Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students

Catalogue Regulations, Policies and Procedures

In addition to degree requirements outlined below, undergraduate and graduate students are also subject to current catalogue regulations, policies and procedures. Examples include, but are not limited to, the policy on the grade of incomplete, graduation with honors and continuous enrollment for graduate students. Unlike degree requirements, changes in regulations, policies and procedures are immediate and supersede those in any prior catalogue.

Graduation Date

A student will be awarded the graduation date for the term in which degree requirements, including submission of supporting documents, have been met. Although course work may have been completed in a prior term, the degree will be awarded only for the term for which the student files for a degree check and academically and administratively fulfills all requirements. Degrees are not awarded retroactively. The university will not deviate from this policy.

Discontinued Degree Programs

Students pursuing degree programs which the university discontinues will be allowed to complete the degree within a specified time limit. The time limit will be specified at the point of discontinuance of the program and begins at that point. It is determined according to the student's progress toward degree completion and will not exceed five years for any student.

Undergraduate Students

Degree Requirements

Undergraduate degree requirements consist of grade point averages, unit requirements, residency requirements, general education requirements, the diversity requirement, pre-major and major requirements, and minor requirements. Undergraduate students may elect to follow (a) the degree requirements in the catalogue current when they first enroll at USC or (b) degree requirements in subsequent catalogues. However, with the exception of the policy noted in the following paragraph, undergraduate students may not mix catalogues.

Undergraduate transfer students who enrolled at another institution within five years prior to their enrollment at USC have the option to follow (a) the USC general education requirements in effect at the time they began college elsewhere or (b) any subsequent USC general education requirements. Students who started college more than five years prior to their first enrollment at USC may choose to follow the general education requirements in effect for any year up to five years prior to their transfer. However, undergraduate transfer students must follow all other degree requirements in the catalogue current when they first enroll at USC or in subsequent catalogues.

While there are no specific time limits for completing bachelor's degrees, over the years many departments change their major requirements in accordance with developments in the field and department. Occasionally, general education requirements are changed or a degree program is discontinued.

Therefore, undergraduate students who do not complete their degrees within six consecutive years from the beginning of the semester of their first completed USC course work will not be allowed automatically to continue following their pre-major, major and minor requirements as specified above. (This time limit includes semesters during which students are not enrolled.) The pertinent department chair will decide what pre-major, major and minor requirements each student must follow and communicate the decision to the student in writing.

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.) The General Education Office will decide what general education requirements each student must follow and communicate the decision to the student in writing.

An appeal of a department's decision may be made to the dean of the appropriate academic unit or the Provost's Office for academic units without departments. An appeal of a general education decision may be made to the Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures (CAPP).

Grade Point Average Requirement

A grade point average of at least C (2.0) on all baccalaureate units attempted at USC, as well as on the combined USC-transfer GPA, is required for undergraduate degrees. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all attempted upper division courses in the major is also required. The university will not deviate from policies governing the calculation of the grade point average through inclusion or exclusion of course work.

Unit Requirement

Students are required to take a minimum of 128 baccalaureate units at the undergraduate level (of which not more than four units may be physical education units). Of the 128 unit minimum at least 32 units must be upper division course work. Students must also complete at least one-half of upper division course work in the major at USC. The university will not deviate from the minimum unit requirements stated above or the additional unit-specific requirements. Some disciplines require more than the minimum requirements. Check individual department listings for specific requirements.

Unit credit indicates the number of semester units earned in the course; these units may or may not be applicable to the degree. Degree credit indicates the units are applicable to the degree.

Pass/No Pass Graded Work

A maximum of 24 units of undergraduate course work taken on a pass/no pass basis may be used toward an undergraduate degree and a maximum of 12 of these 24 units may be applied to the general education requirements. Use of pass/no pass course work to fulfill major requirements must be approved in writing by the academic department. Individual academic departments may have placed further restrictions on whether a course taken on a pass/no pass basis can be used to fulfill specific requirements.

