Spatial Sciences Institute

Resources

FAQ

To declare an SSI undergraduate major or minor, or to set up a Progressive Degree Path:
Please contact Monica Pan at monicap@usc.edu.

To apply to an SSI graduate certificate or masters program:
For admissions-related questions, please visit https://gis.usc.edu/admissions/apply-now/, email gis@usc.edu, or call 877.650.9054.
To start an application, please visit this page to apply now.

To request d-clearance:
D-clearance stands for “departmental clearance”. Certain courses have D-clearance restrictions and students must request D-clearance and receive clearance in order to register for that course.

You cannot register if you have any registration holds on your student account. Please check for holds on your my.usc.edu portal and clear any registration holds so you can register for courses. Once d-clearance is granted, you will be able to register for your course.

Important: International Status students should only request d-clearance for the in-person (residential) course section.

To request d-clearance from the Spatial Sciences Institute for SSCI and GSEC elective courses:

Use this link to submit your request for d-clearance using our d-clearance form: https://forms.gle/2LWu1atWsrqThH8Q9.
Kindly note that it may take up to 2-3 business days for our team to review and process your request.

If you are an MS Spatial Economics and Data Analysis (SEDA) student, to request d-clearance from the USC Dornsife Economics Department for ECON courses:

If you have not already received clearance for your required course, email ECON advisor, Mary Rivas, at maryriva@usc.edu, and copy your Student Services Specialist, Jocelyn Ward, at jw_097@usc.edu in your to request clearance for your required course. Make sure to include your USC ID.

If you are an MS Spatial Data Sciences (SPDS) student, to request d-clearance from the Viterbi School of Engineering for DSCI courses:

Request d-clearance on your myviterbi.usc.edu portal. Students in the residential MS SPDS program, including Progressive Degree Program students, should only request and will only be cleared to register for the in-person (residential) section.
Students in the online MS SPDS program will need to request d-clearance for the DEN Section using the myviterbi.usc.edu portal as well.

If you are a PhD in Population, Health and Place student, to request d-clearance from the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences in the Keck School of Medicine of USC for PM courses:

Submit a PM D-clearance form: https://phstudents.usc.edu/dc and contact Laura Sims at simsl@usc.edu.

If you are a PhD in Population, Health and Place student, to request d-clearance from the USC Dornsife Sociology Department for SOCI courses:

Contact Stachelle L. Overland at overland@college.usc.edu.

To visit the USC University Park campus:
Prospective undergraduate students can reserve a student-led or self-guided campus tour. Prospective graduate students may visit via a self-guided tour.

Anyone can explore the UPC campus through our immersive online tour: https://admission.usc.edu/immersive-tour-of-usc/.

To talk with an SSI faculty member about our PHP PhD program:
Please contact Dr. Darren Ruddell, Spatial Sciences Institute Director of Graduate Programs, at druddell@usc.edu.

To make an advising appointment:
If you are an undergraduate or Progressive Degree Path student, you may schedule an appointment with Monica Pan using this link: https://calendly.com/monicap-5/15-minute-advising-meeting

If you are a graduate certificate or masters student, you may schedule an appointment with Jocelyn Ward using this link: Schedule Your Chat Session – USC GIS Graduate Programs or emailing her at jw_097@usc.edu.

If you are a Population, Health and Science PhD student, please email Dr. Darren Ruddell at druddell@usc.edu to schedule an appointment.

To prepare a PowerPoint presentation, poster or StoryMap:
See the Graphic Identity section below.

To request an ArcGIS license:
Please email Stephanie Tran at transtep@usc.edu.

To get ArcGIS help:
Please email us at spatial_support@usc.edu.

Graphic Identity

When preparing presentations, posters, maps and other materials related to the Spatial Sciences Institute and its academic programs, please use the logos and templates that have been developed under the graphic identity policies of the University and of USC Dornsife for use when representing the Institute.

USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute logos and PowerPoint template

Making Maps and Posters

If you are an undergraduate student in a Spatial Sciences Institute (SSCI prefix) course but not one of our majors making a map or a poster, please use these materials:

If you are a B.S. in GeoDesign major making a map or poster, please use these materials:

If you are a B.S. in Human Security and Geospatial Intelligence major making a map or poster, please use these materials:

If you are a B.S. in Global Geodesign major making a map or poster, please use these materials:

If you are a student in the Spatial Sciences Institute Graduate Programs in Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) making a map or poster, please use these materials:

If you are a student in the Spatial Sciences Institute/Viterbi School of Engineering M.S. in Spatial Data Science Program (SPDS) making a map or poster, please use these materials:

If you are a student in the Spatial Sciences Institute/Department of Economics M.S. in Spatial Economics and Data Analysis Program (SEDA) making a map or poster, please use these materials:

If you are a student in the Spatial Sciences Institute Population, Health and Place Ph.D. Program (PHP) making a map or poster, please use these materials:

For all others representing the Spatial Sciences Institute making a map or poster, please use these materials:

Please consult with the guide for the USC Dornsife Graphic Identity Program.

Spatial Sciences Institute

University of Southern California
3616 Trousdale Parkway, AHF B55
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0374
213.740.5910
spatialsciences@usc.edu
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 am – 5:00 pm