A Welcome from Dean Howard Gillman

Welcome to the USC College Web site, where you will find news and information about the College during one of the most exciting periods in its history — a history that dates back to 1880.

The largest and oldest of the USC schools, USC College functions as the academic core of the university, offering courses and advancing knowledge across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

For more than a decade, USC’s undergraduate programs, centered in the College, have consistently gained in stature. We see this both in a rise in average SAT scores and an increasing selectivity in admissions — in 2007 USC College admitted 25 percent of the 17,650 student applicants, compared with 35.5 percent of 11,675 applicants in 2001.

The College offers undergraduates a choice of nearly 80 majors and more than 50 minors, and provides advisement to undecided and undeclared students.

At the same time, we have initiated a concerted effort to strengthen the College’s graduate programs, which include 25 doctoral degree programs.

The College has reached its goal to recruit 100 world-class scholars, marking the close of a major initiative that in less than five years has led to a 25 percent expansion of our faculty.

That increase has mirrored and helped catalyze the growth of the College’s research enterprise.

Through institutional partnerships and service-learning programs, the College has built strong alliances with the diverse communities of Southern California.

On behalf of the College leadership team, I hope you enjoy your virtual visit to USC College. For more information or answers to specific questions, please contact us.

Sincerely,