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University Of South Carolina Columbia

University Of South Carolina Columbia

The University of South Carolina, also referred to as USC, SC, or simply Carolina, is a public, co-educational, research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. USC’s campus is spread across an area of 359 acres. It is the flagship institution of the University of South Carolina System. The university offers various degrees and programs through the following academic divisions:

  • Arnold School of Public Health
  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • College of Education
  • College of Engineering and Computing
  • College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management
  • College of Mass Communications and Information Studies
  • College of Nursing
  • College of Pharmacy
  • College of Social Work
  • Moore School of Business
  • School of Law
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Music
  • School of the Environment
  • South Carolina Honors College
  • The Graduate School

USC’s athletic teams are nicknamed the Gamecocks. They compete in the Southeastern Conference.

Below is a statement provided to CityTownInfo by the University:

The University of South Carolina is home to more than 200 years of history and tradition, rising from a single building in 1805 on what would become the heart of the campus, the Horseshoe. The 11 buildings that now make up the Horseshoe frame a lush lawn that is an irresistible gathering place.

The University is expanding west toward the Congaree River in support of its research initiatives in nanotechnology, health sciences, Future Fuels, the environment, and information and knowledge technologies. Three separate sites, each specializing in its own research area, will comprise this new innovation district, called Innovista. It will initially cover 500,000 square feet spread over about six city blocks but is projected to grow to five million square feet, mixing University and private research buildings, parking garages, and commercial and residential units around a public plaza called Foundation Square. By creating space for residences, retail, restaurants, and recreation that will complement the research, Innovista will be a place to live, learn, and work.

For additional information about USC, please read our interview with the University's career director.

Overview of University Of South Carolina Columbia

The main campus of University Of South Carolina is in Columbia, SC (a medium-sized city). The school is a public school. University Of South Carolina offers degrees up to the Doctoral degree.

Areas of Study

The school offers more choices of majors than most colleges its size.

University Of South Carolina Selectivity

University Of South Carolina does not accept everyone who applies. In 2007, SAT verbal scores of half of students were 520 to 620. Three-fourths of students accepted in 2007 had SAT math scores of 540 or more.

Faculty

University Of South Carolina offers tenure to reward and retain some professors. Salaries for full-time faculty at the school are higher than most, allowing the school to afford quality teaching.

Student Body

In 2007, University Of South Carolina had 27,272 enrolled students.

Student Life

Meal plans are available. Student athletes at University Of South Carolina belong to the Southeastern Conference for major sports.

More complete details are provided below.

Contacting University Of South Carolina

University Of South Carolina Columbia
Columbia, SC 29208
General Phone: (803) 777-7000
http://www.sc.edu/

University Of South Carolina Programs and Degrees (2007)

General CategoryDegreesMost Common Majors [see all]
Business And Management1,055business management, accounting, international business, finance, retail, marketing, human resources, managerial economics, ...
Liberal Arts1,046library science, English, political science, history, sociology, liberal arts and sciences, international relations, economics, ...
Education And Teaching598elementary school teaching, early childhood education, educational administration, secondary teaching, college student counseling, physical education teaching, school counseling, special ed, ...
Science390biology, chemistry, geology, marine biology, biomedical sciences, physics, physical science courses, biostatistics, ...
Media351public relations, advertising, journalism, broadcast journalism, digital communications, mass communication
Family And Social Work277social work, public administration
Therapy And Counseling270experimental psychology, clinical psychology, school psychology, physical therapy, substance abuse counseling
Engineering261mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, nuclear engineering, archeology, biomedical engineering
Nutrition And Exercise Therapy249sports and fitness management, exercise science, rehabilitation
Law240law
Medicine189pharmacy, medicine, public health, gerontology, pharmaceutics and drug design
Nursing And Emergency Medicine181registered nursing, nurse anesthetist, community nurse, nursing science, various nursing, mental health nursing, nursing administration
Security And Law Enforcement176criminal justice and administration
Hospitality156hospitality management, tourism and travel
Computer Science And Engineering99computer engineering, computer and info science, computer security, software engineering, information science
Fine Arts82fine arts, art history and criticism
Mathematics81mathematics, statistics, applied mathematics
Photography And Commercial Art76film and photography, film studies
Music76music, music performance, conducting, various music studies, voice, music history and theory, music theory and composition
Medical Administration50public health education, health care facilities management, environmental health
Medical Support And Technology49speech pathology, cardiovascular tech, audiology and speech pathology
Religion And Philosophy40philosophy, religion
Drama And Performing Arts36drama, dance
Office And Administration35office management
Real Estate And Construction Management23real estate

Number of programs and degrees for University Of South Carolina in 2007:

Degree LevelTotal
Awarded
Number of
Programs
Bachelor's degree3,72576
Master's degree1,61295
First-professional degree3973
Doctor's degree24460
Postbaccalaureate certificate6616
Post-master's certificate315
Associate's degree111

University Of South Carolina Student Body

In 2007, University Of South Carolina had a total enrollment of 27,272 students (23,955 full-time equivalent).

