For All Students
Academic Advising
Academic advising is one of the best ways for you to maximize your chances for academic success. Advisors are available to assist you in planning your class schedule and to help you keep track of your progress toward your degree objective. If you are undecided in your choice of major, consultation with an advisor can also be an excellent way to begin exploring areas of study that may be of interest to you. If you have declared a major, academic advisors are available in your department and are accessible throughout the year. Contact your department for specific information regarding additional services they may provide as well as hours of availability. Department locations and telephone numbers are listed along with the departmental course offerings in this schedule.
The Office of College Advising provides general advising for students in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, including those students who do not yet have a declared major. Additional advising services are available for students preparing for careers in law, medicine and other health professions as well as graduate programs. The office is located in CAS 120 and is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call (213) 740-2534 or visit www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/cas
Audited Courses
A separate application required to complete this process can be obtained at the Registration Building. Students may elect to audit courses during the first three weeks of the semester (or the third week equivalency deadline as applied during the summer). A course taken for audit (V) will be assessed at the current tuition rate. A course taken for audit (V) will not receive credit and will not appear on the USC transcript or grade report. A course taken for audit is not included in enrollment for purposes of receiving financial aid. Under no circumstances will the university allow a petition to request to change the registration status of a course from a letter grade or credit to audit (V) or vice versa after the third week of a given semester (or the third week equivalency deadline during summer). Changing to audit is a process that is not available by Web Registration.
Cancellation of Enrollment
You have three options if you wish to cancel or drop all enrolled classes: (1) complete a blue Request for Change of Program application in person in the REG Lobby; (2) send a letter requesting to withdraw from all classes to the USC Registration Department, 601 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90089-0912; or, (3) send a FAX to the Registration Department at (213) 821-3724 requesting to withdraw from all classes. All withdrawals must be requested, received and processed by the end of the third week equivalency deadline to be eligible for 100 percent refund. Refer to the dates in the shaded column of the session codes table. If you are requesting a cancellation and are still responsible for any housing charges, you must contact Trojan Housing and submit a separate application. Financial Aid recipients who withdraw from all classes, see Withdrawal Implications for Recipients of Financial Aid.
Concurrent Registration
Students may not register for credit at USC and another institution simultaneously without receiving permission in advance from their academic advisor and the Office of Academic Records and Registrar. Students may obtain a form to request permission for concurrent registration from the Transfer Credit Evaluation Office. They must then initiate an evaluation of credit transferability and obtain their academic advisor’s prior approval of the form to assure the acceptance of credit toward the degree for any courses taken at another institution. A credit evaluator in the Transfer Credit Evaluation Office can answer questions about this process. Students in the Graduate School must seek advance permission from the Graduate School.
Equal Opportunity Policy
The University of Southern California is proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding men and women of every race, creed and background.
This university is also firmly committed to complying with all applicable laws and government regulations at the federal, state and local levels which prohibit discrimination, or which mandate that special consideration be given, on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, Vietnam veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic which may from time to time be specified in such laws or regulations. This good faith effort to comply is made even when such laws and regulations conflict with each other.
USC strives to build a community in which each person respects the rights of other people to be proud of who and what they are, to live and work in peace and dignity, and to have an equal opportunity to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society. To this end the university places great emphasis on those values and virtues that bind us together as human beings and members of the Trojan Family.
Final Examinations
Finals for summer session classes are held during the last week of a specific session. See the list of session codes.
Grade Reports
Student grade reports are no longer printed and mailed. To learn your grades for the immediate past semester, access the online academic student information system (OASIS) on USCweb at www.usc.edu/oasis.
Guaranteeing a Space in a Class
Registration in a class does not by itself guarantee a space in that class. An instructor may replace any student who without prior consent does not attend these class sessions: (a) the first two class sessions, or (b) the first class session of the semester for once-a-week classes. It is then the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from the course through the Registration Department. Any class added by Web Registration or in person after the first week of classes (or first week equivalency as applied during the summer), should always receive the instructor’s approval.
Limited Status Enrollment
Limited status enrollment allows persons who have not been admitted to the university to take a limited number of courses at USC.
Eligibility for Limited Status Enrollment
Students who have not yet completed a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for limited status enrollment if they have been denied admission to USC or if they have been academically disqualified or suspended from any community college, college or university.
At the post-baccalaureate level, limited status enrollment is not available to students who have been denied admission to the department offering the course unless prior approval is granted by the department and appropriate dean.
International Students
Limited status enrollment does not fulfill requirements for issuing a student visa. International students (students studying or wishing to study in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa) must have the approval of the Office of International Admissions before registering for classes.
Restrictions on Limited Status Enrollment
A pre-baccalaureate limited status student may not register for more than 16 units; a post-baccalaureate limited status student may not register for more than 12 units. Exceptions to this policy will be considered by the Office of Admission for USC employees and for post-baccalaureate students who submit a disclaimer of intent to pursue a USC degree.
Prior approval of the department offering the course is required for all limited status enrollment. If a limited status student is subsequently admitted to regular standing, no more than 16 undergraduate or the first 12 graduate units taken through limited status enrollment can be applied toward a degree. Individual exceptions must be approved by the dean of the degree-conferring units. Pre-baccalaureate limited status students must settle their tuition and fees on the same day they register for classes or their enrollment will be cancelled by the Registration Department. This policy does not apply to USC staff and faculty.
