About Clemson University
Through a bequest from Thomas Green Clemson, Clemson University was founded in 1889 as a public land-grant agricultural college in Clemson, South Carolina. Today, Clemson University is one of the best public universities in the U.S., a nationally ranked R1 research university with 20,000 undergraduates, over 80 majors, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
About the Lyceum Scholars Program
Drawing inspiration from the Lyceum School founded by Aristotle in ancient Greece, the Lyceum Scholars Program at Clemson University was founded in 2014 as the first college program in the U.S. to use a great books approach to studying the moral, political, and economic foundations of a free society. All Lyceum Scholars receive a $10,000 scholarship, which is disbursed over their four years at Clemson University.
The Lyceum Scholars Program is a small liberal arts community within a large research university.
With the other Lyceum Scholars in their entering class, students take eight courses that range from ancient political thought to constitutional law. The Lyceum Scholars Program is open to students of any major. Students who complete the curriculum, however, fulfill the requirements for a minor in political science, and five of the eight courses count toward the political science major at Clemson University.
The program fosters a close-knit intellectual community that allows Lyceum Scholars to form meaningful relationships with their professors and fellow students. Central to this community is the individualized mentorship Lyceum professors offer, especially through Socratic Tutor Sessions, which provide an opportunity for students to meet with faculty and discuss the ways in which ideas from the classroom connect to everyday life. Many Lyceum Scholars consider their Socratic Tutor Sessions to be the highlight of their experience at Clemson University.
The Lyceum Scholars Program is currently accepting applications from students who will be entering university in Fall 2023. Those interested in becoming Lyceum Scholars should apply in their senior year of high school to Clemson University and to the Lyceum Scholars Program. The application deadline is December 11.
Homeschoolers
The Lyceum Scholars Program values homeschoolers for their ability to think critically and for their love of learning. Over a third of last year’s incoming Lyceum Scholars were homeschooled and we believe this program appeals to homeschoolers because of its classical, great books curriculum.
