Academic Programs

Graduate Degrees

Graduate work at USCA brings together a group of scholars actively engaged in research and thus provides a close association between students and mature investigators with a wide range of interests. While specialization is basic to graduate work, the graduate program responds to the advanced educational needs of the local and regional population.

Master of Science Degree in Applied Clinical Psychology
The Master of Science Degree in Applied Clinical Psychology provides graduate study and clinical experience in preparation for careers in applied clinical and counseling settings and as a foundation for students interested in pursuing advanced doctoral studies.  Students enrolled in this program are expected to pursue a plan of study to assure increased professional competence and breadth of knowledge in the field of clinical and counseling psychology.  For more information see page 98.

Master of  Education
The Master of Education Degree in Elementary Education is designed to provide advanced professional studies in graduate level course work for persons who currently hold teacher certification and who are committed to excellence in elementary education.  For more information see page 121.

Curricula
The curricula established for all baccalaureate degrees include, generally, a set of courses that fulfill the general education requirements, a set of courses that comprise a departmental major, a set of courses that comprise a cognate and several hours of free elective courses.
1.     General Education Requirements.......................................... 50-52
        A.    Skills and Competencies¹ ...............................................21-23
                1.  English 101 and 102² ...........................................................6
                         Composition/Composition and Literature
                2.  Math/Statistics/Logic............................................................ 6
                3.  Applied Speech Communication³ ..........................................3
                4.  Foreign Language⁴  ........................................................... 6-8
        B.    Methods and History of Disciplines⁵ .................................. 29
                1.  Natural Sciences................................................................... 8
                          Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
                          Geology, Astronomy (2 labs)
                2.  Social and Behavioral Sciences (at least two areas)................ 6
                         Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology,
                         Economics, Political Science, Geography
                3.  Humanities (at least two areas)............................................... 9
                         History, Literature, Fine Arts History,
                         Humanities (AHUM acronym), Religion,
                         Foreign Language (200 level and above),
                         Philosophy (not logic),
                         Speech Communication (not applied)
                4.  History of Civilization............................................................. 6

¹  For undergraduate writing proficiency, see Proficiency Portfolio in Writing described on page 41.
²  Students must complete English 101 with a grade of C or better in  order to fulfill general education requirements.  Students
    must also complete AEGL 102 with a grade of  C or better in order to  fulfill general education requirements and before
    taking other English  courses.
³ The following are considered Applied Speech Communication courses:  ACOM 201, ACOM 241, ACOM 342, and
  ACOM 440.  Some majors may require a specific course   so students should consult requirements for their major.
⁴  Two (2) semesters of the same language. Optional requirement for Professional Schools.
⁵  At least 3 hours must be in non-Western world studies, unless an approved non-Western world studies course has been
    completed elsewhere in the student’s degree program.
 

Definition: A non-Western world studies course is any course which focuses substantially on the culture of the region of the world other than Europe or those areas in which the dominant culture is European, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Cultures of the indigenous peoples of these countries may be acceptable, but this would not include the study of contemporary African-Americans, Japanese-Americans and other “assimilated” ethnic categories.
The following courses were approved as meeting the non-Western world studies general education requirement:

Art History
 AARH 251 History of Oriental Architecture (3)
 AARH 397 Topics in Non-Western Art History (3)

Anthropology
 AANP 102 Understanding Other Cultures (3)
 AANP 315 Peoples of the Indian Subcontinent (3)
 AANP 352 Anthropology of Magic and Religion (3)
 AANP 490 Topics in Anthropology

Communications
 ACOM 450 Intercultural Communication (3)

English
 AEGL 291  Introduction to Non-Western Literature (3)
 AEGL 435  African and African-American Literature (3)

