Academic Policies - University of Southern California · The USC Catalogue The USC Catalogue is the...

Academic Policies

Students are expected to be familiar with

university policies and to monitor their own

academic progress. They should keep all

records of official grades earned, degree

requirements met, transfer credits accepted

and actions taken on requests for substi-

tutions or exceptions to university policies

and regulations.

46 Academic Policies

The USC CatalogueThe USC Catalogue is the document ofauthority for all students. The degreerequirements listed in the USC Cataloguesupersede any information which may becontained in any bulletin of any school ordepartment. The university reserves the rightto change its policies, rules, regulations andcourse offerings at any time.

Other University PublicationsBulletinsThe bulletins published by the schools pro-vide program descriptions and informationabout other topics of interest to the prospec-tive student. Bulletins may be obtained bycalling the individual schools.

Schedule of ClassesThe Schedule of Classes lists the courses offeredduring any given term and provides detailedinformation on registration procedures. Theschedule is distributed during the registra-tion period of each session. Students mayobtain the schedule at the Topping StudentCenter, the Office of Academic Records andRegistrar, Leavey Library or on USCweb(www.usc.edu/students/enrollment/classes).

SCampusThis annual publication contains both gener-al guidebook information for students anduniversity policies concerning student con-duct, administrative procedures, and studentrights and responsibilities. Students areresponsible for understanding and abiding bypolicies contained in SCampus. SCampus maybe obtained at the Topping Student Centeror on USCweb (www.usc.edu/scampus).

New Student OrientationAll incoming students are expected to partici-pate in new student orientation as part oftheir introduction to USC. Orientation pro-vides students the opportunity to learn moreabout the university’s services, programs andacademic and co-curricular opportunities.Program descriptions and reservations formsare mailed to newly admitted students only.

The Office of Orientation offers a variety oforientation sessions for incoming students.On-campus programs for undergraduates areoffered in January, June and July. Out-of-stateprograms are offered on the East Coast(Newark), Midwest (Chicago) and in Hawaii(Honolulu) during May. Abbreviated orienta-tion sessions are offered in August for thoseunable to attend an earlier session. An addi-tional charge to cover meals, refreshmentsand overnight housing will apply when theorientation program selected includes mealsand/or an overnight stay. Partial fee waivers

are available for some of the sessions todefray costs and are available to studentswith demonstrated financial need.

During orientation, students receive academ-ic advisement and register for their classes.Placement tests are also provided at thefreshman sessions. Students also learn aboutthe USC campus, student services and aboutacademic demands and expectations. Parentsand family members are invited to attend ori-entation and become acquainted with theuniversity. Workshops, programs and lecturesare provided to address the special needs andconcerns of parents.

International student orientation, sponsoredby the Office of International Services, is offered prior to the beginning of eachsemester.

The Office of Orientation as well as the acad-emic departments and professional schoolsoffer orientation programs. Programs are alsoavailable for graduate assistants through theCenter for Excellence in Teaching.

All new entering students are assessed amandatory one-time orientation fee payabletheir first semester of enrollment along withtuition charges and other fees. This fee cov-ers special services, programs and publica-tions throughout the student’s continuedenrollment at USC.

Academic Integrity at USCThe university as an instrument of learning ispredicated on the existence of an environmentof integrity. As members of the academic com-munity, faculty, students and administrativestaff share the responsibility for maintainingthis environment. Faculty have the primaryresponsibility for establishing and maintainingan atmosphere and attitude of academicintegrity such that the enterprise may flourishin an open and honest way. Students share thisresponsibility for maintaining standards of aca-demic performance and classroom behaviorconducive to the learning process. Administra-tive staff are responsible for the establishmentand maintenance of procedures to support andenforce those academic standards. Thus, theentire university community bears the respon-sibility for maintaining an environment ofintegrity and for confronting incidents of aca-demic dishonesty.

Specific guidelines governing academicintegrity are described in SCampus.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy ActThe University of Southern California main-tains the privacy of student education recordsand allows students the right to inspect theireducation records as stated in the university’sStudent Education Records policy, consistent

with the requirements of the FamilyEducational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974(FERPA). The entire text of the university’spolicy is located in the Office of the GeneralCounsel and in the Office of the Vice Presi-dent for Student Affairs. A summary alsoappears in the current edition of the studentguidebook, SCampus.

Students wishing to review or seeking toamend their educational records should sub-mit a written request to the university officein which the record is maintained.

At the discretion of university officials, USCmay release certain information classified asdirectory information unless the studentrequests that such information not bereleased. A complete listing of directoryinformation is published in SCampus in theStudent Education Records section.

Students wishing to restrict release of directo-ry information may do so by completing theappropriate form provided by the Registrar’sOffice (SAS Lobby). Such requests remain ineffect for the academic year. Students wishingto have their information withheld from theon-line USC Student Directory should contactUniversity Publications (Student Union 400).

Policy on Accommodations for Studentswith DisabilitiesThe University of Southern California iscommitted to full compliance with theRehabilitation Act (Section 504) and theAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Aspart of the implementation of this law, theuniversity will continue to provide reasonableaccommodation for academically qualifiedstudents with disabilities so that they canparticipate fully in the university’s education-al programs and activities. Although USC isnot required by law to change the “funda-mental nature or essential curricular compo-nents of its programs in order to accommo-date the needs of disabled students,” the uni-versity will provide reasonable academicaccommodation. It is the specific responsibili-ty of the university administration and all fac-ulty serving in a teaching capacity to ensurethe university’s compliance with this policy.The university committee with responsibilityfor oversight and review of this policy is theCommittee on Academic Policies andProcedures (CAPP).

The general definition of a student with adisability is any person who has “a physical or mental impairment which substantiallylimits one or more of such person’s activi-ties,” and any person who has “a history of, or is regarded as having, such an impair-ment.” Reasonable academic and physicalaccommodations include but are not limited

Registration 47

to: extended time on examinations; substi-tution of similar or related work for a non-fundamental program requirement; timeextensions on papers or projects; special test-ing procedures; advance notice regardingbooklists for visually impaired and somelearning disabled students; use of academicaides in the classroom such as notetakers andsign language interpreters; accessibility forstudents who use wheelchairs and those withmobility impairments; and need for specialclassroom furniture or special equipment inthe classroom.

Procedures for Obtaining Accommodations:Students with disabilities are encouraged tocontact Disability Services and Programs(DSP) prior to or during the first week ofclass attendance or as early in the semester aspossible. The office will work with Classroom

Scheduling, the course instructor and theirdepartment, and the student to arrange forreasonable accommodations. It is a student’sresponsibility to provide documentation veri-fying disability.

Academic Accommodations: Students seekingacademic accommodations due to a physical,psychological or learning disability shouldmake the request to the course instructor priorto or during the first week of class attendanceor as early in the semester as possible. Courseinstructors should require that a student present verification of documentation of a dis-ability from Disability Services and Programsif academic accommodations are requested.The Law School has a unit specific policy forhandling requests for academic accommoda-tions, however all students with disabilities

should register with DSP. Refer to the LawSchool Student Handbook.

For assistance in how to provide reasonableaccommodations for a particular disability,course instructors are encouraged to consultwith the staff at DSP. Students requestingacademic accommodations must have verifi-cation of disability.

Grievance ProceduresDetailed information about processing a griev-ance is found in the Student GrievanceProcedure section of SCampus, a guidebook forUSC students and in a brochure available inthe Disability Services and Programs office,STU 301.

Registration

Registration Procedures and Current CourseOfferingsThe Fall, Spring and Summer Schedules ofClasses contain details describing registrationprocedures, including the Touch-Tone regis-tration process, courses offered, faculty list-ings, and time and meeting place of classes.The Schedule of Classes is available at theOffice of Academic Records and Registrar,Topping Student Center, Leavey Libraryduring registration each semester and onUSCweb (www.usc.edu/students/enroll-ment/classes). It is recommended that stu-dents register as early as possible, either byuse of Touch-Tone or in person, to save timeand avoid inconvenience. Permits to Registermay be obtained at the Office of AcademicRecords and Registrar in July for new stu-dents entering in the fall semester and inDecember for students entering in the springsemester. Registration Touch-Tone appoint-ment times and permit to register informa-tion are available to continuing students inNovember and April on USCweb(www.usc.edu/students/enrollment/classes).Open registration for all students continuesthe week prior to the start of the semester.Students can access their class schedules andvarious other forms and services at the infor-mation kiosks located throughout theUniversity Park Campus.

Full-Time Enrollment StatusA student is considered to be enrolled fulltime in a semester when the student has reg-istered for 12 or more units as an undergradu-ate student or eight or more units as a gradu-ate student. The student’s department and/orschool may have additional requirements forfull-time status. Units taken for audit do notapply to enrollment status calculation. Theuniversity has also approved several excep-tional courses which confer full-time enroll-ment status on the students enrolled in them.Some of these courses are: 594 Master’sThesis, 794 Doctoral Dissertation, GRSC 800Studies for the Qualifying Examination andGRSC 810 Studies for the Master’sExamination. Verification of student enroll-ment status is provided by the Office ofAcademic Records and Registrar.

Declaration of MajorAll students must record their primary majorin the Office of Academic Records andRegistrar by the start of their junior year (oncompletion of 64 semester units). All majorand minor programs of study should berecorded in the Office of Academic Recordsand Registrar three semesters before theintended graduation date. Degree checks willbe done at this point based on the major(s)and minor(s) recorded. Many academicdepartments can also perform changes ofmajor for their students.

Declaration of MinorApplication for a minor must be made to thedepartment or professional school and anappropriate signature must appear on aChange/Addition of a Major or Minor DegreeObjective form.

Classification and Numbering of CoursesThe first digit of the course number indicatesthe year level of the course: 000 — preparato-ry courses or non-credit, 100 — first under-graduate year, 200 — second undergraduateyear, 300 — third and fourth undergraduateyears without graduate credit, 400 — thirdand fourth undergraduate years with graduatecredit for graduate students, 500 — first graduate year, 600 — second graduate year,700 — third graduate year.

Upper division courses (300- and 400-levelcourses) are generally more sophisticated anddemanding. They may have prerequisites orother limitations on enrollment and are usual-ly intended for students who have somepreparation, either in the specific disciplineor more generally in academic study. Theytend to concentrate more narrowly and inten-sively in scope than lower division courses inthe same discipline.


The lower case letters ab, abcd, etc., indicatethe semesters of a course more than onesemester in length. In such courses the asemester is usually prerequisite to the bsemester, and so on. Courses designated g areavailable for general education credit.Courses designated m for multiculturalismmeet the diversity requirement. Capital Lindicates that all or part of the work is super-vised laboratory or other work. Courses desig-nated x are restricted in some manner. Thecourse description will specify the restriction.Courses designated with a z are for repeatedregistrations for 0 credit, for which two unitsof tuition are charged.

The following are not available for graduatecredit: courses numbered 000-399, coursesdesignated g (general education), SeniorSeminar courses, courses designated x wherethe description specifically excludes graduatecredit.

Unit ValueThe unit value of most courses is indicatedfor each term of the course by a numeral inparentheses after the course title. All coursesare on the semester unit basis. It is the stu-dent’s responsibility to verify with an instruc-tor correct units registered in any variableunit course. If the units are incorrect, the stu-dent must correct them by processing aChange of Program at the Office of AcademicRecords and Registrar.

Duplication of CoursesOrdinarily, courses may not be repeated forcredit. For courses which may be repeatedfor credit, the maximum amount of credit isindicated after the unit value.

Appropriate Course EnrollmentIt is recommended that students register incourses appropriate to their academic stand-ing — lower division students in coursesbelow 300, upper division students in coursesbelow 500, graduate students in courses num-bered 500 or higher.

Preparatory CoursesPreparatory courses (course numbers below100) impart the minimum skills required forcollege-level work. Students completingpreparatory course work may receive unitcredit toward enrollment status but do notreceive degree credit.

PrerequisitesPrerequisites are courses and/or specificbackground required of students prior toadvancing to the next course in a prescribedsequence of courses. Passage of appropriateexaminations or consent of the academic unitoffering the course will waive prerequisites.However, a prerequisite course within the

same discipline taken after the higher levelcourse has been passed will not be availablefor unit or grade point credit.

CorequisitesCorequisites are courses which must be takenat the same time as, or passed prior to, thedesignated course. Passage of the appropriateexaminations or consent of the academic unitoffering the course will waive corequisites.

Recommended PreparationRecommended preparation indicates coursework or specific background that is advisablebut not mandatory in preparing the studentfor the designated course.

Guaranteeing a Space in a ClassRegistration in a class does not by itself guar-antee a space in that class. An instructor mayreplace any student who without prior con-sent does not attend these class sessions: (a) the first two class sessions of the semester,or (b) the first class session of the semesterfor once-a-week classes. It is then the stu-dent’s responsibility to withdraw officiallyfrom the course.

Pass/No Pass Enrollment OptionDuring the first three weeks of the semester,students may elect to take a course numberedbelow 500 on a pass/no pass basis. Graduatestudents must receive department approval toenroll in a graduate course on a pass/no passbasis. Refer to the Pass/No Pass Graded Worksection, pages 57 and 59, for details on degreecredit restrictions on courses taken on a pass/no pass basis. Students should consult theiracademic advisor before enrolling in anycourse on a pass/no pass basis. To enroll, students must complete the Pass/No PassRequest for Change of Program; enrollment isnot available by Touch-Tone telephone.

Credit/No Credit CoursesCertain courses have been authorized by theUniversity Curriculum Committee to begraded Credit/No Credit. Students may notenroll in a course on a Credit/No Credit basisunless the course is listed as being offered asCredit/No Credit.

Courses Numbered 490x and 390Many academic units offer courses numbered490x and 390. Courses numbered 490x pro-vide undergraduate students with opportuni-ties for directed research in subject areas notcovered in regularly scheduled courses. Incontrast, courses numbered 390 may be madeavailable at the discretion of the academicdepartment to allow graduating seniors tocomplete degree requirements through indi-vidual study when regularly-offered courseswould not do so.