General Education Requirements

Specific general education requirements are included with the information on each degree objective and major. See the General education requirements for students in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Common to most programs is the composition skill level requirement, which requires that students demonstrate their ability to write acceptable college-level expository prose. Details of meeting this requirement are explained in the General Education section.

Diversity Requirement

The diversity requirement must be met by all students who began college at USC or elsewhere fall 1993 or later. It can be met by passing any one course carrying the designation "m" for multiculturalism. The list of courses and further details about meeting the standard diversity requirement are found in the Diversity Requirement section.

Upper Division Major Course Work

The university requires that all undergraduate students successfully complete at USC at least one-half of the upper division courses that are applied to their major.

Minor Programs

Application for a minor must be made to the department or professional school and an appropriate endorsement must appear on a Change/Addition of Major or Minor Degree Objectives form.

The following guidelines apply to minor programs:

(1) Minor programs are available to students matriculated in an undergraduate degree program and must be completed simultaneously with the major degree program.

(2) Minors constituted of course work from a single department may not be earned by students majoring in that department.

(3) Minors requiring not more than half of their upper-division course work in a single department may be earned by majors in any department provided that at least 12 upper-division units are taken outside the student's major department.

(4) No more than two upper-division courses may overlap required course work counted toward fulfillment of the student's major.

(5) A minimum of 50 percent of all upper-division course work required for the minor must be taken at USC.

(6) No course work required for the minor may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

(7) A minimum 2.0 GPA must be achieved in all courses required for the minor. A higher minimum may be required by the sponsoring department or unit.

(8) Course work may count for both general education and for the minor, as long as no more than two courses from one department are counted for general education credit.

(9) Students whose major degree programs do not include a language requirement need not satisfy that requirement to earn a minor from the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences or a professional school that has a language requirement unless the minor specifically requires the language.

(10) Completion of the minor program will be recorded on the transcript.

Departmental Honors Programs

The following departments have received approval from the University Undergraduate Studies Committee for their majors to graduate with departmental honors:

Anthropology; Biological Sciences (Marine Biology and Ecology), Biological Sciences (Molecular Biology and Biochemistry), Biological Sciences (Neurobiology and Physiology); Broadcast Journalism; Business Administration; Chemistry (B.A. and B.S.); Classical Civilization; Classics; Communication; Comparative Literature; English; Greek; History; International Relations; Latin; Linguistics; Mathematics (B.A. and B.S.); Philosophy, Philosophy (Ethics, Law and Value Theory), Philosophy (History of Philosophy), Philosophy (Philosophy of Science); Political Science; Print Journalism; Psychobiology; Psychology; Public Policy and Management; Public Relations; and Religion.

Departmental honors are noted on academic transcripts but not on the diploma.

Graduation with University Honors

The minimum number of units applicable to the degree completed at USC required to qualify for undergraduate honors is 48. The university will not deviate from this minimum unit requirement. To be eligible for undergraduate honors at graduation, a minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 for cum laude, 3.7 for magna cum laude and 3.9 for summa cum laude is required. Students must meet these averages, both on residence work attempted and on combined transferred and residence work attempted. The honors award is then determined by either the GPA for the residence work or the GPA for the combined transferred and residence work, whichever is lower. The university will not deviate from policies governing the calculation of the grade point averages required for graduation with honors through inclusion or exclusion of course work. University honors are noted on academic transcripts and the diploma.

Undergraduate Credit for a Graduate Course

In some cases, an undergraduate student may receive special permission from the academic unit offering a course to enroll in and receive undergraduate credit for a graduate course (numbered 500 and above). Such permission will not be granted unless the student has reached junior class standing (64 units earned) with an overall GPA of 3.0 or a 3.0 GPA in all courses attempted in that discipline.

Written permission from the academic unit offering the course must be countersigned by a counselor in the Degree Progress Department and presented to the Registration Department at the time of registration.

