Graduate & Professional Degrees

The focus of this program is on understanding the broad and complex role of architecture within the urban context. Studies focus on cities throughout the world where conditions of increasing density, environmental challenges and cultural complexity require design initiatives that support amenity, sustainability and cultural meaning. The certificate is open to graduate students not pursuing a Master of Architecture or Master of Advanced Architectural Studies degree.

Course Requirements

Completion of the certificate program requires a minimum of 15 units.

Programs

The USC School of Architecture offers two distinct master's programs related to the study of architecture: the Master of Architecture professional degree (MArch) and the Master of Advanced Architectural Studies postprofessional degree (MAAS) for students who already hold a professional degree in architecture or its equivalent.

Master of Architecture (MArch), Professional Degree

The school's Master of Architecture is a NAAB accredited professional degree program in the area of architectural design. It is intended for individuals who have completed a bachelor's degree with a major other than one of the design professions, (typically requiring three years of residency); or, with advanced standing, for those individuals with a pre-professional undergraduate degree in architectural studies (typically requiring two years of residency).

This degree fully prepares graduates for the present and future professional activities in the ever-evolving field of architecture. As an accredited professional degree, it provides a solid intellectual base of knowledge in history, technology, professional practice and theory. Particular emphasis is put on each of the six-semester design studio sequences, where students learn to synthesize the social, environmental and tectonic thinking through informed design practice. The studios culminate in an option-based studio and directed design research sequence, pursuing exploration of advanced and emerging topics. Exploring the many elective opportunities within the school, students are encouraged to develop a tailored curriculum, and if possible, to complete one of the several graduate certificates offered by the school or within the university.

Degree Requirements

A minimum one-semester college-level course in physics or calculus is required.

In order for the MArch degree to be conferred, students must complete 102 credit units of both required professional and elective course work during three years of residency, or for students admitted with advanced standing, a minimum of 64 units of both required professional and elective course work during two years of residency. Students must also continually meet the established standards for graduate study at USC.

To meet NAAB accreditation requirements, all students must complete (before graduation) a combined total of 168 credit hours of study at the undergraduate and graduate level, of which at least 30 semester credit hours must be at the graduate level as well as a minimum of 45 units of non-architectural content.

Advanced Standing

Students seeking advanced standing must have a four-year architectural studies degree from: a U.S. school with an accredited professional architecture program; a U.S. school that is accredited by a regional accrediting body, without an accredited professional architecture program; or an international program that is deemed equivalent.

All students who meet the pre-professional undergraduate degree requirement and wish to be considered for advanced standing must undergo a course-by-course review. Students must provide significant evidence from the course work completed at the undergraduate level in order for waivers to be considered or granted for USC MArch required Basic Studies courses. This review is conducted after admission to the program, during the summer prior to starting course work.

Basic Studies courses include: ARCH 511L Building Systems: Materials and Construction, ARCH 514a Global History of Architecture, ARCH 514b Global History of Architecture,  ARCH 523aL Structural Design and Analysis, ARCH 523bL Structural Design and Analysis, ARCH 575a Systems, ARCH 575b Systems, ARCH 611 Advanced Building Systems Integration.

MArch students with advanced standing are required to complete a minimum two year residency, or 4 semester units of study at USC.

Summer Semester

A robust curriculum is available during the summer semester between the fourth and fifth semesters [of the full sequence; between the second and third of the advanced standing]. A combination of internationally based studios, field studies and the full first semester sequence of the MAAS is available to provide students diverse and advanced opportunities that can expand their degree offerings.

Note: the USC School of Architecture is currently not offering this program. 

The Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture is designed to prepare individuals for university-level teaching, professional research and for leadership positions in industry and professional architectural practice. Doctoral students must consult the Graduate School section for regulations and requirements pertaining to its degrees. Students should also consult the Academic Policies section for additional information.

Completion of degree requirements is assumed to take a minimum of three years of approved graduate study and research beyond the bachelor's degree in a related field or a bachelor's degree and related practical experience. For the PhD student without Advanced Standing, a minimum of 48 graduate units completed in residence on the University Park Campus in Los Angeles is required. Full-time study is represented by enrollment in six units during the semester. Usually, the school and the student's qualifying exam committee insist on a clear and mutually understood commitment of time and energy by the student to ensure significant involvement in the doctoral learning experience.