Courses numbered 490x and 390 are offeredon a letter-graded basis only and carry certainrestrictions which are uniformly appliedthroughout the university.

490x Directed Research (2-8, max 8)Courses numbered 490x are open only toupper-division students who have demon-strated the ability to do independent work inthe discipline. The courses require consentof instructor and a written contract of courserequirements signed by both the instructorand department chair. They are not availablefor graduate credit and are not open to stu-dents with less than 2.0 GPA overall or in anyrestricted academic status (such as probation,Structured Curriculum Program [SCP] andthe like). A student may accumulate a maxi-mum of eight units of 490x in any onedepartment and 16 units toward the degree.

390 Special Problems (1-4, max 4)Courses numbered 390 are supervised, indi-vidual studies classes which are reserved foruse by last semester seniors to complete upto four units of their remaining degreerequirements which could not be completedthrough a regularly offered course beforetheir scheduled graduation date. Enrollmentrequires approval by the Committee onAcademic Policies and Procedures (CAPP).CAPP will consider petitions for 390 registra-tion only with evidence that the problem wascreated by circumstances beyond the stu-dent’s control. The student and instructormust prepare a written contract of courserequirements for presentation with the peti-tion to CAPP. In all cases, a petition for 390registration must be recommended by thedean of the academic unit in which the stu-dent is seeking a degree. Credit for only one390 registration is accepted toward the stu-dent’s baccalaureate degree.

Audited CoursesStudents may elect to audit courses duringthe first three weeks of the semester. A coursetaken for audit (V) will be assessed at the cur-rent tuition rate. A course taken for audit (V)will not receive credit and will not appear onthe USC transcript or grade report. Changingto audit is a process that is not available byTouch-Tone telephone registration.

Limited Status EnrollmentLimited status enrollment allows personswho have not been admitted to the universityto take a limited number of courses at USC.

Eligibility for Limited Status EnrollmentStudents who have not yet completed a bach-elor’s degree are not eligible for limited statusenrollment if they have been denied admis-sion to USC or if they have been academical-ly disqualified or suspended from any com-munity college, college or university.

Registration 49

At the post-baccalaureate level, limited statusenrollment is not available to students whohave been denied admission to the depart-ment offering the course unless priorapproval is granted by the department andthe appropriate dean.

International StudentsLimited status enrollment does not fulfillrequirements for issuing a student visa.International students (students studying orwishing to study in the U.S. on a non-immi-grant visa) must have the approval of theOffice of International Admissions (StudentAdministrative Services Building 218A)before registering for classes.

Restrictions on Limited Status EnrollmentA pre-baccalaureate limited status studentmay not register for more than 16 units; apost-baccalaureate limited status student maynot register for more than 12 units.

Exceptions to this policy will be consideredby the Office of Admission for USC employ-ees and for post-baccalaureate students whosubmit a disclaimer of intent to pursue aUSC degree.

Prior approval of the department offering thecourse is required for all limited status enroll-ment. If a limited status student is subse-quently admitted to regular standing, nomore than the first 16 undergraduate or thefirst 12 graduate units taken through limitedstatus enrollment can be applied toward adegree. Individual exceptions must beapproved by the dean of the degree-conferring unit.

Dropping and Adding CoursesAll such changes must be processed byTouch-Tone registration or through theRegistration Department. Failure to with-draw officially will result in the mark of“UW,” which is computed in the GPA as zero(0) grade points. A student may withdrawfrom a course without academic penalty dur-ing the first 12 weeks of the semester. If thecourse is dropped within the first threeweeks, it does not appear on the academictranscript; if the course is dropped withinweeks four through 12, it will be recordedwith a mark of “W”. No course may bedropped after the end of the twelfth week. A student may not withdraw from a course in

which he or she committed or was accused ofcommitting an academic integrity violation.After registering, it is the student’s responsi-bility to withdraw officially from a course ifhe or she decides not to continue in a course.Courses may be added only during the firstthree weeks of the semester.

Registration in Graduate-Level Courses byUndergraduate StudentsUndergraduate students will not be allowedto enroll in a graduate course unless theyhave received prior approval to (1) reservethe course for a possible graduate degree or(2) count the course for undergraduate creditor (3) audit the course. Students must present official proof of such approval to the Registration Department at the time ofenrollment. Details describing how suchapproval is obtained can be found on page 55in the sections titled Undergraduate Creditfor a Graduate Course and Graduate Creditfor 400 and 500 Level Work Taken as anUndergraduate.

USC-UCLA Cross-Registration for GraduateStudentsAs part of an academic resource sharing pro-gram, USC graduate students have an oppor-tunity to take a portion of their program atUCLA. This cross-registration opportunity isonly available for courses or seminars notoffered at USC and only to selected students.For further information on requirements,contact the Resource Sharing Coordinator inthe USC Graduate School (Grace FordSalvatori Hall 315).

Approval for each course taken through thisprogram must be obtained on a cross-registra-tion form available in the USC GraduateSchool. Students must obtain signedapprovals from their USC department chair,the UCLA course instructor, the UCLAGraduate Dean (or Resource Sharing Coor-dinator) and, finally, the USC Dean of theGraduate School (or Resource SharingCoordinator). Completed forms must bereturned to the USC Graduate School.

After submitting the completed form, stu-dents enroll in USC 700o Off-CampusStudies, CR/NC, through the USC Registra-tion Department. At the conclusion of thecourse, the UCLA instructor will report the

student’s grade to the USC Graduate SchoolResource Sharing Coordinator. Credit (CR)will be granted only for work completed witha grade of B (3.0) or higher. The student’stranscript will show that the course was takenat UCLA and also record the name of thecourse. Library privileges will be extended atUCLA but other privileges or services cannotbe offered.

Conversion of Non-Degree Option CourseWorkA student may file a Request for NDOCourse Conversion form with the Registra-tion Department to have USC courses previ-ously enrolled in under a non-degree option(NDO) converted to unit credit and thusappear on the USC transcript. Such a requestmust include all NDO courses previouslyattempted; requests for partial conversion willbe denied. Conversion for credit requiresretroactive registration in the term in whichthe course was attempted, including paymentof the tuition differential between the NDOrate originally paid and the tuition rate ineffect at the time of conversion. As in allUSC courses taken in Limited Status, con-verted courses may not be considered fordegree credit at USC unless the student isformally admitted to full standing at the uni-versity. Upon formal admission, only the first16 NDO units taken that are available forcredit toward the intended degree may beapplied for baccalaureate credit and only thefirst 12 NDO units taken that are availablefor credit toward the intended degree may beapplied toward a graduate degree. Degreecredit for units beyond the first 16 undergrad-uate, or 12 graduate, available units will notbe allowed. All courses converted will appearon the USC transcript and will be included inthe calculation of the USC GPA, regardless ofwhether they are being applied specificallytoward the degree being pursued.

Permission to Register at AnotherInstitutionUndergraduate students who wish to takecourse work at another institution while con-tinuing as enrolled students at USC will berequired to obtain various levels of permis-sion to do so. For details, see the CourseWork Taken Elsewhere section.


Course Work Taken Elsewhere

The University of Southern California affirmsthe practice of accreditation of American post-secondary academic institutions by the sixregional accreditation agencies: the MiddleStates Association of Colleges and Schools,the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the NorthwestAssociation of Schools and Colleges, theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools,and the Western Association of Schools andColleges. Acceptance of course work and/ordegrees completed by undergraduate andgraduate students applying to the Universityof Southern California will be based onaccreditation by these six agencies. Certaingraduate schools, seminaries, conservatoriesand professional institutions of nationalrenown that are not accredited by a regionalagency may be considered for graduate trans-fer work by the Articulation Office in consul-tation with the USC department or profes-sional school to which the student is applying.

In addition, USC strongly believes thatdegree-granting institutions should bereviewed by the regional agency that governsthe geographical area in which the institutionor its branches are operating and issuingdegrees. USC will not guarantee acceptanceof course work or degrees taken at institu-tions not accredited by the regional agencyfor the area where the institution or branch islocated.

Acceptance of course work and/or degreesfrom post-secondary institutions overseas willbe based on the recognition and approval ofthe college or university as a degree-grantinginstitution by the Ministry of Educationwithin the respective country.

For course work taken from universities with-in the United States, the Degree ProgressDepartment will prepare the transfer creditstatement; for course work taken outside theUnited States, the Office of InternationalAdmissions will prepare the statement.

USC’s transfer policies have been establishedto enable students to achieve either anundergraduate or graduate degree that willreflect traditional academic study andresearch. For that reason, the following types

of non-traditional course work will not trans-fer to USC for either undergraduate or gradu-ate credit: life experience, portfolio work,continuing education, courses offered bybusinesses or governmental agencies, workexperience, extension courses not acceptedtoward a degree by the offering institution,and equivalency examinations.

In addition, USC will determine on a case-by-case basis whether to grant credit forcourses taken at accredited institutions innon-traditional time modes which are differ-ent from a 15-week semester or 10-weekquarter term. These will include coursestaught in concentrated “intensive” sessionsor special weekend modules. USC also willdetermine on a case-by-case basis whether togrant credit for distance education/televisedcourses.

Remedial (e.g., mathematics below collegealgebra), college preparatory, and personaldevelopment/life skills courses do not trans-fer. Independent study, directed study,internships, and correspondence courses donot transfer from two-year schools; if taken ata four-year institution, the courses and thework accomplished will be reviewed by theArticulation Office for possible transfer cred-it. No more than eight units of correspon-dence courses from four-year institutions willbe considered for transfer.

Articulation agreements with California com-munity colleges are issued by the ArticulationOffice and indicate courses available fortransfer to USC. These agreements arerevised periodically and are subject tochange, depending on course content, avail-ability, and changes in USC’s academic poli-cies. Articulation agreements are not issuedfor four-year colleges and universities.

Students applying for graduate degreesthrough the Graduate School must have com-pleted a baccalaureate degree from a region-ally accredited institution that reflects at least96 units of traditional academic work.Diplomas granted for a preponderance of lifeexperience, portfolio or equivalency examina-tions are not considered appropriate prepara-tion for acceptance into USC’s graduatedegree programs and are not the equivalentof USC’s undergraduate degree.

Areas of study offered by other accreditedinstitutions toward the baccalaureate but notoffered by USC, such as agriculture, businessoffice procedures, hotel management, foodservices, industrial mechanics, fire science,police academy and similar technical or pro-fessional programs do not transfer.

No more than four units each of English as aSecond Language, physical education activitycourses and music ensemble will transfer. Amaximum of 12 units each of dance andphysical education theory will transfer.

Credit for Military EducationThe university evaluates courses completedthrough the armed services and may grantcredit for such courses. Consult the DegreeProgress Department regarding the possibili-ty of receiving credit for these courses.

A maximum of six units (one unit per year ofservice) may be granted for military service.Two of these units are transferred as physicaleducation theory and the other four as physi-cal education activity.

Non-Collegiate SponsorsFormally structured courses offered by civil-ian non-collegiate sponsors such as business-es, corporations, government agencies andlabor unions, even if evaluated by theAmerican Council on Education (ACE), donot transfer.

College Courses Taken During High SchoolEnrollmentAll undergraduate students entering USCmay receive a combined maximum of32 elective units for college courses and/orexaminations (e.g., AP or IB) taken beforegraduation from high school. A maximum of16 of these 32 units will be allowed for col-lege courses taken before high school gradua-tion. These courses must appear on the col-lege transcript as part of the regular collegecurriculum and are expected to be taught onthe college campus by college faculty.Students may not receive credit for both anAP (or IB) exam and a college course cover-ing the same subject matter.

Course Work Taken Elsewhere 51

Students who began full-time college bache-lor’s degree programs at four-year institutionsbefore completing their high school diplomascan submit transcripts for course evaluation.More than 16 units may be granted. Programswhich award a high school diploma concur-rently with first- or second-year college level

work are typically conducted on the post-sec-ondary institution’s campus and are taught bythe regular faculty. These programs will beevaluated on an individual basis, along withthe student’s high school record, to determineboth the student’s admissibility and the

transferability of courses. Students enteringfull-time college programs at two-year col-leges before graduating from high school aresubject to the 16 unit maximum stated above.

Undergraduate Students

Transfer Credit EvaluationA transfer credit evaluation is prepared, priorto enrollment, for every new undergraduatetransfer student admitted to regular standing.To ensure complete evaluation of transfercourses, it is the student’s responsibility to submit official transcripts from all post-secondary schools in which course work wascompleted. The purpose of the credit evalua-tion is to acknowledge officially all transfer-able work toward the USC degree sought bythe student. Total transferable units attempt-ed and total transferable units acceptedtoward the degree are posted on the creditevaluation.

For the purposes of making an admissionsdecision, all grades (including grades of Dand below) are calculated into the gradepoint average and are used in calculating atotal grade point average for graduation.Neither subject nor unit credit will be grant-ed for courses that have been graded withless than a C- (1.7).

For limitations on use of transfer courses tofulfill general education and writing require-ment see this page.

Subject Credit and Degree CreditSubject credit does not carry unit value towardunits required for a degree but may fulfill arequired or elective subject area. Degree cred-it is defined as units that may be appliedtoward the units required for a USC degree.

Transfer Unit LimitationsA student may earn a maximum of 64 units ofcredit toward a bachelor’s degree from otheraccredited institutions. The B.Arch. degreeand the Engineering “3-2” Program allow amaximum of 80 units of transfer credit. Stu-dents will receive only subject credit for workcompleted in excess of the unit limitations.

Minimum Unit Requirement in the Collegeof Letters, Arts and SciencesFor those undergraduate students earning adegree in the College of Letters, Arts andSciences, a minimum of 104 units applicableto the degree must be in college academicdepartments, whether the units are earned atUSC or accepted in transfer. For studentsgraduating with a minor or a second bachelor’s

degree, this minimum is reduced to 96 units.Students who are completing major degreeprograms in a professional school, but whosedegree is conferred by the college, are exemptfrom this policy. Other exceptions to this poli-cy will be considered by the College Dean ofCurriculum and Instruction.