Students not meeting this standard may petition to count graduate course work for undergraduate credit. These petitions should be initiated in the student's academic unit prior to attempting to enroll in the course. Such a petition requires recommendation by the instructor of the course, the chair of the student's major department, the dean of the academic unit in which the student is seeking a degree and the appropriate graduate governing body under which the course falls. In no case will a student be allowed to enroll in and receive credit for a graduate course if the student's cumulative USC GPA is below 2.0.

Graduate Credit for 400 and 500 Level Work Taken as an Undergraduate

An undergraduate student who is within 12 semester units of the bachelor's degree and has a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 may request to enroll in and reserve for graduate credit a limited amount of work at the 400 and 500 levels during the last semester as a senior, provided that the semester program does not exceed 16 semester units. The request form obtained at the Graduate School should be submitted to the Degree Progress Department and should bear the endorsements of the chair of the student's major department and of the department in which the reserved work is to be taken. The Degree Progress Department verifies that the units being reserved are not needed to fulfill requirements for the bachelor's degree. The student must present a copy of the final action to the Registration Department at the time of enrollment.

Graduate Students

Degree Requirements

All graduate students must meet both university degree requirements and those degree requirements specific to their program of study to receive an advanced degree. University degree requirements consist of grade point averages, unit, residency and time limit requirements. Degree requirements specific to a student's program of study consist of course, examination and research requirements. University degree requirements and degree requirements specific to the program of study are collectively defined as degree requirements. Graduate students may elect to follow (a) the degree requirements in the catalogue current for the semester of their admission to the degree program or (b) degree requirements in subsequent catalogues as long as they are continuously enrolled. However, they may not mix catalogues. Graduate students who discontinue their enrollment without a leave of absence approved by the dean of the pertinent academic unit will be subject to the degree requirements in effect for the semester of their readmission to the program. Students requesting exceptions should petition the dean of that unit.

Graduate Credit Certificate Programs

Graduate credit certificate programs must be approved by the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee and meet the following requirements: (1) a minimum of 12 units is required; the maximum number of units may vary; (2) for certificate programs of 16 units or less, no more than one-third of the total units for the program may be at the 400 level; (3) for completion, a minimum cumulative USC grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved on all course work applied to the certificate; (4) for certificate programs of 16 units or less, all course work must be earned at USC; for programs of more than 16 units, not more than 25 percent of the course work may be transfer credit.

Time Limit for Degree Completion

Students must maintain satisfactory progress toward their stated degree objective at all times. Progress is measured from the beginning of the first course at USC applied toward a specified degree, and all requirements for that degree must be completed within a specified time. The maximum time limit allowed for each degree is considerably greater than what is needed to complete all requirements. Departments may set more stringent time limits than those specified in this section.

The time limit for completing the master's degree is five years. The time limit for completing the doctoral degree is eight years. For students who earned an applicable master's degree within five years prior to admission to the doctoral program, the time limit for completing the doctoral degree is six years. An academic department may grant an extension of up to one year at a time for a maximum of two years.

The Dean of Graduate Studies will be notified of these extensions. In unusual cases, a student's committee and the department chair may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies for further extensions.

Students who have exceeded the time limit for completing their degree program will not be permitted any further registrations. If granted an extension of time, the dean of the degree-conferring unit will permit registration for the specified period of extension. Approved leaves of absence (up to a total of two years or four semesters) are not counted in the time allowed for completion of degree requirements.

The time limits apply unless otherwise designated by the faculty and previously approved by the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee for a particular degree program.

Dual Degree Programs

Dual degree programs offer graduate students the opportunity to complete concurrently requirements for two degrees. Students enrolled in dual degree programs must complete all requirements for the dual degree program and then will be awarded both diplomas at the same time. The academic units which offer these programs frequently adjust the requirements for each degree to take into account the correlations between required course work. Students who have completed all the requirements for one of the degree programs and who decide to withdraw from the dual degree program may receive the appropriate single diploma. Students who have withdrawn from the dual degree program to receive the appropriate single diploma and later decide to complete the second degree must apply for admission, be admitted and then fulfill all requirements for the second degree. Detailed information regarding dual degree programs is listed in the appropriate school section.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in a course to receive graduate credit. Work graded C- or below is not acceptable for subject or unit credit toward any master's or doctoral program. A grade point average of at least 3.0 on all units attempted at USC toward a graduate degree is required for graduation. In addition, a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all graduate work attempted at USC, whether or not all such units are applied toward the degree, is required. In some cases, the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee has approved different GPA requirements for professional schools. The university will not deviate from policies governing the calculation of the grade point average through inclusion or exclusion of course work.

