Introduction

It is home to over 17,000 students from every state in the union and over 70 countries. Its comparably low cost makes Clemson an outstanding education and excellent value. It is highly competitive. It is a national leader, academically and in sports; a preeminent institution in the Southeast. But there’s another reason so many students make Clemson University their first choice. Here, you can be everything you want to be.

What do you want to be?

So who do you want to be? An architect? A research chef? A scientist? A packaging specialist? If you’re not sure, you can explore over 80 undergraduate degree programs through five academic colleges. We boast some of the nation’s finest programs in agriculture and engineering, and our most popular majors range from marketing to management, elementary education to biological sciences. Regardless of what you choose, you’ll be joined by very bright peers. In the current freshman class, for example, 47 percent were ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class; 70 percent ranked in the top 20 percent; and over the years, more of South Carolina’s Palmetto Fellows and All-State Academic Team members have selected Clemson as their college of choice than any other college or university. For the fifth consecutive year, one-third of the new Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipients are attending Clemson University. But why do they believe Clemson offers everything they want to be? The answers appear the first time you visit our campus.

This is what comes to mind when you imagine what a college campus should be. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, on the shores of Lake Hartwell, our 1,400-acre campus is surrounded by another 17,000 acres of University farms and woodlands used for research. For some, our large size can seem welcoming; others may ask, “How will I make new friends here? How will I be a name and not a number to my professors? How will I become what I want to be if I can’t stand out?” Did you know that all of Clemson freshmen are required to live in on-campus housing? Some 6,500 students live in resident halls, apartment complexes and Clemson House. It’s not only a great way to be close to classes, activities and events; it’s a fast way of making new friends. And as far as being lost in the classroom is concerned, our student-to-faculty ratio is 15-to-1. That means our average class size of 31 is small enough to afford you individualized attention, and yes, your professor will know you by name. Even in our larger classes, there are smaller breakout sessions that can give you the one-on-one instruction you want. And Clemson classrooms are state-of-the-art. We were recently recognized by the national media for such innovations as our virtual laptop environment and smart classrooms, where technology is integrated into our classrooms and labs. To enhance these technological innovations, all Clemson students are now required to have a laptop computer. Detailed information and specifications are available at laptop.clemson.edu.

So who do you want to be? A teacher? An engineer? A communicator? You’ll learn from an impressive faculty, international in composition, with 86 percent holding the highest degree in their field. As educators, they’re renowned the world over by the many awards they’ve received in such areas as engineering and architecture, history and management. And as teachers, they go out of their way to involve their students in every aspect of learning. Undergraduates, for example, routinely participate in groundbreaking research projects, exploring everything from virtual reality to robotics. Just how groundbreaking is all this research? With its world-class facilities, Clemson ranks in the top five in the Southeast and among the top 20 research institutions in the nation in generating revenue from scientific patents and intellectual property licenses. This outstanding faculty chose Clemson primarily because the caliber of student we admit.

Do you want to be a scholar? An intellectual? Money magazine rated our honors program as one of the best among state universities. The Calhoun College honors college attracts the counties brightest, with freshman SAT critical reading and mathematics scores historically averaging over 1400. As a Calhoun Scholar, you’ll take small classes that encourage independent study and research and attend lectures and seminars that will let you discuss a plethora of issues with the nation’s most gifted thinkers.

Do you want to be an entrepreneur or a professional? Wherever Clemson students go upon graduation they hold a degree that’s respected. No wonder so many Fortune 500 companies conduct their job interviews with our seniors right there on campus. No wonder so many offer our undergraduates mentoring opportunities through our Cooperative Education Program, a program where you’ll alternate periods of study with periods of on the job training. In other words, you’ll earn as you learn.

