General Education RequirementsGeneral Education Requirements

• Registration Calendar
• Class Schedule Worksheet
• Final Examinations Schedule
• Final Examinations Schedule Worksheet
• Web Registration
• Roadmap to Registration
  • Basic Steps to Registration
  • Registration Instructions
• General Education Requirements
  • General Education Courses
  • Diversity Courses
  • American Studies and Ethnicity Courses
• Community-Based Learning Courses
• Courses of Interest
• General Registration Information
  • Enrollment/Registration
  • Financial Aid
  • Graduate Students
  • Placement Examinations
  • University Policies
• Tuition and Fees (Estimated)
• Services and Programs
  • Center for Academic Support
  • USC College Advising
  • Academic Advisors
  • Cashier's Office
  • Counseling Services
  • Health Center
  • Lyon Center Waiver Requirement
  • Visions and Voices
  • Voter Registration
• Information Guide
• Building Directory

The university’s general education program is structured to provide a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. In thinking over what is necessary, the faculty identified five principal goals:

1. to teach students the skills needed for critical thinking, writing and reading;
2. to teach skills in a specific context, i.e., social issues, cultures and traditions, science and society;
3. to teach students how to apply these skills so that they can find, evaluate and use the vast amount of information now available via the media, the Internet, new technologies and traditional forms of knowledge;
4. to teach students to discern and assess the values that underlie various critical positions, and to articulate their own with coherence and integrity; and
5. to encourage a passion for learning.

The program is divided into two parts: the first part, called “Foundations,” presents courses that give you the “big picture” about (I) the development of western European and American culture, as well as (II) alternative cultural traditions and (III) the basic principles animating scientific inquiry. The second part, called “Case Studies,” provides particular opportunities for you to sharpen your critical intelligence by considering specific (IV) applications of science and technology, (V) works of literature, philosophy and art, and (VI) contemporary social issues of urgency and importance. In addition, all students must satisfy writing and diversity requirements to complete the USC Core.

The freshman year semester of the writing requirement is co-registered with classes in the Social Issues category and a speaker series, helping to build intellectual community among students and faculty in the general education program.

As you look through the courses in each category, try to reach beyond the disciplines with which you are most familiar and comfortable. Draw broadly from the range of academic expertise and choose a thoughtful, provocative selection of “g” courses as your personal general education program. This academic background will serve you well in the future, as a basis for lifelong learning.

General Education Requirements

Case Studies

Writing Requirement

Additional information is available online at www.usc.edu/ge.

Transitional General Education Requirements

Students who began college before fall 1997 and entered USC before fall 2000 should speak to their academic advisors.