Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Engineering involves the technology of economically developing and producing subterranean reservoirs of oil, gas, steam, and hot water and designing underground waste disposal facilities. This technology relies on basic concepts of physics, chemistry, mathematics, geology, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and economics. Because more than 300 products are derived from petroleum, it has become a vital part of our everyday life. The petroleum industry is one of the largest and most prominent in the United States today, and the companies involved are dependent on the services of petroleum engineers to explore, discover, and produce oil and gas to meet energy needs.

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Petroleum Engineering program is one of the oldest in the country with considerable industry support and interaction. Its assets are numerous - the advantages of a relatively small, friendly program, combined with the University's impressive academic and research facilities; its proximity to major oil fields in California; and a quality education provided by experienced and nationally renowned faculty.

The Master of Science in petroleum engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. A student may be permitted to elect the program without thesis upon approval from the department. The Master of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering requires 27 units (18 units core courses, 9 units elective courses) of work beyond the Bachelor's Degree. The M.S. degree may be taken either with or without a thesis. The core courses are:

Masters in Petroleum Engineering, Smart Oilfield Technologies

The Master of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering, Smart Oilfield Technologies requires 34 units (30 units core courses, 4 units elective courses) of work beyond the Bachelor's Degree. The M.S. degree may be taken either with or without a thesis. The core courses are:

• An undergraduate degree in Petroleum Engineering (or other engineering, math, or hard science with assigned deficiencies) from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Deficiency Courses: Students without a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering must complete the following prerequisite courses at USC: Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media (PTE 411x), Petroleum Reservoir Engineering (PTE 412x), Formation Evaluation (PTE 461), Petroleum Geology (PTE 466), and Computational Reservoir Modeling (PTE 500) before beginning the M.S. program. Units from these courses cannot be applied towards the degree. Other prerequisite courses may be assigned on a case-by-case basis upon consultation with the Department Advisor.
• Satisfactory cumulative undergraduate GPA (grade point average)
• Satisfactory GRE and TOEFL test scores. All scores must be officially reported to the university directly by ETS.
• Satisfactory performance in previous coursework related to the intended major.
• Transcripts: Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• GRE General Test: Satisfactory and valid test scores. Valid GRE scores must be dated within five years of the start of the intended application semester. The fall semester starts in August, and the spring semester starts in January. Official scores must be reported from ETS directly to USC using ETS school code 4852. A department code is not required
• Letters of Recommendation (3 Required): Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study.
• Statement of Purpose (Required): The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
• Résumé or CV (required)
• English Language Proficiency: In addition to the general admission criteria listed above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination to be considered a candidate for admission.  There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score required for admission to the Viterbi School. For possible exemption from additional language requirements, you must achieve an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 90, with no less than 20 on each section or an IELTS score of 6.5, with no less than 6 on each band score.

Scholarships

• Merit-based scholarships