Do you want to be different? Someone who is looking for a life that is out of the ordinary? The diversity of degrees that we offer has led to a kaleidoscope of careers. For instance, one of our alumni was the pilot of Air Force One while another was the president of the National Wildlife Federation. Other alumni include the designer of Disney’s Tower of Terror ride, an agent for major league baseball players, a director of one of the nation’s best zoos, a famous television personality and a former U.S. senator, just to name a few. Even our traditional career paths will stimulate your imagination. Just ask these mechanical engineering students who design, build and race their off-road vehicles for our mini Baja Rally. Or our civil engineering students, who annually design, construct and participate in the National Concrete Canoe or the National Student Steel Bridge competitions. Or these food science students who compete as research chefs to create the food industries next hot food product. Recently these students took first place honors in national competition. These hands-on competitions, give students team building skills and management techniques that are impossible to learn from textbooks alone. But it’s not just the diversity of our degrees or the excellence of our education that has allowed our graduates to discover themselves and lead interesting lives; it’s also Clemson’s century old tradition of playing as hard as we work.

Do you want to be part of a championship team? We’re a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the nation’s most competitive. During the last couple of seasons, our football team defeated three top-ten teams and won a Peach Bowl Championship. The baseball team has appeared in twenty consecutive NCAA tournaments. The men’s basketball coach was chosen as an assistant coach for the USA Men’s basketball team in the 2004 Olympics. Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams advanced to the NCAA tournament, with the women reaching the final four, two of the last three years. Our women’s soccer team has performed in 12 consecutive NCAA championships, while the men’s team has historically won two national championships. Our most recent national championship was celebrated in 2003 by the men’s golf team. When you do visit, check out a game in our newly renovated stadium, Death Valley, one of the ten largest campus stadiums in the country. Because when you watch one of our ten division one sports for men or nine for women, you’ll better understand what our highly charged campus spirit is all about.

Do you want to be active? Every week, students work out in aerobic classes, participate as members of 49 club sports and compete in different intramural athletic competitions. Everything from sailing to skydiving, fencing to fitness, and all full-time Clemson students belong to the recently renovated Fike Recreation Center, complete with a rock-climbing wall, a suspended track, state-of-the-art workout facilities and specialty services such as personal training, nutrition consultation and massage therapy that are available for a small fee. And it’s not just sports that keep our student’s going; Clemson offers more than 300 student organizations. So what’s your interest? Writing? Broadcasting? You could work for one of our four award-winning publications or campus radio or TV station. Music? Try everything from symphony orchestras to jazz ensembles, marching bands to rock groups. Do you want to be a star? Clemson’s singers and symphonic bands have appeared at Carnage Hall and our Clemson players are nationally recognized. How about community service? Our students volunteer with more than 50 service agencies annually. And social? About 22 percent of our students belong to one of 26 fraternities and 14 sororities. Then there are the campus-wide activities from homecomings to hot concerts, entertainment to exhibitions. In fact, so many the University hosts an average of two organized activities everyday.

Since being named as TIME magazine’s Public College of the Year several years ago, Clemson has received many other national distinctions. Among those, U.S.News and World Report ranked Clemson as 30th among national public universities. Engineering Workforce Statistics ranks Clemson fifth in the national among majority schools for the number of African Americans who graduate yearly in engineering. Intel’s Most Unwired College Campuses lists Clemson among the top 100 schools for wireless computing access where students have the freedom to access the Internet on notebook PCs without a traditional wire connection. And Kaplan and Newsweek noted in its college catalog that Clemson was among the nation’s top schools that offer the best tuition value, are academically challenging and have the best Web sites.

So who do you want to be? Even if you’re not sure yet, we strongly encourage you to visit our campus because only then will you be able to see first hand how you can be everything you want to be, at Clemson University.

The Admission Process

As we said before, freshman admission at Clemson is competitive. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of high school grades, class standing, SAT or ACT scores and intended major. Freshman applicants are required to take the new SAT or the ACT with the writing portion. The middle 50 percent range for freshman on the SAT I in 2006 was 1140 to 1290, the highest among South Carolina’s public colleges and universities. The middle 50 percent ACT composite score range for freshman in 2006 was 24 to 29. In addition, 47 percent graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class; 70 percent in the top 20 percent; and 97 percent were in the top 50 percent of their class. Here’s how…

Freshman

…to apply to Clemson. If you are a high school senior, we recommend that you use our electronic application available at www.clemson.edu  You may submit the application directly to our admissions database with the application fee being processed via credit card or electronic check. The SAT or ACT is also required; Clemson does not require the SAT II. For priority notification, freshmen entering in the fall are encouraged to apply by December 1. Decisions are communicated to most applicants beginning in mid-February. The deadline for admission for January enrollment is December 15.

