Thinking about transferring into Marshall?
At USC Marshall, Business Administration majors and Accounting majors develop a thorough knowledge of business fundamentals, including: business economics, business statistics, accounting, organizational behavior, finance, marketing, business communication, and business strategy. In addition to business core courses, students are required to gain a deeper understanding in one or more aspects of business in which they have an interest.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
The following courses must be completed or in-progress when applying to the Business Administration major:
- WRIT 140 or WRIT 150 (or equivalent)
- MATH 118* or higher
- ECON 351x**
* MATH 118 is a prerequisite for ECON 351x.
** ECON 351x must be taken in residence at USC.
Students who wish to pursue one of Marshall's undergraduate emphases must first apply through the internal transfer admissions process to be admitted to the Business Administration major.
Admission decisions are based primarily on students’ academic performance at USC with special attention given to the required coursework listed above. In order to be competitive, students are advised to complete 16 units of academically rigorous, letter-graded coursework in each term of enrollment. Students must be currently enrolled during time of application. A cumulative USC GPA of 3.6 or above and grade of A- or better in ECON 351 is recommended to apply.
In the past several admissions cycles, the average overall USC GPA for admitted students has been approximately 3.8. The majority of successful applicants earned grades of A- or better in the courses required to apply for admission (94% earned an A- or better in ECON 351; 89% earned an A- or better in Math; 74% earned an A- or better in Writing) while completing 16 units of rigorous letter-graded coursework every term.
We take context into consideration when reviewing applications, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges will be considered as we evaluate each student's academic record. We encourage students to utilize the application essays to report and explain any necessary information about the impacts of COVID-19 or other challenges on their course plan or grades.
In order for students to make satisfactory degree progress and finish their degrees in a timely manner, we strongly recommend students apply for internal transfer admission to the Marshall School of Business prior to reaching 64 total units (not including coursework-in-progress, or AP, IB, or A-level units).
Effective Spring 2021, students may apply no more than twice for internal transfer admission to the Marshall School of Business.
MORE INFORMATION
Summer drop-in advising: Current USC students with questions about the internal transfer process may meet with an on-call advisor on a drop-in basis via Zoom 3-4pm during the following days in the Summer:
July 14, July 15, July 29, & July 31
Please note: drop-in advising is intended for students who have already reviewed all information on this website including the Frequently Asked Questions section. Once you have joined the drop-in advising session, please wait to be "admitted" to the room by the session's host.
If you have any questions, please reach out to the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs: undergrad.advising@marshall.usc.edu.
APPLICATION FOR INTERNAL TRANSFER ADMISSION
We offer three application cycles: fall, spring, and summer for the Business Administration major and Accounting major.
The spring 2025 internal transfer application is closed. The summer application will be posted here on June 9, 2025 and will be due on August 1, 2025.
Admission notifications for the spring 2025 admissions cycle will be sent before the start of the fall 2025 semester from Marshall's Office of Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs (undergrad.advising@marshall.usc.edu). Please be sure to check your spam folder if you do not receive notification by the first day of the fall 2025 semester.
Any questions concerning internal transfer admission decisions can be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs within ten business days of the notification date. Admission decisions are final; appeals may be considered only in the case of a documented grading error in required or related course work.
PRE-ADMISSION COURSE RECOMMENDATIONS -
What to register for in the following semester when you're awaiting your decision
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If you are submitting an application this semester, you may register for a maximum of one of the above listed Marshall courses (ECON 352, BUAD 280 or BUAD 310) for the following semester. The remaining courses on your schedule should include a variety of current or alternate major courses and University requirements. Please consult with your current and/or alternate major advisor for course recommendations.
If you are offered admission to Marshall, you will be assigned an academic advisor who can assist you should any changes be necessary to your schedule in order to stay on track with the Marshall major
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I meet with an academic advisor if I have questions about the application process AFTER reviewing the website? You can connect with an advisor during drop-in advising via Zoom Mondays-Thursdays from 3-4 PM during the Fall and Spring semesters.
Are the essays optional? Yes, however we highly recommend answering the prompts as they provide context for the review committee especially to explain any extenuating circumstances regarding your grades.
Can I apply if I am currently registered in ECON 351? Yes, you can apply if you are currently registered in ECON 351 since the review committee will wait for all grades for the term to post before beginning the review process. Please note that you must also have WRIT 130 or WRIT 140 or WRIT 150 and MATH 118 (or equivalent course or test score) completed during term of application.
Is it okay if I transferred in equivalent courses for Writing and Math? Yes, as long as your STARS report shows transfer credit for WRIT 130 and MATH 118 or 125.
Do I need to take ECON 351 at USC? Yes, you need to take ECON 351 at USC. Please note that MATH 118 or MATH 125 is a pre-requisite for ECON 351.
What is considered academically rigorous coursework? Academically rigorous coursework is considered to be courses applicable toward university requirements (GE courses, WRIT 150, WRIT 340) and courses applicable toward your current major and/or minor.
What if I take a course for pass/no pass? All major and minor coursework must be taken for a letter grade. Due to the competitive nature of the application process, we recommend that you complete 16 units of letter graded coursework per term of enrollment at USC. If you do take a course for pass/no pass, please use the optional essay to provide context for the review committee.
What GPA must I have to be competitive in my application? Although a cumulative USC GPA of 3.6 is recommended to apply, the average cumulative USC GPA of admitted students in the past several admissions cycles has been approximately 3.8.
Can I apply to the internal transfer process if I transferred to USC with 64 units? Yes, but we advise you to apply as soon as possible in order to not delay your expected graduation date.
I already submitted my application. Can I make updates? You can resubmit your application, and we will review the most recent submission. Please try to avoid submitting multiple applications.
Does the review committee look into the previous freshman forgiveness grade, does this affect admission? Both grades will be taken into consideration during the review process.
If I have already taken the required courses to apply as well as additional courses (e.g., ECON-352, BUAD-280, and BUAD-310) and have exceeded the 12-unit Marshall course limit, which other courses can I take to still make progress towards a business major? At that point, you should not be taking any additional business courses and should be focusing on university requirements (GE courses and Writing) and courses applicable toward your current major.
Can I send letters of support or recommendation? We do not consider letters of support or recommendation as part of the admission process.
Can I appeal my admissions decision? Who can I contact if I want to discuss it further? We do not accept appeals unless there has been a grade change in a course. If this is the case, please email undergrad.advising@marshall.usc.edu
If I am reapplying for internal transfer for a second time, what should I focus on? We encourage you to speak with a Marshall academic advisor at one of our drop-in advising sessions to identify areas of improvement. In general, you need to demonstrate an upward trajectory from your first application. The review committee is looking grades of A in 16-units of academically rigorous coursework per term at USC, especially in courses that demonstrate your quantitative abilities.
I have just been recently admitted to Marshall as an internal transfer, what are my next steps? You are welcome to connect with your new Marshall academic advisor. You can open a support case or schedule an appointment with them via the Advise USC portal.
Can I apply for the Accounting major through the Marshall internal transfer application? Yes, students can apply for internal transfer to the Business Administration or Accounting major through the Marshall internal transfer application.
CONTACT US
The Marshall Office of Undergraduate Advising and Student Affairs is available to assist prospective internal transfer students with their questions concerning the program requirements and the application process.