Foreign Language
 AFRE 388  Selected Non-Western Topics in Translation (3)
 ASPA 302  Survey of Latin American Literature (3)
 ASPA 305  Latin American Culture (3)
 ASPA 325  Hispanic Cultures and Identities (3)
 ASPA 388  Selected Non-Western Topics in Translation (3)
 ASPA 397  The Latin American Film Experience (3)
 ASPA 426  Afro-Hispanic Literatures (3)
 ASPA 427  Literature of Social Protest (3)
 ASPA 488  Selected Non-Western Topics (3)

Geography
 AGRY 102 Geography of the Developing World (3)
 AGRY 427 Geography of East Asia (3)

History
 AHST 103  Intro. to Non-Western Civilization (3)
 AHST 361  Early Latin America (3)
 AHST 362  Modern Latin America (3)
 AHST 366  Modern East Asia (3)
 AHST 423  History of Mexico (3)
 AHST 492  Non-Western Topics (3)

Music
 AMUS 175 World Music (3)

Political Science
 APLS 101  Global Politics (3)
 APLS 103  Non-Western Politics (3)
 APLS 330  International Organization (3)
 APLS 487  Politics and Governments of Africa (3)
 APLS 488  Politics and Governments of Latin America (3)
 APLS 492  Non-Western Topics (3)

Religion
 AREL 103 Comparative Religion (3)

Sociology
 ASCY 310  Social Demography (4)
 ASCY 315  World Population: Problems and Policies (3)

Note: Individual major degree programs may require specific courses within each grouping category and may add requirements, but may  not be less restrictive in general education requirements.

Proficiency Portfolio in Writing

The Rising Junior Proficiency Portfolio in Writing serves a twofold purpose:
    1. to certify each student’s writing proficiency within the context of general education assessment, and
    2. to make all students aware of the necessity for developing and   transferring their writing skills beyond the composition
        sequence.

To these ends, each student must submit a writing proficiency portfolio as soon as possible after the completion of sixty credit hours. Transfer students who have reached the sixty-hour level through the accumulation of course credit at other institutions are given up to thirty hours in residency at USCA to build their portfolios (policy effective:  Fall 1996).

Except for the work of those students enrolled in off-campus programs, all portfolios are to be housed in the Writing Room and each student is required to visit that facility to initiate his or her personal file. Any questions concerning this process should be addressed to either the Director of Writing Assessment or the Director of the Writing Room.

For this year’s schedule of submission deadlines, please consult the USCA Undergraduate Calendar.

All students are tracked through the Advisement Center, and warning notices will be distributed to those students who have missed the designated credit-hour stipulations. The portfolio requirement must be satisfied before graduation. Failure to submit a portfolio will result in the placement of a hold on the student’s records.

The Rising Junior Proficiency Portfolio in Writing is designed to allow students seeking a baccalaureate degree from USCA an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to apply the skills and competencies they began to develop in the composition sequence to university writing contexts beyond that level. It will consist of four course-assigned papers selected by the student as examples of his/her best writing and one reflective essay annotating the various reasons for his/her selections. The four course-assigned papers may include researched writing, essays, extended essay exam answers, journals assigned for class, or other appropriate written assignments. No more than one of these may come from the composition sequence. Since the portfolio is designed to show the range of a student’s writing, the student is encouraged to select work from a variety of courses. Each selection must be identified by course title, semester taken, and instructor’s name. All of these four papers may be rewritten to demonstrate the student’s current writing proficiency, for a paper deemed satisfactory at the freshman level may not adequately demonstrate proficiency at the rising-junior level. When a paper is rewritten, it must be accompanied by a copy of the original class paper and the course information listed above. The reflective essay will serve as a cover essay for the portfolio and should discuss the reasons the student selected each paper.

While papers from USCA classwork are preferred, transfer students may submit papers from other academic settings if the student is within the final 30 hours of coursework for a degree.

Those students who have demonstrated competency in university-level writing will be certified as having satisfied USC Aiken’s expectations concerning writing proficiency within the context of general education requirements. Those students whose portfolios do not meet expectations will be advised to appeal or to enroll in and pass English (AEGL) 201: Writing in the
University.

