The courses listed in this section have been chosen by the designated departments as having special interest for students who are not majoring in that particular subject but who might find courses in that discipline both enjoyable and beneficial. For more information, contact the department directly.
- American Language Institute (ALI)
- School of Architecture (ARCH)
- Marshall School of Business (BUAD, BUCO, FBE, IOM)
- Chemistry (CHEM)
- School of Cinematic Arts (CTAN, CTCS, CTIN, CTPR, CTWR)
- Earth Sciences (GEOL)
- East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC)
- Roski School of Fine Arts (FA, PAS)
- Geography (GEOG)
- School of Gerontology (GERO)
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies (HP)
- International Relations (IR)
- Journalism (JOUR)
- Kinesiology (EXSC)
- Linguistics (LING)
- Thornton School of Music (MUCO, MUEA, MUJZ, MUEN, MUHL, MUIN, MPGU, MPKS, MPST, MPVA, MUSC)
- Occupational Therapy (OT)
- Physical Education (PHED)
- School of Policy, Planning, and Development (PPD)
- Political Science (POSC)
- School of Theatre (THTR)
American Language Institute
ALI 103x Elective Courses in English as a Second Language for International Students (2-8 units)
Description: Specialized tutorial classes in listening, speaking, reading, or writing. A maximum of 4 units may be counted toward a degree. Graded CR/NC.
ALI 254 Advanced Oral Skills (2 units)
Description: Required for international students whose oral skills are assessed to be at the advanced level by the International Student English Examination (ISE) or previous ALI course. Graded CR/NC.
ALI 255 Advanced Writing Skills (2 units)
Description: Required for international students whose writing skills are assessed to be at the advanced level by the International Student English Examination (ISE) or previous ALI course. Graded CR/NC.
Architecture
ARCH 106x Workshop in Architecture (2 units)
Description: 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.
ARCH 114 Architecture: Culture and Community (2 units)
Description: 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.
ARCH 206 Shelter (4 units)
Description: Introduction to issues, processes, and roles of the individual in relation to present and future shelter needs and aspirations.
ARCH 214a History of Architecture (4 units)
Description: History of building and cities, social, political, technical, formal, aesthetic dimensions in western and non-western traditions: a: antiquity through the Middle Ages.
ARCH 220x The Architect's Sketchbook (2 units)
Description: The architects sketchbook as a portable laboratory for perceiving and documenting space introduces the study of the built environment. On-site sessions develop drawing, observation, and visualization skills. Not for professional elective credit for architecture majors.
ARCH 270 Introduction to Architectural Studies (2 units)
Description: Gateway course requirement for the B.S. in architectural studies program introduces related fields using mentoring, readings, case studies and field trips.
ARCH 326 The Modern Movement in Architecture (4 units)
Description: Major theories of modern architecture are presented by studying the work of masters such as: Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, Corbusier, and Kahn.
ARCH 419 Architectural Sustainability Tools and Methods (3 units)
Description: Lectures, comparative studies and exercises on international architectural sustainability rating and certification systems.
ARCH 517 Current Topics in Building Science (1, max 6 units)
Description: Critical studies in building science ranging from sustainability, lighting, acoustics, materials and methods, structures, energy issues, digital media, and fabrication. Students focus on minimum of two topics.
ARCH 527 Case Studies: The Development of Urban Housing (2 units)
Description: An exploration of the various elements and stages of the housing development process. Recommended preparation: a preliminary understanding of real estate or housing.
ARCH 531 The Natural Landscape (3 units)
Description: Lectures, laboratory exercises and field trips introducing basic knowledge of the continually transforming landscape as a base for human settlement.
ARCH 533 Urban Landscape Case Studies (2 units)
Description: Lectures, discussion, and individual research on the physical, formal, and spatial characteristics of historical urban centers.
ARCH 535 Landscape Reclamation: Construction Materials (3 units)
Description: Assessing existing conditions and site repair imperatives; opportunities for reestablishment of natural system continuities; alternative techniques for soil remediation, regrading, and stabilization; selection of materials and methods of construction for site development.
ARCH 538 Urban Plant Ecology: California Plant Communities (3 units)
Description: Emphasizes plant material vocabulary regarding native plants of Southern California in relation to ecological conditions of urban settings.
ARCH 551 Conservation Methods and Materials (4 units)
Description: Concepts and techniques for building conservation including identification of treatments, recordation and research, material properties and behavior, building forensics, and implementation of preservation projects.
ARCH 552 Introduction to Historic Site Documentation (2 units)
Description: 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.
ARCH 553 History of American Architecture and Urbanism (4 units)
Description: History of American architecture and urbanism from prehistory to World War II examined in relation to European influences and indigenous developments.
ARCH 563 Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Comparative Theories (2 units)
Description: A comparative study of design theories of the physical, formal and spatial characteristics of historic city types from ancient to modern.
Business
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
BUAD 403 Legal Environment of Business (4 units)
Description: Legal principles of business: litigation process, constitutional law, torts, product liability, crimes, contracts, sales and leases, intellectual property, international law, agency, employment law, and ethics.
BUAD 499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8, Irregular)
Description: Examination of current literature relevant to the total and changing environment in which business operates.
Communication for Organizations: Exploring Creativity and Constraint
This seminar focuses on communication strategies that contribute to intrapersonal, interpersonal and organizational success through an exploration of creativity in business. This course will advance your existing skills as a strategic thinker, writer, speaker, collaborator and innovator while immersed in a dynamic learning community.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
BUCO 485 Business Communication Management (4, Sp)
Description: Communication environment; managing communication activities; communication through intrafirm publications; research methods; report and proposal preparation; communicating institutional policy.
This course will also cover non-profit strategies for grant proposals and communicating social mission to media, government and for-profit partners.
