The board of trustees at historically Black South Carolina State University has approved the establishment of three new undergraduate degrees and one new graduate program in various engineering and computer science fields. If official approval from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education is granted, the university will offer bachelor’s degrees in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering, as well as a master’s degree in cybersecurity.
The three undergraduate programs will be established through a $1 million grant from Dominion Energy. Currently, South Carolina State University offers a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology, however, this curriculum does not support students who want to take engineering licensure exams. The mechanical and electrical engineering degrees will replace the engineering technology program and better prepare students for careers in engineering after graduation. The computer engineering program will be a new discipline at South Carolina State University, combining curricula from the university’s engineering and mathematics departments.
Presently, South Carolina State University offers an undergraduate concentration and minor in cybersecurity for its computer science majors. By utilizing resources already established in the university’s Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity, the new master’s degree will provide students with an accelerated pathway to careers in cyber defense.
