The College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities offers a unique combination of disciplines to unite the pursuit of knowledge with practical applications for building a better and more beautiful world. The College promotes the arts, design, building, and the humanities as integral components of Clemson University’s mandate to be a “high seminary of learning.” Our fields of study are as diverse as our students, and we strive for an inclusive and equitable environment that sparks imaginative solutions, provides opportunities for all, welcomes an array of voices, and grows students into leaders who are ready to meet the world.
CAAH is organized into a School of Architecture and seven departments: Department of Art; Department of English; Department of History and Geography; Department of Languages; Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management; Department of Performing Arts; and Department of Philosophy and Religion. For more information about CAAH and its programs, visit https://www.clemson.edu/caah/.
Modern Language Requirement
A number of Clemson University degree programs require the completion of a modern language through a specific course level. Modern languages taught at Clemson University or accepted for transfer credit include American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. While many degree programs accept any of these modern languages for the requirement, certain programs may have specific modern language requirements. Students should consult their program’s curriculum map for details.
SC REACH ACT (SC. 38 as amended) Graduation Requirement
Please see the South Carolina REACH Act Requirement in the Academic Regulations section.
Entrance Requirements
Admission to degree programs in the School of Architecture, Department of Art, Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management, and Department of Performing Arts is based on academic performance and limited based on space availability in the various programs. Students seeking admission are advised to apply to the Admissions Office early in the fall of their senior year in high school. They are also encouraged to visit the campus during their senior year. Faculty are available to meet with them and their parents informally, answer questions, and discuss individual programs in more detail. Prospective students may schedule appointments by calling the individual department.
Advancement in Architecture
Students enrolled in second-, third-, or fourth-year design studios and theory courses must attain at least a 2.0 grade-point average in each year level (by repeating one or both semesters, if necessary) to qualify for advancement to the next year level or, in the case of fourth-year Architecture studios, to qualify for the Architecture degree, or, in the case of Landscape Architecture at the final year, to qualify for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree.
Design and Building Undergraduate Program Enrichment Fee
Please visit https://www.clemson.edu/caah/students/program-enrichment-fee.html for detailed information about the Undergraduate Program Enrichment Fee, which applies to undergraduate degrees in the School of Architecture and the Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management.
Humanities Degree Requirements
To achieve depth as well as breadth in their education experiences, students majoring in English, History, Modern Languages, Pan African Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Women’s Leadership, or World Cinema complete at least 24 semester hours from courses above the sophomore level. As soon as feasible and not later than the end of the sophomore year, students in these fields also select a minor consisting of at least 15 additional semester hours. Courses satisfying the major may not also be included in the minor. A second major (a double major) may substitute for the minor, provided all requirements are fulfilled for each major.
The modern language requirement is proficiency based. Students must complete through course numbered 2020 in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. Some majors allow American Sign Language to fulfill the modern language requirement.
Students enrolled in degree programs offered in the humanities who expect to teach in public schools may elect education courses required for teaching certificates by the South Carolina Department of Education. Such courses need to be approved by their own department advisors.
AAH Undeclared
AAH Undeclared is a major, but it is not a degree-granting program. AAH Undeclared offers a structured advising program that provides students with the necessary support and strategies to investigate and compare academic disciplines, so they can make informed decisions about the degree programs they will pursue. Students may explore any major available at the university while completing course requirements toward a baccalaureate degree.
AAH Undeclared students focus on completing General Education requirements alongside any available introductory courses for their majors of interest. Please note some introductory courses have restrictions on them and will not be available. Please also note that it is not always possible to select courses that will apply to every major of interest, and as a result some classes may count only as electives. Academic advisors inform students which courses will apply to which majors of interest, thus allowing students to make informed decisions about their schedule each semester.
Common course recommendations for AAH Undeclared students while they explore majors are outlined below:
- COMM 2500 and COMM 2501
- ENGL 1030 and ENGL 1031
- General Education Arts and Humanities (Literature) Requirement
- General Education Arts and Humanities (Non-Literature) Requirement
- General Education Global Challenges Requirement
- General Education Mathematics Requirement
- General Education Natural Science with Laboratory Requirement
- General Education Social Science Requirement
Students interested in pursuing a competitive entry major are advised to identify a parallel plan to pursue alongside the admissions process. Students interested in pursuing Bachelor of Arts degrees are advised to begin their modern language requirement immediately. First year students are advised to complete their South Carolina REACH Act Requirement.
To ensure that students graduate in a timely manner, they are strongly advised to declare a degree-granting program by the end of their first year or once they have completed General Education requirements. At that point, majors typically have specific classes they recommend or require, and the number of crossover courses that are applicable to multiple majors begins to decline.
Students who meet academic eligibility requirements may transfer into AAH Undeclared only if they have completed 45 or fewer total credit hours. In addition to credits completed at Clemson University, total credit hours include credit hours transferred from another institution, dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and credit by exam. More information regarding AAH Undeclared can be found at this link: http://www.clemson.edu/asc/courses/academic-advising/aah-undeclared-students.html.