Application and Admission

Admission to the PhD is granted by the Dean of the School of Architecture. However, only a letter from the Office of Graduate Admission constitutes an official offer of admission; correspondence with department chairs or individual faculty members does not constitute admission.

Priority consideration for PhD student funding will be given to those applicants who submit all application materials by December 1. The university will continue to accept and consider applications submitted after December 1. Those who wish to submit applications after the deadline should check with the School of Architecture. Applications for admission to the PhD program are made once each year for fall semester admission.

The admission decision is made using criteria which include verification that the applicant has a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, has maintained a high grade point average in the last 60 units of undergraduate work and has earned a competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Other elements of the applicant's educational and experiential background are also evaluated, including performance in other advanced degrees.

Each applicant should submit the following: (1) one copy of official transcripts of all previous college and university work (be sure that these official transcripts show an awarded degree where appropriate); (2) one copy of GRE scores; (3) copy of TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students whose first language is not English; (4) a 1000-word essay discussing the applicant's background; reasons for wanting to pursue a doctoral degree; and identifying his or her personal, educational and professional goals; (5) an up-to-date resume, including academic and professional accomplishments; (6) three letters of recommendation, at least two from previous instructors, others from instructors or from professional supervisors or colleagues (the letters should indicate the applicant's academic and professional accomplishments and potential); (7) a completed USC Graduate Admission Application, along with the nonrefundable application fee; and (8) samples of work such as a portfolio, publications, software programs, etc. The program is intended for people with considerable intellectual interests. Additional requirements for international students are listed under Admission of International Students.

Upon admission to the program, each student will be assigned a faculty adviser who will oversee his or her program.

Doctoral Admission with Advanced Standing

Students entering with a Master of Architecture degree or Master of Building Science degree (or their equivalent) from USC or another university may be admitted with Advanced Standing. A minimum of 36 units of course work beyond the first graduate degree, exclusive of 794 Doctoral Dissertation preparation, is required for doctoral degree students with a USC Master of Building Science degree admitted with Advanced Standing. For those students entering with a Master of Architecture degree or Master of Building Science degree (or their equivalent) from another university and admitted with Advanced Standing, a minimum of 40 units of course work beyond the first graduate degree is required. Additional course work may be required if deemed necessary by the student's faculty. See Doctoral Admission with Advanced Standing in the The Graduate School section.

Transfer Credits

The application of any available transfer credits toward a graduate degree at USC will be determined by the School of Architecture, based on the semester units available for transfer as shown in the Transfer Credit Statement. Work experience in architecture or closely related activities should be of benefit to the students involved, but will not be considered equivalent to academic education. A maximum of 6 units of transfer credit may be applied toward a doctoral degree for those admitted with Advanced Standing. Admission with Advanced Standing is based upon a completed master's degree. The only course work available for transfer credit is course work taken after completion of that degree. No exceptions are allowed.

Students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree or graduate course work in a field other than architecture work may receive up to 12 units of transfer credit toward the PhD

Deferral of Enrollment

Admission to the university is granted for a specified semester, and it is expected that students will begin their programs during that semester. The school will normally allow students to defer their enrollment up to one year from the admission semester. Students who wish to defer enrollment should notify the school in writing no more than 60 days before the beginning of the semester of admission or they may be required to reapply for admission. Please note that more stringent regulations apply to international students. See the Graduate Admission  section for further information.

Admission to Candidacy

Acceptance to graduate standing does not in itself imply that the student is admitted or will be admitted to candidacy for an advanced degree. Application for admission as a candidate for an advanced degree is a separate and subsequent step. See the The Graduate School section for further information.

General Requirements for the PhD Degree

Screening Procedures

PhD students are required to pass a screening procedure before the student has taken more than 24 units (including research courses). Passing this procedure is prerequisite to continuation in the doctoral program. This is designed to ensure that only those students who have demonstrated intellectual and scholarly potential continue in the program. Students who fail the screening procedure will be advised that they have not been recommended to continue in the PhD program and that any additional work may not be counted toward the degree.

