Since the Baptist Church founded Benedict College in 1870, enrollment at the private school has grown to more than 2,800 students. Located in Columbia, the college is home to the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, which offers three baccalaureate degree programs in engineering. The computer engineering program covers digital logic, software engineering and programming, while the electrical engineering course of study features coursework in microelectronics, circuitry and telecommunications technology. The third program is a dual degree in physics and engineering, designed for students who wish to pursue an engineering degree in an area outside of the electrical or computer specialties. Students spend three years completing pre-engineering courses and the requirements for a degree in physics and then complete their fourth year studying their chosen specialty at engineering schools like the Georgia Institute of Technology, Clemson University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. All students at Benedict must complete a seminar in religion and one in health and wellness prior to graduation. Internships are available for engineering students.
Benedict College
1600 Harden Street
Columbia, SC 29204
803-253-5143
benedict.edu
Established in 1842, the Citadel is a public, state-sponsored military college in Charleston that provides discounted tuition rates for students who participate in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) while attending the school. Among the programs of study available for the university's more than 3,300 students are bachelor's degrees in electrical, civil and environmental engineering. The latter program requires classes in structural analysis, transportation, fluid mechanics, asphalt and concrete, water and waste systems and geotechnics. The electrical engineering program requires students to specialize in either computer, communications, power or electronic engineering. Separate courses of study are available for ROTC and traditional students, with the corps program covering military applications of students' chosen specialty areas. All engineering students at The Citadel must complete two intensive senior design projects to graduate.
The Citadel
171 Moultrie Street
Charleston, SC 29409
843-953-5230
citadel.edu
A public institution with more than 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Clemson University is named after the suburban community located halfway between Charleston and Columbia that serves as its home. In 2010, "U.S. News & World Report" ranked Clemson 76th among all engineering schools in the United States, making it the highest-ranked engineering program in the state. At the undergraduate level, the college offers baccalaureate degrees in an array of specialties, including bioengeineering, biosystems, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial, mechanical, and ceramic and materials. All students complete independent design projects and have the opportunity to assist with faculty research. Engineering majors can participate in for-credit internships as well as paid cooperative education placements while studying at Clemson. Students can spend a semester or summer abroad studying at the university's campus in Brussels, Belgium, or in one of 38 other countries. Masters and doctoral degrees in engineering also are granted, according to the "2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges."
Clemson University
105 Sikes Hall
Clemson, SC 29634
864-656-2287
clemson.edu