<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I was admitted to the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and was wondering what departments of the college had “honors” tracks. I understand that the physics department has an honors track (16X as opposed to the 15X series) and was curious to know whether any other department has these types of alternative tracks. Also, how can I switch out of the initial tracks to enter these honors tracks?</p>
<p>Much thanks in advance CCers.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this is what you’re referring to, but I’ll post the link anyway: [Honors</a> in the Major | Undergraduate Education](<a href=“http://undergrad.usc.edu/programs/honors.html]Honors”>http://undergrad.usc.edu/programs/honors.html)</p>
<p>@heybeautiful i don’t think those honors are what i am referring to, but i may be wrong because i don’t know what departmental honors actually is. it is to my understanding that it is a designation on your transcript that indicates that you have completed some kind of senior thesis/project and have maintained a 3.5 average in your major.</p>
<p>the “honors” or alternative tracks that i am referring to are specific to a subject, not necessarily a major, and apply to physics and possibly some other courses.</p>
<p>those alternative tracks are what i am essentially asking information for.</p>
<p>Penguin,</p>
<pre><code>Students in Dornsife can be part of various programs which can enhance your learning experience. One or more of these may already have their selections made for the 2011.
</code></pre>
<p>Learning Community
Small groups of students are led by a faculty mentor or academic advisor which help you tap into SC’s various programs. You register for two fall semester courses with other members, giving you an instant peer group. Includes dinners with faculty, guest speakers and field trips. This is recommended for undecided students.</p>
<p>Freshmen Science Honors Program
Provides 60 freshmen a strong grounding in the sciences and research. The program offers honors sections in chemistry and biology. Selection is competitive.</p>
<p>Thematic Option-still open as of last week
One of SC’s noted honors programs. Included 4 core classes, writing seminars and an annual research conference. Small classes stimulate discussion and debate. Covers many disciplines. (There are threads here with more details).</p>
<p>SOAR
This is Student Opportunities for Academic Research. Provides $1000 grants for non-course related research. You are teamed with a faculty member on a research project or you may initiate a research project of your own.</p>
<p>SURF
Students apply for $3000 summer research funding through the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund. A student may collaborate with USC or another academic institution on a project. This project can be overseas.</p>
<p>Multimedia Core
Students enroll in a core class through a partnership with the School of Cinematic Arts. Provides access to latest hardware and software. There will be lab experiences to assist you in making visual presentations and conduct networked research. You may create interactive essays, record and distribute podcasts and/or make a short film. </p>
<p>Other programs which may interest you are:
Problems Without Passports
Service Learning through the JEP-Joint Educational Project
Team Research Communities-For sophomores and juniors
Overseas Study-There are 50 options ranging from summer, semester to year long opportunities.</p>
<p>Of the last 20 USC valedictorians 16 have been from USC College. There have been many Fulbright, Marshall, Luce and Truman Scholars who studied here.</p>
<p>Contact USC college at: [USC</a> Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences](<a href=“http://www.college.usc.edu%5DUSC”>http://www.college.usc.edu) for more information on these programs. Judy Haw is very helpful with inquiries.</p>
<p>Ask me any questions you may have about Thematic Option or the Resident Honors program, y’all. Also know something about the Senior honors theses process.</p>
<p>@Georgia Girl
that was a really extensive list of programs. thank you for all the time you spent on your answers. unfortunately, i don’t believe any of those programs are what i was referring to, but regardless you definitely opened doors for me that i didn’t even know i had. so thank you.</p>
<p>@poirotsfriend
I applied to the thematic option program this year and am actually going to hear back tomorrow. so i guess i should hold back my questions until i actually get in. thank you for offering though!</p>
<p>Wonderful! TO has been a great experience for me, I’m really grateful to have had the chance to be a part of it.</p>
<p>Someone sent me this list of questions. Here are my responses.</p>
<p>A. Does the description online really convey what the USC English program is like?</p>
<p>Depends what description you’re talking about.</p>
<p>[USC</a> College Department of English](<a href=“http://dornsife.usc.edu/engl/programs/undergraduate.cfm]USC”>http://dornsife.usc.edu/engl/programs/undergraduate.cfm)</p>
<p>As far as this goes, I feel that the general description given on the page above is the ideal, and it can be achieved if you put in the effort and develop a rapport with your teachers. If you sit in the back of class and shop for shoes the whole period (I see this even with people sitting in the front of the class…) you get a lot less out of it than if you’re interacting with the material, listening to what your prof’s saying, taking exhaustive notes, etc. </p>
