USC First Year Abroad Courses
USC First Year Friendly Courses – Spring 2026
USC First Year Friendly Courses – Spring 2026 (updated October 15, 2025)
If there are two different letter codes before the course number (i.e. AN/CM3060 - THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF FOOD, this means that the course is cross-listed in two different departments. However, it is still the same course)
Please note that this information may be subject to change.
CATEGORY A CREDIT
AH 2000 - PARIS THROUGH ITS ARCHITECTURE I 4 credits
Investigates the growth patterns of Paris from Roman times through the Second Empire. Studies major monuments, pivotal points of urban design, and vernacular architecture on site. Presents the general vocabulary of architecture, the history of French architecture and urban planning, as well as a basic knowledge of French history to provide a framework for understanding the development of Paris.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts
Course Fee: 25
AH 2016 - 19TH & 20TH CENT. ART & ARCHITECTURE 4 credits
Introduces the principal arts and aesthetic issues of the 19th and 20th centuries from the French Revolution to World War II. Studies artists such as David, Turner, Monet, and Picasso, as well as movements such as Romanticism, Impressionism, and Surrealism, stressing continuities beneath apparent differences of approach. Regular museum sessions at the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, and the Centre Pompidou.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts
FM 2075 - FILM HISTORY I: FROM SILENT TO SOUND 4 credits
This course surveys the earliest periods of cinema from its inception in the late-19th century up to its consolidation as a form of mass art by the beginning of World War II. At its point of origin,cinema was considered "an invention without a future" by its makers, but we will put this idea to test by exploring the uncanny shocks of the very first short films, through the development of visual storytelling across decades of experimentation, culminating in the extravagant, technically dazzling productions of the 1920s. From then onwards, we will investigate the late silent and early sound cinema through a global lens, making transnational discoveries on how the invention of cinema travelled alongside radical ideas at a time of political upheaval. Through readings and select primary materials, the students will learn about the contextual study of film by considering the technological, economic, aesthetic and social factors that shaped the circumstances of the films' production, exhibition and reception.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts
FR 2046 - PARIS VU PAR LES PHOTOGRAPHES 4 credits
This course aims to introduce students to the different arrondissements of the city of Paris and its immediate suburbs, their most unusual and secret aspects but also the most mundane by immersing them in the worlds of Doisneau, Cartier-Bresson, Atget, Kertész, Miller, Weiss, Lartigue, Newton, Klein, and other photographers. Tender and nostalgic icons of the popular Paris of Doisneau, darker and ambiguous visions of the nocturnal Paris of Brassaï and Kertész, historical representations of major events such as the Second World War or May 68, ideological images linked to the French colonial Empire and to decolonial movements, more modern images of Paris and its diverse and multicultural suburbs, images of photojournalism from the 2015 attacks...: these multiple and contradictory facets will encourage students to explore the city, to immerse themselves in its history and diverse culture. Through the photographs of these artists as well as literary or critical texts, students will discover the intimate faces of Parisians, their gestures, their habits, their values, their dreams, their disappointments, their fears. Students will measure the impact of the major historical events of the 20th century on their lives and will analyze urban transformations from the end of the 19th century to the present day.
Prerequisite: FR1300CCI OR FR1300 OR FR2100 OR FR2100CCI OR FR2200 OR FR2200CCI OR FR2101 OR FR2102
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts
AH 1000 - INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF ART I 4 credits
This course covers the beginnings of art in Europe and the Mediterranean,from the earliest known representations in cave paintings through to the art of the great cathedrals. This will include Ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian,Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, African, and Western Medieval art. The course is structured chronologically and will also emphasize the themes of the classical tradition and its alternatives, as well as diverse expressions of sacred arts and architecture. Major monuments in all media-architecture,sculpture, painting, and the so-called "minor arts"-will be studied. Original works of art on view in Paris will form an essential part of the course and the assignments. We will also emphasize multiple perspectives and interpretations for works of art and their global receptions and contexts.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
AH 1003 - INTRO TO ART THROUGH PARIS MUSEUMS 4 credits
Uses the unsurpassed richness of the art museums of Paris as the principal teaching resource. The history of Western Art is studied through the close examination of a limited selection of major works in a variety of media. The works chosen illuminate the political, social and religious contexts of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque and Rococo periods, and the modern epoch. The course has an extra course fee of 35 euros.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Course Fee: 35
AH 1020 - INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF ART II 4 credits
Continues the study of selected monuments of painting, sculpture, and architecture, from the Renaissance to the 20th-century. Emphasizes historical context, continuity, and critical analysis. Includes direct contact with works of art in Parisian museums. The overall themes of the class may vary by semester.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Course Fee: 20
AH 2012 - MEDIEVAL ART & ARCHITECTURE 4 credits
This course will survey highlights of the painting, sculpture, architecture,mosaics, tapestries, metalwork, ivories, and stained-glass windows of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Mediterranean. We will proceed in a chronological framework, starting with the beginnings of Christian art, and ending in the late Gothic period. Works of art will be studied in their historical, social, cultural, and religious contexts. Thematically, we will examine continuities and breaks with the classical tradition; the recurring issue of iconoclasm; the rich diversity of materials; the fruitful effects of cross-cultural and interfaith exchanges; and the global context and long afterlife of medieval art.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
Course Fee: 20
AH 2014 - BAROQUE & ROCOCO ART & ARCHITECTURE 4 credits
This course examines the reverberations and multi-faceted reactions to the reform movements known as the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation, and explores different notions of the Baroque in a global context. We will consider the art and architecture of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and France, as well as the art of colonial Latin America and East Asia. Key themes and issues of consideration will include the changing role of religious images; heresy and persuasion in art; colonial art and questions of transmission, reproduction and hybridity; the rise of artists' academies and art theory; the development of genre painting; cabinets of curiosity and collecting; and eroticism, artifice and Orientalism in Rococo art and architecture.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY A: The Arts & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
