4.2
Quality1.8
Difficulty79%
Would Retake95
Reviews79%
Would Retake
95
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
54
4
20
3
12
2
3
1
6
What Students Say
“Yes, can be boring at times, but I've taken much worse”
MUSC210 - 4.0 rating“Professor Nye is a really kind, enthusiastic person”
MUSC210 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
55%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.59 avg changeRatings by Course
MUSC210
4.3
(62)MUSC320
4.1
(29)MUSC410
4.0
(1)MUSIC210
2.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
MUSIC210
2.7
MUSC410
2.0
MUSC210
1.7
MUSC320
1.7
Reviews (95)
Nye is incredibly passionate about music and throws a lot of history and context at you. Exams are infrequent and consist of short 1 page essays. Overall a very enthusiastic and informed professor. Easy to get high grades as long as you put some effort into studying the history. A lot of exam prompts come from lectures so not a class to skip.
Professor Nye is an extremely nice person and is super passionate about EDM/dance culture. That said, this class wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped. I don't feel that it added that much value to my understanding or appreciation of EDM, nor did it make me excited to discover more about the culture.
It was very hard to keep up with his lecture, he repeated himself and rambled on before finishing a sentence, extremely boring despite his niceness. Attendance was taken every day with in-class responses regarding the subject matter of the lecture that day.
Boring, makes me want to go to sleep. Enlisted in this class in hopes to gain a bigger appreciation of the EDM community, but oh was i wrong. His TA's know nothing about the culture and grade your essays very harshly. He is super boring, save yourself.
Really nice guy. It's rare to find professors who are so passionate about what they are teaching. Yes, can be boring at times, but I've taken much worse. Very, very easy A and would def recommend the course to friends.
Absolutely loves the subject he teaches. Says the phrase "on that front" at least once every two minutes, we counted, but the class is easy and the material is much more interesting than most other GE's. Take if you like A's and can entertain yourself through a meandering 2 hour lecture.
Great Teacher. Super fun class and very interesting topics
He did have pretty boring lectures. Sometimes he would show videos or play songs in class as examples, which was fun, but otherwise it was boring. The content itself was interesting but the way he taught it was not. I also counted how many times he said "on that front" and it was a LOT lol he's also good at liquid dancing!!
Great professor. Lectures may be boring but definitely covers interesting topics. I love EDM and I love it even more now thanks to this guy
This class had participation responses we had to turn in after every class. His lectures can be pretty boring, but the class and material itself is very easy to learn. If you put any effort in this class you will do well. The tests were very straightforward, but the papers were graded by the TAs who grade papers ridiculously.
Lectures are extremely boring and pointless, can't stress that enough. However, the class was very easy and the material was enjoyable to learn about. He has assignments for participation in class so it is important to go, despite the boringness. Papers are heavily graded on grammar due to awful TAs
Nye is very passionate about the subject, however, his lectures are basically copy and pasted from the textbook. It is not helpful to attend class, but if you don't he'll dock you for participation.
Really great guy. Incredibly knowledgable and enthusiastic about music, and by far the most excited about teaching that I've ever seen from a professor. Mandatory in-class assignments, 2 pretty easy papers, 3 midterms and non-cumulative final.
Sean is a great professor and a really nice person. Even if you're not a music major but simply enjoy music, you will like this class and do well. Reading is very light and only necessary to due well on the tests. Tests are easy and straightforward, just study the study guide he gives you. Fair grader. Participation helps. Take this class!!!!
Sean is super super super enthusiastic about hip-hop history and is always smiling throughout class. He's seriously like a kid when lecturing because he's so excited. Decently easy GE credit, 2 essays, 3 tests, attendance that matters, and a final that is not cumulative. Lectures are long but content is interesting. Would definitely recommend.
Sean Nye is bae. He is clearly very passionate about hip-hop and if you have an interest in the genre and its history, this class is fun. There are short responses in class every day to mark attendance. Each test has a study session a few days before where he goes over everything. The papers are easy if you have some interest in the material.
Easy A. No surprises on the tests/final, follow the study guide and you'll get at least a B+ on them easily. Consult the TA before writing the essay so your topic matches the prompt. Lectures are monotone, but at least the content is interesting. Guest speakers too! Very in-depth look at many different aspects of EDM. Highly recommended for GE A!
