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)
- Architecture (ARCH)
- Business (MOR)
- Chemistry (CHEM)
- Cinematic Arts (CNTV, CTAN, CTCS, CTIN, CTPR, CTWR)
- Comparative Literature (COLT)
- Earth Sciences (GEOL)
- East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC)
- Fine Arts (FA, PAS)
- Geography (GEOG)
- Gerontology (GERO)
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies (HP)
- Information Technology (ITP)
- International Relations (IR)
- Journalism (JOUR)
- Kinesiology (EXSC)
- Linguistics (LING)
- Music (MUCO, MUEA, MUEN, MUHL, MUIN, MUJZ, MPPM, MPGU, MPKS, MPST, MPVA, MUSC)
- Occupational Therapy (OT)
- Physical Education (PHED)
- Policy, Planning, and Development (PPD)
- Political Science (POSC)
- 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 207 Computer Applications in Architecture (2 units)
Description: Introduction for the non-programmer to the uses of the computer in architecture, including the application of existing programs and their implications for design. Overview and use of software types. Lecture and laboratory.
ARCH 214b History of Architecture (4 units)
Description: History of building and cities, social, political, technical, formal, aesthetic dimensions in western and non-western traditions: b: Renaissance to present.
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.
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 304x Intensive Survey: Prehistory to the Present (4 units)
Description: 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.
ARCH 307 Digital Tools for Architecture (2 units)
Description: Main topics include building information modeling, geometric and analytical modeling, among other applications in digital design. Lecture and laboratory. Recommended preparation: ARCH 207 or equivalent computer experience.
ARCH 422 Architectural Photography (2 units)
Description: Perceiving and documenting the built environment through the perspective and frame of the camera. Abilities with 35mm and large format cameras, lighting, and black and white lab techniques will be developed. Recommended preparation: knowledge of 35mm camera.
ARCH 441 A History of Architectural Theory: 1400-1914 (2 units)
Description: A seminar on architectural theory from Alberti to Scott, reviewing primary texts and subsequent criticisms.
ARCH 442m Women's Spaces in History: "Hussies," "Harems," and "Housewives" (4 units)
Description: Methods for studying patterns of spatial differentiation of women throughout history from home to city embodied in gender specific language and gendered spaces.
ARCH 444 Great Houses of Los Angeles (4 units)
Description: An introduction to the architectural philosophies of seven influential California architects through readings and site visits to significant case studies.
ARCH 532 Elements of the Urban Landscape (2 units)
Description: Study of the basic spatial and infrastructure elements of the city, and how urban places are formed. Typological analysis of buildings, open space, and urban patterns.
ARCH 549 Fundamentals of Historic Preservation (4 units)
Description: Concepts and strategies for preservation of significant elements of the built environment: buildings, sites and communities as revealed by reading, site visits and case studies.
ARCH 561 Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Projects and Places (2 units)
Description: Study of the basic spatial and infrastructure elements of the city, and how urban places are formed: Focus on incremental development, public-private collaboration, community incentives and controls, project implementation strategies.
Business
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
MOR 556 Leading Professional Service Firms (3 units)
Description: Teaches students with interest in consulting, investment banking, and companies in high-velocity environments how to manage careers, design, lead, and market adaptable and innovative organizations. Open only to Graduate Business and Accounting majors.
Chemistry
CHEM 203Lxg Chemistry in Life: AIDS Drug Discovery and Development (4 units)
Description: Scientific principles underlying molecular approaches to diagnosis and treatment of diseases, using specific models within a societal (business, legal, ethical) context. Not available for major credit.
Cinematic Arts
CINEMA-TELEVISION
CNTV 345 Health Issues in Entertainment Media (4 units)
Description: Examines ways in which entertainment media provide information about health and influence health behaviors. Provides background information about major chronic illnesses as well as major risk factors for illness as a foundation for discussions about the portrayal of health and illness in entertainment media.
