PDF version of this chapterUndergraduate 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 courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 106x | Workshop in Architecture | 2 |
| ARCH 114 | Architecture: Culture and Community | 2 |
| ARCH 304x | Intensive Survey: Prehistory to the Present | 4 |
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.
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 related to human endeavor and the resulting cultures. This is an excellent emphasis for students in environmental studies, civil engineering, planning and anthropology.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 Courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 106x | Workshop in Architecture | 2 |
| ARCH 361L | Ecological Factors in Design | 3 |
| ARCH 365 | History of Landscape Architecture (WesternTradition) | 4 |
| Upper Division Courses (14 units) | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 363 | Plant Material Identification: Horticulture | 4 |
| ARCH 364 | Materials and Methods of Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| ARCH 366 | Nature, Landscape and Gardens in Non-Western Cultures | 4 |
| ARCH 432 | People, Places and Culture: Architecture of the Public Realm | 4 |
| ARCH 499 | Special Topics | 2-4 |
| ARCH 532 | Elements of the Urban Landscape | 2 |
| ARCH 533 | Urban Landscape Case Studies | 2 |
| ARCH 536 | The Landscape Planning Process | 4 |
| ARCH 561 | Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Projects and Places | 2 |
| ARCH 563 | Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Comparative Theories | 2 |
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. This is the location of the places of residence and work, of education and religion, of everyday life. Neighborhoods are the fundamental building blocks of cities.The minor is supported by the four "urban schools" of USC: Architecture, Education, Social Work, and Policy, Planning, and Development. The core studies are "hands-on" as a practicum in learning about neighborhoods and learning how the disciplines of the four schools provide the means for understanding and treating urban issues. The core courses are team taught by faculty from the collaborating schools.
This minor should be of interest to students generally, but especially to those interested in the nature of urban life and the policies and actions directed toward the improvement of cities.
The requirements for the minor include two required courses and 12 units of elective courses, including at least one from each of three of the Schools of Architecture, Education, Social Work, and Policy, Planning, and Development.
One of the listed geography courses may be substituted for a course from one of the sponsoring schools. At least 8 of the 12 elective units must be upper division. Students in the School of Architecture and in the School of Policy, Planning, and Development may not apply more than one core course toward their major and must take all of their elective courses outside their major.
| Required Courses | 8 Units | |
|---|---|---|
| URBN 375 | The Urban Neighborhood | 4 |
| URBN 475 | Urban Practicum | 4 |
| Elective Courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| One course each selected from three of the four schools: | ||
| ARCH 114 | Architecture: Culture and Community | 2 |
| ARCH 206 | Shelter | 4 |
| ARCH 432 | People, Places, and Culture: Architecture of the Public Realm | 4 |
| ARCH 450 | Fundamentals of Historic Preservation | 4 |
| EDPA 302 | Global Education | 4 |
| EDPA 308 | Politics and American Education | 3 |
| GEOG 325* | Culture and Place | 4 |
| GEOG 340* | Latino L.A. | 4 |
| GEOG 410* | Urban Geography | 4 |
| PPD 350 | Urban Institutions and Policies | 4 |
| PPD 372 | Public Service in an Urban Setting | 4 |
| PPD 417 | History of Planning and Development | 4 |
| PPD 425 | Designing Livable Communities | 4 |
| PPD 439 | Housing and Community Development | 4 |
| SOWK 200 | Institutional Inequality in American Political and Social Policy | 4 |
| SOWK 304 | Children and Families in Urban America | 4 |
| SOWK 400 | Children and Families in Urban America Capstone Course | 4 |
*May be substituted for a course from one of the sponsoring schools. | ||