Academic Programs

Associate’s Degree Programs

The University of South Carolina Lancaster offers the following academic degrees:

• Associate in Arts
• Associate in Science
• Associate in Science degree in the following concentrations: business, technical nursing, and criminal justice

Two to three years of credit toward a baccalaureate degree offered by other institutions is also offered in many areas.

Associate in Arts and Associate in Science

The University of South Carolina Lancaster offers the Associate in Arts degree and the Associate in Science degree to those students who have earned 60 hours of credit approved by the dean of USC Lancaster.

• Effective Communication: Students will be able to identify and analyze issues, develop logical and/or persuasive arguments, and communicate ideas clearly for a variety of audiences and purposes through writing and speaking.
• Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving: Students will be able to apply the methods of mathematics, statistics, or analytical reasoning to critically evaluate data, solve problems, and effectively communicate findings verbally and graphically.
• Cultural Expression, Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility: Students will be able to examine different kinds of social, personal, and aesthetic values, analyzing the ways in which these are manifested in communities as well as individual lives.
• Scientific Literacy: Students will be able to apply the principles and language of the natural sciences and associated technologies to historical and contemporary issues.
• Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Students will be able to use the principles of historical thinking to assess the relationships between modern societies and their historical roots, and to use the principles of the social sciences to explore diverse cultural identities and to analyze political and environmental issues.

These degrees are awarded to those students who have completed the following requirements: 

Other Associate’s Degrees

In addition to the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science degrees, USC Lancaster offers associate degrees in the following fields: business, technical nursing, and criminal justice. Students must also meet the following criteria:

1. 2.00 GPA or better (does not include course grades earned by challenge examinations);
2. final 15 semester hours must be earned at USC Lancaster;
3. grade of C or above in ENGL 101 and 102.

Associate in Science in Business

The Associate in Science in Business degree seeks to provide educational opportunities that will prepare students for careers in business and industry as well as meet many of the preliminary requirements for four-year majors in the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management.

• Accounting and Financial Skills: Students completing the Associate of Science in Business degree program at USC Lancaster will be able to perform the basic functions of business financial operations, such as interpreting basic financial statements and reconciling accounts.
• Knowledge of Basic Legal Concepts: Students completing the Associate of Science in Business degree program at USC Lancaster will be able to describe basic legal concepts and the judicial system, with emphasis on business law.
• Management Skills: Students completing the Associate of Science in Business degree program at USC Lancaster will be able to apply basic management theories to reach appropriate business decisions.
• Effective Communication: Students completing the Associate of Science in Business degree program at USC Lancaster will be able to communicate effectively for a business environment.

The associate degree business program is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs.

Associate Degree Nursing Program

The Associate Degree Nursing Program is a cooperative program between York Technical College and the University of South Carolina Lancaster and is approved by the Board of Nursing for South Carolina, (Synergy Business Park, Kingstree Drive, Suite 202, Columbia, South Carolina, 29210, phone: (803)896-4550 or fax: (803)896-4525, and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC, 3343 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia, 30326, phone: (404)975-5000 or fax: (404)975-5020) . The Associate Degree Nursing Program prepares men and women for the practice of registered nursing to provide direct client care across the life span. The practice of the associate degree nurse is primarily directed toward clients who have health needs and require assistance to maintain or restore their optimum state of health or support to die with dignity. The associate degree nurse is prepared to address acute and chronic health care needs and common well-defined health care problems in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and certain community health agencies.

The graduate of an associate degree nursing program functions in three basic roles within the health care delivery system: provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the Computer Adaptive Testing of the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses. Graduates who successfully pass the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses are eligible to apply for licensure to practice as a registered nurse in any of the 50 states or U.S. territories.

There are legal limitations for state licensure in South Carolina for graduates with prior convictions and/or disciplinary action. The policy from the Board of Nursing for South Carolina will be distributed to all applicants by Student Services/Office of Admissions. The policy is also in the Nursing Student Manual, which is distributed the first day of class. Clinical facilities may require drug screens and/or background checks before allowing students to participate in clinical rotations. Students participating in clinicals may be required to have a drug screen at any time during their rotation. Students will be required to attend multiple clinical facilities throughout the curriculum. Students accepted to the program must be eligible to attend clinical at all facilities.

Learning Outcomes

• Client Assessment: Each student will demonstrate setting appropriate client care priorities based on initial and focused client assessment.
• Medication Administration: Each student will demonstrate safe medication administration related to the rights (patient, route, time, dose, medication, reason, and documentation).
• Professional Writing: Each student will demonstrate professional writing skills.
• Critical Thinking: Each student will demonstrate critical thinking strategies appropriate to the class level.
• Nursing Literacy: New graduate will be able to demonstrate foundational understanding of nursing practices and skills sufficient for passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Admissions Criteria

Applicants for admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program must meet the entrance requirements of the parent institution.* Admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program requires the student to be a high-school graduate or equivalent. Students must complete one course of high-school, college-preparatory general chemistry with a minimum grade of C or complete one college chemistry course with a minimum grade of C prior to acceptance into the nursing program.

