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Licensure Programs

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Southern Miss offers initial teacher licensure programs at the traditional undergraduate and alternate-route graduate levels for those wishing to teach in Mississippi. We also offer advanced licensure programs and programs for other school professionals at the graduate level. We do not guarantee to meet the licensure requirements of other states. Please review the Professional Licensure Disclosure statement below regarding licensure in other states.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Teacher education programs at The University of Southern Mississippi are designed to meet the professional competency standards for licensure in Mississippi.

Students seeking licensure in another state are advised to contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to determine specific requirements and guidelines for reciprocity. For information about professional licensure determinations made to comply with federal regulations requiring disclosures as to whether a program that is marketed or designed to lead to licensure or state certification leads to professional licensure or state certification, see the following:

General professional licensure/state certification information

https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php

For questions regarding professional licensure, contact the program coordinator for your specific program. Program coordinators are grouped by college. To access the list, click the 'Professional Licensure and Certification Boards by USM College' button at the top of the main Professional Licensure and Certification web page (https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php).

Students who intend to apply for licensure in Mississippi should refer to the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Educator Licensure for the most current licensure requirements, application procedures, and deadlines.

Accreditation

The Professional Education Unit is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) through December 2026. This accreditation extends to both initial and advanced educator preparation programs at the Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses and online. Initial licensure programs are for candidates seeking their first teaching credentials. While advanced licensure programs serve educators pursuing additional certifications or leadership roles. The University is an approved Educator Preparation Provider by the Mississippi Department of Education, following completion of the Mississippi Educator Preparation Program Approval (MEPPA) Review process. Southern Miss was a charter member of NCATE and has been continuously accredited since 1954.

CAEP's mission is to promote excellence in educator preparation through an evidence-based accreditation process that assures quality and supports continuous improvement by establishing rigorous standards for educator preparation programs and holding accredited institutions accountable for providing evidence of meeting those standards. 

Below you can find websites and contact information for all our educator preparation programs.

CAEP Initial Teacher Licensure Preparation Programs--Traditional Route by College

College of Arts and Sciences

School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences 

School of Humanities

School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

School of Music

College of Education and Human Sciences

School of Education

School of Kinesiology and Nutrition

CAEP Initial Teacher Preparation Program--Alternate Route 

CAEP Advanced Educator Preparation Programs 

Educator Preparation Programs for School Professionals (Non-CAEP)

 

 

Contact Us

College of Education and Human Sciences

127 Joseph Greene Hall (JGH) 
118 College Dr. #5023
Hattiesburg, MS 39406

Campus Hattiesburg

Campus Map

Phone
601.266.4568

 

CAEP Accreditation