Lowcountry Graduate Center enrollment grows 78 percent in one year

After seven years of steady growth, enrollment at the Lowcountry Graduate Center (LGC) has increased 78 percent this fall. Enrollment this semester is 651, up from 362 at the same time last year.

“The LGC was created to expand graduate opportunities in the Charleston area. The fact that enrollments have more than doubled in the past two years and more than tripled in three years is evidence that the LGC and its five partnering institutions have, indeed, made significant progress in meeting the needs of the region,” said Executive Director of the Lowcountry Graduate Center, Dr. Rew A “Skip” Godow, Jr.

This increase was supported by the development of several new programs at the LGC that were funded by the Lowcountry Graduate Center Opportunity Fund.

Through a partnership with faculty in Computer Science at the College of Charleston, SPAWAR and the private sector, the LGC was able to bring the leading program in Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) certification to the Charleston region. Working professionals from across the nation are now able to take courses at the LGC offered by Vancouver-based SOA Associates.

The new College of Charleston graduate certificate in Urban and Regional Planning has drawn a dozen new students to the LGC. Moreover, the courses in the certificate program have additional enrollments from the College’s existing Masters programs in Public Administration and Environmental Studies.

Existing programs at the LGC have also grown. Last year, the University of South Carolina launched its first cohort of students in its Master of Social Work program at the LGC. Based on the success of this program, USC has launched a second cohort of students that includes almost twice as many students as the first. Other existing programs that have experienced growth include the Master of Science in Computer and Information Sciences, a joint degree from the College of Charleston and The Citadel, and a Certificate in Technical Project Management offered by The Citadel.

In order to effectively manage this growth the LGC has expanded its Saturday offerings and switched the days and times of evening classes to make better use of the space available. Programs, such as SOA, are also being offered during the day when room capacity is greater.

Local businesses and members of the community that are experiencing a need for new opportunities in higher education are encouraged to contact the Lowcountry Graduate Center.

Working with its partnering institutions, the College of Charleston, The Citadel, the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of South Carolina and Clemson, the Lowcountry Graduate Center continually assesses the educational needs of the region and seeks to develop programs that respond to those needs. For more information, call (843) 953-GRAD or visit LowcountryGradCenter.org.