Advising
First-year students must meet with their assigned adviser for at least one 30-minute appointment during each term (fall and spring) to be formally advised for the subsequent term (spring and summer/fall). First-year advisers are also available for drop-in hours throughout the semester, which are times where any freshman student can walk in and meet with their assigned adviser without an appointment. Formal advisement occurs by appointment only. Freshmen receive both personal and university-wide communications from their first-year advisers throughout the year with important dates and deadlines regarding registration and other academic and university policies. Find out more about first-year advising at the business school.
View a digital copy of the Undergraduate Student Handbook.
Progression Requirements
The requirements stated below are minimum requirements and are subject to change as stated in the last paragraph of this section. To continue in the sophomore year of the pre-business division of the Darla Moore School of Business, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a minimum of 24 hours. The 24 hours must include ENGL 101 and 102, MATH 122 or 141, MGSC 290, either ECON 221 or 222, STAT 206, and ACCT 225 with a minimum grade of C in each of these courses. A student not meeting these requirements must transfer out of the pre-business division of the Moore School.
To be admitted to the upper division of the Moore School, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a minimum of 48 hours. The 48 hours must include ENGL 101 and 102, MATH 122 or 141, STAT 206, ECON 221 and 222, ACCT 225 and 226, MGSC 290 and 291, with a minimum grade of C in each of these courses.
All majors in the Moore School will be expected to pass all business administration and economics courses with a minimum grade of C. Students must petition to take any business or economics class for a third time. Petitioning does not guarantee permission, and based on academic record, some students may be required to change majors or transfer out of the business school.
Dual Degrees: Currently enrolled students from other USC colleges who expect to obtain a second baccalaureate degree from the Moore School must meet regular admission and progression requirements of the school and formally apply and be accepted by the school prior to obtaining 75 hours.
Classes: Enrollment priority will be given to business majors who are in good academic standing in all business and economics classes.
Suspension: The Moore School adheres to the university’s general policy on suspension.
Graduation: Effective Fall 2016 and thereafter, all students admitted to the Moore School must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 on all USC work attempted in order to obtain a degree from the Moore School.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will need to fill out a “Consent to Release Information” form with your assigned first-year adviser. This form will be kept in your records stating we can only give information to the individual(s) you’ve provided on this form. This form will need to be updated each semester.
For more information about FERPA, please visit the South Carolina Registrar office's website.
You can see your assigned first-year adviser in the Self-Service Carolina account (my.sc.edu).
Yes. Every student must meet with their assigned Moore School first-year adviser each semester to have their advisement hold removed. Once a student has met with their assigned first-year adviser, the advisement hold will be removed by the adviser. It is also important to meet with your adviser each semester to make sure you are on track for graduation.
Students can check their assigned registration time in their Self-Service Carolina account by clicking on the "Registration Checklist" link.
There are some different reasons you may not be able to register for classes:
- You do not have the correct registration date/time. You can check this through the registration checklist on Self-Service Carolina.
- You have a hold or holds on your account. You will need to contact each of the offices stated on your Self Service Carolina account to get the hold(s) removed. If you have any advisement hold and have already been formally advised, please contact your assigned first-year adviser as soon as possible.
Some resources offered at the University of South Carolina include: The Student Success Center, located in the Thomas Cooper Library, Mezzanine Level, has programs such as Supplemental Instruction and Tutoring. Also, the University Advising Center, located in Close-Hipp, Suite 381, offers Academic Success Coaching sessions. It is also recommended to meet with the instructor or TA for the class, as well.
Grade Forgiveness is a policy in which a student at South Carolina can use a total of two times. If you decide to use this policy, please make sure you retake the class for the second time at an approved USC campus. You will also need to ensure that any financial awards will not be affected by using this policy.
Summer school registration depends on the institution. Consultation with your assigned Moore School first-year adviser would be required to discuss summer school options.
Yes. You will need a 3.000 total institutional GPA by the end of your spring semester to take a course at a non-USC institution. If you do not have this GPA by the end of your spring semester, you will need to plan to take summer classes at a USC-based institution. You and your assigned Moore School first-year adviser will talk further about the appropriate paperwork during formal advisement meetings regarding summer school.
After all progression requirements are met, students can then declare their specific major within the business school. The only exception is the International Business program. Students must apply for this major through an application process that is due during the summer going into their second year at South Carolina. Students interested in the International Business major will receive more information through their South Carolina email, as well as be able to check the Moore School Facebook page in the spring semester of their freshmen year for more details on the application process.
Yes, all students will need to have directed coursework completed by their graduation date. This directed coursework can include a minor, directed study, cognate, or concentration area. This directed coursework is built into the Moore School curriculum and will be a total of 18 credit hours. (Note: Some minors do require more than 18 credits, so please consult with your adviser regarding more information).
You can begin taking classes as early as your first semester at South Carolina. Please consult with your assigned Moore School first-year adviser for the best class(es) to take.
For business classes: Students will need to add their name to the seat request link found on the Moore School website.
For economics classes: Students will need to contact the administrative assistant in the economics department to see if an override can be granted.
For Carolina Core classes: It is best to contact the department directly. Each department has their own way of issuing overrides.
Please note: For any override, students are encouraged to continue to monitor Self-Service Carolina to see if any seats become available before the add/drop date each semester.
This varies from student to student. It is recommended to contact your assigned Moore School first-year adviser regarding a graduation map out plan.
These courses need to be completed by the time of graduation. Consultation with your adviser during the semesters at South Carolina is important to determine how many Carolina Core courses you have left to take.
Yes, all business students (regardless of major) are required to complete 9 hours of internationally focused courses. At least 1 of the 3 courses must be an International Business or International Economics course at the 300-level or above.
Before starting classes at USC: You will need to send any Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and/or Dual Enrollment credit to the University Admissions office (902 Sumter Street Access/Lieber College, Columbia, SC 29208)
While enrolled at USC: You will need to send any advanced placement, international baccalaureate or dual enrollment credit to the University Registrar’s office (1244 Blossom St., Columbia, SC 29208)
It is recommended that students enrolled in the Moore School use a Windows-based computer. Although a Mac computer can be used workarounds will be needed to complete assignments. Students will have a better experience using a Windows-based computer. There will be multiple business courses and course-specific projects that will not be compatible with the Mac operating system. If a student chooses to purchase a Mac, he/she should be prepared to use a Windows computer for some courses. Additional help is provided through the Carolina Tech Zone.
Minimum recommendations for computers are:Operating System: Windows 10/11 home or Pro versionProcessor: 3.5GHz AMD A6, AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel i5/i7 processorMemory: 16 gigs of ramStorage: 512 gig storageProtection: Extended WarrantyWireless: 802.11 a/b/g/nWired: Gigabit Ethernet
Microsoft Office 365 is provided free to all enrolled students. Anti-virus software is also available if needed. Students may visit the Carolina Tech Zone for assistance or visit the IT Knowledge Base and search for Install O365 for instructions. The University of South Carolina has a partnership with Dell that gives students the opportunity to purchase computers, printers, and accessories at educational discounts. Use the USC Member ID US126277047 to receive your discount.
Frequently Asked Questions for Parents
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act governs the dissemination of educational information for all institutions of higher education, such as South Carolina, that receive federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Moore School students may grant access to parents or others parties, allowing access to designated educational records as long as a student has completed a FERPA form. This access may be granted by any student at any time and may also be revoked or modified at any time by the student. Students must complete a new form every academic semester if they are wanting their academic records to be released to certain party members.
All first-year students can access the name of their academic adviser in the Moore School by visiting their Self-Service Carolina account. There is also a registration checklist in Self-Service Carolina for students to follow in regards to how to prepare to register for courses.
All students have different times and dates for their registration assigned by the university’s registrar. Students need to check their Self-Service Carolina account to see that the exact time and date their registration starts for classes.
Students are unable to register for courses due to a hold on their Self-Service Carolina account. Some of those holds are judicial, bursars, advising, etc. Students will need to contact the specific department the hold is through so they are able to register for classes.
