About the College of Arts and Sciences
at the University of South Carolina:
The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest college in South Carolina, and the largest unit of the University of South Carolina. With 22 core academic disciplines and 50 interdisciplinary programs, centers, institutes, and schools, it is the academic heart of the University. Every undergraduate student at Carolina takes his or her foundational classes in the College. Students and faculty in the College conduct much of the cutting-edge research that is setting the pace for the University’s future. Graduates of the College go on to make up a critical element of the social, economic, educational, political, and religious fabric of our state, region, and nation.
The College thus has an impact, directly or indirectly, on millions of lives. It serves some 7800 undergraduate and 1200 graduate students each year, and provides 51% of all instruction offered at Carolina. It is in these core liberal arts classes that virtually all of the University’s 21,000 undergraduate students begin to hone the vital skills of critical thinking and effective communication that are cornerstones of a college education. The College’s strong and diverse curriculum arms students with the skills and insights they need to understand the past and to flourish in the future.
As its graduates move out into the world, the College also serves as a vital engine for economic growth, artistic expression, and social change. Through the rich array of transformative experiences it provides, the College equips its students to transform the world around them. In the classroom and beyond—through study abroad, lecture series, internships and practica, research opportunities, and more—the College opens doors to the world for its students, so that they can receive the preparation they deserve as future leaders of our increasingly globalized society.
The dreams of today’s students will someday transform all of our lives. The College of Arts & Sciences is committed to encouraging its students to dream boldly and to providing students with the skills and intellectual resources they need to achieve their dreams.
College of Arts & Sciences at a Glance
Departments & Schools: 20
Programs: 24
Centers & Institutes: 25
Faculty: 800
Students: 9000 (7800 undergraduate, 1200 graduate)
Majors: 47
Master’s programs: 41
Doctoral programs: 22
Graduate certificate programs: 7
Credit hours taught per semester: approx. 185,000
External research funding: approx. $41 million/year