The University of Southern California is one of the world’s leading private research universities. An anchor institution in Los Angeles, a global center for arts, technology and international business, USC’s diverse curricular offerings provide extensive opportunities for interdisciplinary study and collaboration with leading researchers in highly advanced learning environments.
University of Southern California Distance Learning Courses
Los Angeles was a rough-and-tumble frontier town in the early 1870s, when a group of public-spirited citizens led by Judge Robert Maclay Widney first dreamed of establishing a university in the region.
It took nearly a decade for this vision to become a reality, but in 1879 Widney formed a board of trustees and secured a donation of 308 lots of land from three prominent members of the community.
Education
The university’s commitment to becoming the world center for innovative interdisciplinary research and undergraduate education is reflected in the emphasis on providing opportunities for students to participate in research and related scholarly endeavors.
Our academic programs span the spectrum from basic to applied research with a high degree of societal relevance.
This focus on undergraduate participation in the creation of knowledge is a principal ingredient of the academic experience at USC.
In addition to formal academic major and minor programs, USC offers undergraduates an academic life full of opportunities .
Research
The University of Southern California is home to research centers and institutes spanning the arts and humanities, social and natural sciences, and engineering and technology.
These centers and institutes are the locus of research for collaborative groups of investigators pushing the frontiers of knowledge forward.
Career
The Career Center hosts two Career Fairs each year - one in the fall and one in the spring. Employers participate in the Career Fair to recruit for full–time, part-time, and internship opportunities.
University of Southern CaliforniaKey Statistics & Highlights
#74Ranking
93 Courses
3,220Academic Staff
42,502Students
10,200Students (int'l)
20,826Students (female)
Public Institution Type
Student services
This section guides new international students through the visa application process, arriving at USC, registering for courses and much more to help them prepare for their studies.
Housing services
USC provides students with an easy answer to their storage and shipping needs.All it takes is a click, and our professional movers will be at your door on the scheduled date.
We then take your belongings to our secure storage facility, and deliver them to your new residence when you are moving in.
Library services
The USC Libraries actively support the discovery, creation, and preservation of knowledge.
We develop collections and services that support and encourage the academic endeavors of faculty, students, and staff; build a community of critical consumers of information; and help develop engaged world citizens.
USC has 23 libraries and information centers and the USC Digital Library.
ICT services
This page lists all the items that USC faculty, staff, and students may request through ServiceNow, ITS’s customer service ticketing system.
Student Services
Organizational and Specialty Accounts
Educational Technology
Classroom Equipment Request
Email and Collaboration
Information Security
Networks and Voice
Penetration Testing
Risk Assessment
Special Handling Request for Static Address Registration
Medical services
Medical Services:
Primary Care -The Eric Cohen Student Health Center provides primary care services to all registered USC students on the HSC campus free of charge.
Women’s Health - Health Center offers women’s health care by the primary care and gynecology teams.
Specialty Care - Specialty services are provided in-house by specialists in gynecology, dermatology
Vaccines and Lab Draws
Campus life
USC Village is home to a freshman honors college, a sophomore honors college, and six themed colleges for second-year students.
The residential college experience at USC Village provides our newest Trojans a built-in community from the moment they arrive, fostering the success of USC students during their time at the university.
Sports facilities
Men's Sports:
Baseball
Basketball
Football
Golf
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Water Polo
Women's Sports:
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Lacrosse
Rowing
Beach Volleyball
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Water Polo.
Student clubs
We encourage all graduate students to join student organizations throughout USC. Organizations exist for multiple affiliations, interests, professions, and more.
USC has more than 800 student organizations that host programs, events, seminars, and other gatherings.
Below are the major Viterbi organizations:
Viterbi Student Graduate Association
Viterbi Graduate Student Liaison (VGSL)
USC Student Organizations
Accreditation
In addition to WASC accreditation, several USC schools and programs have specialized or professional accreditation through related bodies.
For more information on specialized or professional accreditation, please visit the websites for those schools and programs.
University of Southern CaliforniaOverview
University of Southern CaliforniaRankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 1.8%United States
Top 1%Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Best Global Universities Rankings
74
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 3 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
2025
2026
2027
79
77
74
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
153
By TopUniversities
Dropped 7 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
125
146
153
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2027 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
72
73
-
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
No 2026 Ranking
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
2024
2025
2026
62
68
-
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
University of Southern CaliforniaStudent Reviews & Awards
4.1
Based on 63 reviews
5 Star
14 Reviews
4 Star
44 Reviews
3 Star
3 Reviews
2 Star
1 Review
1 Star
1 Review
How Students Rated This University
Overall Satisfaction4.2
Student Teacher Interaction4.7
Student Diversity4.1
Quality of Student Life4.4
Career Development4.6
5/5
Economic analyst
My experience is under academic section and to analyze theories economically. And interms of researches l'm good at contacting researches.
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromMar 2025 - Mar 2030
Posted onDec 2025
4/5
Academics and Greek life at USC
It is a good mixture of academics and fun at a school. While it is not in a very safe area, the campus has a gate surrounding it and DPS security patrolling it so on campus you always feel safe. We are known for our Greek Life, as all of the houses are on the same street and it is easy to walk from one to the other. The teachers here are a mix of some amazing ones and some bad ones, but regardless you will learn a lot and through the alumni network it is easy to make job connections.
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromSep 2022 - May 2026
Posted onAug 2026
2/5
"A Rewarding Journey with Room to Grow"
The study program offered a great mix of theoretical knowledge and practical training. I particularly enjoyed the hands-on workshops, where we could apply what we learned in class to real-world scenarios – the facilities for these sessions were well-equipped and easy to access. The learning pace was generally balanced, though sometimes certain topics felt rushed, leaving little time for in-depth discussion. Additionally, while most course materials were up-to-date, a few references could use updates to reflect the latest industry trends. Overall, it was a valuable experience that prepared me well for my career path, and I believe small adjustments to the curriculum structure and resource updates would make it even better.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Student Teacher Interaction
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Student Diversity
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Quality of Student Life
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Career Development
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