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The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract which may be accepted by students through registration and enrollment in the University. The University reserves the right to change without notice any fee, provision, offering, or requirement in this catalog and to determine whether a student has satisfactorily met its requirements for admission or graduation. The University further reserves the right to require a student to withdraw from the University for cause at any time.
Each curriculum shall be governed by the requirements in effect on the
date of enrollment. If a student withdraws from the University and subsequently
returns or does not remain continuously enrolled (summers excluded), the
requirements in effect at the time of return will normally prevail.
When he died on April 6, 1888, a series of events began that marked the start of a new era in higher education in the state of South Carolina, especially in the study of science, agriculture, and engineering. Mr. Clemson's passing set the stage for the founding of the university that bears his namethe beginning of a true "people's university," which opened the doors of higher education to all South Carolinians, rich and poor alike. In his will, which was signed November 6, 1886, Mr. Clemson bequeathed the Fort Hill plantation and a considerable sum from his personal assets for the establishment of an educational institution of the kind he envisioned. He left a cash endowment of approximately $80,000 as well as the 814-acre Fort Hill estate to South Carolina for such a college. The biggest obstacle in the creation of an agricultural collegethe initial expensewas removed by Mr. Clemson's bequest.
On November 27, 1889, Governor Richardson signed the bill accepting Thomas Clemson's gift. Soon after a measure was introduced to establish the Clemson Agricultural College, with its trustees becoming custodians of Morrill Act and Hatch Act funds made available for agricultural education and research by federal legislative acts. The founding of Clemson Agricultural College supplanted the South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics, which had been designated in Columbia in 1880.
Thomas Green Clemson came to the foothills of South Carolina when he married Anna Maria Calhoun, daughter of South Carolina's famous statesman John C. Calhoun.
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Clemson was educated at schools both in the United States and France, where he attended lectures at the Royal School of Mines, studied with prominent scientists in the private laboratories of the Sorbonne Royal College of France, and received his diploma as an assayer from the Royal Mint in Paris. Mr. Clemson, then in his mid-20s, returned to America greatly influenced by his European studies. He became a great advocate of the natural sciences, achieving a considerable reputation as a mining engineer and a theorist in agricultural chemistry. He also was a gifted writer whose articles were published in the leading scientific journals of his day, an artist and a diplomat who represented the U.S. government as chargé d'affaires to Belgium for almost seven years.
Mr. Clemson had a lifelong interest in farming and agricultural affairs. He served as the nation's first superintendent of agricultural affairs (predecessor to the present secretary of agriculture position) and actively promoted the establishment and endowment of the Maryland Agricultural College in the 1850s. Though remembered today for these accomplishments, Thomas Clemson made his greatest historical contribution when, as a champion of formal scientific education, his life became intertwined with the destiny of educational and economic development in South Carolina. Although he never lived to see it, his dedicated efforts culminated in the founding of Clemson Agricultural College.
At the time of his death, Mr. Clemson was living at the Fort Hill homeplace, which today is a national historic landmark and provides a historic centerpiece for the Clemson University campus. He had inherited the house and plantation lands of his famous father-in-law, Senator Calhoun, upon the death of Mrs. Clemson in 1875.
Clemson College formally opened in July 1893, with an enrollment of 446. From the beginning, the college was an all-male military school. It remained this way until 1955, when the change was made to "civilian" status for students and Clemson became a coeducational institution. In 1964, the college was renamed Clemson University as the state legislature formally recognized the school's expanded academic offerings and research pursuits.
On November 27, 1989, the University observed the 100th anniversary of the State's acceptance of the terms and conditions of Mr. Clemson's bequest.
The enrollment of Clemson has grown from 446 students at the opening of the University to 17,110 for the first semester 2004-2005. Since the opening of the University, 93,656 students have been awarded Bachelor's degrees. During this same period, 426 Associate degrees, 25,660 Master's, 326 Education Specialist, 103 Doctor of Education, and 2,511 Doctor of Philosophy degrees have been awarded, a total of 122,682 degrees.
Today, more than a century later, the University is much more than its
founder ever could have imagined. With its diverse learning and research
facilities, the University provides an educational opportunity not only
for the people of the State, as Mr. Clemson dreamed, but for thousands
of young men and women throughout the country and the world.
