These programs are designed to help students strengthen their academic development at USC.  Created with the first year student in mind, these courses nurture individual student interests, and provide an intimate avenue to meet faculty and explore academic fields.  In addition, some of these programs offer fun and interesting topics ranging from political cartoons to science fiction and from the internet to issues in law and medicine, making it easy to have fun while learning. 

Arts and Humanities Initiative—Visions & Voices
Visions & Voices is a university-wide arts and humanities initiative established by Provost C.L Max Nikias in order to fulfill the goals set forth in USC’s strategic plan; to communicate USC’s core values to students; and to affirm the human spirit. The initiative provides a unique, inspiring and provocative experience for all USC students and challenges them to become world-class citizens who will eagerly make a positive impact throughout the world.

Calendar of events listed at: http://www.usc.edu/dept/pubrel/visionsandvoices/

Freshman Science Honors Program
The Freshman Science Honors Program (FSH) is more than just great classes and faculty; it’s a vibrant learning environment that includes special events, small labs, academic support, and a lively student community. The FSH curriculum gives exceptional freshmen a strong grounding in the natural sciences with an emphasis on understanding scientific research. Their outstanding faculty, lab directors, graduate assistants, and caring advisors help students through the first year of science studies and guide them toward their goals. FSH students are a community of aspiring scientists who share a passion for understanding the natural world. They are exposed to new developments in science and learn about many opportunities available to natural science majors in terms of continuing education at the graduate level and various career options.

For more information please visit the Freshman Science Honors Program’s website at http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/general_studies/fsh/

Freshman Seminars
Freshman Seminars are ten- to eleven-week courses, graded CREDIT or NO CREDIT, limited to only eighteen students, all of them freshmen.  Seminars are led by distinguished professors, who are invited to teach subjects they find especially intriguing or provocative and are usually topics not part of a traditional undergraduate curriculum. Professors offer to lead these seminars because of their enthusiasm for the topic and their desire to help incoming freshmen learn how to think in college.

For more information please email inds@usc.edu or call (213)740-2961.  The Freshman Seminars website is http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/general_studies/FSEM/. 

Learning Communities
Learning Communities are groups of up to 20 students who take two courses together: one that satisfies a general education requirement, and one that introduces a possible major or minor. Each group shares a faculty mentor and a staff advisor. There are also monthly dinners in the residential colleges, guest speakers, and field trips. Whether you are considering a health profession, law school, journalism, or a business career, there is a Learning Community to suit your interests and help you organize your options.

For more information contact the Office of College advising at (213)740-2534 or e-mail learning@usc.edu. You can visit the website at http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/cas/LearningCommunities/.

The Thematic Option Program
Thematic Option (T.O.) is the University's general education honors program for freshmen. The curriculum is based on four interdisciplinary core courses organized around central thematic questions. If you have been invited to participate in T.O. you will receive more detailed information directly from the program office.

If you have not been invited and are interested in more information, contact Dr. Pennelope Von Helmolt, Associate Director, (800)740-2961. The TO website is http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/general_studies/TO/ie.html.

USC Spectrum
USC Spectrum is a program under the Division of Student Affairs that presents the finest programs in the arts and lectures by nationally and internationally renowned speakers. Spectrum is intended to educate and entertain the USC community and our neighbors in Los Angeles. Visit http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/spectrum/ to see the list of events.

Writing Program
The Writing Program has principal responsibility for preparing USC students to write successfully in their academic and professional careers and for ensuring that they meet the university's composition requirement. Most students entering USC complete two semester courses to fulfill this writing requirement, starting at the freshman level with Writing 140.

In addition, on the basis of a placement examination administered at USC, certain students are required to complete an introductory course prior to enrolling in Writing 140, either Introduction to College Writing (Writing 120) or Introduction to College Writing (Writing 121), the companion course for non-native speakers of English.

For more information visit the Writing Program’s website at http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/writing/index.html