If you’re a junior, you can fill out a preliminary application online at any time during the year at uas.clemson.edu. You can also obtain one from the publication called Consider Clemson. If you submit a preliminary application, you’ll automatically receive a guide to our online application in September of your senior year. Students who take the SAT or ACT in their junior year are encouraged to send their official scores. A selected group of students with outstanding academic credentials will be offered conditional acceptance based on their score report profile. Applicants considered for conditional acceptance in 2006 were in the top 10 percent of their class and scored 1230 and higher on the critical reading and mathematics portions of the SAT or 28 and higher on the ACT.

If your school offers advanced placement or AP courses, we encourage you to participate and have your results forwarded to us. This is the principal method by which you can begin your college work while you’re still in high school. College credit is awarded for every three, four or five you receive on an AP exam. More than half of last year’s entering freshmen participated in the College Board’s Advanced Placement program with over 15,000 hours of semester credit being awarded. Clemson consistently ranks among the top schools in the nation who receives AP scores. Students who attend an International Baccalaureate IB school are encouraged to apply for admission. Clemson recognizes the academic challenges inherent in the IB program and will take this into consideration. Students scoring five, six or seven on the higher-level IB examinations are in most cases eligible for college credit. For more information about these tests, you may visit our Web site, contact the admissions office or check with your high school guidance office. Even if you take the AP or IB exams or take courses equivalent to Clemson preparatory math classes at another institution, all accepted new students must complete the Clemson Mathematics Placement Test or CMPT prior to registering for your first mathematics course at Clemson. Information about the CMPT will be mailed to you. If you’re a transfer students…

Transfer Students

…you should be aware that admission is moderately competitive. To be considered, candidates must have completed one year of college study with 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours, a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher (although 3.0 is preferred) and all freshman-level courses in English, mathematics and science for your intended major at Clemson. Once you are ready to apply, you should use our online process and submit the application directly to our admissions database. A credit card or electronic check is required for your application fee. If you prefer, you may complete our hardcopy application and mail it with the application fee to the Office of Admissions. Remember to have your official transcripts sent directly to the office of admissions from the Registrar of each college you’ve attended. Clemson will notify you by mail when we receive your application and we’ll keep you updated on the status of your application while it’s under consideration. Even in…

Costs & Financial Aid

…these times of increasing college costs, Clemson is still considered a good buy in higher education and our costs are comparable to similar public universities in the Southeast. You’ll find additional information concerning school expenses in the publication Consider Clemson and the online application guide. Every year, the University awards over $140 million in financial aid to more than 13,000 students. Financial assistance may be in the form of loans, grants, employment, scholarships or waivers. After we receive your admissions application, a financial aid application information packet will be sent in January to you from our Office of Student Financial Aid. Deadlines pass quickly, so make plans to apply early. You should also know that Clemson offers two- and four-year Army and Air Force ROTC programs. Selected ROTC students receive scholarships, which pay for tuition and books. In addition, participants receive a monthly, tax-free allowance. Once enrolled, the Clemson student can earn a commission as a military officer along with a college diploma.

Housing

Freshmen who are accepted to Clemson will automatically receive an on-campus housing application packet. Besides the Clemson House, we have 24 campus resident halls and four apartment complexes. Most rooms are carpeted; all are air-conditioned and within a ten-minute walk of most of our classroom buildings. Transfer students may choose to live on campus if space is available; however, there are many opportunities to live off-campus, only a short distance away.

The Visit

While DVDs and brochures are a start to learning more about Clemson, nothing beats a personal visit. By automobile, Clemson is about two hours from Atlanta, Georgia, or Charlotte, North Carolina. Amtrak’s legendary Southern Crescent also stops in Clemson and the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport is less than an hour away. Please plan to come and visit our campus in the near future. The Class of 1944 Visitor Center is the front door to our campus and offers a variety of informational services including guided tours, audio/visuals, general referral information, departmental contacts and publications about the University and the surrounding area. Speak with our students or with one of more than 106,000 active alumni. They’ll tell you Clemson’s not just for four years; it’s for a lifetime.

