Probably we all had a ton of questions for Susan Sath (Graduate Advisor), Sami Assaf (Director of Graduate Studies), Aaron Lauda (Department Chair), etc. Wouldn’t it be great if we had all the information gathered in one place without having to ask? Well, here’s the guide that does just that. It covers a broad range of topics, including life on campus such as where to eat, drink, the library resources, the office supplies, etc. If you think there’s too much to go through on this page, here’s a trick you might like: copy all words from this page into ChatGPT (OpenAI’s conversational AI model designed for human-like text interactions), and then pose your question. The AI system will use the information we’ve provided on this page to answer!
II. Graduate Lounge and Tea Room
I. Dining Options on Campus
The Tutor Campus Center is a primary dining location on campus, featuring eateries like Panda Express, Taco-Taco, Burger Crush, Slice Shop, Filones, and Seeds Marketplace. For a more upscale dining experience, there’s Moreton Fig Restaurant with an open patio. USC ID holders receive a tax discount at these restaurants. Additionally, there’s an underground bar, TRADITIONS, beneath the Tutor Campus Center.
Another nearby option is Tutor Hall Cafe, adjacent to the Engineering Buildings.
USC’s dining halls offer an all-you-can-eat experience for around $15 as of 2023, including fountain drinks, coffee, tea, soups, sandwiches, salad bar, entrees, desserts, and ice cream. More information is available at Dining Halls. Semester passes for these dining halls are also available.
For a wider variety of dining choices, the USC Village, just a 10-minute walk from KAP, offers numerous options and also houses a Target and Trader Joe’s.
For off-campus dining, directly across from KAP, options like Taco Bell, Mukbang, and the supermarket Smart & Final are available.
Consult USC maps for exact locations and USC Hospitality website for a complete list of dining options.
II. Graduate Lounge and Tea Room
KAP 405 houses a graduate student lounge with couches, computers, whiteboards, mailboxes, a copy machine, a fridge, a microwave, two coffee machines (one with K-cups), and drinking water. It’s a great place for studying, working on a computer, having lunch, and socializing.
Thanks to the former department chair Prof. Eric Friedlander, we have professional coffee machines strictly selected by our department members. You can use either Keurig Rivo cups (available online) or K-cups (available in general stores) with these machines. MGSA also sells them at the following rates:
Single cup: $1
18 pack: $15
K-cups are available next to the machines, operating on an honor system (please leave one dollar in the jar if you take a cup).
We use the minimal profit from these sales to organize department events like movie nights.
The Rivo machine has a standby mode. If it hasn’t been used recently, press any button and wait for the hot water signal. You can also use the machine for frothing milk; please clean it immediately after using the milk compartment. Maintaining the coffee machine is a collective responsibility.
The Tea Room (KAP 410) is accessible during department-organized Tea Times (click here to listen to a poem inspired by the department’s tea), held thrice weekly: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3 to 3:30 pm.
III. Office Supplies
As TAs, we require various office supplies, which can be obtained from the Math Office on the first floor of KAP. This includes white or other colored chalks for discussions and paper for the copy machine in the Grad Lounge.
IV. Transportation
Los Angeles’s public transport system, while improving, isn’t highly developed. The local bus service, operated by “Metro“, runs along Vermont, Figueroa, Jefferson, and Exposition Boulevard. The nearest bus stop to KAP is at Vermont and 36th.
Bus fares are $1.75 for a single ride as of 2015 (exact change required). TAP cards, usable on both buses and rail systems, are available. USC offers discounted semester TAP cards for $110 (as of Fall 2015).
Bicycles and skateboards are popular for campus commutes. Secure bike parking is available, but always lock your bike, preferably with a U-lock.
USC provides a free shuttle service around the campus and between UPC (University Park Campus) and HSC (Health Science Campus). For more details, visit the USC Transportation website.
For drivers, street parking is an option, but arriving early is advisable. USC parking spots can be obtained through the USC Transportation website. A single-day campus parking permit is $10.
If living near campus, be aware of patrol zones, especially after dark. For safety, use USC’s free shared Lyft service within the patrol zone.
V. Qualifying Exams
Graduate students must pass screening exams (commonly referred to as “quals”, short for “qualifying exams”) within their first two years. Courses covering the exam material are available, but systematic practice is essential. Past exams and solutions are available under the Qualifying Exam tab on our website.
Successful completion of a screening exam exempts you from the related graduate course.
After the screening exams, students must find an advisor and take an oral Qualifying Exam within six months, presenting research direction to a committee of at least five members, including one non-departmental member.
For more detailed information, please visit the “Short Guide to PhD Program” webpage or the check PhD handbooks on our department website.
We wish you the very best of luck on all your exams!
Article last revised on Mar 16, 2024
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