Academics and Research

We're Headed

Straight To The Top

The University of Southern Mississippi is a Carnegie R1, public higher education institution with a robust research enterprise, vibrant arts community, and diverse student body.

Southern Miss is one of only 36 public institutions in the nation accredited in all four major areas of the arts: theatre, art and design, dance and music. The University’s prestigious School of Polymer Science and Engineering is nationally and internationally recognized for its excellence in the study of polymers. USM is one of only ten universities in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering, with our School of Ocean Science and Engineering having state-of-the-art research facilities across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

College of Business and Economic Development

Ranked #1 in state as the "Best Online Bachelor's in Business" according to U.S. News & World Report, 2022, the College of Business and Economic Development is widely known as Mississippi's Business School and is empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in the global marketplace. The College of Business and Economic Development is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). As an AACSB-accredited school, we maintain the highest standard for business schools in the world.

College of Education and Human Sciences

Students in the College of Education and Human Sciences experience transformative educational experiences through online learning and pathways for working professionals at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As Mississippi’s flagship institution for teacher education, Southern Miss has produced more traditional route Mississippi teachers than any other state university, as well as leading the state in the number of national board-certified teachers.

College of Nursing and Health Professions

The College of Nursing and Health Professions offers educational opportunities for students interested in careers in nursing and health care. Students will find programs in nursing, audiology, speech pathology, public health, athletic training, recreational therapy and kinesiotherapy that will prepare them for rewarding careers in health care. Within the College, the School of Professional Nursing Practice boasts a 95% NCLEX pass rate and an almost 100% graduate employment rate.

Hydrographic Science at USM

Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity

Dancers Featured in Apple Ad Conduct Master Class

Immersive Research Opportunities

As one of the nation's leading research universities, Southern Miss transcends Mississippi universities in the number of Goldwater Scholarships earned, a national honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. USM's research efforts are conducted by faculty experts and students in numerous academic disciplines.

Academic Opportunities

The sixth-oldest acceptance-based honors program in the nation and the oldest in Mississippi, the prestigious Southern Miss Honors College fosters a deep, communal engagement with ideas and an atmosphere of personal connection and achievement by providing students with small classes, active learning, and research experiences – as well as scholarship funding. Students work closely with a thesis advisor over two semesters to find and develop a topic, conduct research, and complete a thesis.

Golden Eagles destined for law school, medical school, or other professional schools are ably guided through an ideal pre-professional curriculum by the University’s Preprofessional Office.

Research Opportunities

The University’s Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research promotes student-faculty collaborations in research, creative projects, and scholarships, and even funds some student research projects. Additionally, the Center hosts the annual Undergraduate Symposium on Research and Creative Activity, an opportunity for students to showcase their research efforts. The Office of Undergraduate Scholarships has a special adviser in the Project Director for Nationally Competitive Programs, who connects eligible students with nationally competitive scholarship opportunities and guides them through the complex application process for prestigious awards like the Truman, Goldwater, and Gilman.

Research Centers

USM researchers are continually working across the coast to advance sustainable marine aquaculture and fisheries, broaden the applications of hydrographic data, develop comprehensive geospatial datasets, study coastal ecology and expand aquatic conservation, as well as conducting research in other areas. With unique assets, including: the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL)– which serves as Mississippi’s only marine laboratory, the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, the Gulf Blue Innovation Center and a fleet of research vessels.

Academic Connections

PREPROFESSIONAL OFFICE Golden Eagles destined for law school, medical school, or other professional schools are ably guided through ideal pre-professional curriculum.

STUDY ABROAD Golden Eagles can study abroad in approximately 25 faculty-led, exchange, or internship programs in more than 20 countries.

HONORS COLLEGE Golden Eagles in Honors College receive a supportive and challenging intellectual community through attentive mentoring and exposure to cutting-edge scholars and artists.

Undergraduate Admissions will help you with questions about requirements, transfer credits, scholarships and more.