Undergraduate Student Resources

Requirement: Some courses have prerequisite requirements, meaning you must take a specific listed course before enrolling in the desired course. At times, students take a course equivalent to the prerequisite (i.e., transfer courses), or place out through official exams (i.e., AP/IB scores). When courses do not automatically apply to major requirements, the ASTE department has the discretion to review the syllabus, course description, and/or additional supporting paperwork. GE and writing courses must go through the articulation petition process found on Experience USC > My Academics.

Waiver: a prerequisite error may still show up when registering -- even if a substitution is applied in your STARS report. In this case, you will need to request a prerequisite waiver from the respective department. For prerequisite waivers for ASTE undergraduate courses, contact the ASTE advisor at prisilac@usc.edu. For other departments, search on their website for prerequisite waiver processes and/or contact their advisor.

Permit to Register: Students can find out their registration appointment time by going to Experience USC > My Academics > View [Term] Registration Information. Registration appointment times are based on earned units, not including in-progress courses. Students may have earlier registration dates assigned based on priority statuses. Students may not request an earlier registration date unless they believe it is a mistake for a specific reason.

Restrictions/Holds: Students can view any registration holds through Experience USC > My Academics. A university office may place a registration restriction on a student’s account, pending obligations with the office. Information about the hold and the office contacts will be listed. Students should clear any restriction that prohibits registration well before registration appointments.

Mandatory Advisement: All Viterbi undergraduate students are required to meet with their academic advisor to lift their mandatory advisement hold. Schedule an appointment with your advisor early to ensure that you get your hold removed on time. Appointments can be scheduled through myUSC > Advise USC > Appointments.

USC Schedule of Classes: Use to review what courses are offered for the current, upcoming, or previous semester. Course descriptions are provided, and in many cases, syllabi are also attached.

• Registration Calendar: The calendar shows important dates and deadlines for registration – such as the last day to add/drop, the last day to change the grade option, etc. This can be viewed at the top yellow bar with hyperlinks listed.

Instructions for Directed Research

ASTE 490 is directed research for undergraduate students. Amount of units enrolled will vary depending on the workload of the research. Course is taken for a letter grade. Up to 3 units can apply towards the technical elective requirement, whether the units are taken all at once or during separate semesters.

If you wish to enroll in directed research, you will need to first set up a meeting with an ASTE professor to discuss this option and commit to a topic and research plan. Once you have gotten the preliminary approval from your professor, complete the directed research contract form, collect the necessary signatures and details, and send it to the ASTE undergraduate advisor at prisilac@usc.edu for processing.

SERC, RPL, and LPL provide students the opportunity to get technical experience and work alongside top faculty on cutting-edge research projects. Other projects within Viterbi and/or other departments can also add to student experience. Other options are CURVE, ASPEN, WIE, and more.

Receive course credit for your supervised work experience in a professional environment related to specific degree program, academic level, and career objective, through ENGR 395 (Internship or Co-Op). Earn 1-2 units of technical elective credit by taking ENGR 395.

• 1-unit earned in Summer
• 2-units earned in Fall or Spring semesters
• Graded Credit/No Credit
• Required course for International students in order to be eligible for CPT
• No class meetings. Successful completion of the course involves submitting materials from your co-op/internship supervisor and writing a 10-page technical report.
• Must be co-op/internship for the current semester. Not valid retroactively.

Qualifications:

• You should have completed at least 3 semesters of engineering curriculum and have at least a 2.6 grade point average.
• Your work experience in the co-op/internship MUST be directly related to your respective major.
• Internship must be a minimum of 10 hours but can not exceed 20 hours for fall semester. During the summer, it can be 40 hours per  week.

To Register:

• ENGR 395 requires d-clearance, which is given by the Viterbi Student Engagement and Career Connections office. Visit the ENGR 395 website to learn more about the steps to registering, deadlines based on semesters, and more details about the requirements and conditions.

ASTE Progressive Degree Program (PDP) - gives current USC undergraduates a continuing path to earning a Master’s degree from USC while completing the bachelor's degree. The main advantages of a Progressive Degree are:

• the option to start graduate-level classes while taking bachelor's courses
• a reduction in units required for the Master’s Degree (units vary)

ASTE bachelor's student requirements: only 6 courses are necessary to pursue the ASTE MS program through PDP, instead of the original 9 courses from the traditional master's program.

Non-ASTE bachelor's student requirements: only 7 courses are necessary to pursue the ASTE MS program through PDP, instead of the original 9 courses from the traditional master's program.

Before applying to PDP, review the Viterbi PDP website to go over the application requirements. It is necessary to meet with the advisor for the desired PDP in order to complete the Revised Course Plan for the application and discuss course requirements, such as the number of needed units, as they may vary depending on the program of interest.

