Have you finished high school and you now have your high school diploma? Do you live in Mississippi and you are trying to decide the best place to attend that will allow you to further your education? Were you completely overwhelmed because of the variety of choices just in this one state? That is actually understandable; Mississippi has 61 colleges and universities to choose from. However, some of these choices may not be practical for you due to their location and others may not offer degree programs in the specific area that you plan to pursue. It is important to note that in the state of Mississippi, many of the post-secondary schools are located in very rural areas. In addition, there are 19 campuses that offer undergraduate degree programs and 14 campuses that offer advanced level, graduate degrees. If you have already identified the field of study that you plan to pursue a degree in, then you are well on your way to beginning the next level of your education. Keep in mind, while Mississippi is one of the poorest states in our country, it is also one of the most affordable states to live in.
There are five prominent universities in Mississippi for you to consider that are sure to help you accomplish each of your academic goals. The first school you will want to consider is Mississippi State University, which is located in the rural town of Starkville. Although this university is primarily centered on its foundations in agriculture and mechanics, there are also many other academic areas that students can choose to pursue. For instance, you can work towards a degree program in areas such as art and design, education, architecture, arts and sciences, forest resources, and engineering. The second most popular academic choice in Mississippi is University of Southern Mississippi, which is located in Hattiesburg. At this learning institution you will be able to pursue an undergraduate degree program or a graduate degree program in almost any field of study that you wish.
Another viable choice for students in Mississippi is the University of Mississippi, which is commonly referred to as Ole Miss. This school is located in northern Mississippi, in the small town of Oxford. This university was established in 1848 and now offers undergraduate and graduate level degree programs in areas such as pharmacology, nursing, law, engineering, accountancy, and more. The fourth most popular choice among Mississippi students is Jackson State University, which is a historically black college. This university, which began as the Natchez Seminary, is located in the city of Jackson and is definitely considered to be one of the top learning institutions in Mississippi. As a student at Jackson State University you will be able to choose to attend one of several specific colleges, such as education and human development, liberal arts, business, and public service. Lastly, you won’t want to forget Delta State University, which is located in Cleveland. At this university you will have four different colleges to choose from as you work on your degree program.
Located in the southern region of the United States, Mississippi is the 32nd most populous states among the 50 states in the United States. The state is known to have over 40 different colleges and universities which comprise of four- year institutions, two- year institutions, private liberal art colleges and private colleges and universities. The state is known to provide a systematic approach to education. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the highest paid jobs include lawyers, financial managers, dentists, internists, sales managers, computer hardware engineers, Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents, civil engineers, information technology analysts, and much more.
The University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi is one of the largest university in the state of Mississippi with a total of more than 24,000 students, around 2000 faculty members, and over 10,000 staff members. Established in the year of 1848 as a public research university in the city of Oxford. The university is known to have various degree granting divisions which include School of Accountancy, School of Applied Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education, School of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts, Graduate School, School of Law, School of Pharmacy, School of Journalism and New Media, General Studies Program and other schools are on the Jackson campus.
The university provides special programs for students which enable to prepare themselves for different fields such as Center for Intelligence and Security Studies, Chinese Language Flagship Program, Croft Institute for International Studies, International Student Organization, and SECU: SEC Academic Initiative. According to the Forbes’ magazine, the University of Mississippi has ranked the 18th position is the list of America’s Top Colleges.
The university is recognized both internationally and locally and has been accredited by many educational institutions and organizations which include the degree program in the Department of Art is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the undergraduate program of Patterson School of Accountancy is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, Doctor of Pharmacy program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education, School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association and much more.
Some of the programs offered by the University of Mississippi:
Dental Hygiene
The university understand how important dental hygiene is for the community and they offers an undergraduate program in dental hygiene where the students can earn a dental hygiene license and after completing the program they can work in various dental hospitals, clinics, and health centers. The program comprises of five semesters with a total of 22 months. Upon completion, you will be able to work as a part of health care team, ability to have flexible working hours and gain in-depth knowledge of dental hygiene. All the students will have theoretical classes and the practical classes will take place in a well-equipped laboratory.
Management
The university offers bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in Management which enables the students to create, delivery and communicate with the customers, clients and business partners. The students earn strategic knowledge and have simulation about how to deal with managerial problems in the real world. The programs develop the critical thinking techniques of the students which they can apply in endeavors. The students will learn and gain deep knowledge from various group analysis and projects which will help them to understand how to communicate and make better decisions when they will work. The program will provide ample career opportunities for the students to flourish their career and sprout wings.
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University is one of the best university in the state of Mississippi and it is a land- grant university situated in the Oktibbeha County, relatively in the town of Starkville. This is a public university and the university established in the year of 1862 as The Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi. The University consists of more than 20,000 students, about 1000 faculty members and more than 3000 administration staff. The university integrates an off-campus center in Meridian that offers both undergrad and graduate programs.