FINANCE AND BUSINESS ECONOMICS
FBE 400x Introduction to Real Estate Finance and Development (4 units)
Description: Case analysis examining economic and financial aspects of real estate decisions for non-business majors. Focuses on dynamics of financing, markets and the development process. Open to all majors. Not available for credit as a senior options course for business majors or for students in the real estate option.
FBE 429 International Business Law (4 units)
Description: Introductory course on the legal and regulatory environment of international business transactions.
INFORMATION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
IOM 431 Business Information Systems (4 units)
Description: Fundamentals of computer networks, protocols, TCP/IP and the Internet; introduction to electronic commerce, Web application development (CGI scripting, Java, and JavaScript); discussion of security issues.
IOM 435 Business Database Systems (4 units)
Description: Computer-based management of data including data structures, conceptual data modeling, logical data modeling, structured query language (SQL), and physical optimization of high performance databases.
IOM 437 Technology-Enabled Global Businesses, Markets and Sourcing (4 units)
Description: Global markets for products, services, and strategies enabled by technology; spans businesses ranging from financial services, media and entertainment, and technology to specialized manufactured products.
Chemistry
CHEM 201Lg Chemistry in the Environment, Energy and Society (4 units)
Description: A range of issues where chemistry impacts society will be explored. Topics such as global warming, pollution, energy utilization and genetic engineering will be covered.
Cinematic Arts
ANIMATION
CTAN 432 The World of Visual Effects (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the expanding field of visual effects; topics include magic lanterns shows, stop-motion fantasies and animation combination films employing the latest digital technologies.
CTAN 443L 3-D Animation and Character Design (2, max 4 units)
Description: Principles of 3-D animation and character design combining lectures, aesthetic concepts and techniques demonstrating the use of 3-D animation software and puppet animation. Prerequisite: CTAN 452.
Course will cover the study of computer animation, including storyboarding, geometric modeling, choreography, lighting, texture mapping, background creation and rendering. Lecture and laboratory.
CTAN 462 Visual Effects (2 units)
Description: Survey of contemporary concepts and approaches to production in the current state of film and video effects work. Digital and traditional methodologies will be covered, with a concentration on digital exercises illustrating modern techniques.
CRITICAL STUDIES
CTCS 190 Introduction to Cinema (4 units)
Description: Gateway to majors and minors in cinema-television. Technique, aesthetics, criticism, and social implications of cinema. Lectures accompanied by screenings of appropriate films.
Rated one of the top six "USC classes you cannot afford to miss" (Saturday Night Magazine, 2004), this course explores the formal properties of cinema, such as literary design, performance and visual design. Films include "Brideshead Revisited," "All About Eve," "Two for the Road," “Love Me or Leave Me,” “The Conversation” and "North by Northwest."
Instructor: Drew Casper
CTCS 191 Introduction to Television and Video (4 units)
Description: Exploration of the economic, technological, aesthetic, and ideological characteristics of the television medium; study of historical development of television and video including analysis of key works; introduction to TV/video theory and criticism.
Are we doomed to a future of wall-to-wall reality television? Will YouTube replace network TV? This course studies television as a unique dramatic form. Screenings and readings will focus on such topics as [adult swim], "Battlestar Galactica," MTV, "Hannah Montana," "I Love Lucy" and "The Colbert Report."
Instructor: Tara McPherson
CTCS 201 History of the International Cinema II (4 units)
Description: The development of international cinema from World War II to the present. Lectures, screenings, and discussions.
CTCS 303 Japanese Anime (2 units)
Description: Explores the visual, dramatic and social conventions of Japanese animation in film and television. Examines anime fan communities, manga and their impact.
The difference between Japan and the United States in terms of production, distribution and targeted audiences will be analyzed.
Instructor: Ellen Seiter
CTCS 464 Film and/or Television Genres (4, max 8 units)
Description: Rigorous examination of film and/or television genres: history, aesthetics, cultural context, social significance, and critical methodologies.
Cinematic Time Travel
This course explores the concept of time and the motif of time travel as they relate to film and other time-based media. Students will examine cinema’s storied relationship with (and resemblance to) time machines. Also under consideration: the visibility of the past (history, memory, found footage, film archives) and the visibility of the future (speculative sci-fi, futurism, futurology, fortune telling). Screenings include "The Time Machine," Back to the Future," "La Jetee," “The Terminator,” “Memento” and episodes from TV series such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits."
Instructor: Rene Bruckner
Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy
This course is a historical survey of the interaction between the American film genres of horror, science fiction and fantasy from the beginning of these genres to the present. It will explore American history, business practices, technology and aesthetics, as well as theoretical issues raised by these genres. Films include "The Exorcist," "Unbreakable," "The Orphanage," "The Thing," “Carrie,” “Cat People,” “Freaks” and "Bride of Frankenstein."
Instructor: Drew Casper
CTCS 466 Theatrical Film Symposium (4, max 8 units)
Description: Lectures and readings on creative problems in the motion picture industry; current films; interviews with visiting producers, directors, writers, performers.
View Hollywood films before their theatrical release and meet with the creators for Q&A sessions led by film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. Past semesters featured "Crash," "300," "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Casino Royale," and guests Alexander Payne, Billy Bob Thornton, Guillermo del Toro, Kevin Costner and Forest Whitaker.
Instructor: Leonard Maltin
CTCS 467 Television Symposium (4 units)
Description: Lectures and readings on creative problems in the television industry; study of current and historical trends, interviews with producers, directors, writers and performers.
An exciting counterpart to Theatrical Film Symposium focusing on the television industry and taught by Pulitzer Prize-winning TV critic Howard Rosenberg. View selected TV programs and engage in a Q&A with their creators. Past guests include Damon Lindelof ("Lost"), Jenji Kohan ("Weeds") and Doug Ellin ("Entourage").
