Coordinator:Karen Segal, Ph.D.
Assistant Coordinator: Richard Fliegel, Ph.D.
An undergraduate degree is usually earned by completion of at least two types of study: concentrated study in a single discipline or "major" and a more general education in the subject matter and methods of the commonly accepted categories of knowledge.
This second, broader study is intended not to supplement the major but to complement it. Since the purpose of general education is to provide a broad educational experience, general education credits should be used to learn about aspects of the world which the major area of study will not include.
The purpose of general education is to prepare students for a lifetime in which the continuing acquisition of knowledge and the consideration of issues involving value judgments are possible, inviting and fruitful. Precise definitions are elusive, but it is generally agreed that an educated person must have a critical appreciation of the methods with which we learn to understand ourselves, our society, and the physical world, as well as the cultural and artistic heritage of humanity.
The USC General Education Program provides students with some sense of our shared cultural heritage, some degree of preparation for participation in a democratic society, and some signposts with which to chart an individual path of self-discovery and personal growth.
Specific general education requirements are included with the information on each degree objective and major. General education requirements for students in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences are provided below. Students seeking the B.A. degree in Cinema, Fine Arts, Music or Theatre must follow the general education requirements in place for students seeking the B.A. degree in departments in the humanities in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Transfer students who enter USC within five years of their first enrollment at another institution of higher education may follow the requirements in effect at USC during that year or any subsequent year. Transfer students who enter USC more than five years after their first enrollment at another institution may follow the requirements in effect at USC up to five years prior to their first enrollment at USC or in any subsequent year. Exceptions will be considered by the College Advisement Office. Transfer students who began their studies at another institution before fall 1982 should consult an academic advisor for their general education requirements.
Students who do not complete their degrees within 10 consecutive years from the beginning of the semester of their first completed USC course work will not be allowed automatically to continue their general education requirements. This time limit includes semesters during which students are not enrolled.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995