Students should carefully review the information below on requesting D-Clearance as the procedure for IR courses differs from POSC courses.

Approval for D-Clearance does not guarantee students a seat in the course. All registrations are subject to the availability of seats and the physical capacity limits of the classroom.

Please note that the department will not approve requests to add seats to closed (i.e. full) courses unless:

  • The student is a senior planning to graduate within the academic year;
  • The course is required for their degree progress; and
  • There are no alternative courses available.

Eligible students should complete the Permission to Add a Closed Course Form and submit it to DMC 330 for department approval.

IR D-Clearance

To request D-Clearance for IR 210, IR 304, IR 320, IR 339, and 400-level IR courses, please complete this form: IR D-Clearance Survey.

Requests are processed in 2-3 business days. Students will be notified by email once their request has been processed.

Important D-Clearance Policies

  • 400-level courses are only available to students who have completed at least 64 units (not including units in progress).

→ Check your STARS report before submitting a D-Clearance request.

 

  • IR 320 and IR 304 are initially restricted to INCO majors who will be graduating in two semesters or less.

→ Starting in Week 4 of registration, clearance will open to all IR majors based on class standing (i.e. senior, junior, sophomore, etc.).

  • IR 447 / MDES 441 Cities of the Middle East is offered through the Middle East Studies Deparment.

→ No D-Clearance is required. Register for MDES 441.

  • Due to limited space, IR 210 and 400-level IR courses are reserved for:

    • IR majors and minors
    • Incoming IR transfer students
    • Majors whose programs require IR courses (e.g., Political Economy BA, Global Health BS, Human Security minor)

Students from other departments may submit requests in early August (Fall) or early January (Spring) if seats are still open.

    • If you miss one or more classes and register late, you must get permission from the instructor, even if you enrolled via WebReg.

POSC D-Clearance

Political Science courses generally do not require D-Clearance unless an application is required as with the following courses:

  • POSC 391/392: Political Science Honors Program. Applications are accepted in the Spring semester. D-Clearance is granted once the instructor informs the department of your admission to the program.

    → Applications for 2026-2027 are due by April 12, 2026. More info.

  • POSC 395: Political Science Internship/Research course run by the Unruh Institute. Students should contact unruhins@usc.edu for more information.

  • POSC 398: Trial Advocacy/Mock Trial team. Try outs are held in the Fall semester. D-Clearance is granted once the instructor informs the department of your admission to the program.

If ever there is D-Clearance required for a course that is not listed above, please contact the listed professor for more information.

Directed Research (IR or POSC 490x)

Directed Research is an opportunity for students under the direction of a POIR faculty to explore a specific topic in greater depth than can be achieved in a regular course or to assist a faculty in their research. Students who wish to undertake a Directed Research must submit the IR/POSC 490x Form and a syllabus developed in consultation with the faculty advisor to the Director of Undergraduate Studies in DMC 330 by the end of the first week of classes to receive approval and D-Clearance.

Note: Up to 4.0 units of Directed Research may count for elective credit toward the major (POSC/IR), but may not be used to satisfy the 400-level requirement in IR. All students are strongly urged to consult with an academic advisor to make sure a 490 fits in their course plan.