Prior to screening, each student prepares a résumé and a preliminary statement describing the fields of specialization. After passing the written screening examination, the student meets with the committee to discuss the proposal for course work, fields of specialization and research interests. The committee chair serves as the student's principal adviser in preparing for the qualifying examination.

Qualifying Exam Committee

Each student selects a qualifying exam committee, which officially oversees the student's academic program through the qualifying examination. The qualifying exam committee should be established at least one semester prior to taking the qualifying examination. This should be accomplished by the beginning of the second year, following successful screening. An appointment of committee form, which can be obtained from the Graduate School Website, should be used to establish the qualifying exam committee. Students initiate the paperwork and submit the signed form to the dean's office.

Five committee members are designated to provide guidance in the field developed by the student. A minimum of three members, including at least one tenured member, must be from among the faculty participating in the PhD in Architecture degree program, and at least one member must be from outside the School of Architecture. This committee bears responsibility for recommending the student for admission to candidacy. After approval of the student's program and time schedule, the program is submitted in writing to the doctoral director. Students will formalize their relationship with their committees through the development of a study plan which specifies all courses completed, date of screening decision, the area of concentration, and which courses will be taken and when, in order to prepare for the qualifying examination. This study plan will be signed by the student, the members of the qualifying exam committee and the faculty doctoral director. It will be filed in the doctoral office.

Qualifying Examination

Students must complete at least 24 units of course work in the doctoral program with a GPA of at least 3.0 before attempting the qualifying exam.

The qualifying exam committee prepares a comprehensive written examination covering the field of study. The exact format for the written portion is determined by each committee in advance. Answers to the questions in the written portion are graded by all committee members. Following completion of the written portion, the entire committee conducts an oral examination of the student, focusing on material both complementary and supplementary to the written examination but relevant to the field and overall program selected by the student. Upon passing both portions of the qualifying examination, the student becomes a candidate for the PhD degree.

The objective of the qualifying examination is to evaluate the student's knowledge and to serve as an instrument to demonstrate competence in the student's chosen field of concentration in preparation for candidacy. Qualifying examinations are scheduled once each year during August. The oral phase of the examination must be completed within 60 days following the written segment. Both parts of the examination must be passed in order to qualify. Failure on one of the two parts of the examination does not require retaking both parts. Only the part failed must be redone.

The examination will be collaboratively designed by the instructors of the core courses and oriented toward testing students' ability to integrate material from these courses. A portion of this examination will focus on methodological issues. The written portion of the examination will be administered during a full-day session.

The process of grading examinations will be accomplished in two ways. For the written examination, the grading will be done by a committee comprising the core course instructors and the doctoral director. For the oral examination, grading will stay with the qualifying exam committee. Upon passing both the core and oral portions of the examination, the student will be expected to reduce the qualifying exam committee to a dissertation committee. See General Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Dissertation Committee

Once students pass the qualifying examination, the qualifying exam committee recommends the student for candidacy and a dissertation topic is approved, a dissertation committee must be formed as soon as possible. The size may range from three to five members, one member of which must be from outside the school.

Dissertation Proposal

After the successful completion of the qualifying examination, the doctoral student will be required to present a complete research proposal for the dissertation. The proposal will be circulated for review and evaluation by the dissertation committee. This proposal should include the methodology, research design, literature review and instrumentation (if applicable). After this step has been completed, further work leading to the completion of the dissertation is authorized.

Defense of the Dissertation

Oral defense of the dissertation before the dissertation committee is usually made on a preliminary draft. After the dissertation committee has approved the dissertation in substance, the candidate must defend it before the committee and other interested doctoral program faculty and colleagues. Successful completion of the oral defense marks the ultimate step for the candidate within the School of Architecture. The candidate must be certain that the dissertation also meets specific university requirements before acceptance by the Graduate School. See the The Graduate School section for further information.

