Graduate & Professional Degrees

The focus of the MS, Environmental Risk Analysis degree is on advanced training for students with an existing science background. Students will enter the MS program with a BS degree in a core natural science field or in engineering, environmental science and certain fields of geography. Students take a core curriculum in science, engineering and finance, which is supplemented by important tools courses in risk assessment, statistics and computer modeling. Students learn about the basics of environmental science in a two-semester combination of courses and seminars (ENST 501, ENST 502, ENST 503, ENST 504). An advanced environmental science seminar (ENST 505a, ENST 505b) is offered in a two-semester sequence and ties together science, technology and finance with risk assessment and policy. The first semester of the course is devoted to analyzing case studies taken from business, industry and government. During the second semester students work on a project that employs the tools they have acquired in linking science, policy, technology and finance.

A master's thesis is not required for the MS degree. The MS degree in environmental risk analysis will give students the quantitative skills needed to understand and assess environmental risks and to use that information in business, industry, government and society.

Required Courses

A minimum of 48 units is required.

The MA in Environmental Studies program's mission is to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on environmental issues and problem solving. Students have access to faculty expertise in the natural sciences, engineering, social and behavioral sciences, business and economics. The program is designed to provide advanced training and skills important for professionals in the environmental science and policy fields.

This online graduate certificate in Epidemiology provides training in key concepts and skills in epidemiology. This training is aimed at working professionals coming from a variety of backgrounds who wish to advance their knowledge and skills in epidemiology, such as public health administrators, physicians, nurses, clinical research professionals, health educators and policy analysts, among others. It is also an excellent starting point for those interested in public health. Participants will be introduced to key concepts and skills in epidemiology, how to investigate the epidemiology of a specific disease or other health-related phenomenon, how to critically evaluate population-based research studies designed to test health-related hypotheses, with advanced training in both infectious and chronic disease epidemiology. Courses are taken online through the Keck School of Medicine for a total of 12 units. The program can be completed in as few as three semesters or over the course of three years.

Applicants for the certificate must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program and provide transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended (if applicable), a resume and a statement of purpose. The GRE is not required. 

This certificate program can serve as a possible "stepping stone" toward the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program. Up to 12 units may be applied toward both the certificate and the core or electives in the MPH. Note that students must apply and be admitted to the MPH program and must earn a grade of "B" or better in a course to be eligible to transfer that course toward the degree program. Completion of the certificate does not automatically guarantee admission to the MPH program. Also note that students enrolled in the Biostatistics and Epidemiology concentration of the MPH program are not eligible.

The certificate in Epidemiology is also open to students who are currently enrolled in another graduate program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA. These students only need to submit the appropriate paperwork, which may be obtained from the student services adviser, and pay associated tuition costs for adding the certificate program.

The department offers a degree leading to the PhD in epidemiology. This program may be an extension of the applied biostatistics and epidemiology MS program and is especially aimed at persons with a strong background in medicine: in particular, students enrolled in the MD program of the Keck School of Medicine who wish to interrupt their MD studies after two years to complete a PhD degree. This program is designed to produce an epidemiologist with in-depth statistical skills. The program requires a solid core of courses in methodological aspects of statistics and in statistical thinking as applied to medicine, as well as a solid grounding in epidemiological methods and in certain medical disciplines.

Summary of course requirements: 

Fourteen units of core course work are required in year 1 as preparation for the screening exam (assuming students have completed PM 510L and PM 512 or comparable classes from MS training). Additional units of track-specific course work are required in year 2 or after. A total of 60 units are required for completion, which may be fulfilled by any approved electives, plus dissertation research units. After passing the screening exam, all students must enroll in at least two semesters of PM 610: Graduate Seminar in Biostatistics. The first semester of PM 610 is typically taken before the Qualifying Examination and the second semester of PM 610 before the final dissertation defense.

Special Requirements: By the end of the first semester, the student should have selected a faculty mentor who will verify the student's readiness for the screening exam (e.g., have passed the first semester's core courses and be registered for the second semester's courses or have equivalent prior training) and must sign the application for the screening exam. The mentor will also work with the student to identify a suitable dissertation chair and explore possible topics. Identification of the dissertation chair and formation of the student's Qualifying Exam Committee is expected to be done by the end of the second year.  

