Lander University
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| Lander University 864.388.8300 |
Lander University has been providing educational and cultural opportunities since its founding in 1872 as Williamston Female College in Williamston, S.C. The college moved to Greenwood, S.C., in 1904 and was renamed Lander in honor of its founder, Samuel Lander. It became part of the state system of higher education in 1973. Lander is now a coeducational, state-assisted, comprehensive, regional, four-year university with traditional liberal arts and science programs, and professional programs in business, education and nursing.
Lander is a leader in environmental science and genetics education, becoming the first university to offer a genetics emphasis for biology majors. As the Partnership Alliance seeks to attract and grow biotechnology opportunities in Greenwood County, Lander is a critical component in Greenwood’s overall economic plan as a key source of the intellectual capital and capable workforce that drives and supports new opportunities. Plus, Lander’s School of Business Administration is critical to developing the entrepreneurial spirit and capabilities from which such opportunities grow.
Campus
Lander is situated on a wooded site of approximately 123 acres. In addition to six major buildings erected since 1973, campus improvements have included extensive renovations to a number of older facilities, new housing complexes, athletics fields and parking lots. Lander looks to the future with a new 10-year Campus Master Plan, introduced in 2003.
Students
Enrollment is approximately 3,000 with a student body representing 23 states and 16 foreign countries. Minorities make up 25 percent of the student body; 67 percent of the student body is female and 33 percent is male. Campus residence halls accommodate approximately 1,100 students.
Faculty
Lander has a student/faculty ratio of 14:1 with 137 full-time faculty members, the majority of whom hold terminal degrees in their areas. Average class size is 19.
Programs
More than 80 areas of undergraduate study are offered, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) with a concentration in art and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in elementary education. Students benefit from the flexibility of online courses and distance learning. Three programs are offered completely online: the R.N. to B.S.N. completion option, the criminal justice management bachelor’s degree and the health care management certificate. Through a consortium of public and private institutions, Lander offers courses and programs at the University Center of Greenville. Lander offers bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice Management, sociology, sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice, psychology with an emphasis in counseling, and political science with an emphasis in public administration.
Academic Highlights
The College of Business and Public Affairs enrolls the largest number of undergraduate majors followed by the College of Education. Lander has an exceptionally strong science program, and more than 90 percent of those applying to medical school in recent years have been accepted. Students in Lander’s engineering dual degree program have a 100 percent acceptance rate at Clemson University. A leader in Montessori education in South Carolina, Lander is the only public university in the state offering a program leading to Montessori certification and one of two publicly funded universities in the nation to do so.
