Graduate & Professional Degrees

Application deadline: January 1

Admission Requirements

The prerequisite for admission to the doctoral program in the Department of Physics and Astronomy is a bachelor's (or master's) degree in physics or related field. Transcripts of undergraduate records as well as transcripts of any graduate-level courses are required. The TOEFL or IELTS is required of international students applying for a teaching assistantship as well as for those applying for admission only. Applicants may be admitted to the program at the beginning of the fall or spring semester.

Residence

PhD students in physics normally complete the 5 required courses and one elective in the first two semesters in graduate school. A total of 60 units of credit is required for graduation. Students admitted to the PhD program may transfer a maximum of 30 units of credit to apply toward degree requirements. For students admitted with Advanced Standing (entry with an appropriate completed graduate degree from an accredited institution), a minimum of 36 units of course work beyond that graduate degree, exclusive of PHYS 794a and PHYS 794b, will be required.

Foreign Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the PhD.

Course Requirements

The student is expected to have prepared for understanding all branches of physics. The required courses for the PhD are (1) the following five core courses: PHYS 504, PHYS 508a, PHYS 510, PHYS 518, and  PHYS 558a; (2) a minimum of four additional/elective courses, summing to at least 12 units. These additional/elective courses would be graduate-level or 400-level courses in Physics and Astronomy that are not core courses. Graduate courses offered by other departments at USC could also be taken to meet this requirement, but prior approval of each course by the department is required; (3) four semesters of PHYS 500 or three semesters of PHYS 500 and one semester of PHYS 650; and (4) PHYS 794a and PHYS 794b.  All required physics courses (except PHYS 500 and PHYS 794a, PHYS 794b, PHYS 794c, PHYS 794d, and PHYS 794z) must be passed with a grade of B- or better. After passing the qualifying examination the student must register for PHYS 794a, PHYS 794b, PHYS 794c, PHYS 794d, or PHYS 794z Doctoral Dissertation each fall and spring semester.

Screening Procedure

Any student proceeding toward the PhD in physics must pass the departmental screening examination at a superior level. The exam must be taken not later than during the second year in the department. New advanced students who have passed an equivalent comprehensive examination at a well-recognized research university with superior grades may apply to the departmental examination committee for an oral interview in order to be exempted from the written screening examination. A faculty member who supervises the research of such a student in the department must support this application.

Qualifying Exam Committee

The graduate adviser serves as adviser to incoming students and assists in the appointment of the qualifying exam committee, which is formed after the screening examination has been passed. After the student passes the qualifying examination and a dissertation topic is approved, the five-member qualifying exam committee becomes the dissertation committee and is responsible for monitoring the candidate's progress and for approving the final content and form of the dissertation.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination must be attempted not later than during the seventh semester (or in the case of advanced students, the fifth semester) in the department (excluding summer). The PhD qualifying examination contains a written part and an oral part. The written part consists of a critical review by the student of a published work selected by the qualifying exam committee and of a research proposal prepared by the student on the area in which the student intends to do a doctoral dissertation. The oral part expands on the written part.

Dissertation

A doctoral dissertation in physics is expected to be an extensive description of original research carried out by the student. A complete discussion of reported research in relation to previous work by others is essential.

Defense of the Dissertation

The dissertation must be defended in a final oral examination. The candidate must be prepared to answer general questions in the field as well as specific questions regarding the dissertation.

The Master of Planning and Development Studies degree is designed for mid-career professionals in planning, development or related disciplines who desire to update and/or redirect their professional skills and careers. The program is very flexible, allowing students to pursue areas of expertise that they find valuable in their present or future careers. Entering students must have a minimum of five years of planning, development or related professional work experience.

This online graduate certificate in Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation for Global Health and Development provides training in key aspects and methodologies for program planning, monitoring and evaluation for global health and development. This training is aimed at professionals in or seeking program planning and evaluation positions in global health and/or development, in both private non-profit and public institutions, such as ministries of health, United Nations agencies, and non-government organizations. Courses are taken online through the Keck School of Medicine for a total of 12 units. The program can be completed in as few as three semesters or over the course of three years.

