Graduate & Professional Degrees

The Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering (Digital Oilfield Technologies) is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. A student may be permitted to elect the program without thesis upon approval from the department. Course requirements are similar to the existing MS degree in Petroleum Engineering in terms of core requirements.

Students without a BS in Petroleum Engineering will normally be required to complete prerequisite courses before beginning the MS program. Specific prerequisite courses are decided upon consultation with the department adviser. Units from these courses cannot be applied toward the degree.

The Master of Science in petroleum engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. Electives vary according to the area of interest. A student may be permitted to elect the program without thesis upon approval from the department.

The Doctor of Philosophy with a major in petroleum engineering is also offered. Registration in MASC 520, PTE 507, PTE 508, PTE 517, PTE 531, PTE 555, PTE 582 and 4 semesters of CHE 550a is required of all students. See general requirements for graduate degrees.

Satisfactory completion of at least 60 units of approved graduate-level course work beyond the baccalaureate, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 is required of all PhD students in engineering. The 60 units minimum include research courses (590, 690, 790) and 4 units of 794a and 794b Doctoral Dissertation. PhD students must also complete the core requirement for their major as listed below. The core courses make a part of the 60 units requirement. The number of units taken at USC can be reduced by transferring graduate credits from another institution. Transfer/Waiver units are subject to approval by the Degree Progress Department (for course work taken at institutions in the United States) or by International Admission (for course work taken at institutions outside the United States), by the faculty adviser and by each degree's respective department directors. Faculty advisers may also request students to take additional courses outside of the core requirements including specific elective courses.

The Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (School of Pharmacy) offers a program of study leading to the MS degree. Applicants must apply to the Graduate School and meet the admissions requirements of the program. This program requires students to demonstrate skills in the analysis of pharmaceutical and health technology innovations, as well as an understanding of contemporary health policy issues.

A minimum of 36 units of graduate level courses is required.

Grade Point Average

A grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) must be achieved on graduate course work at USC.

Application deadline: December 1

The Department of Economics and the Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (USC School of Pharmacy) jointly offer a program of study leading to the PhD degree and to the MA degree in the process of work toward the PhD degree.

Required courses include both core requirements and area requirements. Core requirements include courses in economic theory, econometrics, and research methods. Area requirements include courses in health economics, pharmaceutical economics, welfare theory and applied econometrics.

For a detailed description of this program, see the School of Pharmacy section of this catalogue.

A Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (28 units) will be granted on the basis of completion of at least 24 units of formal course work, in addition to 4 units earned by either completing and successfully presenting a thesis (PSCI 594a and PSCI 594b, both 2-unit courses based on the results of an original investigation), or by completing a non-thesis option. Students must choose one of these options by the end of the first year of study.

Three courses (12 units) are required from Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences: PSCI 501, PSCI 502 and PSCI 503. Additionally, 4 units are in a degree-specific required course: PSCI 665.

The remaining units will be taken from courses offered within the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences or in various related disciplines outside the department, if approved by the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Affairs Committee.

All 28 units must be at the 500 level or above. 

This program emphasizes basic as well as applied research in drug delivery and targeting, utilizing medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, pharmaceutics, pharmacodynamics,  molecular pharmacology, immunology and cell biology.

A minimum of 60 units is required for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. At least 24 units of course work are required at the 500-level or above, exclusive of seminar and directed research. The Doctor of Philosophy candidate must select a minimum of 12 units from courses offered in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences (PPSI), eight of which must be selected from the core 4-unit courses. The remainder of the 24 units may be taken from PPSI courses or from courses offered in other departments that are approved by the PPSI graduate affairs committee. The qualifying exam committee may require more than 24 units of course work. A maximum of 12 units can be transferred from graduate studies elsewhere.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no formal foreign language requirement. However, an individual qualifying exam committee can require competency in a foreign language or some other research tool such as computer language, if this 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 a qualifying exam committee composed of at least five members, one of whom must be from outside the department granting the degree. The student should select a graduate adviser and qualifying exam committee no later than the third semester in residence.

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 selected his or her research adviser at that time, by the Graduate Review Committee of the department. The committee reviews thoroughly the student's progress up to that point 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 detected at that point by the committee, the student will be recommended to either take additional course work or transfer to the Master of Science program. Passing this screening procedure is prerequisite to continuation in the PhD program.

