University of South Carolina
Former names | South Carolina College (1801–1865; 1882–1887; 1890–1905) University of South Carolina (1866–1877) South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics (1880–1881) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros (Latin) |
Motto in English | "Learning humanizes character and does not permit it to be cruel" (Ovid) |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | December 19, 1801 |
Parent institution | University of South Carolina System |
| Accreditation | SACS |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $1.044 billion (2024) |
| President | Michael Amiridis |
| Provost | Donna K. Arnett |
Academic staff | 1,604 |
| Students | >38,000 (2024) (Columbia) 52,633 (system-wide) |
| Location | , , United States |
| Campus | Midsize city, 359 acres (145 ha) |
| Newspaper | The Daily Gamecock |
| Colors | Garnet and black |
| Nickname | Gamecocks |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division I FBS – SEC |
| Mascot | Cocky |
| Website | sc.edu |
The University of South Carolina (USC, SC, or Carolina) is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Carolina System and the largest university in the state by enrollment. Its main campus is on over 359 acres (145 ha) in downtown Columbia, close to the South Carolina State House. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities with Highest Research Activity". It houses the largest collection of Robert Burns and Scottish literature materials outside Scotland and the world's largest Ernest Hemingway collection.