How to Transfer

We know that people are unique and we appreciate the wide variety of paths students take to become Trojan Engineers. There is no set formula to be admitted, you have a story to tell and we want to hear it.

Admission to the Viterbi School is determined through a comprehensive review of the entire admission application. We strive to get to know you, your interests, and goals by reading your entire application. While all factors are important, the most influential factor is your academic history. Remember, you can transfer to USC after just one year of study elsewhere.

There is no minimum GPA required to apply. However, to be a competitive candidate for admission you should engage in the right courses, challenge yourself and demonstrate academic success, particularly in math, science/programming, and engineering related courses.

If you would like to hear about the school and the transfer process from a Viterbi admission counselor, click the link below to attend one of our Transfer Info Sessions.

Step 1: Transfer Requirements

View all the course requirements to transfer to the USC Viterbi School.

Step 2: Transfer Plans

Build a transfer plan for your Fall and Spring semesters to satisfy admission requirements and maximize the number of transferable courses.

Step 3: Transferable Courses

Already taken some college classes? Find out if they are equivalent to USC courses.

Step 4: Apply

Apply to USC using the Common Application.

Step 5: Financial Aid

Learn more about financial aid and scholarships at USC.

Dates & Deadlines*

Common App Opens: August 1

Application Deadline for Fall**: February 15

• Submit your Official high school and college transcripts AFTER you submit your application

Decisions/Request for Spring Grades Sent: by May 31

• Students who receive a request for spring grades will hear back from USC with an admission decision in mid- to late July

*Deadlines are made official when the Common Application opens August 1st.

**USC only accepts applications for the Fall semester

Step 1: Requirements & Guidelines

Below are the requirements to apply to transfer to USC Viterbi. These courses can be in-progress when you submit your application–you don’t need to have it completed. As long as you plan to finish all required coursework by the end of the spring term before you transfer, you will be considered for admission. If you have a question, scroll down to see a list of our most frequently asked questions about requirements and guidelines.

To be eligible for admission, you should have the following completed or in-progress at the point of application:

• Two math courses (either calculus or higher level math beyond calculus) after high school with a minimum of Calculus II in-progress at the point of application.
  • AP/IB Credit ALONE will not satisfy the minimum requirements. Competitive applicants will show proven success in two calculus and/or higher level math courses (beyond calculus) at their current or intended college/university.
  • Continued academic rigor is expected from competitive applicants if they already completed the minimum Calc II requirement (e.g. if you took the equivalent of Calculus II in a previous term, advance to Calc III and/or the next advanced math course appropriate for your major. See Transfer Plans below for further guidance).
  • AP/IB Credit ALONE will not satisfy the minimum requirements. Competitive applicants will show proven success in two lab science or two programming courses at their current or intended college/university.
  • Continued academic rigor is expected from competitive applicants if they have already completed the lab science or programming requirement (e.g. if you took the equivalent of PHYS 151 and 152, enroll in the equivalent of PHYS 153, if appropriate for your major and if your schedule permits. See Transfer Plans below for further guidance).
  • Generally, this means taking a math class, science/programming class, writing class, and GE each semester/quarter. GEs, however, are not required, so you can take an extra math or science/programming class instead if you would prefer.
  • If you have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester units, we will still review your application, but we will use your high school transcript as part of our evaluation and/or wait to receive your spring-term grades.

  There is no minimum GPA required to apply. However, to be a competitive candidate for admission you should engage in the right courses, challenge yourself and demonstrate academic success, particularly in math, science/programming, and engineering related courses.

  *Please visit the articulation websites in Step 3 to identify how many semesters/quarters are needed to meet these equivalents.

  **Computer science students may take programming courses instead of, or in addition to, lab-based science courses before applying to transfer to USC. While programming courses very rarely transfer for course-equivalent credit at USC, they can be good preparation for placement exams. If a student does well enough on a placement exam for a particular course, the student may be able to waive that course requirement. Please visit the section on programming courses for more information.

