usc cs phd requirements

New PhD Viterbi Students

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Coming soon episode 1: academic advisement, watch here episode 2 : course registration, watch here episode 3 : student health, watch here episode 4 : financial services, watch here episode 5: viterbi career connections.

New Student Orientation

Save the Date: Thursday,  August 1st , 2024 (Online, half-day)

All new doctoral students will join online at the Orientation for a series learning and network opportunities with faculty, staff, and students. Get ready for the exceptional opportunity to connect, learn, and discover the boundless potential that awaits you at Viterbi.

The  New Student Welcome  Orientation is mandatory. Please do not schedule travel or other activities during the event time. We will send you  the event registration information to your USC account. 

Academic Department Resources

Aerospace & mechanical engineering, astronautical engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering and material science, civil and environmental engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, industrial and systems engineering, additional resources.

Get connected!  Viterbi is the home to several student organizations including the Viterbi Graduate Student Association VGSA .  The university also has more than 1,000 student organizations so there are plenty of ways to network and connect with your fellow Trojans!

Please familiarize yourself with the USC catalogue .  The catalogue provides details including your program requirements, information about your qualifying exam, defense, continuous enrollment, as well as additional program rules and guidelines.

For degrees from domestic institutions

Students must submit official transcripts to the Registrar’s office. There are 2 options for submission.

• Mail a paper copy of the official transcript to the following address:

USC Degree Verification C/O The Degree Progress Department University of Southern California University Park Campus 700 Childs Way, John Hubbard Hall 106 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0912

• Electronic transcripts sent through email attachments from issuing institutions may be received by USC if sent to  [email protected] . 

See the website for more instructions

For degrees from international institutions

Students will need to obtain a “Certification of Studies for USC” from the  International Education Research Foundation (IERF) .* This service is not offered on campus. You will need to send IERF your original documents for inspection, but in most (though not all) cases, your prior institution will  not need to send IERF independent verification. When your verification is complete, IERF will mail your documents back to you. 

Deadline for all degree verifications is by the end of your first semester.

Published on March 11th, 2021

Last updated on May 9th, 2024

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M.S. Computer Science (General)

All information contained here is summarized from the USC Catalogue and is considered non-official. For all rules, regulations, procedures, and outlines, please see the current academic year USC Catalogue. The USC Catalogue supersedes all other publications.

Current students follow degree requirements in effect for the academic year they began their studies at USC.  If you are a current student, please refer to your STARS report or the appropriate USC Catalogue for your year.  Students seeking to advance their catalogue year to follow updated curricula may contact their department advisor.

Total Units: 28

• Effective Fall 2024, this program requires the completion of   32 units   of coursework.

Core Requirement (4 units):

• CSCI 570 - Analysis of Algorithms (4)

Additional Course Work (24 units):

• Effective Fall 2024, this program requires the completion of additional 28 units   of coursework.
• The remaining elective units necessary to earn the degree are completed by selecting additional 500-level CSCI courses.

Additional Coursework:

• Additional 500-level CSCI courses
• One Non Computer Science Course (such as EE, ISE, INF,  etc. from approved list – see department website) (3-4 units)
• 600-level CSCI Course (faculty and department approval required) (8 units max)
• Other options may be available with department approval.

Students interested in computer science research can select from CSCI 591 Computer Science Research Colloquium (1 unit, max 2) and/or CSCI 590 Directed Research (1-2 units, max 2).

Note: A maximum of 2 units of CSCI 590 and a maximum of 2 units of CSCI 591 may be applied. Furthermore, only one course may be 400-level, and up to two courses may be 600-level. With adviser approval, one non Computer Science Course may be selected from the approved list.

Thesis courses (CSCI 594a, CSCI 594b, CSCI 594z) and Internship courses (ENGR 595a, ENGR 595b, ENGR 595z) are not eligible for elective credit.

