USC Office of Articulation
Information For Spring Admits1 About Transfer Courses
To Be Taken Before Entering USC
Which courses transfer for credit to USC?
For general information about transfer policies, see Transferring to USC, pages 6-11.
Can transfer courses satisfy my general graduation requirements at USC?
Yes, transfer courses you take after graduating from high school and before entering USC may fulfill most of the "USC Core":
For more information about the USC Core, see the USC Catalogue or click here for brief descriptions of the USC Core requirements.
How can I find out what transfers to USC from schools in California?
The Articulation Office homepage has articulation agreements with most California community colleges which state exactly what credit courses will receive. Admissions recommends that you attend a two-year school in the fall. There are also articulation histories with several four-year schools.
What if I’m not taking courses at one of those California colleges?
First, look at Transferring to USC, which gives guidelines for determining whether a course transfers for elective credit and fulfills a graduation requirement.
Second, click here to access the Transfer Planning Guide (TPG). After choosing one of the colleges from the list and a USC major, the TPG will display which courses at that college satisfy the USC Core and requirements for the selected major. The list of colleges on the TPG is limited (but growing), and the TPG does not contain a complete list of courses taught at these colleges. Therefore, if the school you are planning to attend is not listed or the courses you want to take do not appear, please continue to the third step.
Third, speak with your Admission counselor, who may be able to provide information from our database of courses that have already transferred from the college you plan to attend. You can identify your counselor, with contact information, on the Admissions Counselor page, or call Admissions at (213) 740-1111.
Fourth, if you need more specific advice, fill out a Pre-approval form. List the course(s) you want to take and state what credit you would like to earn for each. Fax the completed form, with signature, to Degree Progress at (213) 821-3757, or mail it to:
University of Southern California
Degree Progress, JHH 010
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0912
What courses should I take that would apply to my USC major?
Requirements for majors are described in the USC Catalogue. Most departments prefer that students take "USC Core" requirements and courses preparatory to the major (if relevant) before coming, and take major course work at USC.
Can I transfer study abroad courses?
Possibly, but not all overseas programs transfer to USC. Please submit a pre-approval form and include information about the program, a course syllabus for all courses you intend to take and indicate which university will provide the transcript for the course(s).
How about online courses?
Elective units are granted. No equivalence or category III GE is granted for lab science courses nor is equivalence granted to foreign language courses taken via distance education. Equivalence and GE in these subjects can be granted after completing the course upon petition supported by documentation that you took a traditional classroom version of the course. Documentation may include a registration summary and your course syllabus; keep copies of all related materials. No advance guarantee of equivalence or subject credit can be made. Distance education courses in other subjects are acceptable; however, all courses taught in non-traditional settings or time frames require individual review after completing the course; no advance guarantee of credit can be made.
1This process can also be used by Fall Admits who wish to inquire about courses to be taken in the summer before entering USC.