Qualifying Examination

Students will be required to pass a comprehensive qualifying examination in major areas of the pharmaceutical sciences. The examination is administered by the qualifying exam committee and consists of two parts: a written examination and a written proposition outlining a research project, followed by an oral examination based on the proposition and questions dealing with the written examination. All course and qualifying examination requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy must be completed within two and one half years after admission.

Dissertation

A dissertation based on original investigation is required. The research should make a 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).

Student Teaching

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

The USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (USC Mann) offers a full-time, four-year course of study leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD). An undergraduate BA or BS degree is required for admission to the program. An alternate BS to PharmD Pathway is available as an integrative pathway that learners can streamline their undergraduate (UG) education toward the PharmD program to fulfill an advanced placement directly as a second-year student pharmacist while earning their bachelor's degree. A description of the curriculum is listed in the following pages. The degree will be conferred only upon successful completion of all Doctor of Pharmacy degree requirements. The USC Mann Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, which is the sole agency providing accreditation for professional degree programs in pharmacy.

Application Procedure

The USC Mann School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences requires applicants to complete the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) for admission. The PharmCAS application deadline is February 1. Applications will not be reviewed until they have been verified by PharmCAS.  An interview is required for admission. Only applicants with complete application files are evaluated for an interview and only highly qualified applicants will be granted interviews. Not all applicants will be invited for an interview. Applicants are encouraged to apply well before the February 1 deadline to allow time for file review.

All documents mailed directly to the USC Mann and received from PharmCAS by the Office of Admission become the property of the university and cannot be returned or duplicated for other than USC's purposes.

Admission Guidelines

The Admission Committee considers several factors in making admissions decisions including: previous academic performance; the interview including a writing component; letters of recommendation; and other components of the completed application. The committee also considers a candidate's motivation to pursue pharmacy, interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and leadership abilities. While USC Mann gives equal consideration to every qualified applicant, the school cannot accommodate all qualified candidates who apply for admission.

Entrance Requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program requires completion of a baccalaureate degree; completion of the specified prerequisite college courses, with a grade of C or better; and a minimum 3.0 (A = 4.0) grade point average, both in the prerequisite courses and cumulative grade point average.

Pre-pharmacy Requirements*

*Courses for science majors are required to meet the Pre-Pharmacy Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program, applicants must take required prerequisite college courses, including general biology (one-year course with laboratory, excluding human anatomy and physiology), general chemistry (one-year course with laboratory, including inorganic and qualitative analysis), organic chemistry (one-year course with laboratory), biochemistry (one course upper division), microbiology (one course), calculus (one semester or two quarters), and human physiology (one course for science majors). The science requirements should be completed at an accredited four-year university.

Prerequisite courses are subject to change, and applicants are encouraged to check with the school prior to submitting an application.

Recommended Courses:

Upper-division molecular biology, physics (thermodynamics and electromagnetism), microeconomics, human behavior in either general psychology, introductory sociology, or cultural anthropology

Grades of pass/no pass or credit/no credit will not be accepted (unless a course is only offered on a pass/no pass basis). Online courses are not accepted for science courses with a laboratory requirement.

Mathematics and Sciences

Courses must include calculus, general biology, microbiology, human physiology, general chemistry, biochemistry, and organic chemistry. Only courses for science majors are acceptable. It is highly recommended that math and science courses be completed during the regular academic year and not during a summer term.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examinations

Applicants may use AP and IB courses to meet certain USC Mann prerequisites with the following provisos. AP results are acceptable only with scores of 3, 4 or 5. Results for IB courses are acceptable with a score of 5 or higher. In addition, the AP or IB courses taken may be applied to a maximum of one semester/one quarter of general chemistry or general biology; they may not be used to satisfy the laboratory requirement. Note: AP/IB courses used to meet prerequisites will be for course credit only (i.e., they will not count toward the GPA). The Admission Committee recommends that applicants enroll in all of the required pre-pharmacy courses.

Bachelor of Science (BS) to PharmD Pathway

In addition to the advanced placement requirements listed in the section above, applicants from the BS to PharmD Pathway are required to meet the 36-unit competency equivalent of the first year Pharm D program to be deemed eligible for advanced placement in the second year of the PharmD program. The candidates will interview for admission to the USC Mann PharmD program in the Spring of their junior bachelor year.