Executive Committee: The Epidemiology Executive Education Committee will review mentors, as well as approve changes in the curriculum and qualifying exam. They will also ensure that required courses are taught, will make decisions on which electives are continued, added, or removed, and will work with the course organizers to collect and summarize course evaluations. Members of the Epidemiology Executive Education Committee are represented on the Preventive Medicine Education Committee, chaired by the Vice Chair for Education (currently Dr. Richard Watanabe), which is charged with establishing general department-wide policies.

Admissions Committee: The majority of applications first come directly to the department and are reviewed by the Epidemiology Admissions Committee. Candidates recommended for admissions and funding are then presented to the KSOM PhD Programs Committee for approval. Direct admissions to the individual faculty member's research team are handled in the same way, must meet the same standards and be approved by the Epidemiology Admissions Committee. PIBBS students may elect to join the Epidemiology PhD program, provided they have done at least one rotation with an epidemiology faculty member who agrees to support that student and the students acceptance is approved by the Chair of the Epidemiology Admissions Committee.

Course Guidance or Advising Committee: The student will decide along with the student's mentor and dissertation committee chair which, if any, additional course work will be undertaken.

Qualifying Examination Committee: The student, in consultation with the student's mentor, will nominate five faculty members to serve on the Qualifying Examination Committee. Three of the faculty must be from the Epidemiology Program and one from another department (the "External Member"). The Committee should reflect a diversity of expertise and typically will include one member from a different division of the Department of Preventive Medicine (e.g., one with subject-matter expertise in the proposed application portion of the dissertation). The role of the Qualifying Examination Committee is to guide the student on development of an appropriate dissertation project, both in content and time commitment, and to evaluate the student's knowledge of the topic, epidemiological and biostatistical methodology, and readiness for completing the dissertation research.

Dissertation Committee: The Dissertation Committee is typically drawn from the membership of the Qualifying Examination Committee and includes the student's primary mentor as chair, an external member, and at least one other member of the Epidemiology Division. All Qualifying Examination Committee members may be retained if preferred by the student. The role of the Dissertation Committee is to advise the doctoral student on the research topic and methods, and then to review the final completed dissertation for acceptance. Students are expected to meet with the dissertation committee at least once per year to discuss progress; more frequent meetings will typically be needed as the student approaches the final defense of the dissertation. Dissertation committee members are expected to read and comment on a dissertation within two weeks from its submission. The student and faculty will coordinate a time line for the student to present the dissertation to the committee. This time line must allow all dissertation committee members enough time to fulfill their responsibilities within the two-week deadline. 

Review of Membership in Faculty Mentorship: 

Membership should be reviewed on a three-year cycle, with one-third of the members reviewed each year. The main criteria for membership are the existence of an active research program related to epidemiologic research; evidence of outstanding past mentoring; and participation in programmatic and/or teaching activities. Members are expected to actively participate in teaching, screening exams, qualifying exams, dissertation committees and recruitment. Review of members will be conducted by the Executive Committee. Mentors whose record reflects poor academic performance, poor mentoring or poor participation will be subject to non-renewal or to a probationary period in which improvements in noted deficiencies must be demonstrated as a condition of continuing membership.

The Executive MBA program is structured for mid-career to upper-career professionals who are fully employed. Rather than a program of traditional course disciplines (e.g., accounting, marketing, finance) the EMBA program offers a more thematic approach — integrating the material and often delivering it with faculty from different disciplines teaching in a team format. Core faculty include the school's most senior, experienced members as well as nationally renowned academic and business specialists.

The program begins with a six-day domestic residential session. Thereafter, the 21-month program is delivered in a hybrid format, with synchronous online remote sessions on Tuesday evenings and on-campus, in-person sessions on Saturdays (full days) with a short summer break. Each theme also includes a Friday/Saturday "residential weekend" that occurs on campus at the beginning of each theme. The program is offered over a two-year period at the USC campus in downtown Los Angeles. As with the other USC Marshall MBA programs, an extensive international trip known as ExPORT is integrated into the second year of the curriculum.

Application

Application to the EMBA program does not require GMAT or GRE scores. In addition to the other general admission requirements, applicants should have 8 years of work experience that includes substantial managerial responsibilities. The MBA Admissions office may be contacted at (213) 740-7846 or email: gradadmissions@marshall.usc.edu. Apply online at usc.edu/admissions/graduate.

Program Structure

This program uses a non-traditional interdisciplinary approach to executive and managerial education though "themes" that integrate various functional areas and address classic, yet dynamic, business issues.