<p>B. Were USC’s basic English classes interesting, and did you feel you got a lot out of them?</p>
<p>Heck yes. I was fascinated and inspired by my intro-level English classes so much that I wanted to jump into research the semester after I took them. A shift in career aims and a decision based on a desire to ultimately be practical occurred which prevented me from doing so, but my heart is still a little sad that I didn’t do it. </p>
<p>One way I really encourage you to get more out of your classes and keep you actively reading and engaged in the material: take the extra-credit JEP (Joint Educational Project) option if it’s offered, which it is for many basic classes in English and other majors. More info about JEP, even if it’s not officially offered for your class per se you can still participate in your spare time. </p>
<p>[Joint</a> Educational Project > USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences](<a href=“http://dornsife.usc.edu/joint-educational-project/]Joint”>http://dornsife.usc.edu/joint-educational-project/)</p>
<p>C. What classes have I taken with T.O.? Sample class size.</p>
<p>I’m pretty much done with my T.O. experience at this point; you take a total of six classes based around certain themes, as the website tells you. </p>
<p>Thematic Option Curriculum</p>
<p>The Thematic Option Honors curriculum consists of interdisciplinary courses taught around distinct themes. These are augmented with linked writing classes, individual writing tutorials and an annual conference to encourage undergraduate research. Select a course from the right to see sample descriptions.</p>
<p>Your Freshman first semester you are obligated to take…</p>
<p>Core 102: Culture and Values
and
Core 111: A writing seminar paired with Core 102. </p>
<p>The next semester ideally you would take…</p>
<p>Core 112: Independent writing seminar
and either Core 101, Core 103, or Core 104. </p>
<p>Over the course of the rest of your college experience, you take whichever Core classes you did not do in your freshman year as you can fit them in. </p>
<p>My courses:</p>
<p>CORE 102: A class centered around the spirit of love and Greek myth, taught by an English professor. We read things like The Bacchae, Twelfth Night, Rainer Maria Rillke, William Wordsworth, and Phillip Pullman. This was reading/response heavy. </p>
<p>CORE 111: This was paired with CORE 102 and thus we drew upon the same readings for both courses. This was reading/response heavy. </p>
<p>CORE 103: A class centered around the history and ethical progression of science in general, taught by an anthropology/sociology professor. We read things by people like Rachel Carson, Oppenheimer, Weber, Wildavsky, Robert McNamara, and other figures. This was independent-research heavy. </p>
<p>CORE 101: A class centered around aural cultures from around the world, as well as the science of sound, taught by an English professor. We did more listening than reading, but we did read, among many other things, Virginia Woolf, Shakespeare, and Walter Benjamin. We went and saw several live performances, including Nixon in China, and I had dinner with a poet through the course. This was independent-research heavy. </p>
<p>CORE 104: A class centered around Don Quixote and Los Angeles, taught by a history professor. The cumulative project was a huge research project in which we did some mapping with a new online program called Hypercities. We read the whole, unabridged Don Quixote as well as various articles and several films like Chinatown and Crash. This was independent-research heavy. </p>
<p>CORE 112: My class drew largely upon Freud, Lacan, Jeffrey Eugenides, and various horror short stories. This was reading/response heavy. </p>
<p>ALL of my classes also drew heavily upon at least 3-4 films, live performances, and/or similar experiences. </p>
<p>D. Have I had a social life outside of T.O. and my major. </p>
<p>Heck yes. Currently I’m averaging about 50 hours of community service a month aside from my studies, and I’m increasingly active in my church. My life’s a blur, but I love every minute. </p>
<p>E. Are you able to manage T.O. and English majors?</p>
<p>Yes, I was, successfully.</p>
<p>F. Do you know anything about studying abroad with T.O. and English?</p>
<p>They recently started an advertising campaign for a new program in Belfast which they “designed with TO students specifically in mind.” As far as English goes, definitely there are opportunities if you choose to take them, particularly in England. </p>
<p>Hope this is helpful!</p>
<p>blizzardpenguin, I know that biology and chemistry both have “advanced” courses. e.g. bisc 120 vs. bisc 121…both are general biology, but bisc 121 is advanced general biology. you can check it out here:</p>
<p>[BISC</a> | USC Schedule of Classes](<a href=“http://web-app.usc.edu/soc/20113/bisc.html]BISC”>302 Found)</p>
<p>if this is what you’re talking about, it applies mostly to the sciences so you can look through the subjects you want here and see what advanced courses they offer. keep in mind, even though they’re advanced, they don’t give you extra grade points (like AP classes in high school). So I’d be very confident in your abilities in a subject before deciding to do advanced ones, as science classes are already very difficult at usc!</p>
<p>[Fall</a> 2011 | Schedule of Classes](<a href=“http://web-app.usc.edu/soc/term_20113.html]Fall”>302 Found)</p>