Pass/No Pass Option
During the first three weeks of the semester (or the third week equivalency deadline as applied during summer), you may elect to take a course numbered below 500 on a pass/no pass basis. Graduate students must receive departmental approval to enroll in a graduate course on a pass/no pass basis. Refer to the Pass/No Pass Graded Work section in the USC Catalogue for details on degree credit restrictions on courses taken on a pass/no pass basis. You should consult your academic advisor before enrolling in any course on a pass/no pass basis. To enroll, you must complete the Pass/No Pass Request for Change of Program; enrollment is not available by Web Registration.
Residence Requirements
Refer to the USC Catalogue for applicable residence requirements.
Right to Withdraw a Course
The university reserves the right to withdraw or change the hours of any course listed in the Schedule of Classes. Listings in this schedule represent the university’s curricular offerings as of the time of printing. Classes may be rescheduled or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances or low enrollment.
Students enrolled in a cancelled class are responsible for withdrawing the course from their program by Web Registration or in person at the REG lobby.
USCweb
OASIS
You can access your academic and financial related information through OASIS (www.usc.edu/oasis), the Online Academic Student Information System on USCweb. OASIS allows you to view your:
- registered course list
- enrollment verification
- completed course summary
- grade report
- degree progress summary report
- billing balance
- financial aid document status
- financial aid summary
- permit to register
- OASIS guest access
OASIS may be accessed on any Internet-enabled computer from the myUSC Portal (my.usc.edu) or from www.usc.edu/oasis.
You will need your student ID number and PIN number to view your records.
Schedule of Classes
You can view the schedule on USCweb at www.usc.edu/soc. The online schedule is updated every three hours and contains the most up-to-date class enrollment totals.
Voter Registration
Voter registration information and forms may be obtained from the USC home page at www.usc.edu/students/ voter_registration.
Web Registration
Web Registration and the schedule planning (auto scheduler) feature are available at www.usc.edu/webregistration. Using the auto scheduler feature but failing to register for your courses before the tuition and fees payment deadline is not a valid reason to request a waiver of the late registration fee.
For Undergraduate Students
Academic Probation/Mandatory Advisement
An undergraduate student whose overall GPA falls below 2.0 is on academic probation. Continued enrollment requires clearance from an Academic Review Department counselor. When the overall GPA falls below 2.0, the student is required to seek academic advisement prior to course selection each semester. The student must file proof of advisement must with the Academic Review Department before any registration request is processed. The Academic Review Department will only accept an official Retention Advisement Record form with an authorized school signature as proof of advisement. Students may obtain this form in JHH 113.
Placement Tests
Placement Tests are required for the following courses:
- Mathematics: MATH 108, 116, 117, 125 and 126
- Chemistry: CHEM 105a
- Physics: PHYS 151
- Language: For placement in the first three semesters or to meet the requirement in French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Latin, Russian and Spanish. For other languages not mentioned above, contact the Office of College Advising, (213) 740-2534.
Placement Test Dates, Times and Locations
Contact the Testing Bureau for test times at (213) 740-7166 or visit their Web site, http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/testing_bureau. Only students admitted to USC may take these exams. USC ID or proof of admittance to USC along with a photo ID is required. Also, bring two #2 pencils and a pen.
Registration in Graduate-Level Courses by Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students will not be allowed to enroll in a graduate course unless they have received prior approval to (1) reserve the course for a possible graduate degree or (2) count the course for undergraduate credit or (3) audit the course. Students must present official proof of such approval to the Registration Department at the time of enrollment. Details describing how such approval is obtained can be found in the USC Catalogue.
For Graduate Students
Thesis 594
A master’s candidate who is writing a thesis and has completed all course work for the degree must enroll each fall and spring semester in the appropriate thesis registration until the thesis has been approved. Students should consult the appropriate school or departmental section of the USC Catalogue for specific thesis registration requirements.
For programs under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School, students may not register for more than 2 units of 594 in a given semester. One summer registration is permitted without Graduate School approval. After 594a and 594b, students must register and pay for 2 units of 594z each semester until the Approval of Thesis for Final Typing card has been signed by the thesis committee and submitted to the Graduate School. No more than 4 units of credit in 594 may be received regardless of the number of semesters the candidate may be required to register.
Dissertation 794
Doctoral students completing a dissertation are to be registered in Dissertation 794 each semester after being admitted to candidacy (i.e., after passing the qualifying examination), until the Approval of Dissertation for Final Typing card has been signed by the committee and submitted to the Graduate School. If the card is signed and dated by the add/drop deadline for fall or spring and the student has complied with all other policies governing 794 registrations, no further registrations are required. Students may not register for more than 2 units of 794 in a given semester. Students may not register in 794 prior to being admitted to candidacy; any such registrations are invalid. One summer registration is permitted without Graduate School approval. No more than 8 units of credit in 794 may be received regardless of the number of semesters the candidate may be required to register. After registration in 794a, 794b, 794c and 794d, students must register and pay for 2 units of 794z although the registration carries zero units of credit. Grades recorded for 794 will remain as “IP” (In Progress) until the degree is conferred. Credit will be applied toward 794abc and 794d registrations when the degree has been cleared by the Degree Progress Department.
GRSC 800 Series
The GRSC 800 series is a mandatory non-credit registration for graduate students who have completed all course work and are not otherwise registered while taking the master’s comprehensive or the doctoral Qualifying Examination. Fees are equivalent to one unit of tuition. All registrations in the GRSC 800 series are by permission of the Graduate School only and are subject to verification of the completion of the following prerequisites for each course.
GRSC 800 Studies for the Qualifying Examination: completion of all course work required for the doctoral degree and approval to take the doctoral Qualifying Examination by the appropriate school.
GRSC 810 Studies for the Master’s Examination: completion of all course work for the master’s degree as verified on the Credit Summary. The Credit Summary is issued by the Degree Progress Department after the student has filed the proper forms with the appropriate school.