StateUniversity.com – U.S. University Directory [ Home :: University List :: Mississippi ]
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
p. 601-266-1000
w. WWW.USM.EDU
University of Southern Mississippi
General Information, Alumni, History, Campus, Students, Faculty, Address, and Tuition
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Information Summary
Ranks 632nd overall and 4th in Mississippi
| Overall Score
On StateUniversity.com (about) |
80.7 |
|---|---|
| Total Cost
On-Campus Attendance |
$13,954 |
| Admission
Success rate |
58% |
| ACT / SAT
75 %ile scores |
24 / 1180 |
| Student Ratio
Ratio of students to faculty |
17 : 1 |
| Retention
(Full-Time / Part-Time) |
73% / 57% |
| Enrollment
Total (all students) |
14,777 |
Carnegie Foundation Classification
Research Universities (high research activity)
| Undergraduate | Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence |
|---|---|
| Graduate | Comprehensive doctoral (no medical/veterinary) |
| Undergraduate Population | Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in |
| Enrollment | High undergraduate |
| Size & Setting | Large four-year, primarily residential |
General Characteristics
| Highest offering | Doctoral degree |
|---|---|
| Calendar System | Semester |
| Years of college work required | N/A |
| Variable Tuition |  |
Special Learning Opportunities
| Distance Learning | |
|---|---|
| ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force | —
/
 /
|
| Study Abroad | |
| Weekend College | |
| Teacher Certification | |
Student Tuition Costs and Fees
What are the typical tuition costs and fees for attending University of Southern Mississippi?
Ranks 1533rd for total cost of attendance
| In District | In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FT Undergraduate Tuition | $4,914 | $4,914 | $11,692 |
| FT Undergraduate Required Fees | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PT Undergraduate per Credit Hour | $205 | $205 | $488 |
| FT Graduate Tuition | $4,914 | $4,914 | $11,692 |
| FT Graduate Required Fees | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PT Graduate per Credit Hour | $273 | $273 | $650 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — On-Campus | $13,954 | $13,954 | $20,732 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — Off-Campus w/out Family | $16,214 | $16,214 | $22,992 |
| Total Cost of Attendance — Off-Campus with Family | $9,414 | $9,414 | $16,192 |
Student Tuition Cost History and Trends
Three year history and trends on the cost of attending
| In District | In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published Tuition & Fees | $4,312  $4,914 |
$4,312  $4,914 |
$9,742  $11,692 |
| Cost (regardless of residency) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Books & Supplies | $800  $1,000 |
||
| On-Campus – Room & Board | $4,420  $5,040 |
||
| On-Campus – Other Expenses | $2,994  $3,000 |
||
| Off-Campus w/out Family – Room & Board | $5,800  $6,800 |
||
| Off-Campus w/out Family – Other Expenses | $3,494  $3,500 |
||
| Off-Campus with Family – Room & Board | $3,494  $3,500 |
||
Admission Details
| Application Fee Required | N/A |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate Application Fee | $25 |
| Graduate Application Fee | $30 |
| First Professional Application Fee | N/A |
| Applicants | 4,652 (1,855 male / 2,793 female) |
| Admitted | 2,678 (1,025 male / 1,651 female) |
| Admission rate | 58% |
| First-time Enrollment | 1,396 (536 male / 860 female) |
| FT Enrollment | 1,382 (531 male / 851 female) |
| PT Enrollment | 14 (5 male / 9 female) |
| Total Enrollment | 14,777 |
Admission Criteria
What criteria does University of Southern Mississippi use for admissions?
| Open Admissions | |
|---|---|
| Secondary School GPA / Rank / Record |  / / |
| College Prep. Completion | |
| Recommendations |  |
| Formal competency demo | N/A |
| Admission test scores | |
| TOEFL | |
| Other tests | |
= Neither required nor recommended
Admission Credits Accepted
What types of credits does University of Southern Mississippi accept?
