University of Southern California

Business Administration

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Welcome to USC’s Marshall School of Business! We hope this site helps you discover why so many high schools students choose USC Marshall as the most exciting place to spend their college years.

At USC Marshall, you will develop a thorough knowledge of business fundamentals, including organizational behavior, finance and business economics, business communication, accounting, marketing and business strategy. During your junior and senior years you will choose courses that allow you to study one more specific areas of business in depth. Every semester our academic advisors help you plan your schedule so that you can graduate on time.

Freshman candidates are evaluated on the rigor of their high school course work, grades and standardized test scores. A personal resume, an essay and school recommendations play an important part in the admission decision as well. We also consider class rank, honors courses, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate work when assessing grade point averages.

We believe in academic rigor – but we don’t believe in cutoffs for grades, rank in class or test scores. At Marshall, we think about you as a whole person.

All admitted USC students who indicate business or accounting as their first choice major will be directly admitted to the Marshall School of Business as freshmen.

We encourage you to get to know us from our receptions, campus tours and more, and to learn about us even if you can’t make it to campus. Find more information, download our brochures (below) and discover how being a USC Marshall student will jumpstart your career and transform your world.

Download our brochures

High School Preparation

Admitted students have the following high school course profile:

  • 4 years - English (composition and literature)
  • 3 years - Mathematics (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra, trigonometry)
  • 3 years - Electives (e.g. computer science, art, music, speech)
  • 2 years - Foreign Language
  • 2 years - Natural Science (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics)
  • 2 years - Social Science (e.g. U.S. history, government, economics, geography)


Learn how to be better prepared and more competitive when it is time to apply to USC

Interviews are a great way for us to get to know you, but they are optional. To schedule an on- or off-campus interview, click here.



AP Exams

USC grants 4 USC units for most AP exams passed with a minimum score of 3. A maximum of 32 units can be awarded for AP exams. Students with a score of 4 or 5 on the AP exams listed below will be given General Education or Marshall prerequisite subject credit as follows:

General Education Category I: Cultures & Civilizations I

  • AP Art History
  • AP European History

General Education Category III: Scientific Principles

  • AP Biology
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Physics B or C (Mechanics or Electricity/Magnetism)

Business Administration Requirements

  • AP Calculus AB or BC (MATH-118)

Students may also receive credit for college courses taken while in high school

IB Exams

USC grants 20 units of credit to students who earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a score of 30 or higher, or 6 semester units of credit for each score of 5, 6, or 7 on the IB Higher Level exams, up to a maximum of four exams, whichever is higher. The following IB exams fulfill 6 units and fulfill USC subject requirements:

General Education Category I: Cultures and Civilizations I

  • IB History: Europe

General Education Category II: Global Cultures & Traditions

  • IB Islamic History
  • IB History: East and South East Asia and Oceania
  • IB History: Africa
  • IB History: South Asia, the Middle East & North Africa

General Education Category III: Scientific Principles

  • IB Biology
  • IB Chemistry
  • IB Physics

Business Administration Requirements

  • IB Mathematics (MATH-118)

Tuition and Scholarships

Our top priority is supporting you as pursue your dreams.

The cost of attending USC can be offset by financial aid and a variety of student scholarships.

Featured Scholarship

The Norman Topping Student Aid Fund (NTSAF) assists students with high financial need who demonstrate an extraordinary level of community awareness in their pursuit of higher education at the University of Southern California. Applicants residing in areas surrounding the University Park and Health Science campuses, in addition to first-generation college students, are given primary consideration, although the scholarship is not limited to these populations. The Norman Topping Student Aid Fund is the only student initiated, student funded, primarily student administered scholarship in the nation.