Graduate & Professional Degrees

This certificate program is for students holding master's degrees who wish to pursue or expand careers in marketing communication. Students will study the latest developments in marketing communication research and theory and the application to marketing communication issues.

Students take 16 units of graduate course work beyond the master's degree, of which 4 units may be cognate courses.

The Graduate Certificate in Marketing provides USC graduate students with the tools, ideas and frameworks that will aid them in making business decisions in an application-based manner, based on actual case studies and relevant projects, to improve the performance of their organization. Students in the program acquire the marketing principles, techniques and tools necessary to analyze marketing situations and develop effective integrated strategic marketing plans to improve the performance of their organization.

Admission Requirements

Two years of full-time work experience is preferred.

Individuals applying for admission to the Master of Science in Marketing should not apply for admission to this program also.

Application Procedure

Prospective students who have not previously taken a master's/graduate-level (post-baccalaureate) introductory marketing course must apply to begin the program in the fall term. Prospective students who have taken a master's/graduate-level marketing course may apply to begin the program in the fall, spring or summer.

For information regarding how to apply, visit students.marshall.usc.edu/graduate-certificate-admissions-usc-students.

For more information about the program, visit marshall.usc.edu/GCRTMarketing.

The Master of Science in Marketing (Marketing Analytics) provides students with tools, concepts, frameworks and critical thinking and innovative skills needed for more effective development, enhancement and refinement of marketing techniques critical to the success of local and global businesses.

Students will develop skills to position themselves as leaders in quantitative marketing methods, gaining exposure to in-demand programming languages such as R and Python for marketers, as well as strategies and techniques for predictive modeling, consumer analysis, customer segmentation and micro-targeting. Practical hand-on projects in areas such as technology, biotechnology, healthcare, entertainment, sports entertainment and marketing start-ups provide students with opportunities to apply the classroom experience to the real world.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the standard USC and Marshall graduate admission requirements. Full-time work experience is preferred. GMAT or GRE scores are required. The GMAT is preferred. International applicants who did not spend four years completing a bachelor's degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.

More information about program admissions requirements can be found on the program website at marshall.usc.edu/MSMKT. Qualified admissions candidates will be called for an interview portion of the application process.

Individuals applying for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Marketing should not apply for admission to this program also.

Application Procedure

Prospective students apply for admission to begin the program in the fall term (August start).

Applications are submitted online through the USC Graduate Admissions application website at gradadm.usc.edu. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions website.

A complete application includes the online application form, official test scores, essays, an application fee, two letters of recommendation and official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended. Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee, new test scores (if previously submitted) or transcripts to verify degrees earned prior to their attendance at USC.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/MSMkt.

The Master of Science in Marketing provides students with tools, concepts, frameworks and critical thinking and innovation skills needed for more effective development, enhancement and refinement of marketing techniques critical to the success of local and global businesses.

The degree focuses on theories and applications of consumer behavior in marketing, as well as psychological, social, cultural and ethnic factors influencing consumer behavior. Practical hand-on projects in areas such as technology, biotechnology, healthcare, entertainment, sports and marketing start-ups provide students with opportunities to apply the classroom experience to the real world.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the standard USC and Marshall graduate admission requirements. At least two years of full-time work experience is preferred. GMAT or GRE scores are required. The GMAT is preferred. International applicants who did not spend four years completing a bachelor's degree at an American, British, Canadian or Australian college or university must submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores.

More information about program admissions requirements can be found on the program website at marshall.usc.edu/MSMKT. Qualified admissions candidates will be called for an interview portion of the application process.

Individuals applying for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Marketing should not apply for admission to this program also.

Application Procedure

Prospective students apply for admission to begin the program in the fall term (August start).

Applications are submitted online through the USC Graduate Admissions application website at gradadm.usc.edu. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions website.

A complete application includes the online application form, official test scores, an essay, an application fee, two letters of recommendation and official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended. Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee, new test scores (if previously submitted) or transcripts to verify degrees earned prior to their attendance at USC.

For additional information, visit marshall.usc.edu/MSMkt.

The Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy is offered for those students seeking to prepare for the practice of marriage and family therapy. Students who complete this specialized professional degree program and who fulfill the additional state-mandated requirements of 240 direct client contact hours are eligible for the State of California's Marriage and Family Therapy license. A minimum of 60 units is required.

