CHE Approves 17 New College Programs in AI, Health Care and Technology

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education approved 17 new academic programs at nine colleges and universities during today’s business meeting, expanding educational opportunities in artificial intelligence, information technology, healthcare and other fields.

The new offerings reflect the growing integration of emerging technologies across academic disciplines and include undergraduate, graduate and specialized career training opportunities. All of the new programs also support priority occupations under South Carolina’s Unified State Plan for Education and Workforce Development.

“These programs reflect how South Carolina’s colleges and universities are responding to changes in technology, industry and the needs of our communities,” said CHE Director of Academic Affairs and Licensing Dr. Angela W. Peters. “By recognizing and expanding opportunities in fields such as artificial intelligence and healthcare, our institutions are preparing students for relevant careers as they enter the workforce.”

The approved programs, by institution, are:

Clemson University

• B.S. in Artificial Intelligence: Combines programming, mathematics and statistics with advanced study in artificial intelligence, machine learning and human-centered design to prepare students for careers developing intelligent technologies.
• M.S. in Artificial Intelligence: Prepares graduates for advanced research and academic leadership focused on developing responsible, transparent and ethical artificial intelligence systems.
• Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence: Prepares researchers and academic leaders to advance the theoretical foundations of artificial intelligence and develop robust, responsible intelligent systems.
• M.S. in Computational Genetics and Genomics: Develops advanced analytical and problem-solving skills through the study of large-scale genomic data, statistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

College of Charleston

• B.S./A.B. in Biomedical Engineering: Combines engineering and medical sciences, including biomechanics, biomaterials and medical instrumentation, to prepare students to develop technologies for diagnosing, treating and preventing medical conditions.
• B.S.N. in Nursing (jointly with the Medical University of South Carolina): Allows students to complete a jointly awarded nursing degree while remaining on the College of Charleston campus, with foundational coursework provided by the College and upper-level nursing instruction and clinical training delivered by MUSC.

Lander University

• B.A. in Graphic Design: Provides undergraduate education in graphic design and visual communication through a curriculum offered in both face-to-face and online formats.
• B.S. in Applied Artificial Intelligence: Prepares students to apply AI tools responsibly in professional settings through coursework in prompt engineering, cloud-based AI platforms, data preparation and interdisciplinary applications.
• M.S. in Information Systems: Integrates programming, data management, analytics, cloud computing, cybersecurity and systems analysis to prepare graduates for advanced information technology roles.

Medical University of South Carolina

• Ph.D. in Cancer Biology: Establishes a dedicated doctoral program in cancer biology, building on MUSC’s existing doctoral concentration and research expertise at Hollings Cancer Center.
• M.S. in Health Information Management and Cybersecurity: Prepares healthcare professionals to manage and protect patient information and digital systems through specialized education in cybersecurity, data governance, privacy and healthcare regulatory compliance.

South Carolina State University

• B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences: Offers concentrations in Science/Pre-Veterinary Studies and Agribusiness to prepare students for animal-related careers, agricultural industries and advanced veterinary education.

University of South Carolina Aiken

• M.A. in Emerging Media: Offers a fully online graduate program with eight-week courses designed for recent graduates and working professionals seeking advanced credentials in emerging digital media.

University of South Carolina Columbia

• B.S. in Industrial Design: Establishes South Carolina’s first industrial design degree, combining creative problem-solving, computer-aided design, manufacturing and prototyping to prepare students for product development across multiple industries.
• M.S. in Earth and Environmental Science: Expands the university’s existing graduate program in geological sciences to include dedicated concentrations in both Geological Sciences and Environmental Sciences.

Winthrop University

• B.S. in Human Development and Family Science: Builds on an existing undergraduate program with updated coursework and internship experiences preparing students to support individuals, families and communities through human services and related careers.

Laurel College of Technology 

• The Commission is the sole authority for licensing nonpublic educational institutions established in South Carolina and for those that want to operate in the state. Under this regulatory authority, CHE has approved a new associate degree in Occupational Specialized Cardiovascular Technology at Laurel College of Technology. It will provide specialized training in cardiac monitoring, noninvasive diagnostic testing and cardiovascular imaging to prepare graduates for technical roles supporting cardiac care.

All approved programs will be implemented according to institutional schedules and applicable accreditation and program requirements. Additional background information on all programs is available in their respective program proposals in the Nov. 5 CHE Business Meeting materials.