An easy class, but majority of the lectures is going over the exact material from the previous and copy-and-paste quotes from the textbook.
Amazing professor. Take this class! Super easy GE with minimal effort. If you even just enjoy music, you will like this class. Prof is super passionate and knowledgable. Very fun guest speakers. Literally just a class where you listen and talk about music. We had a day of reflection when Avicii passed away.
Easiest class I've ever taken, make sure to show up to lectures because he has weekly responses but just literally study whats on the study guide for the midterm and final and youll get an A, and theres only one paper. Lectures can be pretty boring but he is so passionate about the course so it can make up for it.
Sean is an extremely nice guy. However, he is the most boring lecturer Ive ever had. It is impossible to stay engaged in class so you just get lost. Midterms and essays are graded pretty harshly so I wouldn't say its an easy A but its doable if you study and put effort. If he werent so friendly, I would have rated him worse.
I took this class for GE A and his grading was harder than expected. Midterm and research paper were graded harshly and the feedback wasn't great. Lectures were boring but the final is not cumulative. He's a nice guy, he seems knowledgeable, but it is more difficult of a class than you'd think. Not an easy A unless your life is devoted to EDM
Professor Nye is a really kind, enthusiastic person. I wasn't too familiar with EDM but did well on the midterm and essay by just listening (final TBD). Lectures can get a little dry sometimes but that's the case for most GEs--at least he shows cool videos and good music. Class is pretty chill--show up bc he takes attendance. Go to review sessions!
Prof. Nye is the best! This class is great for a GE A, especially for people interested in EDM. He is so knowledgeable and brings in really cool guests like the CEO of Insomniac. Sometimes lectures can be a little dry, but he gives a lot of extra credit if you come to class. Easy A, and how often can you say took a college course on EDM?
Sean Nye is such a nice professor, but his lectures are the driest thing I've seen at USC. Even though he doesn't formally take attendance, he does a lot of in-class responses that are a huge part of your grade so skipping class means potentially missing out on those easy points. I say take his hip-hop class instead since it double counts GE.
Show up and get an A. I studied for midterms 4 hours before I took the exam, legit knew nothing the day before. Wrote the 1 essay the class needed the night before. Got an A. Attendance mandatory but it's guaranteed A if you show up basically.
This class is an easy A as long as you come to class and do a good amount of the reading. But seriously, you should come to class and do the readings because the course material is very interesting. I had so much fun learning about hip-hop and Dr. Nye is incredibly passionate about the subject which makes it fun. Take this class if you can.
Good guy, very knowledgeable. Studied 1970s-1990s hip-hop, had amazing guest lectures. The two tests are easy if you go to and pay attention in lectures, and even easier if you read the book. 1600 word enjoyable research paper because of fun prompt. Lots of little in class participation responses for easy points. Difficult movie responses however
He repeats a lot of the reading, so it isn't super necessary to read every minute detail from the homework he gives. It's clear that he loves electronic music and culture, and it shows through his lectures. The tests are very straightforward, and the research paper was actually pretty fun. Fantastic class overall.
Pretty good choice for a GE class. Easy grading and pretty stress-free course with no homework.
Interested in contemporary EDM? Wrong class for you, bcuz he spent 90% of the time on music in the 70s - 90s. The course title looks promising, but the focus is on the "culture", not the "music". His lecture is so boring that no one would come to class if he does not take some sort of attendance (2 or 3 times) each time.
This guy is so easy in MUSC 320. Take this class. Period. It fills GE g and a and its the easiest class I've taken at USC. Definitely go to class because he takes attendance often and it's worth 20 percent of your grade. Easy points for the tests and one essay. There is normally some extra credit at the end which helps too.
Relatively easy class if you do the reading and pay attention to what Sean says during class. His lectures slides are trash, so you need to take notes on what he says rather than what is on the slides.
Very easy and interesting class - one of the best GE A's out there. All you have to do is cram study before the midterm and final, show up for in-class assignments, and do a few easy papers (3 (2) page papers and 1 (7) page paper). He lectures a lot but he plays Travis Scott, Daft Punk, etc. so class goes by fast and is enjoyable. Take him!
Easy class about the history of electronic music from Disco to house to modern EDM. Cool if you like history and culture but not for people who just wanna learn about modern DJs or creating music.