Students who are completing major degreeprograms in a professional school, but whosedegree is conferred by the college, areexempt from this policy.

This policy also applies to transferablecourses.

Transfer Credit for Repeated Course WorkDegree credit will not be given for a trans-ferred undergraduate course that a studenthas previously taken at USC. (This regula-tion does not apply to a USC course that astudent withdraws from and then takes atanother institution.)

Subject credit only will be given for a transferredundergraduate course previously taken at USC,under the following conditions: (1) When thestudent took the course at USC, he or shereceived a grade or mark which fails to meetdepartmental or university requirements (thiscriterion may be applied to any category ofcourse — major, pre-major, general educationor elective) and (2) if the student obtainedprior approval from the department offeringthe USC course as required through the USCTransfer Course Work Pre-Approval form.

Permission to Register at AnotherInstitutionUndergraduate Transfer Credit LimitationsAs defined in the Residence Requirement,once students enroll at USC, only coursestaken during a summer semester will be con-sidered for transfer credit. For students fol-lowing the new general education require-ments, no transfer work may be used to satis-fy any general education requirements or thewriting requirement if those courses aretaken after a student has enrolled at USC. Inaddition, transfer courses taken after enroll-ment at USC cannot be used to fulfill upperdivision requirements in the major or minorwithout prior approval.

Students are advised to consult their majordepartment or the Office of College Advisingbefore taking college course work at anotherinstitution. All students should consult theDegree Progress Department before takingcourse work elsewhere to ensure the workwill transfer.

ProcedureIf students wish to take summer course workelsewhere after admission to USC, they mustfirst obtain appropriate written pre-approvalfrom the Degree Progress Department. Pre-approval is not required if there is an articula-tion agreement.

Once the course work has been completedelsewhere, students must request the otherinstitution to send an official transcript toUSC so that the course work can be evaluat-ed and transferred.

Students should request that a transcript besent to the Degree Progress Department,SAS 010, 700 Child’s Way, Los Angeles, CA90089-0912. All transcripts must arrive in asealed envelope from the issuing institution.After allowing four weeks for delivery, thestudent should take the written pre-approvalto the Degree Progress Department, SAS010. If the transcript has arrived, it will bematched with the pre-approval and the trans-fer evaluation will be completed.

To avoid a possible delay in graduation, offi-cial transcripts from post-secondary institu-tions should be submitted as soon as thecourse work is completed and graded by thetransfer institution. It is advisable to completeall transfer work prior to the final semester ofenrollment at USC. If transcripts for transfercourse work are not available during the finalUSC semester, it will likely delay degreeposting and result in a later degree date.

Students who have questions concerning thetransfer credit shown on the credit evaluationshould make an appointment with a degreeprogress counselor. Any questions regardingthe applicability of previous course worktoward major requirements should bereferred to the student’s academic advisor.


Leave of Absence, UndergraduateInterruptions of enrollment can cause prob-lems in the continuity of course work within astudent’s program. Therefore, leaves ofabsence are generally discouraged. A studentwho must interrupt studies for compelling reasons may request a leave for a stated peri-od. Students who find it necessary to beexcused from registration in fall or springsemesters should request a leave of absenceand withdraw from their classes by the last dayto drop or add courses. Students should con-tact their academic advisor, ask for a Leave ofAbsence Student Handbook and complete theLeave of Absence form in the back of thehandbook. Completed forms should be sub-mitted to the student’s academic advisor forreview and approval. The dean of the degree-conferring unit must approve a leave. If, as aresult of the leave, the student exceeds thetime limits for completion of degree or generaleducation requirements, he or she may not beallowed automatically to continue to follow theoriginal catalogue of enrollment (see page 56).Students who fail to apply for a leave ofabsence may encounter difficulties with resi-dency requirements and financial aid whenreturning to USC.

Residence RequirementEffective fall 1997, a minimum of 64 unitstoward the bachelor’s degree must be earnedin residence at USC. A minimum of 80 unitstoward a bachelor’s degree in Architecture

must be earned in residence at USC. For stu-dents in Engineering’s “3-2” Program, at least48 units must be earned in residence at USC.

All upper-division units required for the majorand minor must be earned in residence.

The major or minor department, on a case-by-case basis, may give credit for upper-divi-sion courses taken prior to matriculation andmay pre-approve required upper-divisioncourses to be taken out of residence.

Once students matriculate at USC, all cours-es taken for subject or unit credit in the falland spring semesters must be taken in resi-dence. Only transfer work that appears onthe transfer institution’s transcript for a sum-mer term will be accepted.

In rare circumstances, exceptions to this falland spring enrollment policy, and approval totake specific courses out of residence, may begranted in advance by the student’s majordepartment or, for undeclared students, bythe Office of the College of Letters, Arts andSciences Dean of Curriculum andInstruction. If permission to take courses outof residency is granted, the major (or minor)department must pre-approve use of thecourses for the major (or minor), and use ofthe course to fulfill any other requirementsmust be pre-approved following the usualapproval process for transfer courses. Courses

to be used as electives must be pre-approvedby the closest equivalent department at USC.

After completion of 64 college-level unitsapplicable to the undergraduate degree, nomore than eight additional units may beallowed for transfer credit. In the case of theB.Arch. degree, no more than eight additionalunits may be allowed for transfer credit aftercompletion of 84 college-level units.

Units earned in overseas studies programsapproved by USC’s Undergraduate StudiesCommittee and in courses approved by consortial or other institutional agreementsare considered to be taken in residence.

Residence Requirement for a SecondBachelor’s DegreeFor students with their first bachelor’s degree from USC, 32 units applicable to the degreebeyond the number of units required for thefirst USC bachelor’s degree must be complet-ed in residence.

For students with their first bachelor’s degree fromanother institution, the second bachelor’sdegree requires 48 units applicable to thedegree completed in residence, except forthe B.Arch. degree which when earned con-currently with the M.Arch. degree requires32 units applicable to the degree completedin residence.

Graduate Students

Transfer of Course WorkThe Degree Progress Department in theOffice of Academic Records and Registrardetermines whether course work taken else-where is available for transfer credit. Facultyof the student’s degree program determinewhether such credit is applicable toward a spe-cific graduate degree, subject to approval bythe dean of the degree-conferring unit. Thefaculty’s decision should be made no later thanthe end of the first year in a master’s programor the second year in a doctoral program.

Credit will only be allowed for courses (1)from an accredited graduate school, (2) of aquality of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale,(3) constituting a fair and reasonable equiva-lent to current USC course work at the grad-uate level and (4) logically fitting into theprogram for the degree. Transfer course workis applied as credit (CR) toward the degreeand is not included in the calculation of aminimum grade point average for graduation.

Graduate transfer credit will not be grantedfor life experience, credit by examination,non-credit extension courses, correspondencecourses or thesis supervision. Graduate trans-fer credit will not be granted for course worktaken elsewhere after a student has beenadmitted and enrolled at USC unless the stu-dent receives prior written approval from thedepartment. Students may not take courseselsewhere as a substitute for courses in whichthey have received grades which fail to meetdepartmental or university requirements.

Transfer work must have been completedwithin seven years of admission to a USC mas-ter’s degree program (or 10 years for a doctoralprogram) to be applied toward that degree.Departments have the option of reevaluatingtransfer work when a student is readmitted toa USC graduate degree program.

The faculty of a degree program may establishlimits on the number of transfer credits stricterthan those of the university, which follow:

(1) The maximum number of transfer creditswhich may be applied toward a master’sdegree, subject to departmental approval is:four units in degree programs requiring 24-32units; eight units in programs requiring 33-40units; 12 units in programs requiring 41 ormore units. The same limits apply if a stu-dent wishes to transfer credits from anyadvanced degree previously completed atUSC toward a master’s degree.

(2) A maximum of 30 units of transfer creditmay be applied toward a doctoral degree.

(3) A maximum of six units of transfer creditmay be applied toward a doctoral degree with Advanced Standing. Admission withAdvanced Standing is based upon a complet-ed graduate degree. The only course workavailable for transfer credit is course worktaken after completion of that degree.

Examinations 53

(4) A maximum of four units of transfer creditmay be applied toward an approved dualdegree program.

The Graduate and Professional StudiesCommittee (GPSC) must approve policiesand procedures for considering individualexceptions within any specific program ofstudy. Program exceptions to the transfer ofcourse work policies require the approval ofthe GPSC and are listed in the departmentalsections of this catalogue. Departments estab-lishing lower maximum limits may waive theirown policy (within the university’s limits) byapproval of the dean of the degree conferringunit.

Application of Previous USC Course Workto a Current DegreeUSC course work taken prior to matriculation toa current USC degree program must have beencompleted within seven years of admission or

readmission to a master’s degree program (or10 years for a doctoral program) to be appliedtoward that degree. Exceptions require approvalfrom the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Credit EvaluationA credit evaluation is completed during thestudent’s first year of enrollment for every newgraduate student admitted to regular standing.The purpose of the evaluation is to verify allpreviously earned degrees and to list graduatecourse work completed at other institutionswhich is available for consideration toward theUSC degree. Only courses with a grade of B(3.0) and above are available for transfer.These courses do not apply toward a specificUSC degree unless approved by the student’smajor department and school.

Requests for Transfer Credit EvaluationEach new student admitted to regular stand-ing with transferable course work must sub-mit the course work for evaluation by theend of the first semester of enrollment atUSC. A credit evaluation can only be doneafter complete, official transcripts have beenreceived. The student is responsible for sup-plying the Degree Progress Department withall transcripts. It is important that the creditevaluation be completed before the studentapplies for a degree progress check.

Concurrent EnrollmentA student in a Graduate School degree pro-gram may not enroll for credit at this universi-ty and elsewhere simultaneously withoutadvance permission from the Graduate School.Failure to secure such permission will result ininvalidation of course work taken during peri-ods of unauthorized concurrent enrollment.

Examinations

Final Examinations Make-up PolicyWhen a final examination falls at a time thatconflicts with a student’s observance of a holyday, faculty members must accommodate arequest for an alternate examination date at atime that does not violate the student’s reli-gious creed.

A student must discuss a final examinationconflict with the professor no later than twoweeks prior to the scheduled examinationdate to arrange an acceptable alternate exam-ination date.

Administrative ExaminationsUSC administrative examinations are givento determine: (1) placement level in certainsubjects; (2) fulfillment of skill level require-ments for the degree; (3) approval to allowupper division transferred course work toearn subject credit toward the USC degreeand; (4) subject credit on the USC transcript.Below are the administrative titles of the var-ious examinations, a short description of thepurpose and nature of the examination and areferral to the appropriate section of this cata-logue for more detailed explanation of uni-versity policies specifically related to eachtype of examination.

(1) Placement ExaminationsDetermine the student’s level of ability incertain subjects. These tests establish theappropriate placement level in subjects suchas chemistry, physics, mathematics and for-eign languages. No unit credit is available.See the section titled Placement Examina-tions for specific details.

(2) Equivalency ExaminationsDetermine whether upper division trans-ferred course work may be applied to themajor requirements for the degree. Thesetests are given at the discretion of the acade-mic unit. Passing the examination does notprovide additional unit credit. Contact theappropriate academic unit for specific details.

(3) Special ExaminationsEstablish subject credit in subject matter inwhich the student is sufficiently prepared butin which no previous course credit has beenaccepted toward the degree at USC. See thesection titled Credit by Special Examinationfor specific details.

Placement ExaminationsPlacement tests are administered by theUniversity Testing Bureau in the followingareas: math, chemistry, physics and foreignlanguages as well as the International Stu-dent English Examination. The tests aregiven for placement and/or counseling and/orsubject credit (which may fulfill a required or

elective subject area). They are administeredon scheduled dates on the USC campus. AUSC ID or positive ID along with proof ofUSC admission is required for all placementtests. For additional information concerningone or more of these tests, contact the USCTesting Bureau, YWCA 104, (213) 740-7166,(www.usc.edu/dept/Testing-Bureau).

Placement in elementary and intermediateforeign language courses is made by theForeign Language Placement Tests. Transfercourses equivalent to a USC language coursefulfill the prerequisite for the next course inthe sequence, but students are required totake the USC placement exam. Transfer stu-dents may be advised to repeat, withoutadditional credit, a semester or semesters ofinstruction to qualify for the next level in thesequence if their skills are judged insufficientat the time of testing. Questions concerningforeign language placement should be direct-ed to the chair of the appropriate department.

Placements in Chemistry 040x and 105a;Mathematics 040x, 100, 108, 116, 117, 118and 125; and Physics 135 and 151 are madeby appropriate tests.


University Writing ExaminationStudents who score below the specified levelon the verbal portion of the SAT are requiredto take the Composition Placement Exami-nation to determine if they must completepreparatory course work before enrolling inWriting 140. Also see the Writing Programsection, page 366.

Credit by Special ExaminationStudents who feel sufficiently prepared in asubject field to request waiver from the nor-mal course requirements may request that thechair of the department in which the course isoffered allow them to take a special examina-tion challenging the course for subject creditonly. Nursing students have been granted aspecial provision by which they may takeexams for subject and unit credit. Tuition isassessed at a rate of one half unit per course.

With the permission of the dean of the acade-mic unit in which the student is a degreecandidate, the student may file a Request forCredit by Special Examination form in theGrade Department (SAS 103). The followingrules apply:

(1) Credit by examination is available toundergraduate students only.

(2) No more than one special examinationmay be taken in a given course.

(3) Special examinations will not be allowedin any course at USC or elsewhere for whicha student has received a grade or mark on thetranscript (e.g., W, UW, IN, IX, F or D).

(4) An examination will not be allowed if thecourse is a prerequisite to or sequentially pre-cedes a course or courses that appear on acollege level transcript, unless USC allowssimilar courses to be taken out of sequence.

(5) Baccalaureate credit cannot be earned byexamination for the Expository Writingrequirement, the first three semesters of anyforeign language or MATH 040x.

(6) Native speakers of a foreign language maychallenge only literature or linguistics coursesoffered through the respective languagedepartment.

