School of Music

The School of Music has recently undergone its ten-year reaccreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). All academic programs, both undergraduate and graduate, were found to be in compliance with NASM Standards. In addition, the evaluation covered the School's overall effectiveness. In all areas, the School received excellent reviews.

Recently, the School has submitted preliminary information for the upcoming Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This organization also will assess the viability of the School of Music offerings.

In addition, assessment is an annual activity at the School. The School conducts annual evaluations of faculty and staff as well as reviewing its curricular programs by either the Undergraduate or Graduate Committee or a specially designed Task Force, such as the one that was assigned to review the School's music education programs.

Examples of assessment activities

Institutional data about transfer students into and out of the School of Music in 1996-1999 was studied. The School of Music gains slightly more students than it loses through transfers. Students transferring from the School of Music most frequently go to other schools and colleges on the USC Columbia campus. Students do not frequently leave the USC School of Music to pursue music degrees at other institutions. USC music programs are strong and attractive. However, many students do not have acurate perceptions about life as a music major. Faculty and staff will seek to provide more information to perspective students and their parents and offer improved orientation and support to freshmen music majors.

The self-study document prepared for the ten-year reaccreditation visit of NASM included a detailed description of undergraduate degree programs. The report prepared by the visiting committee included an evaluation of each degree program. All degree programs were found to be satisfactory. The reaccreditation process validates the ongoing efforts to assess the quality of our degree programs. Initial work in the self-study portion of the evaluation encouraged the School of Music to reduce the piano pedagogy program from an independent emphasis within the Bachelor of Music degree to an "option" under the Bachelor of Music with emphasis in performance degree.