Movies, TV, cartoons and games all influence our expectations, beliefs, and knowledge about health and health care in both active and passive ways. This class, co-taught by cinema and medical school faculty, examines U.S. and international programming with an aim to develop a more complex and nuanced understanding of how media affects our society and us.
ANIMATION
CTAN 443L 3-D Animation and Character Design (2 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.
CTAN 451 History of Animation (2 units)
Description: In-depth survey of historical developments, styles, techniques, theory and criticism of animation as an art form.
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 "Atonement," "Imitation of Life," "Singin' in the Rain," "The Boston Strangler," and "Fargo."
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 introduces students to the study of television as a unique dramatic form in order to answer questions such as these. Screenings and readings will focus on topics such as [adult swim], "Battlestar Galactica," MTV, "Hannah Montana," "I Love Lucy" and "The Colbert Report."
Instructor: Ellen Seiter
CTCS 400 Non-Fiction Film and Television (4 units)
Description: An international survey of documentary, informational, and independent experimental film, video and television.
What is documentary film? How do documentaries construct and enact "the real"? How do documentary practices compare around the world and over time? This exciting course will engage with each of these questions and with current debates in documentary studies. Screenings may include "Afrique," "je tai plumerai" (Teno, 1993), "The Swenkas" (Ronde, 2004), and "Nobody’s Business" (Berliner, 1996).
Instructor: Michael Renov
CTCS 412 Gender, Sexuality and Media (4 units)
Description: Examines how gender and sexuality are figured in cinema and television with an emphasis on the development of feminist media theory.
This thrilling course examines how cinema informs our understandings of race and sexuality and how theories of race and sexuality can influence our understanding of cinema. Students are expected to be open to and comfortable with discussing and analyzing a range of representations of race and sexuality, including those presenting diverse expressions of gender, heterosexuality, homosexuality, and their variations.
CTCS 464 Film and/or Television Genres (4 units)
Description: Rigorous examination of film and/or television genres: history, aesthetics, cultural context, social significance, and critical methodologies.
The James Bond Films (18200)
A thorough exploration of the longest-running, most financially successful series in movie history. We will examine the literary Bond through the novels and stories of Ian Fleming and the cinematic Bond via such screenings as "Dr. No," "Goldfinger," "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service," "The Spy Who Loved Me," "The Living Daylights," "GoldenEye," "Casino Royale" and others.
Instructor: Rick Jewell
Hip Hop Culture (18205)
This course addresses the phenomenal rise of hip hop culture and its influence on society from the 1970s to the present. The Source Magazine describes the class as the most "in-demand hip hop course in the country." Screenings will include: "Scarface," "Boyz n the Hood," "American Gangster," "Fade to Black" and "Dave Chapelle’s Block Party."
Instructor: Todd Boyd
CTCS 466 Theatrical Film Symposium (4 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 films' creators for one-of-a-kind Q&A sessions led by film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. Past semesters featured "Lord of the Rings III," "Crash," "Pan's Labyrinth," "300," and "Casino Royale," with such guests as Alexander Payne, Billy Bob Thornton, Guillermo del Toro, Kevin Costner and Forest Whitaker.
Instructor: Leonard Maltin
CTCS 467 Television Symposium (4, max 8 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 and led by Pulitzer-Prize winning television critic Howard Rosenberg, this course focuses on the television industry. View selected television programs and engage in a Q&A with guests from the show. Past guests include Damon Lindel ("Lost"), Jenji Kohan ("Weeds") and Doug Ellin ("Entourage").
Instructor: Howard A. Rosenberg
CTCS 469 Film and/or Television Style Analysis (4 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.
The Films of Steven Spielberg (18225)
Spielberg — a cultural force who has affected our individual and collective consciousness, shaped the postmodern aesthetic, changed Hollywood's way of wheeling and dealing and ushered in the high-tech style. This is his story, from the beginning ("Duel," "Jaws") to the present ("Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"), One class session involves a Q & A with the master himself.
CTCS 478 Culture, Technology, and Communications (4 units)
Description: Cultural study of communications technology and its relationship to society. Evaluation of the social and cultural impact of technologies from the telegraph to the Internet.
