Federal Requirement 4.2
The institution’s curriculum is directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of
the institution and the diplomas, certificates, or degrees awarded. (Program curriculum)
Judgment:
Compliant
Response:
Columbia
The following excerpts from the Columbia Mission Statement best describe the
curriculum:
Among America’s oldest and most comprehensive public universities, USC
Columbia is the major research institution of the University of South Carolina
system and its largest campus, enrolling approximately 21,000 undergraduate
students and approximately
8,000 students in graduate and professional
programs.
USC Columbia offers over
320 degrees at the bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and
professional program levels, affording students the most comprehensive array of
educational programs in the state.
…degree programs are offered in the following areas: arts and sciences;
education; engineering and computing; hospitality, retail, and sport management;
mass communications and information studies; music; public health; and social
work; and in professional programs such as business, law, medicine, nursing, and
pharmacy. The depth and breadth of its graduate programs in the arts and
sciences, international business, public health, social work, and library and
information science distinguishes USC Columbia from all other institutions of
higher learning in South Carolina.
Offering over 320 programs at the bachelor’s, graduate, and professional levels is
consistent with the mission of offering the most comprehensive array of educational
programs in the state, and being one of the most comprehensive public institutions in the
country.
The response to Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1 provides a detailed explanation of the
program development and approval process, which ensures that programs are relevant to
the mission. Briefly, program development normally begins in a department or unit of a
campus, college or school, and is vetted by that unit’s academic affairs official, and
relevant committee(s), prior to review by the appropriate faculty governance body. On
the Columbia campus at the faculty governance level, program proposals are reviewed
first by the relevant curriculum committee. When reviewing proposals for new programs,
the curriculum committees ask the following questions:

Does the Program Planning Summary provide sufficient information and rationale
for the proposed program?
 Is there sufficient justification and demand for the proposed program within the
University? Within the State? Within the discipline?
 Is the proposed program consistent with the mission of the University?
 Are there sufficient resources to support the program? If not, how are the necessary
resources to be acquired? Is there an adequate plan to acquire them?
 Does the proposed program curriculum have sufficient intellectual rigor and
contain the current and relevant theories and practices of the discipline?
 Is there potential for overlap with other disciplines and/or are other programs
affected by the proposal?
 Have affected programs, if any, reviewed the proposal and provided a letter of
support?
The curriculum committees also use these questions in ruling on the elimination or
revision of a program.
The Faculty Senate or Graduate Council, the Provost, the President, and the Board of
Trustees must all approve new programs or program changes. Minutes of meetings over
the preceding decade offer evidence of program review and faculty and Board approval –
full Faculty Senate minutes; Graduate Council minutes; Regional Campus Faculty Senate
minutes, and Board Meeting Minutes.
In addition, the South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 59-103-35 requires all new
programs undertaken by public institutions of higher education to be approved by
Commission on Higher Education (CHE). At the CHE, proposals are reviewed by the
Advisory Committee on Academic Programs (ACAP), the Committee on Academic
Affairs and Licensing (CAAL), and the full Commission. Programs are entered into the
appropriate Academic Bulletin only after the Provost’s Office receives formal
notification of approval from both CHE and SACS.
Finally, the University also ensures that the curriculum carries out the goals of its
academic programs via program accreditation and external program review. This process
is described in Core Requirement 2.7.2. All colleges provide an external program review
schedule that is incorporated into the Columbia External Program Review spreadsheet.
Lancaster
USC Lancaster’s curriculum evaluation and program assessment shows that the various
degree curricula are directly related and appropriate to the mission of the institution and
to the degrees awarded.
The campus’s mission statement notes that USCL “grants associate degrees in the arts,
sciences, business, criminal justice, and technical nursing. Limited upper-division course
work creditable toward baccalaureate degree through the University is also offered.”
As an associate degree-granting institution, USC Lancaster faculty offer primarily the
first two years of coursework (i.e., general education requirements) for most
baccalaureate degrees offered by the University of South Carolina. The mission
statement therefore notes that USCL associate degrees are designed to help students
“achieve the fundamental skills, knowledge, and capacity for critical thought necessary to
pursue further learning, to succeed in their chosen career fields, and to assume the
responsibilities of informed and enlightened citizenship in their communities and in the
wider society.”