Applicants for the certificate must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program and provide transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended (if applicable), a resume and a statement of purpose. The GRE is not required. 

This certificate program can serve as a possible “stepping stone” toward the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program. Up to 12 units may be applied toward both the certificate and the core or electives in the MPH. Note that students must apply and be admitted to the MPH program and must earn a grade of “B” or better in a course to be eligible to transfer that course toward the degree program. Completion of the certificate does not automatically guarantee admission to the MPH program.

The certificate in Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation for Global Health and Development is also open to students who are currently enrolled in another graduate program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA. These students only need to submit the appropriate paperwork, which may be obtained from the student services adviser, and pay associated tuition costs for adding the certificate program.

The Price School's Doctor of Policy, Planning, and Development (DPPD) provides established public, private and nonprofit sectors professionals with a doctoral-level academic experience that extends their knowledge of public affairs, enhances their leadership capabilities and develops their capacities in social change and innovation. The Price School administers the DPPD in a manner consistent with USC Graduate School policies.

This graduate certificate program provides students with a foundation in political management. It is designed to provide expertise for students who wish to work in public policy advocacy, in political relations, with elected officials and with the public, nonprofit or private sectors.

Applicants who are currently enrolled in a graduate program at USC and are in good standing with a 3.0 GPA only need to submit the appropriate paperwork for adding the certificate program which may be obtained from the student services adviser.

Applicants who have not matriculated at USC must make a formal application for admission to the certificate program, as well as provide transcripts of all college work, a resume and one letter of recommendation.

The Certificate in Political Management consists of 14–16 units of graduate course work depending on the courses selected.

The POIR program does not accept applicants for a Master of Arts degree in POIR. If a student admitted in the POIR doctoral program does not have a master's degree, the department strongly recommends the student completes the requirements for the MA in POIR in his/her course of work toward the PhD degree. A student admitted to the doctoral program may also, at the recommendation of the department, earn a terminal MA degree.

A student may obtain an MA in POIR by fulfilling the following requirements: a minimum of 28 units in the POIR Program, including POIR 600, POIR 610 and POIR 611, and the approval of a substantive paper.

USC Graduate School Requirements

The PhD degree is awarded to students who have demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the disciplines of political science and international relations and the ability to make an original research contribution. The PhD in Political Science and International Relations requirements are fulfilled by successfully completing a minimum of 66 units beyond the BA, the PhD screening process, three fields of concentration, a substantive paper, a foreign language requirement (if applicable), qualifying examinations, a dissertation proposal and a written dissertation and its oral defense.

Admission

The faculty of the Department of Political Science and the School of International Relations welcome talented candidates from a variety of backgrounds. Although a prior degree in political science or international relations is not necessary, it is strongly recommended that applicants have completed at least some course work in related fields, including political theory, statistics and social science research methods.

Admission decisions are based on a holistic review of applications. This review includes, but is not limited to, consideration of applicants' prior academic performance, as reflected in course grades, letters of recommendation and a statement of intent that demonstrates a seriousness of purpose, a high level of motivation and a desire to benefit from our faculty's areas of expertise or interest. Applicants also are required to submit a sample of their written work in English, preferably a research-oriented paper. Business, government and other practical experiences may also be taken into account. Applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL or IELTS examination.

Screening Process

Before completion of 24 units, students will be reviewed by a screening committee made up of the director of Graduate Studies and the faculty who taught the core courses. This committee will review the student's progress, including grades and written faculty evaluations of course work.

The committee will be responsible for deciding, at an early stage in the student's career, if the student is likely to finish the PhD program. After reviewing the student's record, the committee may decide to (1) continue the student, (2) not continue the student and admit the student into a terminal MA degree program or (3) fail the student's performance in the screening process, i.e., not continue the student in either the MA or PhD programs.

Course Requirements

All doctoral candidates must complete an approved sequence of courses in methodology, including a multivariate statistics course (POIR 611), a social inquiry and research design course (POIR 610) and an approved course in advanced research methods.