And one of the following:

1. SAT scores of 480 critical reading and 540 math or ACT scores of 21 reading and 23 math. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher. SAT/ACT scores must be no more than 5 years old at the time a student seeks admission to the ADN program.

OR

2. Completion of all approved courses (below) with a GPA of 2.50 or higher.

BIOL 243 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 243L Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory
BIOL 244 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
BIOL 244L Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory
PSYC 101 General Psychology
BIOL 250 Microbiology
BIOL 250L Microbiology Laboratory
MATH 111 College Algebra
ENGL 101 Composition
ENGL 102 Composition and Literature
Minimum of 3 approved electives (one elective must be chosen from humanities)

Note: Students must achieve a grade of “C” or better on the 1st or 2nd attempt of Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology I Lab, Anatomy and Physiology II, Anatomy and Physiology II Lab, Microbiology and Microbiology Lab (or the equivalent courses from other institutions) to meet the admission and curriculum requirement for the ADN program. Grades of “W”, “D”, “F”, or “WF” are considered unsuccessful attempts.

Required science courses that are more than seven years old must be repeated or the student has the option to exempt the courses through testing on content.

*Students are expected to graduate from the school where the initial nursing course is taken.

To enhance potential for success in the program, the faculty recommends completion of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Program and work experience as a CNA.

Admission by Transfer

Transfer credit may be granted for courses taken in another associate or baccalaureate degree nursing program to a student meeting the following criteria:

1. The student must meet present admission criteria to the Associate Degree Nursing Program.

2. The student must submit a letter from the previous school attended stating that he/she left in good standing and is eligible for readmission.

3. The student must may be required to provide the nursing department manager chair with a detailed course syllabus showing course and unit objectives and a clinical evaluation tool indicating criteria met in the clinical component of the courses. Courses for which transfer credit is given must meet the objectives of the comparable York Technical College/University of South Carolina Lancaster courses.

4. The student must demonstrate competencies in the course to be transferred either by exam, by previous grade and documentation, or both.

5. The Nursing Evaluation Committee will review requests for transfer credit and will make a recommendation for official action to the Registrar/Admissions Officer.

6. The York Technical College/University of South Carolina Lancaster Cooperative Nursing Program is considered by the State Board of Nursing for South Carolina to be one nursing program administered jointly by York Technical College and the University of South Carolina Lancaster. Transfers will only be considered from nursing students who are currently in good standing in the nursing program at the college in which they were previously enrolled.

7. Admission by transfer is on a space-available basis.

Note: Students must achieve a grade of “C” or better on the 1st or 2nd attempt of Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology I Lab, Anatomy and Physiology II, Anatomy and Physiology II Lab, Microbiology and Microbiology Lab (or the equivalent courses from other institutions) to meet the admission and curriculum requirement for the ADN program. Grades of “W”, “D”, “F”, or “WF” are considered unsuccessful attempts.

LPN Advanced Placement

Students will be admitted based on the South Carolina Statewide Articulation Model.

Direct Transfer:

A minimum of 15 semester hours of nursing credit will be awarded without educational mobility testing or validation if the applicant meets the following criteria:

♦ graduate from an NLNAC-accredited school of nursing

♦ has a current, active LPN license

♦ meets admission and progression requirements of York Technical College and the University of South Carolina Lancaster.

Individual Validation:

Individual validation of credit awarded will be determined by the receiving institution through exemption testing if the applicant is a:

♦ graduate from a non-NLNAC-accredited program

♦ graduate from a non-credit bearing program.

A minimum of 15 semester hours of nursing credit will be awarded upon completion of validation if the applicant meets the following criteria:

♦ has a current, active license

♦ meets admission requirements of York Technical College and the University of South Carolina Lancaster.

Other requirements:

1. Must have completed health form.

2. Current healthcare provider CPR certification for children, infants and adults.

3. Proof of health insurance.

4. Proof of liability insurance (through York Technical College).

5. Criminal background check required for clinical rotation.

6. LPN’s admitted to the ADN program are required to enroll in LANU L299 Transition Nursing and complete the course with a grade of “C” or better. Candidates may take LANU L299 before the first nursing course or simultaneously with the first nursing courses taken.

Program of Study

In order to receive an Associate in Science degree in technical nursing, students must complete 70 semester hours of study.

Retention and Promotion Policy

For retention and promotion in the nursing program, the student must, in the judgment of the faculty, satisfy the requirements of health, conduct, and scholastic achievement. In addition to meeting the established criteria of the parent institutions, the student:

1. Upon admission to the nursing program students must complete courses in the sequence as outlined in the Program of Study in the University of South Carolina Lancaster Academic Bulletin;

2. Must achieve a cumulative 2.00 grade point average on all courses that count toward graduation in the program;

3. Must make a grade of “C” or better in theory in each nursing course attempted and receive a clinical evaluation of “Satisfactory”;

4. A student who receives a “D”, “F”, “W” or “WF” in any required nursing course may repeat that course one time only. A maximum of one nursing course may be repeated. In order to repeat a nursing course, the student must follow the readmission policy for the nursing program, found in the current Nursing Student Manual. Readmission will depend on space available in the course to be repeated.

