Mission Statement
Develop leadership in both the public and private sectors in logistics, trade and transportation so that graduates can operate as professionals in the global economy.
Program Concept
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has developed a new interdisciplinary graduate program to advance the skills needed by the Gulf Coast region to address the challenges and opportunities created by global trade. The program is envisioned to have a particular emphasis on north-south multi-modal trade through the Americas as highlighted in the Latin America Trade and Transportation Studies series . Imports and exports are doubling every ten years and containerized cargo is estimated to increase by more than 350 percent by 2020. With this unprecedented growth in trade, new and more efficient logistics is crucial to keep the nation’s transportation system from stalling in gridlock. Transportation and supply chain managers face new challenges including transportation modes nearing capacity, congestion at the major ports and distribution centers, rising fuel costs, constrained budgets, shifting trade flows, and advances in supply chain management and technology that require advanced skills to adequately address. This new program will prepare practitioners for this new global economy and serve a niche not addressed nationally by logistics/transportation education and research centers.
Application and Admission Standards
An application and other information may be found on the Graduate School webpage: www.usm.edu/graduateschool. Telephone inquiries may be made by calling (601) 266-4895. E-Mail inquiries may be made to Desmond.Fletcher@usm.edu. Apply online at www.usm.edu/graduateschool.
Graduate assistantships are available for the M.S. degree. Students with good undergraduate records are encouraged to apply at the time they request admission.
Admission to The University of Southern Mississippi’s M.S. programs is selective. Regular admission is contingent on having graduated from a college or university accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. In addition, the graduate admissions committee of the School of Construction recommends admittance only for those applicants whose academic background, work experience, demonstrated leadership, and communication skills meets the challenging demands of graduate programs.
In evaluating applications, the admission committee utilizes the following criteria:
Undergraduate record
The cumulative grade point average (GPA) from all institutions, the area(s) of concentration, the balance of verbal/communication and quantitative/analytical courses, and the trend of grades are considered. Applicants must have a minimum 2.75 GPA in their last 60 hours for regular admission.
Graduate Admission Tests
A candidate should strive to achieve good balanced official scores in all areas of on either the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE). For further information regarding taking this test contact Graduate School Admissions office.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Students whose native language is not English must achieve a TOEFL score of 550 or more or IELTS.
Work Experience
While work experience is not required for admission, two or more years of relevant responsibility strengthens the likelihood of admission to the program. Applicants are encouraged to submit resumes showing job responsibilities and accomplishments.
Letters of Recommendation
The admission committee reviews three (3) letters of recommendation to gain a more personal understanding of the applicant’s leadership ability in terms of communication and interpersonal skills. Each applicant should request three recommendation letters, at least one of which addresses the applicant’s academic preparation. Letters of recommendation should be from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study and should be sent to the department.
Students may enroll in courses reserved exclusively for graduate students if they have regular admission to specific Southern Miss graduate programs and have taken the necessary prerequisites or if they have been admitted to the certificate program. In rare cases, students may be admitted conditionally. To remove Conditional Admission status, masters students must earn a 3.0 on the first nine (9) semester hours of course work numbered 500 or above on all courses taken while completing this nine (9) hour requirement.
Students transferring from other graduate schools must meet the admission requirements stated above. At the time of admission, transfer students may request that up to six (6) semester hours of approval credit be applied toward degree requirements. Once enrolled, transfer of credit for courses taken at other institutions must be approved in advance. See Transfer Credit Policy in this Bulletin.
Academic Policies
Students who receive a grade of “C” in more than nine (9) hours of course work will be dismissed from the program. Students may not apply hours toward a degree for courses in which there is a grade of “D;” students who receive grades of “D” in more than six (6) hours of course work will be dismissed from the program. Students who receive grades of “F” in more than three (3) hours of course work will be dismissed from the program. Students must have a 3.0 GPA to be in good standing.
Upon approval by the graduate committee, students may repeat one and only one course to improve a cumulative grade point average. Students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below 3.0 will be placed on probation. Students must attain a cumulative 3.0 GPA by the end of the following (probationary) semester or the graduate committee may dismiss them from the program subject to review.
Degree Requirements
In addition to the degree requirements established by the Graduate School (minimum 30 hours with a minimum of 18 hours at the 600 level), students earning the Master of Science in Logistics, Trade & Transportation must satisfy the degree requirements listed below.
- Students must develop a degree plan to be approved by a faculty advisor and the School of Construction graduate coordinator prior to completion of nine (9) hours of graduate work.
- This program is a coursework only option and requires 30 hours total of which 18 hours must be 600 level or higher. There are six required core courses (18 hours) and 12 hours of electives to be selected from an approved listing. (6 hrs. must be at the 600 level or higher)
Required core courses:
- 3 hrs.
- 3 hrs.
- 3 hrs.
- 3 hrs.
- 3 hrs.
- 3 hrs.
- Students must perform satisfactorily on a comprehensive examination, which is required for graduation. This exam is normally administered during the final semester of graduate work.
- Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 based on all graduate courses completed.
- Continuous Enrollment Requirement. Students must meet the requirements specified in the front section of the Graduate Bulletin.
