Graduate & Professional Degrees

University Certificate Programs

Academic Medicine Certificate

Students who do not wish to pursue a Master of Academic Medicine degree at this point may earn a university certificate in Academic Medicine. The certificate requires 12 units of course work. Each learner may only seek a single certificate. There are two options available, the Teaching/Learning Track and the Leadership Track. The teaching learning track provides graduates with the essential principles of teaching and learning needed to integrate leaning principles, teaching techniques and assessment methods within the health professions to effectively teach health professions' learners at all levels: undergraduate, graduate and continuing education. The leadership track is designed to prepare those in academic medicine for leadership positions, for example assistant/associate dean, program director (including assistant or associate), designated institutional officer and associate or vice chair for education. After completion of the certificate, if a learner decides to go on to pursue a Master of Academic Medicine (MACM) degree all 12 units of the certificate can be applied to the MACM degree. 

All students begin with the core course: ACMD 501 (Introduction to Academic Medicine Worldwide, 3 units). Students then take two required courses (6 units) related to their selected track. Each student completes the 12-unit certificate with 3 units of elective course work from the courses available within the Master of Academic Medicine program. All courses should be selected with the approval of the learner's adviser.

Keith Administration Building 211
1975 Zonal Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 442-2372
FAX: (323) 442-2051
Email: nyquist@usc.edu
Program Director: Julie G. Nyquist, PhD

Core Faculty

Professors: Donna Elliott, MD, EdD (Pediatrics); Jerry Gates, PhD (Family Medicine); Win May, MD, PhD (Medical Education); Julie G. Nyquist, PhD (Medical Education); Samuel Yanofsky, MD, MSEd (Anesthesiology)

Associate Professors: Kathleen Besinque, PharmD, MSEd (Pharmacy); Cha-Chi Fung, PhD (Medical Education); Tara Humphrey, DO, MACM (Anesthesiology)

Assistant Professors: Cathy Jalali, PhD (Medical Education); Shara Steiner, DO, MACM (Medical Education)

The Master of Academic Medicine is offered by the Keck School of Medicine. The goal is to develop leaders who will create and enhance academic and training programs for health care professions globally. Academic medicine is defined in broad terms as relating to those who lead training worldwide in medicine or in other health care related fields. Enacting this vision is possible due to the flexible delivery model selected. The program employs a hybrid model, combining on-campus face-to-face sessions, blended with online course work. During the 32-unit program, the majority of sessions will be delivered using interactive online delivery methods. All students will also be on campus for one-week intensive sessions in the spring of each year, which focus on community building and the development and evaluation of skills.

The program addresses the unique population of medical and health professions faculty who are focused on leading the academic enterprise for health professionals at the undergraduate, graduate and continuing education levels. Our graduates will be positioned to guide future generations of health professionals around the world toward better meeting the health needs of our global society. For those with a clear focus on the academic enterprise, a complementary degree in academic medicine offers the specialized skills needed to lead worldwide development of enhanced training for health professionals, increases professional capacity and provides new opportunity for promotion. The audiences for this degree will typically have primary professional degrees in health fields (e.g., MD, DDS, DPT, RN, MSN, PA, DVM, DO, PharmD, DC, DOM). The Master of Academic Medicine will provide the needed complementary training for clinician educators.

Admission

Applicants for admission to the Master of Academic Medicine program are generally expected to have an advanced degree in a health profession. Proof of graduation is required, as well as three letters of recommendation. For specific information on admission and application procedures, contact the Office of Medical Education, (323) 442-2372.

Students are admitted for the academic year beginning in the fall, although those admitted prior to March 15 may enroll in summer courses. Although there is no formal application deadline, complete applications received before March 1 will be given priority. Application inquiries should be made to: Master of Academic Medicine Program, University of Southern California, Office of Medical Education, 1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 211, Los Angeles, CA 90033, telephone (323) 442-2372.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

A graduate GPA of at least 3.0 is required at all times. Any student whose graduate GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation who do not raise their GPA to 3.0 after two semesters of written notification of academic probation will be academically disqualified.

A minimum of 32 units of graduate-level course work is required.

The Master of Accounting program with an emphasis in data and analytics combines course work from the Leventhal School of Accounting and Marshall's Data Sciences and Operations department. Advances in computing technology are fundamentally changing the way audits are conducted. The data and analytics emphasis of the MAcc is designed to train auditors for the data age.

The program employs a rigorous case analysis approach that requires students to exercise their analytical abilities and develop both teamwork and professional communication skills.

Integrated into the data and analytics emphasis is an audit internship during the spring semester encompassing both audit and data and analytics in an integrated fashion. This required element of the program builds a critical bridge for the student between his or her academic and work lives, ultimately enriching both.

