Claflin University, founded in 1869, is recognized as one of the leading institutions of higher education in the southeast. Claflin University is a comprehensive institution offering undergraduate degrees in 34 areas and three graduate programs, the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Science in Biotechnology, and the Master of Educational Studies. The University serves approximately 1800 students from every region of the United States and 15 countries. U.S.News & World Report, in its 2008 Guidebook to America’s Best Colleges and Universities, ranked Claflin in the Top Tier for the tenth consecutive year (1998-2008). Consumer Digest ranked Claflin University number three in its “Top 5 Best Value” category of Private Colleges and Universities. The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked Claflin University second among “Very Selective” HBCUs in graduation rates as did The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.