Yes, every student must attend a formal advising appointment every semester with their assigned Moore School academic adviser. During the meeting, classes for the following semester will be discussed as well as any issues or concerns the student has in regards to academics. The adviser will remove the student’s advising hold so that the student can register for courses. Students will need to check Self-Service Carolina regarding any departmental holds on their account.
The University of South Carolina offers outstanding resources for students seeking academic assistance. The Student Success Center has programs such as supplemental instruction, tutoring and transfer student services. Also, refer your students to academic success coaching, where they meet one-on-one with a coach to create an academic and engagement plan, set goals and given additional resources. Students should also speak with the instructor of their designated course for assistance as well.
Yes, all first-year students are required to have a 3.0 total institutional GPA and all first-year progression requirement courses (ENGL 101, ENGL 102, Math 122 or 141, ACCT 225, STAT 206, MGSC 290, & ECON 221 or 222) completed with a grade of "C" or better by the end of their second semester. If these requirements are not met, students have until a designated date in August to complete progression or transfer out of the Moore School.
If a student makes below a “C” in a business or directed coursework or minor course, the student must contact their academic adviser to discuss options. A “C” or better is required for all business and directed study or minor courses for the Moore School.
Undergraduates who earn grades of D+, D, F, FN or WF may take up to two undergraduate courses for a second time, on the USC Columbia campus or a USC Palmetto College campus (Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter or Union), for the purpose of grade forgiveness. Courses taken at Aiken, Beaufort, and Upstate cannot be used to forgive courses taken at Columbia or any of the four Palmetto College campuses. Students should also meet with their academic adviser regarding advisement plan.
Please note: Only two classes may be forgiven, and decisions cannot be revoked. Once completed the student can go to South Carolina’s Registrar’s website to complete the necessary form for grade forgiveness.
You are able to do so, but under certain situations you are able to take courses at a non-USC institution or you are only permitted to take courses at South Carolina and the regional USC campuses. The situations are as follows:
At or above a 3.0 total institutional GPA students are allowed to take courses at any higher education institution that offers the equivalent course(s) the student needs to take to meet their progression requirements.
Below a 3.0 total institutional GPA students are only allowed to take courses at USC-Columbia and the regional USC campuses. This is so students are able to take the needed course(s) and also boost their total institutional GPA to meet their progression requirements for the Moore School.
Once the total institutional GPA requirement is met then students are allowed to take courses at any higher education institution that offers the equivalent course(s).
After all progression requirements are met then students can declare their specific major within the school of business. The only exception is the international business program. Students must apply for that specific major. Students interested in the international business major will receive information via their South Carolina email, as well as be able to check the Moore School Facebook page in the spring semester of their freshmen year for more details on the application process. The application will be due at the completion of the spring term.
Students who have at least a 3.0 total institutional GPA by the end of the first semester of their freshmen year are eligible to apply for business scholarships for the sophomore academic year. Students interested will need to check the Moore School webpage and Facebook page in the spring semester for more details about the application process.
It is recommended that students enrolled in the Moore School use a Windows-based computer. Although a Mac computer can be used workarounds will be needed to complete assignments. Students will have a better experience using a Windows-based computer. There will be multiple business courses and course-specific projects that will not be compatible with the Mac operating system. If a student chooses to purchase a Mac, he/she should be prepared to use a Windows computer for some courses. Additional help is provided through the Carolina Tech Zone.
Minimum recommendations for computers are:Operating System: Windows 10/11 home or Pro versionProcessor: 3.5GHz AMD A6, AMD Ryzen 7 or Intel i5/i7 processorMemory: 16 gigs of ramStorage: 512 gig storageProtection: Extended WarrantyWireless: 802.11 a/b/g/nWired: Gigabit Ethernet
Microsoft Office 365 is provided free to all enrolled students. Anti-virus software is also available if needed. Students may visit the Carolina Tech Zone for assistance or visit the IT Knowledge Base and search for Install O365 for instructions. The University of South Carolina has a partnership with Dell that gives students the opportunity to purchase computers, printers, and accessories at educational discounts. Use the USC Member ID US126277047 to receive your discount.