The University of Southern California (USC) has two main campuses, both located in Los Angeles, CA. USC's University Park campus is near downtown-metro Los Angeles, near the city's major museums. The University Park campus is home to most of USC's professional schools and the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School and the School of Dentistry. USC's Health Sciences campus is northeast of downtown Los Angeles and is home to the School of Pharmacy, the Keck School of Medicine and three teaching hospitals. Many other USC programs are conducted at different locations in the Southern California area.
USC is the oldest research university in the West and continues to be a leader in this area with an award-winning faculty and strong medical-health and science programs that have given rise to many new ideas and new technology over the years. USC receives top ranking and federal funding for its research activity.
USC attracts many international students and also offers many study abroad programs and internships. The university encourages collaboration, interdisciplinary studies, public service and professional education. Through its flexible programs like "Renaissance Ideal," "Thematic Option," and many interdisciplinary majors and minors, USC encourages entering students to create their own major/minor study programs to further interdisciplinary endeavors and new ideas.
One of the great attractions of USC for many students is its distinguished faculty. The university boasts many renowned innovators and award-winners including members of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. In 2011, USC Professor and historian Dr. Kevin Starr was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
History
Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California opened its doors with 10 teachers and 53 students. In 1885, USC established its College of Medicine, which was the first in Southern California. In 1888, USC Trojans played their first football game.
Academics
The University of Southern California's academic calendar follows the semester format, with a fall, spring and summer semester.
The University of Southern California (USC) offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees as well as continuing and professional education. USC also offers a Progressive Degree option to high-achieving undergraduates who wish to begin work on a master's degree while completing their requirements for a bachelor's degree.
USC offers hundreds of options for majors, minors and degree programs to undergraduates and graduates through many flexible study options. Students can choose from several areas and departments to pursue a major or program of study including arts and humanities, social studies, natural sciences, engineering, computer quantitative, and technical sciences.
For students pursuing research, there are many research centers and institutes, as well as laboratories and research units to choose from at USC that include arts and humanities, social and natural sciences, engineering and technology. Some key areas for research at USC include genomics, biomedical imaging, nanoscience, digital media and high-performance computing.
Colleges and Schools
The colleges and schools of the University of Southern California are located at its two primary campuses: University Park Campus and Health Sciences Campus. The colleges and schools of USC are:
- USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
- USC Leventhal School of Accounting
- USC School of Architecture
- USC Marshall School of Business
- USC School of Cinematic Arts
- USC Annenberg School for Communication, Journalism
- Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
- USC Rossier School of Education
- USC Viterbi School of Engineering
- USC Roski School of Fine Arts
- USC Davis School of Gerontology
- USC Gould School of Law
- Keck School of Medicine of USC
- USC Thornton School of Music
- Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
- USC School of Pharmacy
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy
- USC School of Policy, Planning and Development
- USC School of Social Work
- USC School of Theatre
Student Life
USC is a large university and there are a host of student services available to help students navigate campus life. There are "Academic Services" that include online resources, academic support, libraries and computing. Through "Campus Life" USC offers countless campus activities and programs, groups and organizations for students to become involved in. Other student resources include Career Services, Financial Services, Student Health Services, International Students and New Students services, as well as the many programs and services offered through Student Affairs. Intramural sports and spirit groups are a popular way to get involved in campus life and meet other students.
There are at least 12 residence halls on the USC campuses and many more USC-owned properties nearby that provide housing to students. USC has three main restaurants on campus that have a selection of menu plans and are conveniently located near the residence halls.
Athletics
Athletics are an important part of the college experience at USC. The USC Trojans teams compete in the following intercollegiate sports:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Satellite Campuses
In addition to its two main campuses, USC runs programs at several locations throughout Southern California (Marina del Rey, Orange County, among others) as well as educational centers in Sacramento, California and Washington, D.C.
