New B.O.L. Degree Program at USC Lancaster

Beginning Fall 2009, students at USC Lancaster will have a new baccalaureate degree option. Applications are being accepted now for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership. The BOL is designed for students who want a degree with an applied workplace leadership focus. It will provide preparation for leadership roles in a variety of settings, including government, non-profit, and business.            

The BOL, like the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (BLS), is offered through Palmetto Programs, an umbrella group under which students on regional campuses may earn Columbia-awarded baccalaureate degrees without leaving their communities. Many of the courses required for this major are delivered through technology that allows students from all regional campuses to enroll in classes together.            

“This is another fantastic opportunity for students in our area who, for whatever reason, cannot attend USC Columbia, but who still want to earn a baccalaureate degree from USC,” says Dr. Ron Cox, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at USCL.  “The BLS has been extremely popular with students desiring a degree with a strong liberal arts basis.  The BOL is geared more toward the student who needs strong leadership, organizational, and management skills for a future career in the corporate or non-profit sector.”            

The BOL curriculum includes the same general education requirements as the BLS. In addition, all students will take a slate of 10 courses called professional foundations. Among the areas included in this slate are basic economics, introduction to leadership and management theory, statistics, computer applications, and an internship.            

In addition to completing general education and professional foundations requirements, each student, working closely with an advisor, will craft an individual program of study that will form the integrative major. The major consists of 33 courses selected from three workplace-oriented areas: Employer and Employees; Law, Policy, and Organizations; and Workplace Dynamics. At least three courses will come from each area.            

USC Lancaster will continue to offer the BLS, the baccalaureate degree with a broad-based liberal arts focus. With the addition of the BOL, students now have another option for earning a bachelor’s degree on this campus. For further information, see http://pp.sc.edu/academics/index.html.