- About
About USC Gould
USC Gould is a top-ranked law school with a 120-year history and reputation for academic excellence. We are located on the beautiful 228-acre USC University Park Campus, just south of downtown Los Angeles.
- Academics
Academics
Learn about our interdisciplinary curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and specialized areas.
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- Admissions
Admissions
USC Gould helps prepare you for a stellar legal career. You can pursue a JD degree, one of our numerous graduate and international offerings, or an online degree or certificate.
- Students
Students
Participate in an unparalleled learning experience with diversity of people and thought. Get involved in the law school community and participate in activities that enhance your studies.
Student Quick Links:
- Careers
Careers
We work closely with students, graduates and employers to support successful career goals and outcomes. Our overall placement rate is consistently strong, with 94 percent of our JD class employed within 10 months after graduation.
- Faculty
Faculty
Our faculty is distinguished for its scholarship, as well as for its commitment to teaching. Our 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio creates an intimate and collegial learning environment.
- Alumni and Giving
- Admissions

Diversity & Inclusion
USC Gould School of Law
- STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICE
- + STUDENT LIFE AND ORGANIZATIONS
- ACADEMIC SERVICES AND HONORS PROGRAMS
- STUDENT WELLBEING
- DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND BELONGING
- LAW SCHOOL RESOURCES
- USC RESOURCES

Ranked No. 4 among top-20 law schools (U.S. News and
World Report Law School Diversity Index
Among the nation's most diverse law schools and best law schools for Hispanic students. (National Jurist and hispanicbusiness.com)
As one of the most diverse law schools in the nation, USC Gould recognizes the inherent value a diverse academic community offers to students, the legal profession and our broader society.
A Message from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Dean of Students for the JD Program

In my role as Dean of Students, I am thrilled to be part of the Gould School of Law at this critical juncture in our nation. There is intense focus on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and belonging. Gould is uniquely situated to make positive and meaningful contributions to the discussion, as we are preparing our students to be legal scholars and change agents after they leave the law school. While our students are only with us for a short time, here at Gould is where they are establishing the foundation for the leaders they will become.
During their time at Gould, tending to issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism is vital to ensuring that every member of the Gould community feels a sense of respect and belonging, can take advantage of all USC has to offer, and has an opportunity to maximize their potential. Tending to these critical issues after their time at Gould ensures that our students are entering the legal profession with the cultural competence and ability to analyze issues from multiple perspectives. As the world continues to diversify at a rapid pace, this will serve them well in their careers.
While we may approach issues of DEI, social justice, and anti-racism through different lenses, it is by coming together and tackling these matters that we begin to move from simply being diverse to also being inclusive. I look forward to leading the Gould community on this very important journey.
In solidarity,
Dr. Nickey Woods
By the Numbers
59% Women
Unlike many other law schools, USC enrolled women law students nearly a century ago. In fact, between 1900 and 1930, 115 women graduated from Gould. Learn about USC Gould's history.
47% Minority
In 2020, the Rosalie and Harold Rae Brown Charitable Foundation gifted a $1 million scholarship fund to enhance diversity efforts at Gould. Learn about more steps we are taking to support equity and justice.
14% LGBTQ
More than $200,000 has been raised to benefit LGBTQ+ students and students working towards LGBTQ+ equality. Learn about OUTLaw.
11% First-generation
Learn about the C. David Molina First Generation Professionals Program.
13% Economically disadvantaged
Learn about financial aid.
36% Out-of-state
Hailing from rural towns and big cities across 21 states.
See the full entering JD class profile
Global Perspective
- Take international and comparative law courses, including "International Human Rights," "International Arbitration," "International Business Transactions," "International Criminal Law," and "International Trade Policy and Public International Law."
- Study abroad in Italy, Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong and France (JD only).
- Find your community away from home: Students in USC Gould's JD, graduate and international programs hail from more than 70 countries, spanning six continents. With more than 7,000 international students each year, USC has long attracted one of the largest foreign student populations of any U.S. university.
- Extend your network through the Trojan Family, which comprises more than 10,000 law alumni - including partners in the world's largest law firms, leaders of civil rights movements, and CEOs and presidents of multibillion-dollar companies.
- Benefit from USC's global reach: USC maintains eight international offices around the world and dozens of international alumni clubs.
An Ongoing Commitment
USC Gould's community-building efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion include required diversity training for first-year JD students, regular school-wide conversations — and more.

C. David Molina First Generation Professionals Program
USC Gould provides support and mentoring to students who are the first in their families to earn a college degree.

Law, Race & Equity
USC Gould School of Law is committed to advancing justice, affirming the dignity and equality of all persons, and rejecting racism and bigotry in all its forms.

Student Organizations
At USC Gould, dozens of student organizations reflect the range of political, cultural, religious, ethnic, social and service interests of our diverse student body.

120 Years of Inclusivity
Inclusiveness has been a critical part of the school's culture since its founding. We continue to strive toward making USC Gould an even more diverse and equitable learning environment.
University-Wide
USC attracts more underrepresented minority graduate students than any public or private university in the Association of American Universities. The university ranked No. 6 most diverse university in the nation, according to data website Priceonomics, and No. 15 U.S. university in a Wall Street Journal survey that looked at student body diversity, resources for student success and graduates' ability to obtain satisfying, high-paying jobs.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
USC is implementing, and improving upon, diversity and inclusion initiatives to reflect the evolving needs of our community. Learn more.
First Generation Plus Success Center
Launched in fall 2020, the First Generation Plus Success Center includes high touch advising and coaching, virtual peer mentorship, assistance to access financial aid and scholarships, and a variety of online student success workshops to help first-generation, transfer, and DACA students succeed at USC. Learn more.
USC Student Equity and Inclusion Programs
USC Student Equity and Inclusion Programs include services and programs that focus on intersectionality, sense of belonging and well-being.
- Asian Pacific American Student Services
- Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs
- Latinx/Chicanx Center for Advocacy and Student Affairs
- LGBT Resource Center
- Trojan Food Pantry
- Veterans Resource Center
Questions?
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