COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina is adding two new degrees on campus. One will focus on sport psychology and counseling while the other is environmental law and sustainability.
“It’s really incumbent upon the university to be leading the state into new areas and offering new opportunities for the citizens of South Carolina,” Dean William Hubbard said.
According to the university, these educational opportunities are in high demand fields.
William Hubbard is the dean of the School of Law, where a new post-baccalaureate certificate in environmental law and sustainability will be offered.
“A number of corporations are seeking individuals who can be licensed as certified environmental compliance officers and we see this as a way to improve the number of people available to fill those jobs in South Carolina going forward,” Hubbard said.
According to the Hubbard, there is not a date for when this program will be offered but he says they are working to expedite the process.
“It will be substantially, if not all, online at some point, so that people can participate in these programs without having to give up existing employments or having to come physically to Columbia for that information and education,” Hubbard said.
A new program will also be offered at the school of education and will focus on applied sport psychology and counseling.
“Applied sports psychology and counseling degree will offer individuals an opportunity to learn more about the mental side of both sport performance and really sport performance in general,” Dean Thomas Hodges said.
Hodges, the dean of the School of Education, says this comes after a high demand on campus.
“We know that athletes, as many as others do, suffer from mental stress, mental illness and this gives us an opportunity to help address that with athletes and other who are engaged in performance,” Hodges said.
Students say both these programs will be beneficial.
“I think this will benefit the athletes themselves because they may not reach out for help if they need it and I think it’ll make students more aware that this is an important issue,” Kathryn Matson said.
“I definitely think that this university can benefit from a little more sustainability , I think there’s always room for improvement when it comes to that kind of stuff so I think it could be a really good idea,” Maggie Pickford said.
The dean of the school of education said he hopes the sport psychology program will begin in the fall 2025.