Services Management, B.A.I.S.

The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) in Services Management program in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management (HRSM) at the University of South Carolina is a degree program that assists students in exploring interdisciplinary fields of study. The BAIS in Services Management degree provides a pathway for degree completion with a goal of creating an integrated, interdisciplinary managerial-focused learning environment for analyzing and resolving issues in service-oriented fields such as retailing, sport management, the entertainment industry, hospitality, and tourism.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will be able to identify and/or analyze issues/problems in a chosen career field. 
  2. Students will be able to develop logical and viable solutions to an issue/problem in a chosen career field. 
  3. Students will be able to communication ideas, issues/problems, solutions and/or research-based information clearly. 

Entrance Requirements

Entrance Requirements are: 

  1. students have previously completed at least 60 hours of college credit with at least a 2.0 institutional GPA or 
  2. be newly entering students, who are at least 25 years of age or
  3. be a SC resident with at least two years of active duty US military service, having graduated high school with a 3.0 HS GPA and entering as a freshman with no postsecondary work since graduation. 

Each student must work with a B.A.I.S. advisor to design an individualized program of study. The program of study must include at least 36 hours of 300-level USC course work and conform to all general University academic regulations for the baccalaureate degree. The B.A.I.S. requires a minimum of 120 approved hours to graduate. A minimum Institutional GPA of 2.0 is required for graduating from the program.

A minimum of 30 USC hours must be earned after acceptance into the B.A.I.S. program.

Subject to University and departmental policy, students may apply up to 60 semester hours earned in an accredited associate degree program toward fulfillment of B.A.I.S. requirements. All courses accepted toward fulfillment of the BAIS requirements, must be a C or better.

Interdisciplinary Studies majors may pursue a minor in any course of study offered by the College of HRSM as well as any other University program with an approved minor. College of HRSM required courses may not be counted toward a minor.

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Graduation requires an institutional 2.0 GPA and meeting all other requirements provided through the degree completion program.

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core 31-43
2. College Requirements 0
3. Program Requirements 38-53
4. Major Requirements 36

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (31-43 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher​

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours) 

SCI – Scientific Literacy (7 hours)

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

College of HRSM students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by achieving a score of 2 or higher on the foreign language placement test or by completing one foreign language course through 110 or 121.

GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours)

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours)

Note: HRTM 280 is an option that meets this requirement.

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)

INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)

1

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

2. College Requirements (0 hours)

No college-required courses for this program.

3. Program Requirements (38-53 hours)

Electives (38-53 hours)

  • The BAIS curriculum includes 38-53 hours of electives depending on how students fulfill the Carolina Core requirements. Any course in the university can be used to satisfy the elective requirement including additional electives in the major.

4. Major Requirements (36 hours)

a minimum grade of C is required in all major courses

The major consists of at least 36 hours taken at the 300-level or above of USC coursework and 15 of those credit hours must be at the 400-level or above (including HRSM 497)

Major Courses (6 hours)

Course Title Credits
HRSM 301HRSM Professional Development Seminar (with advisor approval)3
or HRTM 344
HRSM 497Senior Seminar3
Total Credit Hours6

Specializations or Thematic Model (30 hours)

The major coursework includes 30 hours of courses organized in one of two approaches and this is determined by the student with the advisor’s approval.

  • Specializations have at least 15 hours in each of two areas. Each course proposed must correspond to the intent of the specialization.
    • One specialization must be from one department within the College of HRSM and include a minimum of at least 15 credit hours.
    • The other specialization is determined by the student with the advisor’s approval and must include a minimum of at least 15 credit hours.
  • Thematic model has at least 10 courses that correspond directly to a theme and that, when viewed collectively, will establish a minimum amount of depth in a chosen theme. The thematic approach must result in at least 30 credit hours.
    • The thematic model must include at least 15 credit hours taken within the courses offered by the College of HRSM.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Services Management, B.A.I.S.