Unit Requirement

The minimum number of units required for a master's degree is 24, at least 20 of which must be completed at USC. The minimum number of units for a doctoral degree is 60, at least 24 of which (exclusive of Doctoral Dissertation 794) must be completed at USC. In addition, at least one-half of the total number of units applied toward a graduate degree must be completed at USC. The minimum number of units for a doctoral degree with Advanced Standing upon entrance is 36. No exceptions are allowed.

A department or school which has a graduate program approved by the university requiring a higher minimum may not waive that requirement. The unit requirement for a dual degree program is established at the time the program is approved by the university and may not be waived.

Regardless of the number of units required for a graduate degree, at least two-thirds of the units applied toward the degree (including transfer work and not including 594 or 794) must be at the 500 level or higher. Students with Advanced Standing in doctoral programs may not apply additional 400-level course work toward that degree. Individual exceptions will not be allowed. Some degree programs, where designated by the faculty and approved by the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee, permit a higher maximum number of 400-level units.

Unit credit indicates the number of semester units earned in the course; these units may or may not be applicable to the degree. Degree credit indicates the units are applicable to the degree.

Residence Requirements

A minimum of 20 graduate units at USC is required for the master's degree; 24 units for the doctoral degree.

Residency for a graduate degree program at USC is a period of intensive study completed on the University Park Campus, the Health Sciences Campus and/or at one of the approved off-campus study centers. Each degree-conferring unit may establish a school residency policy. School residency requirements as presented in the USC Catalogue are approved by the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee and are to be interpreted consistent with university policies on continuous enrollment, leaves of absence, transfer of credit and time limits for completion of graduate degrees. Individual exceptions must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Pass/No Pass Graded Work

Graduate students may elect to enroll in courses on a pass/no pass basis with department approval. Course work taken on a pass/no pass basis cannot be applied toward a graduate degree. If a student later requires the course for a degree program (because of a change in degree objective or a decision to obtain an additional degree), the degree-granting unit can decide to allow subject credit for the course and require a substitute course for the unit credit. Individual departments may have placed further restrictions on whether a course taken on a pass/no pass basis can be used to fulfill specific requirements.

All students should consult their academic advisors before enrolling in any course on a pass/no pass basis.

Waiver and Substitution of Course Requirements

Students admitted to graduate degree objectives are expected to complete the degree requirements listed in the USC Catalogue. A maximum of one-half of the stated degree course requirements (exclusive of 594 Master's Thesis and 794 Doctoral Dissertation) may be approved for waiver or substitution by other USC course work, directed research, or transfer course work. Waiver or substitution of course requirements does not reduce the minimum number of units required for the degree. Departments establishing a lower maximum may waive their own policy by approval of the dean of the degree-conferring unit. Approval from the department chair for substitution or waiver of course requirements within the established maxima is recorded in the student exception process by the academic department. Approval in excess of the maxima requires, in addition, the permission of the dean of the degree-conferring unit.

Second Master's Degree

A "second master's degree" is any master's degree pursued after a first master's degree is earned at USC or another university. The maximum number of units which may be applied toward the second master's degree for course work taken from the first master's degree is: four units toward degree programs requiring 24-32 units; eight units toward programs requiring 33-40 units; 12 units toward programs requiring 41 or more units. Second master's degrees are not allowed in the same program of study for students who earned their first master's degree at USC. For students who earned their first master's degree at another institution, no course work may be repeated from the first program of study and no units from the first program of study may be counted toward the second master's degree. Program exceptions require approval of the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee and are listed in the departmental sections of this catalogue. No individual exceptions are allowed.