  Quick FAQ about Requirements and Recommendations

  I already took Calc II. What should I take next?

  Take a look at the Transfer Plans for your intended major. You can find those in Step 2 below. Then, choose the next math course in the sequence. For example, if your intended major is computer science, and already took Calc II, take Calc III. If you already took Calc III, take Linear Algebra & Differential Equations. If you have taken every math class in your 4-Year Course Plan (course plans start on page 20 of the undergraduate handbook) then feel free to take a science class or a General Education class instead. Not sure if your current institution has an equivalent class? Check our articulation histories (a list of courses which have transferred to USC in the past) in Step 3.

  I already took two semesters of a lab-based science. What should I take next?

  Check the Transfer Plan for your intended major to see if there are other science courses you could take for your degree. You can find those in Step 2 below. For example, if your intended major is Biomedical Engineering, and already took two semesters of chemistry, you could take the next two chemistry courses in the sequence, or start working on your physics or biology courses. If you already took every science class in your 4-Year Course Plan (course plans start on page 20 of the undergraduate handbook), then feel free to take another math class or a General Education class instead. Not sure if your current institution has an equivalent class? Check our articulation histories (a list of courses which have transferred to USC in the past) in Step 3.

  *Note that computer science students may also take programming courses instead of, or in addition to, lab-based science courses before applying to transfer to USC. Please visit the section on programming courses for more information.

  How many General Education courses do I need to take?

  General Education (GE) courses are not required for admission. You might, however, still want to take a few so that you have a full schedule. You can find courses at your current institution which will transfer to USC for GE credit in Step 3 below.

  In general, which courses should I take to stand out as an applicant?

  Since math and science courses are the foundation of engineering, we want to see you excel in these areas. If you have already followed the list of requirements and guidelines above, and you need one more class to complete your schedule, and you’re not sure which one to choose, picking a challenging math class won’t hurt.

  I took AP/IB courses in high school. Will these waive requirements?

  No. If you apply with AP/IB credit alone (e.g. you only earn a 5 on the AP Calc BC exam and do not take any other calculus or advanced math at your current institution), you will not be considered a competitive applicant for transfer admission. AP/IB should be used to help you place into the next Calculus/Science courses appropriate for your major. For a list of AP, IB, and A-Level courses which transfer to USC for course credit, please see our credit page. Note that there is a section on that page that will give you more information about how certain majors can receive credit for AP Physics C.

  Do I need to submit SAT/ACT Scores?

  No. If you have earned fewer than 30 transferable semester units by the end of the spring term, we will need further information for our decision from your high school record and/or SAT or ACT scores (if you choose to submit them). Please note that applicants to the 2024-2025 academic year are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores, although you may still submit scores if you wish.

  What are the requirements for 2nd Bachelor's candidates?

  Second bachelor’s candidates have the same requirements as regular transfer students. Use this page and the 2nd Bachelor’s page for more information.

  What are the requirements for 3+2 students?

  Please see our 3+2 page for a guide to the 3+2 program.

  Step 2: Transfer Plans

  The most common question we get is: Which courses should I take before I transfer? This is where transfer plans come into play. Use the buttons below to find a one-year course plan for your major. If you have already completed the minimum requirements, continue to advance in Calculus/Math and Lab Science as appropriate for your major.

  See a sample transfer plan for all engineering majors (excluding Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science)

  See a sample transfer plan for all Computer Science Majors (CS, CSBA, CS Games, CECS)

  See a sample transfer plan for Electrical & Computer Engineering Majors

  Transfer Plans for All Engineering Majors

  (Excluding Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science)

  FALL SCHEDULE FOR ALL ENGINEERING MAJORS (Excluding Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science)

  Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

  Course 1:

  MATH

  • MATH 125 (Calculus I) or
  • MATH 126 (Calculus II) or
  • MATH 226 (Calculus III) or
  • MATH 245
  • ISE MAJORS ONLY: after MATH 226 (Calculus III), take MATH 225 (Linear Algebra)

  Course 2:

  SCIENCE

  • If you are taking: MATH 125 –> take the equivalent of CHEM 105aL (General Chemistry)*.
  • For students taking MATH 126 (Calc II) or higher level –> You may take the equivalent to CHEM 105aL* or PHYS 151L.