All theses and dissertations submitted in fulfillment of requirements for graduate degrees must conform to university regulations with regard to format and method of preparation.

Unit Requirement and Time Limit

The PhD degree in Architecture requires a minimum of 72 units (including a minimum of 4 units of ARCH 794a, ARCH 794b, or ARCH 794z) of graduate level course work, and has a minimum residency requirement of three years. Students must maintain a 3.0 average GPA and complete all required course work within five years. The maximum time for the completion of all requirements for the doctoral degree is eight years.

A leave of absence can be granted upon approval of the guidance or dissertation committees. There is no automatic readmission if the student fails to maintain continuous registration or fails to meet academic standards.

The department does not accept applicants for the Master of Arts in art history. Although the MA is not offered as a terminal degree, but only en route to the PhD, a student may be eligible for the MA on leaving the program after two years. A minimum of 32 units is required for the degree, and the student must pass the second year review which includes the departmental equivalent of a thesis: a revised seminar paper demonstrating original thought, research skills and writing proficiency. The opportunity to gain experience as a teaching assistant is available on a competitive basis. Transfer work applicable to the MA program must have been completed within seven years of the date of application.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 32 units, usually taken during a two-year period, is required for the Master of Arts in Art History, to be distributed as follows:

Application deadline: December 1.

The doctor of philosophy in the Art History program normally requires at least three years of course work and two years of dissertation research. Applicants may be admitted directly into the program after receiving the BA Other applicants may already hold an MA in art history or the equivalent from USC or another ​accredited school.

Every student will be subject to departmental screening procedures, which involve periodic review by the art history graduate committee. The committee may recommend at any time, after a written warning, based on a student's grades, evaluation of instructors or rate of progress toward the degree, that a student be dropped from the program. Such recommendations will become effective at the end of the semester during which the recommendation is made.

Course Requirements

Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy units total 60. Up to 32 master of arts units from USC or 16 from other institutions may be transferred with approval of the faculty. Transfer work applicable to the PhD program must have been completed within 10 years of the date of application. AHIS 500, or equivalent, is required of all graduate students. Four units are for work on the ​dissertation. (Two units of dissertation credit each semester — including summer — for a minimum registration period of two semesters.)

Foreign Language Requirements

All candidates must pass reading proficiency examinations in a minimum of two languages, normally French and German or the requisite languages in Asian art. Substitutions and/or additions may be made with faculty recommendation and approval of the chair of the Art History Department when appropriate to the student's program. Additional foreign language beyond the minimum may be required depending on the student's program of study. All language requirements must be completed prior to taking the qualifying exam.

Screening Examinations

Passing the following procedures are prerequisite to continuation in the doctoral program, as stated in the departmental graduate guidelines. Before the student has completed 24 units, the first-year examination must be passed. Before the student has completed 48 units, the second-year review must be passed.

Qualifying Examination

At the end of the second year, the student will nominate a five-member qualifying exam committee for the qualifying examination that includes one member from outside the Department of Art History. The student is expected to pass the qualifying examination in a major field and satisfy the requirements for the minor and outside fields by the end of the third year. Forms for permission to take the qualifying examination must be submitted at least 60 days before the date of the scheduled examination. The written portion of the examination will be followed by an oral examination. The oral examination will be given to discuss in greater depth the student's knowledge of the dissertation proposal; the oral lasts approximately two hours. After passing the qualifying examination, the student will be admitted to candidacy for the PhD.

Dissertation

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

Certificate in Arts Leadership (ARTL)

The graduate program in arts leadership is a two-semester certificate program for artists, arts administrators and cultural workers of all types to develop the skills necessary to become successful leaders in the arts and arts organizations in a rapidly changing and radically altered contemporary world. The program is based in the Thornton School of Music, but it is designed to be applicable for artists/students engaged in any of the arts disciplines who want to develop their leadership skills in the hybrid and holistic environment of the contemporary arts. The program is highly individualized and deeply student centered in its approach, with simultaneous emphases on research, discovery, theory and current practice. With strong faculty mentorship and guidance from the director of the program and other working professionals in the field, students explore the dimensions of the most current issues and ideas while developing specific real-world applications of these ideas to their own practice as artists and leaders.