(7) Results of all special examinations takenfor subject credit only will appear on theUSC transcript with a grade of “CR” (credit)or “NC” (no credit) and will not reflect unitvalue.

Academic Standards

Definition of GradesThe following grades are used: A — excel-lent; B — good; C — fair in undergraduatecourses and minimum passing in courses forgraduate credit; D — minimum passing inundergraduate courses; F — failed. In addi-tion, plus and minus grades may be used,with the exceptions of A plus, F plus and Fminus. The grade of F indicates that the stu-dent failed at the end of the semester or wasdoing failing work and stopped attending thecourse after the twelfth week of the semes-ter. Minimum passing grades are D- forundergraduate credit and C for graduatecredit. Additional grades include: CR —credit (passing grade for non-letter-gradedcourses equivalent to C- quality or better forundergraduate courses and B (3.0) quality orbetter for graduate courses); NC — no credit(less than the equivalent of a C- for an under-graduate and a B for a graduate, non-letter-graded course); P — pass (passing gradeequivalent to C- quality or better for under-graduate letter-graded courses and B (3.0)quality or better for graduate courses takenon a Pass/No Pass basis); NP — no pass (lessthan the equivalent of a C- for an undergrad-uate and a B (3.0) for a graduate, letter grad-ed course taken on a Pass/No Pass basis).

The following marks are also used: W — withdrawn; IP — interim mark for a courseexceeding one semester; UW — unofficialwithdrawal; MG — missing grade (an admin-istrative mark used in cases when the instruc-tor fails to submit a final course grade for

a student); IN — incomplete (work not completed because of documented illness orsome other emergency occurring after thetwelfth week of the semester; arrangementsfor the IN and its removal should be initiatedby the student and agreed to by the instruc-tor prior to the final exam); IX — lapsedincomplete.

A system of grade points is used to determine astudent’s grade point average. Grade points areassigned to grades as follows for each unit in thecredit value of a course: A, 4 points; A-, 3.7points; B+, 3.3 points; B, 3.0 points; B-, 2.7points; C+, 2.3 points; C, 2 points; C-, 1.7points; D+, 1.3 points; D, 1 point; D-, 0.7points; F, 0 points; UW, 0 points; IX, 0 points.Wherever these letter grades appear in this cat-alogue or other university documents, they rep-resent the numerical equivalents listed above.Marks of CR, NC, P, NP, W, IP, MG and IN donot affect a student’s grade point average.

Grades of Incomplete (IN)Conditions for Removing a Grade of IncompleteIf an IN is assigned as the student’s grade,the instructor will specify to the student andthe department the work remaining to bedone, the procedures for its completion, thegrade in the course to date and the weight tobe assigned to the work remaining to be donewhen computing the final grade. A studentmay remove the IN by completing only theportion of required work not finished as aresult of illness or emergency. Previously

graded work may not be repeated for credit.It is not possible to remove an IN by re-registering for the course, even within thedesignated time.

Time Limit for Removal of an IncompleteOne semester is allowed to remove an IN incourses numbered 499 and lower (an INassigned in a spring semester will not expireuntil the end of the fall semester, regardlessof the three extra months in summer). Onecalendar year is allowed to remove an IN incourses numbered 500 and higher. Individualacademic units may have more stringent poli-cies regarding these time limits. If the IN isnot removed within the designated time, thecourse is considered “lapsed,” the grade ischanged to an “IX” and it will be calculatedinto the grade point average as 0 points.Courses offered on a Credit/No Credit basisor taken on a Pass/No Pass basis for which amark of Incomplete is assigned will be lapsedwith a mark of NC or NP and will not be cal-culated into the grade point average.

Extension of Time for Removal of an IncompleteA student may petition the Committee onAcademic Policies and Procedures (CAPP)for an extension of time for the removal of anIN. Extensions beyond the specified timelimit are rarely approved if the student hasenrolled in subsequent semesters, since theremoval of the IN should be the student’sfirst priority.

Academic Standards 55

In all cases, a petition for an extension oftime for removal of an IN must have depart-mental approval and include a statementfrom the instructor explaining what is neededto complete the course and why the instruc-tor feels the student should be given evenfurther time for completion.

Missing GradesAll missing grades on a student’s recordshould be resolved before his or her degree isposted. Missing grades can be resolved bythe instructor of the course through the cor-rection of grade process. A student may peti-tion for a retroactive withdrawal if he or shedid not complete the course. Degrees will beposted for students who have missing grades(MGs) on their record provided the studentagrees and all other graduation requirementshave been met. Students wishing to graduatewith an MG must sign the Request toGraduate with a Missing Grade form in theDegree Progress Department in SAS 010.

Correction of GradesA grade once reported to the Office ofAcademic Records and Registrar may not bechanged except by request of the facultymember to the Committee on AcademicPolicies and Procedures on a Correction ofGrade form. Changes should be requestedonly on the basis of an actual error in assign-ing the original grade, not on the basis of arequest by the student or special considera-tion for an individual student. Students arenot permitted to complete course work afterthe semester has ended.

Disputing a GradeThe teacher’s evaluation of the performanceof each individual student is the final basisfor assigning grades. Through orderly appealprocedures, students have protection againstprejudiced or capricious academic evaluation.See the student guidebook SCampus fordetails of the procedure.

Academic Dishonesty SanctionsWhen a student is found responsible for a vio-lation of the USC Student Conduct Codestandards pertaining to academic dishonesty,the Vice President for Student Affairs (ordesignee) will inform the Office of AcademicRecords and Registrar. In appropriate cases,the Office of Academic Records and Registrarwill post the information on the student’s aca-demic records. Disciplinary sanctions notedon student records include suspension andexpulsion from the university and revocationof admission and degree. Disciplinary gradesanctions (e.g., F in course) are not distin-guished on a student’s transcript from marksassigned for academic work accomplished. Incases of suspension or expulsion, the student’sregistration for the current term may be can-celled with marks of “W.”

Repeated Course Work at USCStudents who enter as first-time freshmenmay repeat a maximum of three coursestaken during the first two semesters of enroll-ment at USC in which grades of D+ or below(including UW and IX) were received andonly the subsequent grade, even if lower, willbe calculated in the grade point average.Both courses and the grades received willappear on the transcript. The same coursemay be repeated no more than once for thebenefit of substitution of grade. For this poli-cy, as well as the one below, the prerequisitepolicy (see Prerequisites, page 48) will apply.Students must notify the Degree ProgressDepartment that they wish to utilize this pol-icy on repeated course work for first-timefreshmen. Undergraduates may also repeatother courses taken in which grades of D+ orbelow were received but, in these instances,both grades will be calculated in the gradepoint average.

Undergraduate students who want to repeat acourse in which a grade of C+, C or C- wasreceived and have the subsequent grade cal-culated in the grade point average must peti-tion the committee on Academic Policies andProcedures (CAPP) for permission to do soprior to re-registering in the course. Post hocapproval will not be granted.

Graduate students may repeat a course inwhich a grade of C- or below was received, butboth grades will be calculated in the gradepoint average. Graduate students who want torepeat a course in which a grade of C+ or Cwas received and have the subsequent gradecalculated in the grade point average mustpetition the Committee on Academic Policiesand Procedures (CAPP) for permission to doso prior to re-registering in the course. Post hocapproval will not be granted.

In no case will additional degree credit beallowed for repeated courses or duplicatedwork. No student may repeat a course inwhich a grade of B- or better was received.

The Dean’s ListAny undergraduate student who earns agrade point average of 3.5 or higher on12 units or more of course work in any onesemester is placed on the Dean’s List for thatsemester. Grades of IN must be removedbefore eligibility is determined for thatsemester. Academic transcripts do not carrythe Dean’s List notation.

Probation and Disqualification ofUndergraduate StudentsAn overall USC grade point average (GPA) ofat least C (2.0) on course work taken at USCis required for completion of undergraduatedegrees.

Academic ProbationA student whose overall USC GPA fallsbelow 2.0 is on academic probation.Continued enrollment requires clearancefrom an academic review counselor.

A full-time student whose overall GPA fallsbelow 2.0 for the first time and who has one ormore grades of MG or IN is placed on “pend-ing academic probation” status. At the end ofthe subsequent term, if removal of the MGand/or IN raised the overall GPA to 2.0 orgreater, the “pending academic probation” sta-tus will be removed; otherwise, the “pendingacademic probation” status will be changed toand recorded as academic probation.

Mandatory AdvisementA student whose overall GPA falls below 2.0is required to seek academic advisementprior to course selection each semester. Proofof advisement must be filed with theAcademic Review Department before anyregistration request will be processed. TheAcademic Review Department will onlyaccept an official Retention AdvisementRecord form with an authorized school signa-ture as proof of advisement. This form maybe obtained in the Student AdministrativeServices Building, Room 113.

Academic DisqualificationStudents on academic probation who do notraise their overall GPA to 2.0 after two semes-ters of enrollment, exempting summer enroll-ment, will be academically disqualified.However, if a student earns a minimumsemester GPA of 2.3 in the second or anysubsequent probation semester but has notyet reached the overall 2.0 GPA, the studentwill not be disqualified and will be allowed toenroll for an additional semester.

Readmission after Academic DisqualificationPetitions for readmission after academic dis-qualification are initiated by the studentthrough the Academic Review Departmentand are reviewed individually. All gradeissues (IN, MG, etc.) must be resolved priorto submission of a readmission petition.Before petitioning for readmission, a disquali-fied student must complete a minimum of12 semester units of transferable course workwith a minimum 3.0 GPA applicable to USCdegree requirements. University require-ments on residency will determine whetherthese units are accepted as transfer credit. Asreadmission to the university is never guaran-teed, any indication of strong academic per-formance beyond the 12 unit requirementwould strengthen a readmission petition.


Students must petition for readmission byDecember 30 for spring semester, by May 1for summer session and by August 15 for fallsemester. Since readmission must be approvedby CAPP prior to registration, under no cir-cumstances may a student apply for readmis-sion after the deadline. A nonrefundable fee of$50 must accompany the readmission petition.

Academic Warning and Dismissal ofGraduate StudentsFaculty advisors and departments take factorsother than satisfactory grades and adequateGPAs into consideration in determining a stu-dent’s qualifications for an advanced degree.A student’s overall academic performance,specific skills and aptitudes, and faculty eval-uations will be considered in departmentaldecisions regarding a student’s continuationin a master’s or doctoral degree program.

Satisfactory progress toward an advanceddegree as determined by the faculty isrequired at all times. Students who fail to

make satisfactory progress will be informed bytheir department or committee chair or schooldean. The faculty has the right to recommendat any time after written warning that a stu-dent be dismissed from a graduate program foracademic reasons or that a student be deniedreadmission. Procedures on disputed academicevaluations are described in SCampus.

Ethics Guidelines for Graduate StudyAs participants in an enterprise that dependson academic freedom and integrity, facultymembers and graduate students have a spe-cial obligation to promote conditions thatmaintain free inquiry and the highest stan-dards of integrity. USC faculty have devel-oped guidelines to serve as a resource for stu-dents finding their way through the oftencomplex academic relationships of a majorresearch university. These guidelines for eth-ical faculty and graduate student relations areavailable from the Graduate School.

Research Involving Human SubjectsGraduate student researchers are required toobtain approval from the USC InstitutionalReview Boards whenever research, whetherfunded or unfunded, involving human sub-jects is proposed. The Institutional ReviewBoards (IRBs), formerly the Human SubjectsCommittees, are fully authorized to review allproposals and projects which involve the useof human subjects. “Human subject” means aliving individual about whom an investigatorconducting research obtains (a) data throughintervention or interaction with the individualor (b) identifiable private information. Theuniversity IRBs have been established to meetfederal regulations. The IRBs are required toassure that: (1) research methods are appro-priate to the objectives of the research; (2) research methods are the safest, consistentwith sound research design; (3) risks are justi-fied in terms of related benefits to the sub-jects; (4) subjects’ privacy is protected; (5) sub-jects participate willingly and knowingly to theextent possible; and (6) research projects are“monitored” by the IRBs.

Requirements for Graduation

Catalogue Regulations, Policies andProceduresIn addition to degree requirements outlinedbelow, undergraduate and graduate studentsare also subject to current catalogue regula-tions, policies and procedures. Examplesinclude, but are not limited to, the policy onthe grade of incomplete, graduation withhonors and continuous enrollment for gradu-ate students. Unlike degree requirements,changes in regulations, policies and proce-dures are immediate and supersede those inany prior catalogue.

Graduation DateA student will be awarded the graduationdate for the term in which degree require-ments, including submission of supportingdocuments, have been met. Although coursework may have been completed in a priorterm, the degree will be awarded only for theterm for which all academic and administra-tive requirements have been fulfilled.Students wishing to change the degree datefrom that indicated on the Degree ProgressSummary Report should file a Change ofInformation card with the revised degreedate. The cards are available in the Degree

Progress Department in SAS 101. Degreesare not awarded retroactively.

Discontinued Degree ProgramsStudents pursuing degree programs whichthe university discontinues will be allowed tocomplete the degree within a specified timelimit. The time limit will be specified at thepoint of discontinuance of the program andbegins at that point. It is determined accord-ing to the student’s progress toward degreecompletion and will not exceed five years forany student.

Undergraduate Students

Degree RequirementsUndergraduate degree requirements consistof grade point averages, unit requirements,residency requirements, general educationrequirements, the writing requirement, thediversity requirement, pre-major and majorrequirements, and minor requirements.Undergraduate students may elect to follow(a) the degree requirements in the catalogue

current in their first admitted term of enroll-ment at USC or (b) degree requirements insubsequent catalogues. However, undergrad-uate students may not mix catalogues.

While there are no specific time limits forcompleting bachelor’s degrees, over the yearsmany departments change their major require-ments in accordance with developments in thefield and department. Occasionally, generaleducation requirements are changed or adegree program is discontinued.

Therefore, undergraduate students who donot complete their degrees within six consec-utive years from the beginning of the semes-ter of their first completed USC course workwill not be allowed automatically to continuefollowing their pre-major, major and minorrequirements as specified above. (This timelimit includes semesters during which stu-dents are not enrolled.) The pertinentdepartment chair will decide what pre-major,major and minor requirements each student

Requirements for Graduation 57

must follow and communicate the decision tothe student in writing.