2. Major Requirements

Each baccalaureate degree program includes courses to enable specialization in a particular area of interest. The competencies to be gained in the course of study in the major are specified in an official document available in the office of the departmental advisor to each student at the time he/she declares a major.

3. Cognates

In addition to the satisfactory completion of courses in the major field of study, a student must also complete a specified number of hours in advanced courses related to his/her major as prescribed by his/her major department. Cognates are not required for professional degrees (i.e., nursing, education, business administration). The cognate is intended to support the course work in the major. Courses taken for cognate credit should be junior-senior level courses and must be approved in advance by the student’s major advisor. Cognate courses may be taken in one or more departments.

4. Minor

The minor prepares the students in a second field which may be unrelated to the major in a program of fewer hours than a major. Requirements are prescribed by the college/school which offers the minor program. See department listings for specific minor requirements. Courses taken toward the minor cannot be counted toward major or general education requirements. All courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. If a student’s grade falls below a C in a required minor course, the course must be repeated and an additional course taken to offset the course repetition (a student may not count a repetition toward graduation). Students should notify their advisor and the department chair of the minor which is selected. A list of minors available is presented on page 45.

5.  Electives
The number of elective credits may vary according to major requirements. Please consult those sections of the Bulletin that describe the degree programs. Elective credits for participation in University performing ensembles may be counted up to a maximum of 4 credits.

One hundred and twenty semester credit hours with a minimum GPA of 2.0 are required for the baccalaureate degrees; however, these curricula allow the opportunity for the student to take a limited number of courses that do not fulfill any specific academic program other than total hours. General education requirements are a component of all majors.

The chart on page 45 provides a comprehensive listing of fields available as academic majors at USCA. The programs are arranged by disciplinary area rather than by college, school, or department.

The mission of the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program is to offer students a rigorous bi- or multi-disciplinary degree program structured in part to meet an individual student’s specific academic and career goals.  The program is designed for those students whose educational objectives are better served by a flexible interdisciplinary program of study rather than by a traditional single-discipline major.

The goals of the BIS program are to offer students:
    • a broad-based foundation in the liberal arts and sciences with which to anchor additional study in more specifically
       chosen academics fields or disciplines;
    • more in-depth study in a pairing or combination of academic areas or disciplines that reflect the student’s educational and/
      or career goals;
    • the opportunity to discover and/or develop a substantive understanding of the connections between/among
      those disciplines and areas of study; and
    • an opportunity to articulate the strengths, connections, and   applications discovered during the student’s course of study
      for the degree.

USCA offers a Bachelor of Arts or Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. This unique degree program can be structured to meet an individual student’s specific educational and career goals. Students in this program typically select two academic disciplines for concentrated study instead of majoring in one discipline. Students may select only those disciplines in which USCA offers upper-level courses. Numerous combinations of concentrations are possible. Some examples are art studio and biology; communications and management; computer science and accounting; English and history; sociology and public administration; political science and psychology; philosophy and art history; and engineering and management. Some concentrations also offer several options, such as political science or public administration; performance theater or design/technical theater; and English-literature or English-writing. In addition, several larger interdisciplinary concentrations, such as International Studies, are available.

Admission into the BIS program is by application only. (This is in addition to the application for admission to the University.) Normally a student will not be admitted until he/she is a sophomore. Application should be made at least two weeks before the beginning of the semester in which the student plans to enter the program. The application procedure includes the completion of a statement of educational and career goals and the selection of two academic concentrations.  At least 30 credit hours of study must be completed under the supervision of the student’s advisory committee. In addition, the BIS program requires that a minimum of 30 hours must be taken from courses at the 300 level or above.

Each BIS major must have a completed portfolio on file with the BIS Director before the BA or BS degree is granted. This portfolio will be made up of papers written for selected courses in the student’s concentrations, as long as both concentrations are represented. Portfolios will be used for an ongoing process of program assessment. (BIS majors should see the BIS Director for details.)