The guy is great and super kind. The subject is also interesting and I enjoyed learning what we did. BUT, I would definitely rather be learning this stuff through reading a book because his lectures are definitely VERY monotone and super boring tbh. I had a reallllly hard time focusing in his classes because he just keeps talking and talking..
Hip-hop is an easy GE to take. There are weekly responses and in-class journals, but are graded super easily. Midterm, research paper, and the final are the bulk of the class and are all written responses. I would definitely recommend taking this class if you want to learn about the history and growth of hip-hop. Also, there are guest speakers!
There were certain parts of Professor Nye's class that I really, really enjoyed. Just make sure to go to class because his PPTs are difficult to study off of if you haven't heard the lecture. Lectures do tend to be kind of repetitive/boring at times though. Super down to earth professor who's genuinely passionate about what he teaches.
I had a great time in Nye's Hip Hop class. It was fun getting to learn the history of how hip hop started and listening to old bops. His lectures could be a little boring at times, but he tries his best to make the class engaging. Definitely an easy class if you pay attention and show up to lectures.
Professor Nye is absolutely amazing. He is kind and cares about his students so much. He is constantly playing music in class and the material is always so interesting. Highly recommend the class! Easily my favorite one of the semester.
He's incredibly passionate about what he teaches and in combination to his care for his students, Sean is easily one of the best professors I have had. I took MUSC210 for a GE and I couldn't be happier. One lengthy paper in the semester but he gives you plenty of time and tons of support. Definitely take him if you get the chance.
Prof. Nye is an amazing teacher! MUSC 210 was super easy and I also learned a lot. I was a little nervous going into it because I don't really like EDM music and never listen to it, but much of the class is about how EDM is infused into other genres and it is super easy. He is really passionate about the class and makes it as stress-free as he can.
I didn't have much expectation going into a GE class about EDM. Sean ended up being an amazing professor. He is caring, helpful, and tries to be as accommodating as possible. Although his lectures are harder to understand, his exams and assignments don't require you to have a very deep understanding of the material. Take his class if you want an A!
Interesting course material and super sweet professor! Zoom can feel so impersonal but you can tell Professor Nye really values the connection with his students. Even though music classes are difficult to teach remotely, he made the class super enjoyable, and if you have the opportunity to fit it in, go for it! (esp if you can take it irl)
MUSC 210 is not about EDM production but rather the culture and history of electronic music. Professor Nye cares about his students and recognized the stress of a shortened, online semester. He adjusted assignments and due dates accordingly. The class is easy and the papers can be done in a day. The lectures are also very long (2hrs) and dry.
This is 100% the best GE to take if you are interested in what EDM was like in the past like me. For other people the lectures may get boring because they are quite long. Every week there is a small weekly reaction writing to videos/films/articles, with 2 research essays in the middle and end of the semester.
Only wrote two papers and 10 weekly assignments around 300 words each. You should go to lecture to learn what he wants to hear when he reads your assignments, but honestly I went to 40% of lecture. Really chill guy but his lectures are really boring, so if you're taking it 6-8pm it's easy to skip. Easy A but not a very interactive class if you care
Professor Nye was always a joy to see in class. He is extremely passionate about the course and EDM aspects overall. Im not a huge fan of this type of music, but because of this class I have started to like it more. I highly recommend taking this class!
Take this class. Easiest GE possible. Attendance not mandatory, and there are no tests the entire semester. The only thing you need to do is read one article a week and write a 1-2 page write up about it. Grading is very lenient and everyone gets an A.
Like other people have said this is the EASIEST ge to take at USC. Prof Nye is super nice and really chill. Also threw a bunch of easy extra credit opportunities at the end of the semester. Also had some really cool guest lectures (ex. Lorne Padman - VP of Steve Aoki's record label) so definitely check the course out
MUSC 210 with Nye sucks because it's at 6pm, but I think he's a great guy and it's a great choice for a GE. You don't really have to go to class, and the assignments are all online. I didn't really go to class that often because I was taking it pass/fail but it's an easy A if you put in the work. Also he did some cool aqua dancing the last day.
Amazing guy. So wholesome and enthusiastic and UNDERSTANDS that people are in his class for a GE. Genuine passion and charisma. Makes EDM fun and learning engaging. 6 stars out of 5. This is what a professor should be.
