The USC Catalogue is the document of authority for all students. The degree requirements listed in the USC Catalogue supersede any information which may be contained in any bulletin of any school or department. The university reserves the right to change its policies, rules, regulations and course offerings at any time.
The bulletins published by the schools provide program descriptions and information about other topics of interest to the prospective student. Bulletins may be obtained by calling the individual schools.
UThe General Education Addendum to the SC Catalogue describes the general education program at USC for the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and most of the professional schools. Students may obtain a copy at the Topping Student Center. Transferring to USC describes general education patterns and is available in the Admission Office for prospective transfer students.
The Schedule of Classes lists the courses offered during any given term and provides detailed information on registration procedures. The schedule is distributed during the registration period of each session. Students may obtain the schedule at the Topping Student Center or the Office of Academic Records and Registrar.
Students are urged to become familiar with this university publication. In addition to its function as a general guidebook, it outlines the principles, rules and procedures for student conduct and defines rights and responsibilities. SCampus may be obtained at the Topping Student Center.
All entering students are expected to participate in new student orientation as part of their introduction to USC. The USC orientation program is highly rated by those who have participated and serves as an excellent introduction to the exciting array of opportunities for academic and extra-curricular involvement at USC. New undergraduates and those graduate students with no prior enrollment in an American college or university are assessed a mandatory orientation fee payable their first semester of enrollment along with tuition charges and other fees. All other new graduate students also pay a modest mandatory orientation fee in their first semester of enrollment.
The Office of Orientation Programs offers many new student orientation session dates to meet the needs of incoming students. A program brochure and an application for choosing an orientation session are mailed to newly admitted students. Each orientation features a general introduction to USC, placement testing, academic advisement, registration for classes, a parent program (for parents of undergraduates) and a packet of informative materials.
On-campus programs for undergraduates are offered during January, June, July, August and December. Out-of-state programs are offered on the East Coast, in the Midwest and in Hawaii during May. An abbreviated orientation session is offered in late August for those unable to attend an earlier session. An additional charge to cover meals, refreshments and overnight housing will apply when the orientation program selected includes meals and/or an overnight stay. Scholarships to defray these costs are available to students with demonstrated financial need.
International student orientation, sponsored by the Office of International Students and Scholars, is offered two weeks prior to the fall semester and again prior to spring semester.
For graduate students, orientation programs are offered by the Office of Orientation Programs as well as the academic departments and professional schools. Orientation programs also are available for graduate assistants.
The university as an instrument of learning is predicated on the existence of an environment of integrity. As members of the academic community, faculty, students and administrative officials share the responsibility for maintaining this environment. Faculty have the primary responsibility for establishing and maintaining an atmosphere and attitude of academic integrity such that the enterprise may flourish in an open and honest way. Students share this responsibility for maintaining standards of academic performance and classroom behavior conducive to the learning process. Administrative officials are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of procedures to support and enforce those academic standards. Thus, the entire university community bears the responsibility for maintaining an environment of integrity and for taking action to sanction appropriately individuals involved in any violation. Where there is a clear indication that such individuals are unwilling or unable to support these standards, they should not be allowed to remain in the university.
Specific guidelines governing academic integrity are described in SCampus.
USC recognizes and acts in full compliance with regulations set in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (the Buckley Amendment). Students may have access to all records about them maintained by the university except those considered confidential under the act. Students wishing to review records or to appeal for a change in those records should contact the vice president for student affairs. A small charge may be made to cover the time and costs of duplication of the record.
At the discretion of university officials, USC will release certain information classified as directory information unless a student indicates that such information should not be released. Directory information is classified as name, address, telephone number and dates of enrollment. Requests to withhold this information should be made in writing to: Vice President for Student Affairs, Room 201, Student Union Building, USC, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-4891. Students who wish to have their names and addresses withheld only from the printed USC Student Directory should contact University Publications, Student Union Building, Room 400, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0894.
The University of Southern California is committed to full compliance with the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As part of the implementation of this law, the university will continue to provide reasonable accommodation for academically qualified students with disabilities so that they can participate fully in the university's educational programs and activities. Although USC is not required by law to change the "fundamental nature or essential curricular components of its programs in order to accommodate the needs of disabled students," the university will provide reasonable academic accommodation. It is the specific responsibility of the university administration and all faculty serving in a teaching capacity to ensure the university's compliance with this policy. The university committee with responsibility for oversight and review of this policy is the Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures (CAPP).
The general definition of a student with a disability is any person who has "a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's activities," and any person who has "a history of, or is regarded as having, such an impairment." Reasonable academic and physical accommodations include but are not limited to: extended time on examinations; substitution of similar or related work for a nonfundamental program requirement; time extensions on papers or projects; special testing procedures; advance notice regarding booklists for visually impaired and some learning disabled students; use of academic aides in the classroom such as notetakers and sign language interpreters; early advisement and assistance with registration; accessibility for students who use wheelchairs and those with mobility impairments; and need for special classroom furniture or special equipment in the classroom.
Students seeking academic accommodations due to a physical or learning disability should make the request to the course instructor prior to or during the first week of class attendance or as early in the semester as possible. Course instructors should require that a student present verification of documentation of a physical disability from the Office for Students with Disabilities or of a learning disability from the Department of Learning Services if academic accommodations are requested. The Law Center has a unit specific policy for handling requests for academic accommodations. Refer to the Law Center Student Handbook.
For assistance in how to provide reasonable accommodations for a particular disability, course instructors are encouraged to consult with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) or the Department of Learning Services (DLS) for learning disabilities. Students requesting academic accommodations who do not have OSD or DLS documentation should be referred to those offices.
Detailed information about processing a grievance is found in the Student Discrimination Grievance Procedure section of SCampus, a guidebook for USC students.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995