Is digital media changing how we think and learn? Can new technologies transform what schools look like and how they function? Are video games a learning platform? This project-based course takes up questions such as these, examining the relationship of digital media to education. It also offers an opportunity to put our theories to the test through hands-on work in local K-12 schools.
Instructor: Tara McPherson
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.
CTIN 401L Interface Design for Games (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the aesthetics, terminology and common trends of interface design for games. Topics include 2-D and 3-D spaces and user/camera perspectives.
CTIN 463 Anatomy of a Game (4 units)
Description: Examine two game products from concept to delivery; introduce students to each of the professional disciplines involved in making digital games. Recommended preparation: CTIN 488
CTIN 464 Game Studies Seminar (2 units)
Description: Rigorous examination of interactive entertainment: genres, history, aesthetics, cultural context, and social significance. Topics vary by semester.
CTIN 482 Designing Online Multiplayer Game Environments (2 units)
Description: Grouped into teams, students will study and design an original multiplayer game environment suitable for online usage.
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.
CTPR 335 Motion Picture Editing (3 units)
Description: Theory, techniques, and practices in picture editing; use of standard editing equipment; individual projects.
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.
CTPR 409 Practicum in Television Production (2, 4 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.
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.
CTPR 484 Advanced Multi-Camera Television Workshop (4 units)
Description: Exercises and practical application for writing and producing a multi-camera television project. Special attention to the development of the sitcom. Recommended preparation: CTPR 371 required for students who wish to direct a sitcom.
WRITING
CTWR 412 Introduction to Screenwriting (2 units)
Description: Introduction to the formal elements of writing the short film.
Comparative Literature
COLT 101g Masterpieces and Masterminds: Literature and Thought of the West (4 units)
Description: A broad introduction to the great works of Western culture from antiquity to 1800.
COLT 250g Cultures of Latin America (4 units)
Description: Comparative study of Latin American cultures, especially vis-a-vis those of Europe and the U.S. Materials drawn from literature, but also film, opera, history, cultural theory.
COLT 302 Introduction to Literary Theory (4 units)
Description: Introduction to general forms of reflection on literary discourse.
COLT 357 The Avant-Garde (4 units)
Description: Study of the relationship between literary modes and other arts since 1900, focusing on particular avant-garde movements.
COLT 375 Latin American Cultural and Literary Theory (4 units)
Description: Survey of cultural critique focused on Latin America as a cultural region and on Latin Americanism as a transnational academic practice.
COLT 377 Literature, Theory, Gender (4 units)
Description: Literary representations and theories of gender difference. Examines questions of gendered voice in writing and the cultural construction of gender in various periods and cultures.
COLT 485 The Shoah (Holocaust) in Literature and the Arts (4 units)
Description: A critical analysis, in their historical contexts, of representative literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works created by or about the victims of the Shoah (Holocaust).
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 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 350g Chinese Civilization (4 units)
Description: Characteristics and aspects of Chinese civilization; interpretation of philosophy, literature, religion, art, music. Conducted in English.
EALC 352g Chinese Literature and Culture (4 units)
Description: Readings of Chinese poetry, prose, novels and drama; influence of the West on Chinese literature and culture in modern times. Conducted in English.
Fine Arts
FA 101a Drawing (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.
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 325 Culture and Place (4 units)
Description: Introduction to the study of landscapes of culture; how place creates culture; how cultures produce place.
GEOG 393 Field Techniques (4 units)
Description: Field exploration of physical and cultural aspects of different regions, with emphasis on rural California. Field methods, especially mapping and interviewing.
GEOG 419 Environment and Health (4 units)
Description: The geographical determinants of illness and health, with emphasis on environmental factors. Processes of disease diffusion. Spatial organization of health care systems.
GEOG 482L Principles of Geographic Information Science (4 units)
Description: Introduction to evolving science, technology and applications of GIS. Laboratories provide experience with computer processing of geographic information using several GIS software and programming languages.
