Before coming to USC, I knew little about the Thematic Option Honors Program. Even though I researched online about what being in T.O. entailed, there still wasn’t that much information, so choosing T.O. was a blind decision for me.

USC defines T.O. as “a rigorous, humanities-based alternative to USC’s General Education Core program” that focuses on interdisciplinary teachings. T.O. classes essentially take the place of students’ General Education courses; however, both have the same amount of GE requirements.

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Like students taking traditional GEs, T.O. students are required to take two writing courses. As for GEs, they are required to take one GE-C, GE-A, GE-F and GE-E. The rest of the T.O. classes include CORE 101-CORE 104. More information can be found on the Thematic Option page of the USC Catalogue.

Currently, I have one T.O. class remaining, and I can confidently say I’ve enjoyed my time in the program. 

Classes at USC, especially GEs, can have a lot of students, and lecture halls are often completely full. T.O. classes are small and intimate. Teachers generally know most, if not all, of their students by name, so students have the opportunity to receive individualized attention and feedback. 

T.O. is generally reading and writing intensive; depending on the student, this can be good or bad. My T.O. classes have introduced me to many interesting texts, from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” to Sarah Moss’ “Ghost Wall.” The required readings may be challenging, but they’re tailored to the specific class, which allows students to discuss and bring in different perspectives. 

T.O. content can be niche. For example, my CORE 104 class, “People and Things: Perspectives on Consumer Culture,” has been one of the coolest T.O. classes I’ve taken. It introduced concepts that factored into my life that I’d never actively thought about such as Karl Marx’s commodity fetish, kleptomania and consumerism market trends. 

Most of the people who are in T.O. actually want to be there, which makes for a stimulating environment. You’re surrounded by people who are enthusiastic about learning and are absorbed in our class material.

T.O. students receive a newsletter that showcases lots of events and highlights different opportunities. T.O. also offers free trips to its students, which are great ways to explore the city and make friends.

I would advise incoming students to choose T.O. if they enjoy small classes, reading and writing, engaging topics, passionate students and free trips. Don’t be intimidated by the description of T.O. I wouldn’t say the classes are difficult, but you do have to put in effort and work. If you don’t like T.O., you can drop it and go to the regular GE program — your work in T.O. will be transferred, so you’re not taking more classes than you have to.

However, while T.O. is great, I wouldn’t advise someone to take T.O. courses if they’re focused on graduating early and they’ve come in with a lot of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate credits to waive the GE requirements. 

T.O. classes can’t be waived by high school credit, which can elongate the graduation process. However, since T.O. students have to take one GE-C, GE-A, GE-F and GE-E, AP and IB credit can be used for those courses. 

Pro tip: The summer after graduating high school and before your first semester starts at USC, students can take classes at a local community college to waive GE credits. This is the only time to do it. You can find more information about the articulation agreement between California schools on the website.

To be a part of T.O., students have to apply before starting USC, and only fall freshmen can apply. I’ve learned so much and enjoyed my time in T.O., so I think T.O. needs to be an option for more people. USC and T.O. administration need to work together to market the course better and create a comprehensive review about what T.O. is all about — not just that it’s an honors program.

T.O. is a great program for incoming freshmen, and it’s definitely a worthwhile alternative to consider instead of the traditional GE path.