Three students site in the green grass on Prince Lawn, smiling while facing the camera with Edwards Building behind them.

About Coastal Carolina University

Home—About CCU

An aerial view of campus, showing Prince Lawn and the Prince Building, as well as Edwards Building and Singleton Building.

Our gorgeous campus in Conway, SC

About the CCU Campus

The University comprises 115 main buildings on 621 acres, including the Coastal Science Center and the Burroughs & Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies on the East Campus, and the General James Hackler Golf Course, a public 18-hole golf facility adjacent to campus.

Campus Map

Campus Info:

The University also offers courses and events at several satellite locations along the Carolina coast. A 1,105-acre tract, including a portion of Waties Island, provides a natural laboratory for extensive study in marine science and wetlands biology

Three students student crabs at Waties Island, which provides a natural laboratory for extensive study in marine science and wetlands biology on an Atlantic coast barrier island

Around CCU Visit the Campus CCU Webcam

Quick Facts:

Founded: 1954

Located: Conway, SC

Student Body: 10,000+

Type: Liberal Arts

Student to faculty ratio: 16:1

University Colors: Teal, Bronze

A student and a Professor sit near each other in a Computer Lab, attentively working on the computer

Programs that fit your interests

Academic Programs at CCU

The University offers 115+ undergraduate and over 30 graduate-level (doctoral educational, specialist, masters) major fields of study including specialized concentrations across six academic colleges.

Find your program

About CCU students:

A diverse population of more than 10,800 students from across the country and around the world engages with a world-class faculty, and they all enjoy an inspiring cultural calendar and a tradition of community interaction fueled by 112 student clubs, organizations, and honor societies. Students learn, study, and interact in high-quality facilities, including the HTC Student Recreation and Convocation Center, the Bryan Information Commons, and the Lib Jackson Student Union.

Total Enrollment: 10,829 students *

Female: 56%
Male: 44%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 16:1
Average SAT for first-time freshmen: 1,131
Average high school GPA for first-time freshmen: 3.73

* Enrollment data from Fall 2023

Undergraduate: 10,306 students

- SC residents: 39%
- SC residents among first-time freshmen: 31%
- Out-of-state residents from 48 states: 60%
- International students from 48 countries: 1%

Graduate: 523 students

- SC residents: 67%
- Out-of-state residents from 31 states: 28%
- International students from 21 countries: 5%

Take in the sports action

Athletics at CCU

Our students fill the baseball stands at Spring Brooks Stadium, the home of the 2016 NCAA College World Series champions, pack Brooks Stadium to watch football, and visit the HTC Center to catch a basketball or volleyball game. CCU has 19 NCAA Division I teams, includes soccer, tennis, and lacrosse.

CCU Athletics

Athletics Info:

The 19 Coastal Carolina athletic teams compete in Division I of the NCAA as members of the Sun Belt Conference. The University’s mascot is the Chanticleer, a proud, fierce, and quick-thinking rooster derived from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.” The football, softball, and baseball teams all compete in the new TD Sports Complex, which houses Springs Brooks Baseball Stadium. The baseball team won the College World Series in 2016.

NCAA Division I / Sun Belt Conference

Women’s teams: basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, indoor track and field, lacrosse (competes as a member of Atlantic Sun Conference), soccer, softball, tennis, outdoor track and field, volleyball
Men’s teams: baseball, basketball, cross country, football (FBS), golf, soccer, tennis, outdoor track and field
Visit Chanticleer athletics »

About CCU Faculty and Staff:

Full-time faculty: 530
Faculty with doctoral/terminal degrees: 76%
Full-time staff: 861
Student staff: 1,181
Number of Graduate Assistantships: 120

About CCU Accreditations:

Coastal Carolina University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Coastal Carolina University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Coastal Carolina University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling 404-679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC's website (www.sacscoc.org).

The E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration is accredited by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and the Spadoni College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and is approved by the South Carolina Department of Education.

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The Chanticleer

The Chanticleer – a proud and fierce rooster – is the unique moniker/mascot for Coastal Carolina University’s mascot and athletics teams. The Chanticleer is derived from the crafty, quick-thinking rooster in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," specifically, "The Nun's Priest Tale."

Chants Up

If you have cheered on a Coastal Carolina University sports team, participated in summer Orientation, or attended a commencement ceremony, you may have seen students raising a hand in the air to display the “Chants Up” symbol. “Chants Up” is uniquely symbolic of Chanticleer spirit.

Chants Up - Details

CCU students created the Chants Up symbol to cheer on Chanticleer sports teams. While it may resemble other hand signals, the “Chants Up” symbol is significantly different and is actually a visual representation of the Chanticleer. The “Chants Up” symbol is formed with the pointer finger and thumb pinched tightly together to represent the Chanticleer beak with pointer and thumb rounded, and the other three fingers fanned out to represent the feather comb at the top of the Chanticleer’s head.

The “Chants Up” symbol gained momentum outside of Chanticleer athletics during the summer of 2012, when student Orientation leaders taught incoming students and their families the fight song and “Chants Up.” The symbol quickly became ubiquitous throughout the campus as a local show of support for CCU.

Today, “Chants Up” has become a beloved CCU tradition and is often displayed at Chanticleer sports events, at the end of the alma mater during commencement ceremonies, and as a representation of Teal Nation and Chanticleer enthusiasm.