MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

To all of our new and prospective students, we welcome you to Southern Miss, the Division of Undergraduate Studies, and our web site. We want you to know that our primary goal is to help you succeed in all of your academic objectives at Southern Miss. Our knowledgeable and friendly faculty and staff are ready to help you make the most of your Southern Miss Experience.

The primary purpose for our division is to help students prepare academically to assimilate and succeed at The University of Southern Mississippi. In order to achieve this goal, our unit administers several unique programs designed to offer students special, educational opportunities. We’ve got something for everyone!

My staff and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our programs and services. Our division's main office is located on the second floor of McLemore Hall. Feel free to come by and talk with us. We're eager to help you make the most of your university experience at Southern Miss.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kara L. Craig
Director

• The UNV 101 new student seminar, first offered in fall 1987, is a 2 credit hour, graded course designed for all new Southern Miss students, regardless of academic ability. Thousands of new students with a wide range of backgrounds have chosen to enroll in this course. Research studies at Southern Miss and nationwide have shown that students who enroll and successfully complete this course are more likely to stay in college and earn a degree than those who do not complete the course. Also, they do it with higher grades!
  

• The General Studies Academic Advisement program, implemented in the mid-1980s, enrolls approximately 800 students each fall who are undeclared or undecided on a major. These students are assigned to specially trained advisers who work closely with them to explore academic and career options, and work toward satisfying general education curriculum requirements. Over 80% of all college students change their major at least once before they graduate. Students who begin college in the General Studies program have the advantage of taking their time to explore and find the “best fit” for them without fear of losing credits or time along the way.
  

• The Developmental Education Program, established at Southern Miss in 1996 and composed of the Summer Developmental Program and the Year Long Academic Support programs, is designed to help students under age 21 whose academic preparation may need bolstering. These students may have ACT scores below 16, may have dropped out of high school, may have chosen high school courses that were not designed for college preparation, or may not have taken all the requirements for unconditional freshman admission to the university. In other words, it offers students who are deficient in various admission criteria an opportunity to enroll in a 4-year public institution of higher learning in the state of Mississippi.