Graduate & Professional Degrees

The Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering program prepares students to work in the manufacturing industry by providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to design and operate modern factories. The program includes courses that introduce the latest manufacturing technologies and, based on such technologies, project-based learning opportunities in the form of industry case studies.

The program requires a minimum of 28 units. 

The Master of Science degree in Marine and Environmental Biology (MEB) is designed to provide admitted students with a rigorous, quantitative and focused introduction to the burgeoning fields and breadth of topics in marine environmental biology/chemistry, geobiology, oceanography, conservation biology and population dynamics (depending upon the concentration selected). MEB provides students with independent research experiences that satisfy their own specific interests. The program is intended to position and stimulate students for possible advanced study leading to a PhD in one of the areas stated above, and/or provide a unique facet to the background of a prospective medical student. The program will also provide fundamental tools and expertise for entry into a master's level position in academic, government or private sector research laboratories. It will prepare students interested in governmental and non-government (NGO) environmental regulatory science and forge career pathways into private sector positions in environmental consulting and business.

Applicants must possess a cumulative and science GPA of 3.0 or higher and have the following courses completed prior to admission: one year of introductory biology, one semester of molecular biology, one semester of biochemistry, one year of general chemistry, and one year of organic chemistry. All of the above must carry labs and be available for major credit in the natural sciences at a four-year college or university.

Applicants interested in using course work completed while an undergraduate may apply for the progressive master's degree as early as their junior year.

Application deadline: January 15

Course Requirements

In marine biology and biological oceanography, each student receives a general background in marine sciences and obtains in-depth specialization in a research area of his or her choosing. Each student's curriculum is fitted to the particular needs and demands of the chosen research field. The 24 units of formal course work must include the following: BISC 529 (4), BISC 582 (4), BISC 583 (4), BISC 584 (2), BISC 585 (2); four advanced graduate seminars (8); and a statistics course approved by the student's adviser.

For Admission Requirements, refer to the admissions section of Biological Sciences.

This certificate program is for students holding master's degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in marketing communication. Students will study the latest developments in marketing communication research and theory and the application to marketing communication issues.

Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master's degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses.

The Graduate Certificate in Marketing provides students with the tools, ideas and frameworks that will aid them in making business decisions in an application-based manner, based on actual case studies and relevant projects, to improve the performance of their organization. Students in the program acquire the marketing principles, techniques and tools necessary to analyze marketing situations and develop effective integrated strategic marketing plans to improve the performance of their organization.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the standard USC and Marshall graduate admission requirements. Two years of fulltime work experience is preferred. GMAT or GRE scores are required. International applicants who did not spend four years completing a bachelor's degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.

Individuals applying for admission to the Master of Science in Marketing should not apply for admission to this program also.

Application Procedure

Prospective students who have not previously taken a master's/graduate-level (post-baccalaureate) introductory marketing course must apply to begin the program in the summer term. Prospective applicants who have taken a master's/graduate-level marketing course may apply to begin the program in the fall, spring or summer.

Applications are submitted online through the USC Graduate Admissions Website at http://gradadm.usc.edu/. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students at http://gradadm.usc.edu/apply/international-students/.

A complete application includes the online application form, test scores, an essay, an application fee, two letters of recommendation and official 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, new test scores (if previously submitted), transcripts to verify degrees earned prior to their attendance at USC, or letters of recommendation.
•  All other applicants must submit all documentation identified in the online application instructions.

The Master of Science in Marketing (Marketing Analytics) provides students with tools, concepts, frameworks and critical thinking and innovative skills needed for more effective development, enhancement and refinement of marketing techniques critical to the success of local and global businesses.

Students will develop skills to position themselves as leaders in quantitative marketing methods, gaining exposure to in-demand programming languages such as R and Python for marketers, as well as strategies and techniques for predictive modeling, consumer analysis, customer segmentation and micro-targeting. Practical hand-on projects in areas such as technology, biotechnology, healthcare, entertainment, sports entertainment and marketing start-ups provide students with opportunities to apply the classroom experience to the real world.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the standard USC and Marshall graduate admission requirements. At least two years of full-time work experience is preferred. GMAT or GRE scores are required. The GMAT is preferred. International applicants who did not spend four years completing a bachelor's degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.

Individuals applying for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Marketing should not apply for admission to this program also.

Application Procedure

Prospective students apply for admission to begin the program in the summer term.

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

A complete application includes the online application form, official test scores, essays, an application fee, two letters of recommendation and official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended. Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee, new test scores (if previously submitted) or transcripts to verify degrees earned prior to their attendance at USC.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/MSMkt.

The Master of Science in Marketing provides students with tools, concepts, frameworks and critical thinking and innovation skills needed for more effective development, enhancement and refinement of marketing techniques critical to the success of local and global businesses.

The degree focuses on theories and applications of consumer behavior in marketing, as well as psychological, social, cultural and ethnic factors influencing consumer behavior. Practical hand-on projects in areas such as technology, biotechnology, healthcare, entertainment, sports and marketing start-ups provide students with opportunities to apply the classroom experience to the real world.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the standard USC and Marshall graduate admission requirements. At least two years of full-time work experience is preferred. GMAT or GRE scores are required. The GMAT is preferred. International applicants who did not spend four years completing a bachelor's degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.

Individuals who are specifically interested in statistical evaluation and marketing analytics should consider applying to the Master of Science in Marketing (Marketing Analytics) program. Individuals applying for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Marketing should not apply for admission to this program also.

Application Procedure

Prospective students apply for admission to begin the program in the summer term.

Applications are submitted online through the Marshall School of Business application website at gradadm.usc.edu. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions Website.

A complete application includes the online application form, official test scores, an essay, an application fee, two letters of recommendation and official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended. Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee, new test scores (if previously submitted) or transcripts to verify degrees earned prior to their attendance at USC.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/MSMkt.

The Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy is offered for those students seeking to prepare for the practice of marriage and family therapy. Students who complete this specialized professional degree program and who fulfill the additional state-mandated requirements are eligible for the State of California's Marriage and Family Therapy license. A minimum of 60 units is required.

The Master of Urban Planning/Master of Advanced Architectural Studies dual degree program facilitates highly related cross-disciplinary studies in architecture and in planning at the master's level. This program offers students interested in developing a career in urban design an opportunity to make more substantial commitments in both disciplines and to achieve a more coherent and extensive knowledge in the design of built environments and public policy. This dual degree program normally requires five semesters in residence.

Qualified students who are admitted to the graduate programs in both the School of Architecture and the USC Price School of Public Policy may complete both degrees in a highly integrated five-semester program. Such students must already possess a five-year professional degree in architecture.

Requirements

Requirements for completion of the dual degree program are 72 units, including 36 units in architecture and 36 units in urban planning, as follows:

The Marshall School of Business in conjunction with the East Asian Studies Center offers a joint MA/MBA degree that combines graduate business education with training in the cultures and societies of East Asia. Students enrolled in the joint degree program are required to complete a minimum of 72 units. All students must complete 48 units in the Marshall School of Business. Dual degree students may not count courses taken outside the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units. In East Asian Area Studies, students have the option of taking five courses and writing a thesis (for a total of 24 units) or taking six courses and passing a comprehensive examination (for a total of 24 units).

Applicants for the joint MA/MBA are required to follow the admission procedures for the full-time MBA program. GRE scores are not required for admission into the joint program.

Required Courses

Required MBA courses: all required courses in an MBA program.