South Carolina Community Colleges
Liberal Arts Programs
Liberal-arts transfer programs at community colleges in this state. English, history, philosophy, and the social sciences for university transfer.
9 colleges · 391 sections · 42 unique courses · Summer 2026 · Updated today
The liberal-arts associate at South Carolina community colleges is the most common transfer degree in the SCTCS system. It's designed as a complete 2-year general-education foundation — English composition, history, math, lab science, social science, fine arts — that articulates to any four-year university in the state. Students complete two years at community-college tuition rates and arrive at the bachelor's program as juniors with sophomore standing in their declared major.
This term's 391 sections across 9 SCTCS colleges fill those general-education buckets. The right college often comes down to schedule (online availability, evening sections) and proximity rather than program differences — the curriculum is intentionally similar across institutions to keep the transfer guarantee working. Compare colleges below by section count and transfer agreements.
Earnings & outcomes for Liberal Arts graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 2401 — Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Liberal Arts
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands Technical College | 96 | 23 | 69 | 628 | $42,520 |
| Piedmont Technical College | 71 | 12 | 38 | 313 | — |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | 54 | 11 | 34 | 622 | — |
| Tri-County Technical College | 52 | 20 | — | 1857 | — |
| Greenville Technical College | 46 | 21 | 38 | 1147 | — |
| Trident Technical College | 27 | 11 | — | 917 | $48,251 |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | 21 | 12 | 15 | 176 | — |
| Aiken Technical College | 15 | 9 | 12 | 423 | $41,897 |
| Denmark Technical College | 9 | 6 | 7 | 69 | — |
Liberal Arts Availability Snapshot
How liberal arts sections are being offered across 9 colleges in South Carolina this term (391 sections total).
Delivery format
- online205 (52%)
- in person152 (39%)
- hybrid26 (7%)
- zoom8 (2%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)91
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)30
- Evening (5 PM and after)4
- Asynchronous / TBA266
Start dates
Sections begin on 13 distinct dates. 65 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Instructor diversity
Taught by 102 distinct instructors across 9 colleges.
Common Liberal Arts courses
- ENG 101English Comp I(100 sections)
- ENG 102English Comp II(67 sections)
- HIS 201Amer Hist: Disc to 1877(33 sections)
- ENG 160Technical Communications(16 sections)
- HIS 202Amer Hist: 1877 to Pres(16 sections)
- ENG 100Intro to Composition(15 sections)
- HIS 101Western Civ to 1689(15 sections)
- PHI 115Contemp Moral Issues(14 sections)
- HIS 102Western Civ Post 1689(13 sections)
- ENG 165Prof Communications(11 sections)
- PHI 110Ethics(11 sections)
- PHI 101Intro to Philosophy(9 sections)
Frequently asked questions
- What is a liberal-arts degree good for?
- Almost exclusively transfer. The liberal-arts AA isn't a career-track degree on its own; it's the first two years of a bachelor's, packaged so you can complete it at much lower tuition before moving to a four-year school. The major you eventually declare at the four-year (English, history, sociology, psychology, business, etc.) determines your career path.
- Will all my liberal-arts credits transfer to a South Carolina four-year university?
- If you complete the full associate of arts at a SCTCS college, yes — under South Carolina's statewide articulation agreement, the entire degree transfers as a block to any public four-year, giving you junior standing. Where students lose credits is by taking random courses outside the structured AA pathway. Talk to your transfer advisor early.
- Can I save money by doing my first two years at community college?
- Yes, often substantially. South Carolina community college tuition is typically less than half what a state university charges, and the credits transfer 1:1 if you stick to the structured AA. Two years of saved tuition often translates to $20–40k less debt at graduation.
- How long does the liberal-arts associate take?
- Two years full-time (60 credits). Many students complete it in three or more years on a part-time schedule — community colleges build their evening, weekend, and online sections around working students.
Compare Liberal Arts programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how South Carolina’s liberal arts programs stack up.
Other programs in South Carolina
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.