| Dual Credit | |
|---|---|
| Life Experience | |
| Advanced Placement (AP) | |
Athletics - Association Memberships
| Sports / Athletic Conference Memberships | NCAA |
|---|---|
| NCAA Football Conference | Conference USA |
| NCAA Basketball Conference | Conference USA |
| NCAA Baseball Conference | Conference USA |
| NCAA Track & Field Conference | Conference USA |
ACT Test Admission
Ranks 851st for 75pctl scores
| Applicants submitting ACT results | 97% |
|---|---|
| Verbal scores (25/75 %ile) | 19 / 25 |
| Math scores (25/75 %ile) | 17 / 23 |
| Cumulative scores (25/75 %ile) | 19 / 24 |
SAT Test Admission
Ranks 569th for 75pctl scores
| Applicants submitting SAT results | 3% |
|---|---|
| Verbal scores (25/75 %ile) | 435 / 590 |
| Math scores (25/75 %ile) | 460 / 590 |
| Cumulative scores (25/75 %ile) | 895 / 1180 |
Student Services
| Remedial Services | |
|---|---|
| Academic / Career Counseling | |
| PT Cost-defraying Employment | |
| Career Placement | |
| On-Campus Day Care | |
| Library Facility | |
Student Living
| First-time Room / Board Required | |
|---|---|
| Dorm Capacity | 3,400 |
| Meals per Week | N/A |
| Room Fee | $3,018 |
| Board Fee | $2,110 |
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
University of Southern Mississippi Ranks 2621st for the average student loan amount.
| Average | Users | % of Attendees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Grant Aid | $4,455 | 720 |  54% |
| State & Local Grant Aid | $852 | 489 |  37% |
| Institutional Grant Aid | $2,591 | 461 |  35% |
| Student Loan Aid | $4,045 | 715 |  54% |
| Any financial aid type | 1,194 |  90% |
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at University of Southern Mississippi?
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Non Resident Alien | 174 | 137 | 311 |
Black Non-Hispanic | 1,244 | 2,672 | 3,916 |
Hispanic | 75 | 123 | 198 |
Asian / Pacific Islander | 63 | 103 | 166 |
American Indian / Alaskan Native | 28 | 25 | 53 |
White Non-Hispanic | 3,998 | 5,823 | 9,821 |
Race Unknown | 134 | 178 | 312 |
| Total | 5,716 | 9,061 | 14,777 |
Student Graduation Demographics
How many students graduated at University of Southern Mississippi?
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
Non Resident Alien | N/A | 1 | 1 |
Black Non-Hispanic | 140 | 303 | 443 |
Hispanic | 6 | 2 | 8 |
Asian / Pacific Islander | 10 | 6 | 16 |
American Indian / Alaskan Native | N/A | 6 | 6 |
White Non-Hispanic | 309 | 478 | 787 |
Race Unknown | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Total | 467 | 799 | 1,266 |
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at University of Southern Mississippi.
| Men | Women | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 136 | 175 | |
| 9 | 149 | 158 | |
| 30 | 120 | 150 | |
| 44 | 77 | 121 | |
| 55 | 65 | 120 |
Student Completion / Graduation Demographics
How many students are successful graduates?
Faculty Compensation / Salaries
University of Southern Mississippi Ranks 1119th for the average full-time faculty salary.
| Tenure system | |
|---|---|
| Average FT Salary | $59,322 ($63,792 male / $52,992 female) |
| Number of FT Faculty | 703 (412 male / 291 female) |
| Number of PT Faculty | 174 |
| FT Faculty Ratio | 4 : 1 |
| Total Benefits | $11,193,222 |
Local News for University of Southern Mississippi
Old frat house now living-learning site August 20th
What used to be the Kappa Sigma fraternity house has become home to 24 Honors College of Business students this semester.
First case of swine flu reported on U. Southern Mississippi-Hattiesburg campus August 17th
University of Southern Mississippi health officials confirmed Monday the first case of swine flu on its Hattiesburg campus. Onecase of the virus -- known officially as the novel H1N1 flu -- has beenreported so far, but a press release Aug. 12 indicated that students,faculty and staff should take precautions to prevent the spread ofillness on campus.
University of Southern Mississippi Summary
The following paragraph provided courtesy of wikipedia.
