College of Charleston

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With our stellar location, vibrant student life, and devoted faculty, the College of Charleston is truly one of the nation's great public universities. Learn more about what the College has to offer, from our rich history to the latest state-of-the-art facilities.
At the College of Charleston, the past and the future influence life every day of the year. Here rows of venerable live oak trees, draped with Spanish moss, shade the main campus's brick walkways. In the weathered buildings, you can almost feel the presence of those who have gone before – students and faculty members, who like those today, questioned yesterday's theories and tested tomorrow's ideas. History isn't an anchor here, but a strong foundation for the College's dedicated learning community, furthering exploration, discovery, and creativity.
Today, the College is led by Stephen C. Osborne '73 (2018–present). Osborne is serving as interim president and is the fourth alumnus to hold the office. Interim President Osborne's priorities include enhancing the campus and academic experiences, sustaining philanthropic support and alumni engagement momentum, and planning for the College's 250th Anniversary Celebration in 2020.
A College of Charleston education is a personalized education. We offer 60 majors and 77 minors. As an undergraduate, you'll have the freedom to mix and match your academic interests to create a unique, intellectually stimulating course of study. We have given you a head start with our 25 interdisciplinary minors such as Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Crime, Law and Society, and Data Science, the first undergraduate program of its kind in the nation. These programs draw resources from several different schools and departments to approach each topic from all academic angles.
No matter which major or minor you choose, you'll be taught by exceptional professors whose top priority is your success. Explore the full list of academic programs below, check out degree requirements in the catalog, and get excited about your intellectual future.
Participating in a challenging and meaningful undergraduate research project or creative activity can be the single most important experience that you will have in College. Plus, collaborative research is a great way to work one-on-one with a faculty mentor.
Undergraduate research at the College is fueled by our longstanding commitment to meaningful faculty-student engagement. Our students feel comfortable asking their professors to guide them through independent projects. Moreover, our faculty know that bright, motivated students make an excellent addition to any research team.
Recent undergraduate research projects include biology students studying the circadian rhythms of mice. These English majors are examining Anglo-Irish relations in the Victorian novel, computer science students engaged in autonomous robotic mapping, and psychology students studying healthy social behavior in middle school children.
Study abroad experiences change people. Whether you go for a week, a summer, or a semester, you will return with powerful new perspectives on your studies, career path, and world. More than ever, a College of Charleston education includes meaningful, firsthand experiences with another culture, language, and people.
The Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library is the region's top research library. This modern, three-story facility has a holding capacity of one million volumes, seats 1,400 people, and has 300 computers, including dozens of laptops that can be checked out and linked to the building's ubiquitous wireless network. Addlestone librarians are very dedicated and knowledgeable and help students. Faculty find precisely what they need from a sprawling collection of bound books, periodicals, reference materials, and hundreds of electronic databases and journals — many of them full-text. The Addlestone library is also the prime study spot on campus. A huge draw is Rivers Green, a large inviting lawn and patio area behind the library equipped with tables, chairs, and high-speed WiFi.
Founded in 1770, the College of Charleston is the oldest educational institution south of Virginia, and the 13th oldest in the United States. During the colonial period, wealthy families sent their sons abroad for higher education. By the mid-18th century, many leading citizens supported establishing an institution of higher learning within the colony.
On January 30, 1770, Lieutenant Governor William Bull recommended to the colony's general assembly establish a provincial college. However, internal disagreements, political rivalries, and the American Revolution delayed progress on this front. After the war, South Carolinians returned its attention to establishing a college. On March 19, 1785, the College of Charleston was chartered to "encourage and institute youth in the several branches of liberal education."
Several of the College's founders played key roles in the American Revolution and created the new republic. Three were signers of the Declaration of Independence, and another three were framers of the U.S. Constitution. Other founders were or became federal and state lawmakers and judges, state governors, diplomats, and Charleston council members and mayors. Robert Smith served as the College's first president. Educated in England, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church and relocated to Charleston, where he served as rector of St. Philip's Church. During the American Revolution, he supported the patriot cause and even served as a soldier during the city's siege. He later became the first Episcopal bishop of South Carolina.

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