Mission Statement
The Associate in Science in Business program offers students the ability to continue into the Administrative Information Management Baccalaureate degree program in the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management at the University of South Carolina Columbia and/or provide a general knowledge and understanding of computers and the business enterprise economy as well as special areas of concentration needed for the workforce.
The Associate in Science in Business degree program requires 60 hours of course credit. Since we are on a semester system, students are encouraged to earn 15 hours in the fall and spring semesters in order to complete the degree requirements in two academic years.
The credit value of each course is determined by the number of class meetings per week for one semester. For example, usually a three credit hour course designates that class will meet (approximately) three hours a week over a 16 week term.
Courses such as English 101 and 102 must be completed with a "C" or better to receive credit. A student must earn an overall grade point average of 2.0 or higher in order to receive the Associate in Science in Business degree.
In September 2001, USC Lancaster initiated a self-study of the Associate in Science in Business degree program in conjunction with the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs as the accrediting agency. ACBSP is the leading specialized accreditation association for business education to support, celebrate, and reward teaching excellence.
This eight-month accreditation process involved a written report looking at the curriculum, student support services, equipment, and facility to verify the program’s mission to the community. On March 25-27, 2002, a visiting team from ACBSP conducted a thorough audit and awarded the Associate in Science in Business degree full accreditation for ten years.
To demonstrate the successfulness of the Associate in Science in Business program at USC Lancaster, the business department collected the following data from graduates of 1994-2000.
USC Lancaster Alumni Survey
Fall 2001
The following statistical information reflects
the anonymous opinions of USC Lancaster Associate in Science in Business
graduates from 1994-2001.
| 1. How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your undergraduate experience at USC Lancaster. | |||||
| Very
Satisfied |
Satisfied | Somewhat Satisfied | Dissatisfied | Very Dissatisfied | |
| a. Your major program of study | 43% | 48% | 9% | ||
| b. Instruction in your major | 52% | 48% | |||
| c. Your general education program of study (non major degree requirements) | 38% | 52% | 10% | ||
| d. Instruction in your general education | 48% | 52% | |||
| e. Your overall academic experience | 48% | 48% | 4% | ||
| 2. How long did it take you to obtain your first full-time job after graduation? |
| 62% Obtained job prior to leaving college |
| 10% 7-12 months |
| 10% Less than one month (after graduation) |
| 4% More than 12 months |
| 0% 1-3 months |
| 10% Have not obtained a full-time job |
| 4% 4-6 months |
| 0% Did not seek a full-time job |
| 3. Please indicate the relationship between your undergraduate major and your work for your first job after graduation. | ||||||
| Highly Related | Moderately Related | Slightly Related | Not Related | Never/Not Employed | ||
| 35% | 30% | 20% | 10% | 5% | ||
| 4. Please indicate the relationship between your associate in business and your work for your current position. | ||||||
| Highly Related | Moderately Related | Slightly Related | Not Related | Never/Not Employed | ||
| 24% | 52% | 4% | 5% | 5% | ||
| 5. Indicate which of the following best describes your activities six months after graduation from USC Lancaster (Check all that apply). |
| a. 4% Continuing your education full-time |
| b. 15% Employed and continuing your education |
| c. 47% Employed full-time |
| d. 12% Employed part-time |
| e. 0% Self-employed (farm or business owner, etc.) |
| f. 0% Serving in the Armed Forces |
| g. 18% Caring for a home/family |
| h. 4% Unemployed - seeking work |
| i. 0% Unemployed - not seeking work |
| j. 0% Other:_____________________________ |
| 6. Indicate which of the following best describes your activities currently (Check all that apply). |
| a. 0% Continuing your education full-time |
| b. 7% Employed and continuing your education |
| c. 58% Employed full-time |
| d. 6% Employed part-time |
| e. 0% Self-employed (farm or business owner, etc.) |
| f. 0% Serving in the Armed Forces |
| g. 23% Caring for a home/family |
| h. 3% Unemployed - seeking work |
| i. 3% Unemployed - not seeking work |
| j. 0% Other:_____________________________ |
| 7. As they relate to your current employment or post-graduate education, how well did your experiences at USC Lancaster prepare you in the following ways? | ||||||
| Excellent | Good | Adequate | Inadequate | Not Sure | ||
| a. Oral Communication | 45% | 30% | 25% | |||
| b. Use of computers and technology | 35% | 60% | 5% | |||
| c. Math and data interpretation | 30% | 45% | 15% | 5% | 5% | |
| d. Problem solving | 33% | 48% | 14% | 5% | ||
| e. Workplace diversity | 45% | 40% | 15% | |||
| f. Interpersonal skills | 50% | 35% | 15% | |||
| 8. Did the knowledge and skills you acquired at USC Lancaster prepare you for the job market? | ||||||
| Yes | No | Not Sure | ||||
| 95% | 0% | 5% | ||||
| 9. Rate the overall quality of your USC Lancaster education. | ||||||
| Above Average | Average | Below Average | Not Sure | |||
| 43% | 57% | 0% | 0% | |||
Academic Programs Prof Darlene Roberts
USC Lancaster
University of South Carolina
http://usclancaster.sc.edu/faculty/roberts/missionstatement.htm
| Last updated April 24, 2002
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