CATEGORY B CREDIT:
CL 2054 - MODERN LATIN AMERICAN & SPANISH LIT. 4 credits
Traces modern continental and Latin American literature from the Molieresque comedy of Moratin to the magical realism of Garcia Marquez. Readings include Spanish authors (fiction by Galdos, Unamuno, Cela, Goytisolo), Spanish-American writers (poetry of Neruda, Paz and tales by Borges, Rulfo), and one Brazilian writer (Clarice Lispector). Conducted in English. Written work accepted in English or Spanish.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry
CL 2085 - THEORY AND WRITING: BLACK THOUGHT 4 credits
Examines the major tenets, philosophical perspectives, and critical orientations of literary theory from Plato and Aristotle to the present. Students study critical texts from literary and non-literary disciplines, schools, and voices that have come to impact the Western theoretical canon, including psychoanalysis, Marxism, Russian formalism, structuralism, deconstruction, feminism, queer theory, new historicism, and post-colonialism.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry
PL 2036 - METAPHYSICS, SCIENCE & RATIONALISM 4 credits
This course explores the impact of modern science upon philosophy through an exploration of the fundamental texts of classical metaphysics - Descartes' Principles of Philosophy, Spinoza's Ethics, Leibniz's Discourse on Metaphysics and The Monadology - an examination guided by the question of what is it to act with freedom and grace in an infinite universe ruled by the laws of nature.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry
PL 2041 - ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS 4 credits
Introduction to ethics by the example of environmental ethics, exploring the role of humans as moral agents with regard to other living beings, the whole planet or its biosphere, and future generations. Through cases studies and to understand implicit assumptions and theoretical problems of standpoints taken by stakeholders in the debate.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry
PL/PO 2003 - POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY 4 credits
Political philosophy forms that branch of philosophy that reflects on the specificity of the political. Why are humans, as Aristotle argued, political animals? How are they political? What are the means and ends of the political, and how best does one organize the political with such questions in mind? The course offers a topic-oriented approach to the fundamental problems underlying political theory and practice.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry
CL 1025 - THE WORLD, THE TEXT, AND THE CRITIC I 4 credits
Considers closely three moments when the practice of writing changed radically in response to historical and cultural processes, from Ancient Greece to 1800 (specific contents change each year). Investigates the forces that inform creative imagination and cultural production. Places those moments and those forces within a geographical and historical map of literary production, and introduces the tools of literary analysis.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
HI 1006 - WORLD HISTORY FROM 1500 4 credits
This course provides an introduction to world history from the early modern period to the late twentieth century. Students will attain a sound grasp of the world history approach through study of the political, economic, and social connections and networks generated within and among these societies.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
PL 1200 - HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY II: FROM RENAISSANCE TO MODERN 4 credits
Formerly PL2022. This course aims to provide a solid and comprehensive grounding in modern philosophy focusing on the main issues and theories of late Renaissance philosophy, modern Rationalism and Empiricism, philosophies of the Enlightenment, Critical philosophy, modern Idealism, Phenomenology and some questions of analytic philosophy. It offers an introduction to the works of the major figures of this tradition.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY B: Humanistic Inquiry & CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
CATEGORY C CREDIT:
AN 1002 - INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY 4 credits
Sociocultural anthropology is the comparative study of human societies and cultures. This course is designed to introduce students to central areas of anthropological inquiry, a range of key theoretical perspectives and the discipline’s holistic approach. Through field-based research projects, students will also gain familiarity with the discipline’s qualitative research methods (especially participant observation). While students will encounter the works of key historical figures in the discipline, they will also discover current debates on globalization and transnationalism. Finally, this course also strives to cultivate students’ ability to reflect critically on their own identities and cultures, thereby gaining a greater understanding and appreciation for diversity and an improved set of intercultural communication skills.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY C: Social Analysis
GS/PY 2010 - INTRODUCTION TO GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND SOCIETY 4 credits
Surveys major issues concerning gender and the science of psychology in an attempt to answer the question: why is there such a gender gap when women and men share more psychological similarities than differences? Topics include: developmental processes and gender; gender roles and stereotypes, biology and gender; cross-cultural perspectives of gender; social-cultural theories of gender; language and gender, emotions and gender, health and gender.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY C: Social Analysis
PO 1011 - FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN POLITICS 4 credits
What is politics - the quest for the common good or who gets what, when, and how? We study what defines politics in the modern age: states and nations in the international system, collective action and representation in mass societies, trajectories of democracy and dictatorship, politics and development in the context of capitalism. The course will introduce the student to the concerns, the language and the methods of Political Science.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY C: Social Analysis
LW/HI 2020 - THE HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LAW 4 credits
This course is designed to introduce students to the historical foundations of legal thought and to cultivate literacy in legal reasoning. The course provides an essential resource for our future global citizens by exploring key legal texts, histories and cases and familiarizing students with the historical origins of key contemporary legal issues.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY C: Social Analysis & CATEGORY G: Citizenship in a Global Era
PO 2031 - WORLD POLITICS 4 credits
This course analyses the basic setting, structure and dynamics of world politics with emphasis on current global problems, practices and processes. In doing so, it introduces the major theoretical approaches to international politics, and uses theory as a methodological tool for analyzing sources of change and causes of conflict and/or cooperation in the global arena.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY C: Social Analysis & CATEGORY G: Citizenship in a Global Era
CATEGORY D CREDIT
SC 1055 - INTRODUCTION TO BIODIVERSITY 4 credits
This science course explores what biodiversity is and how we can measure it. We look at concepts related to biodiversity widely used (and misused) in the media, the importance of biodiversity to sustain human life on Earth,and how biodiverstity is related to our economy, society and politics. Laboratory sessions include Saturday visits to the aquarium, museums or the zoo.
