Should you have any questions not addressed in this FAQ, please feel free to email cslc@dornsife.usc.edu.

  • When are applications to your program due?

    Our deadline for graduate application is January 3.  We will not consider applications for the fall admission after this date.

     

  • When do you inform applicants of admissions decisions?

    Accepted applicants are typically notified in between February and early March.

     

  • How many applicants does your program get and how many are accepted?

    We received approximately 85 applications to the CSLC program for the 2019 application cycle, and accepted approximately 15% of those applicants between all tracks.

     

  • I’m really interested in the CSLC program and have a wide variety of research interest. I’m not sure what track to apply to. Should I apply to more than one?

    It’s recommended applicants thoughtfully consider their long-term research trajectory and career goals, and how application to one specific track would best benefit these goals.  Applications to all tracks are reviewed by the collective graduate studies committee.

     

  • As an international applicant, do I need to take the both the GRE and an English language proficiency exam>

    Generally, in most instances, yes.  Please review the requirements by country for specifications.

     

  • I am an international applicant and completed my bachelor’s degree at a school where the language of instruction is English, but English is not an adopted language of the country. Will I need to take an English language proficiency exam??

    Please review the requirements by country for specifications.

     

  • What is considered an acceptable TOEFL score?

    There is no minimum score required for admission.  Scores are required for placement purposes only and are used to determine whether an admitted student is required to take the International Student Examination (ISE) upon arrival at USC.  Ph.D. applicants are exempt from the ISE if they have an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 100, with no less than 20 on each section. For more information see the Office of Graduate Admission’s Proficiency in English site.

     

  • What is considered an acceptable IELTS score?

    As mentioned in the answer to the previous question above, there is no minimum score required for admission.  Scores are required for placement purposes only and are used to determine whether an admitted student is required to take the International Student Examination (ISE) upon arrival at USC.  Ph.D. applicants are exempt from the ISE if they have an IELTS score of 7, with at least 6 on each band. For more information see the Office of Graduate Admission’s Proficiency in English site.

     

  • What is considered an acceptable GRE score?

    As of 2020, CSLC no longer considers GRE scores.

 

  • Are the scores from my 2020 English language proficiency exam valid for admission?

    English language proficiency exam scores that are more than two years old from the time of the intended fall start date will not be accepted.

     

  • If I apply to a track and am admitted to that track, is it possible to transfer to another track within the Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture Doctoral Program (i.e., apply to comparative literature, then transfer to Spanish and Latin American Studies)?

    Yes, it is possible to transfer between tracks within CSLC.  This would usually have to happen by the end of the first year or early in the second year.  CSLC is very flexible in this regard.

     

  • What are the school and program codes for ETS?

    The USC ETS school code is 4852.

     

  • I only attended “Academic Institution X” for a semester and did not receive a degree. Do I really need to submit transcripts?

    Yes.  Our Office of Graduate Admission goes through all applications to verify each applicants’ academic record.  They will hold up processing on an application if not all transcripts, regardless of whether or not a degree was awarded, are received.

     

  • Can one pursue the doctoral degree in your program under part-time enrollment?

    All admitted applicants are expected to enroll full-time.

     

  • Is it possible to pursue employment outside the program and university, while enrolled full-time?

    Because all admitted students receive fellowship, they are expected to devote full-time study towards the Ph.D. and not take contemporaneous employment or be involved in other commitments which would move focus away from their studies.

     

  • I’m interested in pursuing only a terminal master degree in your program, not a doctoral degree. Is it possible to enroll only for a master degree?

    No.