Undergraduate Degrees
Bachelor of Architecture
The bachelor's degree program begins intensively with architectural
studies in the first year and provides for a mix of architectural and
general university studies throughout the program. The curriculum includes
two cycles of development. The first cycle of six semesters provides a
foundation in understanding architecture, concluding with integrative
studies after two years of introductory work. The second cycle, four
semesters, provides the opportunity to explore many aspects of
architecture and to develop individual strengths and interests. The second
cycle, and the program, concludes with a comprehensive project with a
component of directed research defined by the student based on choice and
initiative.
Admission as a First Year Student
All applicants to the School of Architecture must complete the university
application and submit it to the USC Office of Admission along with
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or other test scores. All applicants,
including international students, must submit a portfolio.
Admission with Advanced Placement
It is possible, in selected instances, that a transfer student from an
accredited community college or other university may be eligible for
advanced placement at the second-year level if previous work includes a
minimum of 32 semester units of acceptable academic credit in a
pre-architecture program. The academic credit must include 8 semester
units in architectural design or environmental design. Students accepted
for advanced placement must still comply with all requirements for the
degree.
Advanced placement applicants are required to submit a design
portfolio to the School of Architecture.
Summer Transfer Courses
A summer design studio and drawing course allows highly qualified students
transferring from community college or other university programs to be
evaluated for advanced placement in the fall semester. Applicants must
submit a university application and portfolio by February 1 for
consideration. During the summer transfer courses, students must
demonstrate significant design and drawing skills to justify advanced
placement. Successfully completing these summer transfer courses allows
students to reduce the required 10-semester design sequence by two
semesters, reducing USC residency to four years. This either provides for
advanced placement into the second year or gives credit for ARCH 102abL
and ARCH 105L if these courses are passed with grades of B or above. For
more information, contact the school at (213) 740-2420.
Transfer students who are admitted with fewer than 32 units of college
level work and who have only limited drawing or design skills may be
considered for placement in the first year of the five-year design
sequence. Previous academic work may in part be applied toward required
and elective courses for the five-year Bachelor of Architecture
program.
Advisement
The School of Architecture maintains student advisors for the benefit of
all students in the school. Soon after being accepted, new students are
advised to make an appointment for pre-registration advisement. A complete
record is kept of the progress for each student while in attendance. An
individual appointment with an advisor may be scheduled at any time during
the academic year. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to attend
a university orientation session.
Design Studio Grade Point Average Requirement
Less than average work in design is not considered sufficient for a
professional degree. Students must receive a grade of C (2.0) or above in
each semester of design (ARCH 102abL, ARCH 202abL, ARCH 302abL, ARCH
402abcL, ARCH 502aL) in order to continue in the design sequence and to
graduate. Students will be required to repeat the course until such a
grade is achieved.
Transfer Limit for Design Studio Credit
School of Architecture majors enrolling for a semester of study off campus
are limited to the transfer of only one design studio course within the
ARCH 402abcL sequence. Approval of transfer credit will be dependent upon
portfolio review by an appointed faculty review committee.
Pass/No Pass Courses
Architecture students are permitted to take a maximum of 24 units of
non-architecture electives, exclusive of the writing requirements, MATH
108 and PHYS 125L, on a pass/no pass basis. No more than 4 units of
pass/no pass courses may be applied to general education requirements; no
more than 4 units may be taken in one semester. Students who have taken
non-architecture courses pass/no pass in the past (i.e., before admission
to architecture) may count such pass/no pass courses toward, but not in
addition to, the maximum of 24 units.
Schedule Choices
Students in upper division (ARCH 402abcL) may substitute any fall or
spring semester by completing degree requirements, including design
studio, by enrolling during summer session. This substitution does not
provide for acceleration of the degree but does allow for make up so that
students may get back on schedule for the five-year degree.
Time Limits
While there are no specific time limits for completing the bachelor's
degree (except in the case of discontinued programs) the School of
Architecture may require additional course work of students who remain in
the degree program beyond six years.