The Norfolk and Southern Railway and U.S. Highways 76 and 123 provide easy access to the City of Clemson and to the University. Oconee County Airport is four miles from the library. Both Atlanta and Charlotte are two hours driving time away.
Campus architecture is a pleasing blend of traditional and modern facilities enhanced by a beautiful landscape of towering trees, grassy expanses, and flowering plants. Academic, administrative, and student service buildings on campus represent an insured value of $627 million. Clemson University's real estate holdings include over 32,000 acres of forestry and agricultural lands throughout the state, the majority of which are dedicated to Clemson's research and public-service missions.
Fort Hill, the former home of John C. Calhoun inherited by Thomas Clemson, and the Hanover House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are open to the public. The campus also has two recognized Historic Districts.
The Strom Thurmond Institute houses the institute offices, Senator Thurmond's
papers and memorabilia, and the special collections of the Cooper Library.
The Institute is a part of an instructional and public-service district
that includes the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts and the Madren
Center for Continuing Education.
Clemson University is a selective, public, land-grant university in a college-town setting along a dynamic southeastern corridor. The University is committed to world-class teaching, research, and public service in the context of general education, student development, and continuing education. Clemson's desire is to attract a capable, dedicated, and diverse student body of approximately 12,000 to 14,000 undergraduate and 4,000 to 5,000 graduate students, with priority to students from South Carolina.
Clemson offers a wide array of high quality baccalaureate programs built around a distinctive core curriculum. Graduate and continuing education offerings respond to the professions, while doctoral and research programs contribute to the economic future of the state, nation, and world. The University emphasizes agriculture, architecture, business, education, engineering, natural resources, science, and technology. The University also promotes excellence in education and scholarship in selected areas of the creative arts, health, human development, the humanities, and social sciences. In all areas, the goal is to develop students' communication and critical-thinking skills, ethical judgment, global awareness, and scientific and technological knowledge. Students remain the primary focus of the University.
Just as Clemson values its students, the University also values its
faculty and staff who have committed their talents and careers to advance
its mission. Clemson pledges to support their work, to encourage their
professional development, to evaluate their professional performance, and
to compensate them at nationally competitive levels.
The Libraries' services include circulation, reference, interlibrary loan, class instruction, and tours. Cooper Library houses a computer lab (maintained by DCIT), Java City Cyber Café, Snax & Stax convenience store, and a Popular Reading and Audio-books Collection. Equipment available includes photocopiers, scanners, fax machines, and wireless laptops in Cooper Library and a color laser printer, engineering plotter, and large-format photocopier in the Gunnin Architecture Library.
The Clemson University Libraries consist of a main library and three branches. R. M. Cooper Library, Clemson's main library, is located at the center of campus. Most of the books and journals are located there, as well as government publications, microforms, and electronic materials. The Gunnin Architecture Library, located in Lee Hall, contains collections that focus on architecture, city and regional planning, construction science, landscape architecture, and visual arts. Special Collections, on the lower level of the Strom Thurmond Institute, houses the rare book collection, University Archives, and many manuscript collections, including the papers of John C. Calhoun and Thomas Green Clemson. The Chemistry Reading Room, located in Hunter Chemistry Lab, contains periodical literature related to chemistry.
Total holdings for the library system include more than 1.6 million
items in the form of books, periodicals, electronic resources, government
publications and patents, musical recordings, DVDs and videos, audiobooks,
maps, and microforms.
DCIT's Educational Technology Services (ETS) provides computer training and support to faculty, staff, and students in the use of the MyCLE portal and Web-based course management systems (Blackboard), the Clemson computer network, E-portfolios, and many desktop applications. This training is offered as part of regular University courses, through short courses and special training programs, and through E-learning courses.
Distance-learning processes and technologies are supported by ETS with the goal of enhancing the design, production, and delivery of an increasing selection of University distance-education courses.
An extensive array of computer hardware is housed at the Information
Technology Center (ITC) in the Clemson Research Park. DCIT operates a statewide
computing network incorporating processors from a variety of vendors. The
major general purpose computers are an IBM z800 running the OS/390 operating
system and a SUN E3000 UNIX system. Novell and Solaris servers provide
computing resources for client-server computing. Approximately 5,000 computers
are connected to the campus FDDI/Ethernet network.
While students may bring any laptop that meets the minimum specifications,
Clemson has worked with vendors to offer a recommended laptop at a special
discounted price. The recommended laptop is posted on the Web.
