University of Southern Mississippi

Non-profit public

Public

Private

Regional

The University of Southern Mississippi features a main campus in Hattiesburg; a second campus in Long Beach; and five additional sites across the state, including the John C. Stennis Space Center and the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. On campus and online, Southern Miss serves approximately 14,000 students each year. Online students can choose from 49 online programs, including undergraduate and graduate certificates and bachelor's, master's, and education specialist degrees. Additional postgraduate options include two doctorates of education and a Ph.D. in nursing leadership. A majority of online courses at Southern Miss are asynchronous, though individual professors may require synchronous meetings hosted via webcam or chat. Online undergraduate core courses are offered in partnership with the Mississippi Virtual Community College. Undergraduate admission requires a minimum 2.0 high school GPA and qualifying test scores. Graduate admission is competitive and requirements vary by program. Out-of-state online students pay in-state tuition rates.

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Admissions Breakdown

Acceptance Rate Insight

29% of students were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

Retention Rate Insight

80% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall 2020.

Graduation Rate Insight

65% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scores:	Required	High school transcript:	Required
High school rank:	Recommended	Letter of recommendation:	Recommended
High school GPA:	Recommended	Open admission:	No
Completion of college prep program:	Recommended	Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL):

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollment: Yes

Advance placement (AP) credits: Yes

Credit for qualified life experience*:

ⓘ *This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

Learning Environment

Students enrolledOnline student enrollmentStudent to faculty ratio

42%

Online student enrollmentStudent to faculty ratio

15:1

Student to faculty ratio

Degrees Awarded by Program

Degrees given for the 2020-2021 academic year.

#	Programs	BA	MA	Doc
1	Biological And Biomedical Sciences	✔	✔	✕
2	Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services	✔	✔	✕
3	Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs	✔	✔	✕
4	Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services	✔	✔	✕
5	Education	✔	✔	✔
6	Engineering	✔	✔	✕
7	English Language And Literature/Letters	✔	✔	✕
8	Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics	✔	✕	✕
9	Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences	✔	✔	✕
10	Health Professions And Related Programs	✔	✔	✕
11	History	✔	✕	✕
12	History	✔	✕	✕
13	Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services	✔	✔	✕
14	Legal Professions And Studies	✔	✔	✔
15	Mathematics And Statistics	✔	✔	✕
16	Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies	✔	✕	✕
17	Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies	✔	✔	✕
18	Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, And Kinesiology	✔	✔	✕
19	Philosophy And Religious Studies	✔	✕	✕
20	Physical Sciences	✔	✔	✕
21	Psychology	✔	✕	✔
22	Public Administration And Social Service Professions	✔	✕	✕
23	Security And Protective Services	✔	✔	✕
24	Social Sciences	✔	✔	✕
25	Theology And Religious Vocations	✔	✕	✕
26	Visual And Performing Arts	✔	✔	✕