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UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

The Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy operate on both the Oxford and Jackson campuses. The Schools of Dentistry, Health Related Professionals and Medicine, and the Health Sciences Graduate School, are based in Jackson only. (Additional healthcare programs are available through the School of Applied Sciences on the Oxford campus.) Other than these exceptions, the schools above are on the Oxford campus.

Academic Regulations

The regulations published in the Undergraduate Catalog are a digest of the rules of the institution. Changes may be made in the regulations at any time to promote the best interests of the university and its students. Students are responsible for knowing the published regulations, policies, and standards of the university and of their college or school.

General Education Values Statement

As our mission statement proclaims, a University of Mississippi education is built “upon a distinguished foundation in the liberal arts.” Consequently, students at our institution become inheritors and stewards of an intellectual tradition that, for millennia, has provided us with the tools to better understand ourselves, to create a more just world, and to craft meaningful lives.

Students begin this academic journey in general education, where they participate in a shared learning experience that fosters social responsibility, scientific exploration, civic engagement, an appreciation of the natural world, nuanced appraisals of the past, and lifelong habits of inquiry. Throughout the general education core curriculum, faculty members help students to develop mastery in the competency areas described below and to grow as thinkers and learners by means of challenging coursework. Ultimately, general education is the entryway to our university. As students step through and broaden their perspectives in a range of different fields, they take their rightful place in our community of scholars.

University of Mississippi baccalaureate-seeking students should demonstrate the following general education competencies:

In order to achieve these competencies, students will complete a general education curriculum, complete courses required by the major, and engage in co-curricular learning experiences. The general education curriculum is comprised of the University’s Core Curriculum and any additional general education courses required by the College or Schools.

University Core Curriculum

The University Core Curriculum is in alignment with the 30 credit hours of coursework set by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL).

The University Core Curriculum requirements may only be fulfilled by undergraduate courses from the following list. Some degree programs might have more specific choices within the list of courses below.

English Composition

Through courses in composition, students learn to write for a variety of contexts and audiences. They develop their own effective writing processes. They refine rhetorical strategies useful throughout college and professional life. Composition courses at UM are active and participatory. The classes are small, and students get to know each other and their teachers. Students develop research skills, knowledge of conventions, and the ability to craft reasonable arguments. Composition courses empower students to learn through writing and to develop as responsible thinkers and communicators.

Mathematics

Mathematics is a language that describes our universe to a remarkable degree, and is used in most fields of study. Math courses allow students to develop the necessary skills to execute mathematical procedures and demonstrate conceptual understanding, such as applying these skills in the correct circumstances, making connections, drawing reasoned conclusions, and presenting numerical and graphical results. Students become prepared to navigate an increasingly data-driven world, to become discerning citizens, and to think critically.

Any Mathematics course from a Department of Mathematics, except for Math 245 and 246.

Natural Sciences

Training students to be curious and ask questions about the natural and physical world, the study of the natural sciences equips them with the knowledge to comprehend and seek out scientific and technological breakthroughs. Courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, Earth science, and/or physics educate students about the fundamental principles, applications, and relevance of these disciplines throughout history and today’s society. They teach the importance of the scientific method to develop and test hypotheses and the value of experimentation in everyday life. Above all, the natural sciences curriculum instills in students advanced reasoning skills, the ability to support arguments with evidence, and the confidence to push the limits of discovery.

Humanities

The humanities help us understand and interpret the human experience and provide core skills of reading, thinking, speaking, and writing. Students learn how to grapple with difficult issues and big ideas, act ethically, become adept at evidence-based arguments, and experience the positive power of diverse perspectives. Broad humanities courses - African American studies, classics, gender studies, history, literature, philosophy, Southern studies, religious studies, and rhetoric - formalize and critically assess the concepts, methods, and narratives that best explain the human experience of culture, language, history, meaning, and value. As the humanities offer insight into nearly every aspect of life, they have been considered an important part of a well-rounded education and to informed citizenship since ancient times.

Fine And Performing Arts Appreciation

The fine and performing arts give us a tangible way to experience human emotion, experience, and condition. Exposure to the arts teaches students about culture, and about the way that different cultures express themselves through the various mediums. These courses provide a breadth of knowledge in the arts by teaching students to comprehend fundamental concepts, theories, and methods, and to apply these to the creative practices and techniques of art, film production, music, and theatre. This requirement promotes students’ critical and creative thinking skills, and prepares them to meaningfully engage in arts and culture in their community.

Social And Behavioral Science

People behave in fascinating ways – both as individuals and when they are part of social groups. Through social science courses that have a broad focus, students learn more about human behavior and how researchers study these behaviors scientifically. Students learn to appreciate the factors that influence the behavior of themselves and others. In addition to learning more about the scientific study of human behavior in complex anthropological, economic, political, psychological, or social systems and processes, these social science courses provide opportunities to further develop critical thinking skills as well as skills in ethical reasoning and ethical responsibility. These courses equip students with the ability to analyze the behavior of those around them, and to act accordingly in the professional world.

The policies and regulations contained in this online University of Mississippi Catalog are in effect for the current or selected semester. The catalog is not a contract, but rather a guide for the convenience of students. The University of Mississippi reserves the right to 1) change or withdraw courses; 2) change the fees, rules, and schedules for admission, registration, instruction, and graduation; and 3) change other regulations affecting the student body at any time. Implicit in each student’s enrollment with the university is an agreement to comply with university rules and regulations, which the university may modify to exercise properly its educational responsibility.