The University of Southern California (USC) is a private research university in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1880, it is the oldest private research university in California. USC has 27,500 students and 2,200 faculty members. It is one of the world’s leading private research universities. The university has a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary studies and internationalism.
USC was founded by Robert M. Widney, who served as its first president from 1880 to 1884. The university opened its doors on October 6, 1881 with 53 students and 10 faculty members. The school’s first class was held in Inglewood (now part of the city of Los Angeles). USC moved to its current location in downtown Los Angeles in 1896. In 1905, the university established the School of Dentistry and the School of Pharmacy; both schools are now part of USC Health Sciences. In 1925, USC established the Graduate School for International Studies; it is now known as the Rossier School of Education. In 1928, USC began offering evening classes for working adults; this program is now known as USC continuing education programs offered through University College at USC (formerly called University College – Downtown Los Angeles).
Over the years, USC has grown significantly and today includes nine schools and colleges: Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism; Dornsife College of Letters Arts & Sciences; Gould School of Law; Keck School Medicine Of USC; Leventhal School Business Administration; Marshall School Of Business Administration; Price School Public Policy & Social Research; RoskiSchool Art And Design ; ViterbiSchool Engineering . Undergraduate programs are also offered through University College at USC (formerly called University College – Downtown Los Angeles), which offers more than 80 majors and minors across a wide range of disciplines including business administration , communication , economics , English , history , international relations , legal studies , nursing , theatre arts and more .
In addition to its academic programs, USC is also home to a number of research centers and institutes including: AIDS Institute ; Brain And Creativity Institute ; Center For Advanced Study In The Visual Arts ; Center For Astrophysics & Space Sciences ; Center On Public Diplomacy ; Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Research Institute ; Information Sciences Institute .