Instructor: Howard Rosenberg
CTCS 469 Film and/or Television Style Analysis (4, max 8 units)
Description: Intensive study of the style of an auteur, studio, film or television making mode in terms of thematic and formal properties and their influences upon the art of film.
Sports, Media, and Culture
This course will focus on the representation of sports in the media and analyze the role that sports play in society. The class will deal with sports as an integral aspect of popular culture, with an emphasis on the social and political impact that various athletes and sports have in America and globally. Issues of race, identity, masculinity and “the American Dream” are some of the common themes that this course will engage. Screenings include "Any Given Sunday," "Friday Night Lights," "Rocky," “When We Were Kings,” “The History of Soccer” and "O.J.: A Study in Black and White."
Instructor: Todd Boyd
The Films of David Lynch
An in-depth examination of the films, television and filmmaking practices of David Lynch. Screenings include "Blue Velvet," "Lost Highway" and "Inland Empire."
Instructor: Akira Lippit
INTERACTIVE MEDIA
CTIN 309 Introduction to Interactive Entertainment (4 units)
Description: Critical vocabulary and historical perspective to analyze and understand experiences with interactive entertainment; students imagine and articulate their own ideas.
Lectures will address the cultural history and theories of videogames. Students will play, analyze, interpret and discuss works from 1961 to the present, while cultivating a critical language for videogame aesthetics.
CTIN 406L Sound Design for Games (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the techniques, terminology, and implementation of sounds in games, including establishing a sense of place and concepts of realistic sound.
Audio is one of the most important elements in selling a game's vision to the player. In our final project, we apply the concepts covered in the course to fully sonify a game from start to finish.
CTIN 488 Game Design Workshop (4 units)
Description: Theory and evaluation of interactive game experiences and principles of game design utilizing the leading software approaches and related technologies. Recommended preparation: CTIN 309, CTIN 483.
Students will experience the fundamentals of game design through the study of classic games in both traditional and electronic form as well as design their own games. They will play/test and critique fellow students' games. Designed to provide the foundation of knowledge for becoming a professional game designer.
PRODUCTION
CTPR 327 Motion Picture Camera (3 units)
Description: Use of motion picture camera equipment; principles of black-and-white and color cinematography. Individual projects.
The magic of creating images on film from using cameras, lenses and filters to photographic processes and the role of the cinematographer in interpreting story. Hands-on projects put theory into practice.
CTPR 335 Motion Picture Editing (3 units)
Description: Theory, techniques, and practices in picture editing; use of standard editing equipment; individual projects.
Exploration of aesthetics, theory, history and procedures of motion picture editing for many styles of film. Students view award-winning shorts and sections of features to illustrate different editing styles and edit a series of scenes using the latest Avid Express DV equipment.
CTPR 385 Colloquium: Motion Picture Production Techniques (4 units)
Description: Basic procedures and techniques applicable to production of all types of films; demonstration by production of a short film from conception to completion.
Motion picture production from writing of the script to planning, shooting and completion of a movie. The class will write, direct and shoot a digital video.
CTPR 409 Practicum in Television Production (2, 4, max 8 units)
Description: Television production: laboratory course covers operating cameras, creating graphics, technical operations, controlling audio and floor-managing live productions. Students plan and produce actual Trojan Vision programs.
Get hands-on experience at Trojan Vision, USC's TV channel that produces local and network programming. Work in the state-of-the-art Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts to learn all aspects of television production and create your own shows with professionals from the Hollywood television industry.
CTPR 426 The Production Experience (2 units)
Description: To provide students with basic working knowledge of both the skills of the motion picture set and production operations through classroom lectures and hands-on experience.
Learn the fundamentals of episodic TV drama and participate in the shooting of an episode written and directed by students. Positions available in producing, camera, sound, production design or editorial.
WRITING
CTWR 412 Introduction to Screenwriting (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the formal elements of writing the short film.
Learn the basic building blocks of any screenplay – visualization, character, dialogue, scene structure, conflict and sequence. After writing short premises, students will progress to combining scenes into sequences and a short script.
Earth Sciences
GEOL 105Lg Planet Earth (4 units)
Description: Geologic structure and evolution of planet earth. Principles of plate tectonics, rocks and minerals, processes of mountain building, continent and ocean formation, earthquakes, volcanism, development of landforms by running water and glaciers. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day or two-day field trip required.
GEOL 107Lxg Oceanography (4 units)
Description: Physical, chemical, and geological character of the oceans and ocean basins. Origin of the oceans. Ocean processes and agents. Economic value of the oceans. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day field trip required. Not available for major credit to earth or geological sciences majors.
GEOL 125Lxg Earth History: A Planet and Its Evolution (4 units)
Description: Basic principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics used in evaluating clues written in the rock record, and the processes that have shaped our planet. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. At least one field trip required. Not available for major credit to earth or geological sciences majors.
GEOL 130Lxg The Nature of Scientific Inquiry (4 units)
Description: Examination of the scientific process: what constitutes science; evolution of ideas about the nature of space, time, matter, and complexity; paradigm shifts in the biological and earth sciences. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Not available for major credit to earth or geological sciences majors.
GEOL 150Lxg Climate Change (4 units)
Description: Climate systems from the beginning of earth history to the present; tools and techniques used to reconstruct prehistoric climate records; effects of climate variations on development of life forms on earth. Not available for major credit to earth or geological sciences majors.
East Asian Languages and Cultures
EALC 110g East Asian Humanities: The Great Tradition (4 units)
Description: Introduction to the major humanities traditions of China, Japan, and Korea through an examination of representative works drawn from literature, aesthetics, philosophy, religion, and historical writing.
