Graduate Students
Graduate and Professional Work
It is the policy of the university to offer each summer a considerable range of courses which gives regular credit in the Graduate School and in graduate professional schools. Applications for most graduate programs should be forwarded to the USC Office of Admission, File #8973, Los Angeles, CA 90074. The following programs have separate admissions offices: Gould School of Law, Keck School of Medicine, School of Dentistry and the Marshall School of Business (MBA programs only).
Admission to graduate standing requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with undergraduate preparation in a subject appropriate to the intended graduate major. Any variation will depend on the applicant’s potential for academic success and the quality of the total record. Supplementary work may be required of an applicant, depending on the strength and balance of the student’s background.
All students who apply for admission to the Graduate School and most professional schools must submit the results of the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE); see the official Application for Admission for exceptions. At the option of individual departments, a Subject Test may be required. Until all transcripts and reports of required portions of the GRE have been received, a student cannot be considered for admission to regular status. For detailed information regarding graduate and graduate professional degree requirements, see the USC Catalogue and professional school bulletins.
Thesis 594
A master’s candidate who is writing a thesis and has completed all course work for the degree must enroll each fall and spring semester in the appropriate thesis registration until the thesis has been approved. Students should consult the appropriate school or departmental section of the USC Catalogue for specific thesis registration requirements.
For programs under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School, students may not register for more than 2 units of 594 in a given semester. One summer registration is permitted without Graduate School approval. After 594a and 549b, a student must register and pay for 2 units of 594z each semester until the student completes the thesis, makes any committee-required revisions and submits all graduation paperwork and the thesis to the Graduate School. Students wishing to avoid registration in 594 must first submit their completed and signed graduation paperwork to the Graduate School and then, once cleared, upload their manuscript to the Graduate School by the Add/Drop date of the fall or spring semester. A list of required graduation paperwork is available from the Graduate School.
No more than 4 units of credit in 594 may be received regardless of the number of semesters the candidate may be required to register.
Dissertation 794
Doctoral students completing a dissertation are to be registered in Dissertation 794 each semester, for a minimum of two semesters (794a and 794b) after being admitted to candidacy (i.e., after passing the qualifying examination), until the student completes and defends the dissertation, makes any committee-required revisions and submits all graduation paperwork and the dissertation to the Graduate School. Students wishing to avoid subsequent registration in 794 must first submit their completed and signed graduation paperwork to the Graduate School and then, once cleared, upload their manuscript to the Graduate School by the Add/Drop date of the fall or spring semester. A list of the required graduation paperwork is available from the Graduate School. Students may not register for more than 2 units of 794 in a given semester. Students may not register in 794 prior to being admitted to candidacy; any such registrations are invalid. One summer registration is permitted without Graduate School approval. No more than 8 units of credit in 794 may be received regardless of the number of semesters the candidate may be required to register. After registration in 794a, 794b, 794c, and 794d, students must register and pay for 2 units of 794z although the registration carries zero units of credit. Grades recorded for 794 will remain as “IP” (In Progress) until the degree is conferred. Credit will be applied toward 794abc and 794d registrations when the degree has been cleared by the Degree Progress Department.
GRSC 800 Series
The GRSC 800 series is a mandatory non-credit registration for graduate students who have completed all course work and are not otherwise registered while taking the master’s comprehensive or the doctoral Qualifying Examination. Fees are equivalent to one unit of tuition. All registrations in the GRSC 800 series are by permission of the Graduate School only and are subject to verification of the completion of the following prerequisites for each course.
GRSC 800 Studies for the Qualifying Examination: completion of all course work required for the doctoral degree and approval to take the doctoral Qualifying Examination by the appropriate school.
GRSC 810 Studies for the Master’s Examination: completion of all course work for the master’s degree as verified on the Credit Summary. The Credit Summary is issued by the Degree Progress Department after the student has filed the proper forms with the appropriate school.