Community Life
USC is located in the heart of Los Angeles with many important museums close by and a host of recreational facilities and attractions in the area. The USC Arts & Events Calendar offers an award-winning selection of art exhibits, public lectures, music, theatre, and film. Additionally, there are many cultural events and activities in the Los Angeles area, as well as the many tourist attractions offered by Hollywood and the entertainment industry.
USC has many partnerships with organizations and groups in its surrounding neighborhoods and communities, offering students many opportunities to get involved in community programs, campaigns and initiatives that benefit local children, families and community members.
Admission Requirements & Details
The admission details below may provide a better idea of the candidates USC accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any college or dual credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
The total student enrollment at University of Southern California is about 43,000. The enrollment breakdown by academic level is 7% enrolling as graduate students and 43% as undergraduate students.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The items listed below are for informational purposes only and may not represent current tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Tuition is estimated to be around $54,000 per year for in-state and nonresident students
- Part time students pay in the range of $1,700 to $2,000 per unit
- May provide a prepaid tuition option, which allows tuition to be purchased at current rates for enrollment at a future date
Financial Aid Details
The financial aid table below details the types of financial aid, along with the percent of students receiving aid, and on average the amount of aid per student per year.
| Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Any Financial Aid | 61% | - |
| Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 56% | $33,178 |
| Receiving Student Loans | 32% | $7,212 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help students and alumni, University of Southern California may offer services to students like:- Career path counseling
- Work study style employment
- Assisting students to find work
- Child care
Graduation Rates
With a high graduation rate of around 91%, University of Southern California is among the most successful schools in the area.
| Number of Year to Graduate | Percent of Entering Class |
|---|---|
| Students Graduating in 4 Years | 78% |
| Graduating in 5 Years | 11% |
| Graduating in 6 Years | 2% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
Campus: University of Southern California
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Dental Hygienist Program
- Coordinated Dietetics Program
- Endodontics Program
- English Language Program
- Health Services Administration Program
- Law Program
- Medical (M.D.) Program
- Music Program
- Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Program
- Occupational Therapy (OT) Program
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program
- Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics Program
- Pediatric Dentistry Program
- Periodontics Program
- Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) Program
- Prosthodontics Program
- Graduate Level Public Health (Outside School of Public Health) Program
- Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Education Program
Campus: USC Health Sciences Campus
- Graduate Level Public Health (Outside School of Public Health) Program
- * Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (since 2000)
Intercollegiate Athletics
University of Southern California is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports belonging to the NCAA Division I-A classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Baseball (Pac-12 Conference)
- Basketball (Pac-12 Conference)
- Football (Pac-12 Conference)
- Golf
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
- Track and Field, Indoor
- Track and Field, Outdoor
- Track and Field, X-Country
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by University of Southern California by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Architecture
- Architecture (B, M)
- Urban Planning (B, D, M)
- Real Estate Development (C, M)
- Landscape Architect (C, M)
- Architectural and Building Sciences (C, M)
- Environmental Design, Architecture (C)
- Architectural History and Criticism
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (B, D, M)
- Neuroscience (B, D, M)
- Biochemistry (B)
- Cell Biology and Anatomical Sciences (M)
- Microbiology and Immunology (M)
- Molecular Genetics (D, M)
- Molecular Biology (D)
- Biomathematics and Bioinformatics (M)
- Biostatistics (D, M)
- Computational Biology (D)
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (M)
