Graduate Engineering Programs at USC

Explore graduate opportunities available at the top ranked USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

1. University of Southern California
Graduate Engineering Programs

2. GET TO KNOW US
•University of Southern California
•Viterbi School of Engineering
•Master’s Programs
•Doctoral Programs
•Tuition & Funding
•Internships & Careers
•Q&A

3. University of Southern California

4. •Oldest Private University in Western U.S.
•Diverse Student Population
•18 Professional Schools
•Located in Los Angeles
•375,000+ Alumni worldwide
USC

5. Los Angeles, California

6. Viterbi School of Engineering

7. 8
The Viterbi School
1905 >>
60 13
Today:2,600Undergrad
5,200Graduate
Top ranked
Graduate Engineering
School *U.S. News & World Report 45

8. Entrepreneurship & Innovation

9. •Student Innovation Institute:
vsi2.usc.edu
•Viterbi Startup Garage:
vsi2.usc.edu/startupgarage
•Entrepreneurship Competition:
maseeh.usc.edu
•National Science Foundation Grant:
Innovation Corps initiative with UCLA
and CalTech
http://www.latimes.com/business/technolog
y/la-fi-tn-usc-ucla-caltech-nsf-i-corps-
20140826-story.html
Innovation

10. World’s first all-in-one 3D printer
AI Robotics –ZEUS
Viterbi Startup Garage 2013
zeus.aiorobotics.com

11. Academic Departments

12. •Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering
•AstronauticalEngineering
•Biomedical Engineering
•Chemical Engineering & Materials Science
•Civil & Environmental Engineering
•Computer Science
•Electrical Engineering
•Industrial & Systems Engineering
Departments

13. •Petroleum Engineering
•Cyber Security Engineering
•Informatics
–New Programs: Data, Spatial, Communications
•Financial Engineering
•Green Technologies
•Systems Architecting and Engineering
Niche Programs

14. •Averages of all applicants for
Fall 2015
•Applicants from over 110
countries
•Fall 2015 had the highest
number of MS applicants in
the school’s history
Snapshot

15. •Enhance your expertise in a specific
discipline
•Apply your education to working in
industry
•Master’s program generally takes 1.5-2
years to complete (Typically 27 units)
•Course-based program (lecture,
discussion, lab)
•Thesis option
Master’s Program

16. Master’s Application
•BS Degree in engineering, math, science
•Online Application
•GRE –less than 5 years old
•Official Transcripts
•TOEFL/IELTS
•Supplemental Materials –SOP, LORs, resume
Spring 2017 Deadline: September 15
Fall 2017 Deadline: January 15

17. •Strong interest in research
•PhD program generally takes 5 years
to complete
•USC aims to fully fund PhD students
•Admission decisions made by Faculty
Committee
Doctoral (PhD) Program

18. PhD Application
•BS Degree in engineering, math, science
•Online Application
•GRE –less than 5 years old
•Transcripts
•TOEFL/IELTS
•Letters of Recommendation and SOP
•Demonstrated research ability and experience
Fall 2017 Application Deadline: December 15

19. Application Tips
Fall PhD Deadline: December 15thFall MS Deadline: January 15
th
USC ID number takes
approx. 48 hours to
be issued after
submission of online
application –please
plan accordingly.
Submit the application
and all required
materials as early as
possible including your
unique 10 digit
Application ID number
in all your
correspondence (email
and hard copy).
Enter your name,
address and passport
information EXACTLY as
it should appear on
your visa application;
incorrect information
will delay the issuance
of your I-20 and
student visa.
Your application
status will be updated
on the online
application system.
You will be notified if
additional documents
are required.

20. Application Tips -GPA
Provide your GPA in the
grading/point system that is
used by your institution.

21. Application Tips –Test Scores
Ensure that your official
score reports are sent directly
to USC.
If you do not yet have your
scores, you can leave this section
blank and we will refer to your
official score reports. Do not let
this section delay your submission
of the application.