The selection of additional coursework will be guided by the distribution requirements of the PhD program. The student will choose three fields of concentration, of which two will be examined fields. Each examined field of concentration requires completion of four graduate-level courses, including the core course in standard fields, with an average grade consistent with university and program requirements. The third non-examined field of concentration requires the completion of a minimum of three graduate-level courses with an average grade consistent with university and program requirements. Students are also advised to take an independent study course to work toward their substantive paper requirement. Additional courses necessary to complete the 66 units required by the Guidelines for Graduate Study in Political Science and International Relations should be taken in consultation with faculty advisers.

Fields of Concentration

All students must complete two examined fields of concentration and one non-examined field of concentration. The standing fields of concentration include: American politics (AP); comparative politics (CP); international relations (IR); and methods and research tools (MRT). Students may also select a customized field of concentration as their non-examined field with the approval of their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.

For the American politics; comparative politics; and international relations fields, students must complete four courses and pass a written and oral field qualifying examination. For the methods and research tools field, students must complete the program's methods core course sequence required of all POIR students and a total of four additional approved advanced methods courses. Students must also write a capstone project as part of the qualifying exam utilizing the skills they have learned in their coursework. Students should consult the methods and research tools field coordinator(s) and the POIR Guidelines for a list of approved courses and requirements.

The student may satisfy the third non-examined field by completing one of the following set of requirements: (a) complete at least  three courses in the AP, CP or IR fields, (b) complete four additional methods courses in the MRT field beyond the program's methods core course sequence and/or (c) complete at least three courses in a proposed customized field of study to be approved by relevant faculty and the  Director of Graduate Studies. For example, students can design a third field that cuts across disciplinary boundaries or focuses on specific areas of political science and international relations beyond the standing fields. The guidelines and the Director of Graduate Studies  can provide illustrations of this type of third field.

Foreign Language

The student is required to demonstrate intermediate proficiency in a language other than English if the student's primary field and/or dissertation research requires it. Students should consult the guidelines and the director of Graduate Studies.

Substantive Paper

To show evidence of the capacity to conduct original research and before taking the qualifying exam, each student will submit a substantive paper. The student will submit the draft of his or her substantive paper to the chair of the qualifying exam committee one month prior to the qualifying examinations. After consultation with the chair and necessary revisions, the student is to distribute the paper to all members of the qualifying exam committee at least 14 days prior to the oral defense. The substantive paper should be presented and defended in the oral component of the qualifying examination as a viable journal submission to a peer-reviewed professional journal. It is strongly encouraged that the paper should be submitted to a professional journal approved by the student's adviser within one year of the defense. Students who select the MRT field as one of their examined fields are expected to write a more sophisticated methodological section of their substantive paper that reflects the skills they have learned in their coursework; or produce an additional capstone project in addition to the substantive paper that has as its focus a significant methodological component.

Qualifying Examinations

Ordinarily, students will take the qualifying exams the fifth-sixth semester in the PhD program. Students will be examined in two of their three fields of concentration. The qualifying exam committee will evaluate the quality of the two written field exams as evidence of the capacity to define and complete a PhD dissertation.

With the exception of the methods and research tools field examination, the written examinations will be administered over two days at least once per academic year. Examination questions will be written by a committee of the tenure track faculty in each field. The Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the chair of the Department of Political Science and the chair of the School of International Relations, will appoint one faculty member from each field to serve in the POIR Steering Committee and also serve as the field coordinator for  the relevant field. The field coordinators will then seek assistance from other faculty in their field, including those with whom the student has studied, to compose the written examination questions. Students who select the methods and research tools as one of their examined fields of concentration must complete a capstone project which involves writing and orally defending a methodological component of their substantive paper or an additional paper with a substantial methodological component if the substantive paper does not have a significant methodological component.

The oral portion of the student's qualifying examination will be administered by their qualifying exam committee. The oral examination will be based on the student's written field exams or capstone projects; and the substantive paper. The qualifying exam committee will be made up of five members. In consultation with their principal adviser, the student will select two members, one from each standing field in which they will be examined, and the other two field examiners and the outside member of the qualifying exam committee. Final approval of the qualifying exam committee requires the signature of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dornsife Vice Dean of Academic Programs.