5. Must achieve a grade of “C” or better in ENGL 101, 102, MATH 111, and all science courses.

6. Students will be eligible for academic forgiveness five years after the last nursing course attempted and may apply for readmission to the first nursing course. Required science courses that are more than seven years old must be repeated.

Associate in Science in Criminal Justice

The criminal justice curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in law enforcement, investigation, corrections, law enforcement management, probation and parole, the court system, jail administration, juvenile rehabilitation, insurance investigations, and community service.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of Justice Systems: Students will be able to identify the core components of the criminal justice system, including local, state, and federal agencies related to delinquency, law enforcement, the criminal courts system, and/or corrections.
• Effective Communication: Students will be able to effectively communicate criminal justice concepts and issues.
• Utilization of Technology: Students will be able to utilize technology to locate relevant information on criminal justice issues and problems.

In order to receive an Associate in Science in Criminal Justice, students must complete 60 semester hours of required courses as outlined in the criminal justice curriculum.

Palmetto Programs

Palmetto Programs, housed in the Division of Extended University in Columbia, is an umbrella through which Regional Campuses students have broader access to baccalaureate opportunities. Palmetto Programs was created to enable place-bound students to complete selected baccalaureate degrees without leaving the Regional Campuses. The use of distance education provides baccalaureate-level courses to students whose family or employment obligations prevent them from relocating to complete a degree.

Faculty members from Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, and Union, as well as Extended University in Columbia, use two-way interactive video and other technology-assisted delivery to teach students at multiple sites simultaneously. This delivery mechanism gives students access to many more course options in addition to those available live on their campuses.

Two degrees are available through Palmetto Programs. The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (BLS) is a broad-based degree that draws on multiple disciplines and allows students to choose their focal areas. The Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership (BOL) focuses on preparing students for leadership roles in government, non-profit, and business settings.

For information on admission to the BLS or BOL degree, contact your advisor or the person on your campus who heads academic affairs or review respective programs of study at the following links:

• Liberal Studies, B.A. 
• Organizational Leadership, B.A. 

Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Many students who enter the Associate in Arts or the Associate in Science degree programs intend to apply these credits toward a baccalaureate degree awarded by another institution. These students are advised to work closely with their advisor to outline a program of study for the first two years that will meet preliminary requirements of the four-year major they wish to pursue.

These students are also strongly advised to obtain and use the bulletin for the Columbia campus when determining specific degree requirements. Preliminary course work toward the following USC baccalaureate degree programs may be completed at USC Lancaster:

Arts and Sciences

• African American Studies
• Anthropology
• Art Education
• Art History
• Art Studio
• Biological Sciences
• Cardiovascular Technology
• Chemistry
• Classics
• Comparative Literature
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Dance
• Economics
• English
• European Studies
• Environmental Sciences
• Film and Media Studies
• Foreign Languages
• French
• German
• Italian
• Russian
• Spanish
• Geology
• Geophysics
• History
• International Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Marine Science
• Mathematics
• Media Arts
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Religious Studies
• Sociology
• Theatre
• Statistics
• Women’s and Gender Studies

Business Administration

• Accounting
• Business Economics
• Finance
• Insurance and Risk Management
• Management
• Management Science
• Marketing
• Pre-International Business (Subject to separate admission after the freshman year.)
• Real Estate

Education

• Early Childhood Education
• Elementary Education
• Middle Level Education
• Physical Education (Athletic Training)
• Physical Education (Teacher Preparation)
• (Students interested in secondary education (grades 9-12) should earn a major in the specific subject area they wish to teach and a cognate/component in education. Upon earning an undergraduate BA or BS degree, students pursue a Master of Teaching (MT) degree through which teacher certification requirements are met. Students wishing to earn secondary certification should select a subject area major under one of the colleges or schools. Students interested in K-12 programs in art education (College of Arts and Sciences), music education (School of Music), or physical education (College of Education) can earn a bachelor’s degree in one of these areas and meet teacher certification requirements.)

Engineering and Computing

• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Information Systems
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management

• Business and Technology Education
• Hospitality Management
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Retailing
• Sport and Entertainment Management
• Technology Support and Training Management
• Tourism Management

Journalism and Mass Communications

• Advertising
• Broadcast Journalism
• Information Science
• Journalism Print
• Public Relations
• Visual Communications

Music

• Composition
• Jazz Studies
• Education (Band, Strings, or Vocal)
• Performance (Brass, Guitar, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Strings, Voice, or Woodwinds)
• Theory

Nursing

• Nursing

Pharmacy

• Pre-Pharmacy
• (This college is the result of a merger of existing programs at the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina. Pre-pharmacy is offered as an academic track designed to prepare students to apply for admission into the pharmacy professional program. Acceptance into the pre-pharmacy program does not guarantee later admission into the pharmacy professional program.)

Public Health

• Exercise Science
• Public Health

Social Work

• Social Work