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Pursuing a Minor  

Pursuing a Minor as a Viterbi Student

As an undergraduate student in the Viterbi School of Engineering you have some great opportunities throughout the university.  Choosing a minor in addition to your engineering degree requirements can sometimes be challenging, however we will do our best to help you pursue your academic goals.
 
Please read through these suggestions in order to learn more about how you can possibly pursue a minor with your engineering degree.

Important Steps to Completing a Minor
  1. Plan ahead.
    As an engineering major your will need to start looking at minor programs early since engineering majors schedules are so compact.
  2. Contact the academic advisor and/or department responsible for the minor you are interested in to obtain information on requirements for the minor as well as any necessary prerequisites for eligibility for the program(s).
  3. Attend the Minors Workshop sponsored by Viterbi Student Affairs. Consult an academic advisor in the department for the minor you wish to pursue.
    Declare an undergraduate minor by completing an Addition or Change of Major/Minor Program form.  The forms are available in RTH 110 or in the JHH Verification’s lobby window.  Students typically can declare a minor as early as fall semester of their first year.  Other programs will have eligibility requirements such as minimum class standing, gpa, or course completion.  See minor department for specific guidelines.
 
How to Fit in Extra Courses
 
Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit
Utilizing Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credit from previous courses in high school is one way that students can open up space and increase flexibility in their schedule for minor courses.  Examples of some required courses that can be replaced with AP/IB credit include math, chemistry, biology and even a General Education course or two.  Please see your academic advisor for more information related to your specific major/minor combination.
 
Summer School
Summer semesters are another great way to gain flexibility in your schedule for minors.  Students can take summer courses at USC to further their progress in their programs, or enroll in transferable, lower-level course work outside of USC during the summer at community or junior colleges. When transferring units, it is imperative to consult an academic advisor before enrolling in coursework and have all courses pre-approved by the University.
Important Points
If you choose to pursue a minor, please remember the following points:
  • The completion of a minor is an optional degree requirement for the undergraduate degree program.
  • Students may not pursue a minor which is offered by or in which their major department participates in.
  • A minor program is noted on student’s transcripts and not on diplomas.
  • To graduate, students must meet all minor and major requirements.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 16 units of minor course work outside of the major requirements.
 
Please refer to the USC Catalogue for more information about University policies and guidelines for minor programs.

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