Students who do not complete their degreeswithin 10 consecutive years from the begin-ning of the semester of their first completedUSC course work will not be allowed auto-matically to continue their general educationrequirements. (This time limit includessemesters during which students are notenrolled.) The General Education Office willdecide what general education requirementseach student must follow and communicatethe decision to the student in writing.

An appeal of a department’s decision may bemade to the dean of the appropriate academ-ic unit or the Provost’s Office for academicunits without departments. An appeal of ageneral education decision may be made tothe Committee on Academic Policies andProcedures (CAPP).

Grade Point Average RequirementA grade point average of at least C (2.0) on allbaccalaureate units attempted at USC, aswell as on the combined USC-transfer GPA,is required for undergraduate degrees. A min-imum cumulative grade point average of 2.0in all attempted upper division courses forthe major is also required, regardless of thedepartment in which the courses are taken.The university will not deviate from policiesgoverning the calculation of the grade pointaverage through inclusion or exclusion ofcourse work.

Unit RequirementStudents are required to take a minimum of128 baccalaureate units at the undergraduatelevel (of which not more than four units maybe physical education units and not morethan eight units may be music ensemblecourses). Of the 128 unit minimum at least32 units must be upper division course work.Students must also complete all upper divi-sion course work in the major at USC. Theuniversity will not deviate from the minimumunit requirements stated above or the addi-tional unit-specific requirements. Some disciplines require more than the minimumrequirements. Check individual departmentlistings for specific requirements.

Unit credit indicates the number of semesterunits earned in the course; these units may ormay not be applicable to the degree. Degreecredit indicates the units are applicable to thedegree.

Pass/No Pass Graded WorkA maximum of 24 units of undergraduatecourse work taken on a pass/no pass basismay be used toward an undergraduate degreeand a maximum of 4 of these 24 units may beapplied to the general education require-ments. Use of pass/no pass course work tofulfill major requirements must be approvedin writing by the academic department.Individual academic departments may haveplaced further restrictions on whether acourse taken on a pass/no pass basis can beused to fulfill specific requirements.

General Education RequirementsGeneral education and writing requirementsfor all students are provided on pages 167-172. Additional specific information is includ-ed with the information on individual majors.

Diversity RequirementThe diversity requirement must be met by allstudents who began college at USC or else-where fall 1993 or later. It can be met by pass-ing any one course carrying the designation“m” for multiculturalism. The list of coursesand further details about meeting the diversi-ty requirement are found on page 171.

Upper Division Major Course WorkThe university requires that all undergradu-ate students successfully complete at USC allthe upper division courses that are applied totheir major.

Minor ProgramsApplication for a minor must be made to thedepartment or professional school and anappropriate endorsement must appear on aChange/Addition of Major or Minor DegreeObjectives form.

The following guidelines apply to minor programs:

(1) Minor programs are available to studentsmatriculated in an undergraduate degree pro-gram and must be completed simultaneouslywith the major degree program.

(2) Minors constituted of course work from asingle department may not be earned by stu-dents majoring in that department.

(3) Students may take an interdepartmentalminor in which their major unit participatesas long as four courses required for the minorare taken outside the major.

(4) Students must take at least four courseswhich are unique to the minor (i.e., notrequired to fulfill the major, another minor orgeneral education requirements).

(5) As of fall 1997, all upper-division coursework required for the minor must be taken atUSC.

(6) No course work required for the minormay be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

(7) A minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA must beachieved in all courses required for theminor. A higher minimum may be requiredby the sponsoring department or unit.

(8) Students whose major degree programsdo not include a language requirement neednot satisfy that requirement to earn a minorfrom the College of Letters, Arts andSciences or a professional school that has alanguage requirement unless the minorspecifically requires the language.

(9) Completion of the minor program will berecorded on the transcript.

Departmental Honors ProgramsThe following departments have receivedapproval from the University UndergraduateCurriculum Committee for their majors tograduate with departmental honors:

Anthropology; Biochemistry (B.S.); BiologicalSciences (B.A. and B.S.); BroadcastJournalism; Business Administration;Chemistry (B.A. and B.S.); Communication;Comparative Literature; Economics; English;French; History; International Relations;Linguistics; Mathematics (B.A. and B.S.);Philosophy, Philosophy (Ethics, Law andValue Theory), Philosophy (History ofPhilosophy), Philosophy (Philosophy ofScience); Political Science; Print Journalism;Psychobiology; Psychology; Public Policy andManagement; Public Relations; and Religion.

The minimal requirements for receivingdepartmental honors are that the student: (1) satisfactorily completes course work for anhonors project and (2) achieves no less than a3.5 GPA (A = 4.0) in the major at the time ofgraduation. Each program, department orschool will continue to designate what it con-siders the appropriate course work and hon-ors project.

Departmental honors are noted on academictranscripts but not on the diploma.

Graduation with University HonorsTo be eligible for undergraduate honors atgraduation, a minimum overall grade pointaverage of 3.5 for cum laude, 3.7 for magna cumlaude and 3.9 for summa cum laude is required.Students must meet these averages, both onresidence work attempted and on combinedtransferred and residence work attempted.The honors award is then determined byeither the GPA for the residence work or the


GPA for the combined transferred and resi-dence work, whichever is lower. The univer-sity will not deviate from policies governingthe calculation of the grade point averagesrequired for graduation with honors throughinclusion or exclusion of course work.University honors are noted on academictranscripts and the diploma.

Undergraduate Credit for a GraduateCourseIn some cases, an undergraduate student mayreceive special permission from the academicunit offering a course to enroll in and receiveundergraduate credit for a graduate course(numbered 500 and above). Such permissionwill not be granted unless the student hasreached junior class standing (64 units earned)with an overall GPA of 3.0 or a 3.0 GPA in allcourses attempted in that discipline.

Written permission from the dean of the aca-demic unit offering the course must be coun-tersigned by a counselor in the DegreeProgress Department and presented to theRegistration Department at the time ofregistration.

Students not meeting this standard may peti-tion to count graduate course work for under-graduate credit. These petitions should beinitiated in the student’s academic unit priorto attempting to enroll in the course. Such apetition requires recommendation by theinstructor of the course, the chair of the stu-dent’s major department, the dean of the aca-demic unit in which the student is seeking adegree and the appropriate graduate govern-ing body under which the course falls. In nocase will a student be allowed to enroll in andreceive credit for a graduate course if the stu-dent’s cumulative USC GPA is below 2.0.

Graduate Credit for 400 and 500 LevelWork Taken as an UndergraduateAn undergraduate student who is within12 semester units of the bachelor’s degreeand has a cumulative grade point average ofat least 3.0 may request to enroll in andreserve for graduate credit a limited amountof work at the 400 and 500 levels during thelast semester as a senior, provided that thesemester program does not exceed 16 semes-ter units. The request form obtained at theGraduate School should be submitted to theDegree Progress Department and shouldbear the endorsements of the chair of the stu-dent’s major department and of the depart-ment in which the reserved work is to betaken. The Degree Progress Department ver-ifies that the units being reserved are notneeded to fulfill requirements for the bache-lor’s degree. The student must present acopy of the final action to the RegistrationDepartment at the time of enrollment.

Graduate Students

Degree RequirementsAll graduate students must meet both univer-sity degree requirements and those degreerequirements specific to their program ofstudy to receive an advanced degree.University degree requirements consist ofgrade point averages, unit, residency andtime limit requirements. Degree require-ments specific to a student’s program ofstudy consist of course, examination andresearch requirements. University degreerequirements and degree requirements spe-cific to the program of study are collectivelydefined as degree requirements. Graduatestudents may elect to follow (a) the degreerequirements in the catalogue current for thesemester of their admission to the degreeprogram or (b) degree requirements in subse-quent catalogues as long as they are continu-ously enrolled (see page 60). However, theymay not mix catalogues. Graduate studentswho discontinue their enrollment without aleave of absence approved by the dean of thepertinent academic unit (see page 60) will besubject to the degree requirements in effectfor the semester of their readmission to theprogram. Students requesting exceptionsshould petition the dean of that unit.

Graduate Credit Certificate ProgramsGraduate credit certificate programs must beapproved by the Graduate and ProfessionalStudies Committee and meet the followingrequirements: (1) a minimum of 12 units isrequired; the maximum number of units mayvary; (2) for certificate programs of 16 units orless, all course work must be at the 500 levelor above. For programs of more than 16 units,

no more than one-third of the total units forthe program may be at the 400 level; (3) forcompletion, a minimum cumulative USCgrade point average of 3.0 must be achievedon all course work applied to the certificate;(4) for certificate programs of 16 units or less,all course work must be earned at USC; forprograms of more than 16 units, not morethan 25 percent of the course work may betransfer credit.

Time Limit for Degree CompletionStudents must maintain satisfactory progresstoward their stated degree objective at all times. Progress is measured from thebeginning of the first course at USC applied toward a specified degree, and allrequirements for that degree must be com-pleted within a specified time. The maxi-mum time limit allowed for each degree isconsiderably greater than what is needed tocomplete all requirements. Departments mayset more stringent time limits than thosespecified in this section.

The time limit for completing the master’sdegree is five years. The time limit for com-pleting the doctoral degree is eight years. Forstudents who earned an applicable master’sdegree within five years prior to admission tothe doctoral program, the time limit for com-pleting the doctoral degree is six years. Anacademic department may grant an extensionof up to one year at a time for a maximum oftwo years.

The Dean of Graduate Studies will be noti-fied of these extensions. In unusual cases, astudent’s committee and the departmentchair may petition the Dean of GraduateStudies for further extensions.

Students who have exceeded the time limit forcompleting their degree program will not bepermitted any further registrations. If grantedan extension of time, the dean of the degree-conferring unit will permit registration for thespecified period of extension. Approved leavesof absence (up to a total of two years or foursemesters) are not counted in the time allowedfor completion of degree requirements.

The time limits apply unless otherwise desig-nated by the faculty and previously approvedby the Graduate and Professional StudiesCommittee for a particular degree program.

Dual Degree ProgramsDual degree programs offer graduate stu-dents the opportunity to complete concur-rently requirements for two degrees.Students enrolled in dual degree programsmust complete all requirements for the dualdegree program and then will be awardedboth diplomas at the same time. The acade-mic units which offer these programs fre-quently adjust the requirements for eachdegree to take into account the correlationsbetween required course work. Students whohave completed all the requirements for oneof the degree programs and who decide towithdraw from the dual degree program may

Requirements for Graduation 59

receive the appropriate single diploma.Students who have withdrawn from the dualdegree program to receive the appropriatesingle diploma and later decide to completethe second degree must apply for admission,be admitted and then fulfill all requirementsfor the second degree. Detailed informationregarding dual degree programs is listed inthe appropriate school section.

Grade Point Average RequirementA minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in acourse to receive graduate credit. Work gradedC- or below is not acceptable for subject orunit credit toward any master’s or doctoral pro-gram. A grade point average of at least 3.0 onall units attempted at USC toward a graduatedegree is required for graduation. In addition,a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all grad-uate work attempted at USC, whether or notall such units are applied toward the degree, isrequired. In some cases, the Graduate andProfessional Studies Committee has approveddifferent GPA requirements for professionalschools. The university will not deviate frompolicies governing the calculation of the gradepoint average through inclusion or exclusion ofcourse work.

Unit RequirementThe minimum number of units required for amaster’s degree is 24, at least 20 of whichmust be completed at USC. The minimumnumber of units for a doctoral degree is 60, atleast 24 of which (exclusive of DoctoralDissertation 794) must be completed at USC.In addition, at least one-half of the total num-ber of units applied toward a graduate degreemust be completed at USC. The minimumnumber of units for a doctoral degree withAdvanced Standing upon entrance is 36. Noexceptions are allowed.

A department or school which has a graduateprogram approved by the university requiringa higher minimum may not waive thatrequirement. The unit requirement for a dualdegree program is established at the time theprogram is approved by the university andmay not be waived.

Regardless of the number of units requiredfor a graduate degree, at least two-thirds ofthe units applied toward the degree (includ-ing transfer work and not including 594 or794) must be at the 500 level or higher.Students with Advanced Standing in doctoralprograms may not apply additional 400-levelcourse work toward that degree. Individualexceptions will not be allowed. Some degreeprograms, where designated by the facultyand approved by the Graduate and Profes-sional Studies Committee, permit a highermaximum number of 400-level units.

Unit credit indicates the number of semesterunits earned in the course; these units may ormay not be applicable to the degree. Degreecredit indicates the units are applicable to thedegree.

Residence RequirementsA minimum of 20 graduate units at USC isrequired for the master’s degree; 24 units forthe doctoral degree.

Residency for a graduate degree program atUSC is a period of intensive study completionthe University Park Campus, the HealthSciences Campus and/or at one of theapproved off-campus study centers. Eachdegree-conferring unit may establish a schoolresidency policy. School residency require-ments as presented in the USC Catalogue areapproved by the Graduate and ProfessionalStudies Committee and are to be interpretedconsistent with university policies on continu-ous enrollment, leaves of absence, transfer ofcredit and time limits for completion of grad-uate degrees. Individual exceptions must beapproved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Pass/No Pass Graded WorkGraduate students may elect to enroll incourses on a pass/no pass basis with depart-ment approval. Course work taken on apass/no pass basis cannot be applied toward agraduate degree. If a student later requiresthe course for a degree program (because of achange in degree objective or a decision toobtain an additional degree), the degree-granting unit can decide to allow subject cred-it for the course and require a substitutecourse for the unit credit. Individual depart-ments may have placed further restrictions onwhether a course taken on a pass/no pass basiscan be used to fulfill specific requirements.

All students should consult their academicadvisors before enrolling in any course on apass/no pass basis.

