Admissions
Depending on the program you intend to apply for, the process and requirements vary. Consult the information in the categories at left for step-by-step instructions for applying. If you have questions along the way, please contact us.
Beginning with the Fall 2003 semester, the School of Library and Information Science requests you submit completed applications and all related materials for admission according to the following deadlines:
Admission to Fall 2008, submit by March 15, 2008
Admission for Spring 2009, submit by September 15, 2008
Admission for Summer 2009, submit by March 1, 2009
Undergraduate | Undergraduate Non-degree | Graduate | Graduate Non-degree | Specialist | International | Conditional
Undergraduate Admission Process |
- Choose a program of study. At the undergraduate level, students are limited to a major in LIS. See the SLIS Programs Page for details.
- Refer to the Undergraduate Admissions Page for the most current information.
- Read the Undergraduate Bulletin for specific degree requirements and information concerning admissions policies and procedures, room and board, and tuition.
- Apply Online or request an application by writing: Dean of Admissions, The University of Southern Mississippi, Box 5166
Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-5166 OR by E-mail: admissions@usm.edu OR via their web site at http://www.usm.edu/admissions/ .- Check The University of Southern Mississippi Academic Calendar for important application and registration deadlines.
- To research or apply for Financial Aid at The University of Southern Mississippi, visit the university's Financial Aid Page.
- Check the Class Schedule for upcoming course offerings. LIS Online courses will be listed as Online in the location column.
- For students with disabilities, contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for a coordination plan.
Admission Requirements (From the Office of the Registrar)
Students planning to enter The University of Southern Mississippi as freshmen should submit ACT or SAT test results, along with high school transcripts. Unconditional admission decisions are based on completion of a required core of academic course work, G.P.A. (based on academic core), class rank, and test scores as follows:Core Requirements
- All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum of a 3.20 high school CPC and a submitted ACT or SAT score.
- All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum of a 2.50 high school GPA on the CPC or a class rank in the top 50%, as well as an ACT score of 16 or higher or a SAT of 770
- All students completing the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum of a 2.00 high school GPA on the CPC and an ACT score of 18 or higher or a SAT score of 850.
- 4 units of English
- 3 units of mathematics
- 3 units of sciences
- 3 units of social studies
- 2 units of advanced electives
- ½ unit of computer applications
Students not meeting unconditional standards may be considered for admission to the summer developmental program through an interview and screening.Transfer Requirements
Students who do not meet freshman requirements must either have an associates degree intended for transfer or have completed the 24 semester hours of designated college course work outlined below, with at least a 2.00 G.P.A. for admission to the university. (Admission to some programs on campus may require students to meet additional requirements.)
- 6 semester hours of English composition
- 3 semester hours of college algebra or higher mathematics
- 6 semester hours of science (must be laboratory-based)
- 9 semester hours of transferable electives
Undergraduate Non-Degree for Mississippi School Library Media Specialist Endorsement |
Undergraduate non-degree is normally the vehicle for teachers with a certification to add a Mississippi School Library Media Specialist Endorsement. If you are interested in seeking non-degree status as an undergraduate, you must first send the following information to The University of Southern Mississippi's Undergraduate Admissions Office:
- Transcripts
- Application form: see Apply Online or visit the Admissions office.
- Immunization records [MMR]
After this information is sent to the Admissions Office, download and print the Undergraduate Non-Degree Approval form (PDF). Please fill out this form and fax or mail a copy to the School of Library and Information Science department (number and address provided). Submission of this form does not ensure admission to a class. You will be contacted by the school if seats are available.
How to be a Successful Graduate Student
- Choose a program of study. At the graduate level, students have many options for their advance degree program. See the SLIS Programs Page for details.
- Refer to the Graduate Admissions Page for the most current information.
- Read the Graduate Bulletin for specific degree requirements and information concerning admissions policies and procedures, room and board, and tuition.
- Apply Online or download an application form from the Office of Graduate Studies.