Five-Year Curriculum for the Bachelor of Architecture Degree
| First Year, First Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 102aL | Architectural Design I | 4 |
| ARCH 105L | Fundamentals of Design Communication | 2 |
| ARCH 114 | Architecture: Culture and Community | 2 |
| General Education | Social Issues | 4 |
| MATH 108* | Introductory College Mathematics, or |
| WRIT 140* | Writing
and Critical Reasoning | 4 |
| | 16 |
| First Year, Second Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 102bL | Architectural Design I | 4 |
| ARCH 214a | History
of Architecture | 4 |
| PHYS 125L** | Physics
for Architects | 4 |
| General Education, or |
| WRIT 130* | Analytical Writing | 4 |
| | 16 |
| Second Year, First Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 202aL | Architectural Design II | 6 |
| ARCH 213a | Building
Structures and Seismic Design | 3 |
| ARCH 214b | History
of Architecture | 4 |
| General Education | 4 |
| | 17 |
| Second Year, Second Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 202bL | Architectural Design II | 6 |
| ARCH 211 | Materials
and Methods of Building Construction | 3 |
| ARCH 213b | Building
Structures and Seismic Design | 3 |
| General Education | 4 |
| | 16 |
| Third Year, First Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 215 | Design for
the Thermal and Atmospheric Environment | 3 |
| ARCH 302aL | Architectural Design III | 6 |
| ARCH 313 | Design of
Building Structures | 3 |
| General Education | 4 |
| | 16 |
| Third Year, Second Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 302bL | Architectural Design III | 6 |
| ARCH 315 | Design for
the Luminous and Sonic Environment | 3 |
| ARCH 411 | Architectural Technology | 3 |
| General Education | 4 |
| | 16 |
| Fourth Year, First Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 314 | History of
Architecture: Contemporary Issues | 3 |
| ARCH 402aL | Architectural Design IV | 6 |
| ARCH 525 | Professional Practice: Pre-Design, Project andOffice
Administration | 3 |
| Electives | 4 |
| | 16 |
| Fourth Year, Second Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 402bL | Architectural Design IV | 6 |
| ARCH 526 | Professional Practice: Legal and EconomicContext,
ProjectDocumentation | 3 |
| WRIT 340 | Advanced
Writing | 4 |
| Electives | 3 |
| | 16 |
| Fifth Year, First Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 402cL | Architectural Design IV | 6 |
| Electives | 9 |
| | 15 |
| fifth Year, Second Semester | Units |
|---|
| ARCH 501 | Comprehensive StudioSupport and Enrichment | 2 |
| ARCH 502aL | Architectural Design V | 6 |
| Electives | 8 |
| | 16 |
Core Requirements
In order to take advantage of elective opportunities in the advanced
program, students must complete the following courses before the end of
the special integrative semester (third year, first semester): ARCH
102abL, ARCH 105L, ARCH 114, ARCH 202abL, ARCH 211, ARCH 213ab, ARCH
214ab, ARCH 215; MATH 108 (or equivalent); PHYS 125L (or equivalent); and
WRIT 140 or WRIT 130.
Allocation of Elective Units
A total of 20 units of electives and a 4-unit diversity course is included
toward completion of the 160 units for the degree.
Professional Electives
A minimum of 12 units in architecture is required.
Free Electives
An additional 12 units in any category of professional courses,
humanities, social sciences and communication and natural sciences. Natural sciences include
astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, geological
sciences, mathematics (excluding MATH 108 or equivalent) and physics
(excluding PHYS 125L or equivalent). One of these courses must satisfy the
diversity requirement.
General Education Requirements
The university's general education program provides a coherent, integrated
introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider
yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated
person. This program requires six courses in different categories, plus
writing and diversity requirements, which together comprise the USC Core.
See
USC Core and
General Education Program for more information.
Students who are required to take MATH 108 during the freshman year may
take their Social Issues course in the fall and WRIT 130 separately in the
spring.
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