Graduate Certificate Admissions - USC Students

Applications must be received before Final Examinations of the semester in which the student will complete the certificate and/or combined master’s degree.

Students are considered for admission once they have enrolled in or completed at least one qualifying course listed in the “Required and Elective Courses” dropdown above. If you’ve already completed units toward the certificate program as part of your graduate degree, you may apply to the next available term. Be sure to carefully read “Combining your current USC program with the graduate certificate” if you are nearing graduation from your primary USC degree.

Each September, applications for the following Spring, Summer and Fall terms are launched. If you don’t see the term for which you wish to apply, try back in September.

Applications for the Graduate Certificate are submitted on-line via HTTPS://USC.LIAISONCAS.COM

• Start by applying for an application fee waiver. (First year students must wait until they have completed their first semester to obtain an application fee waiver.) Follow the instructions under
  - step 3 at HTTP://GRADADM.USC.EDU/APPLY/US-STUDENTS/READY-TO-APPLY/ or
  - step 4 at HTTP://GRADADM.USC.EDU/APPLY/INTERNATIONAL-STUDENTS/READY-TO-APPLY/
  Processing of application fee waivers usually takes 3-5 working days. You will receive a confirmation email when the fee waiver is processed.

• Use your existing login and password to retrieve your file in WebAdmit (DO NOT create a new account).

• Under the "Add Program" tab search for "Program Level" Certificate, find "Marshall School of Business" and select the Graduate Certificate from the list for the appropriate semester.

• Return to the "My Application" tab and complete the required portions of the application. Test scores and transcripts submitted to USC with your prior application will be on file in the USC admissions system. You will not have to submit new official scores or new official transcripts, but do fill in the requested fields and upload scanned copies as requested to your application. You may upload a copy of your STARS report for your current program instead of a USC transcript.

• In the "Academic Background" section, don't forget to add your current USC degree program to your education history.

• In the "Program Materials" quadrant, the "Questions" are required.

When you are ready to submit your application, if the system asks for a credit card number, do NOT give it a credit card number. Contact USC ADMISSIONS to follow up on the status of your waiver.

The graduate certificate may be completed in conjunction with coursework required for the program in which the student is already enrolled. Applicability of these courses to the student's primary degree program is determined by the student's home department. Current USC MBA students may apply all 15 units of the graduate certificate program to their MBA degree.

While we recommend you apply to the certificate in conjunction with registration for the first class which will apply to the certificate, note that we can apply prior coursework completed in your primary graduate degree retroactively toward the certificate as long as your primary degree has not posted.

If your primary degree at USC is awarded prior to completion of the certificate, it’s no longer possible to overlap units and you will be required to complete 15 unique units for the certificate.

Note: conferral of the certificate and documentation on the transcript requires that the individual formally apply to the program and be admitted.