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Expanded Animation Research and Practice (XA) is designed to provide an advanced level, self-directed education and research experience in the field of animation and digital media across industry, academia and the arts. The program welcomes individualist artists who are passionate about the art form, strive for excellence, are interested in social impact and share a commitment to significantly push boundaries in the field of animation.

The XA program's goal is to nurture 21st-century animation professionals, leaders, directors and visionaries while exploring and innovating new forms of impactful animation research and academic excellence. The curriculum privileges flexibility, interactivity, creativity and research. Graduates design their own highly individual career pathways while maintaining an ability to draw from a wide variety of courses  in the School of Cinematic Arts and collaborate with other schools at USC through the arts, humanities, STEM and social sciences. 

The XA program foregrounds animation as a global journey of expression. Our research concentrations include Experimental Animation, Narrativity, Documentary Animation, Performance Gesture, Animation for Robotics, Virtual Humans and AI, Advanced Character Performance, Cinematic Installations, Fine Art Animation Practice, Gesture Movement, Sound Design, Dreams and Consciousness and Science Visualization.  

The Expanded Animation program is a future-facing MFA that focuses on diversity, critical thinking, community and aesthetically emboldened risk taking. The program faculty and alumnx advisory board draw from the LGBTQ+, Latinx, Black, Asian and API, international and feminist communities. Committed to mentoring each student's unique and individual vision, the XA program emphasizes advanced animation practice bridging multiple disciplines and schools at USC and in Los Angeles (itself an international arts locus), as well as internationally through internships, residencies, academic research, teaching and exhibition opportunities.  

The Expanded Animation program is a three-year, six-semester degree and requires a minimum of 50 units: 30 units are prescribed sequential courses in Expanded Animation with an additional 20 units of electives from the School of Cinematic Arts, 6 of which must be from a prescribed list. A thesis project is required for the MFA degree.

Prior knowledge of fundamental animation concepts and techniques is recommended. Admission is granted once a year in the fall; there are no spring admissions. Approximately fifteen students will be enrolled in each incoming class.

For more information on the application deadline, see cinema.usc.edu/admissions.

The Graduate School Two-Thirds Rule

The school requires 50 units minimum to graduate from the MFA in Expanded Animation program, and two-thirds must at the 500-level, not including 4 units of CTXA 594a and CTXA 594b Master's Thesis.

Program Overview

The USC Iovine and Young Academy Master of Science in Fashion Innovation leverages the learning framework of the USC Iovine and Young Academy on intersectional innovation spanning design, business, and technology and adapts the framework to the fast-evolving world of fashion. With multiple and overlapping influences on fashion ranging from sustainability to new technologies to interconnected cultural diversity, an integrated approach to fashion innovation will prepare graduates for employment in both managerial and product development positions as well as specialized positions requiring interconnected knowledge such as the CTO, CFO or CIO positions in a fashion company, a retail company that integrates apparel or a content company that engages fashion.

The program will focus on collaborative product innovation in the domain of fashion and students in the program will acquire fashion-specific skills and gain experience in cross-sector collaboration as they study the intersection of fashion innovation with:

• technology;
• the business of innovation; and
• challenge-based learning for collaborative innovation.

This degree program is part of the USC Fashion Innovation partnership and the program includes curriculum elements from the Iovine and Young Academy, the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, the Roski School of Art and Design and the School of Dramatic Arts.

The Master of Science in Fashion Innovation requires a total of 36 units, including 8 units of fashion innovation, 8 units of the business of innovation and 16 units of cross-disciplinary training and collaboration.

Admission and Application Requirements

Applicants should possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Those who do not hold a bachelor's degree but who have a high level of demonstrated success in a relevant field or sector may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The selection process includes a comprehensive review of qualifications and experience, as well as personal characteristics and qualities as revealed in community involvement, leadership and other achievements. 

Application requirements include:

• A submitted application
• Payment of a non-refundable application fee
• A current résumé
• Transcripts of all higher education institutions attended
• Responses to short essay prompts
• A portfolio or collection of work
• Letters of recommendation

A two-year (four semesters and an optional summer session) interdisciplinary program administered in collaboration with the Graduate School, the Master of Fine Arts in Fashion is a professional degree in the practice and history of fashion and its many permutations and influences. A progressive degree option is available on a competitive basis to current undergraduate students. With a prestigious faculty of influential professionals from Art, Design, Fashion, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Business and Entrepreneurial Innovation, the MFA Fashion program draws on the synergistic energy generated from the interdisciplinary partnership of art, design and business programs at USC. The MFA Fashion is an ambitious addition to the educational community at USC and to Los Angeles, one of the premiere fashion capitals of the world.