Gerontology
GERO 200 Gerontology: The Science of Adult Development (4 units)
Description: Introduction to adult development through the lifespan; biological, psychological, and social processes; gerontology as a career for the future.
GERO 380m Diversity in Aging (4 units)
Description: Exploring diversity in the older population and variability in the human aging process.
GERO 435m Women and Aging: Psychological, Social and Policy Implications (4 units)
Description: Problems and resources of the middle-aged and older woman in a changing society; including discrimination, stereotypes, employment, social interaction, etc.
GERO 483 Global Health and Aging (4 units)
Description: Overview of the impact aging populations will have on global institutions from a variety of perspectives. Examination of public health policy issues.
GERO 500 Perspectives on a Changing Society: An Introduction to Aging (4 units)
Description: Analysis of physical, mental, and social age-related changes as well as implications of population aging trends for individuals and society.
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies
HP 270 Introduction to Global Health (4 units)
Description: Introduction to concepts of global health and disease control. Issues of globalization, global governance, emerging diseases, infectious disease treatment, and outbreak challenges.
Global Health is one of the most pressing issues facing humankind today. Study current multidisciplinary approaches to responding to health issues that transcend national, cultural, and economic boundaries.
HP 420m Gender and Minority Health Issues (4 units)
Description: Examines the nature and roots of health disparities among women, men, and different ethnic groups; methods for reducing such disparities; strategies for prevention services.
HP 421 Violence as a Public Health Issue (4 units)
Description: Patterns and prevalence of violence; psychosoical, environmental, and biological influences on violent behavior; youth gangs; drugs and violence; family violence; and prevention and intervention strategies.
Information Technology
ITP 090x Introduction to Adobe Photoshop (2 units)
Description: Basic concepts of colors; color calibration tools; scanning, importing and exporting images; painting, editing, fill, and type tools; using layers, masks, filters, and color correction. Not available for degree credit. Graded CR/NC.
ITP 104x Internet Publishing Technologies (2 units)
Description: Basic Internet publishing using HTML and other Web technologies. Concepts and theory of Web publishing and production. Introduction to page layout and design.
ITP 109x Introduction to Java Programming (2 units)
Description: Introduction to object-oriented software design for business problems. Creation of console applications, windowed applications, and interactive Web applets.
ITP 215x 3-D Modeling, Animation, Compositing and Special Effects (2 units)
Description: Overview of developing a 3D animation: from modeling to rendering. Basics of surfacing, lighting, animation and modeling techniques. Advanced topics: compositing, particle systems, and character animation. Recommended preparation: knowledge of any 2D paint, drawing, or CAD program.
ITP 216 Web Animation and Interactivity (2 units)
Description: 2-D vector graphics for web and animation. Scripting techniques for interactivity. Action Script syntax, logic and control. Recommended preparation: basic computer knowledge
ITP 230x Video Game Quality Assurance (4 units)
Description: Survey game software development through quality assurance and in-depth analysis of the development cycle with a focus on bug testing systems and methodologies.
ITP 320x Enterprise Wide Information Systems (2 units)
Description: The role Information Systems play in an organization and the challenging task of implementing and managing the IS function are both examined in detail. Prerequisite: ITP-101
ITP 499x Special Topics (2, 3, 4 units)
Description: Recent developments in computers and data processing. Not available for credit to CSCI and EE majors.
International Relations
IR 305 Managing New Global Challenges (4 units)
Description: Examines the strategies for managing global issues in the post Cold War period. Explores ways that international institutions, national governments and non-state actors work separately and together to provide order and control over complex international issues areas. Issues that will receive attention could include financial and monetary relations, trade and foreign investment, preservation of the environment, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, population and migration, terrorism and ethnic strife.
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 345 Russian and Soviet Foreign Policy (4 units)
Description: Overview of Soviet and Russian foreign policy in the 20th century. Review of the diplomatic history of the period and introduction to models of foreign policy used to analyze Soviet and Russian behavior.