  Course 3:

  WRITING

  Course 4:

  GE COURSE

  Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

  For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

  SPRING SCHEDULE FOR ALL ENGINEERING MAJORS (Excluding Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science)

  Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

  Course 1:

  MATH

  Course 2:

  SCIENCE

  • Aerospace, Astronautical, Civil, Civil (Building Science), Civil (Structural), Mechanical (all degree programs), and Industrial & Systems Engineering (all degree programs) majors:
    • DO NOT take the equivalent to CHEM 105bL because it is not required for your degree program.
    • Consider taking the equivalent to PHYS 151L, 152L, or 153L.
    • Take CHEM 105bL or
    • Consider taking the equivalent to PHYS 151L, 152L, or 153L.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE COURSE

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    Transfer Plans for Electrical & Computer Engineering Majors

    FALL SCHEDULE FOR ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING MAJORS

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    • MATH 125 (Calculus I) or
    • MATH 126 (Calculus II) or
    • MATH 226 (Calculus III) or
    • MATH 245

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE COURSE

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    SPRING SCHEDULE FOR ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING MAJORS

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE

    If your school requires you to take the equivalent of PHYS 152L before you can take the equivalent of PHYS 153L, that is fine. For admission purposes, you will have satisfied our requirements. However, please note that the ECE program at USC Viterbi has a slightly different Physics curriculum and you will be required to retake the equivalent of PHYS 152L if you enroll at USC.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE COURSE

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    Transfer Plans for Computer Science Majors

    Select the Computer Science major you’re interested in below to see your appropriate plan

    • Computer Science
    • Computer Science (Games)
    • Computer Science/Business Admin.
    • Computer Engineering & Computer Sci.

    FALL SCHEDULE : Computer Science

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    • MATH 125 (Calculus I) or
    • MATH 126 (Calculus II) or
    • MATH 226 (Calculus III) or
    • MATH 225 (Linear Algebra)**

    *If you have satisfied all the math listed for your major, contact us directly for further advisement.

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    *You have satisfied the Basic Science I requirement for Computer Science if you scored:

    • 6 or 7 on the Physics IB HL exam.
    • 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry exam or a 6 or 7 on the Chemistry IB HL exam
    • 4 or 5 on the AP Biology exam or a 6 or 7 on the Biology IB HL exam
    • Please see our credit page for more information on our AP Physics C credit policies.

    If you have satisfied the Computer Science Basic Science I requirement: see the science recommendation for the spring semester.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    SPRING SCHEDULE : Computer Science

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    • PHYS 151L in the fall, take the equivalent to PHYS 152L this semester.
    • CHEM 105aL in the fall, take the equivalent to CHEM 105bL this semester
    • BISC 120L in the fall, take the equivalent to BISC 220L this semester.

    *You have satisfied the Basic Science II requirement for Computer Science if you scored:

    • 6 or 7 on the Physics IB HL exam.
    • Please see our credit page for more information on our AP Physics C credit policies.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    FALL SCHEDULE : Computer Science (Games)

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    • MATH 125 (Calculus I) or
    • MATH 126 (Calculus II) or
    • MATH 225 (Linear Algebra)**

    *If you have satisfied all the math listed for your major, contact us directly for further advisement.

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    • PHYS 151L* (Mechanics & Thermodynamics)

    *A Score of 4 or 5 on the AP Physic C (Mechanics) exam or a 6 or 7 on the Physics IB HL exam satisfies the Computer Science (Games) Science requirement of PHYS 151L.