EALC 125g Introduction to Contemporary East Asian Film and Culture (4 units)
Description: An introduction to and overview of the contemporary cinemas of East Asia: China (Hong Kong, the People's Republic, and Taiwan), Japan, and Korea.
EALC 130g East Asian Ethical Thought (4 units)
Description: Introduction to the history of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean ethical thought; perspectives on human nature, historical writing, religious options, and aesthetic implications. Conducted in English.
EALC 354g Modern Chinese Literature in Translation (4 units)
Description: Readings in modern Chinese poetry, fiction, and drama since 1919.
Fine Arts
FINE ARTS
FA 101a Drawing (4-4 units)
Description: a: An introduction to drawing, both skill and perception oriented, as the basic tool for all the visual arts.
FA 102 Design Fundamentals (4 units)
Description: Introduction to the basic elements and processes of visual communication and design. Instruction includes studio projects, lectures and readings. Various media used.
FA 105 Painting I (4 units)
Description: Practical introduction to oil and acrylic pigments, painting equipment, processes, and media. Also, primary experience in: color, composition and perception through representational and abstract painting.
FA 106 Sculpture I (4 units)
Description: Practical and theoretical introduction to sculpture as dimensional manipulation. Primary exploration of form, mass, gravity, surface, structure and associative recognition in three-dimensional art.
FA 112 Ceramics (4 units)
Description: Practical and theoretical exploration of the nature of surface, form, volume and mass as fundamental elements of clay sculpture and the ceramic object.
FA 140x A Cultural Guide to Los Angeles (2 units)
Description: An experiential and critical survey of the cultural phenomena that make up Los Angeles: dance, music, theater, film; emphasis on visual arts. Not available for major credit to fine arts majors. Graded CR/NC.
FA 207ax Two-Dimensional Art Workshop (2, max 8, units)
Description: Studio practice to develop standards of judgment and appreciation of the visual arts. Not available for credit to studio majors.
FA 208ax Three-Dimensional Art Workshop (2, max 8, units)
Description: Studio practice to develop standards of judgment and appreciation of the visual arts. Not available for credit to studio majors.
FA 215 Introduction to Digital Video and Interactivity (4 units)
Description: A course in digital imaging, which through studio practice and critical inquiry, explores the implications and potential of digitally-based image making.
FA 436 Art and Technology (4 units)
Description: An interdisciplinary course between art and engineering that addresses creative thinking in the manipulation of media and the communication of ideas.
PUBLIC ART STUDIES
PAS 371 Art in the Public Realm: Contemporary Issues (4 units)
Description: Critical frameworks and theoretical perspectives of contemporary public art issues explored through case studies and discussions with artists, architects, and designers engaging the public realm.
Geography
GEOG 410 Urban Geography (4 units)
Description: Cities as geographic phenomena: location, size, spacing, structure, functions, form, and shape; regional variations; urban areas as central places.
GEOG 431 Geography of California (4 units)
Description: Type study of a region; distribution of physical and cultural phenomena; delimitation into natural regions; analysis of human-environment interaction in regions of the state. Field trips.
GEOG 477 Water Resources (4 units)
Description: Theory and techniques for the evaluation of water resources. Details of the hydrologic cycle, water use, and hazards. Emphasis on problem solving.
GEOG 481 Map Design and Analysis (4 units)
Description: Computer-based map design principles, especially for statistical maps; use of maps in geographical, social scientific, and environmental research.
GEOG 494 The Professional Geographer (4 units)
Description: Integration of intellectual trends in geography within the context of a professional project. Development of professional skills, analytic and field techniques in practice, professional ethics.
Gerontology
GERO 340 Policy, Values, and Power in an Aging Society (4 units)
Description: How Americans' political values affect public policy. Studies of landmark legislation to explore the social contract between generations and role of governments in social welfare.
GERO 380m Diversity in Aging (4 units)
Description: Exploring diversity in the older population and variability in the human aging process.
GERO 414 Neurobiology of Aging (4 units)
Description: Age-related changes in nervous system structure and function; relationship of brain changes to changes in cognitive function and perception; Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Lecture and discussion. Prerequisite: BISC 220L or BISC 221L.
GERO 416 Health Issues in Adulthood (4 units)
Description: Physiological, psychological, and social health problems of adults as they are impacted by health choices throughout life.
GERO 423 Psychological Development through Autobiography (4 units)
Description: Introduction to autobiography as a source of individual psychological development, with emphasis on integration of cognitive, emotional, and decision processes.
GERO 437 Social and Psychological Aspects of Death and Dying (2 or 4 units)
Description: Introduction and critical survey of the current issues, concepts, and research of the social and psychological aspects of death and dying.
GERO 475 Ethical Issues in Geriatric Health Care (4 units)
Description: Biomedical ethical issues that are encountered in working with geriatric patients. Examination of ethical theory and the application of theory to clinical settings.
GERO 481 Case Management for Older Adults (4 units)
Description: Overview of the concepts, characteristics, skills, and clinical issues of case management in a variety of settings serving older persons.
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies
HP 400m Culture, Lifestyle, and Health (4 units)
Description: Comparison of national and international differences in health status as influenced by cultural practices and lifestyles within geographic, economic and political environments.
Ever wonder what impact culture and customs have on health and illness? Satisfy the diversity requirement and explore multicultural perspectives on issues like HIV/AIDS and smoking.
HP 401 Cultural Competence: Promoting Health in Diverse Communities (4 units)
Description: Systematic development of specific professional skills for providing effective, culturally sensitive health services to diverse populations. Recommended preparation: ANTH 101.
Learn to assess cultural traditions and health beliefs that impact patient care; work effectively with interpreters and healers; and incorporate cultural awareness into diagnoses and treatment plans.
