Minor FAQs

Who Should I Contact to Declare/Discuss an SCA Minor?

The minors are listed below according to supervising department. Please use the bolded abbreviation next to the minor to locate the appropriate email contact for curriculum questions.

  • 3D Animation (CTAN)
  • Cinematic Arts (STAF)
  • Comedy (CTWR)
  • Digital Studies (IML)
  • & Documentary (STAF)
  • Entertainment Industry (STAF)
  • Future Cinema (IML)
  • Game Animation (CTIN)
  • Game Audio (CTIN)
  • Game Design (CTIN)
  • Game Entrepreneurism (CTIN)
  • Games Studies (CTIN)
  • Game User Research (CTIN)
  • Immersive Media (CTIN)
  • Media and Social Change (IML)
  • Screenwriting (CTWR)
  • Themed Entertainment (CTIN)

 

CTAN (Animation and Digital Arts):
animation@cinema.usc.edu

CTIN (Interactive Media):
USCInteractive@cinema.usc.edu

CTWR (Writing for Screen & Television):
writing@cinema.usc.edu

IML (Media Arts & Practice):
MAP@cinema.usc.edu

STAF (Student Affairs):
studentaffairs@cinema.usc.edu

FAQs:

How do I know if I can register for an SCA course?
Open registration courses (courses in which the 5 digit section number ends in a “R”) are available to minors and non-majors provided you have met any listed prerequisites or restrictions. D-clearance courses (courses in which the 5 digit section ends in a “D”) are either restricted to specific majors/minors or priority is given to specific majors/minors and others may need to wait before being approved to register.

Who is my minor advisor? Can I meet with them?
Most minor programs of study do not have assigned academic advisors. Your major academic advisor can prepare a general course plan for you with the units necessary for your minor. If you have questions about specific minor courses or requirements, please email the department overseeing the minor (listed above) for advisement; an appointment may or may not be available with staff. 

Can I declare more than one minor in SCA?
Yes, but all USC minors must have a minimum of 16 units unique, meaning you will have to take at least 16 units for each individual program, even if a class is listed in the curriculum for both minors.

Can I declare a minor in SCA if I am an SCA major?
Yes (with one exception), but all USC minors must have a minimum of 16 units unique, meaning a class cannot count towards your major AND your minor if it is listed in the curriculum for both programs. The Cinematic Arts minor is the one exception to this rule, as it is specifically designed for non-SCA majors only.

What if I need to request a course substitution or exception for my minor?
Please email the department that oversees the minor so that they can give you access to the proper petition via SCA Community. Use the abbreviation guide above to find the appropriate department email.

What if I want to take a course that I have not met the prerequisite for?
Please email the department that oversees the minor so that they can give you access to the proper petition via SCA Community. Use the abbreviation guide above to find the appropriate department email. Petitions can take up to a semester to be decided, so please begin the process as soon as possible to ensure a timely response. Petitions submitted once classes have begun will not be decided before the add/drop deadline.

Can I take any courses for my minor abroad?
Possibly, but SCA minors can take no more than two courses abroad for their program, and they must complete a pre-approval advising form with the minor department first to confirm that the class(es) are applicable.

For the Cinematic Arts minor, which classes can be taken for the “8 additional upper-division units of Cinematic Arts electives?”
ANY SCA class 300 and above that is open to non-majors will count towards this requirement.

Where can I find out when and how to request d-clearances for SCA courses each semester?
D-Clearance Procedures

How do I register for CNTV 495?
To register for CNTV 495, students must first secure an internship. Please use the SCA Job Board and Office of Industry Relations resources posted on SCA Community to learn more about internship opportunities. Once you receive an official internship offer, you can request d-clearance for 495 through the Internship D-Clearance Form under “SCA Forms” on SCA Community. 

What if I get an internship offer midway through the semester? Can I still register for CNTV 495 and receive credit for the internship?
We will continue to clear students for CNTV 495 until the semester add/drop deadline. After that, students must submit a late registration petition to the registrar’s office in order to register for any course at USC, including 495.

I just requested d-clearance for a production course. What happens next?
Minors and non-majors will not be cleared for certain CTPR courses until after our majors have met with their assigned advisor and received any d-clearances necessary for degree completion. Because of this, minors and non-majors tend to be granted d-clearance for these classes later in the registration cycle. If you are granted d-clearance, you will be notified via email and given a deadline to register. If you do not receive an update via email, there have been no changes to your status on the waitlist. 

Do I need instructor approval to be cleared for a production course?
Only after the semester has begun. Obtaining an instructor’s approval BEFORE the start of the semester will not impact your d-clearance status, as instructors do not manage waitlists until after the semester has begun. At that time, instructor approval is required for d-clearance. Once approved by the faculty to join the course, please forward the email to studentaffairs@cinema.usc.edu to be cleared.

If an open registration class is full, is there a waitlist I can join?
No, open registration courses do not have waitlists. If a student drops the course and a seat opens up, whoever sees the opening and registers first will get the spot.