Prerequisite: Must register for both lecture and lab. Must have taken a 1000-level math course in fall -OR- be taking a 1000-level math course -OR- have a placement into MA 1030. Co-Requisite: SC1020LLAB AND (MA1005CCM OR MA1020CCM OR MA1025CCM OR MA1030CCM OR MA1091CC
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY D: Life Sciences
CATEGORY F CREDIT
EC 2010 - PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS 4 credits
Focuses on the role played by relative market prices in our society and on the forces of market supply and demand in determining these prices. Since the actions of consumers and firms underlie supply and demand, the course studies in detail the behavior of these two groups.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY F: Quantitative Reasoning
USC Credit Equivalency: ECON203
Course Fee: 9
EC 2020 - PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS 4 credits
Examines the determinants of the levels of national income, employment, rates of interest, and prices. Studies in detail the instruments of monetary and fiscal policy, highlighting the domestic and international repercussions of their implementation.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY F: Quantitative Reasoning
USC Credit Equivalency: ECON205
MA 1005 - MATH FOR LIFE 4 credits
A General Education course designed for students majoring in subjects not requiring math skills, and those who dislike math. Projects are developed from a range of everyday situations: banking, the stock market, gambling, and even art. Meeting alternately in the classroom and the computer lab to develop mathematical models, students will develop quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY F: Quantitative Reasoning
MA 1020 - APPLIED STATISTICS I 4 credits
Introduces the tools of statistical analysis. Combines theory with extensive data collection and computer-assisted laboratory work. Develops an attitude of mind accepting uncertainty and variability as part of problem analysis and decision-making. Topics include: exploratory data analysis and data transformation, hypothesis-testing and the analysis of variance, simple and multiple regression with residual and influence analyses.
Prerequisite: MA0900 OR MA1005 OR MA1005CCM OR MA1005GE120 OR ELECMA-25 OR ELECMA-20 OR ELECMA-30 OR (MA1025CCM OR MA1025GE120) OR MA1030 OR MA1030CCM OR MA1030GE120 OR MA1091 OR MA1091CCM OR MA1091GE120
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY F: Quantitative Reasoning
USC Credit Equivalency: MATH114
MA 1025 - FUNCTIONS, MODELING, PRECALCULUS 4 credits
Functions Modeling Change provides the algebraic and geometric skills needed to succeed in a Calculus course. The central topic is functions (in particular linear, polynomial, exponential and logarithmic), function notation and graphs, transformations, composition and inverses. Students also work with computers building mathematical models based on these functions, and implemented using graphing calculators, mathematical software and Excel.
Prerequisite: MA0900 OR MA1020 OR MA1020CCM OR MA1020GE120 OR ELECMA-25 OR ELECMA-30
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY F: Quantitative Reasoning
MA 1030 - CALCULUS I 4 credits
Introduces differential and integral calculus. Develops the concepts of calculus as applied to polynomials, logarithmic, and exponential functions. Topics include: limits, derivatives, techniques of differentiation, applications to extrema and graphing; the definite integral; the fundamental theorem of calculus, applications; logarithmic and exponential functions, growth and decay; partial derivatives. Appropriate for students in the biological, management, computer and social sciences.
Prerequisite: MA1025CCM OR ELECMA-30 OR MA1025GE120
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY F: Quantitative Reasoning
USC Credit Equivalency: MATH125
CATEGORY G CREDIT
PO 1012 - CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL POLITICS 4 credits
This course examines key analytical and normative challenges of the present: global rebalancing and the emergence or reemergence of postcolonial states, uneven development, the role of culture in world politics, the future of the nation state, the global environmental imperative, mass forced and free migrations, the new landscape of armed conflict, the sources and implications of sharpening social divides, and the challenges to liberal-democratic theory and practice.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY G: Citizenship in a Global Era
CATEGORY H CREDIT
HI 1016 - HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST II 4 credits
This course examines the historical development of the Middle East from the rise of the Ottoman Empire to its decline, and later from colonial rule to national independences. It covers the Arab World, Turkey and Iran and follows four main general themes: Reform, Colonialism, Nationalism and Revolution. The course is divided into two main sections which are organised chronologically and thematically. The first part of the course deals with the formation of the Ottoman Empire, its expansion, and the rise of Safavids in Persia. It then covers the reform movements in the Ottoman and Persian (Qajar) Empires, the influence of Europe and the political and social upheaval brought about by the outbreak of revolutions in the early 20th century. Indigenous responses to European penetration and indigenous reform are analysed through an understanding of revolutionary movements, and the rise of nationalism. The second part of the course examines the emergence of states in the Arab World, the British French accords and declarations, the question of Palestine and the Zionist activism and the debates around Secularism vs. Islam.