Full-time Study

To be considered full time, a graduate student must be enrolled in a minimum of eight units of 500-level or 12 units of 400- and 500-level course work. In order to make normal progress toward the conclusion of course work for a graduate degree, most students will be enrolled for 12 units; 16 units will constitute a maximum load. Students wishing to carry more than 16 units must have the prior permission of the degree-conferring unit; such permission will be granted only in exceptional circumstances.

A student who has completed all course work for the master's degree will be considered full time when properly enrolled in either 594 Master's Thesis or GRSC 810 Studies for Master's Examination.

A student who has completed all course work for the doctoral degree (except dissertation registrations) will be considered full time during the semester in which the doctoral qualifying examination is being prepared for, provided the Request to Take the Qualifying Examination has been submitted and approved for that semester and the student is enrolled in the course GRSC 800 Studies for Qualifying Examination. Doctoral students who have been advanced to candidacy, that is, who have completed all course work and have passed the qualifying examination, will be considered full time when properly enrolled in 794 Doctoral Dissertation.

International students on student visas must be enrolled as full-time students as determined by the Office for International Students and Scholars and the department advisor. Such students are not eligible to be considered students without formal registration and are in violation of immigration laws when not properly enrolled. Any international student having questions about his or her registration should consult the Office for International Students and Scholars.

Continuous Enrollment

Students are considered to be pursuing advanced degrees only when they are formally enrolled. Students admitted to a graduate degree objective are required to be enrolled at USC for fall and spring semesters each year until all degree requirements have been satisfactorily completed within the time limit. Graduate students who fail to register are no longer considered to be enrolled in a graduate degree program. After an unauthorized absence, formal readmission is required. Students who have been granted a leave of absence do not need to apply for readmission following the approved leave. Where appropriate to the design of a given academic program, the faculty of the program may obtain the permission of the Graduate and Professional Studies Committee for a different definition of continuous enrollment.

A master's candidate who is writing a thesis and has completed all course work for the degree must enroll each fall and spring semester in the appropriate thesis registration until the thesis has been approved. A doctoral candidate who has passed the qualifying examination must enroll each fall and spring semester in 794 Doctoral Dissertation until the dissertation has been approved.

Exceptions to continuous enrollment are subject to policies governing leaves of absence and readmission.

Leave of Absence

Interruptions of enrollment can cause problems in the continuity of course work within a student's graduate program and, therefore, leaves of absence are generally discouraged.

A student in good standing and making satisfactory progress toward a degree who must interrupt studies for compelling reasons (e.g., approved study abroad, sustained ill health) may petition for a leave for a stated period, usually not to exceed one year. Students who find it necessary to be excused from registration must request a leave of absence by the last day to drop or add courses. A leave must be approved by the dean of the degree-conferring unit. During the period of leave a student is not entitled to assistance from the faculty or use of university facilities. If granted, the leave is recorded on the student's transcript and the period of leave is not counted in the time allowed for the completion of degree requirements. Within the degree time limit a maximum of four semesters may be allowed for leaves of absence. A student who does not return to enrolled status at the end of an approved period of leave is no longer considered to be pursuing an advanced degree. Students who fail to apply for a leave of absence or for whom a leave has been denied (or has expired) are subject to policies governing continuous enrollment and readmission.

Readmission

A student who leaves the university without obtaining a formal leave of absence from graduate study is not automatically readmitted. A student wishing to apply for readmission to a graduate degree program must submit an Application for Readmission to the Graduate School by the first day of classes for the term in which resumption of graduate studies is sought. The recommendation of the department and the approval of the dean of the degree-conferring unit, based on the academic merits of the student's request, are required. If readmitted, the student will be subject to all of the current requirements for the degree in effect at the time of readmission. Individual exceptions require the approval of the dean of the degree-conferring unit.

Comprehensive and Qualifying Examinations

In graduate degree programs that require a comprehensive examination and for all doctoral qualifying examinations, a student who fails the examination may be permitted, at the discretion of the faculty, to take it a second time. For time limits on retaking the examinations, consult the individual school's policy.

