General Information about Graduate Programs

The following reflects University and Graduate School policy. A specific department or program may have additional restrictions or requirements. For updated and more detailed information, please see the USC Graduate Studies Bulletin.

Transfer Credit

Graduate credits that are NOT part of a completed degree or certificate program at USC or another institution, at the discretion of the academic unit, may be transferred, subject to the following restrictions:

No more than 12 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred into a master's program that requires no more than 36 hours; no more than 15 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred into a master's program that requires 37-45 hours; and no more than 18 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred into a master's program that requires 46 or more semester hours. Course work transferred for credit toward a master's degree must: 1) be from an accredited institution recognized by USC; 2) carry graduate credit with a grade of B or better (or equivalent marks if different grading system is used); and 3) be dated within the six-year period for courses used in the master's program.

A maximum of 9 semester hours of graduate credit that are part of a completed degree or certificate program at USC or elsewhere may be applied to another USC master's degree program.

Doctoral Degree Programs

A limited number of credits may be transferred into a doctoral program. The exact number of transfer hours varies among programs. Course work transferred for credit toward a doctoral degree must 1) be approved by the student's academic unit; 2) be from an accredited institution recognized by USC; 3) carry graduate credit with a grade of B or better (or equivalent marks if different grading system is used); 4) be dated within the eight-year period for courses used in the doctoral program; and 5) not constitute more than 50 percent of the hours listed on a program of study (not including 899 or the equivalent).

Graduate Certificate Programs

With the approval of the department or program concerned and subject to the regulations of The Graduate School, no more than 9 semester hours of graduate credit with grades of B or better may be transferred from another institution or another USC program into a graduate certificate program. Course work transferred for credit toward a Certificate of Graduate Study must be from an accredited institution recognized by USC and must be dated within the six-year period for courses used in the graduate certificate program.

No Correspondence Credit

The University offers no correspondence courses for graduate credit and does not accept correspondence work to apply toward a graduate degree.

Student Responsibility

The Graduate School’s annual publication, Graduate Studies Bulletin, describes all graduate programs offered at the University and lists the basic requirements for admission to each of them. A copy of the Graduate Studies Bulletin is available at www.gradschool.sc.edu or in the link above. As an applicant, you will be expected to become thoroughly familiar with the admission requirements for your program. University personnel and your faculty advisor will explain policies to you as carefully as possible, but ultimate responsibility for any error on your application or in your credentials or in the interpretation of rules rests with you. Therefore, you should read carefully the appropriate parts of the Graduate Studies Bulletin. Then ask The Graduate School or the graduate director of your program about anything you don’t understand and whether there are additional requirements. As is the case with all accredited universities, the University of South Carolina reserves the right to decline admission, suspend, or require withdrawal of any student when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the University.

Transient Student Admission

Students admitted to graduate degree programs at other accredited institutions may seek admission to The Graduate School of the University of South Carolina as transient students. A completed application form must be submitted to The Graduate School, with the $40 application fee. Then, upon receipt of a letter from the applicant’s graduate dean indicating good standing in a graduate program, admission for one semester can be granted. Additional enrollment is permitted only under special circumstances. Call The Graduate School for further information about transient admission.

Campus Locations

Most graduate courses are offered only on the historic Columbia campus, but a limited number of graduate courses are offered on seven campuses located throughout South Carolina. Some courses also are offered through distance education systems. Graduate students may enroll in these courses, but The Graduate School cannot guarantee that all degree requirements can be met solely through attendance at these other campuses. All graduate directors are located on the Columbia campus, as are most official advisors. If you are interested in a campus other than Columbia, the graduate regional studies coordinator on that campus can provide scheduling information and general assistance. For information about distance education courses, call the Office of Distance Education and Instructional Support at 800-922-2577 or visit the Distance Education web site at http://www.sc.edu/uis/de/index.html.

Registration

When you receive official notification of your acceptance from The Graduate School, you should contact the graduate director of your program to find out about registration. Normally, students who have been advised and turned their advisement form into the Arnold School of Public Health’s Office of Student and Alumni Services may register at any campus, via computer at www.vip.sc.edu (VIP), for any courses they are eligible to take. For the Fall term, students will be advised at new student orientation.

Graduate School Homepage

The Graduate School homepage is located at www.gradschool.sc.edu. It provides information on admissions and services available to graduate students, including a link to the Graduate Student Association homepage. Information about the Arnold School of Public Health can be found at www.sph.sc.edu.

Special Note for International Applicants Only

Each International applicant is required to submit an Application for Immigration Document and a Certification of Support form before an I-20 or an DS-2019 will be issued. If you are transferring from another U.S. institution you must complete a Transfer Information form.

These completed forms may be returned with your application packet or either mailed or faxed

International Students Services
Byrnes Building, Suite 123
University of South Carolina
901 Sumter Street
Columbia, SC 29208 USA
Tel: (803)777-7461 Fax: (803)777-0462
e-mail: intlprog@gwm.sc.edu 
Internet: http://www.sa.sc.edu/ips/ips.htm