This fall, USC Dornsife unveiled a new intensive program, an official academic credential, open to all undergraduate students of any major.
The goal of the program is to give students experience in a specific area of study that will give them an advantage in their job market, according to the USC Dornsife website.
“We’re really trying to have a big career preparation component,” Jennifer Bankard, Associate Professor in the Writing Program, said.
The fall 2026 intensives are built around three clusters: AI for Molecular Biology, Survey Design and Data Analysis and Writing and Responsible AI.
Completing an intensive requires taking three courses that satisfy whichever cluster the student chooses, then a credential will appear on the graduates’ diploma. The 12 unit intensive takes up fewer units than a minor, which usually require 16-24 units.
Although some classes are still under development and expected to launch in the spring semester, some are running this fall. Advanced Writing for Arts and Humanities, AI and Society is currently open for students to take and satisfies one of the requirements for the Writing and Responsible AI Intensive.
As the professor of this course, Bankard says literacy and critical thinking are prioritized in the intensive program, making sure that students are “getting exposure to AI” and “being able to think without AI.”
“So that they are better prepared and they’re more literate about it and can speak more confidently about it,” Bankard said, “like when they’re in a job interview or something like that.”
Students, like Victor Liu, a freshman studying business administration, showed interest in the program despite not having heard from it.
“The goal for everyone here is to graduate with a good job lined up for them, so I think being able to have the skills required for whatever field they want to go into is very important,” said Liu.
Tony Yoo, a senior with a major in quantitative biology and a minor in cinematic arts, is now taking “Structural Bioinformatics: From Atoms to Cells” and aims to finish its corresponding intensive cluster, AI for Molecular Biology, in the future.
Yoo, who had previously worked at biomedical engineering research labs, said he found out about the program through a lab and recommended it for other students.
“CS engineers used to be guaranteed jobs six years ago, now, there’s basically no jobs,” Yoo said. “Within the changing paradigm, I think you kind of have to adapt to new changes. I think that is probably the reason I would take this course.”
USC Dornsife is planning to launch more courses under the intensive program in the following semesters, according to their website.
Edited by Leo Li and Fashion Castillo