Journalism
JOUR 190 Introduction to Journalism (2 units)
Description: Survey of all media and outlets including print, broadcasting, public relations and online journalism, plus analysis of what it means to be a professional journalist.
This course provides an overview of journalism and society, including an examination of current issues facing the news media.Instructor: Geoffrey Cowan
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.
This course offers a comprehensive look at the evolution of news and development of journalism in America.
Instructor: Erna R. Smith
JOUR 210x Basics of Broadcast Newsroom Production for Non-Majors Only (2 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.
This class is taught in conjunction with the production of Annenberg TV News, USC's student-run nightly news operation.
JOUR 330 Photojournalism (4 units)
Description: Emphasis on fundamental skills necessary for photojournalism including camera techniques, story ideas and digital darkroom.
Students will learn the basic principles and ethics of visual journalism, with an eye toward the diverse perspectives existing throughout our community. Students should have access to a 35mm film or digital camera.
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.
Students study many areas of advertising, including television, radio, print, out-of-home interactive, campaign development and production to execution.
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.
Guests will include entertainment executives, celebrities, publicists, journalists and other media experts.
Instructor: Mary Murphy
JOUR 421 Photo Editing for News Media (4 units)
Description: Emphasis on understanding, selection and power of photographs; how they work in concert with words and graphics to inform the public.
The class will focus on organizing photographic coverage, the implementation of that coverage, editing the results and ultimately the layout of the finished product.
JOUR 432 Sports Commentary (4 units)
Description: Techniques of reporting and writing sports columns and commentary for print, video, radio and Web-based media.
In the world of sports, where everyone has an opinion, this course will examine how to present an argument that stands out among all the screaming voices.
Instructors: Joshua A. Adande, Lonnie Bruce White
JOUR 452 Public Relations in Entertainment (4 units)
Description: Public relations in the design, promotion, and presentation of popular entertainment, including films, broadcasting, music, expositions, amusement parks, resorts and arenas.
This course will analyze the methods, ethics and controversies of public relations, product placement and promotion in the entertainment industry.
Instructor: Howard Bragman
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.
The course will look at the television, team, newspaper, radio, agency and Internet aspects of the sports public relations field.
JOUR 458 Public Relations in Politics and Political Campaigns (4 units)
Description: Application of public relations principles to the context of political campaigns; emphasis on message development and delivery; relationship between candidate, news media, and electorate.
The course will focus on the means by which a political campaign develops its message, how that message is communicated through the news media and paid advertising, as well as the broader strategic and tactical questions which guide a campaign's operation.
JOUR 460 Social Responsibility of the News Media (4 units)
Description: News media as instruments of constructive social change; standards of ethics and aesthetics; interactions between news media and cultural settings; social responsibility of news media personnel.
Students emerge from the course with an understanding of the news media's responsibilities, which transcends delivering information and, instead, encompasses influencing societal norms.
Instructor: Philip Seib
JOUR 468m The American Press and Issues of Sexual Diversity (4 units)
Description: Examines how news media reflect and affect perception of gay/lesbian issues; provides historical-contemporary context; arms students to bypass rhetoric and knowledgeably evaluate facts.
The movement for gay rights is one of the most hotly contested issues of the last 30 years. This course will examine the ways in which news and other media treat these issues and how that treatment influences public perceptions.
Instructor: Laura Padilla Castanedat
JOUR 499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8 units)
Description: Selected topics in journalism.
The Governing of America, 2009 (4 units)
How Washington is working in a time of peril and change. The course, with invited speakers, will look at Obama's Washington in real time. Each class will include discussion in which students will examine the events of the week from the perspectives of the capitol’s power centers: the White House, the Democratic Congress, the Loyal Opposition, the Press and We, the People. There will be special emphasis on the part history and the character of individual players figure in events as they develop. Students should end with a working knowledge of how the federal government works in Washington and, most importantly, the role and work of journalists in that process.
Instructor: Senior Lecturer Richard Reeves is a syndicated columnist and former chief political correspondent of The New York Times.
Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment (4 units)
For the past few years, the media industry has been abuzz about "360 entertainment," "extensions," "cross-platforms," or "transmedia entertainment." Media producers now anticipate that any successful film or television series will spread into every available media platform, seeking to engage more groups of consumers by expanding the opportunities they have to interact with the entertainment content. At the same time, fan communities are more actively participating in the creation and promotion of their favorite fictional universes. What do these trends mean for the future of storytelling (both fictional and nonfictional)? How does the push towards transmedia entertainment represent the intersection of technological, cultural, social, and economic changes in our media landscape? By combining close readings of contemporary and vintage transmedia experiences (including L. Frank Baum, Walt Disney and George Lucas), we will have theoretical and critical discussions about world building, guest talks by industry leaders, and group projects designed to conceptualize and pitch strategies for converting existing stories into transmedia properties.
Instructor: Henry Jenkins, formerly the Director of the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program, is the author of 12 books, including "Convergence Culture," and "Fans, Bloggers and Gamers: Exploring Participatory Culture."
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, 3 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. Word and concepts. Words 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 125 Hindi I (4 units)
Description: Introduction to current Hindi. Oral practice, listening and reading comprehension; 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 407 Atypical Language (4 units)
Description: This course is an introduction to language disorders throughout the lifespan. Its main goal is to elucidate the nature of the human faculty of language through the prism of genetic and acquired cognitive deficits.
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 130ax 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 221ax 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. Not available for major credit to electroacoustic media majors.
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 through 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 jazz studies majors. Recommended preparation: demonstration of major scales of eighth notes at a tempo of 120 mm.
MUJZ 252 Individual Instrument Performance Class I (1, max 4 units)
Description: Jazz vocal master class focusing on solo singing and working with a rhythm section.
MUJZ 419m The Jazz Experience: Myths and Culture (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 452 Individual Instrument Performance Class II (1, max 4 units)
Description: Jazz vocal master class focusing on solo singing and working with a rhythm section. Continuation of MUJZ 252.
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 307 University Chorus (1, max 8 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of choral literature from all periods of music history. Open to all students. 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 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 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 507 University Chorus (1, max 8 units)
Description: Rehearsal and performance of choral literature from all periods of music history. Open to all graduate students.
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 students.
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.
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. An ability to read music highly recommended.
MUHL 403 Armenian Musical Culture (2 units)
Description: Study of the four branches of Armenian music within the context of past and present Armenian culture.
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 286 Record Production Management (2 units)
Description: Function of the record producer, studio procedures, music business law, union relations, artist management, copyright and publishing agreements, record company structure.
MUIN 372ax 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 440 Arts Management (4 units)
Description: A survey of the management of non-profit and for-profit arts organizations with emphasis on funding, donor development tax status and promotion.
MUIN 442 Operation of the Radio Studio (2 units)
Description: An in-depth study of radio studio technical operations. Topics include consoles, microphones, transmission considerations, networks, satellites, and digital and analog production situations. Prerequisite: MUIN 275ab.
MUIN 448 Computer Music Notation and Preparation (2 units)
Description: Techniques and principles of computer music notation including conventions of music notation, idiomatic practices, preparation of significant score types, and MIDI basics. Recommended preparation is the ability to read music.
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
MPPM 120: Popular Music Performance (2, max 8 units)
Description: Study of musical elements appropriate to the performance of popular music in a collaborative, interactive environment.
MPGU 120a 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 121 Intensive Beginning Pop/Rock Guitar (4 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 music background required.
MPKS 150a Beginning Piano (2 units)
Description: Techniques of performance, note reading, and basic musicianship. Not open to music majors.
MPST 163 Beginning Harp (2 units)
Description: Basic instruction in the fundamentals of solo harp playing, note reading, and basic musicianship. Open to music and non-music majors.
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.
MPPM 240: Drumming Proficiency for the Popular Musician (2 units)
Description: Beginning and elementary instruction in drum set techniques.