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM, but frequently referred to as Southern Miss) is a four-year public university located primarily in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. With an enrollment of about 16,050 students, The University of Southern Mississippi is currently the second largest university in the state. Established on March 30, 1910, The University of Southern Mississippi was originally known as Mississippi Normal College, a college for training teachers. Southern Miss has multiple teaching sites that include the Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach, MS, Stennis Space Center, Jackson County, Keesler Air Force Base, J.L.Scott Aquarium, Gulf Coast Research Lab, and Pontlevoy, France. The university, through its Center for International Education, operates a number of international programs, and is consistently ranked as one of the top universities in the nation for the number of students studying abroad each year. According to the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, The University of Southern Mississippi is the second largest by enrollment of the three major Mississippi universities. The Southern Miss Wind Ensemble is considered to be among the nation’s best, as is The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, which has performed with such world-renowned figures as singer Ray Charles, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, violinist Joshua Bell, flutist James Galway, trumpet player Doc Severinsen, and tenor Plácido Domingo. In the past few years, the Southern Chorale, the university’s top choir, has come into national and international prominence with invitational performances at the National American Choral Director’s Association Conference in Los Angeles, Carnegie Hall, and abroad. Originally called the Mississippi Southerners, in 1971 they became the Golden Eagles. The University of Southern Mississippi is a comprehensive Carnegie Doctoral Research Extensive University. Southern Miss is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and its programs are fully accredited by 30 state and national agencies. Southern Miss has traditionally drawn many of its students from Mississippi schools and community colleges, hailing from every county in Mississippi, though today the majority of undergraduates come from public schools across the southern United States and around the globe. The University of Southern Mississippi offers more than 250 clubs and organizations, as well as intramural athletics and special events. Prominent student organizations at Southern Miss include the Student Government Association, The Legacy, The Student Printz (the biweekly student-produced newspaper), The Southerner (the yearbook), Southern Style (the University’s student ambassadors), national fraternities and sororities, prestigious honor societies, and various religious organizations. The school of Communications is ranked among the Top 10 programs in the nation, according to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and Southern Miss is one of only 30 percent of business schools in the nation accredited by the AACSB International Association for Management Education. The University of Southern Mississippi is governed by the University President along with the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. The President of The University of Southern Mississippi is the day-to-day administrator of Southern Miss and is appointed by and responsible to the State Institutions of Higher Learning Board. The University is organized into five colleges, offering academic programs of study in: In addition to its five academic colleges, The University of Southern Mississippi also offers the following programs: Founded by Legislative Act on March 30, 1910, The University of Southern Mississippi was the state’s first state-supported teacher training school. On March 7, 1924, Mississippi Normal College became State Teachers College. Many improvements were instituted following the name change as STC pursued accreditation by the Southern Association of College and Secondary Schools (SACS). Nevertheless, it was during the Bennett administration that the school was approved for membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1929. Its new name, Mississippi Southern College, reflected the fact that it was no longer exclusively a teachers’ college. To that end, he reorganized the academic programs into colleges and schools, and on February 27, 1962, Gov. Ross Barnett signed the bill that made Mississippi Southern College a university: The University of Southern Mississippi. Other noteworthy events of the McCain era include formation of the Oral History Program in 1971 and establishment of the Southern Miss Gulf Park Campus in 1972. On July 1, 1975, Dr. Aubrey Keith Lucas became the sixth president of Southern Miss, having served as instructor, director of admissions, registrar, and dean of the Graduate School, in addition to holding both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school. Designed to plot the university’s course over the next three to five years, the plan envisions Southern Miss as “a national university for the Gulf South.” In 2001, Dr. Fleming introduced the public phase of a $100 million comprehensive campaign. On May 1, 2002, Dr. Shelby Freland Thames became The University of Southern Mississippi’s eighth president. Thames has an extensive history at Southern Miss, starting as a student in 1955 and earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi. His previous administrative positions at Southern Miss were chair of the Department of Polymer Science, dean of the College of Science and Technology, vice president for Administration and Regional Campuses, and executive vice president. He was an inductee, in 1998, to Southern Miss’s Alumni Hall of Fame, and in that same year, the Polymer Science Research Center was named in honor of Dr. Thames and is now known as the Shelby Freland Thames Polymer Science Research Center. During Thames’ presidency, the state college board voted unanimously to establish a second campus for The University of Southern Mississippi, and on August 19, 2002, Southern Miss admitted its first class of freshmen on its Gulf Park Campus, making the university the only comprehensive university in the state with dual-campus status. In a separate incident, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed USM on a one-year accreditation probation in December 2004 because of concerns about distance education programs. A January 2006 college ranking list created by a graduate student at Stanford University based on Google hits also ranks Southern Miss rather high- 62nd out of over 1700 U.S. institutions. In Fall 2006, The University of Southern Mississippi dedicated a 4-story, multi-million dollar addition to its R.C. The Thad Cochran Center is now home