PDF reflects print Graduate Programs
The school offers interrelated graduate programs in architecture, landscape architecture, building science and historic preservation as well as two dual degree programs with the School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
Admission to Graduate Programs
Credentials for admission must include a complete record of all previous college or university work. The applicant must request the registrar of each college or university attended to forward two official transcripts of record directly to the Office of Admission.Priority for admission and financial aid is given to applications that are complete by February 1.
Following are the basic requirements for admission to the graduate programs:
- the appropriate degree from an accredited college or university;
- satisfactory scores on the verbal, analytical and quantitative portions of the aptitude test of the Graduate Record Examinations;
- intellectual promise and clear study intentions that indicate an ability to do acceptable graduate work;
- a portfolio of design work*;
- strong personal qualifications
All students must speak and write English. Foreign students must demonstrate such ability by taking the TOEFL test before leaving their home countries, and, if necessary, by further tests upon arrival on campus.
International students may be required to enroll in American Language Institute (ALI) English courses, based on scores on the English Placement Tests. The cost of these additional courses is the responsibility of the student. In addition, international students should be aware that they may have to defer enrollment in some major courses because of the ALI courses, extending the number of semesters required to complete the program and increasing the overall tuition expense. International students are urged to read with care all information sent to them about English requirements and to take as many English language courses as possible prior to coming to the United States.
Correspondence with the dean or individual faculty members does not constitute admission to the Graduate School or to the School of Architecture. Only a letter from the Director of Admissions grants official admission.
Graduate Program Policies
Graduate students are expected to complete between 12 and 16 units per semester, spring and fall, depending on the program in which they are enrolled.A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in a course to receive graduate credit. A grade point average of at least B (3.0) on all units attempted at USC toward a graduate degree is required for graduation. Course work taken on a pass/no pass basis cannot be applied toward a graduate degree. If a student does not meet these minimum grades the faculty member should meet with the student to provide timely advisory reviews.
Failure to complete program course work on schedule will result in the loss of financial awards from the School of Architecture and/or may result in suspension from the program upon recommendation from the program director and approval by the Dean of the School of Architecture and the Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Programs. Additional semesters may be taken to complete the thesis or directed design research when appropriate.
All appeals will be reviewed initially by the director(s) of the appropriate graduate program and then by a committee consisting of all graduate program directors (with the exception that design courses will be reviewed by the design review committee). Their recommendation(s) will be forwarded to the dean for consideration and action, and then forwarded to the Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Programs. All communications must be in writing.
Certificate in Building Science
Building science at USC recognizes that exemplary architecture requires a creative response to natural forces, based on informed good judgment in the areas of architectural technology. The Certificate in Building Science is intended as a supplementary credential for students enrolled in graduate course work in architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, urban planning or related disciplines, and also for practicing design and planning professionals with undergraduate or graduate degrees and related experience.Course Requirements
Completion of the certificate requires a minimum of 16 units. Students must take three core courses. Electives in building science may be taken to complete the program requirements.| required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose three of the following six courses: | ||
| ARCH 511 | Building Systems, or | |
| ARCH 611 | Advanced Building Systems Integration | 4 |
| ARCH 513L | Seminar: Advanced Structures, or | |
| ARCH 613L | Seminar: Structures Research | 4 |
| ARCH 515L | Seminar: Advanced Environmental Systems, or | |
| ARCH 615L | Seminar: Environmental Systems Research | 4 |
| Elective(s) in Building Science | 4 | |
| sample electives | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 507 | Theories of Computer Technology | 3 |
| ARCH 519 | Sustainability in the Environment: Infrastructures, Urban Landscapes, and Buildings | 3 |
| ARCH 590 | Directed Research, or | 1-12 |
| One from the list of required courses that was not yet selected | 4 | |
Certificate in Historic Preservation
This program is directed at practicing professionals who wish to obtain an academic credential for their involvement in historic preservation projects and at graduate students who wish to obtain a complementary credential to a degree in architecture, landscape architecture, planning, public art administration, geography, anthropology or other related disciplines.Course Requirements
Completion of the certificate requires 16 units, including ARCH 549 Fundamentals of Historic Preservation (4), ARCH 553 History of American Architecture and Urbanism (4), and either ARCH 550 Historic Preservation Management, Planning and Development (4) or ARCH 551 Conservation Methods and Materials (4). Students may choose to complete both ARCH 550 and ARCH 551. Elective choices (if needed) must be approved by the program director. Students are encouraged to consider courses within the School of Architecture that are related to their interests, but may also choose courses from other programs within the university.Certificate in Landscape Architecture Studies
This program is intended to introduce at the graduate level the basic subjects inherent to the field of landscape architecture: plant materials suitable to urban conditions; urban utility and transportation systems in relation to topography, natural drainage and pathways; plant and wildlife communities; as well as inquiries about landscape infrastructure and ecology, and the history of human settlement in the evolution of urban landscapes. Southern California and Los Angeles provide an exceptionally valuable natural and sociocultural laboratory for landscape architecture studies.Course Requirements
Completion of the certificate program requires a minimum of 16 units. Students must take four core courses and select 5 units of electives from the approved list approved by the director of the graduate landscape architecture program.| Core Courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 531 | The Natural Landscape | 3 |
| ARCH 533 | Urban Landscape Case Studies | 2 |
| ARCH 537 | Urban Plant Ecology | 3 |
| ARCH 565 | Global History of Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| Electives, as approved by director | 5 | |
| Sample Electives | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 530 | Landscape Architecture Practice | 3 |
| ARCH 532 | Elements of the Urban Landscape | 2 |
| ARCH 534 | Landscape Intervention: Construction Methods | 3 |
| ARCH 535 | Landscape Reclaimation: Construction Materials | 3 |
| ARCH 536 | Landscape Planning Process | 4 |
| ARCH 538 | Urban Plant Ecology: California Plant Communities | 3 |
| ARCH 561 | Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Projects and Places | 2 |
| ARCH 563 | Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Comparative Theories | 2 |
| ARCH 566 | Cross-Cultural Topics in Landscape Architecture History | 3 |
Certificate in Urbanism and the Built Environment
The focus of this program is on the architecture and urban environment in cities throughout the world where conditions of increasing density require design initiatives that support amenity, sustainability and cultural meaning. The certificate is open to graduate students not pursuing a Master of Architecture degree.Course Requirements
Completion of the certificate program requires a minimum of 16 units. Students must take five core courses and select 4 units of electives from the list approved by the director of the graduate architecture program.| Core Courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 532 | Elements of the Urban Landscape | 2 |
| ARCH 533 | Urban Landscape Case Studies | 2 |
| ARCH 553 | History of American Architecture and Urbanism | 4 |
| ARCH 561 | Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Projects and Places | 2 |
| ARCH 563 | Architecture in the Urban Landscape: Comparative Theories | 2 |
| Electives as approved by the director | 4 | |
| Sample Electives | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 515 | Seminar: Advanced Environmental Systems | 4 |
| ARCH 536 | The Landscape Planning Process | 3 |
| ARCH 550 | Historic Preservation Management, Planning and Development | 4 |
| ARCH 553 | History of American Architecture and Urbanism | 4 |
| ARCH 611 | Advanced Building Systems Integration | 4 |