USC
University of Southern California
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Undergraduate Degrees

Minors in Architecture

Minor in Architecture

The minor in architecture provides the flexibility of complementing a student’s major with an area of specialization. Taking a minor in architecture is a unique opportunity for a student to stimulate his or her imagination and learn creative approaches to problem solving.

The requirements for the minor include three required courses (8 units) and a minimum of 12 units of upper division courses.

Required coursesUnits
ARCH 106xWorkshop in Architecture2
ARCH 114Architecture: Culture and Community2
ARCH 304xIntensive Survey: Prehistory to the Present4

Students may elect to take the upper division courses in an area of specialization, such as architectural history and theory, historical preservation, computers and design, visual communication, landscape architecture, public places -- urban spaces, housing or practice management. This minor is not available to architecture majors.

Minor in Landscape Architecture

The minor in landscape architecture provides students with the ability to integrate the natural and cultural profession of landscape architecture into their course of study. Students will be instructed about natural resources and their importance in the built environment. The art of the garden in literature, music, painting and sculpture will be presented as it relates to human endeavor and the resulting cultures. This is an excellent emphasis for students in environmental studies, civil engineering, planning and anthropology. This minor is not available to architecture majors.

Admission Requirements
Students in good academic standing who have completed the freshman year are eligible. There is no preset GPA requirement. No standardized test or foreign language skills are required for admission.

Course Requirements
The minor in landscape architecture consists of three required courses (9 units) and a minimum of 14 units of upper division courses.

Required CoursesUnits
ARCH 106xWorkshop in Architecture2
ARCH 361LEcological Factors in Design3
ARCH 465History of Landscape Architecture (Western Tradition)4

Upper Division Courses (14 units)Units
ARCH 363Plant Material Identification: Horticulture4
ARCH 364Materials and Methods of Landscape Architecture3
ARCH 432People, Places and Culture: Architecture of the Public Realm4
ARCH 466Nature, Landscape and Gardens in Non-Western Cultures4
ARCH 499Special Topics2-4
ARCH 532Elements of the Urban Landscape2
ARCH 533Urban Landscape Case Studies2
ARCH 536The Landscape Planning Process4
ARCH 561Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Projects and Places2
ARCH 563Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Comparative Theories2

Minor in Urban Neighborhood Studies

The focus of this minor is on the quality of urban life at the scale of the neighborhood or district. The minor is supported by the four “urban schools” of USC: Architecture, Education, Social Work, and Policy, Planning, and Development. See Interdisciplinary Programs for requirements.