Professor Nye was very empathetic, understanding every student in his classroom's workload. He made each student look forward to going to class in the evening and always led interesting group-based discussions. He made the classroom feel like we were at a club at the end of class so that we could immerse ourselves into the EDM culture.
Professor Nye is maybe one of the sickest professors at SC. Highly highly recommend the class is awesome.
Sean Nye is the coolest professor at USC. Granted that his lectures aren't the best and could be dry at time for those who aren't crazy about music, but the cool stuff he shows in class make up for it. I strongly recommend anyone taking his class to talk to him after class about anything music related, his knowledge in music will blow your mind
No exams, 5 easy reflections, 2 listening spotlights, 2- 5 page research papers. Amazing professor, super passionate about the class and makes it super engaging and fun. Was very accommodating and gave extensions on any assignment. Super easy GE, and a really fun one. Guest speakers are actually insightful. Would definitely recommend
GOAT, best professor. Every review here is glowing for a reason. Understands why we are taking a GE and structures his class accordingly. Best, kindest soul and super accommodating.
If you're looking for a class about Travis Scott, this is not for you, but if ur interested in the history and influences of Hip-Hop, this class is a good option for an easy and informative GE. Prof Nye is a great guy but the two-hour lectures are brutally long and 80% of the class stopped showing up after a few weeks. Concepts get repetitive too.
Sean is nice but wildly outdated and this class was BORING
Super easy class. Do all the work and you'll get a 100% grade. Bad news: it isn't about the contemporary EDM but more from a history/ developmental perspective. Good news: Prof is chill and makes the class appealing to those who might not be familiar with EDM.
What a man. Easiest class and without a doubt the most fun and engaging GE I've taken at USC. NO TESTS at all, NO pressure, just do your weekly one-pager and you will be great.
Class often felt like a club with the lights off and music/music videos playing that supplement the lecture. Nye even danced at some points. Prof himself is incredibly wholesome and has a real passion for the subject. Guest lecture with Lorne Padman was icing on the cake. Look no further than his EDM class as a GE-A or Music Industry credit.
This is a course that can cover GE-A. The professor is really nice, and he dances a few times throughout the semester. This course talks about the development of EDM, and sometimes there will be guests coming and giving lectures. Feel free to talk to the professor/TA if you have questions. Take attendance.
210 is the best GE A and professor Nye is amazing! So knowledgable and sweet.
great professor. easy ge.
Great guy. Good GE. Easy and not too much work.
Professor Nye was the most interesting professor ever! He is so nice and is extremely passionate about what he teaches. I went into the class as a listener to EDM music, but not that much - you do not need to worry. He teaches you so much and also brings in GREAT guest speakers. He is super fun and will help you with any papers. TAKE THIS CLASS.
This is my second time taking one of his classes, I took his EDM class which was also one of the best classes I've ever taken. He has shown me so much music that I love and can actually say I know the story of the genre. Requires discussion posts during classes. 4 reflection assignments 30of 0 words. Just take his classes they don't disappoint.
Super easy and interesting class. Proffesor Nye is super passionate about the topic and explains things really well. No exams and few essays. Grading criteria is super clear.
Dr. Nye must be the best professor at USC, and I highly recommend taking any class with him. From free Rolling Loud tickets to having Rae Sremmurd as the guest speakers, the lectures were never anything but exciting. He also cares so much about each student and is an awesome guy. I learned a lot more than hip-hop, thanks to him and Professor Deal.
This professor is the best guy ever and he can pop it and lock it like no other
This is the best class I have ever experienced, I'm a junior now. Very LA. H I probably am now 1-2 connections away from every major music artist in the EDM from the guests. Sean Nye is incredibly kind and passionate about this class and its material. Almost every lecture is a memory, one halloween lecture we raved and had a student DJ it was sick.
You'll learn a lot from him even if u're not an EDM fan. There're many great guest speakers coming in and talking about the real music industry. Attendance required. Readings and videos needed to complete your writing assignments. Graded by graders who are kinda tough in my opinion. Having background knowledge will help you to write the essays.
Class is interesting and prof is passionate but the material delivery is scattered and unorganized so it can be hard to understand sometimes. Prof also assigns a lot of busy work and reading which seems unnecessary. I wouldn't take unless you are interested in EDM and already understand the genre.