Students who have taken course work at another college should consult the section on Transfer Admission in this bulletin for more information on what kinds of courses are normally transferable to USCA.

Degree Requirements
1.       General Education Requirements............................. 53-55
          The student must complete the USCA general education requirements. To distinguish between the Bachelor of Arts
          and Bachelor of Science, one additional course is required.
2.       Interdisciplinary Studies Program Requirements..... 30-60
          Based upon each student’s educational and career goals, the members of the student’s advisory committee decide
          on the courses that will be required in the two concentrations. Due to the individual nature of each program of study
          the required number of hours varies. However, a minimum of 15 hours is required within each concentration, and 30
          hours are the maximum that can be required in one concentration. A 2.0 grade average within each concentration is
          also required for graduation.
3.       Electives........................................................................ 6-36
          The number of elective hours available varies considerably depending on the required hours in the two concentrations.
4.        Portfolio on file with BIS Director

Total hours required ................................................................120

The Office of International Studies coordinates programs and services that promote international awareness among students and faculty, and addresses contributions and concerns of international students.

The Office provides information to students on study abroad, work abroad and volunteer abroad opportunities.  It is the goal of the Office of International Studies to work closely with faculty and staff on developing new study abroad programs for students and to assist faculty with research/teaching projects abroad.

The Office of International Studies provides services to international students on campus.  Services include providing information to prospective international students, assisting international students with academic and social issues, and advising on INS regulations.  We work closely with student and community organizations to insure that international students are well-adjusted and successful on campus.

The USCA Office of International Studies has as its mission the provision of a global perspective by advancing knowledge and appreciation of the broader world and its cultures.  This is accomplished by bringing the world to USCA via campus lectures, panel discussions, an International Festival, other cultural events, and through internationalizing the curriculum when appropriate.

The Office of International Studies is located in H&SS Room 101C.

The Evening Program Office provides evening students and faculty at USC Aiken with services required for instruction after normal office hours.  The office also informs the Academic Council about evening course activities, and advises the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs on issues related to the USCA Evening Program.

The Evening Program serves students who seek a baccalaureate education by attending the University after 4:30 p.m.  The University offers evening classes within the general education framework leading to degrees in Business, Industrial Mathematics, English, Sociology, Nursing and Interdisciplinary Studies. Evening students may not be able to complete all requirements for degrees in four years.  A special office for evening students is located in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Office 101, which is open during class days on Mondays through Thursdays until 8 p.m.  Services are provided in the evening by the USCA Bookstore, Registrar’s Office, Food Services and others. For information on the evening program and course offerings, contact the Evening Program at 641-3287, or visit Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Office 101, during the hours of operation.

Distance Education includes education delivered live via an audio/video connection or education delivered asynchronously via video tape.  Web-based distance education includes education delivered via the Internet.

Distance education should not be thought of as merely the addition of new technology to instruction, but also the means to improve and examine new approaches to instruction.  Moreover, distance education should not be considered as only the opportunity to provide quality instruction to those at a distance from our campus, but also as a means to improve instructional opportunities for students on our campus.

Distance education is consistent with the USCA mission as it allows those unable to attend scheduled on-campus classes to complete their course work from their remote location.

Distance education extends the reach of the campus to the work force and to high school students by offering college level courses and intensifies and enhances existing off-campus programs in Beaufort, Sumter, and Allendale and Walterboro.

The campus invested funds exceeding more than $1 million just in  the 1998-99 academic year for technological infrastructure and support.  Only catalog courses taught by full-time faculty are offered via distance.  The syllabus, the quality, and the evaluation procedures are identical to live courses.

A faculty technology support center provides state of the art resources and training as well as peer support to faculty.

