The Power and Promise of Music

We prepare musicians for professional careers and leadership in music teaching, performance, composition, research and related fields, offering more than 20 degree programs.

The National Association of Schools of Music has recently granted the USC School of Music approval for these new degree programs:

• Bachelor of Music in Performance with a Concentration in either Technology, Chamber Music or Entrepreneurship
• Master of Music in Performance with a Concentration in Community Engagement

And two new Bachelor of Arts Concentrations/Minors:

• Minor in Music Industry Studies
• Minor in Recording Technology Studies

Students pursuing non-music degrees participate in our ensembles and classes every year. All university students can gain meaningful music experiences through courses designed to foster an awareness of the role of music in society.

The school generates research and other creative activities in music that have local, national and international impact. The excellence of the school is a direct result of the resident faculty members who combine distinguished backgrounds as performers and scholars with a dedication to teaching.

Music faculty perform regularly on campus, nationally and internationally in recitals and concerts; contribute to publications and professional organizations; and make presentations at regional, national and international conferences.

The School of Music serves as a cultural and educational center of excellence for the state of South Carolina and the nation. Faculty members and their students engage in community outreach activities by organizing and teaching workshops, classes, camps and clinics. The School of Music enriches the musical life of the university and the city by offering more than 300 concerts and recitals a year.

 

School of Music Hallmarks

•  The School of Music is peer-evaluated to be among the most highly regarded music schools and conservatories in the U.S.  The University of South Carolina is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
• The nation's first and most comprehensive leadership institute, the innovative Spark-Carolina's Music Leadership Laboratory, provides students with the entrepreneurship, community engagement and music advocacy education they need to forge successful and meaningful careers in their communities.
• The USC String Project is a model of community service and teacher education for more than 40 other universities across the nation.
• Our graduate piano pedagogy program is evaluated annually and rated among the top three such programs in the nation.
• The annual Southeastern Piano Festival is a high-level training platform for young pianists who take part in a rigorous week-long program with master teachers and concert pianists, culminating in the Arthur Fraser Concerto Competition.
• Our commitment to new and contemporary music is distinguished through innovative, award-winning programs and the commission of new works every year. Faculty commitment to performing and teaching music of our time is realized through Southern Exposure New Music Series, the experimental music studio xMuse and New Voices concerts by student composers.

 

University of South Carolina Hallmarks

Located just two blocks from the historic Statehouse in the heart of Columbia, South Carolina, the university’s flagship campus is in the middle of a thriving mid-size city that is abundant with cultural and entertainment opportunities.

Three four-year campuses in Aiken, Beaufort and Upstate (Spartanburg and Greenville) and four two-year campuses in Lancaster, Sumter, Salkehatchie (Allendale and Walterboro) and Union, help the university cover the state.

• South Carolina offers a world of pathways to a life of learning and leadership, with more than 350 degree programs.
• All South Carolina students who are ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class are guaranteed admission to the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus. 
• The Carnegie Foundation has recognized USC with its top classification — R1 university — for its very high level of research activity and number of doctoral degrees awarded. In addition, South Carolina is one of few public universities that has also earned the foundation's community engagement designation. 
• The University of South Carolina is South Carolina's academic leader, with more U.S. News-ranked graduate programs than all other colleges and universities in the state combined. 
• South Carolina is the state’s academic leader, with more than 60 nationally ranked academic programs — more than any other institution in the state. (U.S. News & World Report)
• A model for higher education excellence, the South Carolina Honors College holds the top rating among  public honors college programs (Inside Honors). 
• South Carolina's student experience is second to none. Led by its pioneering, globally recognized freshman seminar University 101, South Carolina ranks No. 1 among public institutions for first-year experience (U.S. News & World Report). 
• South Carolina welcomes and supports veterans and military service members: The university is ranked No. 7 on the 2024 Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges list.
• South Carolina provides more opportunities for African-American and minority students than any other institution in South Carolina, leading in both enrollment and graduation.
• The University of South Carolina is committed to accessibility and affordability: 2024-25 marks the sixth straight year that tuition has remained unchanged for in-state residents on the Columbia campus. Tuition has not increased on system campuses for seven straight years.