Waiver and Substitution of CourseRequirementsStudents admitted to graduate degree objec-tives are expected to complete the degreerequirements listed in the USC Catalogue. Amaximum of one-half of the stated degreecourse requirements (exclusive of 594Master’s Thesis and 794 DoctoralDissertation) may be approved for waiver orsubstitution by other USC course work,directed research, or transfer course work.Waiver or substitution of course requirementsdoes not reduce the minimum number ofunits required for the degree. Departmentsestablishing a lower maximum may waivetheir own policy by approval of the dean ofthe degree-conferring unit. Approval fromthe department chair for substitution or waiv-er of course requirements within the estab-lished maxima is recorded in the student

exception process by the academic depart-ment. Approval in excess of the maximarequires, in addition, the permission of thedean of the degree-conferring unit.

Second Master’s DegreeA “second master’s degree” is any master’sdegree pursued after a first master’s degree isearned at USC or another university. Themaximum number of units which may beapplied toward the second master’s degreefor course work taken from the first master’sdegree is: four units toward degree programsrequiring 24-32 units; eight units toward pro-grams requiring 33-40 units; 12 units towardprograms requiring 41 or more units. Secondmaster’s degrees are not allowed in the sameprogram of study for students who earnedtheir first master’s degree at USC. For stu-dents who earned their first master’s degreeat another institution, no course work may berepeated from the first program of study andno units from the first program of study maybe counted toward the second master’sdegree. Program exceptions require approvalof the Graduate and Professional StudiesCommittee and are listed in the departmen-tal sections of this catalogue. No individualexceptions are allowed.

Full-time StudyTo be considered full time, a graduate stu-dent must be enrolled in a minimum of eightunits of 500-level or 12 units of 400- and 500-level course work. In order to make normalprogress toward the conclusion of coursework for a graduate degree, most studentswill be enrolled for 12 units; 16 units willconstitute a maximum load. Students wishingto carry more than 16 units must have theprior permission of the degree-conferringunit; such permission will be granted only inexceptional circumstances.

A student who has completed all course workfor the master’s degree will be considered fulltime when properly enrolled in either 594Master’s Thesis or GRSC 810 Studies forMaster’s Examination.

A student who has completed all course workfor the doctoral degree (except dissertationregistrations) will be considered full timeduring the semester in which the doctoralqualifying examination is being prepared for,provided the Request to Take the QualifyingExamination has been submitted andapproved for that semester and the student isenrolled in the course GRSC 800 Studies forQualifying Examination. Doctoral studentswho have been advanced to candidacy, thatis, who have completed all course work andhave passed the qualifying examination, willbe considered full time when properlyenrolled in 794 Doctoral Dissertation.


International students on student visas mustbe enrolled as full-time students as deter-mined by the Office for International Servicesand the department advisor. Such studentsare not eligible to be considered studentswithout formal registration and are in violationof immigration laws when not properlyenrolled. Any international student havingquestions about his or her registration shouldconsult the Office for International Services.

Continuous EnrollmentStudents are considered to be pursuingadvanced degrees only when they are formal-ly enrolled. Students admitted to a graduatedegree objective are required to be enrolledat USC for fall and spring semesters eachyear until all degree requirements have beensatisfactorily completed within the time limit.Graduate students who fail to register are nolonger considered to be enrolled in a gradu-ate degree program. After an unauthorizedabsence, formal readmission is required.Students who have been granted a leave ofabsence do not need to apply for readmissionfollowing the approved leave. Where appro-priate to the design of a given academic pro-gram, the faculty of the program may obtainthe permission of the Graduate andProfessional Studies Committee for a differ-ent definition of continuous enrollment.

A master’s candidate who is writing a thesisand has completed all course work for thedegree must enroll each fall and springsemester in the appropriate thesis registrationuntil the thesis has been approved. A doctoralcandidate who has passed the qualifyingexamination must enroll each fall and springsemester in 794 Doctoral Dissertation untilthe dissertation has been approved.

Exceptions to continuous enrollment are sub-ject to policies governing leaves of absenceand readmission.

Leave of AbsenceInterruptions of enrollment can cause prob-lems in the continuity of course work withina student’s graduate program and, therefore,leaves of absence are generally discouraged.

A student in good standing and making satis-factory progress toward a degree who mustinterrupt studies for compelling reasons (e.g.,approved study abroad, sustained ill health)may petition for a leave for a stated period,usually not to exceed one year. Students whofind it necessary to be excused from registra-tion must request a leave of absence by thelast day to drop or add courses. A leave

must be approved by the dean of the degree-conferring unit. During the period of leave astudent is not entitled to assistance from thefaculty or use of university facilities. If grant-ed, the leave is recorded on the student’s tran-script and the period of leave is not counted inthe time allowed for the completion of degreerequirements. Within the degree time limit amaximum of four semesters may be allowedfor leaves of absence. A student who does notreturn to enrolled status at the end of anapproved period of leave is no longer consid-ered to be pursuing an advanced degree.Students who fail to apply for a leave ofabsence or for whom a leave has been denied(or has expired) are subject to policies govern-ing continuous enrollment and readmission.

ReadmissionA student who leaves the university withoutobtaining a formal leave of absence from grad-uate study is not automatically readmitted. Astudent wishing to apply for readmission to agraduate degree program must submit anApplication for Readmission to the GraduateSchool by the first day of classes for the termin which resumption of graduate studies issought. The recommendation of the depart-ment and the approval of the dean of thedegree-conferring unit, based on the academicmerits of the student’s request, are required. Ifreadmitted, the student will be subject to allof the current requirements for the degree ineffect at the time of readmission. Individualexceptions require the approval of the dean ofthe degree-conferring unit.

Comprehensive and QualifyingExaminationsIn graduate degree programs that require acomprehensive examination and for all doc-toral qualifying examinations, a student whofails the examination may be permitted, at thediscretion of the faculty, to take it a secondtime. For time limits on retaking the exami-nations, consult the individual school’s policy.

Requests for exception must be approved bythe department chair.

A student may not take the comprehensive orqualifying examination more than twice andmust be appropriately enrolled at USC dur-ing the semester in which any such examina-tion is taken or retaken. A student who failsthe comprehensive or qualifying examinationa second time may not continue in thedegree program after the end of the semesterin which the second examination was taken.No exceptions are allowed.

Theses and DissertationsMaster’s Thesis CommitteeA master’s thesis committee shall be com-posed of a minimum of three members of thetenure-track faculty, at least two of whommust be from the student’s home department.Individual exceptions must be approved bythe dean of the degree-conferring unit. Thefinal acceptance of the thesis requires theunanimous approval of all members of thecommittee. No exceptions are allowed.

Format for Theses and DissertationsA thesis or dissertation represents the indi-vidual candidate’s research and writing. Infields where collaborative research hasbecome the norm, the candidate is the soleauthor and specifies his or her contribution tothe research and also delineates colleagues’contributions.

Dissertations are expected to be written inEnglish. Exceptions require the approval ofthe Dean of Graduate Studies prior to begin-ning the work and will be granted only whenthere is strong scholarly justification.

All theses and dissertations submitted in ful-fillment of requirements for graduate degreesat USC must conform to certain universityregulations with regard to format and methodof preparation. These requirements areexplained in detail in Regulations for Formatand Presentation of Theses and Dissertations,available from the Graduate School, GraceFord Salvatori Hall 315.

Candidates should not proceed with the finaltyping of their theses or dissertations beforefamiliarizing themselves with the contents ofthe regulations booklet. Papers submitted tothe university which do not conform to theregulations will be returned to the candidatefor correction.

The candidate and his or her guidance com-mittee should choose a style manual and for-mat appropriate for the subject of the thesisor dissertation. USC does not impose a stan-dard format or style, preferring instead toallow maximum flexibility in the presentationof subject matter. However, all manuscriptsmust be prepared in accordance with anaccepted style guide. Candidates who feelthat their papers require variations from USCregulations or from the style guide they areusing are advised to contact the thesis editorat the Graduate School before final typing.

Exception Procedures 61

Submission of DissertationThe final typed dissertation must be accept-ed by the Graduate School within a period ofnot more than six months after the student’scommittee has signed the Approval ofDissertation for Final Typing. Late submis-sion of the document will require certifica-tion by the committee chair and will be sub-ject to a $100 late fee for each six monthsthereafter.

Dissertation Signature PageA signature page, to be bound with the dis-sertation, must be signed by each member of the dissertation committee, submitted to the degree-conferring unit for the date and the signature of the dean of the degree-conferring unit, and then presented with thefinal typed dissertation and triple card to thethesis editor.

Acceptance by the UniversityAll theses and dissertations, in final typedform, must be accepted by the university. Alldocuments must have been approved by thecandidate’s committee before submission tothe university.

A minimum of five working days is requiredby the thesis editor to review a thesis or dis-sertation. In considering deadlines, candi-dates should allow themselves adequate time to make any corrections which may berequired before final acceptance. Any correc-tions indicated must be made and approvedby the thesis editor before a thesis or disser-tation will be accepted.

Copies RequiredThe university requires two copies of eachthesis or dissertation. One copy is submittedto University Microfilms International andone copy is retained by the university for cat-aloging and binding by Doheny Library. Bothcopies must be on 20 pound white paper andmust observe margin specifications outlinedin Regulations for Format and Presentation ofTheses and Dissertations. This original isprocessed for microfilming and binding, afterwhich it is placed in the University Library.Candidates should check with their commit-tees to determine the requirements for anyadditional copies. The university does notprovide these copies.

Publication and MicrofilmingAll theses and dissertations submitted andapproved are microfilmed and each candidatemust sign a form, available from the thesiseditor, authorizing microfilming of the docu-ment. The dissertation is publicized bymeans of the printed abstract which appearsin Dissertation Abstracts International, circulat-ed internationally. Theses are also publicizedby means of a printed abstract which appearsin Master’s Abstracts International. Twocopies of each master’s or doctoral abstractare required and should be submitted to thethesis editor.

Thesis/Dissertation FeesAll master’s and doctoral candidates must paya fee as part of the final requirements for thedegree. The doctoral candidate’s fee, current-ly $113, includes microfilming and bindingthe dissertation and publication of the disser-tation abstract. Master’s candidates currentlypay a fee of $50 for microfilming and bindingthe thesis and publication of the abstract.

Exception Procedures

Exceptions to particular university regula-tions and degree requirements will be consid-ered only if there is no prohibition stated inthis catalogue. Where exceptions are specifi-cally prohibited, none will be granted. A stu-dent who wants an individual exception mustfollow the procedure specified in this cata-logue for the particular regulation or require-ment. If no procedure is specified, it may stillbe possible to request an exception. Suchexceptions, however, are rarely granted.

Requests for exception to established univer-sity academic regulations or procedures aregenerally heard by: (1) the Committee onAcademic Policies and Procedures (CAPP);(2) the dean of the academic unit in whichthe student is seeking a degree; or (3) thedean or director of the office responsible foradministering the policy. Students who wishto request an exception should first consultan academic advisor about the appropriateprocess to follow.

While the university is sensitive to the edu-cational advantages of a flexible curriculum,it is also conscious of a responsibility toensure equity for all students. Permission todeviate from published regulations is neitherautomatic nor pro forma; each request is con-sidered on its own merits and in light of thepetitioner’s complete academic record.

USC Committee on Academic Policies and ProceduresThe Committee on Academic Policy andProcedures (CAPP), a representative group ofion procedures and enrollment deadlines areheard by the Dean of Academic Records andRegistrar. Such requests are generated in theAcademic Review Department, SAS 113.Requests denied by the dean are referred toa CAPP panel for review.

Any request to change the official registrationfor a semester retroactively must be submit-ted within 24 months of the end of thesemester in question. The 24-month periodstarts with the last day of final examinationsfor the semester in question. If appropriate,the time limit can be waived by the dean ofthe academic unit in which the student isseeking a degree.

General Education PetitionsStudents may petition to waive individualgeneral education requirements or apply oneor more courses not listed in the USCCatalogue toward general education require-ments. If the course or courses to be substi-tuted were or will be taken at USC, aGeneral Petition may be initiated in the stu-dent’s home department; if taken at anotherinstitution, an Articulation Petition may beinitiated in the Degree Progress Department(Student Academic Services 010).

Degree Requirement-related ExceptionsRequests for exception to specific degreerequirements are generated in the academicunit. Most requests will be forwarded by theadvisor to CAPP for review. Some exceptionsare made by the dean of the academic unitand are recorded in the student exceptionprocess by the academic department.


Articulation PetitionsStudents who wish to request changes intheir transfer credit evaluations should firstdiscuss their request with the DegreeProgress Department (Student AcademicServices 010).

A request which cannot be processed byDegree Progress will be forwarded to theArticulation Office for review. Students wish-ing to appeal the decision may do so using anarticulation petition.

The Graduate SchoolRequests for an exception to the policies andprocedures governing Graduate School degreeprograms will be considered upon submissionof a general petition stating the specificrequest, supported by adequate reasons andinformation. The signatures and recommen-dations of the faculty advisor or committeechair and department chair are required.

Graduate and Professional ProgramsRequests for exception to the policies andprocedures governing graduate degree pro-grams that do not fall under the jurisdictionof the Graduate School should be directed tothe dean of the degree-conferring unit.

Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs

USC is a major university providing diverseacademic programs. As such it has evolved intoa complex organization. The basic underlyingprinciple in its organization is simple: groups offaculty with similar areas of knowledge andinterest are grouped together to form depart-ments or schools. These units work together indetermining the courses to be offered, require-ments for degrees, and the content and ratio-nale underlying their curricula.

In practice, the organization becomes morecomplex. Certain areas of study are based onbroad areas of knowledge which need to drawfaculty from several departments. To providestudents with the necessary breadth of study,courses to fulfill general education require-ments are drawn from many schools. The fol-lowing list of undergraduate and graduatedegrees provides a guide to the organizationof USC. The index includes all degreesoffered, and the school which administers thedegree.

The basic undergraduate degrees are theBachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science.Students may obtain these degrees in a varietyof majors. More specialized degrees, such as aBachelor of Music, require more undergradu-ate study devoted to professional training.