Students in the Freshman Class:

GroupPercent
Men43%
Women57%
Full-Time99%
Part-Time1%

Students By Class:

GroupPercent
Undergraduate66%
Graduate30%
First Professional5%

Racial Diversity:
RacePercent
White69%
Black14%
Hispanic2%
Asian3%
American Indian0%
Unknown9%
(Foreign Students)4%

Students by Age:

AgePercent
Under 181%
18-1926%
20-2127%
22-2419%
25-2912%
30-345%
35-394%
40-494%
50-643%
65+0%

Incoming (Freshman) Students by Place of Residence:
(From available data sampling)

ResidencePercent
South Carolina57%
North Carolina8%
Virginia5%
Georgia5%
Maryland4%
Pennsylvania3%
New Jersey3%
Ohio2%
New York1%
(International Students)1%
Florida1%
Massachusetts1%
Tennessee1%
Illinois1%
Connecticut1%
Kentucky1%
Texas1%

University Of South Carolina Graduation, Retention, and Transfers

Retention Rates (2007):

GroupReturning From
Previous Year
Full-Time87 %
Part-Time35 %

University Of South Carolina Room and Board (2007)

University Of South Carolina offers campus housing for 6,211 of its 23,955 (full-time) students. Freshmen are required to live on campus.

(Please refer to our profile of Columbia, South Carolina for details about the area surrounding the campus. Also see our list of other South Carolina Colleges).

The school offers students a meal plan with 21 meals per week.

University Of South Carolina Admissions and Selectivity (2007)

Acceptances:

GroupApplicantsAcceptedPercent
Accepted
EnrolledPercent of
Accepted Enrolled
Total13,9468,78263%3,69742%
Men5,8913,62462%1,59344%
Women8,0555,15864%2,10441%

Standardized Test Scores:

Test25th Percentile75th Percetile
SAT Verbal520620
SAT Math540640
ACT Verbal2330
ACT Math2227
ACT Composite2328

Application Requirements:

ItemRequirement
GPArequired
Class Rankrecommended
High School Recordrequired
College Prep Programrequired
Recommendationsnot required
Formal Demonstration of Competencenot required
Standardized Tests (SAT and/or ACT)required
Percent of Applicants Submitting SAT82%
Percent of Applicants Submitting ACT41%
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)required
Other Standardized Testsnot required

University Of South Carolina Expenses and Financial Aid (2007)

Expenses and Financial Aid:

ExpenseAmount
In-state tuition and fees$ 8,346
Out-of-state tuition and fees$ 21,632
Room and board$ 6,946
Room charge$ 3,940
Board (meal plan) charge$ 2,864
Books and supplies$ 900
Other expenses$ 3,875

Financial Aid:
University Of South Carolina participates in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. (The school's OPE ID is 344800)

University Of South Carolina Faculty

University Of South Carolina has a tenure system for faculty.

Tenure Status of Faculty (2007):

Full-Time Faculty LevelMenWomen
Tenured455170
Non-tenured, but on tenure track222164
Non-tenured and not on tenure track270242

Salaries for full-time faculty:

Full-Time Faculty (2007):

Full-Time Faculty LevelContract LengthNumber MenAvg Salary MenNumber WomenAvg Salary Women
Professorcalendar year43$142,26211$118,373
Associate professorcalendar year12$102,9837$88,588
Assistant professorcalendar year9$74,09720$75,618
Instructorcalendar year13$68,72213$52,212
Lecturercalendar year13$75,6787$72,255
All faculty totalcalendar year90$109,96858$79,640

*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.

Full-Time Faculty (2007):

Full-Time Faculty LevelContract LengthNumber MenAvg Salary MenNumber WomenAvg Salary Women
Professoracademic year241$107,78145$97,958
Associate professoracademic year171$76,475118$73,487
Assistant professoracademic year191$73,992167$60,381
Instructoracademic year36$44,49880$41,363
Lectureracademic year11$62,2679$51,188
All faculty totalacademic year650$85,341419$64,279

*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.

