USC Schedule of Classes

Introduction to principles and processes; sequence of exercises emphasizing development of basic skills, ideas, and techniques used in the design of simplified architectural projects.

Visual communication techniques applicable to the design of the built environment; drawing, photography, modeling.

Introduction to the ways architecture is created and understood, for minors and non-majors. Hands-on discussion and laboratory session with some drawing and model building. Not available for credit to architecture majors.

Introduction to the ways architecture represents aspirations of culture, satisfies practical and spiritual needs, shapes the social and urban environment, and helps preserve the planet.

Continuing development of principles and processes: sequence of projects selected to broaden awareness of design issues at various scales in the urban context. Prerequisite: 102abL.

Methods for direct observation and recording of the directly experienced built environment through drawing, diagramming, photographing, and writing. Course includes exercises and field experience.

The process and communication of building design: physical building shell, systems for structure, enclosure, and space ordering.

Investigation and design of elements and systems for buildingstructures; applied mechanics, strength of materials, structuralinvestigation as a design tool. Recommended preparation: PHYS 125 and MATH 108

A worldwide perspective of architectural history as a product of social, cultural, religious, and political dimensions, b: 1500 CE to present.

Ideas, problems, and computations related to the design of buildings in response to the thermal and atmospheric environment; passive solar systems, mechanical control systems.

The architect's sketchbook as a portable laboratory for perceivingand documenting space introduces the study of the builtenvironment. On-site sessions develop drawing, observation, and visualization skills.

Special integrative year including design issues relating to housing.

An intensive historical overview of architecture from prehistory to the present, emphasizing interrelationships of various global cultures and how social considerations were translated into form. Not available for credit to architecture majors.

The design of a building as a complex of interacting systems; relations of subsystems; influences of production and marketing on design.

Problems and processes of design of building structures; structural investigation for design; codes and standards; design of elements and systems of wood, steel, masonry, and concrete for gravity and lateral loads.

Examination of the buildings, issues and images, the polemics and personalities that are animating current architectural discourse and practice.

(Study abroad programs only) Study of the relationships between places and culture through readings, lectures, discussion and weekly field trips.

Lectures, laboratory exercises and field trips introduce basic knowledge of incorporating ecological factors in urban design and interaction of landscape science with the human environment.

Survey of opportunities, specializations, and professions related to architecture provides a resource for professional growth for architecture majors, and introduction to the field for non-majors.

Selected areas of specialization; three projects chosen with advisement from a variety of studio offerings that concentrate on different areas of vital concern.

Selected areas of specialization; three projects chosen with advisement from a variety of studio offerings that concentrate on different areas of vital concern.

Design of building systems as an experimental process. Prerequisite: 305abL.

Offered for particular geographic areas of study. Required prerequisite for all full semester undergraduate global programs. Also intended for general interest in focused study on particular geographic area.

Investigation of computer graphic applications, emphasizing the role of computers in helping designers create and communicate using color (rendering), form (modeling), and time (animation) and the implications of future technological advancements.

Introduction to basic architectural design principles for problem solving scenarios; foundational architectural design course for systematic thinking.

To explore the potential of computer-integrated design software; to develop techniques for critical analysis of architectural precedents; to expand the ability to visualize options; to expand perception; and to learn the basics of computer-integrated design.

An exploratory study of fundamental and innovative visual communication principles and graphic expression techniques to facilitate the design enquiry process for architects. Prerequisites: ARCH 302b.

Perceiving and documenting the built environment through the perspective and frame of the digital camera. Mastering the basic principles of the digital image though an understanding of frame, light, exposure, color correction, and printing output.

Field studies using direct observation, site recordings/documentation, analysis and evaluation supplemented by discussions and readings in architecture. Departmental approval. Recommended preparation: core curriculum

Field studies using direct observation, site recordings/documentation, analysis and evaluation supplemented by discussions and readings in urbanism. Departmental approval. Recommended preparation: core curriculum

Field studies using direct observation, site recordings/documentation, analysis and evaluation supplemented by discussions and readings in tectonics. Departmental approval. Recommended preparation: core curriculum

This seminar explores the relationship between urban experience and visual media (from the photographic, to the filmic, to the digital) from circa 1880 to the present.