The university comprises of various colleges and schools which includes College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Architecture Art and Design, College of Arts and Sciences,, College of Education, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, Shackouls Honors College, College of Business, Richard C. Adkerson School of Accountancy, College of Forest Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Human Sciences.
The Mississippi State University has accredited by many institutions and organizations which help the students to understand the institutions for enrollment. Some of the accreditations gained by the university are Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics, Council for Interior Design Accreditation, Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board and much more.
Some of the programs offered by the Mississippi State University are:
English
The College of Arts and Sciences offers an undergraduate degree in English which comprises of 124 credit hours. The students who want to complete English major are required to take thirty-nine hours of English which contains six hours of English literature surveys, six hours of American literature survey, and four hours of advanced composition, in addition to six hours of advanced courses in British literature, six hours of advanced courses in American literature, and nine hours of electives in English.
Nutrition
The Mississippi State University offers a didactic program in nutrition and dietetics. The program is accredited and the students study about various topics which include Food and Nutrition Sciences, Behavioral and Social Sciences, and microbiology. Upon completion of the program, the students can work in different workplaces such as hospitals, health centers, food service management, health department, government and much more.
University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi is situated in the city of Hattiesburg. It is a public research university which was established in the year of 1910 as the Mississippi Normal College, a teacher-training school. The University is one of the top universities in the United States and every year a huge number of students from different countries enroll themselves in the university. Currently, there are more than 14,000 students, about 1500 faculty members and 3000 staffs employed in the university.
The primary mission of the university is to cultivate the development of intellectuals, and of creativity. The university comprises of various colleges, which offer more than 170 programs of a bachelor degree, master’s degree, special programs and doctoral degrees. The colleges are College of Arts and Letters, College of Business, College of Education and Psychology, College of Health, College of Nursing and College of Science and Technology.
The university serves to create an impact on the global society. Each year the university provides more than 100,000 hours of volunteer service and along with that, it has also been granted with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification for the many ways in which students, faculty, staff and programs engage and enhance the people and places of South Mississippi and also beyond that.
The University of Mississippi has gained numerous accreditations over the years by national and regional institutions that validate the quality of education and the dedication to teaching only the best to the students. The accreditations have enabled to increase the education level throughout the country and the standards which are established for the higher education community.
Some of the accreditations earned by the university are Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Council for Accreditation of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and much more.
Some of the programs offered by the University of Southern Mississippi are:
Industrial Engineering Technology
The University offers Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering Technology where upon completion of the program the students can work in different workplaces which include industrial sector, manufacturing and construction, service industries and much more. The objectives of the program are to apply the skills to solve real life problems, develop critical thinking techniques and work ethics, analyze and assess various projects and work together with multidisciplinary teams.
Psychology
The University of Southern Mississippi offers Bachelor of Science in Psychology where the students are taught on how to develop communication skills in order to effectively communicate in different formats, determine the major concepts of psychology along with theoretical perspectives and empirical findings, interpreting and carrying out data analysis of research and much more. The students learn on how to increase the boundaries of human knowledge and to improve the quality of life.
Jackson State University
Located in the city of Jackson, Jackson State University is a black college and university which was established in the year of 1877 as a Natchez Seminary by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York City in the city of Natchez. In the year of 1882, the campus was moved to Jackson. By the year of 1940, the University has been supported by the state making it a public institution. Currently, the university has more than 9000 students with around 500 faculty members and about 1000 administrative staff.
The University has been ranked as one of the top universities in the state of Mississippi. The year of 2016, the university has provided the then- First Lady Michelle Obama with an honorary doctorate. The University has 9 schools and colleges including College of Business, College of Education and Human Development, College of Liberal Arts, College of Public Service, School of Public Health, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, School of Journalism and Media Studies, W.E.B. Du Bois Honors College, and School of Life Long Learning.
Some of the programs offered by the Jackson State University are:
Economics
The university provides an undergraduate degree in Economics that develops the students in Economic affairs in order to take a certain economic decision which affects almost all sectors of life. Upon completion of the program, the students will be able to work in various areas such as financial firms, banks, corporations, development center and much more. The primary goal of the program is to provide solutions to real life economic programs and to promote social development in terms of economics.
Civil Engineering
The University offers Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering which is known as one of the oldest and the most comprehensive of the divisions of engineering, implements a range of public and private projects for improving the world’s environment. The programs enable the students to experience designing, constructing, maintaining various facilities and planning airports, high-raised building, tunnels, railroads, bridges, dams, urban planning and transportation and much more.
Delta State University
The Delta State University is located in the city of Cleveland in the heart of Mississippi Delta. It is a regional public university which was founded 1924 as a white-only public institution by using the facilities of the Bolivar County Agricultural High School. At the moment, there are about 3,000 students with more than 100 faculty members and about 200 administrative staff. The university welcomes students from all over the states in the United States and from more than 50 different countries.
The Delta State University offers 12 bachelor degree programs in 42 majors and eight master degree programs. There are 4 colleges and schools which include College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Education and School of Nursing. The university also offers the Education Specialist degree and the Doctor of Education degree.