USC Lancaster currently awards five associate degrees. As a part of its program
assessment efforts, the curricula for four of these degrees was modified for students
entering USC in fall 2009 and thereafter. The USCL Bulletin includes the new curricula
for these degrees. The degree web page, however, currently includes both old and new
curricula for these degrees, depending on when the student first enrolled in USC
Lancaster:
Degree
Associate in Arts
Associate in Science
Associate in Science in Business
Associate in Science in Criminal Justice
Associate in Science in Technical Nursing *
Pre-Fall 2009
Fall 2009 &
Thereafter
Old Curriculum New Curriculum
Old Curriculum New Curriculum
Old Curriculum New Curriculum
Old Curriculum New Curriculum
Curriculum
*The Associate in Science in Technical Nursing degree is a collaborative program with
York Technical College. No curriculum changes were enacted for this degree.
Responsibility for curriculum development and review rests with the faculty who, in
cooperation with campus and university administrators, define the elements necessary for
approvals of changes to degree curricula, in accordance with the process established by
the Regional Campuses Faculty Manual and the By-Laws of the USC Lancaster Faculty
Organization.
The process for revising the curricula is as follows:
1. Motions for curricula changes may be made by any faculty member or committee.
(In 2009, the initial motions were made by the ad hoc Committee on Assessment.)
2. Proposals are forwarded to the USCL Curriculum Committee. Comprised of one
elected representative from each academic division, the Academic Dean, a library
representative, and administrative appointments, the committee is charged with
reviewing new academic programs or proposed curriculum changes.
3. Once approved by the Curriculum Committee, proposals are returned to the
USCL Faculty Organization for discussion and vote. Minutes of the Faculty
Organization provide evidence of program discussion and approval. These are
kept on file by the Faculty Organization secretary.
4. After approval by the Faculty Organization, proposals are approved by the
Campus Dean and are forwarded to the Regional Campuses Faculty Senate, where
they are reviewed by the System Affairs committee. If recommended, they are
returned to the Senate for discussion and approval. Minutes of the RCFS provide
evidence of program discussion and approval.
5. After Senate approval, proposals must be approved by the Vice Provost and
Executive Dean for System Affairs and Extended University, the University
Provost, the President, and the Board of Trustees.
6. New programs and major substantive modification to existing curricula must also
be approved by the process established by the South Carolina Commission on
Higher Education.
Salkehatchie
The Mission Statement of the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie indicates that it
offers associate in arts and associate in science degree programs and that its primary
purpose is to provide the first two years of a university education. The curriculum, which
is specified in the USC Salkehatchie Bulletin, is directly related to the purpose of the
associate degree programs, in that it requires at least 60 credit hours, with a general
education component that involves courses taken in reading and writing, numerical and
analytical reasoning, natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and humanities and
fine arts.
The curriculum is constantly reviewed, and revisions are made when necessary. The most
recent revision was in 2005, when the requirement of three credit hours in the humanities
and fine arts was added to both the A.A. and A.S. degree programs. The revision was
proposed by the Salkehatchie faculty and was approved by the faculty senate in its
September 2005 meeting (Minutes).
The process of curricular change can be initiated by any faculty member, although it is
normally initiated by the Academic Council, which is a committee of the faculty
organization composed of the associate dean for academic affairs and the chairs of the
four academic divisions (Arts and Languages, Math & Science, Social Sciences, and
Professional Studies). The proposed change is brought to the faculty for discussion and
vote. If approved, the proposed change is forwarded to the regional campuses faculty
senate for a final vote. Reasons for the introduction of proposed changes range from
correction of discrepancies with the curricula of peer institutions to fundamental
innovations resulting from advances in a particular discipline.
Sumter
The University of South Carolina Sumter’s curriculum evaluation and academic
program assessment shows that the degree curricula are directly related and
appropriate to the mission of the institution and the degrees awarded.
The institution’s mission statement notes that USC Sumter “grants the Associate in
Arts and Associate in Science degrees.”
As an associate degree-granting institution, USC Sumter faculty offer the first two
years of coursework (i.e., general education requirements) for most baccalaureate
degrees offered by the University of South Carolina. The mission statement
therefore notes “USC Sumter offers a varied curriculum rooted in the liberal arts and
aimed at preparing students to continue their education in the university and
throughout life. The University of South Carolina Sumter recruits students prepared
to begin or planning to complete a baccalaureate level education.”
Responsibility for curriculum development and review rests with the faculty who, in
cooperation with the campus and university administrators, define the elements
necessary for approvals of changes to degree curricula, in accordance with the
process established by the Regional Campuses Faculty Manual and the By-Laws of
the USC Sumter Faculty Organization.
