Course Requirements For South Carolina Public Four-year Colleges And Universities

The Commission on Higher Education (CHE) established the minimum course requirements for students who plan to attend a public college in South Carolina. CHE recommends students include these courses as part of their high school course selection along with other elective classes. Some colleges require courses in addition to those listed below (see college catalogs for admission requirements) for entering college freshmen beginning in the academic year 2019-2020. For more information, please visit the CHE website.

ENGLISH

Four units: All four units must have strong reading (including works of fiction and non-fiction), writing, communicating, and researching components. It is strongly recommended that students take two units that are literature-based, including American, British, and World Literature.

MATHEMATICS

Four units: These units must include Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. A fourth higher level mathematics unit should be taken before or during the senior year.

LABORATORY SCIENCE

Three units: Two units must be taken in two different fields of the physical, earth, or life sciences and selected from among biology, chemistry, physics, or earth science. The third unit may be from the same field as one of the first two units (biology, chemistry, physics and/or earth science) or from any laboratory science for which biology, chemistry, physics and/or earth science is a prerequisite. Courses in general or introductory science for which one of these four units is not a prerequisite will not meet this requirement. It is strongly recommended that students desiring to pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering or technology take one course in all four fields: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science.

WORLD LANGUAGE

Two units must be taken with a heavy emphasis on language acquisition.  (Check with your institution for additional requirements.)

SOCIAL SCIENCE

Three and a one half units: One unit of U. S. History, a half unit of Economics, one half unit of Government, and one half unit in Personal Finance for students entering in the 2023/2024 school year.  are required. World History  is strongly recommended.

FINE ARTS

One unit in appreciation of, history of, or performance in one of the fine arts. This unit should be selected from among media/digital arts, dance, music, theater, or visual and spatial arts.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION OR JROTC

One unit of physical education to include one semester of personal fitness and another semester in lifetime fitness. Exemption applies to students enrolled in Junior ROTC and for students exempted because of physical disability or for religious reasons.

ELECTIVES

Two units: Two units must be taken as electives. A college preparatory course in Computer Science (i.e., one involving significant programming content, not simply keyboarding or using applications) is strongly recommended for this elective. Other acceptable electives include college preparatory course in English; fine arts; foreign languages; social science; humanities; mathematics; physical education; and laboratory science (courses for which biology, chemistry, physics, or earth science is a prerequisite).

Note: The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education requirements may be adjusted at a later date to reflect changes in diploma requirements.