The master s degree is offered in 182 fields and the Ph.D. degree in 61 fields, in addition to first professional degrees in law, pharmacy, and medicine. University library collections include more than 7 million items. In addition to Thomas Cooper Library, which contains one of the 45 largest research library collections in the country, there are separate libraries specializing in medicine, law, mathematics, music, and business. Students attend from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The City of Columbia Columbia, with a metropolitan population of more than 450,000, combines the advantages of a progressive, growing area with the pace of a smaller city.
Residents enjoy temperate seasons with mild winters.
In the spring, dogwood and azalea create a profusion of color. At the geographic center of South Carolina, Columbia is the seat of state government as well as headquarters for numerous state and regional businesses. The South Carolina Supreme Court, the State Court of Appeals, Federal District Court, as well as various criminal, civil, and special jurisdiction courts meet in Columbia. The metropolitan area is also home to several institutions of higher education and some of South Carolina s most outstanding public schools. Moderately priced rental housing is readily available.