A seminar on architectural history from Alberti to Scott, reviewing primary texts and subsequent criticisms.

Methods for studying patterns of spatial differentiation of women throughout history from home to city, embodied in gender specific language and gendered spaces.

Exploration of various "Asian" architectures, comparisons of areas, identifying current trends and impact of Asia on Southern California and Los Angeles.

An investigation into 20th century furniture design and its relationships to architecture, art and design.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Selected topics in various specialty areas of architecture.

Selected areas of specialization; projects chosen from a variety of studio offerings, all with an emphasis on the comprehensive design of buildings. Prerequisite: 402abL. Corequisite: ARCH 501.

Seminar supporting the research, development, and writing of Degree Project Paper provides a comprehensive base of information for the final Bachelor of Architecture studio.

A general introduction to architectural principles, intended to develop design and critical thinking skills and proficiency to communicate those ideas effectively. Open to graduate architecture majors only.

Fundamental theories and meanings of computation as a technique in architectural design.

Research and analysis, including written and graphic components, that tests a question/proposition in detail in preparation for Independent Degree Project Document. Corequisite: ARCH 501.

Studies of construction system development within the architectural design context; processes and issues of selection, evaluation, optimization, integration, design control, and innovation, Departmental approval.

Issues and problems in the development of structural systems for buildings; design criteria, system choice, design development, optimization, subsystem integration. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

A historical survey of global architecture, analyzed as a product of social, cultural, religious and political forces.a: 4500 BCE to 1500 CE; b: 1500 CE to present.

A compressed course in design criteria and calculation methods for mechanical and passive solar systems (loads, plant system, duct, and storage sizing) and lighting and acoustics (CIE and IES methods, dBA and NC systems). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Methodologies and exercises on contextual design and environmentally sound technologies (EST's) applications for the sustainability of urban infrastructures, operative landscapes, and building integration in the urban system.

Case study-oriented course presenting critical relationships between human health and well-being and architectural and landscape architectural design at three scales: buildings, public space, and the urban landscape.

Comparative studies of professional practice between U.S. firms and firms in other countries. Open to international upper-division undergraduate and graduate architecture students only. Graded CR/NC.

Design methodology, typology programming, site analysis, budget formulation and pro-forma procedures. Office management, emphasizing professional service and professional ethics as well as project management focusing on the architect's responsibilities during construction. Prerequisites: ARCH 202bL or ARCH 505aL or ARCH 605aL.

An exploration of the various elements and stages of the housing development process. Recommended preparation: a preliminary understanding of real estate or housing.

Introduction to the principles and ethics, scope and activities, and types of organization for landscape architecture practice.

Lectures, laboratory exercises and field trips introducing basic knowledge of the continually transforming landscape as a base for human settlement.

Develop tools and knowledge to expand the performative boundaries of landscape architecture beyond common typologies. Topics range from ecological infrastructure to design with weather patterns. A systematic approach to case studies, landscape technologies, and field trips seeds the knowledge base and representational methods necessary to design and build these complex landscape performances.

Principles and concepts of plant ecology for urban planting design; introduction to California native plant species and communities with field trips and case studies. One lecture and one lab each week.

Development of methods and skills for the study of landscape architecture design and for project presentation, including natural resource and urban mapping.

Projects on urban sites with emphasis on cultural and ecological purpose and on urban place and form; use of traditional and digital media.

Project strategies for urban infrastructure repair and intervention, phasing, and design of initial catalytic projects.

Projects for the public realm with emphasis on urbanity and connectivity, place and meaning.

Introduction to methods of inquiry and documentation including critical review of published materials, techniques for systematic observation, generating findings from comparative studies of relevant precedents and problems, and legible presentation of outcomes.