HP 440 Happiness, Well-Being, and Health (4 units)
Description: Explores human strengths that promote happiness/well-being and whether they influence physical health; mind-body relationships; and strategies for promoting hope, resilience, and quality of life. Recommended preparation: HP 200, PSYC 100.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Learn how being an optimist can impact your health and explore positive psychosocial factors that improve health and quality of life.
International Relations
IR 304 Espionage and Intelligence (4 units)
Description: The role and evolution of espionage and intelligence as tools of statecraft are examined. Open, covert, clandestine, counterintelligence programs and oversight processes are considered.
IR 307 Contemporary International Politics (4 units)
Description: Recent events, forces, and conditions in the international political system. Basic organizing concepts used in the analysis of the data of international politics.
IR 361 South and Southeast Asia in International Affairs (4 units)
Description: The historical, cultural, and political reasons for Asia's dramatic transformation into a powerful engine of world economic growth. The secondary consequences of economic growth for environmental protection, gender relations, ethnicity, and military tension.
Journalism
JOUR 201 History of News in Modern America (4 units)
Description: Understanding news today. A survey of how news is gathered, weighed, and disseminated and how historical events have shaped news in the 20th century.
JOUR 210x Basics of Broadcast Newsroom Production for Non-Majors Only (2, max 4 units)
Description: Introduction to broadcast newsroom production; preparation and treatment of form and content; procedures, problems, ethics, and practice in planning and producing a nightly newscast. Open to non-journalism majors only. Not available for degree credit to journalism majors. Graded CR/NC.
JOUR 340 Introduction to Advertising (4 units)
Description: History and development of advertising; basic advertising campaigns showing relationships of marketing, creative, print and electronic media.
JOUR 343 Advertising Design and Production (4 units)
Description: Production of advertising materials; emphasis on the creation and design of advertising elements. Prerequisite: JOUR 340.
JOUR 350 Principles of Public Relations (4 units)
Description: Theories, processes, and techniques involved in planning and implementing programs designed to influence public opinion and behavior through socially responsible performance and mutually satisfactory communication.
JOUR 373 The Ethics of Television Journalism (4 units)
Description: Ethical questions in television journalism; the application of these moral dilemmas to prepare students for dealing with similar issues in their lives.
JOUR 380 Sports, Business and Media in Today's Society (4 units)
Description: An inside look at the symbiotic relationship of sports and the media – from the interdependence of sports and media, to the coverage of sports in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. The economic and ethical issues involved, the conflicts of interest, the history and current status of sports coverage in American media today.
JOUR 381 Entertainment, Business and Media in Today's Society (4 units)
Description: An examination of the symbiotic relationship of the entertainment business and the media; press coverage of the entertainment industry; Hollywood's relationship with news media.
JOUR 420 Advanced Photojournalism (4 units)
Description: Emphasis on advanced photojournalism techniques for complex photo storytelling; focus on style, content, design, expression and ethics. Prerequisite: JOUR 330.
JOUR 422 Visual Journalism (4 units)
Description: Emphasis on photographic storytelling in print, video and Web-based media; understanding of visual thinking and imagery techniques.
JOUR 454 Sports Public Relations (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the field of sports information and promotion, including lectures, media assignments, role-playing, and presentations by sports professionals. Junior standing.
JOUR 457 The Role of Celebrity in Public Relations (4 units)
Description: Understanding of the history and application of celebrity in public relations, focusing on the entertainment industry and the notoriety attached to politics and the media.
JOUR 465 Latino News Media in the United States (4 units)
Description: History and growing importance of Latino print and broadcast news media in covering immigration, discrimination, culture, social differences and other aspects of U.S. Latino life.
JOUR 466m People of Color and the News Media (4 units)
Description: Reporting and portrayal of people of color in the United States; impact of racial diversity on media, employment and access, and development of media for individuals and communities of color. Open to non-majors.
JOUR 467 Gender and the News Media (4 units)
Description: Gender and news media evolving images of women and men in print and electronic media. Impact of gender in content and style of news, television and cinema. Open to non-majors.
JOUR 499 Special Topics (2, 3, 4 units)
Description: Selected topics in journalism.
Kinesiology
EXSC 202L Principles of Nutrition and Exercise (2 units)
Description: Fundamental knowledge of proper nutrition for optimal health performance. Concepts of weight loss, gain; understanding of cardiorespiratory functioning. Laboratory experiments; body composition evaluation, energy metabolism. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours.
EXSC 203L Individualized Exercise Prescription (2 units)
Description: Principles and theories related to exercise prescription; programs of weight-training, circuit-training, aerobics, flexibility, high and low-intensity training guidelines; safeguards and effectiveness. Lecture, 2 hours; laboratory, 2 hours.
EXSC 205Lxg The Science of Human Performance (4 units)
Description: The physiological and nutritional basis of human performance. Factors that facilitate and limit athletic achievement. Lecture, 4 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Not available for major credit.
EXSC 310 Sociopsychological Aspects of Sport and Physical Activity (4 units)
Description: Examination of the individual in a social environment related to sport and physical activity; personality, motivation, attitude, and group behavior viewed in physical activity contexts.
Linguistics
LING 110Lg In a Word (4 units)
Description: Words as a gateway to the human mind. How words are stored, comprehended and retrieved. How words are constructed. Words and concepts. Word and social constructs. The processing and the acquisition of words in normal and atypical children and adults.
LING 115g Language, Society, and Culture (4 units)
Description: Discourse patterns among diverse social groups in institutional and interpersonal settings; interrelationships among language practices and gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity; social structures and cultural values as reflected in language policies and practices. Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
LING 122 Arabic I (4 units)
Description: Introduction to current Arabic; oral practice, hearing and reading comprehension; the grammar necessary for simple spoken and written expression. Lecture, classroom drill, laboratory practice.