Sean was a very fun professor. If you're an EDM/house fan, would recommend this class. It does have a lot of papers, but I did learn a lot and enjoyed my time in this class. Guest speakers were mostly really good, with just a few boring ones. He's super passionate about what he teaches, which makes this class enjoyable (especially his dancing).
Sean is nice and easy but class was boring and outdated I learned, not a joke, NOTHING
Easy class. Do the assignments and show up to class and you will be gold. Easy grader. Some lectures were very boring and other times he was dancing in front of the class or something, and it was one of the best classes I've had. I didn't know anything about EDM and was totally fine.
Great class for those who don't know much about EDM. There were lots of papers/assignments for this class, so assert time for that. Attendance mattered (requires a journal at the end of almost every class). Reach out to TAs if you need help.
Didn't know much about EDM and learned quite a bit. Professor Nye does his best to make the topics interesting whether that be through guest speakers, music videos, or even dancing himself. Lots of small (and a few large) papers throughout the semester based on class readings and documentaries, but no exams. Would highly recommend for a GE!
I was super excited for this class because I love EDM. However, I did not realize at first that I do not care to learn about the history of EDM or how to mix. This was definitely a good option for a GE, but the lectures were lowkey super boring unless we watched a fun music video.
Just a great guy. Brings in cool guest speakers and little to no homework.
Sean is awful at communicating through email. He piled on assignments at the end of the semester (a lot of of papers) amid a heavy finals' season. Most lectures are drawn out and feels like no point in attending other then being able to complete journal through BB after. If you have a LOVE for HIP HOP you might like this class, if you don't, DONT!
His boring lectures are very hard to sit through. There's a journal for participation for every class.
He was very nice and the assignment were honestly fun and interesting. Lectures are kind of long sometimes, but light.
I had a great time in Sean Nye's MUSC 210 class. You will learn a lot if you pay attention. He keeps the class entertaining. Homework is easy.
Not hard, and he's a pretty nice guy. However, lectures are pretty boring and we went over tons of stuff that is just so irrelevant to hip-hop. I think the class could be organized much better, but overall not bad.
I enjoyed learning about hip hop in Professor Nye's class. He is passionate about the subject and is good at bringing in guest speakers to keep students engaged. The class can get repetitive at times but remains informative. He is straightforward about his expectations for papers and assignments, so be sure to follow his guidelines closely.
Professor Nye made this class one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken. Very passionate about what he teaches, grading criteria clear and reasonable, attendance not required but good things can happen when you do attend. Guest speakers and performances can happen any lecture.
MUSC 210 was a great class. The guest speakers were amazing and Professor Nye is so knowledgeable and passionate. I learned a lot and the work load was pretty light.
The class was very fun and easy to get a good grade. As long as you do all the work and go to class, you can pretty much guarantee yourself an A.
Prof. Nye is one of, if not the best, GE professors. The essays are short, and much of said grades are based on citation and formatting. The class itself is really interesting both to those getting into or have much experience in attending music festivals, listening to electronic music in general, and even remixing tracks with digital tools.
Professor Nye was a great professor and this is your best option for a GE. Super easy and not stressful with the most work being a couple essays that you can finish in a day.
Very nice teacher and very passionate about the subject. Lectures are very boring if you are not interested in the subject, but rarely has attendance codes. Graded off only a few discussion posts and like 2-3 papers, but he is a very easy grader.
super sweet but lectures can get boring. Please participate bc you can tell he cares a lot about the subject. I wish more people went to the lectures. fair grader, easy A. would recommend. can get other homework done during lectures
The GOAT. Lectures were engaging and I wish I paid more attention because he's clearly very passionate and knowledgeable about the subject. There are quite a few papers but they're all of reasonable length and the criteria for getting an A is super clear + the TA is super helpful. Overall great course for a GE A if you want to learn something new!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
55%
Textbook Required
0%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+0.59 avg changeRatings by Course
MUSC210
4.3
(62)MUSC320
4.1
(29)MUSC410
4.0
(1)MUSIC210
2.3
(3)Difficulty by Course
MUSIC210
2.7
MUSC410
2.0
MUSC210
1.7
MUSC320
1.7