Master's Degree: Master’s degrees are typically the first level of graduate study after earning a bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree programs may be course-based, research-based, or a mixture of the two. Most full-time master’s degree programs take two years to complete. Sometimes you are able to attend school part-time to earn a master’s degree. In engineering, most master’s degrees are a Master of Science degree.

Doctoral Degree: The PhD, or the Doctor of Philosophy degree, is the highest academic degree awarded by most universities in the United States. Research is a key component of the PhD degree. Candidates complete their own original research as part of their degree requirements. PhD degrees can take anywhere from four to eight years to complete.

USC Progressive Degree Program: The Progressive Degree Program (PDP) allows USC undergraduates to begin working on their master’s degree while completing their bachelor’s degree. Most PDP students are able to finish their master’s degree in one year instead of two years and are able to reduce the amount of units required for the master’s degree. Visit the Viterbi PDP program website for more information.

Each program has specific application deadlines that can vary widely. However, we recommend the following timeline: 

Junior Year (15-18+ months before beginning graduate school)

• Start researching programs you might be interested in. Your search should be broad to begin with.
• Begin to explore possible sources of financial aid.
• Register for any standardized tests you will need to take to be admitted. Use a study guide and take practice tests to prepare.
• If you are ready, take the test.
• Decide whom to ask for letters of recommendation.
• Check your unofficial transcript to make sure everything is in order.
• Write a rough draft (or drafts) of your statement of purpose.

Senior Year: Fall Semester (9-12 months before beginning graduate school)

• Meet with faculty to request letters of recommendation.
• Have various people read your statement of purpose and write a final draft.
• Complete your applications and  mail them (if paper). Allow plenty of time.
• Ask the registrar’s office to forward your transcripts.
• If necessary, apply to programs for fellowships or assistantships.
• Check with programs to make sure your applications are complete.

Senior Year: Spring Semester (6-9 months before beginning graduate school)

• Complete the FAFSA and any other required financial aid documents.
• Make sure your schools have a number where they can reach you with their decision, so that you don’t miss out on an opportunity.
• Visit campuses, if feasible. Talk to faculty and students in order to help make your final decision.
• Once formally accepted by the program of your choice, contact other schools to decline acceptances. After April 15, you will need a written release from a school you’ve accepted if you change your mind.
• If you were not accepted, decide if you can and want to improve your application for the following year. Consider other, possibly less competitive schools, providing they are still satisfactory.

A gap year is typically a one to three year break taken by a student between leaving college and starting a graduate education. For some students, going directly into a graduate program may seem daunting. The time after graduation can be pivotal for your identity development and exploration of career goals. This is the time to do something meaningful and potentially skill building.

Reasons to take a gap year:

• Better transition into the real world
• Great way to learn adaptability, independence, and other life skills
• Opportunity to explore possible career interests
• A chance to add experience to your resume or graduate school applications
• After you start working, you might not have another opportunity to take a break!

Gap year options:

• Internship programs for recent graduates
• Full-time/part-time employment
• Teaching programs
• Volunteering/service programs
• Cultural exchange programs

• Interests and Reputation of Faculty: What are the research and teaching specialties of the faculty, and do they match with your interests?
• Course Offerings: What kinds of courses are offered? Do they suit your interests and professional goals? What courses are required, and how much choice will you have? How often are the courses offered that are of most interest to you? Can you take courses outside of the department if you want to?
• Student Life: What is the class size? What is the educational approach? What is the ratio of teachers to students? What do you need to do in order to graduate? What is the exam format? What percentage of students graduate? How many years do students usually spend in the program? Are extracurricular learning opportunities available, such as internships? What placement assistance does the program offer?
• Geographical Location: Will living in certain places or kinds of places help you professionally or personally?
• Facilities: What is the quality of the libraries, computer labs, or other research facilities at the institution?
• Finances: What sources of financial aid are available through the program? What percentage of students are funded? For how many years is funding guaranteed? Are dissertation-year fellowships available? Are there any sources of summer funding?

Start the writing process by reading the prompt. Neglecting to address a specific question or failing to follow directions about page or word limits are unlikely to impress.

In addition to the specific prompt, it is important to include the following:

1. Your preparation and background in the field of study.
2. Your specific area of interest in the field. Explain what area of the profession you see yourself getting into, and how you see the degree helping you to get there.
3. Your research ambitions in the field.
4. Why you are applying to this program/school. Explain to the schools or departments why you are a good fit with them. This means saying something about the school that could not be said about most other schools. For example, instead of writing “you have a very strong faculty,” mention specific examples of faculty research that interest you.
5. Your future career goals.
6. Positively address inconsistencies in your application. If you know there is some striking weakness in your application (perhaps a GPA or score that is glaringly low or some long gap in your resume) you will want to account for it in your statement. If, as a result of suddenly needing to work a 40-hour week to support yourself, your grades slipped significantly, that might well be something to address. You should make sure to explain it in terms as positive as possible. For any personal struggles that you have worked through, express that it is safely in the past and will not recur in graduate school. If you struggled at first in school, but your grades have improved every year, or your grades in your major are particularly outstanding, these are things you could point out. Some people suggest including such explanations only in a separate addendum so that the tone of your essay is uniformly positive.