This 17-unit graduate certificate is jointly sponsored by the Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Department and the USC Price School of Public Policy (Master of Health Administration program), and administered by the Epstein ISE Department. This certificate is designed for students with bachelor's degrees in applied social science, engineering or the sciences, who are interested in operations management and health care applications. The courses taken for the certificate may be applied later to the Epstein ISE Department's Master of Science in Engineering Management degree or the USC Price School of Public Policy's Master of Health Administration degree subject to approval of the appropriate academic unit.
International Students: Please note that this Graduate Certificate program is not eligible for an F-1 visa and is therefore not suitable for international applicants intending to enroll in this program as an on-campus student.
Please Note: Requirements for graduation, course offerings, course availability, track offerings and any other degree requirements are subject to change. Students should consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for any classes.
- Required Courses: 14 units
- Elective Courses: 3 units
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
APPLICATION DEADLINES
| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
| Spring | September 1 (extended to October 1) |
| Fall | December 15 (Scholarship consideration)
January 15 (Final deadline) |
Visit our
Application Deadlines page for more information.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
- An undergraduate degree in engineering, math or hard science from a regionally-accredited university
- Satisfactory cumulative undergraduate GPA (grade point average)
- A minimum of three years of industrial experience is highly recommended prior to taking systems architecting, systems engineering, and design experience courses. This program is not recommended for bachelor's degree graduates without industrial experience
The following materials are required to be included with your online application:
- Transcripts: Upload Electronic Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. A mailed hard copy or official e-transcript is not required for admission to our programs.
- Submit an electronic copy of official transcripts (.pdf recommended) and other degree related documents through the online graduate application (International applicants, visit USC Graduate Admission’s Country Requirements page for details on required documents)
- Unofficial transcripts from university student portals are not acceptable
- If the transcript includes a separate grading scale, make sure it is also uploaded
- For upload purposes, all transcript related documents for a single school must be submitted as one document
- If you are admitted, you will be given specific instructions on submitting your hard copy transcripts
- Resume/CV
- Personal Statement: The personal statement should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
- Letters of Recommendation (3 Required): Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
English Language Proficiency: In addition to application requirements above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score required for admission to the Viterbi School. For possible exemption from additional language requirements, you must achieve an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 90, with no less than 20 on each section or an IELTS score of 6.5, with no less than 6 on each band score. Please review USC Graduate Admission – Proficiency in English.
The following is an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition.
TUITION
| Academic Year | Per Unit Rate | 3-unit Course | 4-unit Course |
| Fall 2025 - Summer 2026* | $2,665 | $7,995 | $10,660 |
| Fall 2024 - Summer 2025* | $2,543 | $7,629 | $10,172 |
| * Tuition is the same for on-campus and online students |
STUDENT FEES
| Fee Description | Fee Amount | On-Campus | DEN@Viterbi |
| Student Health Center Fee for 2024-25 (2025-26 not yet available) | $700/semester | | |
| Norman Topping Student Aid Fee | $11/semester | | |
| Graduate Student Programming Fee (On-Campus students) | $40/semester | | |
| Graduate Student Programming Fee (DEN@Viterbi students) | $20/semester | | |
| Exam Proctoring | $40 - $100 per course | | |
| Transportation Fee | $146/semester | | |
| Health Insurance (U.S.-based health insurance is required, but it does not have to be through USC) | Fall 2025: $1,224
Spring 2026: $2,298 | | |
Detailed Information on Tuition & FeesThis certificate is not available on DEN. For a full list of the 40+ engineering graduate programs available online, please visit
Online DEN@Viterbi Offerings.
Please complete the following form for more information.
