College of Southern Maryland
Encyclopedia
The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) in La Plata, Maryland
, is a public, regional community college
, serving Southern Maryland
Charles County
, St. Mary's County, and Calvert County
.
. In 1968, Charles County Community College began construction of the Career Education and Administration Building on what is now the main CSM campus in La Plata, Maryland
. On July 1, 2000 the college officially became the College of Southern Maryland. CSM celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2008 with a series of events marking its history and progress.
certificates and career training
programs such as computer programming and repair, truck driving, nursing or veterinary assistances to name a few.
. Its business, physical therapy, and nursing programs have specialized accreditation by Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
, American Physical Therapy Association
, and National League for Nursing
, respectively.
. In conjunction with the University of Maryland University College
, CSM operates the Waldorf Center for Higher Education in Waldorf
. The St. Mary's County campus is located in Leonardtown
and a training center is located in Lexington Park
. The Calvert County
campus is located in Prince Frederick
.
, conference center, a fine arts center with a 400-seat auditorium, a fitness center including an indoor pool, a theater, computer lab
oratories, and a distance learning center. The Southern Maryland Studies Center,
a regional archives repository and research center, is located in the CSM library.
. The campus was moved to its current location in 1997, which includes three buildings—Building A, B, and C. The campus has an auditorium/seminar room, science labs, and a wellness center, which is available for student and community use.
in 2005. The main building is a two-story, 56000 square feet (5,202.6 m²) construction, which includes 15 classrooms, 6 computer lab
s, and a 2951 square feet (274.2 m²) library.
, Division III The men's teams include baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and tennis. The women's team includes basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. The college also has a cheerleading team.
La Plata, Maryland
La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,551 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Charles County.-History:...
, is a public, regional community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
, serving Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland
Southern Maryland in popular usage is composed of the state's southernmost counties on the "Western Shore" of the Chesapeake Bay. This region includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties and sometimes the southern portions of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.- History...
Charles County
Charles County, Maryland
Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland.As of 2010, the population was 146,551. Its county seat is La Plata. This county was named for Charles Calvert , third Baron Baltimore....
, St. Mary's County, and Calvert County
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
.
History
In September 1958, the predecessor to today's CSM, Charles County Junior College, commenced evening classes at La Plata High School. In 1960, the college added an apprenticeship programVocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
. In 1968, Charles County Community College began construction of the Career Education and Administration Building on what is now the main CSM campus in La Plata, Maryland
La Plata, Maryland
La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,551 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Charles County.-History:...
. On July 1, 2000 the college officially became the College of Southern Maryland. CSM celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2008 with a series of events marking its history and progress.
Academic Degree & Continuing Education Programs
The College of Southern Maryland offers more than 120 programs of study including Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science degree programs. Furthermore, CSM offers a wide range of continuing educationContinuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
certificates and career training
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
programs such as computer programming and repair, truck driving, nursing or veterinary assistances to name a few.
Accreditation
CSM is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and SchoolsMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
. Its business, physical therapy, and nursing programs have specialized accreditation by Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs , formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learning....
, American Physical Therapy Association
American Physical Therapy Association
A Historical PerspectivePhysical therapists formed their first professional association in 1921, called the American Women's Physical Therapeutic Association. Led by President Mary McMillan, an executive committee of elected officers governed the Association, which included 274 charter members...
, and National League for Nursing
National League for Nursing
The National League for Nursing is a national organization for faculty nurses and leaders in nurse education. It offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to more than 25,000 individual and 1,200 education and...
, respectively.
Campus & Training Facilities
The Charles County facilities include the La Plata campus and a training center also in La PlataLa Plata, Maryland
La Plata is a town in Charles County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,551 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Charles County.-History:...
. In conjunction with the University of Maryland University College
University of Maryland University College
The University of Maryland University College is located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Serving over 90,000 students worldwide, UMUC is the largest 4-year public university in Maryland and one of the largest distance learning...
, CSM operates the Waldorf Center for Higher Education in Waldorf
Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is south-southeast of Washington, D.C. The population of the census-designated area only was 67,752 at the 2010 census...
. The St. Mary's County campus is located in Leonardtown
Leonardtown, Maryland
Leonardtown is a town in and the county seat of St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,896 at the 2000 census. Leonardtown is perhaps most famous for the national oyster-shucking championship that occurs annually at the St...
and a training center is located in Lexington Park
Lexington Park, Maryland
Lexington Park is a census-designated place in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. The Calvert County
Calvert County, Maryland
Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It occupies the Calvert Peninsula which is bordered on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. Calvert County is part of the Southern Maryland region. Calvert County's residents are among the highest...
campus is located in Prince Frederick
Prince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County...
.
La Plata Campus
The original campus of CSM houses a bookstore, cafeteriaCafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
, conference center, a fine arts center with a 400-seat auditorium, a fitness center including an indoor pool, a theater, computer lab
Computer lab
A computer lab, also known as a computer suite or computer cluster is typically a room which contains many networked computers for public use...
oratories, and a distance learning center. The Southern Maryland Studies Center,
a regional archives repository and research center, is located in the CSM library.
Leonardtown Campus
The Community College of St. Mary's County was established in 1978 at Great Mills High SchoolGreat Mills High School
Great Mills High School is a comprehensive public high school of 1600+ students in grades 9-12. It serves students at the confluence of the Potomac River, Patuxent River, and Chesapeake Bay. The area is a mixture of rural and suburban communities. Many of the families are employed by NAS Patuxent...
. The campus was moved to its current location in 1997, which includes three buildings—Building A, B, and C. The campus has an auditorium/seminar room, science labs, and a wellness center, which is available for student and community use.
Prince Frederick Campus
The Community College at Calvert County, established in 1980, moved to its current location on J.W. Williams Road in Prince FrederickPrince Frederick, Maryland
Prince Frederick is a census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, not to be confused with the incorporated, and much larger, city of Frederick some to the northwest in Frederick County...
in 2005. The main building is a two-story, 56000 square feet (5,202.6 m²) construction, which includes 15 classrooms, 6 computer lab
Computer lab
A computer lab, also known as a computer suite or computer cluster is typically a room which contains many networked computers for public use...
s, and a 2951 square feet (274.2 m²) library.
Intercollegiate Sports
The College of Southern Maryland currently has 5 intercollegiate men's teams and 5 intercollegiate women's teams that compete in the NCJAANational Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
, Division III The men's teams include baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and tennis. The women's team includes basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. The college also has a cheerleading team.