- Download the letter of recommendation form and return to the department.
- Download the SLIS Prospective Student Questionnaire (html) and return to the department.
- Check The University of Southern Mississippi Academic Calendar for important application and registration deadlines.
- To research or apply for Financial Aid at The University of Southern Mississippi, go to the university's Financial Aid Page.
- For information on Graduate Assistantships, go to GA Information Page.
- For students with disabilities, contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for a coordination plan.
Admission Requirements (From the Graduate Bulletin)
A graduate student in the School of Library and Information Science must meet the general requirements for admission to the university graduate program as outlined elsewhere in this Bulletin. Application forms for admission to the graduate program must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office of the university.Applications for admission are evaluated by a combination of the following criteria:
Undergraduate Record - Recently, students qualifying for regular admission to the master’s program have had a 3.0 (4.0 scale) grade point average for the last two years of undergraduate study. For conditional admission, the School of Library and Information Science adheres to the policies of the Graduate School as stated in this Bulletin.Graduate Record Examination - The student must submit GRE scores.
Letters of Recommendation - Three letters of recommendation by professionals in the field assessing the readiness of the applicant for graduate work must be submitted to the School of Library and Information Science.
Personal Questionnaire - The school requires the submission of a personal questionnaire which includes questions that require essay responses.
Personal Interviews - Personal interviews with applicants will be conducted whenever possible.
Letter of Application - (minimum 1,000 words) Letter of application discussing the development of the student’s interest in library and information science, the types of libraries they are interested in and statements about the student’s potential contributions to the field.
Resumé
Forms for the letters of recommendation and the personal questionnaire may be obtained by request from the School of Library and Information Science and are available on the school’s Web site.Information About Graduate Nondegree Applications |
Note: The director of the School of Library and Information Science must grant permission for any graduate nondegree admission. Eligibility and application for non-degree admission do not grant admission. The following regulations indicate reasons a graduate student may be eligible for non-degree admission, they do not guarantee such admission.
Regulations Governing Nondegree Graduate Students:
Permission to take courses as a nondegree graduate student may be granted for any of the following reasons:
- The student did not meet requirements for conditional or regular admission before the deadline. These admission requirements must be met and the nondegree status changed to conditional or regular by the end of the first full semester after the student enrolls in graduate courses in order to continue course work.
- The student may or may not be able to meet admission requirements but does not desire to work toward a graduate degree. The student may take courses for licensure.
- The student is enrolled in another university and desires to obtain credit from The University of Southern Mississippi to be transferred to the graduate school in which he or she is seeking a degree.
- Students who have been denied admission to a program, but who wish to take graduate courses, may request permission to take courses as a non-degree seeking graduate student. Therefore, they must have the permission of the chair of the department offering the course and the dean to register for any graduate course.
- The student seeks admission to a certificate program and is not admitted to another graduate degree program (Graduate Bulletin 2003-2004, p.17).
Even though a nondegree graduate student is allowed to take courses at the university, he or she has not been admitted to any department or to any degree program. Moreover, no credit earned beyond the master's degree while classified as a non-degree student may be applied toward the doctoral degree. Nondegree graduate students must have the permission of the chair of the department offering the course and the dean to register for any graduate course. It is the responsibility of these students to check admission standards of the individual colleges before enrolling in their courses.
A nondegree graduate student must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Nondegree graduate students are not eligible for financial aid.
To be allowed to continue as a nondegree graduate student, the student must consult with the department chair or academic adviser of the department in which he or she is taking courses during the first semester enrolled at the university regardless of whether or not the student plans to seek a degree.
No more than nine (9) semester hours earned while classified as a nondegree graduate student will be accepted toward a master's degree at The University of Southern Mississippi. A student must, therefore, gain conditional or regular admission before completing more than nine (9) semester hours of study for additional hours to be counted toward a master's degree.
