The Grants Management Training for Staff program is a two-course, online training module that is mandatory for all research administrators and other support staff who are seeking approval privileges on sponsored projects accounts.

Program Information

The Grants Management Training for Staff program is approximately 3 hours in duration and consists of two separate classes:

The Fundamentals of Research Administration
This introductory course will welcome you to the world of research administration at USC and will assist you in mastering key concepts necessary for effective management of sponsored projects. 

The course covers: the USC research environment and its principles; roles and responsibilities among the research community; general terms and policies associated with USC’s research and creative endeavors; and the lifecycle of a proposal and award.

And the Award Goes To…
This course will unlock the mystery of the award setup process and focus on post-award management issues. Discussion includes pre-award negotiations and actions such as revised budgets; the award acceptance process; project changes; rebudgeting; award administration policies; fulfilling project reporting obligations; and award closeout.

At the end of each class, you will be presented with a short quiz in which you need to score a 70% or higher to obtain completion credit.

Both of the above courses are also part of a comprehensive training program, The Cardinal & Gold Curriculum. Upon completion of the above two classes, users will earn credit for two of the six required courses needed to earn a Certificate in Research Administration. Participation in the C&G Curriculum is completely optional but strongly encouraged.

How Do I Launch the Program?

1. Point your browser to the Trojan Learn portal and log in using your USC ID.
2. Click the Contracts and Grants link on the right side of the page.
3. Click on the Request button next to “Grants Management Training for Staff”. The program will be added to your Transcript.
4. From your Transcript, click Open Curriculum.
5. Click the Required for Completion tab (on the left side of your screen) and then click the Launch button to begin the course(s).

Please Note: Once you click “Launch”, the course may take a couple minutes to load.

Contact Information

For Technical Assistance
Contact: Trojan Learn Help Desk
Phone: (213) 740-8648
Email: trojanlearn@usc.edu

For Program Assistance
Contact: Noah Congelliere
Phone: (213) 740-7392
Email: Congelli@usc.edu

DCG’s Research Administration Certification Program
As the University of Southern California has grown to become one of the world’s leading private research universities, so too has the need to provide training and support to those involved in the field of research administration.

The Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) is responsible for assessing and addressing the training needs of all USC employees who work in contract and grant development. We are committed to providing the knowledge, tools, and guidance necessary for the USC research community to successfully carry out their sponsor endeavors.

What is The Cardinal & Gold Curriculum?

The C&G (Cardinal and Gold) Curriculum is a comprehensive online training program developed to meet the needs of today’s evolving research environment. Our training program allows participants to:

• Develop Greater Competency
• Increase Efficiency
• Improve Compliance According to USC and Sponsor Requirements

Instructional courses have been designed to foster an interactive learning environment while embracing new technologies. Moreover, the certification program ensures a standard level of expertise among those who support the research endeavor at USC.

Who Can Benefit from the C&G Curriculum?

The C&G Curriculum is a valuable resource for administrative or other support staff working at a program, department or dean’s office level. All university employees whose responsibilities bring them in contact with any aspect of contracts and grants will benefit from attendance.

C&G Curriculum Description

The C&G Curriculum consists of four core courses and eight optional courses offered through Trojan Learn, USC’s new university-wide online learning and development platform. Participants may enroll in as many courses as they choose. Each course lasts from one to three hours and makes use of real-life scenarios, case studies, course discussion and review exams.

It is not necessary to complete the classes in any particular order, however, we recommend that all students take Fundamentals of Research Administration course to learn the basic terms and definitions associated with research administration. The program is not mandatory, however, it is highly recommended to those involved in the academic research community.

List of Courses

Please Note: Once you complete the two core courses “The Fundamentals of Research Administration” & “And the Award Goes To…”, you will have satisfied the requirements for the Grants Management Training for Staff program. These two courses are present in both the C&G Curriculum and the Grants Management Training for Staff program such that completion of either course in one program applies completion to the other.

How Do I Sign Up for the Curriculum?

Signing up for the C&G Curriculum is simple:

1. Point your browser to the Trojan Learn portal and log in using your USC ID.

2. In the search bar on the upper-right portion of the screen enter “C&G Curriculum” and click search.

3. The C&G Curriculum will show up in your search results along with a button next to it that says “Request Training”.

4. Click the “Request Training” button and the C&G Curriculum will automatically be added to your My Transcript module.

5. From your My Transcript module, you can launch the C&G Curriculum and take the offered courses.

Earn a Certification

Participants who wish to earn a Certificate in Research Administration will be required to take a total of six courses: four core courses and two optional courses. Certificates are sent out at the end of every month to students who have completed the program.

Contact Information

For Technical Assistance
Contact: Trojan Learn Help Desk
Phone: (213) 740-8648
Email: trojanlearn@usc.edu

For Program Assistance
Contact: Noah Congelliere
Phone: (213) 740-7392
Email: Congelli@usc.edu