The objective of this Master of Science program is to produce graduates with a rigorous foundation in the economic theory and mathematical modeling of financial markets. The program creates an integrated curriculum spanning four disciplines: economics, mathematics, econometrics/statistics, and computational/numerical analysis. The program is designed for recent graduates in the fields of applied mathematics, physics, and engineering — or for graduates in economics, business, and finance with strong mathematical backgrounds — who wish to pursue high-tech finance careers in financial institutions, industry, or government.
Master’s & Professional Programs
Stand Out and Step Forward
With more than thirty academic departments spanning the physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities, USC Dornsife offers numerous Master’s and professional degree programs for students who are ready to stand out and take the next step forward in their education.
Master's Programs
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Continuing a 30-year tradition of ethnographic documentary production, the Department of Anthropology at USC offers a Master of Arts in Visual Anthropology (MVA) that can be completed in one-to-two years of study. The MVA program is open to college graduates who have a background in anthropology, social science, cultural studies, visual studies, film studies or documentary production. We provide a scholarly environment for the study and practice of anthropological media, and hands-on training in ethnographic research methods and documentary production techniques (camera, sound, editing).
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Students in this joint program between the USC Department of Biological Sciences and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) will study alongside researchers using the latest cutting-edge molecular genetic techniques, A.I., data analysis, and other contemporary methods to answer fundamentally important questions about how and when disease arises. The alliance with CHLA will also give students close contact with the more human aspects of research, like the role of bedside manner in treatment and the importance of how a patient talks about their symptoms.
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Students in the interdisciplinary MA in East Asian Area Studies work closely with faculty advisors to design a personalized program of study based on individual scholarly and professional goals. Students choose from courses offered by departments and professional schools across the university, concentrating on one country (China, Japan, or Korea) or developing region-wide expertise. There are over one hundred faculty members affiliated with the East Asian Studies Center whose teaching and research interests focus on the countries of East Asia.
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The Master of International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE) degree is offered by USC Gould School of Law jointly with USC Department of Economics. This degree provides students with an interdisciplinary, global perspective and the knowledge and skills relevant to the laws, policies, and business practices that shape international trade and economics.
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This robust 1-2 year, STEM-designated program offers students the unique opportunity to develop a core foundation of economic theory while advancing their applied knowledge in the following specialization tracks: Big Data Economics, Financial Economics, Economic Consulting, Behavioral Economics and Economic Policy and Development.
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This joint degree offered by the USC Department of Economics and the USC Gould School of Law will equip its graduates with the essential skills required to address the complexities of big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning innovations through the lens of antitrust, privacy, data security and intellectual property laws. Students will gain comprehensive knowledge of the economic and regulatory complexities of digital service industries and innovation-driven workplaces that include tech and biotech. It is ideal for students with an interest in law looking to study economic theory and data analysis or for students with a background in economics or STEM looking to study relevant laws and economics that govern innovation.
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This one-to-two-year program prepares students to accelerate an organization’s sustainability efforts by providing contextual knowledge and practical management skills while emphasizing best practices to “lead from wherever you are” in the organizational structure. Students will have the opportunity to develop strategies for making the business case for sustainability, including advancing an organization’s sustainability goals, embedding sustainability within an organization’s overall strategy, and measuring the economic, environmental, and social impacts of an organization’s sustainability initiatives. Through courses in business strategy, climate change, global supply chains, sustainable finance, and sustainability reporting, students will discover approaches to integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into every aspect of an organization’s business model, strategy, and operations. Students will also explore topics that are increasingly important in the context of sustainability, including stakeholder engagement, business and human rights, environmental justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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The objective of the Master of Arts program is to prepare students for research, teaching and other professional careers in applied mathematics by emphasizing courses in mathematics and affiliated fields that are fundamental in applied mathematics. The two-year MA program is an expansion of the first year of graduate studies in the PhD program in applied mathematics. The program provides a rigorous foundation in mathematics while affording students additional time for preparatory training. The comprehensive examination for the MA program can serve as the preliminary qualifying examination for the PhD program.
