Student Services Frequently Asked Questions

Registration

Check the status of your request on MyViterbi. If your waitlist status is still pending, then you can contact your assigned academic advisor to find out if the course you are waitlisted for is being prioritized for certain majors. If seats are available, it may be that other’s higher on the waitlist have been given d-clearance. Once their d-clearances expire after 2 days of being issued, then students lower on the waitlist will be notified once they have been granted d-clearance if there are still open seats in the course.

Log into MyUSC and go to OASIS. Next look for Restrictions (Holds) and click on this. On the next page you will see if you have any account restrictions. If you do, there will be a “Restriction Code” listed (ex: STU50, ADM40, etc) along with a description, location and phone number of who to call or office to visit or email to take care of the account restriction. In most cases you would have received an email warning you of the account restriction being placed on your record with instructions on how to lift the hold.

Undergraduate students: If you have a legitimate reason to enroll in a time conflict, you must complete the online time conflict form here and obtain the signatures of both instructors. It is your responsibility to communicate your request to both instructors, prior to completing the time conflict form. You must also provide all pertinent course and instructor information on the time conflict form. It is at both instructors' discretion to approve your time conflict request with or without conditions. Failure to provide all accurate information will result in an incomplete request and changes will not be processed.

Graduate students: Register for one of the courses that conflicts in web registration as the first step. Second, email the 5-digit section number of the course you wish to register for via the Registrar’s Office contact form here. If the course has multiple components such as a discussion, lab and quiz, you will need to provide the 5-digit sections numbers for those sections as well. Failure to provide all accurate information will result in an incomplete request and changes will not be processed.

CSCI Courses

The CSCI dept. regularly updates the following webpage with important D-clearance information and dates for each semesters D-clearance request and issuing timelines:

https://www.cs.usc.edu/students/d-clearance/

Typically, the CSCI dept. will only accept D-clearance requests to be submitted a week or two before the semester starts. ECE students should first register for other courses as a back-up in case they do not ultimately get into the CSCI course they had been hoping to take.

Any non-EE course must be approved by the ECE faculty in order to be applied towards a student’s degree program and be used to satisfy requirements on a student’s STARS. Prior to taking a non-EE course, students must submit an ECE Special Request form found on our dept. website here:

https://minghsiehece.usc.edu/students/registration/ms-special-request-form/

The student would need to fill out the section seeking approval for a non-EE course to count towards their program and list the course or courses they would like pre-approval for. Once the request is reviewed by the ECE faculty, a decision email is sent to the student. If approved, please forward on to your assigned academic advisor so your STARS can then be updated once you are enrolled in the non-EE course.

Two special things to note: 1) MSEE majors must submit this form for any non-EE course they wish to take towards their degree program, while other majors must only submit the form if the non-EE course is not listed as part of the approved courses for their program in the USC Catalogue. 2) Crosslisted courses such at EE455/CSCI 455 and EE545/CSCI 545 do not need an ECE Special Request form submitted for approval as a non-EE course to used towards degree requirements – crosslisted courses are treated like EE courses and do not count towards courses being taken outside the ECE dept.

Graduation

If it has been more than three months since you received your congratulatory degree conferral email, please contact the Registrar One Stop Center at onestop@usc.edu from your USC email account, to inquire about a reissue. Be sure to include your USC ID number. The Registrar’s Diploma’s Office will wait 10 weeks for returned mail from domestic addresses, and 14 weeks from international addresses, before reissuing diplomas. Be sure to verify that your mailing address is valid, and that you do not have any activity restrictions that might have prevented your diploma from being printed.

Undergraduate students must have a minimum 2.0 overall and upper-division GPA in order to be cleared to graduate (assuming all other degree requirements have been satisfied on your STARS). For graduate students, a 3.0 overall and major GPA is required in order to be cleared to graduate (assuming all other degree requirements have been satisfied on your STARS). For graduate students, if a grade lower than a C is earned in a course, the course will not be used for your major GPA, however it will be factored into your overall GPA.

CPT/OPT/I-20

DEN@Viterbi Students

DEN@Viterbi students may opt to enroll in an on-campus section of a course if a DEN@Viterbi section is not being offered, however DEN@Viterbi students are recommended to register in courses with DEN@Viterbi sections. These classes and faculty receive specific services to properly support DEN@Viterbi students, including ensuring all sessions are recorded, dedicated student services and registration priorities, and exams support. The DEN Exams Coordinator and Instructional Support Center works with faculty to accommodate DEN@Viterbi students.