• 28 units are required for the degree. Effective Fall 2024, 32 units   of coursework are required for the degree.
• There is no cumulative examination required for the degree.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.00 must be earned on all course work applied toward the M.S. degree and all graduate course work taken at USC.
• A maximum of 4 units may be taken from approved 400-level courses in either Electrical Engineering or Computer Science; the remaining units must be approved courses at the 500 or 600 level.
• Only two doctoral (600-level) course can be counted in the degree.
• Only one Non-CS course can be counted in the degree.
• Internship and Thesis credits cannot count as elective units toward the degree.
• CSCI 590 Directed Research is a variable unit course, and can be taken for one or two units. A maximum of two units can apply toward the degree.
• CSCI 591 Research Colloquium can be taken a maximum of two times for one unit each.
• Other requirements for the M.S. degree are the same as set forth in the general requirements for graduate degrees.

The MS thesis option is available to highly qualified students but requires the student to find an adviser willing to supervise their research. In practice, availability of advisers is extremely limited and this option is exercised rarely.

With the approval of a supervising professor, qualified students may be allowed to pursue a thesis option. Students pursuing the thesis option must satisfy all of the policies and course requirements for the master's degree and, in addition, must enroll in a minimum of two semesters of CSCI 594a, CSCI 594b, CSCI 594z for a maximum of 4 units.

For students starting their degree Fall 2024 or later, the total units required for the degree with thesis is 36. The thesis must comply with all requirements set by the Graduate School. Students who began their degree in Summer 2023 or earlier will be held to the prior unit requirement of 32 units (28 units + 4 units of thesis).

• Total units required for the M.S. in Computer Science general degree with thesis is 36 (Fall 2024 or later).
• Total units required for the M.S. in Computer Science general degree with thesis is 32 (Summer 2024 or earlier).

The thesis must comply with all requirements set by the Graduate School ( http://www.usc.edu/schools/GraduateSchool/ ).

Students enrolled in a CS specialization are not eligible to add a thesis to their program.

• Prerequisites must be taken prior to an advanced course. Even if a prerequisite is waived, you may not take the prerequisite course AFTER taking the advanced course. 
• Availability of courses per semester may occasionally change.
• Students pursing a "second master's degree" must follow specific procedures . A “second master’s degree” is any master’s degree pursued after a first master’s degree is earned at USC or another university.

Published on August 9th, 2017

Last updated on April 24th, 2024

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What are you looking for?

• International Students
• Prospective International Students

English Proficiency

English-language proficiency requirements.

Effective for applications submitted for summer 2024 and later terms only.

The ability to communicate effectively in English—to read, write and speak the language fluently—is vital to your success as a USC student.

International graduate applicants are therefore expected to demonstrate their proficiency in English as part of the application process and should carefully review the guidelines below.

U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents (such as green card holders) are considered to be “domestic” applicants, regardless of where they have studied or reside. Domestic applicants are exempt from the university’s English-proficiency requirements.

Test Score Guidelines

Important: USC does not set university-wide score minimums for graduate admission. The scores listed below are typically used for placement purposes only—to determine if an admitted student will need to take the International Student English (ISE) examination upon arrival at USC.

English-proficiency scores must be dated within 2 years (24 months) of the date you submit your graduate application. For example, a prospective student applying to fall 2024 who submits their USC application in December 2023 will need to have taken the test no earlier than December 2021.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

USC accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, iBT Paper Edition, and the standard in-person TOEFL iBT administered in official test centers. Admitted students are exempt from taking the ISE Exam with the following scores:

Sending official scores to USC: USC must receive scores electronically from the testing service for them to be considered official. Photocopies or paper copies of scores are not acceptable.

USC’s institution code is 4852. No department code is required.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

USC accepts IELTS Academic and IELTS Indicator (Online version) scores. Admitted students are exempt from taking the ISE Exam with the following scores:

Sending official scores to USC: USC must receive scores electronically from the testing service for them to be considered official. Photocopies or paper copies of scores from the testing service are not acceptable.