The University of South Carolina Aiken subscribes to the principles of good practice for electronically offered academic degree and certificate programs developed by the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications (WICHE).  The factors for assessment of quality that are included in the WICHE documents are:
    • conformance to standards of all courses/programs offered by   the college or university;
    • assessment of learners (outcomes, competency of graduates);
    • specific goals with clear requirements for courses/programs;
    • selection of media on basis of needs and capability;
    • quantity and quality of interaction with other students and instructor;
    • support services (facilitator, technology, library services, advising, instructor availability).

Only one associate degree is offered on this campus, the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).  This program is designed to be completed within 2 years.  Specific degree requirements for the ADN Program are listed under the School of Nursing in this Bulletin.

Certificate Program in Writing

This post-baccalaureate, completion certificate program is designed for students who have already earned a college degree but are seeking coursework in writing for work-related purposes or for personal growth and satisfaction.  Individuals wishing a Certificate in Writing from USCA must complete 15 hours of course work in writing of which at least three must be in theory.  Entry requirements:  interview with and portfolio to program director.

The Graduate Office coordinates the offering of graduate courses on campus including USCA’s M.Ed. and M.S. programs, Graduate Regional Studies, and other USC Columbia graduate programs.  This office works with more than 1,500 graduate students annually.

For information on USCA’s Master of Education program see page 121.

For information on USCA’s Master of Science Degree in Applied Clinical Psychology see page 98.

Extended Graduate Campus

The Extended Graduate Campus Office serves the greater University community by offering a variety of courses for graduate credit. These programs are designed to meet the needs of traditional and non traditional students, business professionals, and the community at large.

Through the Extended Graduate Campus, credits toward graduate degrees in Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Journalism, Library and Information Science, Nursing, Public Health, and Social Work may be earned on the Aiken campus. Course work meeting other graduate degree requirements may also be earned.

Utilizing the entire range of educational technology, from live instruction to television and video taped course work, the residents of this region are able to take advantage of the resources of a much larger university without leaving the area. Specific information is available from the USCA Graduate Office.  Students interested in additional information concerning graduate programs should contact the Office of Graduate Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Office 101.

The Professional Master of Business Administration Program is designed to provide, in a schedule suited to the working professional, all the course work required to complete the MBA degree. The program requirements are those of the full-time MBA Program on the Columbia campus of USC. Most classes are broadcast over a closed-circuit viewing system to the Aiken campus. On-site communication facilities allow two-way voice contact between student and professor during class. Approximately three Saturday sessions in Columbia each semester provide students opportunity for direct interaction with their professors.

The Office of Continuing Education supports USC Aiken’s mission of serving the public by making available it’s resources to the community at large.  The Continuing Education Department serves a wide variety of external and internal audiences in a cost effective and customer service oriented manner with a shared commitment to excellence.

Continuing Education offers a wide variety of programs: conferences, lectures, workshops, teleconferences, and non-credit short courses. Courses are primarily designed for those individuals who wish to acquire new skills or upgrade their current skills. Businesses may contract with Continuing Education to provide custom designed training programs. Summer programs are designed for children and youth to challenge their bodies and minds. An educational travel program is offered for those who wish to expand their horizons. The Academy for Lifelong Learning offers an educational outlet for those mature persons who look forward to a full life as they grow older. The SeniorNet program offers computer training courses including Introduction to Computers to Geneology for those 50 years of age or older.  For more information concerning course offerings and activities, contact the Office of Continuing Education in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Office 101.

A Distance Education Program offers classes for undergraduate and graduate credit. The course work is designed to meet educational needs of adults with busy professional and personal schedules. Students may study at home using VHS videocassettes and audiocassettes or by viewing local South Carolina Educational Television broadcasts. As an ITFS (Instructional Television Fixed Service) site, classes held in other locations are viewed on the Aiken campus.

Students who are interested in pre-legal education may enroll in one of several bachelor’s degree programs at USCA.  For pre-law advisement and for information on preparing for the Law School Admissions Test, students should contact Dr. Gregory F. Weis, in H&SS C-2.

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