Application

The data and analytics emphasis of the MAcc is open only to individuals who have earned the equivalent of a four-year bachelor of accounting degree from an accredited program. Applicants also must have an offer letter for a spring internship at a "big four" or major national public accounting firm or equivalent. Spring internships must run from January through April and integrate both audit and data analytics.

Program Requirements

The Master of Accounting, Data and Analytics emphasis requires up to 31.5 units including fundamentals, core requirements and electives. Students with prior study in statistics who pass the challenge exam for Data Driven Decision Making receive a waiver reducing the units required to earn the degree to 30.

The Master of Accounting program (MAcc) prepares graduates for careers in public accounting, industry and government. The program offers students technical and conceptual knowledge, professional development, research and lifelong learning, ethical and professional standards and globalization and diversity. For details on these student learning outcomes, see the program website at marshall.usc.edu/macc.

The program employs a rigorous case analysis approach that requires students to exercise their analytical abilities and develop both teamwork and professional communication skills.

Application

An undergraduate accounting or business major is not necessary, nor is work experience a requirement. The program enrolls students in the summer or fall based on their academic backgrounds. For application information visit marshall.usc.edu/macc/admissions.

Program Requirements

The Master of Accounting degree requires 45 units, including fundamentals, core requirements and electives. A student with an undergraduate degree in accounting or the equivalent may be able to waive 15 units for a total degree requirement of 30 units.

The Leventhal School of Accounting Master's Program Office evaluates the academic background of each admitted student to determine the courses required to complete the program.

Students admitted for summer term start with ACCT 525 Intensive Accounting Principles and Practices (15 units) — an eight-week course for students who have not completed undergraduate degrees or other extensive course work in accounting. This course must be completed successfully prior to beginning the fall semester.

Students admitted for fall term generally hold a bachelor's degree in Accounting and are waived from the 15-unit ACCT 525 class reducing the number of units required to earn the degree to 30.

USC BS in Accounting students may qualify for waiver of an additional 6 units reducing the number of units required to earn the degree to 24. (USC BS in Accounting students should meet with a graduate adviser during their junior year to determine if they qualify.)

Addiction exacts a toll on individuals, families and communities worldwide. The Master of Science in Addiction Science (MAS) exposes students to the biological, psychological and social aspects of substance use and addictive behaviors. Students study emerging trends in addiction studies with an emphasis on evidence-based transdisciplinary approaches in to addiction science and practice addressing epidemiology, etiology, prevention, treatment, policy and harm reduction, as well as sociocultural and healthcare contexts that intersect with addiction. The MAS equips students with a solid foundation and prepares them to enter a number of fields, from treatment to recovery and research to policy-work, representing critical areas of support among diverse communities in need. 

The Master of Advanced Architectural Research Studies, City Design and Housing emphasis is a 42-unit multi-disciplinary graduate degree program at the USC School of Architecture that prepares participants to study, analyze and design within complex urban systems. Focusing on the 21st-century city the program will address specific urban challenges through a combination of explorative design studio and advanced topical research. Working across disciplines and at multiple scales, this degree concentration moves between real-world issues and innovative architectural approaches to explore ideas for radically re-thinking the ways in which we can design, build and inhabit our cities in more inclusive and equitable ways.

The program will leverage Los Angeles as a laboratory to examine the forces that shape local and global cities. Addressing a diverse set of factors that are linked to city design and housing – such as urban development and housing policies, real estate and housing finance, history and theory, technology and infrastructure, and ecology and climate change – the program will introduce students to broad methodological tools for critically analyzing contemporary challenges of urban systems and housing and will strengthen their skills to employ research and design to create more equitable, sustainable and resilient urban environments and housing schemes.

The CD+H program's design and research efforts will be framed by three topical trajectories: a) urban housing (low-cost, collective, affordable, informal, densification, etc.); b) urban inequalities (racial segregation, economic disparities, gentrification, homelessness, digital divide, migration, etc.); and c) urban infrastructures (street design, public transportation, walkability, public space, programmatic and zoning issues, etc.). In addition, the one-year course will switch between the local context of Los Angeles and a selected global city (Latin America, Asia, Africa). In order to more thoroughly study the international context – and potentially establish more sound collaborations with institutions and stakeholders abroad – the same international context will be part of the program in a two or three-year cycle.

Finally, to connect students with real-world contexts, challenges and experiences, the CD+H program seeks to include various travel components throughout the year, which could potentially be linked to the PD+T and SP+SJ cohorts. Semester 1 will incorporate field trips in the Los Angeles and Southern California region. In Semester 2, the program's focus on an international context will be supplemented by a week-long trip to the respective city. For semester 3, the program intends to provide students the option of an immersive trip in a foreign or domestic location for their final project. The USC School of Architecture is developing the Latin Americas Cities Initiative and Asia Cities Initiative, which will be expected to interface with the MAARS CD+H, PD+T and SP+SJ programs.