Select “University of Southern California” from the list of available institutions when you register to take the IELTS test. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after you have taken the test. Contact information for the USC department to which you are applying is not required.

PTE (Pearson Test of English) Academic

USC accepts PTE Academic and PTE Academic Online scores. Admitted students are exempt from taking the ISE Exam with the following scores:

Select “University of Southern California” from the list of available institutions when you register to take the PTE Academic test. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after you have taken the test. Contact information for the USC department to which you are applying is not required.

Special Accommodations

The Educational Testing Service (TOEFL), the British Council (IELTS) and Pearson (PTE Academic) will provide accommodations for those with disabilities.

Score Minimums Set by Programs

Please note that some individual programs may set internal score minimums that are higher than those listed here. Please refer to your intended graduate program(s) for information about their English proficiency requirements.

English-Language Test Waiver

International applicants are exempt from submitting English-proficiency scores under the following circumstances:

• You hold a degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate) from USC or are currently enrolled in a USC degree program.
• You hold a bachelor’s degree completed in its entirety in the United States or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree in a qualifying Anglophone country (as defined below). To determine degree equivalency, please refer to our country requirements .The bachelor’s degree should be earned at a regionally accredited university located in the United States, or at an officially recognized university in another country where English is both the language of instruction and the only officially recognized language of the country. The entire program needs to have been completed in the qualifying country. Dual-degree holders who completed just part of their degree in the U.S. or other qualifying country, and students who have transferred credits from a non-Anglophone country, do not qualify for this waiver.
• You have completed a master’s or doctoral degree from a country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language. The degree needs to have already been completed at the time you submit your USC application. Applicants who have not yet completed a qualifying master’s or doctoral program at the time they apply will still need to submit English-proficiency scores.
• Your native language is English. This applies to native English speakers from countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (except Quebec), where English is both the only official language of the country and the language of instruction.

USC does not waive the English-proficiency requirement based on any other consideration such as work experience, ESL enrollment, amount of time spent in the U.S., etc. It also cannot be waived on the basis of programs taught in English in non-Anglophone countries.

To determine if USC requires TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores for your country of study, please check our Country Requirements page.

USC International Academy

Students looking to prepare their English and academic skills for the rigors of graduate study at USC may wish to explore the USC International Academy as an option.

Exceptions: The Office of Graduate Admission does not have the authority to grant exemptions to the university’s English-proficiency policies on the basis of applicant requests. Exemption requests submitted directly to our office by applicants themselves are automatically denied. If you have extraordinary circumstances that you believe may merit an individualized exemption, please contact your intended graduate program to discuss available options.

MS in Computer Science - Scientists and Engineers

Application deadlines.

Spring: September 1

Fall: December 15

• Program Overview
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Designed for students with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science but a limited background in computer science, this comprehensive program combines an introductory sequence of undergraduate preparatory and foundational coursework with all the graduate breadth requirements necessary to satisfy the traditional MS in Computer Science.

Important:  Students admitted to this program are not able change to another program in computer science but may take electives from any computer science area.

• This program requires completion of 37 units of coursework
• Eligible for the OPT STEM extension
• USC Catalogue
• USC Schedule of Classes

Visit our Ready to Apply page for more information.

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in any engineering or engineering-related disciplines including but not limited to: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Info Engineering, Automation, Materials Science, Communication Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Telecommunication Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and BME.

Applications are reviewed holistically; simply taking these courses does not guarantee admission.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The following materials are required to be included with your online application:

• Transcripts
• Personal Statement
• Letter of Recommendation (Optional)

NOTE:   The GRE is   not required   for 2024 applications. A decision on the GRE requirement for 2025 has not yet been made.

The following link will take you to an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students, including payment information. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition

Estimated Cost of Attendance - 37 Unit Program

Download the   Cost of Attendance to see a summary of tuition and fees by semester. The document is a typical example and the number of courses, and time to complete the program, will vary by student.

