Progressive Degree Programs: Perspectives From a USC Alum
I wish someone had told me about Progressive Degree Programs when I was an undergraduate. I had basically completed all of the requirements for my two majors at the end of junior year. I could have spent my last year starting—and maybe even finishing—a master’s degree instead of auditing a bunch of classes for fun. So now, I’ll tell anyone who will listen about this insanely great academic opportunity…
USC’s Progressive Degree Programs allow high achieving students to apply for and start a master’s degree program as early as junior year. (Yes! While they’re still undergraduates!) There are a number of advantages to pursuing a PDP program:
It takes less time! It condenses the total amount of time it takes to get both your undergraduate and graduate degrees. This is true not only because you can start on your graduate degree early, but also because some programs will waive requirements—up to one-third of them—depending upon your undergraduate coursework. Though you’re probably looking at five years for both degrees, you can actually sometimes do it in four. (Disclaimers: you’ll have to be willing to do some extra work and it will depend upon your undergraduate/graduate program combo).
It costs less! It reduces the total cost of both your undergraduate and graduate degrees. You can actually use undergraduate tuition—up to a certain amount—towards graduate courses. Yup! That means using your undergraduate financial aid and scholarships. Learn more here.
It’s easy to apply! It will include a streamlined application process. You get to bypass the regular admission process. And, maybe the best part: you won’t have to submit a Graduate Record Examination or GRE (think the SAT, but for graduate school).
I should mention that not all master’s programs are offered as a PDP. And not all undergraduate majors have a corresponding Progressive Degree Program. While certain majors or minors might be recommended, in most cases, you can apply to PDPs regardless of what you’re pursuing as an undergraduate. Click here for a full list of current programs.
So now that you know what a PDP is, let’s hear from one of our alums, Paulo Hernandez-Farella, Class of 2019. Take it away Paulo…
One of the main reasons I chose USC is it allowed me to pair my dance studies and academic studies in multiple ways. One outlet I used to do this was USC’s Progressive Degree Program. I was so thankful for the Progressive Degree Program, as it allowed me to simultaneously start a master’s program while finishing my undergraduate studies. While at USC, there were many resources that helped me complete my BFA in Dance, a minor in Nonprofits, and a Master’s in Public Administration in just four years. As a Trustee Scholar, my tuition covered up to 18 units and allowed me to take 8 units of summer courses at no additional cost. During the school year, to complete additional courses, I applied for the Academic Achievement Award to take up to 21 units a semester. Summer was an amazing way to complete my General Education courses in a timely manner so that I could free up my schedule during the normal academic year. USC also has academic resources like the Writing Center, which I visited often to help me draft and edit big essays.
As a working professional dancer in a world-renowned dance company, I use my various degrees and education on a daily basis. Everything to do with dance is entangled in the public sector: federal grants, foundations, not-for-profit tax filing, etc. As both a dancer and a union representative in a union company, it’s been so helpful to understand how non-profit companies function. This context helped me successfully negotiate my company’s collective bargaining agreement this past year. It also helped me achieve record wage increases and many new clauses to better the quality of life for the dancers.
To all high school students debating which college to attend… If you’re academically driven and are already planning to attend graduate school, I highly recommend that you look into Progressive Degree Programs. They give you the opportunity to simultaneously complete multiple degrees from one of the top universities in the United States. As an artist, this program and the experience I received is priceless and has truly set me up for a diverse future.
Written by: Anne Aubert-Santelli, Associate Director – USC Office of Admission