Graduate & Professional Degrees

Designers, architects, engineers and construction managers of the 21st century must be able to manage and harness the rapid pace of technological change. A highly interconnected world and complex projects require creative and technologically enabled solutions. In this program, technology is argued to be a catalyst for change, poised to reduce the industry's fragmentation, improve its efficiency and effectiveness, and increase productivity, resilience and sustainability. The program emphasis is on understanding the capabilities of available and developing technologies so that the appropriate tools, systems, equipment, and methods can be implemented for a particular architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) function, project or challenge.

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Advanced Design and Construction Technology is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Students can choose the option of completing a thesis and must include in their program 4 units of CE 594a and CE 594b.

CE 578 is a integrated capstone project course; students will benefit most from this course if it is taken near the end of the program.

For Admission Requirements, please refer to the Viterbi Graduate Degrees and Requirements section of this catalogue.

The Master of Science in Civil Engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. A student may receive the Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a special option by specializing in one of the following courses of study: construction engineering; structural engineering; and transportation engineering. Students can choose the option of completing a thesis must include in their program 4 units of CE 594a and CE 594b. Total units for the degree is 28.

A general Master of Science in Civil Engineering without special designation is also given. Students pursuing this program will choose between the following special options: general, earthquake engineering, structural mechanics, water resources or ocean and coastal engineering.

A student who wishes to pursue the Master of Science in Civil Engineering without special designation and who has an interest in public works may take a selected sequence of 12 units in the USC Price School of Public Policy. For further information, see the Public Administration Professional Sequence section in the USC Price School of Public Policy.

For admission requirements, refer to Viterbi Graduate Degrees and Requirements at USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Note: This program is not currently accepting new students.

Note: This program is not currently accepting new students.

The department does not accept applicants for a Master of Arts degree in classics. The MA degree is intended only as a transitional degree in the process of completing requirements for the PhD in classics.

Work toward the MA consists of six 4-unit courses (24 units) and a thesis and oral defense, or the MA comprehensive examination. Two of the core seminars (i.e. CLAS 540, CLAS 550, CLAS 560, CLAS 570) are required and five of the six courses must be taken in the Department of Classics. Under the guidance of a faculty committee, the student elects those courses appropriate to individual areas of special interest and previous academic preparation.

Application deadline: January 1

Course Requirements

All students must complete four of the following seven seminars: CLAS 540, CLAS 550, CLAS 560, CLAS 570 (on literature), CLAS 555, CLAS 575 (on history), CLAS 545 (on classical reception). Students are also required to take at least five additional 500-level CLAS seminars (may include any combination of the following: CLAS 510, CLAS 515, CLAS 520, CLAS 525, CLAS 540, CLAS 545, CLAS 550, CLAS 555, CLAS 560, CLAS 565, CLAS 570, CLAS 575 ), as well as three electives to be decided on in consultation with the graduate adviser. This arrangement is designed to assure competency in core areas of classical studies while allowing for the development of individual research interests and, where appropriate, course work in related fields. In addition, all students are required to enroll in the 2-unit teaching practicum (CLAS 593x) concurrent with their first semester as a department teaching assistant.

Exams

Students are expected to complete written exams in the translation of Greek and Latin literature; in Greek and Roman history; and modern language competency exams. In addition, students take written and oral exams in major and minor fields and an oral exam on the dissertation prospectus. The field exams, prospectus, and exam on the prospectus together constitute the qualifying exam and are evaluated by a five-member committee. Students may not present themselves for the qualifying exam until all required courses and preliminary exams have been completed successfully.

Dissertation

Following the completion of the qualifying exam, the guidance committee will be reduced to three members, including one member from outside the department, who will guide and approve the dissertation.

Juries

All students make formal presentations on their research before a jury drawn from internal and external faculty twice during their graduate careers — once before taking the field exams and once while working on the dissertation.

Timetable

Required course work, written and oral exams are to be completed by the end of the third year of enrollment in the program, with the dissertation to be submitted and defended by the end of the fifth year.

A Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Experimental and Therapeutics (CXPT) will be granted on the basis of completion of 28 total units. Students, choosing to complete a Master thesis, can earn at least 24 units through formal course work and complete 4 units from work on a thesis, based on the results of an original investigation. There is a non-thesis option, which entails completing all 28 units from formal course work. Students on the non-thesis track may choose to perform an independent study resulting in a comprehensive review paper on the topic selected in agreement with their adviser. Students should choose either thesis or non-thesis option by the end of the first year of study and prior to the beginning of the second year.

The core course work includes the following recommended courses: CXPT 609 (4 units), CXPT 610 (4 units), CXPT CXPT 664 (3 units; for non-clinically trained students) and one course chosen between PM 501 (4 units) and CXPT 501 (4 units). The remaining elective units will be completed from courses offered within the Alfred Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences or in related disciplines outside the department, approved by the CXPT Program Director. Students, choosing the master's thesis option, should register for CXPT 594a (2 units) and CXPT 594b (2 units) in the second year of the program. For students choosing the independent project on the non-thesis track, CXPT 590 (at least 2 units) can be used. At least 75 percent of the 28 units must be at 500 level or above. One course with maximum of 4 units at the 400 level may be applied toward the degree.

