Academics

A grade of IN (Incomplete) is assigned when work is not completed because of a documented illness or other “emergency” occurring after the twelfth week of the semester (or 12th week equivalent for any course scheduled for less than 15 weeks). Arrangements for the grade of IN and its completion must be initiated by the student and agreed to by the instructor prior to the final examination. Find more information about Incompletes and Withdrawls.

Undergraduate students who find themselves academically disqualified from the university should first connect with their advisor in Academic Counseling. The Academic Counseling website also includes information about disqualification and the readmission process. Graduate students who are dismissed from their academic program can contact CSI for support as they navigate the dismissal process.

The Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity assists students with organization, study skills and learning strategies. You can also sign up to work with an academic coach.

The Writing Center offers free services to all USC Students in the form of individual consultations and small-group workshops. To schedule an appointment click here.

The Math Center can be used to study and to get help with your math classes. Graduate Students, faculty, and assistants are available to help.

The Language Center is a gathering place for interaction among cultures and other language speakers, and a support center for the learning and teaching of languages.

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic support program that targets traditionally difficult courses and provides regularly scheduled, peer-led study sessions. Sessions are available to all students enrolled in the course.

Viterbi Learning Program offers support to all Viterbi students through peer mentoring, tutoring, academic skills workshops and group study sessions.

USC Marshall School of Business offers academic resources for Marshall students through Marshall Study Sessions and Cracking the Core Workshops. Marshall Study Sessions are a supplement to classroom instruction and are led by Peer Academic Leaders (PALs). Cracking the Core is designed for PALs to help students review background knowledge in preparation for ECON 351.

Economics Peer Tutoring Center is a supplement to classroom instruction. Peer tutors are available to assist with difficult concepts in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics, and Econometrics.

If a student disagrees with the grade they received in a course, or on any form of academic evaluation, they can follow the Disputed Academic Evaluation Procedures. The first step in any grade dispute is for the student to attempt to resolve their concerns directly with the professor of the course. If they are unable to do so, they can the follow the rest of the process as outlined at the above link.

Students are placed on academic probation if they have fallen below the minimum standard for academic progress, a 2.0 GPA at USC. For more information about what academic probation means, please thoroughly review this helpful guide. All students on academic probation are assigned an advisor in the Academic Review and Retention Office. If students have additional questions about academic probation and what it means, they can reach out to their Academic Review advisor directly, or contact the main phone line in the office at 213-740-1196.

Professor notifications can be requested when a student is facing a crisis or emergency in which they are not able to contact professors on their own behalf (i.e. hospitalization). Please speak with a CSI Coordinator if you have questions or need assistance. Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The Office of Professionalism and Ethics (OPE) serves as a centralized resource for complaint monitoring and investigations. Complaints can be submitted through their office related to:

• Safety and security issues (non-emergency)
• Harassment and/or discrimination in the workplace
• Code of conduct and compliance breaches
• Theft
• Fraud, waste, and/or abuse
• Ethical or conflict of interest violations

Please visit the OPE website to learn more about what they do and how to report a complaint.

Should a student miss class for any reason, they will need to work directly with the professor of the course regarding any missed class and assignments. Consult the syllabus and contact the professor of the course in question to determine the appropriate steps to take. Any excused absences are granted at the discretion of the faculty member.

A leave of absence is a temporary leave from the University, which may be necessary during a student’s time at USC. 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 their studies at USC in a future term. Students may elect to take a leave of absence for a variety of reasons:

• Health 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. It is expected that students will not enroll in courses elsewhere during a leave of absence. However, students who wish to enroll in courses outside USC during a leave of absence may consult with an academic advisor to determine if they are eligible for an Exception to Residence. If a student is unsure if they want to take a leave of absence, they can contact CSI at 213-740-0411 or via email at uscsupport@usc.edu to set up a time to speak with an advisor.

Filing a non-health leave of absence for undergraduate students is primarily a declaration process – that is, there is not an approval or denial given. Please visit USC’s Leave of Absence website for additional information. Non-health leave requests should be initiated through a student’s academic advisor. Graduate students must receive approval for a non-health leave of absence through their academic unit and should initiate their request by contacting their academic advisor.International students, both graduate and undergraduate, must contact the Office of International Services (OIS) to initiate a leave of absence request. Information about leaves of absence for international students can be found on the OIS Leave of Absence (LOA) page.

If a student needs to request a leave of absence for health reasons, they will start that process by contacting the Health Leave Coordinator (HLC) in Campus Support & Intervention. For more information, visit our Health Leave of Absence page.

Holds are placed on student accounts for a variety of reasons, by many different departments across campus. View the list of the most common holds and who to contact in regards to each hold. If your hold does not appear on the list, please contact your academic advisor.

Students with one or more documented disability are encouraged to connect with the Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS). OSAS provides support services and accommodations to enable students with disabilities to develop their maximum academic potential. If a student already has accommodations, but is running into issues receiving their accommodations, they should connect back with their assigned specialist, or contact the office by phone at 213-740-0776. Please know that the accommodation request process can take up to two weeks once the student submits their paperwork. We encourage students to connect with OSAS as early as possible in their college career so they can receive their accommodations as needed.

The Petition Services Office reviews, initiates, and facilitates the process of registration-related petitions. A petition is a request by a student for an exception to be made to a rule of policy. Common petitions include:

• Late add
• Deletion of a course from the USC transcript (refund of tuition for course and no mark of ‘W’)
• Late change of grading option
• Late withdrawal (one course or whole program with marks of ‘W’)

For more detailed information about the different kinds of petitions and the process for initiating a petition, please visit the Petition Services Office website. Be sure to contact the Health Leave Coordinator if your petition is related to a Health Leave of Absence.