College of Business

Degree Plans and Semester-by-Semester Guides

Faye W. Gilbert, Dean
Stacey A. Hall, Associate Dean
Amy Yeend, Assistant Dean of Academic and Career Services
Patrick Browning, Technology and Database Coordinator
Karen Bates, Executive Assistant to the Dean
Christian Sweatt, Recruitment/Coordinator, ACA Backup and Academic Adviser
Lisa Lowery, ACA and Academic Adviser
Meghan Mee, Student Success Coordinator/Academic Adviser
Michelle Fleming, Academic Adviser
Linda Jordan, Assistant to the Dean, Academic Adviser
118 College Drive, Box 5021
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5021
601.266.4663 (Academic Services)
601.266.4659 (Dean’s Office)
business@usm.edu

Vision

We inspire positive change as we cultivate talent and connect with organizations.

Mission

We create excellence in the use of core business concepts, build knowledge through scholarship, and promote progress in our people and communities.

Accreditation

Recognizing that the College of Business has fulfilled accreditation requirements, the AACSB International – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – has accredited all BSBA business programs offered by the College. The School of Accountancy has also achieved separate accreditation by AACSB.

Organization and Administration

Dean’s Office

The dean is the chief administrative officer of the College of Business (COB) and is responsible for all operations of the College. In the COB Academic Services office, the assistant dean of academic and career services oversees admissions to the COB, recruitment, the advisement process and degree applications. Students needing assistance should direct inquiries to the COB Academic Services office.

Academic Administrative Units

The academic administrative units that report to the dean’s office are the School of Accountancy, the College of Business-Gulf Park, and the Departments of Finance, Real Estate and Business Law; Management and International Business; Marketing and Merchandising; and Economic Development, Tourism and Sport Management. A list of undergraduate academic offerings appears at the beginning of this section, while detailed information on curricula follows.

Student Procedures

Admission

High school graduates who have been admitted by the university and who wish to major in an area of business are concurrently admitted into the College of Business. Transfer students are likewise admitted directly into the College upon admission to the university. After admission to the College, students will be advised in the Undergraduate Academic Services office. All junior/senior COB majors are charged $19 per term for access to business related software packages and databases. This fee is assessed to the student’s Business Office account and is nonrefundable.

Computer Requirements

All graduate and undergraduate students entering the College of Business (COB) are required to own a laptop computer. For COB minors and certificate programs, please contact the specific department. All students taking COB online courses are required to have access to a computer and the Internet. Computer specifications are available on COB website at www.usm.edu/business/computer-requirement and in the Academic Service Office (Scianna Hall room 2035).

Restrictions

The College of Business imposes the following limitations on transfer credits:

Courses offered at the junior or senior level at The University of Southern Mississippi are not accepted in transfer from two-year institutions. See Bulletin section titled “Admission to the University ” regarding transfer credits.
Not more than one-half of the College of Business core curriculum plus requirements for the major is accepted in transfer; 50 percent must be completed at Southern Miss.
Transfer courses designated as technical training courses, as well as developmental courses such as intermediate algebra, are not accepted as meeting degree requirements. See university Bulletin section titled “Admission to the University ” regarding vocational and developmental courses.
Credit for life experiences or military credits are generally not accepted as meeting degree requirements.
See additional restrictions under “Graduation.”

In addition, there are the following restrictions for enrolling in courses offered by the College of Business:

At least junior standing (60 hours completed) is required of all students enrolling in College of Business courses numbered 300 or above, except for MIS 300 and certain Merchandising (MER) classes.
Students are not normally allowed to be dually enrolled at Southern Miss and another institution. Students must obtain approval from COB Undergraduate Academic Services prior to dual enrollment. The dual-enrollment policy includes independent study courses as well.
Students desiring to transfer additional courses for degree requirements after attending Southern Miss are encouraged to obtain prior approval of transfer work from COB Academic Services.

Changes of Major

College of Business students who wish to change to another business major can do so by completing a “Change of Major” form in the COB Academic Services office or online at www.usm.edu/business/documents-forms.

Students who desire to transfer to a degree program outside the College of Business must first be accepted by the College offering the program. Applications for admission to the new program are processed in the dean’s office of the College that grants the degree. The academic areas involved are notified so that advisement records can be transferred.

Advisement

Students are advised in Academic Services where their advisement records are maintained. An advisement and registration period is scheduled near the beginning of each semester. Students on probation or suspension must see an adviser, schedule a one-on-one advising session with an adviser in order to register. All COB majors must participate in group advising with an advisor in order to be cleared to register for classes. Graduating seniors must schedule a one-on-one advising session with an advisor in order to register for classes and file for graduation.