LING 210 Introduction to Linguistics (4 units)
Description: Empirical study of the sounds and structures of human language; syntax and semantics; language change; linguistic universals.
LING 275Lg Language and Mind (4 units)
Description: Language within cognitive science: speech physiology and acoustics, language acquisition, reading, language disorders, perception and mental representation of words, linguistic diversity and computer analysis of speech.
LING 422 Language Contact and Language Acquisition (4 units)
Description: The emergence of new languages, known as Creoles, in socio-historical situations where linguistic input is degraded and insufficient to support the ordinary language acquisition process.
Music
COMPOSITION
MUCO 101x Fundamentals of Music Theory (2 units)
Description: An introductory course in music theory required for those majors in need of remedial training, and available to the general student who wishes to develop music writing skills. Not available for credit to B.M. and B.A. music majors. Recommended preparation: ability to read music.
MUCO 130bx Basics of Music Theory (3 units)
Description: Introduction to music theory for music minors; scales, intervals, principles of common practice harmony; melodic, harmonic, and structural analysis; 20th century developments. Not available for credit to B.M. majors.
MUCO 221bx Composition for Non-Majors (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the composition of concert music. Includes set exercises, free composition, study of selected compositions. Intended for interested, qualified students not majoring in composition. Not available for degree credit to composition majors. Recommended preparation: MUCO 130bx, MUCO 133b.
ELECTROACOUSTIC MEDIA
MUEA 474ax Electronic Synthesizer Techniques (2-4 units)
Description: Electronic music procedures in a multi-track studio.
JAZZ STUDIES
MUJZ 100xm Jazz: A History of America’s Music (4 units)
Description: Gateway to the minor in Jazz Studies. Historical evolution of jazz from its origins to present day; elements of musical structures and jazz styles revealed though the study of recorded examples, live performances and video. Not available for credit to jazz studies majors.
MUJZ 150x Beginning Jazz Improvisation (2, max 4 units)
Description: Development of beginning improvisational skills, including modal and the ii-V7-I chord progression, through instrumental performance. Recommended to non-jazz majors. Not available for credit to jazz studies majors. Recommended preparation: demonstration of major scales of eighth notes at a tempo of 120 mm.
MUJZ 419m The Jazz Experience Myths and Cultures (4 units)
Description: An examination of the music, culture, and mythology of jazz revealed through the study of jazz fiction, film, poetry, and recorded examples.
MUJZ 450 Intermediate Jazz Improvisation (2, max 4 units)
Description: Development of intermediate jazz improvisational skills, starting with dominant seventh chords and progressing through the minor ii-V7-I chord progression. Not open to Jazz Studies majors. Prerequisite: MUJZ 150x.
MUJZ 452 Individual Instrument Performance Class II (1, max 4 units)
Description: Solo and orchestra repertoire, professional preparation, reed making, and other matters appropriate to group study. Required of all third and fourth year wind and percussion majors each semester in residence.
Only voice option available.
MUSIC ENSEMBLE
MUEN 222 Trojan Marching Band (1, max 4 units)
Description: Rehearsal and participation in performances for athletic and other university functions. Graded CR/NC. Open to all students by audition.
MUEN 305 Vocal Jazz Ensemble (1, max 8 units)
Description: Study and performance of vocal ensemble literature from the Jazz idiom, with emphasis on improvisational techniques. Open to all students by audition. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 308 USC Men’s Chorus (1, max 8 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of choral repertoire from all periods written for male voices. Open to all students. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 310 University Concert Choir (1, max 8 units)
Description: Performance of choral works of all styles and periods. Open to all students by audition. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 311 USC Oriana Choir (1, max 8 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of advanced chamber music written for women's voices. Open to all students by audition. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 321 USC Concert Orchestra (1, max 8 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of orchestra repertoire. Open to all students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. Audition not required. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 322 Trojan Marching Band (1, max 4 units)
Description: Continuation of MUEN 222. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 324 University Band (1, max 8 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of standard repertoire. Open to all students by audition. Graded CR/NC.
MUEN 505 Vocal Jazz Ensemble (1, max 4 units)
Description: Study and performance of vocal ensemble literature from the Jazz idiom, with emphasis on improvisational techniques. Open to graduate students by audition.
MUEN 508 USC Men’s Chorus (1, max 4 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of choral repertoire from all periods written for male voices. Open to all graduate students.
MUEN 510 University Concert Choir (1, max 4 units)
Description: Performance of choral works of all styles and periods. Open to all graduate students by audition.
MUEN 511 USC Oriana Choir (1, max 4 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of advanced chamber music written for women's voices. Open to all graduate students by audition.
MUEN 521 USC Concert Orchestra (1, max 4 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of orchestra repertoire. Open to all graduate students. Audition not required.
MUEN 532 Jazz Chamber Music (1, max 4 units)
Description: Preparation and performance of advanced literature for jazz chamber groups. Open to graduate students, by audition.
MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE
MUHL 315x Music and Culture (4 units)
Description: Gateway to the B.A. degree in music. Western and non-Western music in its sociocultural context. Not available for credit to B.M. majors. Ability to read music highly recommended.
MUSIC INDUSTRY
MUIN 277x Introduction to Music Technology (4 units)
Description: A survey of the technology used to create, prepare, perform, and distribute music, with an emphasis on recording, MIDI, music production, mastering, and Internet technologies. Not available for major credit to B.M. and B.S. music industry majors.
MUIN 287 The Business and Economics of the Recording Industry (2 units)
Description: Economic considerations of home, studio and location recording. equipment, labor, facilities, media, legal and tax considerations will be explored.
