saxophone | Individual Saxophone Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2790 |
| String Bass | Individual String Bass Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2500 |
| Trombone | Individual Trombone Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2860 |
| Trumpet | Individual Trumpet Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2850 |
| Tuba/Euphonium | Individual Tuba/Euphonium Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2880 |
| Viola | Individual Viola Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2530 |
| Violin | Individual Violin Instruction - 2nd instrument | MUSC 2540 |
| Voice | Individual Vocal Instruction - 2nd Instrument | MUSC 2640 |