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This program is intended for individuals who are seeking or currently hold positions which involve mathematical applications, or for mid-career students wishing to improve their skills in applied areas. Specific options in the program include: biomedicine, discrete mathematics, economics, finance and business economics, fluid dynamics, numerical analysis and computation, and systems and control. In addition, students may design their own option to suit specific needs. Each student is assigned an advisor who assists the student in determining their courses of study, drawing from courses in the Department of Mathematics and other participating departments which include: aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, civil engineering, computer science, economics, electrical engineering, business administration, mechanical engineering, physiology and biophysics, and preventive medicine.
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The objective of the Master of Arts program is to prepare students for research, teaching and other professional careers in mathematics by emphasizing core courses in pure mathematics. The two-year MA program is an expansion of the first year of graduate studies in the PhD program in mathematics. The program provides a rigorous foundation in mathematics while affording students additional time for preparatory training. The comprehensive examination for the MA program can serve as the preliminary qualifying examination for the PhD program.
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The object of this program is to provide academic instruction in statistical theory with a solid mathematical foundation while emphasizing applications to real world problems. Some probability theory is included to provide a rigorous foundation. The program is intended for individuals who are seeking or currently hold positions that involve statistical methodology and practice. A student may orient his or her course of study toward a particular field of application through appropriate selections from the program listings plus elective courses from other disciplines.
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The MS QIS is a joint degree offered in collaboration between the USC Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, and Chemistry. The program places an emphasis on the practical applications of quantum information science and computing including the use of quantum devices to solve real-world challenges. By engaging with researchers and doctoral students working with hardware and software, the program aims to prepare its graduates for practical careers in this emerging field.
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The Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis program is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The mission of the program is that all graduating students become scientist-practitioners who are leaders in the provision of services that improve the quality of life of individuals with autism and other developmental disorders, as well as other populations benefiting from ABA services. The program is approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board™ (BACB™). After graduation, students will have completed all of the coursework and most or all of the fieldwork requirements to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst™ (BCBA™) certification exam.
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This program is designed for individuals who seek to apply psychology in a business context. The curriculum focuses on two crucial areas of business: consumer psychology and organizational psychology. In our classes, psychology theory comes to life through team-based projects that address the problems diverse organizations are facing in today’s global and virtually connected world. The program is offered in a 1-year in-person format or an online format that can be completed between 16 months and two years.
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The online M.S. in Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) equips students with an understanding of how spatial data shapes decisions in the modern world and provides hands-on experience with leading-edge GIS tools. The program offers both the foundational and specialized knowledge necessary for sourcing spatial data and applying sophisticated spatial analysis to virtually any industry or academic domain. USC M.S. in GIST graduates come from all varieties of professional backgrounds, but they tend to share scientific curiosity and an interest in spatial thinking
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The USC Dornsife online MS in Human Security and Geospatial Intelligence (HSGI) offers a foundation in spatial thinking, paired with the real-world application of geospatial intelligence practices to human security scenarios. The program is designed to prepare graduates for leadership roles in the GEOINT field, including in military, government and non-government organizations. At the culmination of the program, students take a capstone course in which they work directly with one of USC’s GEOINT partner organizations. The capstone coursework will involve an ongoing project, giving students a chance to apply everything they’ve learned to a real-world scenario.
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Work with globally recognized faculty from the USC Department of Economics and the USC Spatial Sciences Institute to develop approaches for using large-scale geo-coded data for insights into areas such as business intelligence, environmental impact, real estate valuation, technology diffusion, and many other industries and domains. Students engage with a rigorous quantitative curriculum that combines economic, data science, and spatial science principles and applies them to current societal challenges. Projects are oriented for students to synthesize and analyze spatial data to gain insights on applications of compelling interest to them.
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In this program, offered jointly by the USC Spatial Sciences Institute and the USC Department of Computer Science, students apply interdisciplinary principles from computer science, data science, and spatial sciences to address technical and societal challenges created by large location-based data environments. The program prepares its students to lead data science teams in companies and organizations working with geolocated information.