Probation and Suspension

University regulations regarding probation and suspension are listed in this Bulletin under “General Academic Regulations .” College of Business students who do not meet university grade point requirements are placed on probation or suspended. Students with a probationary status must see an adviser for academic counseling.

Students who are suspended may not enroll until after the next semester. All questions regarding suspension appeals in the College of Business should be directed to COB Academic Services. A student readmitted following academic suspension must earn a GPA of at least 2.25 each semester or attain the required cumulative GPA. A student readmitted after academic suspension who fails to attain the required GPA will be suspended for two semesters.

Regardless of hours attempted or probation status, a student who does not attain a minimum GPA of above a 0.00 in any semester will be suspended from the university.

Graduation

Procedures for filing an “Application for Degree” are available in the COB Academic Services office www.usm.edu/business/documents-forms. Students should be aware of the following degree requirements:

At least 50 percent of the credits applied to a degree must be taken in a senior college.
Special restrictions apply to correspondence and extension credits, to credit by examination, to challenge examinations and to special problem courses. Students interested in these possibilities must obtain prior approval from the COB Academic Services office to assure that credits are applicable toward a College of Business degree.
To receive a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration or a Bachelor of Science/Arts degree from the College of Business, students must complete their last 25 percent of credit at Southern Miss.
At least 50 percent of all business credits must be completed at Southern Miss.
In addition to meeting all credit requirements, students must have a 2.0 grade point average overall in the College of Business core and in the major. Transfer students also must meet the foregoing grade point average requirements for all courses taken at Southern Miss and must also have a 2.0 average for all attempted college credit.

Double majors within the College of Business must be planned carefully. Major/emphasis courses may not overlap. Therefore, a student who wishes to pursue a double major must have such a course of study approved by COB Academic Services.

COB majors may elect to pursue a minor in an area outside the College. Students who wish to pursue such minors must request the approval from the area offering the minor. Double minors within the COB also must be carefully planned since courses in each minor may not overlap. If a student is majoring in business and wants to also include one of the business minors, at least 50% of the requirements must be outside of the requirements for the major.

Students who wish to complete a second baccalaureate degree in the COB must request a “Change of Major” and have a program of study approved by COB Academic Services. Students must meet admission requirements as stated under COB admissions. Students must complete a minimum of 30 hours in order to receive a second baccalaureate degree.

Placement

In addition to the central Career Services office, the College of Business maintains a Career Services office that assists business students in locating employment following graduation. COB students are encouraged to establish a file with Career Services at least two semesters prior to graduation in order to qualify for interviews with prospective employers. See Amy Yeend in COB Career Services for more information.

Student Organizations

There are several professional and honorary societies for business students interested in sharing common interests or who have achieved high academic standing. These societies include the following organizations: Alpha Kappa Psi; Beta Alpha Psi, national scholastic and professional accounting fraternity; Beta Gamma Sigma, national scholastic honorary society for business students; Collegiate Chapter of the American Marketing Association; Delta Sigma Pi; Enactus; Fashion Merchandising Organization; Financial Management Association National Honor Society; Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); Student Economic Development Association (SEDA). A representative from each of these organizations and other appointed students constitute the Business Student Advisory Council, which works with and advises the dean on many student-related matters www.usm.edu/business/student-organizations.

Financial Assistance

There are several scholarships designated for College of Business students as well as other awards for which business students are eligible. Information concerning business scholarships can be obtained from the COB Website at www.usm.edu/business/scholarships. Inquiries regarding other forms of financial aid should be directed to the director of Financial Aid, 118 College Drive #5101, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001.

Graduate Studies

Undergraduate students who are considering applying for admission to graduate business degree programs should consult with Graduate Academic Services.

Study Abroad in Business

The College of Business offers its students the opportunity to earn six hours of approved credit toward their degrees while studying abroad. Business study-abroad courses may be substituted for the following requirements (maximum of six hours) subject to prior approval: (1) International course requirement (excluding international business majors), (2) ANT 221 or ANT 311 or GHY 331 or GHY 341 or HIS 424 or PS 331 or foreign language requirement, (3) up to three hours in the student’s major and (4) directed elective. These study abroad programs are available during the summer semester at relatively low cost to the student. Other exchange programs and study-abroad courses may be available during the fall and spring semesters. Students must have a course of study approved through COB Undergraduate Academic Services prior to enrolling in these credits to ensure graduation requirements are satisfied.

See the degree plans in the College of Business section of this Bulletin for available options.