Policies, Guidance, Operations and Procedures
To guide researchers, we have compiled a list of USC policies and procedures related to IP and have included information about a new IP Policy and the Bayh-Dole Act. Please refer to the Other Resources page for a list of items that are not handled by our unit, along with links to USC offices and resources to support you. You can contact our licensing team for assistance with items that are outside the Stevens Center’s purview.
This policy aims to educate members of the university community about their rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property. This new policy describes the ways in which USC faculty, staff, and students can protect the intellectual property that they create for their benefit as well as preserve the interests of the university and the public. The Office of Research and Innovation, in consultation with the Stevens Center and the Office of the General Counsel, determines ownership of IP and facilitates the licensing, commercialization, or other transfer of USC IP.
Download updated USC IP Policy (2026)
Navigating USC’s 2026 Intellectual Property Policy Video
The USC Stevens Center is dedicated to refining processes to serve you better. A key focus area is the flow of information and engagement with our inventors during the patent application and prosecution stages. Please read an open letter about operational and procedural changes from the new Executive Director, Dr. Erin Overstreet.
Memorandum from the USC Office of Research that discusses the importance of reporting inventions in sufficient time to permit the filing of patent applications prior to U.S. or foreign statutory bars. Disclosure to the Stevens Center of funded inventions should be made at least 90 days prior to any public publication or presentation so that USC can fulfill its obligation to notify government sponsors. There is also a 12-minute training course, available through Trojan Learn: The Basics of Bayh-Dole (requires USC NetID and password).
Memorandum providing guidance to USC software developers — including faculty, staff, and students — on considerations for how to distribute USC-owned software. Such decisions can affect research collaborations, satisfaction of sponsor requirements, and the ability to patent inventions and software commercialization.
View and download the software memo.
View and download the related software exhibits.
3rd-Party Components List spreadsheet template
USC Research License (USC-RL) v4.0: