USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences SC College is the liberal arts center of the University of Southern California, teaching more than 10,000 undergraduates. It offers instruction in the humanities, the natural Usciences and the social sciences, leading to bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. The programs of the college provide both a broad liberal arts education and a thorough grounding in an academic discipline. Breadth is supplied by the general education program and electives. Departmental majors, interdisciplinary majors, and special programs and minors provide depth. USC College combines two “worlds” — the world of the self-contained liberal arts school, with small classes and close working relationships between students and faculty, and the larger world of the research university, where new ventures and new ideas are being explored by internationally known scholars. This combination makes the college a supportive and exciting place to learn. USC College offers many opportunities for post-baccalaureate study. Graduate programs within the college leading to master’s degrees and doctor of philosophy degrees are administered through the Working with Sarah Bottjer in her lab gives USC Graduate School. undergraduate students the opportunity to research brain function – including speech acquisition in children and the brain’s response to injury, disease and aging. The professor of biological sciences and psychology’s study of young songbirds has revealed how early experience affects the development of neural networks. 234 USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Administration Howard Gillman, Ph.D., Dean, College of Susan H. Kamei, J.D., Associate Dean, History Letters, Arts and Sciences Advanced and Professional Programs International Relations Judaic Studies Michael Quick, Ph.D., Executive Vice Dean, Robert C. Lum, J.D., Associate Dean, Faculty Kinesiology Academic Affairs Affairs Liberal Studies Linguistics Roger D. Stewart, Ph.D., Senior Associate Kathleen Speer, B.S., Associate Dean, Research Mathematics Dean, Administration and Planning Administration Neuroscience Ocean Sciences David Houser, M.B.A., Senior Associate Dean, Steven Wagner, M.B.A., Associate Dean, Philosophy Business and Financial Affairs Business and Financial Affairs Physics and Astronomy Political Science John Keates, M.A., Senior Associate Dean, Karen Rowan-Badger, B.S., Assistant Dean, Professional Writing Advancement Admission Psychology Religion Elinor Accampo, Ph.D., Vice Dean, Graduate James R. McElwain, A.I.A., Senior Slavic Languages and Literatures Programs Administrator, Facilities Sociology Spanish and Portuguese Dani Byrd, Ph.D., Vice Dean, Research Departments and Programs Advancement American Studies and Ethnicity Additional Programs Administered by the Anthropology College Steven Lamy, Ph.D., Vice Dean, Undergraduate Art History American Language Institute Programs Biological Sciences Freshman Seminars Chemistry General Education Edwin McCann, Ph.D., Vice Dean, Faculty Classics Interdisciplinary Major Program Affairs Comparative Literature Joint Educational Project Earth Sciences Learner Centered Curricula Jane M. Cody, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Academic East Asian Languages and Cultures Learning Communities Programs East Asian Studies Center Overseas Studies Economics Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program Richard Fliegel, Ph.D., Associate Dean, English Resident Honors Program Undergraduate Programs Environmental Studies Sophomore Seminars French and Italian Supplemental Instruction Program Mark Todd, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Graduate Gender Studies Thematic Option Program Programs Geography Writing Program German Health and Humanity Graduate Studies in Letters, Arts and Sciences Graduate studies leading to the master’s departmental requirements listed for each and Ph.D. degrees are available within degree and the general requirements set by most departments of the College of the Graduate School. Letters, Arts and Sciences. Candidates for graduate degrees must complete both the Undergraduate Programs USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Selecting a Major But a choice in the college does not limit awards the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the A major may be chosen because the student the student to a single career or line of work. Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in a number of is especially interested in a subject, because Liberal arts majors are unusually adaptable; disciplines. Each degree requires a minimum of particular abilities in certain areas, or they are suitable preparations for many of 128 units. because it is an especially fitting preparation careers. for a profession. The choice of a major may Majors thus become part of planning for a career. Students in the college may major in a single discipline or combine several interests in an interdisciplinary program. Undergraduate Programs 235 A student may declare a major at any time, departmental listing for more specific require- Second Bachelor’s Degree but is expected to record his or her major in ments for the interdepartmental major, includ- A second bachelor’s degree requires a mini- the Office of Academic Records and Regis- ing lower division requirements. mum of 32 additional units. In some degrees trar at or before the beginning of the junior more than the 32 additional units may be year or completion of 64 units. This allows Physical Sciences Major (B.S. Degree) The needed because all requirements of both sufficient time to fulfill the course require- departments of chemistry, earth sciences, and degrees must be met. Also, the residence ments of the major in the student’s third and physics and astronomy, cooperating with one requirement for a second bachelor’s degree fourth years. For some majors, however, and another, offer a physical sciences major in requires 32 units applicable to the degree especially for a major in one of the natural the natural sciences and mathematics. The beyond the number of units required for the sciences aiming for the B.S. degree, it is major requires specific lower division courses first USC bachelor’s degree to be completed advantageous to declare the major sooner, so in chemistry, earth sciences, mathematics, in residence (see the policy on residence the program can be spaced over the full four physics and 28 upper division units of major requirement for a second bachelor’s degree). years. courses in the four departments. Of the 28 The student receives a separate diploma for required upper division units, at least four each degree upon completion. Changing a Major units must be taken in each of the four coop- If, after a major has been declared, the stu- erating departments. Substitution for Major Requirements dent wishes to change to a different field If a student wishes an adjustment to the (or add another field of study to the existing Program Major (B.A. or B.S. Degree) A program major requirements in his or her department one), a Change of Major form must be filed. major consists of designated courses and or program, the department advisor may, The form may be obtained in the Office of not less than 24 upper division units chosen with the support of the department, substi- College Advising or the Office of Academic from the list of courses which make up the tute a comparable upper division course for Records and Registrar in John Hubbard Hall. program. The college has a number of special a required one. Substitutions and waivers of The form must be completed and returned programs, many of which offer majors. USC or transfer courses for upper division to the Office of Academic Records and requirements for programs are to be limited Registrar. When a major is changed, the new Because programs are often organized around to a combination of 25 percent. Lower divi- department advisor must sign the form. the study of a region or a topic, and hence sion courses cannot be substituted for upper are not specific to any single discipline, or division requirements. Types of Majors and Major Requirements because two or more disciplines have joined Departmental Major (B.A. or B.S. Degree) to deal with a common problem, program Unit Limitation A departmental major for the B.A. degree majors are interdisciplinary. An interdisciplin- There is an established limit of 40 upper consists of specified lower division courses ary major offers unusual range to students division units in any major. A student wishing and, generally, not less than 24 or more than who have topical interests. Specific require- to exceed the limit must obtain the approval 32 upper division units in a single depart- ments for all program majors are listed under of the department with the final endorse- ment or discipline. A greater concentration of the program titles. ment of the dean of undergraduate programs. units in a single discipline is usually required in majors for the B.S. degree than in majors Dual Degree Minors for the B.A. degree. A dual degree is one that has course work USC College offers a wide array of minors from two schools or two different degree pro- that can provide unique breadth and comple- The specific requirements for each depart- grams within the same school which has been ment or enhance the major field of study. ment major will be found in the departmen- organized into a single program. Listings of Many of the college minors themselves are tal sections of this catalogue. graduate dual degrees can be found on page interdisciplinary and combine classes in two 89. The student receives two diplomas. or more college departments or work in col- Double Major (B.A./B.A. or B.S./B.S.) lege departments with classes or internships A double major consists of two majors which Progressive Degree Program in one of USC’s professional schools. allow the student to earn the same degree, A progressive degree program enables a USC either a B.A. or B.S. degree, within the col- College undergraduate to begin work on a Basic Requirement for a Degree from USC lege. The student must complete the require- master’s degree while completing require- College ments for both majors and whatever other ments for the bachelor’s degree.