An applicant for specialist and doctoral study may take courses as a nondegree graduate student if the department chair and dean give their permission. However, no credit earned as a nondegree graduate student may be applied to doctoral degrees. All nondegree graduate students at the advanced level must have the permission of the chair of the department offering the course and the dean to register for any graduate course.
Graduate Non-Degree
If you are interested in seeking Non-Degree status as a graduate, you must first send the following information to the University of Southern Mississippi's Office of Graduate Studies:
- Official Transcripts
- Application form: see Apply Online or visit the Graduate Admissions office.
After this information is sent to the Graduate Admissions Office, and you have been accepted as a graduate student, download and print the Graduate Non-Degree Approval form (PDF). Please fill out this form and fax (601-266-5774) please submit a form for each course or mail a copy to the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5146, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406-0001). Submission of this form does not ensure admission to a class. You will be contacted by the School if seats are available.
Specialist Program is no longer admitting students|
Admission Requirements
Advanced graduate programs leading to the specialist’s degree are available to qualified students. An applicant may be granted regular or conditional admission to these programs.I. Regular Admission
Minimum standards for regular admission are as follows:
- A. The applicant must hold a master’s degree from an institution approved by a recognized accrediting agency.
- B. The applicant must be eligible to re-enter in good standing the last college or university attended.
- C. The applicant must present evidence, by official transcript, of a grade point average of no lower than 3.25 (calculated on a 4.0 scale) on previous graduate work. Applicants must also submit official transcripts from all other institutions they attended.
- D. The applicant must have at least three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for specialist work. If applying to more than one department, students must ask referees to send letters to each department.
- E. Applicants must have results from the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) unless the department requires the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Consult specific departments for additional information.
- F. Applicants must submit other materials specified by departments, e.g., writing samples, statement of purpose, and/or resumes. See specific departmental requirements for this information.
- G. The appropriate department chair and college dean must be satisfied that the applicant shows promise of satisfying specialist’s degree requirements.
- H. International students should submit TOEFLscores.
II. Conditional Admission
A student who fails to qualify for regular admission may be admitted on a conditional basis; provided, however, such a student possesses a grade point average of at least 3.00 on previous graduate course work. Conditional admission can be given only upon the recommendation of the department chair and the college dean.A specialist student admitted conditionally must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.25 on the first nine (9) hours of coursework at or above the 600 level. If, prior to satisfying the requirements to have the conditional status removed, the student attempts more than 9 hours of coursework at or above the 600 level, he or she must acheive a 3.25 overall grade point average. Lower-level coursework taken to remedy perceived deficiencies may not be counted toward the nine-hour requirement. All courses taken to remove conditional status must be taken on a campus of the The University of Southern Mississippi.
Additional requirements may be imposed by the department chair. The student should meet with the chair to be clear about such requirements.
All requirements must be met or the student will not be allowed to continue to seek a specialist’s degree. Upon the recommendation of the department chair and with the approval of the dean, the student will be reclassified as a regularly admitted student. A student not maintaining the required grade point average or otherwise failing to satisfy any additional requirements, will be discontinued.
International Admission Process |
- Applicant must coordinate all facets of international admissions through the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. Read the Graduate Bulletin, page 17 for specific degree requirements and information concerning admissions policies and procedures, room and board, and tuition.
- Once the Office of International Student and Scholar Services has received and processed all your application materials, the applicant's file will be forwarded to our department and college dean. The applicant will be notified by Graduate Admissions with an admissions decision.
Requirements for Conditional Admission |
A student who completes the regular admissions process but does not meet the regular admission standards may be admitted on a conditional basis, upon the recommendation of the director of the School of Library and Information Science, the dean of the College of Education and Psychology, and the dean of the Office of Graduate Studies. A conditional student at the master's level must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.00 on the first nine (9) semester hours of course work numbered 500 (600 for the specialist's program) or above or on all courses taken while completing this nine-hour requirement. If this requirement is not satisfied, the student will not be allowed to continue in the program.
Upon recommendation of the library school director and graduate dean, the conditional admission will be removed and the student reclassified as a regular student.