University Of South Carolina Athletics

Athletic Conferences:

SportConference
FootballSoutheastern Conference
BasketballSoutheastern Conference
BaseballSoutheastern Conference
TrackSoutheastern Conference

Students on Athletic Scholarships (2007):

SportMenWomenTotal
Total208158366
Football84084
Track192443
Baseball35035
Basketball121426
All Other Sports58120178

University Of South Carolina Degree Programs (2007)

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Accounting
Business Administration and Management, General
Business/Managerial Economics
Finance, General
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
Insurance
International Business/Trade/Commerce
Management Science, General
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Retailing and Retail Operations

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Computer Engineering, General
Computer Software Engineering
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Computer and Information Systems Security
Information Science/Studies

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS
Dance, General
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General

EDUCATION AND TEACHING
Art Teacher Education
Business Teacher Education
College Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
Curriculum and Instruction
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Education, General
Educational Administration and Supervision, Other
Educational Evaluation and Research
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
Educational/Instructional Media Design
Elementary Education and Teaching
Health Teacher Education
Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
Music Teacher Education
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
Reading Teacher Education
Secondary Education and Teaching
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
Special Education and Teaching, General
Teacher Education/Profess Development, Subject Areas, Other

ENGINEERING
Archeology
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering, General
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Nuclear Engineering

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK
Public Administration
Social Work

FINE ARTS
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Fine/Studio Arts, General

HOSPITALITY
Hospitality Administration/Management, General
Tourism and Travel Services Management

LAW
Law (LLB, JD)

LIBERAL ARTS
African-American/Black Studies
Anthropology
Classics/Classical Languages, Lit & Linguistics, General
Comparative Literature
Creative Writing
Economics, General
English Language and Literature, General
European Studies/Civilization
Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
French Language and Literature
Geography
German Language and Literature
History, General
International Relations and Affairs
Italian Language and Literature
Latin American Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Library Science/Librarianship
Linguistics
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Museology/Museum Studies
Political Science and Government, General
Public/Applied History and Archival Administration
Russian Language and Literature
Social Sciences, Other
Sociology
Spanish Language and Literature
Women's Studies

MATHEMATICS
Applied Mathematics
Mathematics, General
Statistics, General

MEDIA
Advertising
Broadcast Journalism
Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
Journalism
Mass Communication/Media Studies
Public Relations/Image Management

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION
Environmental Health
Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management
Public Health Education and Promotion

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY
Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist
Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist

MEDICINE
Gerontology
Medicine (MD)
Pharmaceutics and Drug Design (MS, PhD)
Pharmacy (PharmD [USA], PharmD or BS/BPharm [Canada])
Public Health, General (MPH, DPH)

MUSIC
Conducting
Music History, Literature, and Theory
Music Performance, General
Music Theory and Composition
Music, General
Music, Other
Voice and Opera

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Nurse Anesthetist
Nursing Administration (MSN, MS, PhD)
Nursing Science (MS, PhD)
Nursing, Other
Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION
Office Management and Supervision

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART
Film/Cinema Studies
Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other

REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Real Estate

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy
Religion/Religious Studies

SCIENCE
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Biomedical Sciences, General
Biostatistics
Chemistry, General
Epidemiology
Geology/Earth Science, General
Geophysics and Seismology
Human/Medical Genetics
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
Physical Sciences, Other
Physics, General

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration

THERAPY AND COUNSELING
Clinical Psychology
Experimental Psychology
Physical Therapy/Therapist
School Psychology
Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling

University Of South Carolina Highlights

(Details are provided further down on this page.)

What Sets University Of South Carolina Apart:

CategoryTrophy 
Number of degree programs
(vs. all colleges)
Top 1%University Of South Carolina Number of degree programs
Number of students
(vs. all colleges)
Top 1%University Of South Carolina Number of students
Salaries of full-time faculty
(vs. all colleges)
Top 9%University Of South Carolina Salaries of full-time faculty
% of degrees in nutrition and exercise therapy
(vs. colleges of similar size)
Top 13%University Of South Carolina % of degrees in nutrition and exercise therapy
% of degrees in hospitality
(vs. colleges of similar size)
Top 14%University Of South Carolina % of degrees in hospitality
% of degrees in music
(vs. colleges of similar size)
Top 18%University Of South Carolina % of degrees in music
Faculty/student ratio (full-time)
(vs. colleges of similar size)
Top 18%University Of South Carolina Faculty/student ratio (full-time)
% of degrees in media
(vs. colleges of similar size)
Top 19%University Of South Carolina % of degrees in media
Explanation of the Highlights categories

Notable:
Accepts some high school credits
Grants credits for AP courses
Offers distance learning
Offers weekend classes
Career counseling
Career services
Student employment services
On-campus day care
Option to study abroad
Offers part-time study
On-campus library
Offers campus housing
Offers a board (meal) plan
Tenure system for quality teaching
Has ROTC (army, navy, air force)
Offers athletic scholarships
NCAA athletic conference member

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