University of South Carolina Aiken

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The University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA, formerly USC Aiken) is a public university in the Aiken, South Carolina area. It is part of the University of South Carolina System and offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's degrees. Additional graduate courses and degree programs are offered through the University of South Carolina Extended Graduate Campus program. The University of South Carolina Aiken awards baccalaureate degrees in more than 30 major areas of study including the bachelor of science in business administration online through Palmetto College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Campus

The quad fountain on USCA's main campus

The campus is located on Template:Convert in the Aiken area, Template:Convert from Augusta, Georgia, and 60 miles from Columbia, South Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Double Knot sculpture at the Robert E. Penland Administration Building

As of 2020 portions of the campus are in the Aiken city limits, though the majority is outside of the Aiken city limits in an unincorporated area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Academics

The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Many of its programs are accredited or approved by program- or discipline-specific accreditors:

  • The School of Education's undergraduate programs in early childhood, elementary, secondary, and special education are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Its graduate program for the M.Ed. in educational technology also is accredited by CAEP.
  • The School of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • The School of Nursing's program is approved by the South Carolina State Board of Nursing and is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
  • USCA's master of science in applied clinical psychology degree program is accredited by the Master's in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC).
  • USCA's department of chemistry and physics is nationally certified by the American Chemical Society. USCA is the smallest university in the state of South Carolina to be nationally certified by the American Chemical Society and one of only nine in the state.

The University of South Carolina Aiken was ranked number 49 among "Regional Universities" in the southern US in the 2023 edition of U.S. News & World Report's guide America's Best Colleges. In 2019, the university was ranked #1 among top public regional colleges in the southern US. The university has frequently been ranked in the top three public regional colleges and has been ranked first eleven times: 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Students

As of the fall of 2021, USCA had an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 3,101 undergraduate students and 768 graduate students. Students enjoy a low faculty-to-student ratio of 14:1 and 69% of classes consisting of 20 or fewer students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The university reached record enrollment rates in the fall of 2018.

Student life

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Greek life

The Greek system at USCA consists of five fraternities and seven sororities. In fall 2021, seven percent of undergraduate men and six percent of undergraduate women were active in USCA's Greek life community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Student publications

The school newspaper is the weekly Pacer Times,<ref>Pacer Times official website (accessed January 21, 2023).</ref> Founded in 1963 as the Rebellaire,<ref name="ptimes1">Pacer Times, Vol. 50 no. 1, p.1 (August 8, 2013).</ref> physical copies of the Pacer Times were once printed by the Aiken Standard.<ref>"Wright named editor-in-chief of Pacer Times", Aiken Standard, August 31, 2012.</ref> The school also has a student-run literary journal, Broken Ink.<ref>"'Broken Ink' garners All-American status", Aiken Standard, August 17, 2013.</ref>

Athletics

The Convocation Center, home of USCA's basketball and volleyball programs

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USCA's athletic teams are the Pacers. Competing in intercollegiate athletics at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Pacers have been members of the Peach Belt Conference since the 1990–91 academic year.

The school's teams were initially known as the Rebels. The mascot name was changed to Pacers in 1971.<ref name="ptimes1"/>

The Pacers compete in ten intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, and soccer; women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Men's and women's tennis were discontinued at the end of the 2018–19 school year. The Pacers have also formerly offered both a cheerleading program and an award-winning dance team, with both replaced by a combined co-ed spirit squad.

Notable alumni

Notes

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References

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