MUIN 372bx The Business and Legal Aspects of the Music Industry (4 units)
Description: A survey of the major elements that support the music industry. History, copyright, music contracts, radio, record companies, managers, music publishing and communication. Not available for major credit to B.M. and B.S. music industry majors.
MUIN 425 Live Music Production and Promotion (4 units)
Description: A survey of the presentation of the live musical experience. Both classical and popular concert presentation will be examined including venue selection, promotion and security.
MUIN 442 Operation of the Radio Studio (2 units)
Description: An in-depth study of radio studio technical operations. Topics include con-soles, microphones, transmission considerations, networks, satellites, and digital and analog production situations. Prerequisite: MUIN 275ab.
MUIN 446a Computer Assisted Recording and Editing (2 units)
Description: Techniques and applications of recording and editing sound on personal computers. Hardware, software, editing for song, sound effects and dialog for film.
MUIN 495 Music Industry, Broadcast and the Internet (4 units)
Description: An exploration of the effects of new technologies, laws, economic models, media (Internet, mobile, satellite), the decline of traditional broadcasting, and convergence with the music industry. Recommended preparation: MUIN 360 or MUIN 372bx.
PERFORMANCE (GUITAR)
MPGU 120abcd Beginning Pop/Rock Guitar (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the performance technique of pop/rock guitar as well as music theory fundamentals, exploring repertoire by artists such as The Beatles and Dave Matthews.
MPGU 125 Beginning Fingerstyle/Chord Guitar (2 units)
Description: Basic fingerstyle guitar, learned through the study of such pieces as "Greensleeves," "Malaguena," and "Minuet" (Bach); song accompaniment patterns and music notation for the beginner.
MPGU 126 Easy Fingerstyle Beatles (2 units)
Description: Techniques of classical guitar applied to the study of five to eight Beatles songs, from "Hey Jude" to "Blackbird." No guitar or background music required.
PERFORMANCE (KEYBOARD STUDIES)
MPKS 150abc Beginning Piano (2 units)
Description: Techniques of performance, note reading, and basic musicianship. Not open to music majors.
PERFORMANCE (STRINGS)
MPST 163 Beginning Harp (2, max 8 units)
Description: Basic instruction in the fundamentals of solo harp playing, note reading, and basic musicianship. Open to music and non-music majors.
PERFORMANCE (VOCAL ARTS)
MPVA 141 Class Voice (2, max 4 units)
Description: Introduction to the fundamental principles of singing: breath control, tone production, diction, and the use of appropriate song material.
MPVA 241 Intermediate Class Voice (2, max 4 units)
Description: Continued development of the fundamentals of singing, diction, and repertoire building. Prerequisite: MPVA 141.
MPVA 402 Musical Theatre Workshop (2, max 8 units)
Description: Stylistic and technical features of dramatic and musical elements involved in performance of American musical and standard operetta repertoire; staging of scenes.
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
MUSC 255 Songwriting I (2 units)
Description: Development of musical and lyrical skills, composing, listening, analysis, and critiques of popular original music.
MUSC 355 Songwriting II (2 units)
Description: Continuation of Songwriting I; particular emphasis on the analysis of the techniques of important popular songwriters and the application of these techniques to original songs. Prerequisite: MUSC 255.
MUSC 400m The Broadway Musical: Reflection of American Diversity, Issues, and Experiences (4 units)
Description: Selected Broadway musicals serve as a catalyst for inquiry into human diversity, cross-culturalism, and significant social and political issues.
MUSC 420m Hip-Hop Music and Culture (4 units)
Description: A history of hip-hop music from its inception to the present: its musical processes and styles, as well as attendant social, political, and cultural issues.
MUSC 422 The Beatles: Their Music and Their Times (4 units)
Description: Music, lyrics, recordings, production techniques, career strategy, social ramifications, and especially the technological impact of the musical group known as The Beatles.
MUSC 423 Classic Rock: Popular Music of the Sixties and Seventies (2 units)
Description: Critical examination of the lyrics, structure, associated mythology, technology, and evolving styles of popular music reflecting the turbulent societal changes during the Sixties and Seventies.
MUSC 430m Music and the Holocaust (4 units)
Description: Study of the creation and performance of Holocaust-related music from 1933 to the present, including interaction with other arts.
MUSC 455 Songwriting III: The Performing Songwriter (2 units)
Description: Continuation of Songwriting I and II with emphasis on the development of performance skills of original popular music in preparation for songwriting showcases. Prerequisite: MUSC 355.
MUSC 465 Music, Television and American Culture (4 units)
Description: An exploration of the social and cultural impact of music written for, popularized by, or exploited by American television from the 1950s through today.
Occupational Therapy
OT 220 Introduction to Occupational Therapy (2 units)
Description: Exploration of philosophy and practice of occupational therapy (helping the disabled regain independence), including visits to hospitals; designed for students considering a health career.
OT 250 Introduction to Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy (4 units)
Description: Introduction to concept of occupation and overview of human drive for meaningful activity; impact of occupations on health and well-being; analysis of personal occupational patterns; selected therapeutic applications.
OT 300 Occupational Expressions of Diverse Identities and Lifestyles (4 units)
Description: Exploration of the diverse ways occupational practices become central to identity, reify standard social ideologies, and are manipulated to redress conventional standards.
OT 310x Creativity Workshop (2 units)
Description: Theories and practice of the creative process in varied media, genres and occupations. Explores creativity in the arts, sciences, professions, evolution, daily life, and culture. Not available for major credit to occupational therapy majors.
OT 325 The Biosocial Context of Human Occupation (4 units)
Description: Hormonal and contextual (social, physical, and temporal) correlates of human occupations and psychological states; collection and interpretation of field data using innovative research methods.
