Springfield College Opens Charleston Campus

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., May 1, 2003 -- Springfield College, the Massachusetts-based institution known for inventing the game of basketball in 1891, has opened a Charleston campus.

The college’s School of Human Services (SHS) will offer bachelor’s and master's degree programs in human services at its new location, 7410 Northside Drive, Suite 200, North Charleston. The Charleston campus is one of 10 Springfield College campuses around the country dedicated to educating human services professionals. Classes will begin in September 2003, with additional semesters beginning in January and May 2004.

The SHS program is designed for working adults with classes two weekends a month for bachelor’s degree candidates and one weekend a month at the master’s level. The curriculum at the Charleston campus will reflect the school’s focus on building the leadership skills of human services professionals while they are serving their communities.

According to Robert J. Willey, Jr., dean of the School of Human Services, “South Carolina has a vital resource in human services practitioners who are strongly committed to community development. We look forward to becoming a resource to them through educational programs that prepare tomorrow’s leaders in this field. We want to become their partner in actively addressing community needs.”

A hallmark of the SHS education is that students identify a community need and design and implement a program to address it, Willey said. Such projects are usually done in partnership with community organizations. The school has begun to lay a foundation for community service in the Charleston area by joining such organizations as the Steering Committee of the Carolina Crescent Coalition, Center for Women, Trident Urban League, Chamber of Commerce, and LEARN. Willey said that the school plans to become involved with more community groups.

Willey added that the Charleston campus of the School of Human Services will work hard to help transition graduates of South Carolina technical colleges with associate’s degrees in human services into the baccalaureate program. Until now, he noted, there has been no bachelor’s or master’s degree program in human services in South Carolina.

The school will offer concentrations in criminal justice and early childhood development for undergraduates, as well as concentrations in organizational management and leadership and community counseling psychology for graduate students. In early 2004, it will begin offering an executive master’s degree program to allow human services executives from throughout the United States to study together in a cohort towards their master’s degrees in human services. Most students complete their degrees in 16 to 24 months. The school accepts transfer credits from other accredited institutions of higher learning. There is also a process for undergraduate students to claim academic credits for college-level learning gained through life and work experience. The school follows standards of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning in awarding course credit for prior learning.

Other SHS campuses are located in Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles and San Diego, California; Manchester, New Hampshire; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; St. Johnsbury, Vermont; Tampa, Florida; and Wilmington, Delaware, in addition to the main campus in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Willey said that Springfield College chose the North Charleston site for its newest campus, adjacent to Interstate 26, for its statewide accessibility and high quality facilities. The college’s space in the building, with a central solarium, includes four classrooms, a video conferencing center, a fully equipped computer laboratory, and an academic success center for tutoring, library support and other services. There is ample free parking.

The college has scheduled open houses at the new campus on Thursdays, May 1 and 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. On May 8, Willey will speak on “Preparing To Be a Human Services Professional for 2008.”

Springfield College was founded in 1885 to train YMCA directors and, since then, has broadened its programs and developed an international reputation as a pioneer in physical education, the allied health sciences, and human services. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. The Charleston Campus is licensed by the South Carolina Commission of Higher Education.

At its main campus, Springfield College offers bachelor’s degree programs in 50 majors, master’s degree programs in 14 concentrations and a doctoral program in physical education. There are more than 5,000 students at its main campus and satellites, and 34,000 alumni in 60 nations. Academics and student life are characterized by the college’s humanics philosophy that emphasizes educating the whole person, consisting of spirit, mind, and body, for leadership in service to others.

Information on the Springfield College School of Human Services is available in Charleston by calling (843) 569-7003.

Recent Headlines

Springfield College 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109-3797 413.748.3000 | Employment at SC
Copyright © 2008-2009 Springfield College. All rights reserved worldwide.
Site design and production: Office of Marketing & Communications.
05/01/2003