Clemson University

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From the College

One of the country’s most selective public research universities, Clemson was founded in 1889 with a mission to be a “high seminary of learning” dedicated to teaching, research, and service. Today, these three concepts remain at the heart of the University and provide the framework for an exceptional educational experience.

At Clemson University, professors take the time to get to know students and to explore innovative ways of teaching. Exceptional teaching is one reason Clemson’s retention and graduation rates rank among the highest in the country among public universities.

Exceptional teaching is also why Clemson continues to attract an increasingly talented student body. In 2008, over half of the entering freshmen were ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and the freshman class averaged 1227 on the critical reading and math sections of the SAT–one of the highest averages among the nation’s public research universities.

Clemson is committed to world-class research. With over $150 million in sponsored research support annually, Clemson is one of the National Science Foundation’s top-100 research universities. Undergraduates have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members on exciting and challenging research projects.

The University also encourages faculty members to engage their classes through service-learning. One example of this is the Clemson Elementary Outdoors project, in which more than 750 Clemson students from a broad range of disciplines helped research and design outdoor learning areas for the city’s elementary school. Clemson has received national recognition for its innovative Communication-Across-the-Curriculum (CAC) program, in which professors focus on providing students with real-life challenges that require them to think and communicate effectively. At Clemson, CAC has become a standard teaching method used in nearly every department.

From cheering the Tigers at a football game to socializing at the Hendrix Student Center, Clemson students can participate in a wide variety of activities outside the classroom. The more than 300 campus clubs and organizations include fraternities and sororities, honoraries, international, military, performing arts, political, professional, religious, service, social interest, special interest, sports and fitness, student media, and union programs and activities.

With 19 intercollegiate sports, Clemson offers exciting spectator sports all year long. Clemson is a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and is an NCAA Division I school. Admission to regular-season events played at Clemson is included in University fees for full-time students.

Clemson University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; phone: 404-679-4501) to award bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.

Approximately midway between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, Clemson University is located on 1,400 acres of beautiful rolling hills within the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and along the shores of Lake Hartwell. Great weather and proximity to natural wonders and large cities offer year-round recreational opportunities.

The University’s enrollment of almost 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students makes it a defining presence in Clemson, South Carolina, a town of about 12,000. Most students live on campus in one of the twenty-one residence halls and four apartment complexes, which are within a 10-minute walk to class or downtown.

Clemson offers more than seventy undergraduate and approximately 100 graduate degree programs through five academic colleges: Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts, and Humanities; Business and Behavioral Science; Engineering and Science; and Health, Education, and Human Development. Students can earn Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or preprofessional degrees in accounting; agricultural and applied economics; agricultural education; agricultural mechanization and business; animal and veterinary sciences; wildlife and fisheries biology; architecture; biochemistry; biological sciences; biosystems engineering; ceramic and materials engineering; chemical engineering; chemistry; civil engineering; communication studies; computer engineering; computer information systems; computer science; construction science and management; early childhood education; economics; electrical engineering; elementary education; English; environmental and natural resources; financial management; fine arts; food science; forest resource management; genetics; geology; graphic communications; health science; history; horticulture; industrial engineering; industrial management; landscape architecture; language and international health; language and international trade; management; marketing; mathematical sciences; mathematics teaching; mechanical engineering; microbiology; modern languages; nursing; packaging science; parks, recreation, and tourism management; philosophy; physics; political science; polymer and textile chemistry; preprofessional health studies; pre–rehabilitation sciences; pre–veterinary medicine; production studies in performing arts; professional golf management; psychology; science teaching; secondary education; sociology; special education; technology and human resource development; textile management; and turfgrass.

Clemson’s academic year is divided into two semesters. The fall semester begins in mid-August, the spring semester in early January. Two summer sessions and one Maymester are also available. Students average 16 credit hours per semester. Clemson requires all students to complete some general education classes specified by the University before graduation. The number of completed credit hours required for graduation varies, depending on the major.

Calhoun Honors College is a University-wide program with roughly 1,000 students, including approximately 260 freshmen each year. Calhoun Scholars have two distinctly different tracks within the Honors College, and they may also choose to pursue departmental honors within their specific academic discipline. In addition, EUREKA! (Experiences in Undergraduate Research, Exploration, and Knowledge Advancement) is a unique and exciting program that enables honors students to pursue research and scholarly activities with faculty members across all disciplines. The advantages of membership include priority registration, extended library loan privileges, honors research grants, and honors housing.

The National Scholars Program is a highly selective program for exceptional students who strive to meet their highest intellectual potential. One of its goals is to develop the interests and talents students need to compete for Rhodes, Marshall, and Truman scholarships; Fulbright Grants; National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships; and other prestigious international fellowships.

Clemson’s nationally recognized Programs for Educational Enrichment and Retention (PEER) is committed to improving academic performance of underrepresented students in engineering and science. Today, thanks in large part to PEER, the six-year graduation rate for African American first-time freshmen is above the national average.