to a 2-story Barnes and Noble Bookstore (proclaimed to be the largest college bookstore in the Southeastern U.S.), a ballroom, a stadium-style theater, student organization offices, and Southern Miss Dining and Fresh Foods Company. At nearly 300, Southern Miss’ student organizations appeal to a wide spectrum of interests and are categorized under the following areas: Business, Education and Psychology, the Arts, Games and Athletics, Graduate Studies, Greek Life, Health and Human Sciences, Honors Societies, Liberal Arts, the Military, Religious Life, Residence Halls, Community Service, and Science and Technology. The largest organizations based on student membership include the: Student Government Association, African-American Student Organization, University Activities Council, The Legacy Student Alumni Association, and Baptist Student Union. Some of the very best athletes in the country have competed as Southern Miss Golden Eagles, including NFL MVP Brett Favre. The University’s presence on the Mississippi Gulf Coast began in 1947 when then Mississippi Southern College first organized classes at Van Hook Hall, Methodist Camp Grounds, in Biloxi. In September 1966, Southern Miss further extended its offerings by adding the Jackson County Resident Center, located on the Jackson County campus of the MGCCC in Gautier. The Jackson County Center was built for the University by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, largely through the efforts of Dr. Shelby Thames when he was executive vice president of USM. In July 1972, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning established the USM Gulf Park and Keesler Air Force Base Center as an upper-level degree completion regional campus of the University, offering programs leading to degrees at the baccalaureate and graduate levels. On August 19, 2002, Southern Miss admitted its first class of freshmen on its Gulf Park Campus, making the university the only comprehensive university in the state with dual-campus status. The University of Southern Mississippi has 14 residence halls and about 5,000 students live on campus throughout the school year. The most prominent student organization is the Student Government Association, the official voice and governing body for the Southern Miss student body. Other prominent organizations include the University Activities Council, Residence Hall Association, the Afro American Student Organization, 28 Greek Letter organizations, and some of over 250 other student organizations. It is put on by the Southern Miss Student Government Association every year in association with local businesses and other campus organizations. The University of Southern Mississippi enjoys a rich athletic history. At the end of 2006, the Golden Eagles were one of a handful of Division I schools to boast at least 13 consecutive winning seasons, a distinction they shared with the University of Michigan, Florida State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Florida. The Southern Miss Lady Eagles softball team made it to the College World Series in 1999 behind the arm of Courtney Blades. Thereafter came such nicknames as Normalites (from Mississippi Normal College, the early name of the University), Yellow Jackets, Confederates, and Southerners. See all Notable Alumni of The University of Southern Mississippi.
University of Southern Mississippi Academics
The university has disability services as well, so be sure to inquire about them if needed. Furthermore, when any student is looking for some counseling or other types of support, Adult (re-entering) student services, Career Counseling, Employment Service, Freshman Orientation Program, Health Services, Minority Student Services, On-Campus Daycare, Personal Counseling, Placement Service, Veterans Counselor and Women’s Services can help. There’s never a reason to feel alone in your studies either, since there are academic support services like Extensive Undergraduate Evening or Early Morning Classes, Learning Center, Pre-Admission Summer Program, Reduced Course Load, Remedial Instruction, Study Skills Assistance, Tutoring and Writing Center. University of Southern Mississippi is unique in its study options. For one thing, the university has a Accelerated Program, Distance Learning, Double Major, Dual Enrollment of High School Students, ESL, Honors Program, Internships, ROTC, Air Force, ROTC, Army, Study Abroad and Teacher Certification.
The following are the types of degrees and majors offered at University of Southern Mississippi.
- Multiple or Interdisciplinary:
- Museum Studies
- Communications & Journalism:
- Advertising, Broadcast Journalism, Communications/Rhetoric, Journalism
- Popular majors:
- twenty percent business per marketing, eleven percent education, ten percent health professions, seven percent psychology, six percent parks and recreation, five percent biology, five percent communications per journalism
- Social Sciences:
- Anthropology, Geography, Political Science/Government, Sociology
- Personal and Culinary Services:
- Funeral Services/Mortuary Science
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences:
- Biology, Marine/Aquatic Biology
- Foreign Language and Literature:
- Foreign Language & Literature – General
- Psychology:
- Psychology – General
- History:
- History – General
- Physical Sciences:
- Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Polymer Chemistry
- English Language and Literature:
- English
- Mathematics:
- Mathematics – General
- Public Administration and Service:
- Social Work
- Education:
- Business Teacher Education, Counselor Education, Education of Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Elementary Education, Music Teacher Education, Physical Education, Special Education, Technology/Industrial Arts Education
- Health and Clinical Sciences:
- Audiology/Hearing Sciences, Clinical Laboratory Science, Nursing (RN), Public Health, Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology
- Philosphy and Religion:
- Philosophy
- Computer Science:
- Computer/Information Sciences – General, Data Processing Technology
- Security and Protective Services:
- Criminal Justice Studies
- School of Visual and Performing Arts:
- Arts – General, Dance, Drama/Theater Arts, Music – General
- Business, Management, & Marketing:
- Accounting, Business Administration/Management, Business/Managerial Economics, Finance/Banking, Human Resources Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing Management
- Parks, Recreation, and Fitness:
- Health/Physical Fitness, recreation & fitness – general
The cost per credit hour (overall) was $406 Cost & Savings Calculator Financial Aid International students eligible for non-need-based aid last fall. Additionally, for international students, the application fee is 25. Are you an international student? The Fall application deadline for international students is the 1st of July.