The Master of Urban Planning/Master of Advanced Architectural Studies dual degree program facilitates highly related cross-disciplinary studies in architecture and in planning at the master's level. This program offers students interested in developing a career in urban design an opportunity to make more substantial commitments in both disciplines and to achieve a more coherent and extensive knowledge in the design of built environments and public policy. This dual degree program normally requires five semesters in residence.

Qualified students who are admitted to the graduate programs in both the School of Architecture and the USC Price School of Public Policy may complete both degrees in a highly integrated five-semester program. Such students must already possess a five-year professional degree in architecture.

Requirements

Requirements for completion of the dual degree program are 72 units, including 36 units in architecture and 36 units in urban planning, as follows:

The Marshall School of Business in conjunction with the East Asian Studies Center offers a joint MA/MBA degree that combines graduate business education with training in the cultures and societies of East Asia. Students enrolled in the joint degree program are required to complete a minimum of 72 units. All students must complete 48 units in the Marshall School of Business. Dual degree students may not count courses taken outside the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units. In East Asian Area Studies, students have the option of taking five courses and writing a thesis (for a total of 24 units) or taking six courses and passing a comprehensive examination (for a total of 24 units).

Applicants for the joint MA/MBA are required to follow the admission procedures for the full-time MBA program. GRE scores are not required for admission into the joint program.

Required Courses

Required MBA courses: all required courses in an MBA program.

Students must complete 24 units in the USC School of Philosophy and 76 units in the USC Gould School of Law.

First Year: Required law school curriculum

Second and Third Years: The Department of Philosophy prefers that students take at least one philosophy course each semester. During the four semesters, students must take at least 16 units at the 500-level, including PHIL 450 Intermediate Symbolic Logic or PHIL 510 Philosophical Logic and PHIL 500 Introduction to Contemporary Philosophical Literature, and PHIL 503 Introduction to Contemporary Philosophical Literature on Value, one 400- or 500-level course in ethics or social/political philosophy or aesthetics or philosophy of law; one 400- or 500-level course in metaphysics or epistemology or philosophy of language or philosophy of science or philosophy of mind; one 400- or 500-level course in the history of ancient or early modern philosophy; passage of the second year review that shall include a research paper based on a completed seminar paper and completion of a publishable research paper. Students must also complete 46 additional law units.

The Master of Heritage Conservation/Master of Building Science dual degree program facilitates highly related cross-disciplinary studies in heritage conservation and in building science at the master's level. The primary objective of the dual degree curriculum is to impart to students a basic familiarity with the origins and development of the philosophies, theories, and practices of building science and heritage conservation. This curriculum has been developed so that students will graduate from this program with a broad practical knowledge of the techniques and strategies for conserving the existing built environment through the lens of science and technology. Students will be expected to understand the critical methodological tools necessary for a professional engaged in the investigation, interpretation, and evaluation of the urban built environment.

Requirements

Requirements for completion of the dual degree program are 72 units, including 36 units in Heritage Conservation and 36 units of Building Science. As a full-time program of study, students are expected to take 18 units each semester during two years of residency.

Thesis

The thesis topic chosen must be relevant to both degrees. There must be one thesis committee member from each degree program; the third committee member should be selected relative to the topic selected.

In response to the ongoing reorganization of health care delivery systems and the growing awareness of the impact of business decisions on health care, the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the Marshall School of Business jointly offer an innovative program for individuals seeking knowledge in both medicine and business administration. The program is designed to prepare its graduates to assume leadership in the design and management of health care systems.

Completion of the MBA/MD program spans five years. Interested students apply during their third year of medical school and begin required MBA courses following successful completion of the clerkship phase of medical school. 

Application

MBA/MD students should apply during their third year of medical school in the Keck School of Medicine. Application to the MBA/MD does not require GMAT or GRE scores. All other requirements for admission to the Marshall MBA program must be fulfilled by the medical student for admission to the Marshall School. Only students who have successfully completed at least three years in the Keck School of Medicine will be considered for admission to the Marshall School of Business.

Program Requirements

At the conclusion of the program, students will have completed 48 units in the Marshall School of Business, including required and elective courses, and four years of courses in the Keck School of Medicine.

First, Second  and Third Years: Required medicine courses.

Fourth Year: Required MBA courses and graduate business electives.

Remaining Years: Keck School of Medicine core and elective clerkships, and graduate business elective courses sufficient to bring the total units completed in the Marshall School of Business to at least 48. Dual degree program students may not count courses taken outside the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units.

The MD and the MBA degrees are awarded simultaneously upon completion of all program requirements.

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