The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program focuses on recruiting women into science and engineering and helping them succeed in college and their careers. WISE offers support activities such as mentoring programs, career planning, and study groups.

Tutoring, supplemental instruction, academic skills workshops, and academic counseling are also available free to all Clemson students through the Academic Support Center.

Clemson’s study-abroad and off-campus programs give students the opportunity to study almost anywhere in the world. The International Student Exchange Program and the Clemson Exchange Program allow students to enroll for a summer, semester or full academic year at one of over 100 universities throughout the world. In addition, many departments sponsor their own programs, including architecture in Italy and engineering in Germany.

Clemson undergraduates have worked at more than 360 companies through Cooperative Education. Participating students alternate periods of academic study with periods of related work in a business, industry, agency, or organization.

The Clemson campus is home to a blend of historic buildings and advanced research facilities surrounded by stately trees and lush greenery.

The Libraries and the Division of Computing and Information Technology are committed to providing students and faculty members with the latest ways to access information. Clemson’s main library, the Robert M. Cooper Library, is located at the center of campus and provides students with a variety of services and up-to-date collections. The University’s wireless networking capability lets students communicate with professors and classmates, read online course materials, check e-mail, and conduct research, all from their own laptops. Students are required to complete an electronic portfolio prior to graduation, allowing them the opportunity to present themselves through a creative venue to prospective employers and graduate schools.

The campus offers an array of facilities and programs designed to enhance a student’s entire educational experience. These include the Pearce Center for Professional Communication, Class of 1941 Studio for Student Communication, Rutland Center for Ethics, and Academic Support Center.

Clemson real estate holdings also include more than 32,000 acres of forestry and agricultural lands throughout the state, the majority of which are dedicated to the University’s research and service missions.

For the 2008–09 academic year, undergraduate tuition and fees were $11,108 for South Carolina residents and $24,130 for out-of-state residents. Room and board costs were approximately $6170, and books and supplies were about $925. The one-time laptop computer cost was about $1300.

Financial aid is usually awarded on the basis of need to supplement the amount students and their parents can contribute to college expenses. The University also awards some scholarships based entirely on academic merit. Clemson offers financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time employment.

Entering freshmen are evaluated on a competitive basis for scholarships using the admission application. There is no separate scholarship application. For Academic Recruiting Scholarships, students are ranked based on test scores, high school rank-in-class, and other academic factors. In past years, students offered one of these merit scholarships normally had a minimum SAT score of 1350 (combined score from critical reading and mathematics sections), or an ACT of at least 31, and were ranked no lower than the top 10 percent of their senior class. Stipends for in-state residents range from $500 per year to the full cost of attendance. Merit scholarships for out-of-state students range from $2500 per year to the full cost of attendance. Academic Recruiting Scholarships are available only to entering freshmen and are renewable for three additional years provided that the minimum standards are maintained. The application for admission is the first step for prospective freshmen to be considered for merit awards.

General University Scholarships are awarded to both entering freshmen and upperclassmen. To be considered for scholarships, upperclassmen must have a minimum cumulative GPR of at least 2.5. These scholarships may have special criteria set up by the donor, such as a certain residency, major, or career interest. Because of the restrictions on many of these scholarships, it is impossible to predict the recipients. However, the scholarship selection process is very competitive. Stipends range from $250 to $7500.

Clemson has over 1,000 full-time faculty members, of whom 86 percent hold a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their fields. In addition, the University has over 150 part-time faculty members. Faculty honors include the Fulbright Scholarship, Guggenheim Fellowship, National Science Foundation CAREER Award, National Institutes of Health Senior Scientist Award, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences membership. The average class size is 29, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 15:1.

Each year, the University receives about 16,000 applications for a fall freshman class of 2,950. Transfer applications are received from about 1,500 students, of whom Clemson enrolls 800. Undergraduate applications are available online at http://www.clemson.edu/admission, and are preferred over applications submitted on paper. Nonetheless, paper applications are available for printout at the above Web address.

For freshman applicants, the following factors are considered: class standing, standardized test scores (SAT or ACT), high school curriculum, grades, and choice of major. All entering freshmen must have completed 4 credits of English, 3 credits of mathematics, 3 credits of laboratory science, 3 credits of a foreign language (in the same language), 3 credits of social sciences, 2 credits in other areas, and 1 credit of physical education.

To be considered for transfer admission, candidates must have completed a full year of college study (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of transferable work), earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (3.0 preferred), and completed all freshman-level courses in English, science, and mathematics for their intended major at Clemson.

Application deadlines for freshman admissions are December 1 (priority date for fall enrollment), May 1 (fall semester deadline), and December 15 (for the spring semester). For transfer admissions, the application deadlines are July 1 (for the fall semester) and December 15 (for the spring semester).