The goal of the PhD program in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics is to develop a scientist who is engaged in team science through interdisciplinary education; competent in conducting research across clinical and basic science disciplines; and integrates basic investigations and clinical observations in applied research to better understand disease process, advance drug development and evaluate efficacy and toxicity of therapeutic regimens with the goal of improving the safe, effective and economical use of therapeutic modalities by patients.

The program applies an interdisciplinary approach that focuses the graduate studies directly toward translational, rather than basic science, aiming to educate students with the perspective and skill set to identify important connections between fundamental biomedical research and human disease. This program emphasizes cross-training between clinical and basic sciences focusing on the investigation of disease processes, drug development and the efficacy and toxicity of therapeutic regimens. Course requirements and research opportunities for graduate students enrolled in the program provide both experimental (basic) and disease-focused experiences that complement the graduate's research focus.

Course Requirements

A minimum of 60 units is required. At least 26 of the 60 units are to be formal graduate course work at the 500- level or above, exclusive of seminars and directed research. Students must complete 14 units of course work before they are eligible for the screening procedure. Additional course work relevant to the research interests of the student may be required by the student's advisers or the student's qualifying exam committee, with an emphasis on cross-training and taking into account the amount and level of previous scientific preparation and the nature of the research dissertation that will be the major endpoint of the program. Specifically, recommended course work differs between students who have an advanced professional degree (Track I) and those who do not (Track II). A maximum of 12 units may be transferred from graduate studies elsewhere.

In the first year, all students (Tracks I and II) are recommended to take 14 units of course work in translational medicine (RSCI 530, 2 units), research design (CXPT 609, 4 units), biostatistics (PM 510, 4 units), and clinical trial design (MPTX 517, 4 units). In the second year, Track I students will take the remaining 12 units of course work as electives based on the background of the student and the proposed research focus of the student. Track II students who do not have an advanced professional degree are recommended to select from the following courses as part of their electives: systems physiology and disease (INTD 572 and INTD 573, 4 units each) or pathology (INTD 550, INTD 551, 4 units each). Other electives that can be chosen are INTD 531, INTD 561, PM 533, PM 538, PM 570 and PSCI 665.

The remaining 34 of the 60 units required for the PhD degree may be fulfilled with other courses including ethics, interdisciplinary seminar, directed research and dissertation. Note that to become eligible to take the qualifying exam, Track II students must fulfill the prescribed clinical experiences that match the disease-related topic of the student's thesis work as approved by the student's advisers and advisory committee. Students with a bachelor's degree in a health care subject area (e.g., nursing, pharmacy, medicine) will be evaluated on a case basis and may be required to meet the therapeutic course work or clinical experience component described above, as determined by their background and previous experiences.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no formal language requirement. However, an individual qualifying exam committee can require competency in a foreign language or a computer language if it is relevant for the student's area of research.

Qualifying Exam Committee

Upon admission, the student will be assigned to a member of the graduate faculty who will serve as his or her temporary adviser until a permanent adviser has been identified. The student's program of study will be under the direction of the qualifying exam committee composed of at least five members, one of whom must be from outside the department. Because of the centrality of research in the PhD program, the student is encouraged to get acquainted with the participating faculty mentors from the day they enter the program, and have selected a research direction, paired graduate advisers (clinical and basic scientists), and qualifying exam committee no later than the third semester of study. The graduate affairs committee will serve as the qualifying exam committee until one is selected.

Screening Procedure

The performance of each student will be evaluated no later than the end of the second semester of enrollment in the graduate program. This screening procedure is conducted by the student's qualifying exam committee or, if a student has not yet selected a qualifying exam committee, by the graduate affairs committee. The committee reviews the student's progress to date in various areas including course work, research interests, and laboratory performance on his or her research project or laboratory rotations. If a performance deficiency is determined, specific goals will be established that the student must fulfill to continue in the program. Passing this screening procedure is prerequisite to continuation in the PhD program.

Qualifying Examination

Students will be required to pass a comprehensive written and oral examination on the chosen disease-focused area of research emphasis. The examination will encompass basic scientific concepts relevant to the disease under study and the laboratory techniques in that discipline, fundamental principles of clinical research and design, biostatistics, and therapeutics in the chosen disease-focused area of research. The examination is administered by the qualifying exam committee and consists of two parts: a written examination administered to all students at the end of their second year of study and a detailed written proposal and its oral presentation and defense by the student to the qualifying exam committee. The examination process is conducted by the student's advisory committee with oversight by the graduate affairs committee. All course and qualifying examination requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy must be completed within two-and-a-half years after admission. After passing these examinations, the student is admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree.

Dissertation

A dissertation based on original investigation in a relevant scientific area is required for the PhD. The dissertation research must represent a significant contribution to science and should demonstrate the candidate's scholarly advancement and competence to undertake independent research. An oral defense of the dissertation will be held after the candidate submits the final draft of the dissertation to the dissertation committee. (See Theses and Dissertations in the Graduate School section.)

Student Teaching

Teaching experience is considered an integral part of the training of graduate students. As part of the general requirements for the PhD degree, each student is required to participate in the teaching program of the School of Pharmacy.