USC Credit Equivalency: CATEGORY H: Traditions and Historical Foundations
LOWER-DIVISION WRITING REQUIREMENT
EN 2020 - WRITING & CRITICISM 4 credits
A series of topic-centered courses refining the skills of academic essay writing, studying a wide range of ideas as expressed in diverse literary genres and periods. Introduces the analysis of literary texts and gives training in the writing of critical essays and research papers. Recent topics include: Utopia and Anti-Utopia, City as Metaphor, Portraits of Women, Culture Conflict, and Labyrinths.
Prerequisite: EN1010
USC Credit Equivalency: WRIT 130: LOWER-DIVISION WRITING REQUIREMENT
COURSES EARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEVEL EQUIVALENCIES
AB 1020 - ELEMENTARY ARABIC II 4 credits
AB 1020 seeks to give students grammar basics with which they can start to structure their knowledge and practice and make comparisons with other linguistic systems they know. The two conjugations, the two kind of sentences and other material allows the students to go further and to progress in organizing the new lexicon in order to produce sentences in Standard Arabic. The domain covered by the course starts from everyday life and aims to reach fundamental description vocabulary for all kind of documents : dialogs, texts, songs, maps, school documents, proverbs, etc.
Prerequisite: AB1010
USC Credit Equivalency: FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEVEL 2
AB 1040 - INTERMEDIATE ARABIC I 4 credits
Starting from the acquired grammar knowledge (specially the morphological derivation), AB 1040 works on going into more specialized vocabulary in various fields such as intellectual conversation, objective description, expressing one’s opinion, etc. Besides, this course pursues production skills, so the students can grow linguistically in handling of Arabic and acquiring a more detailed lexical mass.
Prerequisite: AB1030
USC Credit Equivalency: FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEVEL 4
OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
AH 2004 - MODERN PARISIAN ARCHITECTURE 4 credits
Celebrated for the beauty of its architectural past, Paris is also a rapidly changing, dynamic, modern metropolis in the present. From its historical center to newer neighbourhoods at the city's periphery, recent buildings and urban projects have altered Paris and made it the site of significant modern architecture and urbanism. This course introduces the major new monuments and urban designs that characterize the city today. Following a brief historical introduction, the Grand Projects such as the Louvre Pyramid, the Grand Arch and the Bastille Opera, as well as more modest and unassuming structures, will be studied on site. Focussing on the major architectural and urban undertakings of the past few decades, such as museums, libraries, cultural centers, housing projects and public parks, this course explores how the architecture and urban fabric of the past have been reassessed to suit modern materials, tastes and needs. Students will also investigate how international influences have been adapted, adopted, or rejected in the creation of Paris today. Emphasis is placed on the students' grasp of the material, rather than the completion of a chronological survey.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
AN/CM 3060 - THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF FOOD 4 credits
This course examines the intersection of food and the senses from an anthropological perspective. We will explore the intersection between food and culture; the impact of social, political and economic contexts on our foods and foodways; French food culture; and taste, cuisine and commensality as forms of inter-cultural communication. Students apply class readings and practice ethnographic methodologies in a few short study trips.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
AR 1010 - INTRO TO DRAWING 4 credits
This studio course provides an introduction to the basic ideas and techniques needed for the comprehension and construction of the built environment. Starting with elemental design concerns, students will be asked to use what they learn in order to create ever larger and more complex entities. Site-specific assignments making use of Paris and its history will oblige the students to engage in the “conversation” of the urban world.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 75
AR 1015 - PAINTING I 4 credits
For students with little or no previous experience in drawing or painting. First analyzes still life objects in basic plastic terms starting with value. Concentrates during each class session on a new painterly quality until a sufficient visual vocabulary is achieved so that more complicated subjects such as the nude can be approached. Work will be done in oil.May be taken twice for credit.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 75
AR 1020 - MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES OF THE MASTERS 4 credits
Techniques of the Masters Lectures, demonstrations, and workshops focus on materials and techniques used by artists over the centuries. Studies the historical background of techniques of drawing, painting, sculpture, and the graphic arts combined with a hands-on approach so that each student can experience the basic elements of the plastic arts.Please note that an additional fee will be charged for this course. May be taken twice for credit.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 75
AR 1032 - INTRO TO SCULPTURE 4 credits
This course is designed for students who have little or no previous experience in working with sculpture. Students will learn to create work in three dimensions from observation and imagination. A variety of sculptural materials and techniques will be introduced, furthering students' explorations of structure and form in space. There is an additional course fee for materials.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
AR 1040 - PRINTMAKING I 4 credits
This course focuses on traditional relief printing techniques for the creation of multiple identical images without the use of a printing press. Once the fundamentals are understood, experimentation is encouraged so that each student can learn how to best exploit the different methods to successfully translate sketches into a powerful printed document. In addition to the making of prints, students will study the history of woodblock and metal printing and will be asked to visit and write about several print collections.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 100
AR 1061 - DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY 4 credits
This introductory course is an exploration of both technical and aesthetic concerns in photography. Using a digital camera, students will produce original work in response to a series of lectures, assignments, and bi-weekly critique classes. The course will cover the fundamentals of photographing with digital SLR’s, and students will learn a range of digital tools including color correction, making selections, working with layers and inkjet printing. After mastering the basics, students will work towards the completion of a final project and the focus of the remaining classes will be on critiques. Students will be asked to make pictures that are challenging in both content and form and express the complex and poetic nature of the human experience. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:
• A digital SLR or mirrorless camera that can shoot “RAW” files in FULLY MANUAL mode (the brand does not matter)
• An SD card of at least 8GB (SanDisk or Lexar brand)
• A camera lens (preferably a 50mm fixed-length lens, but zooms are ok)
• An SD card reader
• Two external hard drives of at least 500GB
• A portfolio box
Your course fee covers standard paper and ink usage, additional usage will be charged to your student account. AUP provides access to a photo inkjet printer, but DOES NOT PROVIDE CAMERAS, LENSES, SD cards, etc. Please note that it is the student's responsibility to purchase all required individual equipment.
