Degree-Related Forms
Effective March 1, 2010, a new petition process has been introduced. All petitions will now be prepared and filed by your graduate staff advisor. Below are the most common degree-related requests that are the purview of the Graduate School:
Application for Readmission
This form must be used to request readmission to a degree program after you have left USC without an approved leave of absence. If you want to be admitted to a different program, you must file a new application for admission with the Office of Graduate Admission.
Request to Exceed GRSC 800 Enrollment Limit Form
If you have taken GRSC 800 three times, and you are not planning to take the Qualifying Examination this semester and you need to register for another semester in GRSC 800, please do the following:
- Download and complete a copy of the Request to Exceed GRSC 800 Enrollment Limit form.
- Have your Guidance Committee Chair sign a copy of the form. He or she must specify the reasons for your enrollment in further GRSC 800 courses and inform The Graduate School of your proposed Qualifying Examination date.
- Return the form to the staff Graduate Advisor in your department. He or she will have the Department Chair sign the form and send it to the Graduate School for approval.
Extension of Time
The time limit for degree completion is measured from the semester in which the first course is applied to the degree. The time limit for completing the master’s degree is five years; a doctoral degree is eight years. For students who earned an applicable master’s degree within five years prior to admission to the doctoral program, the time limit for completing the doctoral degree is six years from the date of admission to the doctoral program. An academic department may grant an extension of up to 2 semesters at a time for a maximum of 4 semesters. If the extension requested falls within this time frame, this can be handled at the department level. In unusual cases, a student's committee and the department chair may petition the Graduate School for further extensions.
Leave of Absence
Departments are permitted to grant Leaves of Absence without Graduate School approval for one semester at a time, for up to four semesters total for domestic students. International students must receive OIS approval for each semester, in addition to the department’s approval. After four semesters, additional Graduate School approval is required.
Childbirth & Adoption Accommodation Program for Ph.D. Students
The Childbirth & Adoption Accommodation Program pertains to any eligible Ph.D. student who becomes pregnant, becomes a parent, or who will be the primary caregiver of their newborn child, or an adopted child.
Key elements of the accommodation include a formal application process; possible replacement of the current stipend during the semester of birth or adoption; continuation of health benefits and tuition remission; and the firm expectation of full-time student status, including the continuation of academic progress. You can view the program announcement here.
Maintaining full-time status through the childbirth/adoption accommodation will satisfy the continuous enrollment requirement for the Ph.D. and enable you to retain use of the university libraries and other services provided to enrolled students. It may also permit international students to retain their visa status.
GRSC 596: Internship for Curricular Practical Training
International students are not permitted to work in a non-USC facility until they have received approval from both the USC Graduate School and the USC Office of International Services.
GRSC 596, “Internship for Curricular Practical Training” is a course designed to allow a student to gain practical work experience in the student’s field of study. The internship must be located at an off-campus facility, but USC faculty must individually supervise students in the academic component.
International students applying for GRSC 596 must submit a “Request for D-Clearance for GRSC 596” application to the Graduate School at least one week before the first day of employment. Students who submit an application after their official start date will not receive approval for CPT and will not be granted d-clearance in GRSC 596.
In order to receive credit for the course, students should submit bi-weekly reports to their supervising faculty member. They should also submit an agreed upon final project to the supervising faculty member no later than the first day of final exams.
GRSC 596 can be taken for a maximum of one unit per term. The GRSC 596 unit may or may not be applied toward the degree, depending on the individual department or school.
To enroll in GRSC 596, students must:
- be in good academic standing (have at least a 3.0 GPA)
- be enrolled full time in the term of intended GRSC 596 registration
- have completed at least 1 academic year of graduate enrollment (F-1 status) and at least one semester of fulltime enrollment in the current graduate program with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or at least 1 academic year in the current graduate program with a cumulative 3.0 GPA.
and have:
- identified a faculty member, in the same school or department, who is willing to serve as the academic faculty supervisor; and have established due dates for the bi-weekly reports and for the final paper/report with that faculty member;
- completed & submitted to the Graduate School, a “Request for D Clearance for GRSC 596;” and
- obtained an offer letter containing specific information (see below).
The “Request for D-Clearance for GRSC 596” form must:
- be signed by the student, their USC academic faculty supervisor and the department chair;
- include an agreement with the academic USC faculty supervisor indicating his/her approval of the internship. The expectations regarding the format, content and due date of the final exam paper must be included and can be added in the Comments section.
Students must also attach a copy of the organization’s offer letter which must include:
- Student’s name and address
- Location where you will work (organization address)
- Detailed description of responsibilities for the internship
- Hours per week to be worked
- Beginning and ending dates of the internship (not before the first day of the semester and not after the last day of the semester).
The GRSC 596 form and the offer letter must be submitted as one complete packet to the Graduate School in order to receive consideration.
If the request for D-Clearance in GRSC 596 is approved, students will be contacted to pick up the GRSC 596 form and take it to the Office of International Services for final review and approval of CPT.
The Graduate School’s review process can take up to 5 business days. Applications submitted on or close to the add/drop deadline might not receive consideration. Students are strongly advised to plan ahead by completing all forms and obtaining the appropriate signatures in a timely manner. Students are not eligible to apply for GRSC 596 after the add/drop deadline.
Please download a copy of the GRSC 596 syllabus.
Please consult the Office of International Services (213-740-2666 or ois@usc.edu) for additional information and paperwork deadlines.
If you have any questions about the GRSC 596 application process, please send an email to: gradsch@usc.edu
Please check with your academic unit before applying for GRSC 596. Many schools have their own CPT course.
Reserve for Graduate Credit Coursework Taken as an Undergraduate - Exceptions
With the approval of the instructor, an undergraduate student who is within 12 semester units of the bachelor’s degree and has a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 may request to enroll in and reserve for graduate credit a limited amount of work at the 400 and 500 levels during the last semester as a senior, provided that the semester program does not exceed 16 semester units. The Degree Progress Department verifies that the units being reserved are not needed to fulfill requirements for the bachelor’s degree. The student must present a copy of the final action to the Degree Progress Department at the time of enrollment. All exceptions must be approved by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Graduate Programs. Your undergraduate advisor can initiate the request by contacting the Graduate School at gradsch@usc.edu.
USC - UCLA Cross-Enrollment
This form is to be completed by USC graduate students interested in taking a graduate course at UCLA. Students taking courses at any other university should consult their home department for assistance. Credit (CR) will be granted only for work completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher. Units attempted at UCLA are on the quarter system. USC students who complete course work at UCLA will have those units converted to 0.625 semester units for each unit.
Instructions for USC students wishing to take a graduate course at UCLA can be found at this link.
