“Engineering+,” a very popular phrase that you’ve probably seen countless places on this blog site, shared by students and advertised on the Viterbi School of Engineering webpage. So what does the phrase actually mean? Engineering plus is the idea of doing more than just engineering. It’s about personalizing your engineering education and your journey at USC. It’s one of the things that led me to choose USC and one of the many unique aspects of Viterbi’s engineering program.
Every engineering major has a proposed 4-year course plan outlined in the Undergraduate student handbook: http://viterbiadmission.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Viterbi-Undergraduate-Handbook-2019.pdf
. The handbook not only includes the core classes and elective courses for each major but also USC’s general education and writing requirements. If you notice, each program has extra courses mixed into each semester called “optional electives” that are spots available for students to customize their 4-year course plan and pursue an Engineering+ education. Some choose to fill in these spots with a minor or double major, or just take classes for fun to explore a new topic.
I am currently a second-semester senior studying Electrical and Computer, and now that I am in my final semester at USC I thought I’d share some of the hidden gems that I’ve discovered among the classes offered at USC.
Harp (MPST 167)
Bollywood Dance (DANCE 187)
Stage makeup (THTR 222)
Farsi 1 (IRAN 12)
I’ve had some of the most exciting experiences through taking fun electives outside of my major which has introduced me to new cultures and perspectives. They are a great way to add variety to your schedule and meet different majors at USC. I cannot encourage Viterbi students to take advantage of the flexibility provided by Engineering+ to expose themselves to something new in college whether that’s picking up a new language, dance style, artform, or skill.