Please note that an additional fee will be charged for this course.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 100
AR 2012 - DRAWING II 4 credits
Explores in greater depth the concepts of drawing presented in AR 1010. Concentrates on the study of volume, the construction of shallow and deep space, and the design of shapes and negative space. Working from life provides the main focus; however, drawing from memory and collage develop visual imagination and personal expression.Please note that an additional fee will be charged for this course. May be taken twice for credit.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
AR 2016 - PAINTING II 4 credits
Offers a basic study of visual analysis and contemporary painting techniques. Color theory and its practical application and a solid understanding of painting materials are central to the course. Working from life provides the main focus. Different methods of paint application are introduced, including direct painting, glazing, scumbling, and the use of the palette knife.Please note that an additional fee will be charged for this course. May be taken twice for credit.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 75
AR 2032 - SCULPTURE II 4 credits
This course will focus on consolidating the basics of sculpture: firstly learning how to build up forms using planes and structure, and secondly mastering the carving technique. A nude model (male or female) will be posing for the class for at least 4 sessions, so if for any reason whatsoever this is problematic, the student is advised not to take the class. Proportions, measurements and axis will be discussed in detail, and numerous reviews of individual work will take place throughout the semester. The class will then focus on personal expression by creating from imagination, abstraction and figuration, and by developing an understanding of how to conceive and compose forms in space. The course will emphasize the different techniques not involving an armature. The main material used for sculpture will be clay. We will also study both Henry Moore and his approach to monumental sculpture and Alberto Giacometti’s creative world. A few excursions will be organized to museums. During these visits students will draw on sketch books with pencils or “sanguine” (red chalk).
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 100
AR 2080 - GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO 4 credits
In this course, students will be introduced to graphic design history and graphic design principles. They will learn to apply these principles through hands-on exercises and projects, using both analog means and digital tools (Adobe Photoshop). No prerequisites.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
BA 2020 - MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 4 credits
The course introduces students to basic Management/Organizational Behavior concepts and enables them to understand the attitude and behaviors on the individual level and the group level within organizations. Students will be enabled to use Organizational Behavior tools and theories to recognize organizational patterns within a complex social situation. Students will be provided with readings, lectures, and cases that provide a diverse and robust understanding of human interaction in organization.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
BA 2040 - MARKETING IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT 4 credits
This introductory marketing course develops students’ understanding of the principles of marketing and their use in international business. Students learn how to collect and analyze data sets to make marketing decisions with the goal of understanding customers wants, demands, and needs; they learn marketing from a strategic and functional point of view. With a focus on problem solving, students work in multicultural teams cultivating a greater sensitivity to cultural issues while improving communication skills. Students will consider marketing in the French, US, and international marketplace.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CM 1023 - INTRO TO MEDIA & COMMUNICATION STUDIES 4 credits
This course provides a survey of the media and its function in today’s society. It introduces students to the basic concepts and tools necessary to think critically about media institutions and practices. In addition to the analysis of diverse media texts, the course considers wider strategies and trends in marketing, distribution, audience formation and the consequences of globalization. By semester’s end, students will understand the basic structures of today’s media and be able to provide advanced analysis that weighs the social and political implications of its products.
Prerequisite: EN1000 OR EN1010 OR EN2020CCE OR EN2020
USC Credit Equivalency: COMM203
CM 1110 - INTRODUCTION TO FASHION STUDIES 4 credits
This course aims to introduce students to the study of fashion, considered as a multidisciplinary field of analyses. At the intersection of theory and practice, and relying on the key texts of historians, art historians, philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists and geographers, this course will examine the relationship between fashion and body, identity, art, industry, media, class, culture, subculture, gender, sex, time, space, religion and politics. With an emphasis on experiential learning and drawing on visual and film sources, on historical and contemporary examples for discussion, this class will provide students with the possibility to question the future of the fashion industry by studying the social and environmental impact of fashion and the role of social change that fashion can play.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CM 2004 - COMPARATIVE COMMUNICATIONS HISTORY 4 credits
This course provides historical background to understand how contemporary communication practices and technologies have developed and are in the process of developing and reflects on what communication has been in different human societies across time and place. It considers oral and literate cultures, the development of writing systems, of printing, and different cultural values assigned to the image. The parallel rise of mass media and modern western cultural and political forms and the manipulation and interplay of the properties and qualities conveyed by speech, sight, and sound are studied with reference to the printed book, newspapers, photography, radio, cinema, television, new media.
Prerequisite: EN1000 OR EN1010 OR EN2020CCE
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CM 2006 - MEDIA GLOBALIZATION 4 credits
What is globalization? Why study the media? What is the relationship between the media and globalization? What are the consequences of media globalization on our lives and identities? This course critically explores these questions and challenging issues that confront us today. Globalization can be understood as a multi-dimensional, complex process of profound transformations in all spheres – technological, economic, political, social, cultural, intimate and personal. Yet much of the current debates of globalization tend to be concerned with “out there” macro-processes, rather than what is happening “in here,” in the micro-processes of our lives. This course explores both the macro and the micro. It encourages students to develop an enlarged way of thinking – challenging existing paradigms and providing comparative perspectives.