Specifically, the candidates will:

• Take course work that maps to the P1 curriculum content during and in pursuit of their bachelor's degree. The course work will be waived upon entrance into the P2 year of the PharmD program.
• Receive a bachelor's degree before the Bridge Summer that occurs following the completion of the bachelor's degree and before the second year of the Pharm D program at USC Mann
• Enroll at USC Mann and complete 12-unit equivalent pharmacy practice-focused content, including IPPE, during the USC Mann Bridge Summer as a California licensed intern pharmacist.
• Complete the USC Mann P1 cumulative OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) to confirm the readiness of the candidates to enter the P2 class of the PharmD program.

For course details of the P1 curriculum mapping and the Bridge Summer, please refer to the course requirements section, below.

Please contact the USC Mann Office of Admission for specific information.

Entrance Examination

An interview is required for admission.

Special Admission Program for Entering Freshmen

The Trojan Admission Prepharmacy (TAP) program provides priority consideration for admission to the USC Mann's four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program for USC undergraduates who are accepted to the program. The TAP program is designed to attract highly qualified, mature high school seniors applying to USC. Students accepted into the TAP program apply to the Doctor of Pharmacy program during their final year of undergraduate education. Students must meet all regular admission criteria to the Doctor of Pharmacy program, including a BA/BS degree from USC, specific academic performance standards (GPA) and complete an interview. Students in the TAP program are required to complete all prerequisite courses at USC and meet regularly with a TAP program adviser. A specific listing of USC courses and a recommended program for TAP participants may be obtained from the USC Mann Office of Admission or online at pharmacyschool.usc.edu/programs/pre/tap.

PharmD Curriculum Requirements

The completion of the four-year professional curriculum is required for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. The PharmD curriculum is a "block" program, meaning all students enroll for specified courses each semester and progress as a "class" through the curriculum. Students do not have a choice in the course sequence and must remain full-time students throughout the program. Students have a limited number of elective course choices and a list of electives offered is available to students prior to registration each semester. Student progress is permitted only when the prior semester has been successfully completed. Students should view the curriculum outlined here as advisory only and subject to modification. A minimum of 136 units is required for graduation.

Students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program are required to hold an Intern Pharmacist license in good standing (clear of restrictions) issued by the California Board of Pharmacy as an intern pharmacist for the entire length of the program. Licensure is required because completion of the pharmacy program requires placement in health care settings for experiential learning during each academic year. USC Mann has developed technical standards to inform students of the non-academic requirements of the program. Placement in health care settings requires the applicants pass criminal background screening and/or drug screening tests.

The pharmacist of tomorrow will provide preventive and therapeutic pharmaceutical care, provide drugs to patients, communicate in health care matters, meet the ethical and legal requirements of the practice of pharmacy and maintain professional expertise.

The curriculum committee of USC Mann has developed guidelines and patient care competencies consistent with interpretations of this new role. An appropriate and dynamic educational program is needed to develop these competencies. Therefore curriculum changes may be necessary in order to meet scientific advances, population profile changes, increasing health expectations, technological advances, or changes in health services.

A total of 36 units are required for the degree, including at least 24 units in philosophy. Twelve of these must come from completing the specialization and breadth requirements. The former requires students to take a 4unit, 500-level course in philosophy on a topic spanning philosophy and law. The latter requires students to take PHIL 500 or PHIL 503, plus another 4-unit, 500-level course in philosophy on a topic that does not span philosophy and law, including but not limited to topics in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of language, philosophy of science, ethics, aesthetics and history of philosophy. Students must also demonstrate a basic proficiency in symbolic logic, typically by passing, at a sufficiently high level, one of a specified range of 4-unit courses in logic offered by the School of Philosophy. The law requirement for this degree consists of two courses in the USC Gould School of Law. The first must be either LAW 503 Contracts or LAW 509 Torts I. The second must be either LAW 504 Criminal Law or LAW 508 Constitutional Law. Students who elect to take LAW 504 would normally also take 1 unit of PHIL 590 as an accompaniment. Degree candidates must also write a master's thesis on some subject in legal philosophy. At least one of the thesis advisers must have an appointment in the School of Philosophy.

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

A student may obtain an MA in philosophy by fulfilling the following requirements: a minimum of 36 units in the USC philosophy school, at least 24 of which must be at the 500 level. Requirements include: PHIL 500, PHIL 503 and a 500-level course in each of the following three areas: metaphysics and epistemology, ethics and other value theory, and history of philosophy. Of the remaining four required (4-unit) courses, only four units of PHIL 590 are applicable to the degree. A publishable research paper is also required.