- Evolutionary Biology (D)
- Molecular Pharmacology (D, M)
- Pathology, Experimental Pathology (D, M)
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences (D)
- Epidemiology (D)
- Molecular Medicine (D, M)
- Neurobiology and Neurosciences (B)
- Physiology (D, M)
- Marine Biology (M)
- Biomedical Science
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology and Cancer Biology
- Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
- Bioinformatics
- Neurobiology and Anatomy
Business and Marketing Studies
- Business Administration (B, C, D, M)
- Accounting (B, M)
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management (C)
- Taxation (M)
- International Business (M)
- Advertising and Marketing (C)
- Finance (C, M)
- Management Science (M)
- Restaurant and Food Services Management (C)
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (M)
- Real Estate (B)
- Construction Management (M)
- Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services (C)
- Business Statistics (C)
- Commerce (C)
- Organizational and Nonprofit Management
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (B, D, M)
- Communication and Media Studies (C, M)
- Journalism (B, M)
- Public Relations (B, M)
- International and Intercultural Communication (C, M)
- Broadcast Journalism (B)
- Multimedia (M)
- Communication, General (C)
- Communication and Journalism
Computer and Information Sciences
- Computer Science (B, D, M)
- Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation (B, M)
- Computer and Information Systems Security (M)
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (M)
- Data Modeling & Database Administration (DBA) (M)
- Computer Networking (M)
- Informatics
Education
- Teacher and Professional Development (M)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (D, M)
- ESL (M)
- Higher Education Administration (M)
- Education, Teaching of the Gifted and Talented (C)
- College Student Counseling and Personnel Services (M)
- Special Education (C)
- Teacher Education and Professional Development (M)
- Urban Education and Leadership (D)
- Education (B, D)
- Guidance Counselor (M)
- Educational Administration (M)
- Music Teacher Education (M)
- Learning Sciences
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- Foreign Language Teacher Education
Engineering
- Electrical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Mechanical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Petroleum Engineering (D, M)
- Biomedical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (B, C, D, M)
- Industrial Engineering (B, D, M)
- Chemical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Structural Engineering (B, M)
- Systems Engineering (C, M)
- Materials Engineering (M)
- Computer Engineering (B, D, M)
- Civil Engineering (B, D, M)
- Environmental and Environmental Health Engineering (B, M)
- Transportation and Highway Engineering (C, M)
- Operations Research (M)
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (M)
- Manufacturing Engineer (M)
- Water Resources Engineering (M)
- Architectural Engineering (D)
- Software Engineering (C)
- Telecommunications Engineering
English Language and Literature
- Creative Writing (B, M)
- English (B, D, M)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
- United States Studies (B, D, M)
- East Asian Studies (B, M)
- Ethnic and Cultural Minority Studies (B, C)
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies (B)
- African-American Black Studies (B)
- Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American Studies (B)
- East Russian Language and Literature
- Asian-American Studies
Foreign Languages and Literature
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Spanish Language and Literature (B)
- Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Comparative Literature (B, D, M)
- French Language and Literature (B, D)
- Classical Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (B, D, M)
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General (D)
- Linguistic and Comparative Language Studies and Services (B)
- Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (D)
- Russian Language and Literature (B)
- Italian Language and Literature (B)
- German Language and Literature
Health and Clinical Professions
- Pharmacy (D)
- Medicine (D)
- Dentistry (D)
- Public Health (M)
- Healthcare Administration (C, M)
- Occupational Therapy (B, D, M)
- Behavioral Aspects of Health (B, D)
- Physical Therapy (D, M)
- International Public Health, International Health (B, M)
- Physician Assistant (M)
- Marriage and Family Therapy (M)
- Pharmacy Administration, Policy and Regulatory Affairs (C, D, M)
- Dental Hygienist (B, M)
- Nurse Anesthetist (M)
- Medical Scientist (C, M)
- Endodontics, Endodontology (C)
- Advanced Dentistry and Oral Sciences (D, M)