Prerequisite: EN1000 OR EN1010 OR EN2020CCE
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CM 2091 C - TOPICS: FASHION & DIGITAL MEDIA 4 credits
In response to a fast-evolving global fashion landscape, this course explores the intersection of fashion and digital media by examining how new technologies have reshaped all aspects of fashion, from design to production, communication, distribution, and consumption. Topics include how digital platforms –starting with blogs in the late 2000s– have radically transformed how fashion is shared and consumed. Social media and e-commerce now produce visual content that is directly accessible and shareable by niches of potential consumers. Moreover, digital tools, such as open-source software, 3D printing, and smart textiles, offer infinite possibilities for designers and industrials to create and manufacture fashion products. Finally, assistive AI, augmented reality and virtual reality directly challenge fashion's inherently physical and material nature, most notably when dealing with digital clothing, virtual fashion shows, digital fashion exhibitions, and online archives.
Students will critically reflect on these complex developments by analyzing case studies and developing a creative fashion project using digital tools to enact positive change. With its approach combining theory, history, and practice, this course uniquely prepares students to engage with the different facets of digital fashion, through lectures, seminars, research, and creative outlets for today and the future.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CM 2091 B - TOPICS: FASHION MATERIALS & PROCESSES 4 credits
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of materials, especially textiles, and their central role in designing, producing and experiencing fashion. Students will learn to identify materials and techniques, relying on historical and contemporary examples from all over the world, focusing on their properties and applications in fashion design.
This course is devised as an immersion into the materiality of fashion, exploring fibers, raw materials, dyes, textiles, finishes, and garment construction. It will also address pattern making, surface ornamentation, textile design, and the different stages of collection design. Issues of production and labor, functionality, seasonality and sustainability will also be integral to class discussions.
Combining object-based study, textile and garment analysis, and hands-on activities, this course will engage students in thinking critically about the different making processes and materials of fashion and the artisans and producers behind them. Through lectures, seminars, and site visits, and extensive use of literary, visual and film sources, students will gain insights into how fashion is made from start to finish.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 20
CM 2091 A - TOPICS: SOUND & MUSIC: MAKING & LISTENING 4 credits
This course explores music and sound from an interdisciplinary perspective, considering its techniques and technologies, the social and political aspects of sound/music production and consumption, and the phenomenology of listening and acoustics, among other topics. This class combines hands-on practice-based projects, core theoretical texts, and visits to concerts, gallery shows, and other sound and music related events to introduce students to the core questions of sound studies and to cultivate basic skills for making sound art/digital music. Practice-based lessons cover: speakers, various mics, deep listening, soundwalks/sound in space, field recording, and digital audio editing. This is coupled with readings and discussions of contemporary sound art and new music, race and gender in sound and music, and the politics of listening. Students will produce a final project in sound/music using the critical and technical skills developed in the course and will be prepared for future projects and more advanced courses in sound/music. No prior training in music is needed for this class, however there is an extra course fee of 50 euros to cover visits and materials.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CS 1040 - INTRO TO COMPUTER PROGRAMMING I 4 credits
Introduces the field of computer science and the fundamental concepts of programming. Starts with practical problem-solving and leads to the study and analysis of simple algorithms, data types, control structures, and use of simple data structures such as arrays and strings.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
CS 2020 - COMPUTER GAMES DESIGN 4 credits
This project-based course provides an in-depth understanding of how the computer game design process works. Students with little or no programming experience will learn how to create their own computer games using either "drag-and-drop" game engines to create 2Dimensional and 3Dimensional games without any programming or computer programming for wireless devices (cell phones), using a subset of Java programming language J2ME, with examples from the game development process. This project-based course provides an in-depth understanding of how the computer game design process works. Students with little or no programming experience will learn how to create their own computer games using either "drag-and-drop" game engines to create 2Dimensional and 3Dimensional games without any programming or computer programming for wireless devices (cell phones), using a subset of Java programming language J2ME, with examples from the game development process.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
DR/EN 2000 - THEATER ARTS 4 credits
Offers a practical workshop in the art of acting and dramatic expression. Students learn to bring texts to life on stage through a variety of approaches to performance. This course develops valuable analytical skills through play analysis, as well as building confidence in presentation and group communications skills through acting techniques and the rehearsal and performance of play scenes. May be taken twice for credit.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
EN/CL 2100 - INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING: A CROSS-GENRE WORKSHOP 4 credits
In this course, students practice writing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry while exploring the boundaries between genres. The workshop format includes guided peer critique of sketches, poems, and full-length works presented in class and discussion and analysis of literary models. In Fall, students concentrate on writing techniques. In Spring, the workshop is theme-driven. May be taken twice for credit.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 25
FM 1010 - MODERN FILMS & THEIR MEANINGS 4 credits
How does the unique language of cinema make meaning and convey emotions? This course provides multiple answers to that question by introducing the formal characteristics of film and enables the students to acquire the key vocabulary necessary to critically describe, analyse and interpret contemporary cinema. Each week, classes will focus on a foundational concept, ranging from principles of narration to different components of film style, and from why cinema matters to issues of spectatorship. Throughout the course, students will encounter a wide array of feature films from different genres around the globe. Students will also have the opportunity to practise close textual analysis through
assignments, and during class discussions delve deep into interpreting the dramatic functions of elements of style in the context of a single film.
