The College of Charleston

http://stono.cs.cofc.edu/ (World Wide Web Directory, 06/1995)

The College of Charleston

The College of Charleston is a state-assisted, liberal arts institution offering 34 undergraduate degree programs and, in conjunction with the University of Charleston, S.C., 10 graduate programs. Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in South Carolina, and the 13th oldest in America. It was the first municipal college established in the United States. For almost 200 years, the entire campus consisted of just three buildings, and the student body numbered no more than 500.

In 1970, however, the school began a remarkable transformation and growth. That year, the College became a part of the South Carolina State College system. Today, the student body numbers approximately 7,500 undergraduate and, in conjunction with the University of Charleston, S.C., 1,200 graduate students. The campus comprises 100 buildings in and around downtown historic Charleston.

However, the College of Charleston's emphasis on a high quality, liberal arts education did not change. That has been true whether students were learning Greek and Latin in the 18th century or business administration and marine biology today. Many of the 300 faculty members are known nationally and internationally for their research and writings, but they all recognize that teaching is their number one priority.