University of Southern Mississippi Admissions
Admission policy is currently Percent applicants admitted: 61%. Remember that this can change at any time. This school did not report their application fee. Transfer student are not ignored. For one thing, there were four thousand, one hundred and seventy-nine total number of transfer students who applied and two thousand, seven hundred and sixty-eight total number of transfer students who were admitted.
The regular application due date was not reported. For priority students, financial aid applications are due no later than the 15th of March. the SAT subject section score due date was not reported. It is also very important to submit financial aid applications as quickly as possible, make sure to check with the university about the specific date for this year. Will you make it in time? Make sure to know when all the due dates and deadlines take place. For all student applicants, the Fall application deadline is the 1st of July. SAT and ACT score reports are due the 22nd of August and Transfer students must apply no later than the Rolling admission, with priority applications due on the 8th of August.
University of Southern Mississippi Financial Aid
Financial aid distribution is at thirty-eight percent scholarships per grants and sixty-two percent loans per jobs. Financial aid for students is readily accessible at this school. Similarly, need based financial aid distribution is determined through Academics, Leadership and State/District Residency. Financial aid forms are FAFSA and Institution’s own financial aid form.
University of Southern Mississippi Students
The university is a Public, University, Four-year, Coed, where 61 percent of the applicants were admitted, Regionally accredited and College Board member. Further, it is part of an Suburban setting, Small city (50,000 – 249,999) and Residential campus. Further, the student body consists of seventy-five percent in-state students, twenty-five percent out-of-state students, one percent part-time students, sixty-two percent women, thirty-eight percent men, one percent american indian per alaskan native, two percent asian per pacific islander, thirty-one percent black per non-hispanic, one percent hispanic, sixty-three percent white per non-hispanic, one percent non-resident alien, two percent race per ethnicity unreported, nineteen percent in top 10th of graduating class, forty-seven percent in top quarter of graduating class, seventy-nine percent in top half of graduating class, fourteen percent had h.s. gpa of 3.75 and higher, fourteen percent had h.s. gpa between 3.5 and 3.74, thirteen percent had h.s. gpa between 3.25 and 3.49, sixteen percent had h.s. gpa between 3.0 and 3.24, twenty-five percent had h.s. gpa between 2.5 and 2.99, sixteen percent had h.s. gpa between 2.0 and 2.49, one percent had h.s. gpa between 1.0 and 1.99 and one percent had h.s. gpa below 1.0. The school’s size is approximately twelve thousand, four hundred and sixty-eight degree-seeking undergrads, one thousand, three hundred and forty-six first-time degree-seeking freshmen and two thousand, five hundred and sixty-two graduate enrollment. University of Southern Mississippi offers Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees.
In addition, the university has many unique facilites such as marine education center, aquarium. For all that, the school is located 85 miles from Jackson, 120 miles from New Orleans.This school features the Suburban setting, Small city (50,000 – 249,999) and Residential campus.
University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
The Golden Eagles are a member of NCAA. The following sports can be found here:
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate and Men’s Scholarship Baseball
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Basketball
- Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Cross_country
- Men’s NCAA Division IA, Men’s Intercollegiate and Men’s Scholarship Football
- Men’s NCAA Division I, Women’s NCAA Division I, Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Golf
- Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Club and Women’s Club Racquetball
- Women’s NCAA Division I, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Club, Women’s Club and Women’s Scholarship Soccer
- Women’s NCAA Division I, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural and Women’s Scholarship Softball
- Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Club and Women’s Club Table_tennis
- Men’s Intercollegiate, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Scholarship and Women’s Scholarship Track_and_field
- Men’s NCAA Division I and Women’s NCAA Division I Track_indoor
- Men’s NCAA Division I and Women’s NCAA Division I Track_outdoor
- Women’s NCAA Division I, Women’s Intercollegiate, Men’s Intramural, Women’s Intramural, Men’s Club, Women’s Club and Women’s Scholarship Volleyball
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