Print this page.About the Program
The Technology Support and Training Management Program (TSTM) is part of USC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. Students in the TSTM program receive an in-depth background in information technologies in four major areas. These areas include computer networking, database systems, corporate training and development, and end-user support.
Career Opportunities
An undergraduate degree in Technology Support and Training Management prepares students to work in one of the following areas:
• Local area network administration
• Database administration
• Telecommunications
• Corporate training development
• Web site design
The University Career Center is available to assist you in choosing a career direction and in increasing your marketability upon graduation. For additional information, call the center at 803-777-7280.
Admission/Progression Requirements
To be admitted into the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management, you must meet all University admissions requirements, including (for freshmen) a completed application, non-refundable application fee, high-school record complete up to the time of application (including record of at least 20 academic units of study earned as required by the University), and entrance examination scores (either SAT or ACT). Details for all applicant categories can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin. You must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 at the University to meet progression requirements. The Technology Support and Training Management Program has preprofessional and professional levels of student classification. Entrance into the preprofessional level is dictated by the admission policies of the University. Admittance to the professional level requires the approval of the college and successful completion of program requirements.
Program of Study (124 hours)
As a student majoring in Technology Support and Training Management, you will work toward the Bachelor of Science degree. A minimum of 124 semester hours is required to complete the degree. During your freshman and sophomore years, you will take required University courses such as English, history, foreign language, fine arts, and social science, as well as core courses in your major. In your junior year and senior years, you will complete your major courses, including three networking courses, database management, corporate training, visual programming, and end-user support. Specific course information can be found in the Academic Bulletin.
Of Special Interest
To maximize the learning experience, all TSTM students must complete a capstone course that incorporates all four core areas. In this course, student teams work with a real business, solve an actual system issue, and design the needed system. Additionally, they must complete an internship as a final requirement for the program. Students graduating from this program have a very diverse IT background and have obtained positions in a wide range of organizations ranging from Network Administrator to Database Administrator to Director of Information Technologies. The program places emphasis on technology-based decision-making and information management skills in dynamic business environments. The TSTM program has also been recognized by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce with the prestigious Palmetto Pillar Award in Technology Education. The award celebrates excellence and innovation and recognizes a company or organization for the application or development of innovative technology-based projects and programs that impact education in the Midlands community. This award honored the community service projects performed by the TSTM students as part of their class work. One highlight of these activates is the TSTM 564 Project Management class that helped to design and install a computer network in the Fast Forward Community Technology Center, a nonprofit community agency that provides computer training to veterans, displaced workers, and the homeless as well as computer literacy training for preschool and elementary school students.
Technology Support and Training Management Department's Web site