The basic graduate degrees are the Master ofArts, Master of Science and the Doctor ofPhilosophy. The Master of Arts degree is nor-mally given for study in the humanities andsocial sciences. These degrees fall under thejurisdiction of the Graduate School.

The Master of Science degree is normallygiven for study confined exclusively to thenatural sciences. Many of the Master ofScience degree programs and several special-ized master’s degree programs are under thejurisdiction of the Graduate School.

Other master’s degrees are granted by USCfor proficiency in professional fields. Theseprofessional master’s degrees are not underthe jurisdiction of the Graduate School.

Each school may provide programs for severaltypes of degree objectives in similar areas ofstudy. For example, the School of Music pro-vides curricula for the Master of Arts with amajor in music theory and also offers Masterof Music degree programs. These manyshades of distinction between the types ofdegrees offered are to provide flexibility tostudents. Students must select degree objec-tives based on consideration of what will bestprepare them for the career or further studythey wish to pursue.

While many schools provide curricula leadingto the Doctor of Philosophy degree, all Doctorof Philosophy degrees are under the jurisdic-tion of the Graduate School. All Ph.D. candi-dates must meet the standards of scholarshipand other regulations established by theGraduate School. Other doctorates, whichprepare students for leadership and expertservice in certain fields of science, art andpublic welfare, are under the jurisdiction ofthe several schools. Professional doctorates,which are not given under the jurisdiction ofthe Graduate School, include: Doctor ofDental Surgery, Doctor of Education, Doctorof Medicine, Doctor of Musical Arts, Doctorof Pharmacy, Doctor of Public Administrationand the Juris Doctor.

University CertificatesIn addition to the degree programs listed inthe index, the university also offers a numberof graduate certificate programs. The specificrequirements for each certificate are includedin the appropriate school’s section.

Area of EmphasisAn Area of Emphasis is a specific focus with-in a major. Areas of Emphasis are listed with-in parentheses following the appropriatemajors and do not appear on diplomas but areindicated on transcripts.

Combined ProgramA combined program is an organized set ofrequirements from two academic units in a sin-gle degree program that combines two majors.Examples are: Linguistics/Psychology, Physics/Computer Science, Biomedical/ElectricalEngineering, and Journalism/Russian.

Double Major Within the College ofLetters, Arts and SciencesA double major consists of two majors whichallow the student to earn the same degree,either a B.A. or B.S. degree, within theCollege of Letters, Arts and Sciences. TheCollege of Letters, Arts and Sciences offerstwo kinds of majors, “departmental” and“interdepartmental” (see page 165). A doublemajor may consist of two departmental majors,two interdepartmental majors, or one depart-mental and one interdepartmental major. All double majors require a minimum of12 upper division courses. Some upper divi-sion courses may count for both majors. Fordouble departmental majors two upper divi-sion courses may count toward both majors.For departmental and interdepartmentalmajors, three upper division courses maycount toward both majors. For double inter-departmental majors, one upper divisioncourse from each area of concentration maycount toward the other major; two additionalupper division courses must be taken fromoutside either concentration (but within thesame interdepartmental area) and will countfor both majors. The student receives onediploma noting both majors.

Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs 63

Dual DegreeA dual degree is one that has course workfrom two schools or two different degree pro-grams within the same school which has beenorganized into a single program. Listings ofaccelerated dual degrees and graduate dualdegrees can be found on page 67. The stu-dent receives two diplomas.

Second Bachelor’s DegreeA second bachelor’s degree requires a mini-mum of 32 additional units. For somedegrees more than the 32 additional unitsmay be needed because all requirements forboth degrees must be met. Also, the resi-dence requirement for a second bachelor’s

degree applies, which requires 32 unitsapplicable to the degree beyond the numberof units required for the first USC bachelor’sdegree to be completed in residence (seepage 52, the policy on residence requirementfor a second bachelor’s degree). The studentreceives a separate diploma for each degreeupon completion.

Minor ProgramsIn addition to the degree programs listed,many academic units offer minor programs. Alist of minors appears after the list of under-graduate degrees. The requirements for each

minor are listed in the appropriate school sec-tion. See page 57 for more detailed informa-tion about minor programs.

The Undergraduate and Graduate DegreePrograms ListAll degrees are listed alphabetically by theschool which provides the program for thedegree objective. All degrees are listed alpha-betically in the index at the end of this cata-logue. Areas of emphasis do not appear ondiplomas but are indicated on transcripts.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Program descriptions and degree require-ments may be found in the sections of thiscatalogue under the units listed in boldfacetype. Unless otherwise noted, each programis under the jurisdiction of the school ordivision under which that degree is listed.All degrees are listed alphabetically in theindex.

School of ArchitectureArchitecture (B.Arch.)Landscape Architecture (B.L.Arch)

Leventhal School of AccountingAccounting (B.S.)

Marshall School of BusinessBusiness Administration (B.S.)Business Administration (Cinema-

Television) (B.S.)Business Administration (East Asian

Studies) (B.S.)Business Administration (International

Relations) (B.S.)

School of Cinema-TelevisionCinema-Television (B.A.*)Filmic Writing (B.F.A.)

Annenberg School for CommunicationBroadcast Journalism (B.A.*)Communication (B.A.*)Journalism/East Asian Area Studies (B.A.*)Journalism/Russian (B.A.*)Print Journalism (B.A.*)Public Relations (B.A.*)

School of DentistryDental Hygiene (B.S.)

Rossier School of EducationGeneral Studies (B.S.)

School of EngineeringAerospace Engineering (B.S.)

Aerospace Engineering (Astronautics) (B.S.)

Biomedical EngineeringBiomedical Engineering (B.S.)Biomedical Engineering (Biochemical

Engineering) (B.S.)Biomedical/Electrical Engineering (B.S.)Biomedical/Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)

Chemical EngineeringChemical Engineering (B.S.)Chemical Engineering (Biochemical

Engineering) (B.S.)Chemical Engineering (Environmental

Engineering) (B.S.)Chemical Engineering (Manufacturing

Engineering) (B.S.)Chemical Engineering (Petroleum

Engineering) (B.S.)Chemical Engineering (Polymer Science)

(B.S.)Civil Engineering

Applied Mechanics (B.S.)Civil Engineering (B.S.)Civil Engineering (Building Science)

(B.S.)Civil Engineering (Construction

Engineering) (B.S.)Civil Engineering (Environmental

Engineering) (B.S.)Civil Engineering (Structural

Engineering) (B.S.)Civil Engineering (Water Resources)

(B.S.)Environmental Engineering (B.S.)

Computer ScienceComputer Science (B.S.*)Computer Science (Manufacturing

Engineering) (B.S.)Physics/Computer Science (B.S.*)

Electrical EngineeringBiomedical/Electrical Engineering (B.S.)Computer Engineering and Computer

Science (B.S.)Electrical Engineering (B.S.)Electrical Engineering (Computers) (B.S.)Electrical Engineering (Manufacturing

Engineering) (B.S.)Industrial and Systems Engineering

Industrial and Systems Engineering (B.S.)Industrial and Systems Engineering

(Manufacturing Engineering) (B.S.)Mechanical Engineering

Biomedical/Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing

Engineering) (B.S.)Mechanical Engineering (Petroleum

Engineering) (B.S.)

School of Fine ArtsFine Arts (B.F.A.)Fine Arts (Studio Arts) (B.A.*)

Davis School of GerontologyGerontology (B.S.)

Division of Independent Health ProfessionsNursing (B.S.)Occupational Therapy (B.S.*)

College of Letters, Arts and SciencesAmerican Studies and Ethnicity

American Studies and Ethnicity (African American Studies) (B.A.)

American Studies and Ethnicity (American Studies) (B.A.)

American Studies and Ethnicity (Asian American Studies) (B.A.)

American Studies and Ethnicity (Chicano/Latino Studies) (B.A.)


AnthropologyAnthropology (B.A.)Anthropology (Urban Applied

Anthropology) (B.A.)Anthropology (Visual Anthropology)

(B.A.)Linguistics/Anthropology (B.A.)

Art History (B.A.)Biochemistry (B.S.**)Biological Sciences (B.A., B.S.)Chemistry (B.A., B.S.)Classics (B.A.)Comparative Literature (B.A.)Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences (B.A.)Geological Sciences (B.S.)

East Asian Area StudiesEast Asian Area Studies (B.A.)Journalism/East Asian Area Studies

(B.A.)East Asian Languages and Cultures (B.A.)Economics (B.A.)English

English (B.A.)English (American Literature) (B.A.)English (Creative Writing) (B.A.)English (Literature and Language) (B.A.)

Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies (B.A.)Environmental Studies (Biology) (B.S.)Environmental Studies (Business) (B.A.)Environmental Studies (Chemistry) (B.S.)Environmental Studies (Earth Sciences)

(B.S.)Environmental Studies (Geography) (B.A.)Environmental Studies (Policy and

Management) (B.A.)Exercise Science (B.S.)French and Italian

French (B.A.)Italian (B.A.)

Gender Studies (B.A.)Geography (B.A.)German (B.A.)History

History (B.A.)Social Science Education (B.A.)

Humanities (Music) (B.A.)Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A.)International Relations (B.A.)Linguistics

Linguistics (B.A.)Linguistics/Anthropology (B.A.)Linguistics/Philosophy (B.A.)Linguistics/Psychology (B.A.)Linguistics/Sociology (B.A.)

Mathematics (B.A., B.S.)Philosophy

Linguistics/Philosophy (B.A.)Philosophy (B.A.)Philosophy (Ethics, Law and Value

Theory) (B.A.)Philosophy (History of Philosophy) (B.A.)Philosophy (Philosophy of Science) (B.A.)

Physical Sciences (B.S.)Physics and Astronomy

Astronomy (B.A., B.S.)Biophysics (B.S.)Physics (B.A., B.S.)Physics/Computer Science (B.S.)

Political Science (B.A.)Psychobiology (B.S.)Psychology

Linguistics/Psychology (B.A.)Psychology (B.A.)

ReligionReligion (B.A.)Religion (Judaic Studies) (B.A.)

Slavic Languages and LiteraturesJournalism/Russian (B.A.)Russian (B.A.)

Social SciencesSocial Sciences (Economics) (B.A.)Social Sciences (History) (B.A.)Social Sciences (Psychology) (B.A.)

SociologyLinguistics/Sociology (B.A.)Sociology (B.A.)

Spanish and PortugueseSpanish (B.A.)

School of MedicineHealth Promotion and Disease Prevention

Studies (B.S.)Physician Assistant Practice (B.S.)

Thornton School of MusicComposition (B.M.)Composition (Film Scoring) (B.M.)Electroacoustic Media (B.M.)Jazz Studies (B.M., B.S.)Jazz Studies (Vocal) (B.M.)Music (B.A.*)Music Education (B.M.)Music Industry (B.M., B.S.)Music Recording (B.S.)Performance (Bassoon) (B.M.)Performance (Clarinet) (B.M.)Performance (Classical Guitar) (B.M.)Performance (Double Bass) (B.M.)Performance (Flute) (B.M.)Performance (French Horn) (B.M.)Performance (Harp) (B.M.)Performance (Harpsichord) (B.M.)Performance (Oboe) (B.M.)Performance (Organ) (B.M.)Performance (Percussion) (B.M.)Performance (Piano) (B.M.)Performance (Saxophone) (B.M.)Performance (Studio Guitar) (B.M.)Performance (Trombone) (B.M.)Performance (Trumpet) (B.M.)Performance (Tuba) (B.M.)Performance (Viola) (B.M.)Performance (Violin) (B.M.)Performance (Violoncello) (B.M.)Performance (Vocal Arts) (B.M.)

School of Policy, Planning, andDevelopmentPlanning and Development (B.S.)Public Policy and Management (B.S.)Public Policy, Management and Planning

(B.S.)

School of TheatreTheatre (B.A.*)Theatre (Acting) (B.F.A.)Theatre (Design) (B.F.A.)Theatre (Stage Management) (B.F.A.)Theatre (Technical Direction) (B.F.A.)

*under the jurisdiction of the College of Letters, Artsand Sciences

**jointly administered


Minors

Following is a list of academic minors and theschools and/or departments which administerthem. All departments and schools are listedalphabetically in the index by name andalphabetical designations.

African American Studies AMST/LASAmerican Studies AMST/LASAnimation CNTVArchitecture ARCHArt History AHIS/LASAsian American Studies AMST/LASAstronomy ASTR/LASBioethics REL/LASBusiness BUADChemistry CHEM/LASChicano/Latino Studies AMST/LASChildren and Families in

Urban America SOWKCinema-Television CNTVClassics CLAS/LASCognitive Science PSYC/LASCommunication ANSCCommunication and the

Entertainment Industry ANSCCommunication Arts and Graphics FACommunication Law and Media Policy ANSCComparative Literature COLT/LASConstruction Planning

and Management CE/ENGR/PPDCultural Anthropology ANTH/LASCultural Studies ENGL/LASDance THTREarth Sciences GEOL/LASEast Asian Area Studies EAAS/LASEast Asian Languages and

Cultures EALC/LASEconomics ECON/LASEducation in a Pluralistic

Society EDUC

Engineering Management ISE/ENGREnglish ENGL/LASEnvironmental Engineering CE/ENGREnvironmental Planning and

Development ENST/LASEnvironmental Studies

(Natural Sciences) ENST/LASEnvironmental Studies

(Social Sciences) ENST/LASExercise Science EXSC/LASFine Arts (Media-Based

Imaging) FAPainting/Drawing FASculpture FA

French FREN/LASGender Studies SWMS/LASGeographic Information

Science GEOG/LASGeography GEOG/LASGerman GERM/LASGerontology GEROGlobal Communication IR/LAS/ANSCHealth Communication PM/MEDHealth: Social Ecology NURSHealth Policy and Management PPDHistory HIST/LASInteractive Media and the

Culture of New Technologies ANSCInteractive Multimedia ENGRInternational Policy and

Management IR/LAS/PPDInternational Relations IR/LASInternational Urban

Development IR/LAS/PPDItalian ITAL/LASJazz Studies MUSJewish American Studies AMST/LASJournalism JOUR/ANSCJudaic Studies JS/HUC

Law and Public Policy PPDLaw and Society POSC/LASLinguistics LING/LASMathematics MATH/LASMedical Anthropology ANTH/LASMultimedia and Creative

Technologies ENGRMusic Industry MUSMusic Recording MUSMusical Studies MUSMusical Theatre MUSNatural Science BISC/LASNeuroscience NEUR/LASNews Media and Society JOUR/ANSCOccupational Science OSOTPeace and Conflict Studies IR/LASPerforming Arts Studies THTRPetroleum Engineering PTE/ENGRPhilosophy PHIL/LASPhysics PHYS/LASPlanning and Development PPDPolitical Science POSC/LASProfessional and Managerial

Communication ANSCPsychology PSYC/LASPublic Health PM/MEDPublic Management PPDPublic Policy PPDReligion REL/LASRussian SLL/LASRussian Area Studies SLL/LASSociology SOCI/LASSpanish SPAN/LASSubstance Abuse Prevention PM/MEDTeaching Profession EDUCTheatre THTRTheories of Art PHIL/LASVisual Culture AHIS/LAS

Program descriptions and degree require-ments may be found in the sections of thiscatalogue under the units listed in boldfacetype. Unless otherwise noted, each programis under the jurisdiction of the school or divi-sion under which that degree is listed. AllPh.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees areunder the jurisdiction of the GraduateSchool. All degrees are listed alphabeticallyin the index.