22. Tuition and Funding

23. Tuition & Funding
•$1,774 per unit
–Typical class is 3 units
–Most programs require 9 classes (27 units)
•Mandatory fees are approx$900 per year
•Health Insurance is $1,712 per year
•Funding for MS: Dean’s Master’s Fellowship
•Funding for PhD: TA, RA, Fellowships, Grants

24. •Required by December 15 for funding
consideration for Fall 2017 semester:
–Online Application
–Transcripts
–All other materials required by January 15
for admission review
•Merit based partial scholarships
–Dean’s Office scholarships
–Increase in Alumni and donor-funded
scholarships
Scholarships

25. Typical MS Program (27 Units)
Semester Tuition Fees Year 1 Total
Fall (6 units)$11,070 $455 $11,525
Spring (9 units)$16,605 $400 $17,005
All amounts are based on 2016-2017 values. Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice.
APPROXIMATE TOTAL PROGRAM COST (2 YEARS): $51,470*
*ForstudentsoptingtogettheirhealthinsurancethroughUSC,the2015-
2016costisanadditional$610intheFalland$1,102intheSpring/Summer.
Semester Tuition Fees Year 1 Total
Fall (9 units)$16,605 $400 $17,005
Spring (3 units)$5,535 $400 $5,935

26. Internships and Careers

27. [email protected]
Career Services
Events
•Viterbi Career Fair
•Career Conference
•Industry networking events
•Various information sessions
Resources and Workshops
•Resume advising
•CT and OPT training
•Interview strategies
•Job searching
•Networking tips and salary resources

28. Internship Opportunities
CPT
Curricular Practical Training
•SEVIS legislation applies
•Allowed after two full semesters in
F-1 status
•Full-time work allowed in summer
and final semester for degree
•Must be degree related
OPT
Optional Practical Training
•Post Graduation
•SEVIS legislation applies
•Up to 12 months
•Can be full-time
•May be outside LA

29. Summer Internships
A partial list of where some of our international students interned
last summer
20
th
Century Fox
AMD
Amazon
Amgen Inc.
Apple
Bose
Broadcom
Cisco
Citrix Systems
Disney
Dreamworks
Dun & Bradstreet
Ericsson
Google
Hewlett-Packard
Intel
MathWorks
Medtronic
Motorola
NVIDIA
Orbit Industries
Panasonic
Qualcomm
Samsung
SanDisk
Siemens
Sony
Symantec
Tenacore
Tesla Motors
Vmware
Xilinx
Yahoo!

30. Where are Viterbi Alumni working?

31. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are my chances of being admitted?
We cannot evaluate your credentials or admissibility until you have submitted
an application. USC does a comprehensive review of all applications.
Formulas and minimum test score requirements are not used to determine
admissibility. In general, successful applicants have demonstrated outstanding
quantitative ability and proven success in previous academic endeavors,
particularly prerequisite coursework relevant to their intended major.
Q: Are TAs and RAs available for Master’s Students?
TA and RA opportunities are generally reserved for doctoral students, but
there are many on-campus jobs for which Master’s students can apply, such as
bookstore, computer lab, or administrative work.

32. Continued
Q: If not admitted to the PhD program, will I automatically be
considered for an MS program?
No, but you can apply to both programs with one application fee and with one
set of supplemental materials.
Q: Is university housing available?
Most graduate students live off campus in shared apartments or houses.
University housing is increasing its graduate housing off campus. Rent for a
two bedroom apartment near USC can be around $1,400+ per month (more
economical if you share)

33. Continued
Q: Are on-campus jobs available?
There are many campus jobs available and there is no required waiting period
for International students. Students may work a maximum of half-time (20
hours per week). Income from on campus jobs should be considered a
supplement, not as a way to finance your degree.
Q: Is the university safe?
USC is located in a major metropolitan city. While no city is immune to
crime, the university considers safety of its students its first priority and has
many measures in place to educate students about best practices.

34. Next Steps
•Explore PhD Programs at viterbi.usc.edu/phd
•Explore MS Programs at viterbi.usc.edu/msdegrees
•Current student blog at viterbipulse.usc.edu
•Skype with a Viterbi Graduate Ambassador at
gapp.usc.edu/about/campus/visit
•Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page at gapp.usc.edu/FAQ

35. Viterbi App for iPad/iPhone
Available on Apple App Store:

36. Graduate & Professional Programs
USC Viterbi School of Engineering
[email protected]
Contact Us