Petroleum Engineering involves the technology of economically developing and producing subterranean reservoirs of oil, gas, steam, and hot water and designing underground waste disposal facilities. This technology relies on basic concepts of physics, chemistry, mathematics, geology, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and economics. Because more than 300 products are derived from petroleum, it has become a vital part of our everyday life. The petroleum industry is one of the largest and most prominent in the United States today, and the companies involved are dependent on the services of petroleum engineers to explore, discover, and produce oil and gas to meet energy needs.
The USC Viterbi School of Engineering’s Petroleum Engineering program is one of the oldest in the country with considerable industry support and interaction. Its assets are numerous – the advantages of a relatively small, friendly program, combined with the University’s impressive academic and research facilities; its proximity to major oil fields in California; and a quality education provided by experienced and nationally renowned faculty.
International Students: This program is eligible for the OPT STEM extension.
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.- A minimum of 27 units is required to earn the MS in Petroleum Engineering degree
- Required core courses: 18 units
- Elective courses: 9 units
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of ClassesAPPLICATION DEADLINES| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
|---|
| Fall 2019 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | December 15, 2018 |
| Fall 2019 (Final Deadline) | January 15, 2019 |
| Fall 2019 (Deadline to submit the Statement of Intent) | May 1, 2019 |
| Spring 2020 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | August 31, 2019 |
| Spring 2020 (Final Deadline) | September 15, 2019 |
Visit our Application Deadlines page for more information.
APPLICATION CRITERIA- An undergraduate degree in Petroleum Engineering (or other engineering, math, or hard science with assigned deficiencies) from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Deficiency Courses: Students without a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering must complete the following prerequisite courses at USC: Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media (PTE 411x), Petroleum Reservoir Engineering (PTE 412x), Formation Evaluation (PTE 461), Petroleum Geology (PTE 466), and Computational Reservoir Modeling (PTE 500) before beginning the M.S. program. Units from these courses cannot be applied towards the degree. Other prerequisite courses may be assigned on a case-by-case basis upon consultation with the Department Advisor.
- Satisfactory cumulative undergraduate GPA (grade point average)
- Satisfactory GRE and TOEFL test scores. All scores must be officially reported to the university directly by ETS.
- Satisfactory performance in previous coursework related to the intended major.
USC GRADUATE APPLICATION
APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR ALL APPLICANTS Transcripts: Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
GRE General Test: Satisfactory and valid test scores. Valid GRE scores must be dated within five years of the start of the intended application semester. The fall semester starts in August, and the spring semester starts in January. Official scores must be reported from ETS directly to USC using ETS school code 4852. A department code is not required.
Resume/CV (Required)
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.
Personal Statement (Required): 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.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS English Language Proficiency: In addition to the general admission criteria listed above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination to be considered a candidate for admission. 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. For more details on English Proficiency Criteria for the University of Southern California, please visit 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 2019 - Summer 2020 | $2,075 | $6,225 | $8,300 |
| Fall 2018 - Summer 2019 | $2,005 | $6,015 | $8,020 |
TUITION & SAMPLE COURSE PLAN FOR 27 UNIT PROGRAM
STUDENT FEES
| Fee Description | Fee Amount | On-Campus | DEN@Viterbi |
|---|
| Mandatory Fees (approximate) | Fall 2019: $475
Spring 2020: $420 | | |
| Health Insurance | Fall 2019: $730
Spring 2020: $1,311 | | |
| Norman Topping Student Aid Fee | $8/semester | | |
| ENGR Computing Access Fee (On-Campus students) | $75/semester |
| |
| ENGR Computing Access Fee (DEN@Viterbi students) | $35/semester | |
|
| Exam Proctoring | $40 - $100 per course | | |
Detailed Information on Tuition & Fees
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online.
If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student.
Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS
The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
Required Courses
|
| All Courses Required – 18 units total. |
| PTE 507 | Engineering and Economic Evaluation of Subsurface Reservoirs (3 units) |
| PTE 508 | Numerical Simulation of Subsurface Flow and Transport Processes (3 units) |
| PTE 517 | Testing of Wells and Aquifers (3 units) |
| PTE 531 | Enhanced Oil Recovery (3 units) |
| PTE 555 | Well Completion, Stimulation, and Damage (3 units) |
| PTE 582 | Fluid Flow and Transport Processes in Porous Media (3 units) |
| Elective Courses |
| 3 Courses Required – 9 Units total. |
| PTE 502 | Advanced Reservoir Characterization (3 units) |
| PTE 511 | Advanced Phase Behavior of Petroleum Reservoir Fluids (3 units) |
| PTE 514 | Drilling Engineering (3 units) |
| PTE 542 | Carbonate Rocks (3 units) |
| PTE 545 | Corrosion Control in Petroleum Production (3 units) |
| PTE 572 | Engineering Geostatistics (3 units) |
| PTE 578 | Advanced Production Engineering (3 units) |
| PTE 581 | Environmental Technology in the Petroleum Industry (3 units) |
| PTE 586 | Intelligent and Collaborative Oilfield Systems Characterization and Management (3 units) |
| PTE 587 | Smart Completions, Oilfield Sensors and Sensor Technology (3 units) |
| PTE 588 | Smart Oilfield Data Mining (3 units) |
| PTE 589 | Advanced Oilfield Operations with Remote Immersive Visualization and Control (3 units) |
| Students without a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering must complete the following prerequisite courses at USC: Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media (PTE 411x), Petroleum Reservoir Engineering (PTE 412x), Formation Evaluation (PTE 461), Petroleum Geology (PTE 466), and Computational Reservoir Modeling (PTE 500) before beginning the M.S. program. Units from these courses cannot be applied towards the degree. Other prerequisite courses are to be decided on a case-by-case basis upon consultation with the Department Advisor. |
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