    If you have satisfied the requirement for PHYS 151L, contact us directly for a course recommendation.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    SPRING SCHEDULE : Computer Science (Games)

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    FALL SCHEDULE : Computer Science/Business Administration

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    • MATH 125 (Calculus I) or
    • MATH 126 (Calculus II) or
    • MATH 225 (Linear Algebra)**

    *If you have satisfied all the math listed for your major, contact us directly for further advisement.

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    • PHYS 151L* or
    • CHEM 105aL* or
    • BISC 120L*

    *You have satisfied the science requirement for Computer Science/Business Administration (PHYS 151L or CHEM 105aL or BISC 120L) if you scored:

    • 4 or 5 on the AP Physics C (Mechanics) or Physics C (Electricity & Magnetism) exam or a 6 or 7 on the Physics IB HL Exam
    • 4 or 5 on the AP Chemistry exam or a 6 or 7 on the Chemistry IB HL Exam
    • 4 or 5 on the AP Biology exam or a 6 or 7 on the Biology IB HL Exam

    *If you have satisfied PHYS 151L or CHEM 105aL or BISC 120L, contact us directly for a course recommendation.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    SPRING SCHEDULE : Computer Science/Business Administration

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    Otherwise, i f you satisfied the equivalent to:

    • PHYS 151L in the fall, take the equivalent of General Education Category D (Life Sciences) to satisfy your second lab science course.
    • CHEM 105aL in the fall, take the equivalent of General Education Category D (Life Sciences) to satisfy your second lab science course.
    • BISC 120L in the fall, take the equivalent to General Education Category E (Physical Sciences) to satisfy your second lab science course.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    FALL SCHEDULE : Computer Engineering & Computer Science

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    • MATH 125 (Calculus I) or
    • MATH 126 (Calculus II) or
    • MATH 226 (Calculus III) or
    • MATH 225 (Linear Algebra)**

    *If you have satisfied all the math listed for your major, contact us directly for further advisement.

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    *Equivalent college course required. Cannot be satisfied by exam.

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Visit this page to see how AP/IB credit can satisfy GE requirements.

    For students starting college before fall 2015: You must follow USC’s Roman Numeral GE System. Take 1 course from GE Category I, II, IV* or V. Category IV may be satisfied by taking an additional course from Category I or II. Pro Tip: Pull up an agreement/history for Fall 2014 to review which courses satisfy the Roman Numeral GE System.

    SPRING SCHEDULE : Computer Engineering & Computer Science

    Review an articulation history or agreement to see if your school offers equivalents to the USC Courses in these sample plans.

    Course 1:

    MATH

    Course 2:

    SCIENCE/PROGRAMMING

    Course 3:

    WRITING

    Course 4:

    GE Course

    Programming Courses

    Computer science students may take programming courses instead of, or in addition to, lab-based science courses before applying to transfer to USC. While programming courses very rarely transfer for course-equivalent credit at USC, they can be good preparation for placement exams. If a student does well enough on a placement exam for a particular course at USC, the student may be able to waive that course requirement. Below, you will find programming courses which have a placement exam and/or accept AP credit. Please note that the administration of CS placement exams is at the discretion of the USC Viterbi Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science and are only offered during orientation for newly admitted students.

    CSCI 102 Fundamentals of Computation
    Fundamental concepts of algorithmic thinking as a primer to programming. Introduction to C++.

    • No Prerequisite.
    • AP Computer Science A Score of 4 or 5 will substitute for CSCI 102.
    • Placement Exam Option: Students with some programming exposure in any of the following languages are welcome to take the exam: C/C++, Java(script), or Python.
    • Course website: http://bytes.usc.edu/cs102/

    CSCI 103 Introduction to Programming
    Basic datatypes, assignments, control statements (if, switch, for, while), input/ output (printf, scanf, cin, cout), functions, arrays, structures, recursion, dynamic memory, file handling. Programming in C/C++.