Union
USC Union has an established mission of offering the first two years of a liberal arts
university education through the awarding of the Associate in Arts and the Associate in
Science degrees. While the degree requirements established in the Academic Bulletin
allow for a great degree of flexibility, a core curriculum of English, decision sciences
(mathematics, logic, computer science), humanities and fine arts, social science and
natural science are common to both degree programs and mirror the general education
requirements for baccalaureate degrees at USC Columbia.
Changes to the USC Union Associate’s Degree programs are initiated by the Academic
Affairs Committee at the request of the Faculty Organization. Upon completion of the
changes and approval by the Faculty Organization, they are sent for approval by the
Associate Dean and the Dean. The Vice Provost for Regional Campuses & Continuing
Education approves the changes and forwards them to the Regional Campuses Faculty
Senate. After the Regional Campuses Faculty Senate approves the changes, they are sent
for approval by the Board of Trustees and finally the South Carolina Commission on
Higher Education. This same process applies to the creation of new degree programs that
support the mission of USC Union.
Supporting Documentation
Description
Source
USC Columbia
Meeting Minutes
Full Faculty Senate
Graduate Council
Regional Campus Faculty Senate
Board Meeting Minutes
Section 59-103-35
Core Requirement 2.7.2
External Program Review Spreadsheet
Lancaster
Mission Statement
USCL Bulletin
Associate Degrees
http://www.sc.edu/faculty/meetings.shtml
https://gradschool.sc.edu/gradcouncil/minute
s/
http://saeu.sc.edu/RCFS/minutes.html
http://trustees.sc.edu/minutes.html
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/CODE/t59c103
.htm
http://hydrogen.csd.sc.edu/SACS/CR_2.7.2.s
html
http://ipr.sc.edu/pdf/evaluations/ProgAccred
Rev.pdf
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/mission.htm
http://www.sc.edu/bulletin/Lancaster/acadpr
ogs.html
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/admissions/degrees
.htm
Associate in Arts
Pre-Fall 2009
Fall 2009 and Later
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
AWorksheet2008.pdf
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
AWorksheetFall2009.pdf
Associate in Science
Pre-Fall 2009
Fall 2009 and Later
Associate in Business
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
SWorksheet2008.pdf
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
SWorksheetFall2009.pdf
Pre-Fall 2009
Fall 2009 and Later
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/t
woyearbusiness.htm
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
SBusnWorksheetFall2009.pdf
Associate in Science in Criminal
Justice
Pre-Fall 2009
Fall 2009 and Later
Associate in Science in Technical
Nursing
Offices and Boards
The University Provost
Vice Provost and Executive Dean for
System Affairs and Extended
University
The President
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
S_CJ.htm
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
SCJWorksheetFall2009.pdf
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/academics/curric/A
Snurs.html
http://www.sc.edu/provost/
http://ced.sc.edu/viceprovost/Plyler.html
http://president.sc.edu/
The Board of Trustees
http://trustees.sc.edu/
Campus Dean
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/dean.htm
http://saeu.sc.edu/RCFaculty/docs/RCmanual
2009.pdf
Regional Campuses Faculty Manual
Regional Campuses Faculty Senate
Minutes
By-Laws of the USC Lancaster Faculty
Organization
South Carolina Commission on Higher
Education
Approval Process
http://ced.sc.edu/RCFS/index.html
http://ced.sc.edu/RCFS/minutes.html
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/faculty/faculty_org
_bylaws.pdf
http://www.che.sc.gov/
http://www.che.sc.gov/New_Web/ForInstitut
ions/AcadProg.htm
Salkehatchie
Mission Statement
Academic Bulletin
September 2005 Meeting Minutes
Faculty Committee
Sumter
http://www.ipr.sc.edu/mission/salkehatchie_
ms.htm
http://www.sc.edu/bulletin/Salkehatchie/acad
progs.html
http://ced.sc.edu/RCFS/docs/Minutes/2005Se
pt9Min.pdf
http://uscsalkehatchie.sc.edu/SACS/FacultyC
ommittees.doc
Curriculum Evaluation
Academic Program Assessment
Mission Statement
Regional Campuses Faculty Manual
Sumter Faculty Organization By-Laws
Union
Mission
Degree Requirements
http://kudzu.ipr.sc.edu/effectiveness/IERepor
ts/2006/Sumter_06_IE_Summary.pdf
http://ire.uscsumter.edu/homey/assessment_p
lan_2010_2011.htm
http://www.uscsumter.edu/index.php/mission
.html
http://saeu.sc.edu/RCFaculty/manual.html
http://www.uscsumter.edu/pmanual/acad111.
html
http://uscunion.sc.edu/mission.html
http://www.sc.edu/bulletin/Union/acadprogs.
html