The program consists of a minimum of 18 units which can be completed in two semesters. The program begins with a 2-unit gateway course (ARTL 500), which introduces the students to the varied, complex and contentious issues in the arts and arts leadership that currently exist in the contemporary arts world. From this experience, students will develop a life plan that examines their own career and life trajectory for the next several years, providing a guidepost for their own personal development in arts leadership. Students will take four core courses including ARTL 501, which focuses on a deep understanding and application of the challenges of executive leadership in the arts and ARTL 502, which looks at major environmental trends affecting the arts and how that impacts the student's leadership role in the arts. Essential to all of these courses is developing the ability to think, speak and write critically about the arts in the contemporary world, key components of strong arts leadership. There is also a two semester practicum, ARTL 510, in which the student creates, develops and completes an actual arts leadership project of his or her own choosing, supported by faculty mentorship and the cohort of other practicum students.

Admission to the program is by application, reviewed and approved by the director of the program. Admission to the practicum requires a project proposal to be created by the student and approved by the director of the program.

Overview

USC's Arts Leadership program (ARTL) is a flexible, multi-disciplinary graduate program for artists, arts administrators and cultural entrepreneurs who want to expand their personal vision and develop the ability to create a life and a career in the nonprofit arts. The curriculum is appropriate for both early and mid-career individuals engaged in any or multiple arts disciplines, who recognize that the rapidly changing world of the 21st century requires an innovative approach to arts leadership. The program is highly individualized, allowing students to design the course of study that is most appropriate for them and their career aspirations.

Admission

Admission to Thornton programs is granted through the USC admission process. Applicants are screened by appropriate faculty selection committees. Specific entrance requirements are reviewed on an annual basis and published online at music.usc.edu.

Unit and Grade Requirements

Students must complete at least 26 semester units at USC, including the Practicum. A grade point average of not less than 3.0 (A = 4.0) is required for all graduate courses, and a grade of B or higher is required for all courses in the major department. Students who transfer credits must achieve this average on all combined transferred and residence units.

Transferred Credits

All credits transferred must be the equivalent of corresponding current work at USC. Course work completed at another institution that has been approved by the Thornton School for transfer credit must have been completed within seven years from the date of admission to a master's degree program to be applied toward that degree. Transfer credit petitions must be filed with the appropriate Thornton adviser during the first semester in residence.

Time Limit

The time limit for completing the Master of Science degree is five years. Progress is measured from the beginning of the first course at USC applied toward the degree. Extensions will be granted by petition to the Thornton School for only the most compelling reasons.

Capstone

A practicum project is required as the capstone for the Master of Science in Arts Leadership. Students will conceptualize, develop and complete an arts project of his or her own choosing to pursue in conjunction with the course work. The practicum project will be centered around a complex leadership challenge that resonates both for the student's particular artistic circumstances and for the field of arts leadership.

The Certificate in Astronautical Engineering is designed for practicing engineers and scientists who enter space-related fields and/or want to obtain training in specific space-related areas. Students enroll at USC as limited status students; they must apply and be admitted to the certificate program after completion of no more than 9 units of required course work. The required course work consists of 12 units; students will choose four 3-unit courses from the following:

This degree is in the highly dynamic and technologically advanced area of astronautics and space technology. The program is designed for those with BS degrees in science and engineering who wish to work in the space sector of the defense/aerospace industry, government research and development centers, and laboratories and academia. The program is available through the USC Distance Education Network (DEN).

The general portion of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and two letters of recommendation are required. For standard Admission Requirements, refer to USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Required courses: 27 units

The PhD in Astronautical Engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the USC Graduate School. See general requirements for graduate degrees. The degree requires a concentrated program of study, research and a dissertation. Each student wishing to undertake a doctoral program must first be admitted to the program and then take the screening examination. This examination will emphasize comprehension of fundamental material in the graduate course work. Further guidance concerning admission, the screening exam and the full completion of courses, including those given outside the Department of Astronautical Engineering, can be obtained from the ASTE student adviser and program coordinators.