Completion of the degree requires 42 units, including 8 units of Architecture Directed Design Research.

The Master of Advanced Architectural Research Studies, Performative Design And Technology Emphasis is a 42-unit graduate design program at the USC School of Architecture that focuses on the integration of architectural design, building performance and technology, within the context of digital design and fabrication. As a design-centric approach to building science concepts in the spirit of Ralph Knowles and the legacy of the Natural Forces Laboratory at the USC School of Architecture, issues of sustainability, structure, daylighting and thermal comfort will be explored in the context of architectural design. In this program, students will explore digital and analog techniques for discovering form through variable material and geometric organizations and force simulations, while simultaneously considering the design opportunities being afforded by advances in computation and fabrication technologies. The proposed curriculum will respond to emerging shifts in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry towards integrated technologies, increased efficiency, and productivity, and a digital workforce driven by digital, sensing and intelligent technologies. An integrated design curriculum that incorporates these concepts will support students in developing the skill necessary to foster innovation in practice with a focus on: data, technology, integration, performance, ecology and sustainability. 

A travel component will be included in Semester 1 through field trips in the Los Angeles and Southern California region to connect students with the real-world context and challenges faced in urban cities. In Semester 2, a week-long trip to a foreign or domestic location will provide students with a global context and interface and connect with the CD+H program. Students will have an option in Semester 3 to participate in an extended and immersive trip in a foreign or domestic location that will support completion of the final project. The USC School of Architecture is developing the Latin Americas Cities Initiative and Asia Cities Initiative, which will be expected to interface with the MAARS CD+H and PD+T programs.

Completion of the degree requires 42 units, including 8 units of Architecture Directed Design Research.

Learn More

This program is dedicated to cutting edge research and experimentation, and seeks to explore in a highly innovative fashion the cultural and technological landscapes of Los Angeles. Through its range of experimental 'Labs', the program is structured under three distinct veins of inquiry [1] architectural urban studies using Los Angeles as a laboratory to engage global issues; [2] advanced computation/fabrication technologies and material processes; and [3] performative architecture with an emphasis on sustainable systems. These specific design and research directions are diversely initiated by our faculty and fully supported by additional resources from the University of Southern California and the city of Los Angeles.

The Master of Advanced Architectural Studies is a three-semester advanced degree program. Consisting of two option-based topic studios followed by an in-depth Directed Design Research project [DDR], and coordinated seminar courses each for the first two semesters, the degree is focused on advanced and emerging topics in architecture. The design and research directions are diversely initiated by our faculty and fully supported by additional resources from the University at-large and the city of Los Angeles.

Candidates for admission must have a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree or its equivalent. Completion of the degree requires 48 units, including 28 units of required studio and seminar courses, [including 8 units Directed Design Research or Thesis], and 20 units of approved electives, over three semesters of residency.

The graduate certificate in Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice prepares students for practice in clinical settings by enhancing their theoretical, empirical and practice knowledge relevant to these settings and by offering a blend of didactic and experiential learning. Through an intersectional lens, students enhance their understanding of critical elements of advanced clinical practice, such as assessment and conceptualization, diagnosis and treatment. Given that social workers treat diverse client populations, this certificate also encompasses a commitment to social justice and addressing barriers to mental health treatment.

The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work offers university certificates that provide students advanced practice or research training through a social justice and intercultural competence lens that emphasizes community, organizational and environmental justice. Certificates are designed to complement and deepen training provided through our degree programs by focusing on experiential application of concepts in relation to particular and diverse client populations, settings, and systems. Each certificate consists of at least 12 units, which may in part be satisfied by courses completed for a degree program. Certificates are also available to graduate students from other disciplines and to employed professionals.

The graduate certificate in Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice requires a minimum of 14 units.

The advanced endodontics certificate program is a 24-month course of study. The program provides advanced students with the academic background information and clinical experience necessary for the specialty practice of endodontics. The program also requires activities in research and teaching to expose the advanced students interested to these areas of endodontics.

Advanced students are encouraged to pursue Board Certification by the American Board of Endodontics and are prepared for the certification examinations.

Emphasis is also placed on the interaction of endodontics with other specialties and general dentistry.

The program in endodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), which serves as the only nationally recognized accrediting body for dentistry and the related dental field. The Commission receives its accreditation authority from the acceptance of all stakeholders within the dentistry community and recognition by the United States Department of Education. Since its inception in 1937, the Commission and its predecessors have operated within the parameters of the ADA Bylaws. The Commission serves the profession and the public by establishing and applying high-quality standards for the accreditation of educational programs in dentistry, postgraduate general and specialty dentistry, and the allied dental professions.