Students will pass the qualifying examinations if no more than one member of the qualifying exam committee dissents after reviewing the student's record at USC and performance on the written and oral parts of the qualifying exams. At the discretion of the qualifying exam committee, students who do not pass the exams may be allowed to retake the qualifying exams the next time they are offered. Students are admitted to candidacy for the PhD when they have completed the university residency requirement, passed the written and oral portions of the PhD qualifying examinations, and have received approval of their dissertation proposal.

Dissertation

Upon completion of the qualifying examinations, the student, in consultation with the principal adviser, selects a dissertation committee in accordance with university rules. Within six months of completing the qualifying examinations, students should submit and have approved their dissertation proposal by their dissertation committee. The PhD is earned upon the submission of the written dissertation and its successful defense before the dissertation committee.

Consult the Requirements for Graduation section and the The Graduate School section of this catalogue regarding time limitations for completion of the degree and other Graduate School requirements.

All graduate students considering an academic career should generally have research, teaching and advisement experiences as part of their program of study.

Overview

The Master of Music in Popular Music Teaching and Learning is a professional degree that prepares graduates for the growing teaching opportunities in the private, public and community sectors in popular music through a curriculum that balances professional practice, scholarship and research. The degree is designed for: 1) working/performing popular musicians wanting to transition into teaching, 2) musicians with a bachelor's degree in music performance or music education looking to expand their knowledge base into popular music and 3) musicians seeking to advance into doctoral level work in Teaching and Learning. Course work addresses issues specific to popular music, including blending informal and formal teaching strategies, songwriting, music production, small ensemble/band coaching, vocal coaching and program development. Additional courses in music teaching and learning provide foundational work in research, teaching philosophies, music psychology, technology, community music and assessment.

Admission

Admission to Thornton programs is granted through the USC admission process. Applicants are screened by appropriate faculty selection committees. Specific entrance requirements are reviewed on an annual basis and published online at music.usc.edu.

Unit and Grade Requirements

Students must complete at least 26 semester units at USC, including a capstone and comprehensive review. A grade point average of not less than 3.0 (A = 4.0) is required for all graduate courses in music, and a grade of B or higher is required for all courses in the major department. Students who transfer credits must achieve this average on all combined transferred and residence units.

Transferred Credits

All credits transferred must be the equivalent of corresponding current work at USC. Course work completed at another institution that has been approved by the Thornton School for transfer credit must have been completed within seven years from the date of admission to a master's degree program to be applied toward that degree. Transfer credit petitions must be filed with the appropriate Thornton adviser during the first semester in residence.

Time Limit

The time limit for completing the Master of Music degree is five years. Progress is measured from the beginning of the first course at USC applied toward the degree. Extensions will be granted by petition to the Thornton School for only the most compelling reasons.

Music Graduate Entrance Exams

All students entering this graduate-level degree program at USC Thornton, who have not previously completed a degree at USC Thornton, must take a series of entrance exams in core music subjects. These exams are called Music Graduate Entrance Exams (MGEEs). Information regarding which exams are required for specific majors is available from the Thornton Student Affairs office. Also see the USC Thornton School of Music Admission to Graduate Standing section of this catalogue for specific policies relating to these exams.

Capstone and Comprehensive Review

A final project is required for candidates as a capstone for the Master of Music in Popular Music Teaching and Learning. The project will consist of a scholarly document written on a topic approved by the Music Teaching and Learning department and include elements of supervised applied teaching. Candidates must also submit a comprehensive portfolio of representative work product consistent with their work in classes and in the field.

Guidance Committee

Before registering for MTAL 592, a student must establish a guidance committee composed of three members of the faculty, approved by the department chair, of which at least two are from the home department. The chair of the guidance committee directly supervises the preparation of the project. The final acceptance of the project and portfolio is based upon the unanimous recommendation of all three members of the committee.

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Email: spatialsciences@dornsife.usc.edu

Director: John P. Wilson, PhD

The Master of Science in Population, Health and Place trains students for applied professional research in geospatial public health, led by faculty from the USC Dornsife Department of Sociology, the Department of Preventive Medicine of the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute. Students do not complete a thesis but take courses in various modeling and computation approaches in demography, biostatics, epidemiology and spatial sciences.