Why USC?

Top 10 Reasons Why USC Should Be Your First Choice:

1. Distinguished faculty producing groundbreaking research that addresses critical issues facing our global society.
2. More than 400 highly regarded graduate and professional programs that prepare students for leadership positions in research, education and professional practice.
3. A strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research, including productive collaborations among professional schools.
4. Belief in the synergy between fundamental and applied research, as demonstrated by the ongoing work of more than 100 USC research centers and institutes, including:
• Institute for Creative Technologies
• Southern California Earthquake Center
• USC Andrus Gerontology Center
• USC Center on Public Diplomacy
• USC Center for Sustainable Cities
• USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital
5. A high-achieving and remarkably diverse 16,000-member graduate student body—almost half the entire USC student population. We enroll more international students than any other university in the United States.
6. Strong commitment to our core values: free inquiry; informed risk-taking and experimentation; mutual respect and tolerance; fairness and honesty.
7. A "learner-centered" approach to graduate education, fostering intellectual partnerships between faculty and students. Faculty play an active role in helping students hone their skills in locating, assessing, applying and presenting information.
8. Pioneering implementation of technology-assisted learning, from Internet communications to virtual reality and 3-D immersive environments.
9. A global outlook and an urban location in a vibrant international city where more than 200 languages are spoken.
10. Close ties with the local community, providing opportunities to gain real-world experience while making a lasting impact on human lives.