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This innovative, two-year program prepares individuals for careers in the public service, the private sector or with nongovernmental organizations. The MA in Global Security Studies (GSEC) program places an emphasis on active learning and developing technical and “soft” skills that will help graduates stand out in the workforce. Threaded throughout the curriculum are opportunities to develop competencies in the acquisition and analysis of testimony and geolocated data. Students have the advantage of being part of a cohort as well as concentrating in one of three areas: Intelligence and Security, Global Security and Humanitarian Intervention or Environmental Security.
Progressive Degree Master’s Programs
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The Marine and Environmental Biology (MEB) MS provides a rigorous, quantitative and focused introduction to the burgeoning fields and breadth of topics in marine environmental biology/chemistry, geobiology, oceanography, conservation biology and population dynamics (depending upon the concentration selected). Additionally, MEB provides students independent research experiences that satisfy their own specific interests. The program will prepare students interested in governmental and non-government (NGO) environmental regulatory science, and forge career pathways into private sector positions in environmental consulting and business.
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This program is designed to provide outstanding students from life science majors with a rigorous, quantitative experimental experience in molecular genetics, genomics, evolutionary biology, cell and molecular biology, or biochemistry (depending upon the research area selected). The program is intended to position students for possible advanced study leading to a Ph.D. in one of the areas stated above, and/or to provide an important research experience to the background of a prospective medical student. The program will also provide fundamental tools and expertise for entry into positions in academic, government, or private sector research laboratories, including biotech, pharmaceuticals, or diagnostics.
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This program, designed for exceptional students with backgrounds in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Narrative Studies, lets you explore the roles of editor and publisher, emphasizing literary nonfiction. If the editor can be considered the “hidden coauthor,” then learning to become an editor requires deep literary reading, the insights of creative writing, and the elements of editing and publishing.
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The mission of the MA in Environmental Studies program is to provide an interdisciplinary perspective on environmental issues and problem solving. Students have access to faculty expertise in the natural sciences, engineering, social and behavioral sciences, business and economics. The program is designed to provide advanced training and skills important for professionals in the fields of environmental science and policy.
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Offered jointly by the USC Environmental Studies Program and the USC Department of Computer Science/Data Science, the MS in Environmental Data Science prepares its graduates to develop and use sophisticated analytical and computer-based methods to assess and protect the Earth’s natural resources. The curriculum is designed to be accessible to students with any background, including students with an environmental sciences background and no computer science knowledge as well as students with a computer science knowledge and no environmental studies background. Students will acquire the necessary skills to analyze environmental data in a variety of contexts.
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This program integrates quantitative graduate courses from the Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy departments. Students will gain additional skills across these disciplines that prepare them well for advanced graduate-level work, MD/PhD programs at top universities, and/or jobs in industries at the intersection of biotechnology and software.
Graduate Certificate Programs
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The online Graduate Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence provides a foundation for leveraging spatial data in conjunction with social, political and environmental information to make decisions. It is designed for individuals who want to use spatial data to create actionable insight in disaster planning and incident response.
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The online Graduate Certificate in geospatial leadership is available for professionals in the geospatial industry to hone their technical skills while also learning leadership strategies for the GIS field. The coursework focuses on strategies for encouraging innovation and shaping the direction of GIS initiatives and organizations.
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The online Graduate Certificate in GIST is ideal for professionals who want to enhance their skillset with specific knowledge or for individuals who are just starting to consider GIS careers. The coursework provides foundational knowledge, including an understanding of geospatial databases and spatial data acquisition techniques, while elective choice enables students to gain some experience with advanced GIS concepts and tools.
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The online Graduate Certificate in Remote Sensing for Earth Observation explores the principles of spatial data acquisition through a variety of systems and sources. This program can benefit both experienced GIS professionals and newcomers to the field with coursework in gathering information through traditional systems, such as imaging radar and satellites, and from emerging innovative sources, such as mobile devices and text-scraping.
Contact Us
USC Dornsife Office of Graduate and Professional Education
3551 Trousdale Pkwy., ADM 304
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4012