    • Prerequisite: CSCI 102
    • Placement Exam Option: Students with a semester-length intro course in C++ are strong candidates for this placement exam.
    • Course website: http://bytes.usc.edu/cs103/

    CSCI 170 Discrete Methods in Computer Science
    Sets, functions, series. Big-O notation and algorithm analysis. Propositional and first-order logic. Counting and discrete probability. Graphs and basic graph algorithms. Basic number theory.

    • Prerequisite: CSCI 102
    • Transfer students with a prior discrete math course will have their course evaluated by the USC articulation department and the CSCI faculty. Most transfer students should expect to take our discrete math course.

    CSCI 104 Data Structures and Object Oriented Design
    Introduces the student to standard data structures (linear structures such as linked lists, (balanced) trees, priority queues, and hashtables), using the C++ programming language.

    • Prerequisites: CSCI 170 and CSCI 103
    • Students must complete the CSCI 103 programming placement examination and follow the petition procedures to request that the USC articulation department review any courses for which a given student hopes to receive credit for CSCI 104. The articulation department will, in turn, request a CSCI faculty member to review the student’s syllabi and programming assignments, copies of exams if available, etc. and make a determination if the course covered the necessary topics and was of the appropriate rigor. In some cases, the student may need to complete assignments from CSCI 104 and/or take the final exam to demonstrate proficiency in the course. Most transfer students should expect to complete CSCI 104 at USC.
    • Course website: http://bytes.usc.edu/cs104/

    Step 3: Transferable Courses

    Transferring courses for credit at USC.

    In this section, you will find our articulation histories and agreements with other universities. “Articulation what?” you might ask. At USC, we have a department dedicated to determining which classes taught at other schools transfer for credit (or “articulate”) at USC. This is the Office of Academic Records and Registrar – Transfer Credit Services. Over the years, they has compiled lists of courses from other universities that have transferred to USC for credit in the past. Please view the Quick FAQ section below before viewing the articulation history/agreement with your school(s).

    If you were recently admitted to USC as a transfer student, you will receive a transfer credit report after you submit your commitment deposit to USC.

    Please do not contact the Office of Academic Records and Registrar if you are a prospective transfer students. Neither they nor our office will pre-approve coursework that is not already listed in the articulation history or agreement. Only newly admitted students who commit to enroll will receive the transfer credit report that will list all courses that transfer to USC.

    Tip: Before you look at an articulation history/agreement for your current school, look up a sample four-year course plan for your major at USC by visiting your academic department page, and then clicking on the ‘Curriculum’ button. This will give you the USC course codes you’ll need when you’re looking up equivalent courses at your current school. For example, MATH-125 is Calculus I at USC.

    For students who attend a community college outside of California or a four-year institution

    For students who attend a Community College in the state of California

    Quick FAQ about Articulation Agreements/Histories

    What do Parts 1-4 mean?

    Here is a quick breakdown of the four parts of an articulation history/agreement:

    Part I: These are all the General Education (GE) courses which will transfer for credit at USC and waive a course in a USC GE category. Courses in this section do not need to be considered equivalent to a course at USC to waive a GE course requirement. To waive a requirement for that GE category, they simply need to be listed in Part I underneath one of the GE categories. For example, if you took Art 100 at your current school, and Art 100 is listed underneath Category A: The Arts, this means it fulfills one course requirement for Category A. Since only one course is required under Category A, you would have fulfilled all the requirements for Category A. Remember, these are graduation requirements. GE’s are not required for admission, and will not impact your admission chances.

    Part II: These are all the courses which are considered equivalent to USC courses. These will transfer for credit at USC and waive a course requirement. Typically, you will use Part II to see if any of your math, science, and writing pre-requisites are equivalent to courses at USC. For example, MATH-125 is Calculus I at USC. If the Calculus I course at your current school is next to MATH-125 in Part II, that means it was considered equivalent to MATH-125 at USC. You can look up a a sample four-year course plan for your USC major by selecting your intended academic discipline and then clicking the ‘Curriculum’ button. You are unlikely to find engineering courses in Part II, but if you are a computer science student, you may want to visit our programming page to see if any programming classes you’ve taken will prepare you for our placement exams.

