University of San Carlos (USC) is a Catholic educational institution administered since 1935 by Society of the Divine Word (SVD) missionaries. A University since 1948, USC offers the complete educational package from kindergarten, including a Montessori academy, to graduate school. The University is one of the most respected higher education institutions in the Philippines, offering 45 undergraduate and 62 graduate programs. The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also granted Autonomous Status to the University, and designated eight Centers of Excellence (COE) and 12 Centers of Development (COD) in USC.