It includes wireless, Windows XP Pro, Office 2003, three years of warranty,
and three years of insurance. Students using the recommended laptop receive
both software and hardware support. Students with different models of laptop
will be responsible for loading their own software and getting the correct
settings installed. Clemson will continue to support the recommended laptop
for the students' duration at Clemson, while those electing to purchase
and bring their own laptops will be responsible for their support.
As part of the DCIT Support Center, graduate student employees are available to perform diagnostics and software assistance. PC repair technicians are on hand to do warranty laptop repairs on the recommended Clemson laptops. To provide a quick turn around on repairs, spare parts for laptops are kept in stock. Students whose laptops need extensive repairs may check out a loaner laptop only if they have one of the recommended laptops.
For more information, see the Laptop
Program or e-mail LAPTOP-L@clemson.edu.
Entering freshmen are invited to join Calhoun Honors College based on information taken from the Application for Admission to Clemson University, including high school rank and grade-point average, SAT and/or ACT scores, and other indicators of scholastic potential. No one factor alone is sufficient to warrant an invitation. In considering candidates for admission, the Honors Office extends invitations to those students who show promise of meeting the high academic standards of the Honors College. Admission is highly selective and is based, in part, on the quality of the applicant pool and the availability of space for freshmen in the Honors College.
Currently-enrolled Clemson students may apply to become members of Calhoun Honors College if they are a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates and have earned a cumulative grade-point ratio of 3.50 or higher as full-time students at Clemson. Students must have at least four semesters remaining to complete the requirements of their degree programs. A committee appointed by the Honors Director will evaluate the applications. Approximately 50 students will be admitted, based on space availability, at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
The honors curriculum consists of two distinct programs of study. To earn General Honors, students must complete at least six honors courses of no less than three credits each. Most courses taken for General Honors also satisfy general education requirements. Departmental Honors provides opportunities for in-depth study and research in the student's major. To receive honors credit, whether for General or Departmental Honors, each honors course must be completed with a grade of A or B. Detailed information can be found in the Honors Student Handbook.
Students completing both General and Departmental Honors are recognized at an awards ceremony on the eve of commencement, at which time they are presented the B. C. Inabinet Honors Medallion. This medallion, as well as the student's diploma, transcript, and commencement program, recognizes Honors graduates as Calhoun Honors College scholars.
In addition to the intellectual challenge of Honors, advantages of membership include priority course scheduling, honors housing (on a space-available basis), extended library loan privileges, and special lectures and cultural events.
Calhoun Honors College is institutionally responsible for administering
the Dixon Fellows Program which helps students prepare to compete for Rhodes,
Marshall, Truman, Fulbright, and other prestigious extramural fellowships.
Students may qualify to participate in the Cooperative Education Program by satisfactorily completing 30 credit hours of academic work. Transfer students may qualify in one semester. Three, four, or five co-op work periods are projected and included in each student referral. Usually two students from the same academic area are paired to fill a full-time position.
Students enrolled in the Cooperative Education Program pay a nominal
registration fee each semester or summer session which coincides with their
work period. That fee enables students to maintain student status and participate
in student activities and services that are normally associated with enrollment
at the University; however, the fee does not cover the cost of tuition
for academic courses, health service, or any of the other benefits normally
associated with the standard University fee. In responding to insurance,
tax, loans, and other questionnaires about status, the University classifies
a student on work assignment as a full-time continuing student. The work
assignment is considered an integral part of the student's education, but
no academic credit is awarded for this experience.
Internships and work abroad programs are also available. Applications
are usually due in October for spring programs, in February for fall and
academic year programs, and in April for summer programs. Interested students
are encouraged to contact International Programs and Services, E-306 Martin
Hall, at the beginning of each semester and throughout the academic year
to explore opportunities abroad.
Scholarships, available to selected ROTC students, pay for tuition, books, and laboratory expenses, in addition to a variable stipend ranging from $250-400 per month during the school year. Nonschol-arship advanced cadets also receive a stipend. Basic course credit may be awarded to students having prior military service.
Selected advanced Air Force cadets receive flight training at government expense. Reserve or National Guard duty can be guaranteed by the U.S. Army.
Cadets who complete the Advanced or Professional Course and satisfy
commissioning requirements are appointed Second Lieutenants. Ample opportunity
exists for graduate study in both services, with temporary deferments possible.
Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Medical)
Alpha Epsilon Lambda (Graduate Students)
Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshmen)
Alpha Pi Mu (Industrial Engineering)
Alpha Zeta (Agriculture)
Beta Alpha Psi (Accounting)
Blue Key (Juniors and Seniors)
Calhoun Honors Society (Honors College)
Chi Epsilon (Civil Engineering)
Eta Kappa Nu (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
Eta Sigma Gamma (Health Education)
Golden Key National Honor Society (Juniors and Seniors)
Kappa Delta Pi (Education)
Keramos (Ceramic and Materials Engineering)
Mortar Board (Seniors)
Mu Beta Psi (Music)
Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership)
Order of Omega (Seniors)
Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Psi (Textiles)
Phi Sigma Pi (Honorary)
Pi Delta Phi (French)
Pi Tau Sigma (Mechanical Engineering)
Psi Chi (Psychology)
Sigma Tau Delta (English)
Tau Beta Pi (Engineering)
Tau Sigma Delta
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (Computer Science)
Xi Sigma Pi (Forestry)
Both undergraduate and graduate students work with researchers to develop science-based information needed to address issues such as agricultural productivity and profitability, economic and community development, environmental conservation, food safety and nutrition, and youth development.
Clemson scientists have been involved in agriculture and forestry research since 1889 when the University was founded. Today research is conducted in laboratories, farms, and forests on the Clemson campus and at five research and education centers strategically located in the state's distinct soil and climate regions. In addition, Clemson researchers collaborate with colleagues on studies that span the globe.
This research has produced more than 100 new varieties of food and fiber
crops, as well as 35 patents. More than 100 scientists, in addition to
support staff, are working on 300 projects funded through federal, state,
and private sources, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the
U.S. Forest Service, the South Carolina General Assembly, and the National
Science Foundation.
Chartered in 1933, the Foundation is a primary component of the Advancement Program at the University. There are 36 elected members of the Board of Directors. Currently, 34 of the 36 are Clemson alumni. The Board also includes seven automatic directors; including an undergraduate student representative; 15 ex officio directors, including a graduate student representative; and 16 honorary directors.
The Foundation operates through committees that report via an Executive
Committee to the Full Board. These include the Budget Review, Development,
Investment, Nominations, and Policy and Bylaws Committees. The Audit Committee
is responsible directly to the Board. Fund raising is managed by the Development
Committee and, if applicable, a Campaign Executive Committee. This includes
solicitation of annual, major, planned, corporate, and foundation gifts
in support of University priorities and coordination of college-based fund-raising
initiatives. Organizations affiliated with the Clemson University Foundation
include the Clemson University Continuing Education/Conference Complex
Corporation, the Clemson University Real Estate Foundation, and the Wallace
F. Pate Foundation for Environmental Research and Education. As of June
30, 2003, the Clemson University Foundation managed more than 1,000 endowments.
Its managed investment portfolio totaled $231.8 million.
In conjunction with volunteers and traveling University staff, Clemson Clubs and Clemson activities are conducted around the world. Alumni are kept informed through the award-winning Clemson World magazine and on the Web. Students, alumni, and constituency programs, as well as publications and electronic resources, form the basis for an array of services offered to alumni, students, parents, and friends of the University.
All services of the National Alumni Association are coordinated out of the Alumni Center, a campus focal point built, furnished, and equipped entirely by gifts from alumni specifically for that purpose. The University Visitors Center, a gift of the Class of 1944, is adjacent to the Alumni Center and is an excellent stop for anyone visiting or returning to campus.
Alumni-sponsored awards programs such as Alumni Distinguished Service, Alumni Fellows, professorships, scholarships, and awards for outstanding teaching, research, and public service are among the prestigious awards given by the University.
Alumni employees coordinate the Alumni Career Services program and the
activities of the open-membership student organization, Student Alumni
Association. From the Welcome Back Festival held each August to the Senior
Picnic held each May, the Alumni Association provides a lifelong connection
to Clemson.
Guided walking tours of the campus are led by students who are members of the all-volunteer University Guide Association. Tour times are Monday?Saturday at 9:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. and Sunday at 1:45 p.m. Tours begin and end at the Visitors Center. Visitors should try to arrive 10-15 minutes early. Reservations are required. For a current schedule, visit the Visitors Center Web site or call 864-656-4789.