Select the Frequently Asked Questions below for guidance on how to navigate academic scenarios.
Q: What is d-clearance and how do I get it?
Q: Do I have to register for a discussion/lab/quiz or just the lecture?
Q: How can I register for classes?
Q: How can I make an appointment with an advisor in Academic Exploration Advising?
Q: My transfer coursework is not appearing on my TCR/STARS report. What should I do?
Q: Is 10 minutes enough time to get from one class to another?
Q: A class that I want to take is full, what should I do next to try and get into the course?
Q: Can I take summer courses in transfer?
Q: What happens if I do not get into my preferred major?
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q: What is d-clearance and how do I get it?
A: D-clearance means departmental approval will be required prior to registering for a course.
The Schedule of Classes shows important class details and indicates whether a course will require D-clearance. Below each class title you will find a description of the course followed by class details, including the unique, 5-digit course section number. If the section number ends in “R,” then you can enroll in the course as long as there is seat availability and prerequisites (if there are any) have been met. If the section number ends in a “D,” it means that it will require d-clearance. Each department will have their own d-clearance request process and d-clearance evaluation criteria.
You can request d-clearance by contacting the course department via the contact information and/or instructions found in the academic department’s page within the Schedule of Classes.
- Visit the Schedule of Classes.
- Select the term (semester) you intend to register for.
- Under the “Classes Offered” section, click the ‘show all programs’ tab.
- Select the program and view the contact information and/or instructions at the top of the page.
If a d-clearance webpage is included, review the instructions provided, which may include submitting a d-clearance form or contacting a specific staff member.
If a phone number is included, you may contact the phone number to obtain additional information. We also recommend reviewing the Academic Department’s website and searching for “Undergraduate Advising,” “Registration” and/or “D-Clearance,” as some departments may include additional information regarding the d-clearance process on their website.
As a reminder, while AEA advisors cannot provide d-clearance, they can share department contact information so that you may follow-up with the department regarding the d-clearance process.
If d-clearance is granted, this does not necessarily mean that you are enrolled in the course or that a seat has been reserved for you. D-clearances are given an expiration date, so you must register for the course by the specific deadline to ensure your seat in the course. The d-clearance process previously outlined may change once classes begin.
Q: Do I have to register for a discussion/lab/quiz or just the lecture?
A: On the Schedule of Classes, you will find important class details below each class title, including the “Type” or format of the course. If multiple “Types” are listed, such as lecture, discussion, lab and/or quiz, you will need to register for one of each type to be fully enrolled in the course.
Some courses list the “Types” in bundles when the course offers multiple lectures that have specific discussion, lab and/or quiz sections connected to each lecture. If this is the case, you will need to register for the discussion, lab and/or quiz immediately under the lecture. If you attempt to register for a discussion, lab and/or quiz that does not correspond with the lecture, Web Registration will reject your registration.
Q: How can I register for classes?
A: You will need to have an active registration permit, have met with your major advisor, and have all registration holds lifted, if applicable before you can register; AEA advisors will provide course recommendations based upon your interests, goals and remaining University and General Education requirements during mandatory advising and exploratory advising. For students in majors other than AEA majors, please contact your major advisor for guidance and meet with an AEA advisor for referred advising.
You will also need to have obtained d-clearance if the course has a “d” in the section number. If you have questions, make sure to review our other FAQ regarding requesting d-clearance.
Once you have addressed pre-registration requirements, follow these steps to register:
- Visit Web Registration in myUSC.
- Select the term (semester) you are registering for and review the acknowledgements
- The course offerings are categorized by school and GE Requirements.
- Click on the department offering the course you intend to take.
- Click the Add to myCourseBin for the section you wish to add. You may add several courses at once.
- Click on the myCourseBin tab to view the courses you selected.
- Click the Schedule and Unschedule buttons to make adjustments to your coursebin. We recommend Unscheduling courses if you await d-clearance feedback, or if the course is full, which is typically signified by a “closed” under the “Registration” field. Otherwise, Web Registration may reject your entire registration attempt if there any course issues.
- Click the Register button once you have adjusted your coursebin to reflect your intended courses and are ready to register,
- Click the Submit button after reviewing the confirmation page. A “registration success” message will appear if your registration attempt was successful. Review the message carefully to take note of your enrolled courses. A “registration error” message will appear with notes regarding conflicts or issues. Review the message carefully and make adjustments to your schedule.
Q: How can I drop a class?
A: Please review the Schedule of Classes > Registration calendar for the add/drop date and other key registration deadlines for the term. These dates change each semester based upon the session code.
Please consult with your academic advisor prior to dropping a course or making changes to your schedule so they can help you stay on track with University, General Education, and major/minor requirements.
During the fall and spring semester, full-time enrollment is 12 or more units and tuition is charged flat rate for 12-18 units. Please ensure that your total units and registration reflects your course plan and communicate with your academic advisor if you have questions or updates.
Students should also consult with the Office of Financial Aid and/or scholarship coordinators regarding enrollment requirements and other considerations prior to dropping a course (if applicable). International undergraduate students need to ensure they are registered for a minimum of 12 units.
To drop a course:
- Visit Web Registration in myUSC.
- Select the applicable term (semester) and review the acknowledgements.
- Click on the myCourseBin tab to view the courses in which you are registered.
- Click the Unschedule button for each section you want to drop.
- Then, click the Drop button to drop the section(s).
- Click the Submit button after reviewing the confirmation page.
Q: Can I switch my courses after I register and do I have to tell my academic advisor what changes I need to make before making them?
A: Please consult with your academic advisor prior to dropping a course or making changes to your schedule that differ from the course plan you previously established. This communication is essential to help you stay on track with University, General Education, and major/minor requirements.
