The Citadel Military College of South Carolina is one of the most prominent military colleges in the nation. Founded in 1842, it opened under the name of the South Carolina Military Academy. It took over some of the arsenals used during previous years and helped train students for enlisting in and working with the different branches of the military. After losing several buildings during the Civil War, the campus became a southern headquarters for Union soldiers before finally reopening several decades later as a military academy. The Citadel now consists of five individual colleges that offer more than 30 minor choices and 19 major for students. Some of those programs are open to non-cadets, but its student body primarily consists of cadets or military students.
U.S. News & World Report ranked The Citadel as the third best college in the southern region and the top public college in that same region. It also called the school a best value college and the best southern college for military veterans. The Citadel accepts students who previously served in any branch of the military. It has a higher percentage of students completing their studies and graduating than the national average and a higher average test score among incoming freshmen.
Citadel Military College of South Carolina Accreditation Details
The Citadel has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Though this is a military academy, it must meet the same requirements for accreditation as any other campus. During a 2014 review, the SACS determined that the college should retain its accreditation, which means that the accreditation is valid through 2024. Some of its advanced and graduate programs have specialized accreditation too. The Project Management Institute Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs accredited its graduate program in project management. The Citadel also has accreditation for its programs in psychology, teaching, school psychology, business and computer science.
Citadel Military College of South Carolina Application Requirements
As a military college, The Citadel has different requirements in place for incoming freshmen than other schools do. All prospective students must have a high school diploma or GED or will have one before enrolling. The Citadel recommends that students complete the online application during their junior or senior years of high school. This application asks for general background information, including where a student went to high school, the activities the student did, his or her grades and class ranking.
Those applying for admissions must mail in a transcript that shows they took four years of English, three years of social science, life science and math, two years of foreign language and at least one year of fine arts classes. Students must also submit an official ACT or SAT score. The Citadel will only accept unmarried students who are between the ages of 17 and 23 at the time that classes start.
Incoming cadets must meet all these requirements and also meet with a medical doctor working for the school. That doctor will fill out a form that states the student is in good physical shape and can meet the demands of attending The Citadel. The school has separate applications available for those enrolling as a non-cadet and those enrolling as a veteran. Those students must still meet many of the same requirements.
All incoming cadets must meet basic physical requirements including height and weight requirements. The Citadel also has a physical fitness test that cadets must pass. This test requires that they do a certain number of push ups and sit ups based on their age and then run two miles in a little over 18 minutes or less.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The Citadel charges different rates for freshmen than it does upperclassmen. Freshmen residents who are also residents of South Carolina pay close to $28,000 a year. This amount increases to more than $48,000 a year for nonresidents. The cost for residents drops to around $23,000 a year in later years, while nonresident tuition rates drop to around $44,000 a year later. The Citadel offers a comparison chart on its website to help students see how its costs compare to those of other schools.
It’s important to apply for admissions and fill out the FAFSA early on because The Citadel starts mailing out notification letters in November. Undergrad students must take at least six credits each semester to qualify for financial aid. In addition to loans and grants, the school also has full scholarships available that require cadets attend an interview session on-campus and fill out an application. Other scholarships are open to those who participated in ROTC organizations, and there are some scholarships available from the state too. The Citadel requires that students maintain high grades to receive scholarships after their freshmen year.
Student Experience
Sports management and administration is a major available through the Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Science. Its Bachelor of Science in Sport Management helps prepare students for running athletic organizations and facilities. Students must complete a general education core that includes classes on English composition, math and biology. They must also participate in ROTC each year. Required sport management classes include introduction to sport management, administration of health, exercise and sport, health foundations and introduction to financial accounting. You’ll also have the chance to do a management internship either at The Citadel or away from campus.
The Citadel also offers a graduate certificate in sport management for those who have an undergrad degree. This basic program includes five courses on public relations, advertising, administration, selling sports and finance. You’ll need to fill out the online application for its graduate school, supply the school with your resume and official college transcript and write a letter of intent before starting the certificate program.
There is also a Master of Arts in Sport Management program that will help you complete a graduate degree after earning your bachelor’s degree. This program is open to those who studied sports management, general management, business and related subjects as an undergrad. It includes an internship worth six credits and six courses on subjects like administration of sports organizations, economics of sports and sport promotions. The Citadel also requires that sport management students take five electives from specific courses like special topics in sport management, psychology of sports and event management.
