Mission Statement

Mission: Trident Technical College serves as a catalyst for personal, community and economic development by empowering individuals through education and training.

Vision: Educate the individual. Accelerate the economy. Inspire the future.

• Integrity
• Respect
• Student achievement
• Academic excellence
• Accessibility and affordability
• Diversity, equity and inclusion
• Excellence in customer service
• Expertise
• Academic freedom
• Accountability
• Global competitiveness

Role and Scope

Trident Technical College is a public, two-year, multi-campus community college that provides quality education and promotes economic development in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

An open-door institution of higher education, and one of the largest institutions in the state, Trident Technical College serves traditional and nontraditional curriculum students who have a wide variety of educational goals, from personal enrichment to career development to university transfer. To help students meet their goals, Trident Technical College offers university transfer associate degrees and applied technical associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. The curriculum includes programs in arts and sciences, aeronautical studies, agriculture, business, computer technology, engineering technology, health sciences, hospitality, industrial technology, and public service. Trident Technical College students draw on knowledge from a broad range of disciplines to develop the communication and critical thinking skills that are fundamental to lifelong learning.

Trident Technical College further promotes economic development through continuing education courses; customized education and training for business, industry and government; and a variety of employment training programs.

Trident Technical College is committed to being accessible and responsive to community needs. To foster student success, Trident Technical College provides developmental education and comprehensive student services. In addition to traditional instruction, Trident Technical College’s flexible course offerings and alternative delivery methods, including online instruction, enable more members of the community to pursue higher education.

Approved by TTC Area Commission May 28, 2019
Approved by South Carolina Commission on Higher Education August 2, 2019

Locations

TTC serves Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties with four campuses. Thornley Campus is located on Rivers Avenue, one mile north of Aviation Avenue in North Charleston. Berkeley Campus is in Berkeley County on Highway 17-A, south of Moncks Corner. Palmer Campus is located in downtown Charleston on Columbus Street. Mount Pleasant Campus is located on John Dilligard Lane.

History

Since 1964 Trident Technical College has provided quality education and economic development in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. The college has grown over the decades, evolving to meet the complex needs of the diverse communities TTC serves and opening new doors to educational opportunities for lifelong learning.

1960s
The Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Technical Education Center was founded in 1964 on a 25-acre site as part of a statewide system established by Gov. Ernest F. Hollings to meet the educational and training needs of South Carolina. The center opened with two buildings, 226 students, and programs in industrial and engineering technology.

1970s
To accommodate its increasing growth, the center merged with Palmer College, a private business college in downtown Charleston, to form Trident Technical College. In addition to business, the newly formed college provided a wider variety of programs to the community, including allied health sciences, criminal justice and university transfer programs.

1980s
The 1980s saw additional changes that opened new opportunities to students. Palmer Campus moved to its current site in downtown Charleston, and the college built its Berkeley Campus near Moncks Corner. Technological advances during the decade increased accessibility with the introduction of academic computing, email and televised courses, the first distance learning program.

1990s
The 1990s ushered in dramatic changes in instructional delivery from courses on videotape to courses online. The first dual credit courses offered to high schools marked the beginning of another rapidly growing delivery system, allowing students to begin earning TTC credit while still in high school. In addition, the college converted its credit offerings from a quarter to a semester system. In 1997, the first phase of the Complex for Economic Development opened on a newly purchased 30-acre site adjacent to Main Campus.

2000s
As distance learning options continued to grow, the college continued expansion of physical facilities. Phase two of the Complex for Economic Development, a 230,000-square-foot facility, allowed for the development of both new and redesigned academic services including the Culinary Institute of Charleston. During this decade, enrollment increased 54 percent, and the college responded with additional physical and virtual offerings. In 2008-09 the college opened three new instructional sites: St. Paul’s Parish location, the Dorchester County Career and Technology Center (later Summerville Site at Trolley Road) and the Dorchester County QuickJobs Training Center in St. George.

2010s
To further increase capacity and consolidate offerings, the college opened a new campus in Mount Pleasant, built the Nursing and Science Building in North Charleston and closed the Summerville Site at Trolley Road. To meet new workforce training demands, the college purchased a facility, the TTC Workforce Training Center, and constructed the S.C. Aeronautical Training Center. The dual credit program grew in a new direction with the opening of Berkeley Middle College on Berkeley Campus and the Early College High School on Palmer Campus. With a renewed emphasis on student success, the college redesigned credit offerings based on seven-week terms within the semesters. The Main Campus in North Charleston was renamed the Thornley Campus in 2018.

Publisher’s Note

Although the editor and publisher of this Catalog have made every reasonable effort to attain factual accuracy herein, no responsibility is assumed for editorial, clerical or printing errors or errors occasioned by mistakes. The editor and publisher have attempted to present information that, at the time of preparation for printing, most accurately described the course offerings; faculty information; academic and administrative policies, procedures, regulations and requirements; and the support services of the college. Information on program graduation rates is available on TTC’s website. This Catalog does not constitute a contract between TTC and its students or applicants for admission or with any other person. TTC reserves the right to change, without notice, any statement in this Catalog, including, but not limited to, statements concerning tuition, fees, charges, academic regulations and requirements, course cancellations, class size, instructors, curricula, calendars, credits, or any other college activity or program. Changes will become effective whenever the appropriate TTC authorities so determine.

See TTC’s website for current information. It is especially important to keep apprised of current graduation requirements for your degree program. Catalog users should inquire as to whether changes in this Catalog have been made since the date of publication.

All courses listed in this Catalog are offered only if there is adequate demand and if faculty and facilities are available to provide a qualified instructor and appropriate meeting place. All courses are not offered every semester. For updated course listings, check TTC’s website under Course Search. TTC provides programs of study with faculty and academic support that are believed to be appropriate to achieve the academic objectives of this institution. Acceptance into a program of study does not guarantee registration into the courses the college may offer each semester in the program of study.

The college does not guarantee, however, that the completion of any course or program of study will result in the acquisition of knowledge or skills or will enable you to pass or complete any specific examination for any course, degree or license. The college holds that the acquisition of knowledge is contingent upon your ability, desire to learn and application of efforts.