Students are expected to participate in these activities in order to build their confidence and command over technical terminology, and work towards attaining their own carefully reasoned interpretations of film texts. In addition, students will learn about Parisian film culture and different approaches to film criticism through lectures and assignments.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
FM/CM 1019 - PRINCIPLES OF VIDEO PRODUCTION 4 credits
This course is designed to give you strong technical and conceptual skills in video production. This course will prepare you for future video work in film, journalism, media and communications, studio art, and can be useful across many other disciplines. You will learn to create several complete film and audio projects, each challenging you to explore new skills. Class time will be divided into lectures, screenings, and mostly in-class labs and critique. Homework will consist of readings, writing responses, shooting, editing and screenings.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
Course Fee: 105
FR 1100 - FRENCH AND CULTURE I 4 credits
This course is an introduction to French and is intended to help students acquire the basic elements of spoken and written French. Students will learn how to express themselves in everyday life situations. The students’ basic needs for linguistic and cultural information will be the main focus of this course. In class, work will be supplemented by multimedia activities and real-life situations in the city of Paris.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
FR 1200 - FRENCH AND CULTURE II 4 credits
This course is a second semester Elementary French course, a continuation of level FR 1010 with emphasis on acquiring basic level of proficiency in the language and understanding the culture of France and the Francophone world. This course will enable students to improve their comprehension skills through the use of authentic audio and video material and to acquire vocabulary to face situations in their real life in Paris. The four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) are reinforced and special emphasis is placed on pronunciation.In-class work will be supplemented by multimedia activities and real-life situations in the City of Paris.
Prerequisite: FR1100 OR FR1200 OR FR1200CCF
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
FR 1300 - FRENCH AND CULTURE III 4 credits
The aim of the course is to improve and widen the listening, speaking and writing skills of those taking it, consolidating their knowledge of the full range of basic grammatical structures and broadening their general range of vocabulary. By the end of the course, students should have reached approximately the level A2 standard on the Common European Framework References for Languages
Prerequisite: FR1200CCF OR FR1300CCI OR FR1200 OR FR1300
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
FR 2200 - FRENCH AND CULTURE V 4 credits
This high intermediate course will allow students to reach the B1+ CEFR (DELF) competencies by reinforcing and expanding their ability to express themselves, defend an opinion, and debate with others. Special attention is paid to increasing students' ability to form complex sentences to express attitudes, wishes, necessity, doubt, emotions, to link ideas and to speculate. A B1.1 level in French or a passing grade in a French and Culture IV class (FR 2100) is required.
Spontaneously and through active workshops and discussion, they will react and express their point of view on contemporary subjects and questions, such as access to knowledge (university or other) for all, the gaze on information at a time of “fake news” and the over-multiplication of distribution channels (Internet, social networks, etc.), the representation of so-called “visible” minorities in the media sphere, or the consequences of global warming on countries and their inhabitants...
Through learning that is both individual and collective, debates on ideas based on their past and current experiences in and out of class, but also a constant questioning of their representations, students will thus be encouraged to develop, in addition to their linguistic and cultural skills, their critical thinking and to better understand contemporary issues.
Prerequisite: FR2100 OR FR2100CCI OR FR2101 OR FR2102
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
HI 1091 B - TOPICS: AFRICA IN WORLD HISTORY BEFORE 1500 4 credits
Topics vary by semester
USC Credit Equivalency: (SYL) OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
HI 1091 A - TOPICS: LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY: FROM 1800 TO THE PRESENT 4 credits
This course examines the political, social, and economic transformations of Latin America from the turn of the nineteenth century to the present, weaving together intellectual currents, popular struggles, and global linkages. We begin with Enlightenment ideas and the wars of independence, then trace the legacies of slavery and abolition and the centrality of Indigenous questions—from local resistance to leaders such as Quintín Lame—to processes of territorial expansion and state formation. The course analyzes key episodes and structures that shaped modern Latin America: the export boom and the Belle Époque; the Mexican Revolution; the diffusion and adaptation of Marxist thought; U.S. interventionism and its effects; the Cuban Revolution; authoritarian developmentalism; the rise of military dictatorships; and the contemporary intersections of agribusiness, resource extraction, and the environmental crisis. Readings combine primary sources and recent historiography to explore continuities and ruptures across region and time, asking how ideas, class conflicts, racial hierarchies, and international markets produced competing projects of modernization, resistance, and environmental change. By the end of the course students will be able to situate major events in comparative perspective, critically assess diverse theoretical approaches, and analyze how past dynamics continue to shape present-day struggles over land, rights, and sustainability in Latin America.
USC Credit Equivalency: (SYL) OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
HI 2091 A - TOPICS: BLACK EUROPEANS IN HISTORY, LAW, ART 1500-1800 4 credits
Topics vary by semester
USC Credit Equivalency: (SYL) OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
HI 2091 B - TOPICS: FOODS, DRINK & DRUGS IN WORLD HISTORY 4 credits
Topics vary by semester
USC Credit Equivalency: (SYL) OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
LI/FR 2060 - INTRO TO LINGUISTICS/ A LA LINGUISTIQUE 4 credits
A bilingual survey of linguistics conducted in French and English. Combines theory and practice to introduce students to the basic concepts in phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Focuses on the study of the human language as a system, the forms and functions of words and sentence elements, the creativity inherent in language systems, and language varieties. Prepares students to further investigate areas such as Historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, language pathologies and first/second language acquisition.
