Admission & Student Enrollment Options
How
Distance Education Network (DEN) Works
Overview
of Degrees & Certificates
Who
is this program tailored for? [back to top]
The USC Viterbi School of Engineering Distance Education
Network (DEN) is designed for engineering professionals
who work full-time and do not have time to come to campus.
It is also designed to allow people who do not live in Los
Angeles who would like to obtain their Masters degree from
one of the top ten engineering graduate schools in the nation.
How
is USC Viterbi School of Engineering ranked among other
universities? [back to top]
Earning your degree from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering
means you will be a graduate of the # 7 engineering graduate
school in the nation, as rated by U.S.
News & World Report for 2008. In addition, DEN
(Distance Education Network) has been named one of the top
e-learning graduate programs of engineering by the same
publication.
How
long does it take to earn a degree? [back to top]
This depends on the rate at which courses are taken. For
example if one course a semester is taken during the fall,
spring, and summer terms, a student will earn a master's
degree in three years.
Will
my degree be from DEN or from USC? [back to top]
DEN students are no different from on campus USC students.
The same requirements and curriculum apply, so your degree and diploma are the same, issued by the University of Southern California.
Do
you offer Ph.D. programs via distance education?
[back to top]
The University of Southern California does not offer an online Ph.D. It may be possible to take some of courses for the Ph.D. via DEN, however, all Viterbi School of Engineering doctoral candidates must be in residence which is defined as “a period of intensive study completed on the University Park campus.”
If you are interested in applying to a Ph.D.program, you should contact the department in which you are interested directly. DO NOT ENROLL IN ANY COURSES TOWARD THE Ph.D. UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO THE PROGRAM.
You can find information about our departments and Ph.D. admission requirements by clicking here. Or click here to contact an Academic Advisor with your specific question.
Admission
& Student Enrollment Options
Do
I have to take the GRE? [back to top]
There
are only three exceptions to waive the GRE:
1) If
the applicant already holds a Ph.D in engineering, math
or science from a regionally-accredited university.
2) If
the applicant is applying to the M.S. in Systems Architecture
& Engineering degree and has both a
B.S. and M.S. in engineering, math or science (or the B.S.
and an MBA).
3) If
the applicant has earned a B.S. degree at USC, has at least a 3.2 undergraduate
GPA and is applying to the M.S. degree program in the same
department he/she earned his/her B.S. degree.
I've
taken a few graduate classes at another institution - can
they be transferred? [back to top]
Up to four (4) units of graduate credit earned at another
institution may be transferred into a USC graduate degree
program. Transfer of units requires approval from the specific
department. If you have a specific question about this,
please e-mail studentaffairs@den.usc.edu
or call (213) 740-0116.
When
is the deadline for the application? [top]
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
The
deadline for the application each semester is listed in
the Application packet. Please click
here to download or view.
How
long does it take to process my application? [back to top]
During the peak admission period (from January through
April), admission processing takes a minimum of four weeks
after we receive your application. You will receive a letter
notifying you when we receive your application. If something
is missing from your application file, we will send you
a letter to let you know. Click
here for more information on the application process.
What
if I missed the application deadline? Do I have to wait
until the next semester? [back to top]
No. You can enroll in the upcoming semester as a Limited
student. Please visit our Enrollment
Options section for more information. If
you have a specific question about enrollment options, please
e-mail studentaffairs@den.usc.edu
or call (213) 740-0116.
What
are the criteria for earning a graduate degree from the
USC Viterbi School of Engineering? [back to top]
- A
minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in a course to receive
graduate credit.
- Work
graded C- or below is not acceptable for subject or unit
credit toward any graduate degree.
- Transfer
units count as credit (CR) toward the MS and are not computed
in the GPA.
- A
student has up to seven years to earn the graduate degree.
The seven years starts when a student first begins taking
classes, whether the student is Admitted or Limited.
If you
have a specific question about graduating requirements,
please e-mail studentaffairs@den.usc.edu
or call (213) 740-0116.
What
if I need to drop a class? [back to top]
Drops are defined as withdrawal from one class or part of
registration. The refund schedule applies as of the date
the drop is processed by the Registration Department. Failure
to withdraw officially will result in the mark of "UW,"
which is computed in the GPA as zero (0) grade points. A
student may withdraw from a course without academic penalty
during the first 12 weeks of the semester. If the course
is dropped within the first three weeks, it does not appear
on the academic transcript; if the course is dropped within
weeks four through 12, it will be recorded with the mark
of "W." No course may be dropped after the end
of the twelfth week. A student may not withdraw from a course
in which he or she committed or was accused of committing
an academic integrity violation. After registering, it is
the student's responsibility to withdraw officially from
a course if he or she decides not to continue in a course.
Courses may be added only during the first three weeks of
the semester. If you have a specific question about the
drop/add deadline date, please e-mail studentaffairs@den.usc.edu
or call (213) 740-0116.
What
if I miss the drop/add deadline date? [back to top]
If the course is dropped within weeks four through 12, it
will be recorded with the mark of "W." No course
may be dropped after the end of the twelfth week. Please
see the above answer for more information. If you have a
specific question about the drop/add deadline date, please
e-mail Carolyn Suckow, Director of Student & Corporate
Affairs at jecks@usc.edu.
What
if there is a discrepancy between any of the Viterbi School
of Engineering's website and the USC Catalogue? [back to top]
The
USC
Catalogue is the document of authority for all students.
The program requirements listed in the USC
Catalogue supersede any information which may be contained
in any bulletin of any school or department. The university
reserves the right to change its policies, rules, regulations,
requirements for graduation, course offerings, and any other
contents of this
catalogue at any time.