Requests for exception must be approved by the department chair.

A student may not take the comprehensive or qualifying examination more than twice and must be appropriately enrolled at USC during the semester in which any such examination is taken or retaken. A student who fails the comprehensive or qualifying examination a second time may not continue in the degree program after the end of the semester in which the second examination was taken. No exceptions are allowed.

Theses and Dissertations

Master's Thesis Committee

A master's thesis committee shall be composed of a minimum of three members of the tenure-track faculty, at least two of whom must be from the student's home department. Individual exceptions must be approved by the dean of the degree-conferring unit. The final acceptance of the thesis requires the unanimous approval of all members of the committee. No exceptions are allowed.

Format for Theses and Dissertations

A thesis or dissertation represents the individual candidate's research and writing. In fields where collaborative research has become the norm, the candidate is the sole author and specifies his or her contribution to the research and also delineates colleagues' contributions.

Dissertations are expected to be written in English. Exceptions require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies prior to beginning the work and will be granted only when there is strong scholarly justification.

All theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of requirements for graduate degrees at USC must conform to certain university regulations with regard to format and method of preparation. These requirements are explained in detail in Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations, available from the Graduate School, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315.

Candidates should not proceed with the final typing of their theses or dissertations before familiarizing themselves with the contents of the regulations booklet. Papers submitted to the university which do not conform to the regulations will be returned to the candidate for correction.

The candidate and his or her guidance committee should choose a style manual and format appropriate for the subject of the thesis or dissertation. USC does not impose a standard format or style, preferring instead to allow maximum flexibility in the presentation of subject matter. However, all manuscripts must be prepared in accordance with an accepted style guide. Candidates who feel that their papers require variations from USC regulations or from the style guide they are using are advised to contact the thesis editor at the Graduate School before final typing.

Submission of Dissertation

The final typed dissertation must be accepted by the Graduate School within a period of not more than six months after the student's committee has signed the Approval of Dissertation for Final Typing. Late submission of the document will require certification by the committee chair and will be subject to a $100.00 late fee for each six months thereafter.

Dissertation Signature Page

A signature page, to be bound with the dissertation, must be signed by each member of the dissertation committee, submitted to the degree-conferring unit for the date and the signature of the dean of the degree-conferring unit, and then presented with the final typed dissertation and triple card to the thesis editor.

Acceptance by the University

All theses and dissertations, in final typed form, must be accepted by the university. All documents must have been approved by the candidate's committee before submission to the university.

A minimum of five working days is required by the thesis editor to review a thesis or dissertation. In considering deadlines, candidates should allow themselves adequate time to make any corrections which may be required before final acceptance. Any corrections indicated must be made and approved by the thesis editor before a thesis or dissertation will be accepted.

Copies Required

The university requires two copies of each thesis or dissertation. One copy is submitted to University Microfilms International and one copy is retained by the university for cataloging and binding by Doheny Library. Both copies must be on 20 pound white paper and must observe margin specifications outlined in Regulations for Format and Presentation of Theses and Dissertations. This original is processed for microfilming and binding, after which it is placed in the University Library. Candidates should check with their committees to determine the requirements for any additional copies. The university does not provide these copies.

Publication and Microfilming

All theses and dissertations submitted and approved are microfilmed and each candidate must sign a form, available from the thesis editor, authorizing microfilming of the document. The dissertation is publicized by means of the printed abstract which appears in Dissertation Abstracts International, circulated internationally. Theses are also publicized by means of a printed abstract which appears in Master's Abstracts International. Two copies of each master's or doctoral abstract are required and should be submitted to the thesis editor.

Thesis/Dissertation Fees

All master's and doctoral candidates must pay a fee as part of the final requirements for the degree. The doctoral candidate's fee of $113 includes microfilming and binding the dissertation and publication of the dissertation abstract. Master's candidates pay a fee of $50 for microfilming and binding the thesis and publication of the abstract.

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