The University of South Carolina (also referred to as USC, SC, South Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over 359 acres (145 ha) in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House. The University has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for its research and engagement, has received a Top-10 ranking from U.S. News & World Report for being "most promising and innovative," and for decades has received annual recognition for its prestigious undergraduate and graduate International Business programs. It also houses the largest collection of Robert Burns and Scottish literature materials outside of Scotland, and the largest Ernest Hemingway collection in the world.

Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, USC is the flagship institution of the University of South Carolina System and offers more than 350 programs of study leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from fourteen degree-granting colleges and schools. The University of South Carolina System has an enrollment of approximately 46,264 students, with 31,288 on the main Columbia campus as of fall 2012. USC also has several thousand future students in feeder programs at surrounding technical colleges. Professional schools on the Columbia campus include business, engineering, law, medicine, and pharmacy.

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