OT 333x Sports Ethics (4 units)
Description: Improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, muscle endurance and flexibility; running, circuit training, resistance exercises; fitness principles and nutrition to develop individualized program
OT 350 Disability, Occupations, and the Health Care System (4 units)
Description: Exploration of the ways in which able-bodyism, sexism, racism, classism and homophobia contribute to occupational opportunities or barriers and weave their way into health care.
OT 360 Creating the Self through Narrative: Acts of Life Story Production (4 units)
Description: Analysis of life stories, life histories, and testimonies in social interactions, texts, and films. Life stories are an occupation to re-create the "Self" in response to conflict and change.
Physical Education
PHED 106a Physical Conditioning (1 unit)
Description: Improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, muscle endurance and flexibility; running, circuit training, resistance exercises; fitness principles and nutrition to develop individualized program.
PHED 110a Swimming (1 unit)
Description: Instruction and practice in basic strokes for beginners and intermediate swimmers; elementary springboard diving; water safety techniques; endurance training as a fitness program.
PHED 120 Yoga (1 unit)
Description: Introduction to meditation, breathing techniques and postures as a means towards relaxation; increase muscle strength and flexibility; understanding of basic anatomy and nutritional guidelines.
PHED 129ab Aerobics (1-1 unit)
Description: a: Aerobic exercise focusing on cardiorespiratory endurance encompassing a variety of training methods such as high/low impact aerobics, body sculpting, circuit training and nutritional guidelines. b: Group exercise teaching techniques and application of fitness principles through weekly workouts; group fitness certification exam preparation.
PHED 154a Soccer (1 unit)
Description: Development of basic skills for beginners, intermediate and advanced players; rules, positioning elements of play, small group and team tactics; full field scrimmages.
PHED 156a Basketball (1 unit)
Description: Basic skill development in dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding and defense; rules, history, and etiquette; drills and full court games.
PHED 160 Stress Management for Healthy Living (2 units)
Description: Instruction on the effects of stress as it relates to work, sport and academics; coping strategies are discussed and applied through physical conditioning interventions.
Policy, Planning, and Development
PPD 225 Public Policy and Management (4 units)
Description: Institutions, legal context, and processes of public policy and management. Contemporary theories of public policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. Public managerial challenges and reforms.
PPD 227 Urban Planning and Development (4 units)
Description: Gateway to B.S., Public Policy, Management and Planning and minor in Planning and Development. City building and development process; who plans, politics of planning and development; major topics include land use, fiscal policy, transportation, sustainability, and economic development.
PPD 230 Introduction to Health Policy and Management (4 units)
Description: Gateway to the minor in Health Policy and Management and the Health Care Policy and Management track of the B.S., Public Policy and Management. Institutions and processes affecting health care policy and the management of health care delivery in the United States; historical and philosophical roots; access and quality issues; responsiveness to public needs.
PPD 402 Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (4 units)
Description: Contemporary management theory; the nature of complex organizations'; organizational and intergovernmental arrangements; roles and responsibilities of managers; managerial and organizational effectiveness; organizational structure and dynamics.
This course is required for the minor in nonprofits, philanthropy and volunteerism.
Political Science
POSC 110 Ideology and Political Conflict (4 units)
Description: Modern political ideologies; their assumptions, perceptions, and prescriptions regarding political stability and social injustice: anarchism, communism, socialism, liberalism, conservatism, and fascism.
POSC 130g Law, Politics and Public Policy (4 units)
Description: Interaction between law and politics; overview of the American legal system; value conflicts and public policy questions which arise within it. Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
POSC 365 World Political Leadership (4 units)
Description: Comparative analysis of theories of power and leadership; application to leaders from western democracies, Third World, and socialist countries. Societal consequences of their policies.
POSC 375 American Political Thought (4 units)
Description: Historical and topical review of American political philosophy from the Puritans to the present. Special emphasis on such recurrent themes as equality, democracy, and racism.
POSC 381 Sex, Power, and Politics (4 units)
Description: An evaluation of the ways in which different ideologies, institutions, and policies contribute to differences in political power between men and women.
POSC 395 Directed Governmental and Political Leadership Internship (2- 8 units)
Description: Intensive experience in governmental and political offices. Minimum time requirement; evaluation by office and intern report required. Prerequisite: permission of Director of Institute of Politics and Government.
POSC 432 Politics of Local Criminal Justice (4 units)
Description: Roles and behavior of major legal and political participants in the criminal justice system including the police, the legal profession, judges, and the public.
POSC 444 Civil and Political Rights and Liberties (4 units)
Description: An examination of debates and controversies surrounding the nature and scope of civil rights and civil liberties. Recommended preparation: POSC 340 or POSC 440.
Theatre
THTR 122 Improvisation and Theatre Games (2 units)
Description: Individual and group exercise to free the actor physically and emotionally and to stimulate creativity, imagination, and self-expression.
THTR 124ax Character Acting (2 units)
Description: Concentration of imaginative processes which develop the individual characteristics of a dramatic role.
THTR 341x Voice for the Non-Theatre Major (2 units)
Description: Designed for the non-theatre major focusing on the range, color, texture, and projection of the human voice in a variety of situations. Not available for credit to theatre majors.
THTR 365 Playwriting I (4 units)
Description: Essential elements of playwriting through weekly assignments, students' initiative, occasional productions of scenes, and extensive classroom analysis.
THTR 421 Effective Oral Presentation (2 units)
Description: Developing and practicing performance skills necessary to give an effective oral presentation.
THTR 476m African-American Theatre (4 units)
Description: Focuses on issues of race and social class of African-Americans in the United States as it examines stage works written by and/or about African-Americans.