Students will participate in regular seminars, discussions, studio visits and field trips with leading visiting fashion designers from around the world, and enjoy mentored relationships with the fashion faculty. The Roski School's partnership and affiliation with the contemporary fashion industry in Los Angeles is a critical component of the MFA Fashion program.

All incoming students, regardless of country of origin, are considered for departmental funding.

Thesis and Completion

The Roski MFA Fashion thesis committee will comprise three faculty members. Two members will be Roski faculty, defined as currently teaching in the Roski school with either full-time, tenure-track or non-tenure track. A third member can be any full-time tenure track or non-tenure track USC faculty member, either within the Roski School or from outside Roski. Thesis committees are reviewed by the Student Services office and subject to final approval by the school dean.

Master of Fine Arts Fashion students are evaluated by faculty during reviews held near the end of each semester.

Before a student is recommended for the Master of Fine Arts, a comprehensive review of past work and professional goals is held. A written thesis, documented with visual material, and a practice-based component, such as an exhibition of a student's collection, a public presentation, community project or a course syllabus at the end of the course of study, complete the Master of Fine Arts program. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on all graduate work is required for the Master of Fine Arts degree.

Admission

Admission is competitive and based on an application and portfolio submission at slideroom.com. 

An undergraduate degree in Art, Design, Fashion or its equivalent with a GPA of at least 3.0 is required. Applications are accepted in the spring for the fall. This is a full-time program; part-time study cannot be accommodated.

Application materials include the following:

1. USC Graduate Application

2. Transcripts (waived for Progressive Degree applicants)

3. Three letters of recommendation

4. Personal statement and CV

5. A portfolio of 20 images, submitted at slideroom.com

6. Results of the TOEFL or IELTS (international students only)

See the Roski website roski.usc.edu for additional information about the MFA Fashion program.

The Master of Science in Finance (MS) is designed to provide individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to become experts in finance and thus advance their careers. The program provides individuals with tools, ideas and frameworks that will aid them in applying finance principles to businesses.

The program lays the groundwork with core courses in accounting, economics, finance and statistics. The foundation is supplemented with courses on the role of finance in corporations, investment analysis and portfolio theory, and forecasting and risk. In addition, students personalize their degree with a choice of elective courses covering topics like real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and hedge funds.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy most, but not all of the general admission requirements for Marshall graduate programs. GMAT or GRE scores are required. Full-time work experience is not required for admission to the MS, Finance.

Admission decisions are based on consideration of the applicant's previous academic record, resume, test scores (if provided), letter of recommendation and responses to several questions included in the application. Individuals who are admitted must have completed the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree prior to the start of classes.

Application Procedure

Applications are submitted online through the USC Graduate Admissions website at gradadm.usc.edu/. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions website (gradadm.usc.edu/apply/international-students/).

A complete application includes the online application form, an application fee, responses to several questions, test scores (if applicable), one letter of recommendation, and transcripts from all institutions attended since the applicant last applied to USC. (Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee or transcripts from institutions attended prior to USC. Applicants who have never applied for admission to USC must submit official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended.) For additional information, including application deadlines, visit marshall.usc.edu/MSF.

The Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis and Valuation program is designed to enhance the individual's graduate education through a concentrated curriculum in financial accounting, financial analysis, valuation, credit analysis, and financial instruments and markets.

Admission

To qualify for admission to the program, individuals must have completed basic graduate-level (post-baccalaureate) courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and corporate finance comparable to the first-year MBA curriculum while earning a minimum graduate GPA for those courses (combined) of 3.5.

Prospective students may apply to begin the programs in the fall, spring or summer term. Applications are submitted online at http://gradadm.usc.edu/. A complete application includes the online application form, responses to several essay and additional information questions, letters of recommendation and transcripts from any institutions attended since the applicant last applied to USC. (The application fee is not required of current USC students and USC alumni. Letters of recommendation are not required of current USC MBA students and USC MBA alumni.)

For more information, visit marshall.usc.edu/fav.

Program Requirements

The program requires successful completion of 15 units. Students select one of the following options. Some courses are offered for either 1.5 units or 3 units in a given semester. Individuals who elect to take a 1.5-unit class must make up the other 1.5 units with a course selection from the same option. Earning the certificate requires a combined GPA of at least 3.6 for all courses applied to the certificate.