In 1795, a preparatory school and college in Beaufort was chartered as the Beaufort College to serve the families of local residents. Classes began in 1802 and the college reached a prominent status in the community during the antebellum period. The college was forced to close in 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War and the Beaufort College building, constructed in 1852, was occupied by the Union forces for use as a hospital. The college building was used by the Freedmen's Bureau during Reconstruction and it was an elementary school from 1909 to 1959. In the 1950s, two factors brought about the return of higher education to the Beaufort region. The University of South Carolina sought to expand its reach throughout the state by the establishment of extension campuses and the Beaufort CountyHigher Education Commission was formed by prominent citizens of Beaufort to bring such a campus to the area. A branch campus of the University of South Carolina was established in 1959 at the site of the old Beaufort College, but the official opening was delayed by Hurricane Gracie. The campus experienced steady growth through the years and it expanded south along Carteret Street. In 2002, the campus was upgraded from a regional campus to a senior campus offering bachelor's degrees. USCB opened a second, campus with housing in Bluffton. In 2004, it also began offering programs for the Marine Corps on Parris Island. In 2018, the institution opened their third campus, on Hilton Head Island, to house the Hospitality Management program.
Academics
USCB is one of the 3 senior campuses in the University of South Carolina system and is a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited four-year university. It also offers the bachelor's degree in human services online through Palmetto College. 1,875 students attended the University at one of its two campuses during the Fall 2011 semester. USCB offers the region's only human services degree as well as more traditional degrees like English, psychology, business and education. The school opened a nursing facility in Spring 2009. Human simulators provide nursing students hands-on training opportunities. Another popular program capitalizing on nearby Hilton Head Island resorts is the hospitality management program which draws international students and provides internship experiences. The biology program allows students to explore and study first-hand the continental-shelf and estuarine environment with a new concentration in coastal ecology and conservation.
A first-class organization which was incorporated on March 22, 1964. The Society is a non-secret, non-profit, scholastic, honor, education-service organization that recognizes and encourages excellence in education, promotes the development of leadership ability and character in its members, and fosters, disseminates, and improves education by appropriate service projects.
Palmetto Village is located on USCB's Hilton Head Gateway Campus in Bluffton. There are ten dorms on campus, named: Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper, Chechesse, May River, Okatee River, Port Royal, Combahee River, and Broad River. Students living in Palmetto Village are within walking distance from all campus buildings. Each apartment contains 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, living room, and washer and drier. Each room comes with a bed, desk, dresser, and a small closet.