Please also review the Schedule of Classes > Registration calendar for the add/drop date and other key registration deadlines for the term. These dates change each semester based upon the session code.
During the fall and spring semester, full-time enrollment is 12 or more units and tuition is charged a flat rate for 12-18 units. Please ensure that your total units and registration reflects your course plan and communicate with your academic advisor if you have questions or updates.
If you are dropping below full-time enrollment, you should also consult with the Office of Financial Aid and/or scholarship coordinators regarding enrollment requirements and other considerations prior to dropping a course. International undergraduate students need to ensure they are registered for a minimum of 12 units.
Q: How can I make an appointment with an advisor in Academic Exploration Advising?
A: To schedule an appointment with your assigned Academic Exploration Advising (AEA) advisor please:
- Go to myUSC.
- Select “Undergraduate Advisement” from the myServices section.
- Scroll to Undecided, Undeclared or Exploratory or the “Undergraduate Success Program”
- Look for your advisor’s name and select their appointment link to schedule an appointment.
- You will be directed to the Calendly appointment system. Complete the questionnaire and select the date/time that you would like to meet.
- Please complete the intake questions to provide your advisor with helpful insight into your goals, interests, and questions, and then submit the form.
- Calendly will provide you with an appointment confirmation email with the meeting location or Zoom link.
You may contact your assigned AEA advisor via email if there is no appointment that works with your schedule or if you need to meet for a specific allotted time.
If you are not certain who your AEA advisor is, please contact expladv@usc.edu.
Q: My transfer coursework is not appearing on my TCR/STARS report. What should I do?
A: Undergraduate Transfer Credit Services determines what transfer credit, if any, courses taken elsewhere may receive toward an undergraduate degree at USC. To ensure complete evaluation of transfer courses, it is the student’s responsibility to submit complete, official transcripts from all post-secondary schools in which course work was completed as soon as final grades are posted.
Due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students are strongly encouraged to submit official transcripts electronically or by secure PDF if that is an option at your previous institution.
A transfer credit evaluation will be conducted when official transcripts are submitted.
To access your Transfer Credit Report, go to my.USC.edu > OASIS > Course Transfer.
Students should review their transfer credit report for accuracy and report any missing courses or incorrect information to the Registrar One Stop Center in the JHH lobby via their transfercredit@usc.edu email account or on Ask.USC.edu > Email Us > Academic Records and Registrar > Undergraduate Transfer Credit. If after submitting your transcripts to USC, you do not see the transfer credit reflected, please contact transfercredit@usc.edu for more information. Please also inform your AEA academic advisor.
To request a change in the way a transfer course has been evaluated, students may initiate an articulation petition at my.USC.edu > OASIS > Course Transfer > Articulation Petition after the course appears on the TCR. All articulation petitions regarding courses taken before entering USC should be initiated as soon as possible after matriculation, and no later than the end of the first semester of study.
Q: Is 10 minutes enough time to get from one class to another?
A: A ten-minute difference is typically enough time to get from one class to the next. However, we recommend that you look up your course locations on the USC map to determine if this is enough time for you to get from place to place. Also keep in mind that while ten minutes is typically enough time to get from one class to the next, this may mean that you are unable to stay after class to ask questions or have a break before the next class.
Q: A class that I want to take is full, what should I do next to try and get into the course?
A: Students may check the Schedule of Classes course listing for possible open sections of the same course or look for alternative courses that fulfill the same requirement if the course section they want to take is full.
For the most up to date information, students should also check Web Registration to see if space opens in the course.
Additionally, you may contact your AEA advisor for guidance. Please keep in mind AEA advisors do not have course registration authorization.
Q: Can I take summer courses in transfer?
A: Once you have started your studies at USC, there are certain policies as to what you can and cannot transfer. Students can transfer courses during the summer. No transfer courses are allowed during the fall, winter (if offered by the outside institution), or spring semesters. Students can choose to take foreign language, GE-G and GE-H, and elective courses during the summer outside USC. When transferring level one or two of a foreign language, you will be required to take the foreign language placement exam at USC before moving onto the next appropriate language course based on placement.
Students can transfer a total maximum of 64 units; if you reach 64 units and have not transferred in all 64, you may be eligible to take up to 8 more units in transfer.
GE categories A through F, WRIT 150, WRIT 340, and major/minor courses cannot be transferred. There may be some major/minor courses that may be transferred for subject credit at the discretion of the respective department.
If you are considering taking summer courses outside of USC, make sure to verify the course’s transferability in the institution’s articulation agreement or history. You also want to make sure you submit a summer pre-approval form through myUSC > OASIS > Course Transfer, so Transfer Credit Services can confirm the type of credit you would receive, if any, before taking the summer course.
For more information, please review the Summer Courses for USC students webpage.
Q: What happens if I do not get into my preferred major?
A: The Academic Exploration Advising team understands that identifying major interests can be an exciting and also daunting process. Your Academic Exploration advisor can support you through this process in considering and revisiting your academic and personal goals, interests, and strengths, academic options, and admissions requirements.
This may include scheduling an Exploratory advisement appointment to:
- Review major admissions requirements to see if it is possible to re-apply to the program as a current USC student.
- Identify alternative majors or minors.
- Utilize USC resources such as the Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity for goal-setting, learning strategy and wellness support.
- Complete exploratory activities such as attending major information sessions and engaging in the USC Career Center’s resources, including, but not limited to, self-assessments, career inventories and the “What Can I Do with this Major?” guide.
Your AEA advisor will partner with you to explore future opportunities and help your map out a plan to decide on a major. Regular and ongoing advising is highly encouraged to help you reach and set new goals.