| Admission to Graduate Programs Because each program supports individual student interests, applicants are asked to clearly identify their study intentions. The Admissions Committee will seek to match such intentions with comparable faculty strengths. Students applying for design studies are expected to demonstrate an exceptional command of design. Applicants will be expected to submit a portfolio of projects or other appropriate materials for review by the Graduate Admissions Committees. This requirement is optional for applicants to the Certificate programs. Following are the basic requirements for admission to the graduate programs: |
Previous Degree
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| Ability Intellectual promise and clear study intentions that indicate an ability to perform acceptable graduate work. |
| Graduate Record Examination Satisfactory scores on the verbal, analytical and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination. USC does not establish a minimum test score. |
| Portfolio A portfolio of work. Because many portfolios include professional as well as academic projects, applicants are required to clearly describe their specific role in each project. Applicants to the Master of Building Science and Master of Historic Preservation programs may submit computer programs, papers or other relevant work for the portfolio. |
| English Language The ability to communicate effectively in English—to read, write and speak the language fluently—is a vital component for graduate studies. Students whose native language is not English must make every effort to acquire English proficiency before beginning graduate study at USC. International students must demonstrate such ability by taking the TOEFL test before application, and possibly with further tests upon arrival on campus. Applicants for teaching assistantships will be interviewed by telephone or in person, where possible, prior to a final decision. International students may be required to enroll in American Language Institute (ALI) English courses, based on scores on the English Placement Test. The cost of these additional courses is the responsibility of the student. In addition, international students should be aware that they may have to defer enrollment in some major courses because of the ALI courses, which could extend their graduate program by a semester or more. We urge international students to read with care all information sent to them about English requirements and to develop effective English language competence before coming to the United States. |
Deadlines Applications received after this date will be reviewed as they are completed and will be considered for scholarships until all funds have been awarded. For application instructions, click here. |