Prerequisite: FR1300CCI OR FR1300 OR FR2100 OR FR2100CCI OR FR2200 OR FR2200CCI
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
MA 2400 - DISCRETE MATHEMATICS 4 credits
This course is designed to highlight discrete mathematical structures. Discusses propositional logic, proofs and mathematical induction, matrices of relations and digraphs, set theory and number bases, combinatorial analysis, graph theory and Boolean algebra.The prerequisite for this course is MA1010 or above or CS 1040.
Prerequisite: 3 Credits From List [MA1010,MA1010GE120,MA1020,MA1020CCM,MA1020GE120,MA1025CCM,MA1025GE120,MA1030,MA1030CCM,MA1030GE120,MA1040,MA1091,MA1091GE120,MA1910CCM,MA2007,MA2020,MA2030,MA2041] OR CS1040 OR CS1040GE110 OR CS1040CCD
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
MA 3066 - MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 4 credits
This course is designed to extend the statistical analysis of environmental and social science data: it will highlight the building blocks of multivariate analysis from the definition of the research problem to the interpretation of the results. Both dependence methods (that is in which one or several variables can be expressed in terms of the others – for instance Multivariate Analysis of Variance or Discriminant Analysis) and interdependence methods (where all the variables are analysed simultaneously – for instance Factor & Cluster Analyses or Multidimensional Scaling) will be studied.
Significant applications will be analysed and discussed so as to develop new insights.
Projects (individual or with peers), will allow the students to apply the multivariate models, thereby enhancing the importance of work and knowledge sharing.
Statistical software package: SPSS.
Prerequisite: MA 1020
Prerequisite: MA1020CCM OR MA1020 OR MA1020GE120
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
MA 3100 - APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS 4 credits
Applied Differential Equations takes the study of differential equations, begun in Calculus 1, to the next level, and further allows students a first meeting with difference equations.
The first, and larger part of the course, deals with differential equations (DE's) -- linear and non-linear DE's; first and higer-order DE's and systems of DE's; ordinary DE's and partial DE's. Examples come from population dynamics (in various species), hydrostatic equations for water and air, wave equations (for example sound waves, water waves, seismic waves,...)
The second part of the course looks at difference equations, with both time and space differencing connections with differentiation; solutions (numerically as well as algebraically); analysis of solutions in terms of convergence and stability. The one-way wave equation (advection equation) is looked at in more detail.
Prerequisite: MA1030CCM
USC Credit Equivalency: MATH245
ME 2010 - SITUATING THE MIDDLE EAST 4 credits
The Middle East is a region of great diversity with different histories, cultures, languages and populations. It constitutes nevertheless a systematic entity, with close interrelations, and many common political, cultural and socio-economical challenges. The course will explore the cultural, political, ethnic and geographical realities of the region (historically and in the present). It will present as well the ongoing debates and themes in major political and cultural circles.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
PL 1300 - KNOWING WHY: FORMAL LOGIC AND CAUSAL REASONING 4 credits
You will understand better why you and why others hold the beliefs they do. The course combines a complete introduction to propositional and predicate logic with an overview of types of causal reasoning. You will apply these new skills to analyze and engage with natural language arguments about philosophical topics and other controversial themes of the day.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
PO 2050 - POLITICAL ANALYSIS 4 credits
This course examines the nature of knowledge claims in political science: how we know what we know and how certain we are. Research schools, the nature of description and explanation in political science, and basis issues of quantitative analysis will form the core elements of this course, while substantive themes may vary each year.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
PY 1000 - INTRO TO PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
This course discusses the intellectual foundations of contemporary psychology. Students learn about the concepts, theories and experiments basic to an understanding of the discipline, including classic thought and recent advances in psychology such as psychoanalysis, learning theory,biological mechanisms, developmental, social, cognitive, personality and abnormal psychology.
USC Credit Equivalency: TR-PSYC
PY 2046 - CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY 4 credits
Human beings are cultural beings. We cannot understand human nature without understanding its cultural fabric. We cannot understand ourselves and our being in the world without understanding this world as a cultural world, in fact, as consisting of multiple cultural worlds in which we live at the same time. In this course, we inquire why the cultural dimension is crucial for human psychology. To this purpose, we explore a number of cultural worlds, Western and non-Western. We also investigate various psychological functions such as thinking and consciousness, remembering and memory, and self-construction and identity. And we look at different cultural sign and symbol systems such as language, art, literature, and film. In this way, the course also offers the opportunity to think about our own cultural existence and the way we view ourselves and others.
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
PY 2055 - BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 4 credits
This course provides students with knowledge of the central nervous system of humans and an understanding of its contributions to various psychological functions. An emphasis will be on applying this knowledge to various diseases, disorders, and injuries. A further focus will be on how individuals who are affected understand their neurological changes and how they cope with them. Additional topics may include the mechanics of basic biological functioning in behaviors such as emotions, sleep and sexual behavior.
Prerequisite: PY1000CCI
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT
SC 1020 - ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 4 credits
This course is intended to introduce non-scientists to key concepts and approaches in the study of the environment. With a focus on the scientific method, we learn about natural systems using case studies of disruptions caused by human activity. Topics include global warming, deforestation, waste production and recycling, water pollution, environmental toxins and sustainable development. The relationships between science and policy, the media, and citizen action are also addressed.
*Lab required. Please note that an additional fee will be charged for this course.
Prerequisite: Co-Requisite: SC1020LLAB AND (MA1005CCM OR MA1020CCM OR MA1025CCM OR MA1030CCM OR MA1091CCM OR ELECMA-30 OR CCMCCM OR MA1010 OR MA1099CCIM OR MA1099CCI)
USC Credit Equivalency: OPEN ELECTIVE CREDIT