Courses of Instruction

College Academic Services Building 200
(213) 740-2961
(800) 872-2961
E-mail: Rromans@bfc.usc.edu

Director: Robin Romans, Ph.D.

Thematic Option, the university's general education honors program, is an alternative to the usual ways in which freshmen meet their general education requirements. Its curriculum is arranged around four core courses which focus on the history of Western civilization through the close reading of primary literature and philosophical texts. The program is designed to teach its students to formulate ethical questions, to analyze and understand the reasoning behind views that differ from their own, to recognize the roles that historical, political, and social forces play in matters of personal choice, and to express their views coherently in writing. Thematic Option offerings can be arranged to fit any major; students meet their general education requirements through the Thematic Option program by contract between the program and the Degree Progress Department in Student Administrative Services.

To maintain small classes and allow for extensive discussion, Thematic Option is limited to 180-200 students each year. Students must be highly motivated, with a record of academic achievement; the average

Thematic Option student has cumulative SATs above 1400 and an A- high school GPA. The program is rigorous and requires extensive reading and writing.

Course Requirements

Four required core courses are taken by all students. These courses, which fulfill a portion of the general education requirements, are CORE 102 Quality of Life: Culture and Values; 104 Change and the Future; 101 Symbols and Conceptual Systems; and 103 The Process of Change in Science. Most students seeking a B.A. degree will take CORE 102 and 104 during their first semester of study and CORE 101 and 103 during their second semester. The sequence differs somewhat for students seeking a B.S. degree or other degrees in the professional schools.

The core curriculum also includes eight units of writing required of all students. These units satisfy the general education composition requirements. The classes, which are accompanied by individual, bi-weekly tutorials, are offered in small sections and focus on materials taught in the core courses.

The core curriculum is supplemented by two theme courses - one in the natural sciences and the other in either the humanities or the social sciences - chosen in consultation with an advisor.

All students in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences must meet the foreign language skill level requirement. All other students must meet skill level requirements for their respective degrees.

Thematic Option is available to students of all majors. Students subsequently dropping the program may have any completed core courses articulated into appropriate categories of the university's regular general education program. Specific information about which of the various general education categories can be satisfied by Thematic Option core courses is available in the Thematic Option office.

Thematic Option CORE courses and writing classes are not available for pass/no pass registration.

Descriptions of the Thematic Option CORE courses follow. Information about theme courses for Thematic Option and other program offerings can be obtained from advisors in the Thematic Option Program office.

All Thematic Option students are required to seek regular academic advisement from the program advisement staff and from their major advisors.

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