University of Southern Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi Degree Offerings

The University of Southern Mississippi in our ranking of the 10 Most Affordable Bachelor’s in Spanish Degrees Online. The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) offers over 180 degrees:

• baccalaureate
• master’s
• doctoral

Each degree is offered from one of USM’s four colleges:

• the College of Business and Economic Development
• the College of Education and Human Sciences
• the College of Nursing and Health Professions
• the College of Arts and Sciences

Each college contains numerous schools with more narrow degree focuses. Included in the College of Business are the schools of:

• Accountancy
• Finance
• Management
• Marketing

The Education and Human Sciences College holds the schools of :

• Child and Family Sciences
• Education
• Kinesiology and Nutrition
• Library and Information Science
• Psychology
• Social Work

Schools included in the College of Nursing and Health are:

• Health Professions
• Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice
• Professional Nursing Practice
• Speech and Hearing Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences houses other schools like:

• Communication
• Construction and Design
• Social Science
• Global Studies (including foreign language programs)
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Computing

USM also has an Honors College. Graduate programs at USM are offered from 26 different schools. Master’s programs include:

• School Counseling
• Communication Studies
• Geography

USM is known for its broad range of robust doctoral programs in fields like:

• Biological Science
• Educational Administration
• English

The School of Leadership and Advanced Nursing Practice offers several degrees for nursing professionals who wish to practice in roles with more responsibility. These include an MSN in Psychiatric Nursing and a DNP in Nurse Anesthesia.

About University of Southern Mississippi

The University of Southern Mississippi is a public research university located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  USM has a second campus known as Gulf Park located at Long Beach. Other branches of the university encompass five research and teaching centers like the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL). These centers offer students the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge science and environmental research while studying for their degrees. USM is also notable for its high caliber fine arts programs of:

• dance
• art and design
• music
• theater

Students may participate in the university’s study abroad program. It offers opportunities to study in over 20 countries. USM was founded in 1910 as a school to train teachers for the region. It was the first established teaching school in Mississippi. The original campus enrolled 876 students in its first year. By 1940, the school had expanded and diversified its degree offerings, becoming Mississippi Southern College. USM gained university status in 1962. In the last 20 years, the university began expanding its research programs, making it one of the 150 most important research universities in the country.

University of Southern Mississippi Accreditation Details

USM is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is an accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of Education. USM first received accreditation in 1929 and was most recently reaffirmed in 2016. In addition to its regional accreditation, USM holds many accreditations for specific programs and degrees. These accreditations are important for professionals who must continue to obtain certifications or wish to study further in a field. Medical and health field accreditations include ones from:

• the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
• the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
• the Commission of Athletic Training Education

USM’s business degrees are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The psychology and counseling accreditation agencies range from the National Association of School Psychologists to the Commission for Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.

University of Southern Mississippi Application Requirements

Undergraduate applicants to USM must have completed a required number of courses at a high school level including:

• 4 units of English
• 3 of Mathematics
• 3 each in Social Studies and Science

Students must submit a transcript that confirms successful completion of these requirements. Additionally, candidates will be assessed through their ACT and SAT scores. To complete the school’s online application, students must submit a $40 application fee and proof of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella. Current high school students who qualified for an ACT or SAT test fee waiver may have the application fee waived. Because of their competitive nature, graduate programs at USM hold high standards when considering applicants. Candidates must have:

• a GPA of at least 2.75 in their undergraduate coursework
• high scores on a standardized graduate school test
• three letters of recommendation

Students must also submit a statement that describes their reasons for choosing their field. For some degree programs, a writing sample is required. A $60 application fee is also required. Admissions decisions will be based on a holistic range of factors including:

• experience
• academic performance
• background

Tuition and Financial Aid

USM prides itself on offering one of the most accessible and affordable educations in the Southeast United States. Undergraduate in-state tuition is $8,218 per year. Non-resident tuition is $10,218 per year. On-campus housing and a meal plan can cost between $6,000 and $10,000 per year. There are several scholarships offered for undergraduate students based on academic performance. Students with a 30-36 ACT score and a GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible to receive the full amount of their tuition in scholarships. Graduate program in-state tuition is $4,785 per term. This includes 15 credit hours. Non-resident tuition is $6,011 per term. USM offers a number of full-time assistantships for graduate students. These cover the cost of tuition for both resident and non-resident students. Part-time graduate assistants will receive a waiver for half of their tuition costs. Graduate assistants at USM will teach undergraduate classes and participate in research roles. For more information on any of these programs, visit the University of Southern Mississippi’s website.

Related Resources:

20 Cheapest Online Electrical Engineering Degree Programs

30 Best Bachelor’s in Psychology Degrees Online: Small Colleges

30 Best Online Bachelor’s in Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education

Top 50 Best Affordable RN to BSN Online Degrees