    MEGAN BULL

Which organizations/activities have you been involved with outside of the classroom? I recently joined the Graduates Rising in Data Science (GRIDS) club and have been a part of their External Affairs and Outreach leadership team since the end of February! I’ve helped put on a couple of events with them, including the GRIDS Hackathon and a NASA career talk.

What are some personal achievements or experiences you’d like to share? I started my first NASA internship in June 2021 on the People Analytics team at NASA Headquarters and am looking forward to starting on a new project at the same location with the Earth Science Division in the Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics Focus Area.

What advice would you give future Viterbi students? Go out of your way to make friends! Studying for a class is so much easier when you have a support system of other students in your program.

    KAMEL BASSEL M. GAZZAZ

What were the main reasons you chose to pursue this graduate program at USC? I come from a cognitive science background and want to bridge that with CS to work on cognitive systems, personified AI, human - AI interactions. The CS for Scientists & Engineers program at USC is a perfect fit for this interdisciplinarity.

Tell us ab out an exciting and unforgettable experience from your time so far at USC. Working on the AI digital assistant that allows astronauts to interact with their environment in AR using natural language and dialogue flow for the NASA - SUITS project has been great . It’s still ongoing, our team of USC and UA collaborators is called Team AEGIS, and we’re in the final round along with the teams from CMU, MIT, etc. The winning project will inspire the HUD for NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission!

What do you like most about living in Los Angeles? The versatility of being able to study at a top tier university, to go to the beach or go snowboarding, to rub elbows with top class executives, creators, founders, join any community with any interest, play any sport, hike, live the way you want to live. Whatever it is you’re into, it’s happening in LA, you just have to go find it.

What advice would you give future Viterbi students? Be curious, follow your dream, nurture your interests, and never compromise on your identity. Don’t just do LeetCode and try to become a full-stack because that’s what you think will bring success. I see so many people come here and get alienated from who they are, and so many others who find themselves here and become successful. Venture out, explore and be bold to talk to people (us engineers tend to be introverted or reserved, and it’s daunting being in a new country). The physical and metaphysical place you’re in once you get here opens all the doors for you. There are many others who share the same interests as you in each of the facets of your life. You just have to choose which one(s) you’re most excited about entering and then enjoy the rabbit hole that will lead you to an amazing life that is customized to your own passions.

    LAURA CASAS

What were the main reasons you chose to pursue this graduate program at USC? I chose to pursue a graduate program at USC for two main reasons. First, USC of fered a unique program that allowed anyone with science or engineering background to get a Masters degree in computer science. This program was specifically designed for those of us that did not have a computer science background and had not formally taken any CS courses. The program course requirements were focused on students learning the fundamentals of CS that are needed for any specialization. Second, USC of fered this program through DEN [online option]. This meant that I was able to pursue my graduate degree without having to uproot my life to a new geographical location.

What are some personal achievements or experiences you’d like to share? I received a BS in Physics (from USC), was in the aviation industry working as an Air Traffic Control Specialist and will be working as a Software Developer after graduating with an MS in Computer Science. Although it can be frightening/intimidating to change career paths, it is possible to do it, all it takes is a good support system, some mental determination and hard work!

What advice would you give future V iterbi students? My advice is to read through all assignment directions  thoroughly , usually there are a lot of helpful hints!

2022 First Destinations Survey - Outcomes*

Top Employers*

• Amazon Web Services   
• Meta Platforms, Inc.   

