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Undergraduate (B.A.)

The major in Southern Studies has reached capacity for the 2024-25 academic year.

The Southern Studies (SST) B.A. program/major consists of 30 hours of courses in total, including SST 101, 401, 402, two courses from SST 103-110, and one SST course at the 500 level.  As a part of their coursework, students must take 12 hours of SST electives from at least two different departments.

Beginning in the 2023-2024 academic year, the SST major is considered a “Special Program” by the University of Mississippi.  Hence, admission to the SST major is by competitive entry only. Competitive applicants will ideally have a high school or college GPA of 3.0 and thoughtful reasons for why they want to major in SST and add to the Center for the Study of Southern Culture’s mission.

The application process for the SST major depends on your student status:

— Incoming freshmen: Once accepted to UM, the applicant will have access to the online “Special Programs Application.” In addition to the general information required from all students, applicants will select the Southern Studies option to address short prompts regarding their interest in the SST major. The deadline for first-year incoming students to apply to the Southern Studies program is January 10 and decisions are announced on or before March 30. Until students receive notification of their acceptance into Southern Studies, they will be designated as Freshman Studies majors.

— Incoming transfer students: Once accepted to UM, transfer students will complete the application found on the Center for the Study of Southern Culture website. January 10 is the application deadline with enrollment in the major beginning the following fall semester.

— Current UM students: Current UM students should complete the application found here, addressing all prompts regarding their interest in the SST major. January 10 is the application deadline with enrollment in the major beginning in the following fall semester.

IMPORTANT:  The “Special Programs” application to be a SST major is separate from your acceptance to UM and the application for the Academic Common Market of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). To receive ACM tuition benefits via SST, you must be accepted into the University of Mississippi AND the SST major AND receive approval for ACM from your home state of residence.  To maintain ACM eligibility, all new students must maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA, be enrolled “full time,” and enrolled in a course that counts for the Southern Studies major each and every semester.

Note: The ACM cannot be used just for a SST minor or double majoring.  It can only be used for a SST major toward a B.A. in SST (plus required minor in another discipline).

Here is more information on the ACM application process as related to SST.

Graduate (M.A.)

The deadline for applying to the Graduate Program in Southern Studies is February 1. We will waive the application fee for all prospective students who apply by the preferred deadline.

To apply, you must first initiate an application through the Graduate School website. Complete this form to receive the latest updates on UM Grad School news, application requirements, campus tours, event registration, and more.

Additionally, we require a writing sample and a 500 word statement of purpose. The personal statement should address the following questions: “Why is a degree in [Southern Studies/Documentary Expression] from the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi the best next move for you?  How will this degree program help you to achieve your personal and professional goals?  What specifically appeals to you about the program?”

You may either upload these materials through the Graduate School website or send the hard copy directly to the Southern Studies Graduate Program, Center for the Study of Southern Culture, University of Mississippi, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677. Also, two confidential letters of recommendation should come directly from the recommenders, either uploaded to the website or sent in hard copy. All materials must be postmarked by February 1. The M.A. program no longer requires GRE scores.

Graduate (M.F.A.)

The deadline for applying to the Graduate Program in Southern Studies is February 1. We will waive the application fee for all prospective students who apply by the preferred deadline. To apply, you must first initiate an application through the Graduate School website. Complete this form to receive the latest updates on UM Grad School news, application requirements, campus tours, event registration, and more. The M.F.A does not require GRE scores, but does require students to already have an M.A. degree in the humanities, social science, or journalism.

Dr. Catarina Passidomo is the Graduate Studies Advisor.