Graduate Degree Programs

School of ArchitectureArchitecture (M.Arch.)Building Science (M.B.S.)Landscape Architecture (M.L.Arch.)

Leventhal School of AccountingAccounting (M.Acc.)Business Taxation (M.B.T.)

Marshall School of BusinessBusiness Administration (M.B.A., M.S.,

Ph.D.*)Information and Operations Management

(M.S.)

School of Cinema-TelevisionCinema-Television (M.A.*, M.F.A.)Cinema-Television (Critical Studies)

(Ph.D.*)Film, Video and Computer Animation

(M.F.A.)Motion Picture Producing (M.F.A.)Writing for Screen and Television (M.F.A.)

Annenberg School for CommunicationBroadcast Journalism (M.A.*)Communication (M.A.*, Ph.D.*)Communication Management (M.A.*)International Journalism (M.A.*)Print Journalism (M.A.*)Strategic Public Relations (M.A.*)


School of DentistryCraniofacial Biology (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Dental Surgery (D.D.S.)

Rossier School of EducationEducation (M.S., Ed.D., Ph.D.*)Education (Counseling Psychology) (M.S.,

Ph.D.*)Marriage, Family and Child Counseling

(M.M.F.C.C.)Music Education (M.M.Ed.**)Postsecondary Administration and

Student Affairs (M.E.)Teaching English as a Second Language

(M.S.)

School of EngineeringAerospace Engineering (M.S., Engineer,

Ph.D.*)Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering (M.S., Ph.D.*)Biomedical Engineering (Biomedical

Imaging and Telemedicine) (M.S.)Chemical Engineering (M.S., Engineer,

Ph.D.*)Civil Engineering

Applied Mechanics (M.S.)Civil Engineering (M.S., Engineer, Ph.D.*)Civil Engineering (Construction

Engineering) (M.S.)Civil Engineering (Earthquake

Engineering) (M.S.)Civil Engineering (Environmental

Engineering) (M.S.)Civil Engineering (Nuclear Engineering)

(M.S.)Civil Engineering (Ocean Engineering)

(M.S.)Civil Engineering (Soil Mechanics and

Foundations) (M.S.)Civil Engineering (Structural

Engineering) (M.S.)Civil Engineering (Structural Mechanics)

(M.S.)Civil Engineering (Transportation

Engineering) (M.S.)Civil Engineering (Water Resources)

(M.S.)Computer-Aided Engineering (M.Eng.)Construction Management (M.C.M.)Engineering (Environmental

Engineering) (Ph.D.*)Environmental Engineering (M.S.)

Computer ScienceComputer Science (M.S., Ph.D.*)Computer Science (Computer Networks)

(M.S.)Computer Science (Multimedia and

Creative Technologies) (M.S.)Computer Science (Robotics and

Automation) (M.S.)Computer Science (Software

Engineering) (M.S.)Integrated Media Systems (M.S.)

Electrical EngineeringComputer Engineering (M.S., Ph.D.*)Electrical Engineering (M.S., Engineer,

Ph.D.*)Electrical Engineering (Computer

Networks) (M.S.)Electrical Engineering (Multimedia and

Creative Technologies) (M.S.)Electrical Engineering (VLSI Design)

(M.S.)Systems Architecture and Engineering

(M.S.)Industrial and Systems Engineering

Engineering Management (M.S.)Industrial and Systems Engineering

(M.S., Engineer, Ph.D.*)Manufacturing Engineering and

Entrepreneurship (M.S.)Operations Research Engineering (M.S.)

Materials ScienceMaterials Engineering (M.S.)Materials Science (M.S., Engineer, Ph.D.*)

Mechanical Engineering (M.S., Engineer, Ph.D.*)

Petroleum Engineering (M.S., Engineer, Ph.D.*)

School of Fine ArtsFine Arts (M.F.A.*)Public Art Studies (M.P.A.S.)

Davis School of GerontologyGerontology (M.S., Ph.D.*)

Division of Independent Health ProfessionsBiokinesiology and Physical Therapy

Biokinesiology (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Physical Therapy (D.P.T.*)

NursingNursing (M.S.*)Nursing (Enterostomal Therapy) (M.S.*)Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner)

(M.S.*)Nursing (Gerontology Nurse

Practitioner) (M.S.*)Nursing (Leadership and

Administration) (M.S.*)Nursing (Nurse Anesthesia) (M.S.*)Nursing (Nurse Midwifery (M.S.*)

Occupational Science and OccupationalTherapyOccupational Science (Ph.D.*)Occupational Therapy (M.A.*)

The Law SchoolLaw (J.D.)

College of Letters, Arts and Sciences*All graduate programs in the college are under thejurisdiction of the Graduate School.Anthropology

Social Anthropology (Ph.D.)Visual Anthropology (M.A.)

Art HistoryArt History (M.A., Ph.D.)Art History (Museum Studies) (M.A.)

Biological SciencesBiology (M.S., Ph.D.)Biology (Neurobiology) (Ph.D.)Molecular Biology (M.S., Ph.D.)

ChemistryChemistry (M.A., M.S., Ph.D.)Chemistry (Chemical Physics) (Ph.D.)

Classics (M.A., Ph.D.)Comparative Literature (M.A., Ph.D.)Earth Sciences

Geological Sciences (M.S., Ph.D.)East Asian Area Studies (M.A.)East Asian Languages and Cultures (M.A.,

Ph.D.)Economics

Economic Developmental Programming (M.A.)

Economics (M.A., Ph.D.)English (M.A., Ph.D.)Environmental Studies (M.A.)Exercise Science (M.A., M.S., Ph.D.)French and Italian

French (M.A., Ph.D.)Geography (M.A., M.S., Ph.D.)German (M.A., Ph.D.)History (M.A., Ph.D.)International Relations (M.A., Ph.D.)Linguistics

Computational Linguistics (M.S.)Linguistics (M.A., Ph.D.)Linguistics (Hispanic Linguistics)

(M.A., Ph.D.)Mathematics

Applied Mathematics (M.A., M.S., Ph.D.)Computational Molecular Biology (M.S.)Mathematical Finance (M.S.)Mathematics (M.A., Ph.D.)Statistics (M.S.)

Neuroscience (Ph.D.)Ocean Sciences (M.S., Ph.D.)Philosophy (M.A., Ph.D.)Physics and Astronomy

Physics (M.A., M.S., Ph.D.)Physics for Business Applications (M.S.)

Political Economy and Public Policy (M.S.,Ph.D.)

Political Science (M.A., Ph.D.)Professional Writing (M.P.W.)Psychology (M.A., Ph.D.)Religion and Social Ethics (M.A., Ph.D.)Slavic Languages and Literatures (M.A.,

Ph.D.)Sociology

Marital and Family Therapy (M.M.F.T.)Sociology (M.A., Ph.D.)Sociology (Applied Demography) (M.S.)Sociology (Marriage and Family Therapy)

(Ph.D.)Spanish and Portuguese

Spanish (M.A., Ph.D.)


School of MedicineMedicine (M.D.)Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)

Molecular Epidemiology (M.S.**)Cell and Neurobiology

Cell and Neurobiology (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Preventive Nutrition (M.P.N.*)

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology(M.S.*, Ph.D.*)

PathologyExperimental and Molecular Pathology

(M.S.*)Pathobiology (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)

Physiology and Biophysics (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Preventive Medicine

Applied Biometry and Epidemiology (M.S.*)

Biometry (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Epidemiology (Ph.D.*)Molecular Epidemiology (M.S.*)Preventive Medicine (Health Behavior

Research) (Ph.D.*)Public Health (M.P.H.)

Thornton School of MusicChoral Music (M.M., D.M.A.)Church Music (M.M., D.M.A.)Composition (M.M., D.M.A.)

Conducting (M.M.)Early Music Performance (D.M.A.)Jazz Studies (M.M., D.M.A.)Music (Early Music Performance) (M.A.*)Music (Historical Musicology) (Ph.D.*)Music (History and Literature) (M.A.*)Music (Music Theory) (M.A.*, Ph.D.*)Music Education (M.M., M.M.Ed.**,

D.M.A.)Performance (Bassoon) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Clarinet) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Double Bass) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Flute) (M.M., D.M.A)Performance (French Horn) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Guitar) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Harp) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Harpsichord) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Keyboard Collaborative Arts)

(M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Oboe) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Organ) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Percussion) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Piano) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Saxophone) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Trombone) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Trumpet) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Tuba) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Viola) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Violin) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Violoncello) (M.M., D.M.A.)Performance (Vocal Arts) (M.M., D.M.A.)

School of PharmacyMolecular Pharmacology and Toxicology

(M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

(M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Pharmaceutical Sciences (M.S.*, Ph.D.*)Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

School of Policy, Planning, andDevelopmentHealth Administration (M.H.A.)Health Care Management (M.H.C.M.)Planning (M.Pl., Ph.D.*)Planning and Development Studies

(M.P.D.S., D.P.D.S.)Public Administration (M.P.A., D.P.A.,

Ph.D.*)Public Policy (M.P.P.)Public Policy and Management (M.P.P.M.)Real Estate Development (M.R.E.D.)

School of Social WorkSocial Work (M.S.W., Ph.D.*)

School of TheatreTheatre (Acting) (M.F.A.)Theatre (Directing) (M.F.A.)Theatre (Playwriting) (M.F.A.)Theatre (Theatrical Design) (M.F.A.)

*under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School

**jointly administered

Dual Degree Programs

Accelerated Dual Degree ProgramsBachelor of Science, Dental Science/Doctor

of Dental Surgery (B.S./D.D.S.)Bachelor of Arts, Economics/Master of Arts,

Economics (B.A./M.A.)Bachelor of Science, Electrical

Engineering/Master of Science, ElectricalEngineering (B.S./M.S.)

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics/Master ofArts, Mathematics (B.S./M.A.)

Bachelor of Science, Planning andDevelopment/Master of Planning(B.S./M.Pl.)

Graduate Dual Degree ProgramsMaster of Architecture/Master of Planning

(M.Arch/M.Pl.)Master of Business Administration/Doctor of

Dental Surgery (M.B.A./D.D.S.)Master of Business Administration/Master of

Arts, East Asian Area Studies(M.B.A./M.A.)

Master of Business Administration/Master ofArts, Jewish Communal Service(M.B.A./M.A.)

Master of Business Administration/Master ofScience, Industrial and SystemsEngineering (M.B.A./M.S.)

Master of Business Administration/Doctor ofMedicine (M.B.A./M.D.)

Master of Business Administration/Doctor ofPharmacy (M.B.A./Pharm.D.)

Master of Business Administration/Master ofPlanning (M.B.A./M.Pl.)

Master of Business Administration/Master ofReal Estate Development(M.B.A./M.R.E.D.)

Master of Arts, CommunicationManagement/Master of Arts, JewishCommunal Service (M.A./M.A.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Master ofArts, Jewish Communal Service(M.S./M.A.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Master ofBusiness Administration (M.S./M.B.A.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Doctor ofDental Surgery (M.S./D.D.S.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Master ofHealth Administration (M.S./M.H.A.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Master ofPlanning (M.S./M.Pl.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Master ofPublic Administration (M.S./M.P.A.)

Master of Science, Gerontology/Master ofSocial Work (M.S./M.S.W.)

Master of Landscape Architecture/Master ofPlanning (M.L.Arch./M.Pl.)

Juris Doctor/Master of BusinessAdministration (J.D./M.B.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Business Taxation(J.D./M.B.T.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, CommunicationManagement (J.D./M.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, Economics(J.D./M.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Science, Gerontology(J.D./M.S.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, InternationalRelations (J.D./M.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, Philosophy(J.D./M.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, Political Science(J.D./M.A.)

Juris Doctor/Doctor of Philosophy(J.D./Ph.D.)


Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration(J.D./M.P.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy(J.D./M.P.P.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Real EstateDevelopment (J.D./M.R.E.D.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Arts, Religion andSocial Ethics (J.D./M.A.)

Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work(J.D./M.S.W.)

Master of Science, Nursing/Master ofBusiness Administration (M.S./M.B.A.)

Master of Planning/Master of Arts,Economics (M.Pl./M.A.)

Master of Planning/Master of PublicAdministration (M.Pl./M.P.A.)

Master of Planning/Master of Social Work(M.Pl./M.S.W.)

Master of Public Administration/Master ofArts, Jewish Communal Service(M.P.A./M.A.)

Master of Public Administration/Master ofSocial Work (M.P.A./M.S.W.)

Master of Public Art Studies/Master ofPlanning (M.P.A.S./M.Pl.)

Master of Social Work/Master of Arts, JewishCommunal Service (M.S.W./M.A.)

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