Academic Programs

Accounting B.S., M.P.Acc.
Administration and Supervision M.Ed., Ed.S.
Agricultural and Applied Economics B.S., M.S.
Agricultural Education B.S., M.Ag.Ed.
Agricultural Mechanization and Business B.S.
Animal and Veterinary Sciences B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Animal Physiology M.S., Ph.D.
Applied Economics Ph.D.
Applied Psychology M.S.
Applied Sociology M.S.
Architecture B.A., M.Arch, M.S.
Biochemistry B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Bioengineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Biological Sciences B.A., B.S.
Biosystems Engineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Business Administration M.B.A.
Career and Technology Education M.C.T.E., Ed.D.
Ceramic and Materials Engineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Chemical Engineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Chemistry B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
City and Regional Planning M.C.R.P.
Civil Engineering B.S., M.Eng.r, M.S., Ph.D.
Communications Studies B.A.
Computer Engineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Computer Information Systems B.S.
Computer Science B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Construction Science and Management B.S., M.C.S.M.
Counselor Education M.Ed.
Curriculum and Instruction Ph.D.
Digital Production Arts M.F.A.
Early Childhood Education B.A.
Economics B.A., B.S., M.A.
Educational Leadership Ph.D.
Electrical Engineering B.S., M.Engr., M.S., Ph.D.
Electronic Commerce M.E-Com.
Elementary Education B.A., M.Ed.
English B.A., M.A.
Entomology M.S., Ph.D.
Environmental and Natural Resources B.S.
Environmental Engineering and Science M.Engr., M.S., Ph.D.
Environmental Toxicology M.S., Ph.D.
Financial Management B.S.
Food, Nutrition and Culinary Sciences M.S.
Food Science B.S.
Food Technology Ph.D.
Forest Resource Management B.S.
Forest Resources M.F.R., M.S., Ph.D.
Genetics B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Geology B.A., B.S.
Graphic Communications B.S., M.S.
Health Administration M.H.A.
Health Science B.S.
Historic Preservation M.S.
History B.A., M.A.
Horticulture B.S.
Human Factors Psychology Ph.D.
Human Resource Development M.H.R.D.
Hydrogeology M.S.
Industrial Engineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Industrial Management B.S.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology Ph.D.
Landscape Architecture B.L.A., M.L.A.
Language and International Health B.S.
Language and International Trade B.A.
Management B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Marketing B.S.
Materials Science and Engineering M.S., Ph.D.
Mathematical Sciences B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Mathematics Teaching B.S.
Mechanical Engineering B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Microbiology B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Modern Languages B.A.
Nursing B.S., M.S.
Packaging Science B.S., M.S.
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management B.S., M.P.R.T.M., M.S., Ph.D.
Philosophy B.A.
Physics B.A., B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Plant and Environmental Sciences M.S., Ph.D.
Policy Studies Ph.D., Certificate
Political Science B.A., B.S.
Polymer and Fiber Chemistry B.S.
Prepharmacy
Preprofessional Health Studies
Prerehabilitation Sciences
Preveterinary Medicine
Production Studies in Performing Arts B.A.
Professional Communication M.A.
Psychology B.A., B.S.
Public Administration MPA
Reading M.Ed.
Real Estate Development M.R.E.D.
Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design Ph.D.
Science Teaching B.S.
Secondary Education B.A., B.S., M.Ed.
Sociology B.A., B.S.
Special Education B.A., M.Ed.
Teaching in Middle Grades Education M.A.T
Technology and Human Resource Development B.S.
Textile Management B.S.
Textiles, Fiber and Polymer Science M.S., Ph.D.
Turfgrass B.S.
Visual Arts B.F.A., M.F.A.
Wildlife and Fisheries Biology B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Youth Development M.S.
Zoology M.S., Ph.D.