Enrich your summer and jump start your entry into university life.  Earn 3 units of USC elective credit with peers from across the country and around the world in Summer@USC taught by instructors from the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.  Courses offer a preview of some of the most popular majors in USC Dornsife. 

Whether you commute daily to the USC campus or stay in the freshman dorms, summer's your chance to explore interdisciplinary approaches and college-level topics.

Apply now for Summer 2012: summer.usc.edu

 

Summer 2012 Course Offerings:

BodyWorks: Human Physiology in Health and Disease

Considering a career in medicine, nursing, dentistry or other health care profession? In this introductory course in physiology, you will learn how the human body functions and explore the effects of disease on organs and other systems.

Highlights:

• Classroom experience is complemented by regular laboratory exercises
• Previous labs have included: the heart¸ the nervous system and sensory illusions

Prerequisite:  High School Biology and Chemistry with a grade of B or better.

 

Creative Writing Workshop

New to creative writing, or haven’t tried it yet? Experience the intensive yet inspiring environment of a writers’ workshop. Learn four different literary forms and analyze the literary techniques of accomplished authors in these forms. Through your own study and input from fellow workshop participants, you will learn to “read as a writer” and “write for a reader.” Above all else, this course will encourage you to experiment in order to define and refine your own voice.

Highlights:

• Produce a portfolio of your own work, including a polished personal essay suitable for college applications
• Experience the environment of a writing workshop, including peer review

Exploring Psychology

What factors contribute to the development of a human being? The answer is found in a study of the psychological influences that impact each person’s life.  Trace the factors that affect infants through childhood and adolescence into adulthood.   Consider personality characteristics and psychological disorders in group discussions, lab experiences, and field trips.

Highlights:

• Participate in group research projects, lab experiences, and creative student presentations. Previous activities have included a tour of an MRI machine and intelligence testing
• Enhance your understanding with off-campus field trips. Previous trips have included the Museum of Tolerance and the California Science Center

 

Forensic Psychology: The Criminal Mind

Interested in psychology, social science, or law? Forensic psychology involves the application of psychology to legal issues. In this course, you will gain an introduction to some legal issues that call on psychology with an emphasis on the underlying psychological science.

Highlights:

• Enhance your understanding with classroom discussions and lectures from guest speakers who are practicing professionals
• Take field trips to the Los Angeles County courthouse to observe criminal trials in session
• Examine real world examples such as the O.J. Simpson jury selection and the John Hinkley insanity defense
• Engage in legal and psychological research and apply what you learn

 

Future Physicians

View the video Summer Programs: Future Physicians

Interested in becoming a physician? Gain insights into the academic preparation necessary to become a successful medical school applicant. Learn about medical training and issues affecting the practice of medicine today. "Shadow" physicians on the faculty of the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Highlights:

• Classroom experience complemented by labs, clinical sessions, and observations
• Learn at a world-class hospital and teaching site for the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
• Hear talks by practicing physicians about preparing for medical school, life as a resident, and career options in health care

International Relations

Learn about globalization and how these processes are changing contemporary world politics and explore global economic and security challenges. Gain insights into the role of individuals and civic action in managing the challenges of globalization and develop your own civic initiative designed to have an impact on a global issue about which you are passionate.

Highlights:

• Participate in simulations and case studies
• Gain a well-informed perspective of the issues facing contemporary world politics and global economies
• Design a global civic initiative that addresses a pressing global problem

 

Mock Trial

Are you interested in law, courtroom proceedings, and learning about what it's like to be a lawyer – and what it takes to become one?  Are you involved in high school mock trial competitions and plan to pursue it further?

Train with members of the award-winning USC Mock Trial Team and develop an experience-based understanding of litigation and trial advocacy, Federal trial procedure, areas of substantive law, and the academic rigor of a collegiate pre-law program.  Study legal cases such as torts, human rights and criminal law, and learn and apply concepts through experiential trial advocacy – the same concepts developed in law school and used by legal professionals.

Highlights:

• Benefit from classroom lectures combined with team-based trial preparations and performances, guest professional speakers, and field experiences
• Participate in courtroom trial proceedings that mirror real life, including:
  • Judge’s jury instructions
  • Prosecution and defense opening statements
  • Direct  and cross examination of witnesses
  • Closing and rebuttal arguments
• Compete with your team-mates in front of a scoring panel of current judges and other distinguished legal practitioners
• Receive instruction and mentoring from leading mock trial coaches
• Learn national mock trial competition standards and gain a competitive edge for your future pre-law or mock trial pursuits
• Learn about the law school admissions process and how to prepare during your college years

 

Writing About Media and Pop Culture

We live in an era with ever-increasing forms of media; this means that we encounter more arguments—and arguments of a greater variety, subtlety and sophistication—than any previous generation. Every time you write something you’re competing with Jersey Shore, Kanye West and Katy Perry, Facebook and highlights on ESPN. Your own voice has a chance of getting lost, unless you learn specific strategies for addressing an audience and presenting your ideas in a captivating way. 

 

In this college writing course, you will use critical reasoning as a basis for studying popular culture and the arguments surrounding it. Focusing on social networking, music, comedy, television and film, you will learn to analyze the ways in which authors, audiences, and texts interact. You will produce your own college-level writing in various styles and genres. As a result, you can become a more sophisticated and interested cultural reader, and you will leave the course better prepared for college-level analysis, argumentation, and writing.

The course is student-centered and discussion based; students will work collaboratively with each other and one-on-one with the professor to create a truly cooperative and fun learning environment.

Highlights:

• Prepare for college-level analysis, argumentation, and writing
• Work collaboratively in a group and individually with the instructor on writing projects
• Become a more sophisticated and interested cultural reader
• Engage with online and visual texts that have become influential in our culture