Change of Major

An ECE graduate student may be able to change their major to another ECE MS program, however the change can not be officially made until AFTER the conclusion of a student’s first semester at USC. More information can be found on the ECE website by scrolling to the bottom on the following webpage:

https://minghsiehece.usc.edu/academics/ms/

Many students will opt to switch into the more general and flexible MSEE program. Note that switching into our MSFINE, MSECE-MLDS, or MSQIS programs will require students to take specific preliminary courses and earn specific grades in order to be approved for a change of major.

Pass/No Pass Grades (Spring 2020-Summer 2021 Only)

MS Thesis Option

In order for an MS student to complete a thesis while pursuing their master’s degree, first consult with your assigned academic advisor. The MS Thesis Option is available for students in the MSEE program and in some specialized MS programs. Typically MS Thesis students have a high GPA during their course of study (above 3.50) and have identified a faculty with whom they would like to take undertake a two-semester research project and publish it. For more info, check out the ECE website here and scroll down to Thesis Option:

https://minghsiehece.usc.edu/academics/ms/

Directed Research

When you receive the faculty member’s approval, fill out the online Directed Research application form on MyViterbi. Be sure to include a project plan that briefly defines the topic, the approach, and the outcomes that are expected. Once your DR application has been submitted, faculty are sent an email directing them to approve/deny your proposed DR project. If a faculty member approves your DR request, the ECE Student Services staff will provide you with D-clearance for the appropriate DR course and you will receive an email letting you know the D-clearance has been issued. Once you receive D-clearance for the DR you may then register for this course on WebRegistration.

Progressive Degree Program (PDP)

Yes, non-ECE undergraduate majors may apply to an ECE PDP graduate program. First consult with an ECE advisor to discuss the PDP application process. Depending on which ECE PDP graduate program you wish to pursue, this will determine if there are any specific pre-reqs you will need to take during your undergraduate study to prepare you for the graduate level ECE classes. This will vary depending on your planned ECE focus area for the MS in Electrical Engineering, or one of our other ECE PDP graduate programs.

First consult with an ECE advisor to discuss the PDP application process. Refer to the ECE PDP information provided on our website which has the minimum requirements listed here:

https://minghsiehece.usc.edu/academics/bs/progressive-degree-program/

Your PDP course plan will need to show semester by semester what you are taking to meet both your undergraduate degree requirements, along with classes that will be taken for your graduate program. The USC Catalogue is also a useful guide in selecting appropriate electives for your chose ECE PDP course plan. You can use the following link to learn more about the master’s degrees offered by ECE:

https://minghsiehece.usc.edu/academics/ms/

ECE Special Request Form

Any non-EE course or course that is not part of your degree program must be approved by the ECE faculty in order to be applied towards a student’s degree program and be used to satisfy requirements on a student’s STARS. Prior to taking a non-EE course or a course you wish to substitute into your program, students must submit an ECE Special Request form found on our dept. website here:

https://minghsiehece.usc.edu/students/registration/ms-special-request-form/

Once the request is reviewed by the ECE faculty, a decision email is sent to the student. If approved, please forward it on to your assigned academic advisor so your STARS can then be updated once you are enrolled in the course that was approved.

Two special things to note: 1) MSEE majors must submit this form for any non-EE course they wish to take towards their degree program, while other majors must only submit the form if the non-EE course is not listed as part of the approved courses for their program in the USC Catalogue. 2) Crosslisted courses such at EE455/CSCI 455 and EE545/CSCI 545 do not need an ECE Special Request form submitted for approval – crosslisted courses are treated like EE courses and do not count towards courses being taken outside the ECE dept.

Transfer Credit for Graduate Students

Students first need to follow the instructions provided on the Registrar Office website:

https://arr.usc.edu/students/degree-progress/graduate-transfer-credit/

Let your assigned academic advisor know once Degree Progress Office has completed their review. If the Degree Progress Office provides and initial approval and posts a course to your record for possible transfer credit, then the ECE department faculty will consider the course(s) for final review for transfer and application towards your degree requirements. A syllabus will be needed for any courses to be reviewed by the ECE department along with submission of an ECE Special Request form. Send the syllabus of your proposed transfer course to your academic advisor.