    Part III: These are all the courses which will transfer for some form of credit at USC. However, if you don’t see the same course listed in Part II, this means the course will not waive a course requirement at USC. Keep in mind, this means you may receive elective credit for the course, but it will not waive any required course. Only courses listed in Part II are considered course-equivalent. You should avoid courses which are listed in Part III if they are not also listed in Parts I or II.

    Part IV: These are all the courses which do not receive credit at USC. Avoid taking these courses.

    My Class is in Part III but not Part II. Will I get credit for the course?

    You may get elective credit for the course, but only courses in Part II waive course requirements. This is because only the courses in Part II are considered equivalent to a course at USC.

    I'm in Part II. I found a course I took at my current school, along with its equivalent at USC, but I don't know what the USC course codes mean. Where can I look them up?

    You can view a sample four-year course plan for your major at USC by visiting your academic department page, and then clicking on the ‘Curriculum’ button. This will give you the USC course codes you’ll need when you’re looking up equivalent courses at your current school. For example, you will notice that MATH-125 (Calculus I) is a required course for all engineering majors. To waive this course, you will need to have taken a course which is equivalent to MATH-125. You can look up the equivalent to MATH-125 in Part II of the articulation history/agreement for your school.

    What's the difference between an Articulation History and an Articulation Agreement?

    An articulation history is a list of classes at a particular school which have historically transferred for credit at USC. This can be used by students attending four-year universities, and any out-of-state/international universities. If the articulation history does not exist or is limited, it doesn’t necessarily mean that nothing will transfer. It may just mean that no one has attempted to transfer coursework from the past.

    Articulation agreements are pre-approved lists of courses which are guaranteed to transfer to USC. USC only has these agreements with California Community Colleges. These courses are updated every semester for accuracy.

    Which 'Effective Period' should I use?

    The most recent term, unless you started college before Fall 2015. If you started college before Fall 2015, set your effective period as Spring 2015 or Fall 2014.

    I can't find my school

    When using the dropdown menu to find your school, be on the lookout for alternative names. Some examples: The University of… or Univ of… or UC –… or ___ University. If you’re still having trouble, email us at vadmit@usc.edu.

    My class isn't on the articulation history. When will it be reviewed?

    If you don’t find your class on the articulation history, don’t panic. Articulation histories are just a list of courses which have transferred from another school to USC in the past. So, if you don’t see your school on the list, it just means we haven’t yet had a student transfer to USC with that particular class from that particular school on their transcript. But you could be the first!

    After a student is admitted, the articulation department will review your transcript and give you a transfer credit report to help you understand which courses transferred for credit. For any class on your transcript which aren’t on the articulation history, but which might be equivalent to a class at USC, the articulation department will ask a professor to compare the syllabus of your class with a class at USC.

    Due to the volume of requests, we unfortunately cannot review courses for prospective students; only students who are admitted will have their transcripts reviewed.

    I started college before Fall 2015. Do I still follow the new GE System?

    No. Students who started taking college classes before Fall 2015 only have to fill the requirements of the old GE system.

    If you went to a California Community College, use this articulation history.

    If you went to a four-year college or a CC outside of California, select “Spring 2015” as your effective date on the articulation history.

    Do engineering classes usually transfer for credit?

    It depends on the class. Some engineering classes will transfer for elective credit, but since engineering is taught differently from school to school, it’s rare to find an engineering course at another school that is considered directly equivalent to a USC engineering course. Math, science, and GE courses, on the other hand, are much more likely to transfer over.

    With that being said, our articulation department will have the department review the course you took and determine if it is equivalent to a course at USC after you submit your commitment deposit to USC.

    How many units can I transfer to USC?

    You can transfer up to 64 units to USC. Another 64 units must be taken at USC to graduate with a USC degree.