Students who are pursuing seven different engineering and computing majors will be able to rest assured their credits will transfer as part of a new program unveiled by Clemson University and Greenville Technical College.
The program, DegreeLink, opens a path for students who are calculus-ready to take two years of courses at Greenville Technical College and then transfer to Clemson for another two years.
At the end, they will have an Associate of Applied Science from Greenville Technical College and a Bachelor of Science from Clemson.
The program is open to students seeking bachelor’s degrees in automotive engineering, computer engineering, computer information systems, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, materials science and engineering and mechanical engineering.
Students will take basic requirements and start to dive into courses for their majors while still at Greenville Technical College. They will be advised on which courses to take, providing a roadmap that helps ensure credits transfer to Clemson.
While the program is designed to open a path to finish in four years, that timeline is not required. Students are free to take longer or finish early based on their own needs.
One of the key advantages to starting at Greenville Technical College through DegreeLink is cost savings. Another is that class sizes tend to be smaller than at Clemson, lending itself to more personalized attention from instructors.
The program’s leaders kicked off DegreeLink on Feb. 24 at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. The event was aimed at Greenville Technical College faculty and advisors, along with STEM teachers and guidance counselors from high schools across Greenville County.
J. Cole Smith, Clemson’s executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said the new partnership reflects Clemson’s commitment to expanding opportunity while widening the pipeline from the state’s technical college system to Clemson, the state’s preeminent source of talent for the engineering and computing workforce.
“This program is a win for students and for South Carolina,” Smith said. “By working hand in hand with Greenville Technical College, we are creating a seamless, affordable pathway into some of the most in-demand fields in our state. Students gain more support, more flexibility and more confidence that the work they do will carry them directly into a Clemson degree program. When our institutions collaborate closely, the whole region benefits.”
Dr. Candice Lewis, chief academic officer at Greenville Technical College, said the partnership gives Greenville Technical College students a clearer, more affordable route to some of the most competitive majors in the state.
DegreeLink allows students to begin their education close to home with small classes and strong support, while knowing they are on a direct path to a Clemson degree.
Dr. Candace Lewis
Greenville Technical College Chief Academic Officer
“This is an exciting opportunity for our students and for the employers who need graduates with these skills,” Lewis said. “It’s a true win-win. Greenville Technical College can help more students start strong, and Clemson can welcome well-prepared juniors who are ready to thrive. When our institutions work together like this, we expand access and strengthen the future workforce.”
The program has been in the works for about a year and is open to students already at Greenville Technical College and those looking to enroll. Some students started the DegreeLink path even before the program formally came together, so Clemson could graduate its first members as early as 2029.
About 20 students have already expressed an interest in DegreeLink, even though it hasn’t been formally unveiled until now. About 30-40 students a year transfer from Greenville Technical College to Clemson, and that number could double or more with the advent of DegreeLink.
The program differs from a standard transfer because Clemson and Greenville Technical College have aligned the courses, enabling Clemson advisors to provide advice to students from the moment they express interest.
Among the architects of DegreeLink was Karen Thompson, director of graduate and transfer recruitment for Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.
The Greenville Technical College courses that students will be taking as part of DegreeLink will be essentially the same as the ones they would take at Clemson, she said.
“It’s going to be great for the students,” Thompson said. “For students who are looking for that smaller class size, to stay close to home and to save money, they will still have the same opportunities as students who come to Clemson as a freshman.”
Also key to developing the program was Dr. William F. Carnell Jr., the academic program director of Engineering Fundamentals at Greenville Technical College.
“DegreeLink takes our partnership with Clemson to the next level,” he said. Students can complete rigorous, Clemson-equivalent coursework here at Greenville Technical College and move into their junior year knowing they are ready for what comes next. It’s incredibly rewarding to help create a pathway that is both affordable and academically strong and ultimately gives our students a real chance to build the future they want.”
Prospective students and anyone else interested in learning more about the program can reach Thompson at kt@clemson.edu or Carnell at William.Carnell@gvltec.edu.