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 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 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 444 American Roots Music: History and Culture (4 units)
Description: The history, genre, styles, songs, lyrics, and influences of American vernacular music in the 20th century, including the background that spawned these musical genres.
MUSC 450m The Music of Black Americans (4 units)
Description: The musical contribution of Africans and African Americans to American society. Musical genres and the relationship between music and society will be topics for examination.
MUSC 460 Film Music: History and Function from 1930 to the Present (4 units)
Description: A survey of the art and craft of film music as practiced by outstanding composers in motion pictures.
Occupational Therapy
OT 220 Lifestyle Design: 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 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 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 330 Perspectives on the Daily Life of Families (4 units)
Description: Examines family structures and processes, the occupational dimensions of families, and the meanings embedded in the acts of daily life of contemporary families.
OT 375 The Narrative Structure of Social Action: Narrative, Healing and Occupation (4 units)
Description: Narrative as guide and structure of practical action. Special emphasis on chronic illness and disability and narrative structure of clinical interactions.
Physical Education
PHED 102a Weight Training (1 unit)
Description: Improvement of body shape, muscle endurance, and muscle strength; understanding of weight training and nutrition principles that can be utilized for future weight training development.
PHED 104a Self-Defense (1 unit)
Description: Basic instruction of self-defense for beginners; strategies for standing and ground fighting situations with and without weapons. b: Intermediate instruction involving more advanced fighting strategies and techniques.
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 120b Yoga (1 unit)
Description: A continuing study of intermediate and advanced yoga postures, breathing techniques and meditation as a means toward relaxation and stress-reduction. Prerequisite: PHED 120a or the former PHED 120.
PHED 129a Aerobics (1 unit)
Description: 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.
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 155 Golf (1 unit)
Description: Basic skills development and knowledge in stance, grip and swing mechanics; course strategy; use of woods, irons and putting; history, rules and etiquette.
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 250m Third World Cities (4 units)
Description: Gateway to the B.S., Planning and Development. The transition from traditional to modern cities in the developing world. Primacy and dualism; comparative urbanism as an expression of cultural variation; contrast in Western cities.
PPD 371 The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest (4 units)
Description: Theories of the voluntary nonprofit sector in society and its relationship to government and business; public policies toward the sector.
Political Science
POSC 100 Theory and Practice of American Democracy (4 units)
Description: Theoretical, institutional, and functional aspects of American national, state, and local government and politics; contemporary issues. Recommended for freshmen and sophomores.
POSC 120 Comparative Politics (4 units)
Description: Gateway to the major in political science. Comparative analysis of political institutions and processes in selected industrial, developing and socialist countries, in terms of contrasting ideologies, parties, elites, and economies.
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 220g Critical Issues in American Politics (4 units)
Description: Examination of enduring political issues, as well as the political processes and institutions. Concurrent enrollment: WRIT 140.
POSC 340 Constitutional Law (4 units)
Description: Development of constitutional law by the courts; leading cases bearing on major constitutional issues; the federal system; powers of government; civil liberties.
POSC 345 International Law (4 units)
Description: Nature, origin, and development of international law; basic principles analyzed and illustrated with cases.
POSC 366 Terrorism and Genocide (4 units)
Description: Comparative analysis of the determinants of political violence, terrorism, and genocide and their social and moral consequences; application of theories to contemporary case studies.
POSC 395 Directed Governmental and Political Leadership Internship (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 units)
Description: Intensive experience in governmental and political offices. Minimum time requirement; evaluation by office and intern report required.
Theatre
THTR 124ax Character Acting (2 units)
Description: Concentration of imaginative processes which develop the individual characteristics of a dramatic role.
THTR 222 Stage Make-up (2 units)
Description: Principles of stage make-up materials and skills allowing the actors to enhance their features and techniques for moderate and extreme aging, injuries, and character roles.
THTR 421 Effective Oral Presentation (2 units)
Description: Developing and practicing performance skills necessary to give an effective oral presentation.