Undergraduate Extended Accelerator Pathway (3-Term) - Bachelor of Science in Geophysics

at Shorelight Group - University of South Carolina USA

As a geophysics major, you will benefit from a combination of quality classroom education, laboratory experience and field-based activities. You will focus on the physics of the earth and its atmosphere, including seismology, oceanography and volcanology.

You will also have the unique opportunity to complete a field-based course to get valuable hands-on experience with practical geophysical techniques for exploring the shallow subsurface. This opportunity synergizes your education in geophysics to understanding the earth's formation in an observational setting.

By building expertise in solid mechanics, materials processes, smart materials, manufacturing automation, concurrent engineering/design, sustainable design or thermofluid/energy sciences, students stand prepared to join the mechanical engineering and manufacturing industries in South Carolina and beyond.

As a mechanical engineering major, you will have the opportunity to work with a professor in research on some of today’s most notable engineering challenges. You will develop skills that will give you the ability to solve many of today’s world problems. Mechanical engineering majors will choose a concentration from design and manufacturing, engineering materials, mechanics of solids, thermal and fluid systems, and nuclear engineering.

The ability to comprehend and communicate in diverse languages not only prepares our students to understand the history and traditions of our own culture but also equips them to be active and engaged representatives in the global economy and world affairs. The major in languages, with its multiple and flexible tracks, is vital for the preparation of the next generation of citizens and leaders.

Undergraduate students who choose a language concentration will be able to demonstrate intermediate to advanced level proficiency in their target language(s). They will be able to evaluate and discuss literary and cultural texts, or linguistic documents, and advance arguments effectively through strong writing and research skills. Students will gain a greater understanding of the significance of the sociopolitical structures and intellectual and literary/artistic contributions of the target culture and language sphere. They'll also be able to recognize, describe and reflect upon the cultural practices that shape social interactions in the target culture. Students who choose a PK-12 teaching certification concentration will also be well-prepared to begin a career teaching their chosen language.

Are you interested in learning about some of the most pressing social issues of the day, such as immigration, discrimination, economic and social inequality, demographic change, race and ethnic relations, and health and well-being? If so, our sociology program may be right for you. You can pursue a B.A. or B.S. degree in sociology or continue your learning by pursuing the accelerated bachelor's/graduate study plan, in which you receive a master's degree in sociology. The department offers graduate degrees at the master's and doctoral levels.

As a sociology major, you will explore complex issues of power, inequality, identity and conflict across a variety of different social groups and social institutions, such as schools, families and law enforcement. You will also learn to question common wisdoms, raise important questions, examine arguments, synthesize information, analyze data, make conclusions and present arguments supported by empirical research and sociological theory, both orally and in writing.

As part of your learning, you will be able to take advantage of outstanding facilities that include the Laboratory for Sociological Research, one of the largest facilities of its type in the world, and a statistics laboratory. You can also develop your own research project or collaborate with faculty members on a project and participate in department events, including guest speaker presentations and workshops.

The Film and Media Studies Program is devoted to the critical study of media culture. In a world where we interact daily with one screen after another—on our cell phones, televisions, mobile devices as well as at the multiplex—our students gain the knowledge and skills for understanding and engaging the work of screen media in society.

Courses in the Film and Media Studies major cultivate essential media literacy skills, investigate media history from an international perspective, and engage the central methods and concepts of the discipline.

By working closely with program faculty, you have the opportunity to undertake advanced research on almost any aspect of media culture—from early Hollywood to contemporary Asian cinema and European television, from home movies and experimental films to selfies and social networks, from problems of industrial organization to questions of genre development and social habit.

The Master of Science (MS) degree in Exercise Science prepares students for careers in academia and multiple health-related specialties and professions within the broad scope of Exercise Physiology, such as exercise physiologist, fitness coordinator, rehabilitation coordinator, and many more.  Additionally, the curriculum and related research opportunities prepare students for pursuing additional graduate work (e.g., PhD, MD, DPT).  The curriculum includes coursework in exercise physiology, clinical exercise testing, research methods and statistics, physical activity and health, and motor control and development. Elective coursework is also embedded within this framework to allow for individual interests, examples include skeletal muscle physiology, endocrinology in exercise and health, neural repair and rehabilitation, and community-based interventions for physical activity.

As a geography major, you will take courses in computer cartography, GIS and air photo interpretation/remote sensing. You will also have ample opportunities to study the Earth’s physical features and processes and how this physical environment is modified by human activities. Students may choose to take courses that include the real-world collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of geographic data to prepare you for careers in geography.

Geography undergraduate students may choose one of four tracks to focus on: physical/environmental geography, human/economic geography, geographic information science and general geography.

Social work is a helping profession. The main goal of social work is to improve a society's overall well-being, especially for the most vulnerable populations. Our students learn to work with individuals, couples, families, groups, neighborhoods, communities and organizations to empower them to meet their needs.

As a social work major, you can expect to develop skills in community organizing, diversity, social justice, networking, interviewing, multitasking, case management and grant-writing. You will also be able to gain hands-on experience in the field through service-learning that is integrated into academic coursework. You may also choose to pursue the Child Welfare Certificate and become certified in child welfare and receive a fellowship from the Department of Social Services.

South Carolina is blessed with a coast full of beautiful beaches as well as estuaries and tidal areas teeming with marine life. Take advantage of hands-on learning opportunities that allow you to participate in a multitude of research experiences along our precious coast and around the world.

As a marine science major, you will obtain interdisciplinary knowledge in marine science as well as core knowledge in an area of emphasis chosen from among biological oceanography, chemical oceanography, physical oceanography, geological oceanography or coastal resource management and marine policy.

As a physics major, you will be exposed to challenging coursework that will give you a solid foundation in all of the central areas of physics, including Newtonian mechanics, electricity and magnetism, statistical physics and quantum mechanics. You will also have the opportunity to tailor the program to your own interests by choosing from specialized experimental courses or designing your own research program in consultation with our faculty researchers.

As a physics major, you will be exposed to challenging coursework that will give you a solid foundation in all of the central areas of physics, including Newtonian mechanics, electricity and magnetism, statistical physics and quantum mechanics. You will also have the opportunity to tailor the program to your own interests by choosing from specialized experimental courses or designing your own research program in consultation with our faculty researchers.