Alumni Employment - 2022* (Companies & Job Titles)

• Aiva Health - Back End Engineer   
• Amazon - Hardware Development Engineer, Software Development Engineer, Software Development Engineer I, Software Engineer   
• Amazon Studios - Software Engineer   
• Amazon Web Services - Software Development Engineer, Software Development Engineer I, Software Engineer   
• Antra Inc. - Software Engineer   
• Blizzard Entertainment - Software Engineer (BattleNetCheckoutBackend)   
• Bloomberg L.P. - Senior Software Engineer   
• Boeing - Engineer   
• Boston Consulting Group - Software Engineer   
• Bytedance - Frontend Development Engineer, Software Engineer   
• Cloudera Inc. - Software Engineer   
• Coinbase - Software Engineer   
• DARVIS - Computer Vision Engineer   
• DocuSign - Software Engineer   
• DoorDash - Software Engineer   
• DreamWorks Animation - Assistant Department Technical Director   
• Fb - Software Development Engineer   
• Fortinet - Software QA Engineer   
• FreeWill - Software Engineer   
• GoDaddy - Software Development Engineer II   
• Goldman Sachs - Analyst   
• Google - Optical Transport Network Engineer, Software Development Engineer, Software Engineer   
• Heron Systems Inc. (A Shield AI Company) - Machine Learning Engineer   
• Huawei - Software Development Engineer   
• Hyperconnect Labs Inc. - Software Engineer   
• IBM - Software Engineer   
• LinkedIn - Software Engineer   
• Machine Analytics - Machine Analytics Internship Team Lead Developer Full Stack   
• Meta Platforms, Inc. - Enterprise Engineer, Front End Engineer, Software Development Engineer, Software Engineer   
• Microsoft - Software Engineer, Software Engineer II   
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Data Scientist, DevOps Engineer   
• Northrop Grumman Corporation - Software Engineer, Software Engineer II   
• Nuro - Software Engineer   
• NVIDIA - Infrastructure Software Engineer Intern, Software Developer Infrastructure Architect, Software Engineer   
• Oracle - Software Engineer   
• Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority - Assistant Director Airworthiness   
• Pinterest - Software Engineer III   
• Refactor Games - Video Game Engineering Intern   
• RWS Group - Localization QA Tester   
• Salesforce - AMTS Software Engineer   
• SenseTime - Test Engineer   
• Snowflake - Software Engineer   
• Sonavi Labs - Senior Software Engineer   
• Sony Interactive Entertainment - Software Engineer   
• Splunk Inc. - Software Development Engineer In Test   
• StarFive Technology Co Ltd. - SoC Design Engineer   
• Stripe - New Grad Software Engineer   
• The MathWorks, Inc. - EDG Engineer, Web Software Engineer   
• Twitter - Software Enigneer   
• Uber - Software Engineer 1   
• University of Southern California - Resource Employee, Software Developer, Software Engineer   
• Walmart - Software Engineer Intern   
• Wealthfront - Software Engineer   
• Yahoo! Inc. - Software Development Engineer   

Internships (Summer 2023)**

Amazon ; ArcBest Technologies ; Arista Networks Inc ,; Aurora Innovation, Inc. ; Cisco Systems, Inc. ; Coinbase Inc. ; Confluent, Inc. ; Cowbell Cyber, Inc. ; DoorDash Inc. ; Dragonfruit AI, Inc ,; eBay ; Environmental Systems Research Institute ; Esri ; Fox and Bear Global Inc. ; Juniper Networks, Inc. ; KLA Corporation ; Lacework, Inc. ; L ions F loor ; MathWorks ; Meta ; Motorola Solutions ; Movn Health ; MultiNet ; NBC Universal ; NewsBreak ; Oracle ; Qualcomm ; Regeneron ; RVO Health ; Salesforce ; Siemens Corporation ; South Coast Air Quality Management District ; Spectro Cloud, Inc. ; Splunk Inc. ; Statsig ; SupplyFrame , Inc. ; Tesla, Inc .; The Trade Desk ; TikTok Inc. ; Veeva Systems Inc.; Veritas Technologies LLC  

* Information is based on a voluntary survey and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive view of the 2022 graduating class.

** Internship data is from CPT internships done by our international student population.

This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online. If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student. Learn More About DEN@Viterbi Detailed Program Curriculum and Requirements Schedule of Classes DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.

Course Intro:

Published on July 10th, 2017

Last updated on April 8th, 2024

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