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration (C)
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (M)
- Clinical and Industrial Drug Development (M)
- Pediatric Dentistry, Pedodontics (C)
- Prosthodontics, Prosthodontology (C)
- Orthodontics, Orthodontology (C)
- Pharmaceutical Sciences (D, M)
- Periodontics, Periodontology (C)
- Pharmacoeconomics, Pharmaceutical Economics (D, M)
- Oral Biology and Oral Pathology (C)
- Oral, Maxillofacial Surgery (C)
- Health Services
- Advanced General Dentistry
- Long Term Care Administration
- Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences
History
- History (B, D, M)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- Human Biology (B)
- Gerontology (B, C, D, M)
- Cognitive Science (B)
- International and Global Studies (M)
- Sustainability Studies (C)
- Historic Preservation and Conservation (C, M)
- Dispute Resolution
- Marine Sciences
Legal Professions and Studies
- Law (D)
- Programs for Foreign Lawyers (M)
- Legal Professions and Studies (C)
- Comparative Law (M)
- Banking, Corporate, Finance and Securities Law
- Tax Law, Taxation
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (M)
Library Science
- Library Science, Librarianship (M)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Financial Mathematics (B, M)
- Computational and Applied Mathematics (B)
- Applied Mathematics (D, M)
- Math (B, D, M)
- Statistics (M)
Military Technology
- Geospatial Intelligence
Natural Resources and Conservation
- Environmental Science (B)
- Environmental Studies (B, M)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, D)
- Religious Studies (B)
- Ethics (B)
- Jewish and Judaic Studies
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry (B, D, M)
- Geology (B, D, M)
- Physics (B, D, M)
- Materials Science (D, M)
- Physical Sciences (B)
- Astronomy (B)
- Chemical Physics
Psychology
- Psychology (B, D, M)
- Applied Psychology (M)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (D, M)
- Public Administration (M)
- Public Policy (B, C, D, M)
- Public Administration and Social Service (M)
- Public Policy Analysis (C, M)
- International Policy Analysis (C)
Recreation and Fitness Studies
Social Sciences
- International Relations (B, D, M)
- Economics (B, D, M)
- Political Science (B)
- Sociology (B, D, M)
- Cartography and GIS (C, M)
- Social Science (B)
- Political Economy (B)
- Anthropology (B, M)
- Archaeology (B)
- Development Economics and International Development (M)
- Urban Studies (D)
- Geography (D)
Theology and Religious Vocations
Visual and Performing Arts
- Cinematography And Film (B, M)
- Film Studies (B, D, M)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B)
- Art Studies (B)
- Music Management (B)
- Playwriting and Screenwriting (B, M)
- Music Performance (B, C, D)
- Game Design (B, M)
- Arts, Entertainment,And Media Management, General (C)
- Music (B)
- Digital Arts (B, M)
- Music Technology (C)
- Acting (B, M)
- Fine Arts and Studio Arts (B, M)
- Art History (B, C, D)
- Violin, Viola, Guitar and Other Stringed Instruments (B, D, M)
- Music Theory and Composition (B, D, M)
- Jazz and Jazz Studies (B, D, M)
- Voice and Opera (B, D, M)
- Woodwind Instruments (B, D, M)
- Piano and Organ (B, D, M)
- Brass Instruments (B, D, M)
- Fine Arts and Art Studies (M)
- Theatre Design and Technology (B)
- Visual and Performing Arts (B)
- Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (B, M)
- Music History, Literature, and Theory (M)
- Musicology and Ethnomusicology (D)
- Music Pedagogy (D, M)
- Percussion Instruments (B, M)
- Dance
- Design and Applied Arts
- Directing and Theatrical Production
- Conducting
- Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
Other 4-Year Private Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to University of Southern California.
- California State University - Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA (7 miles away)
- University of California - Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA (9 miles away)
- California State University - Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA (11 miles away)
- California State University - Long Beach in Long Beach, CA (19 miles away)
- California State University - Northridge in Northridge, CA (20 miles away)
Also, you can compare schools by looking through our list of colleges & universities:
- Compare schools and see a list of all colleges in California
- Find out what other private colleges are located in California
Data Disclaimer
Information displayed on this page has been obtained from Institution, State, and Federal data sources, including the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Survey 2010-2016. Information should be solely used for informational purposes only and may not be accurate for the current year. Contact University of Southern California for official up-to-date information.