UTC & USC are proud to offer the Master of Science in System Architecture and Engineering (MSSAE) program to UTC employees.

Please click on the topic areas below for more information about this unique degree that is available to UTC employees:

Why USC? [top]

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is at the center of USC's efforts to create new paradigms for responding to the most important problems and opportunities of the 21st century. Exciting new technologies being developed in the school provide the foundation for much of our work on a broad spectrum of social and technological issues. There are so many reasons to attend USC Viterbi School of Engineering - here are just a few:

• USC Viterbi School of Engineering is ranked one of the top ten engineering graduate schools in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.
  
  
• The USC Viterbi School of Engineering ranks sixth nationally in faculty who are members of the National Academy of Engineering. More than a third of its faculty are fellows in their respective societies.
  
  
• With over $135 million in external funding support, USC Viterbi School of Engineering is ranked # 1 in research activity per faculty member by U.S. News and World Report.
  
  
• The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is home to the distinguished Information Sciences Institute (ISI), which Business Week called "a star" in its study of international research institutions. ISI is involved in a broad spectrum of information processing research and in the development of advanced computer and communication technologies. It is particularly well known for its work in the areas of intelligent agents, knowledge representation, and natural language processing.
  
  
• The USC Viterbi School of Engineering also housed the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC), the only National Science Foundation-founded Engineering research center for multimedia and internet technology.
  
  
• USC was selected by Homeland Security to create the nation's first university center for the combat of terrorism. The new Homeland Security Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events will help focus the nation's intellectual resources on both the means and targets of terrorism, developing new tools for planning responses to a variety of threats that include explosives, chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological weapons, and cyber attacks.
  
  
• Joining the USC Family: The USC alumni network is reputed to be one of the largest most influential and loyal families one will ever be a part of.

Enrollment Options [top]

UTC employees have two enrollment options: Admitted and Limited.

1. ADMITTED STUDENTS
Admitted students have formally applied for admission and have been accepted to a graduate degree program. DEN classes apply toward regular degree credit. All course work applied toward a Master of Science degree requires the prior approval of the department in which the student is enrolled, and all departmental rules and regulations must be followed. In order to evaluate any application for admission, application materials must be submitted by the deadlines listed:

June 15th Fall admission
Oct 1st Spring admission
February 15th Summer admission

Graduate applicants should submit the following:

Submit directly to Department (ATTN: Graduate Admissions Committee, USC Industrial & Systems Engineering, 3715 McClintock Avenue, GER 240, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0193):

• Statement of Purpose
  • The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
• Three Letters of Recommendation (required for PhD applicants; not required, but highly recommended for MS applicants)
  • Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. They should be sealed and written on official letterhead.

Submit directly to the Office of Admissions (USC Office of Admissions, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0911):

• Graduate application form with a $65 application fee (If you would like a receipt for this application fee, click here.)
• Official transcript(s)
• General GRE scores (scores must be no older than 5 years)

2. LIMITED STUDENTS

A student wishing to take course work for official USC credit, without having been formally admitted to a degree program, may be allowed to register as a limited student. Candidates for limited student enrollment must have a B.S. degree in engineering or a closely related field (such as mathematics or science) from an accredited institution. They must also have the necessary background for the USC courses they wish to take.

• Limited student enrollment is not a promise of future admission.
• Not more than twelve units may be taken as a limited graduate student and later applied for credit toward an advanced degree.
• Limited students ARE officially enrolled at the University and pay full tuition.

Want to get started with DEN?

NOTE: Once you have registered in courses with USC, please be sure to also register with UTC.

Tuition & Fees [top]

All USC DEN tuition and mandatory fees for UTC employees are directly billed to General Physics Corporation (GP). The USC DEN Finance Office works with the USC Student Account Services to bill GP directly. Please do not pay USC or request reimbursement from GP. UTC employees are required to send USC a copy of their employee scholar form with each registration.

Please contact Susanna Sahakian via e-mail: susannas@usc.edu or call (213) 740-8198 if you have any questions about your USC account or if you receive any calls from USC Collections. Please click here for USC tuition rates.