The university has gained many accreditations over the years which has enhanced the quality of education and enabled to provide the best for the students. The accreditations include American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, Aviation Accreditation Board International, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, The American Chemical Society, and Southern Association of Colleges & Schools.
Some of the programs offered by the Delta State University are:
Computer Information Systems
The university offers Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems which focuses on developing the students to understand the various types of applications, technology, the infrastructure of an application and creating projects from scratch. The students will be able to find jobs as information systems managers, Information technology technician, business analyst and much more.
Biology
The university provides Bachelor of Science in Biology that teaches the students to gain technical competence and the overall foundation required to understand the effect of science and tech on humans and to make informed decisions on various environmental and social issues. The program is updated every semester as the Delta State University believes in providing new knowledge.
Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant
This grant is constituted by the Mississippi Legislature in order to offer to bear the expenses of the students who are enrolled in either public or non-profit colleges or universities for both two- year and four- year degree program. In order to be eligible for the grant, the student must be a resident of Mississippi, have a high school CGPA of 2.50 on a scale of 4.0 or he or she can provide with their GED certificate along with GED test scores. The student must have at least 15 on the National ACT. The grant provides a total award of $500 per year for freshman students and up to $1000 per year for both juniors and sophomores.
MSCPA Education Foundation
This scholarship is provided to only one student from each college or university in Mississippi that offers a major program in Accounting. The scholarship is provided based on merit and the candidate is selected by the Education and Scholarship Committee of each college or university. The total amount of scholarship provided is $750.
John and Amy Rakestraw Scholarship
The scholarship is given to the candidate who is studying a two-year or a four-year degree program in Agriculture. Special preference are provided to some areas which includes ranch management, animal nutrition, farm management, animal science and much more. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, the candidate must have experience in beef cattle, community service and show leadership qualities. Two scholarships will be provided which are non-renewable and the total amount of the scholarship is $1000 for each.
The economy of Mississippi has been on the rise since 2010 where the total state product was $98 billion. Even though during the Civil War, the state was ranked as one of the poorest states is related to its dependence on cotton agriculture but after the war, the state has seen various forms of development. Last year, the national economy stated that more than 20,000 jobs were given along with the increase of wages. Since the “Great Recession”, the job market has continued to grow gradually even though the unemployment rate has increased at some point in time.
Nursing
Nurses often work in various medical centers and hospitals where they need to perform various duties to care for the patient. It is one of the most demanding jobs in the state of Mississippi. These are the duties of a nurse:
• Ability to understand the behavior of the patients
• Take good care of the patients and create customized health plans for them
• Provide emotional support to the patients
• Supervise the medicine and diet plans of the patients
• Maintain all the rules and regulations of the workplace
• Ability to take control in case of emergency
• Assist the doctors when treating a patient, during surgery etc.
In order to become a nurse, you will need to fulfil these requirements:
• Earn a degree from an accredited institution
• You must apply for NCLEX-RN exam which is a computerized test
• Acquire a license from the state to become a registered nurse
• If needed, pursue higher education in Nursing
Becoming a Teacher
Teaching is one of the most fulfilling job in the state of Mississippi. If you are interested in becoming a teacher in a school, whether private or public, you need to understand the responsibilities of a teacher which include:
• Ability to prepare lessons for the students
• Evaluate the progress of each student in the class
• Ability to maintain discipline both inside and outside the classroom
• Conduct extracurricular activities such as field trips, sporting events etc.
You must fulfil these requirements in order to become a full-time teacher:
• Earn a Bachelor degree in Education or its equivalent
• Become a certified teacher by applying for license
• Acquire higher education such as Master’s degree or Doctoral degree
Marketing Manager
The marketing manager has a great many responsibilities and along with that it is also a very fulfilling job. The duties of a marketing manager are:
• Ability to manage the activities of the organization or the company
• Create full-fledged marketing plans
• Develop various marketing strategies
• Control and maintain the promotional campaigns and events of the company
• Plan budgets for the company
• Analyze and maintain partnerships for marketing
• Ability to assist and lead a team
If you are interested to become a marketing manager, you will need to fulfil these requirements:
• Earn a bachelor degree in Marketing, or Business Administration or International Business.
• Become a state licensed marketer
• Develop project management skills
• Display strong leadership qualities
• Be confident and creative
Psychologist
Psychology includes study of the human mind. You will need to develop a clear and deep knowledge of the various human behavioral patterns. These are the responsibilities of a psychologist:
• Conduct regular sessions with the patients
• Support the patient psychologically and emotionally
• Understand the emotional changes in the patients
• Evaluate the developments in the patients
• Understand the rules and regulations of psychology
In order to become a psychologist, these are the requirements that must be fulfilled:
• Earn a Bachelor Degree in Psychology
• Research about various fields in psychology
• Gain experience by working under a senior psychologist
• Become a licensed psychologist
• Pursue further education in psychology