Projects are examined as incremental interventions in the formation and qualities of the evolving urban landscape. Case studies are explored to understand purposes, typologies, catalytic capacities, and strategies for urban landscape design.

Concepts and strategies for conservation of significant elements of the built environment: buildings, sites and communities as revealed by readings, site visits, and case studies.

Survey of basic guidelines and standards for documentation in historic preservation, including cultural resource surveys, historic structures reports and Historic American Building Survey and Historic American Engineering Record recordation.

History of American architecture and urbanism from prehistory to World War II examined in relation to European influences and indigenous developments.

Trans-disciplinary intensive reading and discussion course related to issues in contemporary heritage conservation.

Analysis of the intersection between green building and historic resources with an emphasis on stewardship and sustainability.

Examines urbanism through case studies in theory and design to understand the impacts of globalization, technology, and sustainability on the contemporary city.

Architectural themes and case studies focusing on the the design and development of architecture, from the industrial city to today.

Understanding of the global history of landscape design in relation to social, political, religious, environmental and aesthetic principles; current design theory, projects and their historical references are critically reviewed and analyzed. (Duplicates credit in ARCH 465.)

Comparative analysis and appreciation of landscape architecture as a manifestation of nature, society, and design. Topics and world regions vary from year to year; may be repeated for credit when subject matter is different.

Theory, design methodology and practice of how seismicity affects architecture and structural system selection required for robust earthquake performance and seismic sustainability. Recommended preparation: basic knowledge of physics and some exposure to architectural design and building structures.

An in depth and critical look into the reasons and uses for parametric design and its relationship to contemporary form, fabrication, and construction of the built environment.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Exploration of topics leading to development of a thesis prospectus. Topics may be in the areas of building structures, seismic design, environmental control, passive and active energy, or other relevant topics. Graded CR/NC.

Selected topics in various speciality areas of architecture.

a: Principles of structural (seismic/wind and gravity), HVAC, building envelope, access/egress, building service systems; and sustainable strategies critically integrated through tectonic performative goals. . Prerequisite: ARCH 505b. Open only to Architecture majors.

b. Comprehensive project emphasizing the interaction between general principles and local sites, building technologies and total building design. Open only to Architecture majors.

Interrogates the architectural and cultural landscape of our contemporary cities through a combination of lectures and seminars on theories of place, identity, aesthetics, and technology.

Introduction to a range of new technologies and techniques examining their technical and theoretical implications including advanced computational design techniques and geospatial design tools.

Critically investigates the urban condition of Los Angeles through lectures, readings, and field visits. Aims to heighten awareness of the entwinement of environment, culture, architecture and the contemporary city.

Introduction to a range of new technologies and techniques examining technical and theoretical implications including a range of digital fabrication technologies, robotics and film-making techniques.

Fully integrated landscape place design; reclamation sites at significant urban or natural locations.

Introduction to, and exploration of, topics leading to the development of a thesis prospectus and directed research towards the completion of the master's thesis in heritage conservation. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Registration restricted to Master of Heritage Conservation and Historic Preservation students who have satisfactorily completed 12 hours of graduate course work and have permission of the Program Director. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Introduction to, and exploration of, topics leading to the development of a thesis prospectus and directed research towards the completion of the master's thesis in heritage conservation. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Registration restricted to Master of Heritage Conservation and Historic Preservation students who have satisfactorily completed 12 hours of graduate course work and have permission of the Program Director. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Research and thesis for the Master of Building Science degree. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Research and thesis for the Master of Building Science degree. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Directed Design Research option of M.Arch. degree. Credit on acceptance of research project. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Directed research option of M.Arch. degree. Credit on acceptance of research project. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Directed research option for the M.L.Arch. degree. Credit on acceptance of research project. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Directed research option for the M.L.Arch. degree. Credit on acceptance of research project. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Advanced thematic topical investigations emphasizing diverse areas of specialization. Projects will be faculty-led research investigations that concentrate on diverse areas of vital concern.

Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.