Declaring Leave of Absence: Undergraduate students who find it necessary to take time away from their studies may request to take a Leave of Absence through myUSC after speaking with the academic advisor of their major. The leave of absence process eases the transition for students, both at the time they take a leave of absence and upon their eventual return to the university. Students may elect to take a leave of absence for a variety of reasons:

• Medical emergencies
• Family crises or other personal situations
• Financial issues
• Academic difficulties
• Religious missions
• Military service

Typically, a leave of absence is for one semester or one academic year, but ultimately, the time is up to the student. Declaring a leave of absence communicates to the University that the student is unable to enroll at USC for the current or upcoming term, but plans to continue his/her studies at USC in a future term and should be done before the end of the 3rd week of the semester (typically the same date as the add/drop deadline) to receive a refund. Declaring a leave of absence also ensures that the student’s program of study and access to services remain active.

It is expected that students will not enroll in courses elsewhere during a leave of absence. Students who intend to return to USC should review the Leave of Absence website. Filing a leave of absence for undergraduates is primarily a declaration process – that is, there is no approval or denial given. Undergraduate students simply inform the university through their portal and all necessary departments of their intended leave. The offices that need to be contacted can vary based on the student's connection. A chart of offices and a description of when you need to reach out to each department are posted on the LOA website.

Returning from a Leave of Absence: If you are returning from a Leave of Absence, contact your advisor directly so they can help you make a smooth transition back to USC. Read more about it on the LOA page for returning.

• Check your student account on Experience USC > My Academics > View [Term] Registration Information to see if there are any holds on your account that require action prior to registering for classes
• Contact the Financial Aid Office to be sure that any loans and scholarships are reactivated. You may need to contact your private lenders as well.

Guidelines for withdrawing from the university: Students who will not return to USC should follow the steps posted on askUSC.

Change your non-engineering major to ASTE/Viterbi: If you are a current USC student who is not within a Viterbi engineering program and are looking to change your major to engineering, learn about the pre-engineering admission requirements.

Changing from ASTE to a Major Outside of Viterbi:  ASTE students who seek to switch their major to a discipline outside of Viterbi should ask their current advisor for a referral to the desired program. Next step varies based on the desired department/school. Ideally, students will meet with the advisor of the desired program to review admissions and curriculum requirements.

Changing Majors within Viterbi ASTE students who want to change their major within Viterbi should meet with their current major advisor along with the advisor of the major they want to declare so that curriculum requirements can be reviewed. 

Tutoring Resources: VLP, Supplemental Instruction, Math Center, Kortschak Center

VLP: Viterbi Learning Program
The mission of the Viterbi Learning Program is to enrich the Viterbi educational experience by supporting undergraduate students through peer mentoring, tutoring, academic skills workshops, and group study sessions, helping students learn better study habits and thrive in their classes.

Viterbi undergraduates who make VLP services part of their regular studying will be able to:

• Show improvement in understanding their course material.
• Apply course concepts to different types of problems.
• Develop positive study habits and skills for lifelong learning.
• Be a more active student and engage in the Viterbi community.

Register today & begin scheduling your free peer tutoring appointments! See the registration steps on their website.

If you have any questions about our services, please contact us at (213) 740-4530 or viterbi.varc@usc.edu.

Supplemental Instruction (SI)
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic support program designed to improve the student's academic success and increase retention. The SI program targets traditionally difficult courses and provides regularly scheduled, peer-led study sessions. These sessions are available to all students enrolled in the class at no cost. This program is brought to you by the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

• Work in small, collaborative groups with your classmates.
• Review lecture material, course reading, and homework.
• Go over exam strategies with SI leaders who know the course and professors.
• Attend as often as you like.
• It is totally free!

The Math Center is located in KAP 263. (Kaprielian (KAP) is the building on Vermont that is next to gate #6 and across the street from parking structure A.)  It is a suite of rooms where you can get together with friends to study, use the computers, and get help with your math classes.  Math graduate students, faculty, and assistants are available to help you.

All USC students are welcome to use the Math Center as a study room and a place to get help with mathematics, but when there is competition for resources priority will be given to undergraduates enrolled in a math course.

It is run informally and is designed for easy drop-in usage.  It works best to use the Center as a study room.  It’s a good place to meet up with your study partners and work on homework.  If and as you need help, ask one of the graduate students, faculty members or assistants.

View the Math Center website for more information about Consulting Hours, Policies, and Frequently Asked Questions.

Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity
The USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity (KCLC) is for students who learn differently and wish to receive academic support. Students who have a learning difference, a documented learning disability, ADHD or other disability-related learning challenge are encouraged to utilize the KCLC. At the KCLC, students are paired with learning assistants and/or tutors, have access to assistive technology, can study in a quiet environment and receive guidance in their preferred way of learning.

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