"The interdisciplinary nature of Southern Studies combines with the relative smallness of the department to make it both pretty far-flung and super close-knit in a way that is such a fun and special thing to be a part of as a student!"
Feagin Hardy ('24)
B.A. in Southern Studies and Linguistics
About this Program
The Center for the Study of Southern Culture in the College of Liberal Arts offers the B.A. in Southern Studies. As an interdisciplinary major, students seek to understand the American South in all of its complexity by investigating challenging topics such as the historical meaning of being a Southerner, what it means to be a Southerner in the 21st century, the relationship of the South to America’s national identity, and the role of the South in an increasingly global world.
- Center faculty, staff, and students emphasize the study of literature, history, anthropology, religion, documentary storytelling (including film, photography, and oral history), foodways, music, race and ethnicity, globalization, environment, gender and sexuality, movement and migration, and place-making.
- The major includes courses in disciplines that are critical to many professional schools, such as law school, and for many career paths.
Students must be accepted by competitive application to the B.A. in Southern Studies. In addition, Southern Studies is an approved Academic Common Market program at the University of Mississippi. This means we offer resident tuition rates for non-resident students from certain approved Southern states
The Center offers an accelerated master's degree, whereby students can earn the B.A. and M.A. in Southern Studies in 5 instead of 6 years, saving time and money. See details about the special program on the Graduate School website.
The Value of a Southern Studies Degree
Southern Studies majors receive training in research, interpretation, and communication skills that can be custom-fitted for a wide array of occupations. They develop flexibility of mind, work well with a diverse group of people, and exercise the critical thinking skills necessary to survive and thrive in a 21st century environment – all skills highly desired by employers.
The interdisciplinary nature of the Center draws students with a diverse range of interests who go on to pursue many different fields, both scholarly and in the arts, humanities, social justice, law, the nonprofit world, and business.
On this Page…
Program Information
Program Type
Major
Minor
Area of Study
Interdisciplinary Programs
School
Duration
4 Years
Degree
B.A. in Southern Studies
Program Location
Required Credit Hours
120
Degree Requirements
See information below on the degree requirements for the Southern Studies major and minor. For more information, see the academic catalog online.
Students in the B.A. in Southern Studies complete 30 credit hours of courses related to the study of the American South including one at the 500-level.
- S St 101: Introduction to Southern Studies I
- S St 401: Southern Studies Seminar
- S St 402: Southern Studies Seminar: Culture
Two courses from:
- S St 103: Southern Mythologies and Popular Culture
- S St 104: The South and Race
- S St 105: Introduction to the South and Food
- S St 106: Introduction to Southern Documentary
- S St 107: Intro to Gender & Sexuality in the South
- S St 108: Music and Southern Society
- S St 109: Rights and Southern Activism
- S St 110: Slavery and the University
- S St 118: Introductory Topics in Southern Music
Four courses from the lists below in at least two different departments
African American Studies:
- AAS 201: African American Experience I OR AAS 202: African American Experience II
- AAS 302: Judicial System and the African American Experience
- AAS 308: Politics of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- AAS 310: Experiences of Black Mississippians
- AAS 316: The African Diaspora
- AAS 320: African American Politics
- AAS 325: African American History to 1865
- AAS 326: African American History since 1865
- AAS 334: Introduction to Field Work Techniques
- AAS 337: Anthropology of Blues Culture
- AAS 341: African American Literary Tradition I
- AAS 342: African American Literary Tradition II
- AAS 367: Blues Tradition in American Literature
- AAS 373: Studies in Comparative Black Literature
- AAS 386: African and African American Arts
- AAS 395: Survey of Black American Art
- AAS 413: Race and Ethnicity
- AAS 414: Race, Place and Space
- AAS 420: Richard Wright
- AAS 421: Readings in U.S. Black Feminism
- AAS 438: The Rise and Fall of American Slavery
- AAS 440: History of African Americans in Sport
- AAS 441: Comparative Black Literatures
- AAS 443: The Civil Rights Era
- AAS 468: Major African American Writers
- AAS 477: Rhetorics of Race in the US South
- AAS 479: Special Topics in Comparative Black Lit
- AAS 493: Special Topics in Race and Ethnicity
- AAS 504: Research in African American Studies
- AAS 517: African American Musical Tradition
- AAS 518: History of Jazz
- AAS 593: African American Literature
Art:
- AH 369: Survey of Black American Art
- AH 386: African and African American Arts
Economics:
- Econ 453: Economic History of the South
English:
- Eng 314: The Cinematic South
- Eng 354: Survey of Southern Literature
- Eng 355: Studies in Southern Literature
- Eng 357: Women in the South
- Eng 361: Survey of African American Literature to 1920
- Eng 362: Survey of African American Literature Since 1920
- Eng 367: Blues Tradition in American Literature
- Eng 373: Studies in 20th and 21st Century Comparative Black Literatures
- Eng 374: Survey of Caribbean Literature
- Eng 414: Special Topics in Cinematic South
- Eng 458: Southern Environmental Literature
- Eng 460: Faulkner
- Eng 461: Special Topics in Southern Literature
- Eng 462: Special Topics in the Global South
- Eng 468: Major African American Writers
- Eng 479: Special Topics in Comparative Black Lit
- Eng 514: Studies in Faulkner
Gender Studies:
- G St 337: The South and Sexuality
- G St 418: African American Women’s History
- G St 421: Readings in Black Feminism
- G St 454: Women in Southern History
History:
- Hst 404: The Civil War Era 1848-1877
- Hst 414: African American History to 1865
- Hst 415: African American History since 1865
- Hst 418: African American Women’s History
- Hst 420: History of African Americans in Sports
- Hst 422: The Rise and Fall of American Slavery
- Hst 423: History of Mass Incarceration
- Hst 424: The Civil Rights Era
- Hst 440: Military History of the Civil War
- Hst 450: Southern History to 1900
- Hst 451: The South in the Twentieth Century
- Hst 452: The History of Mississippi
- Hst 453: Environmental History of the South
- Hst 454: Women in Southern History
- Hst 455: History of Religion in the South
- Hst 456: Southern Music History
Journalism:
- Jour 513: The Press and the Changing South
Music:
- Mus 517: African American Musical Traditions
- Mus 518: History of Jazz
- Mus 577: Diasporic African Music Cultures
Political Science:
- Pol 307: Constitutional Law II: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
- Pol 317: Mississippi Politics
- Pol 318: Politics of the American South
- Pol 320: African American Politics
Sociology and Anthropology:
- Soc 413: Race and Ethnicity
- Soc 414: Race Place and Space
- Anth 309: Indians of Mississippi and the South
- Anth 315: African Diaspora
- Anth 316: Rise and Fall of the Mississippian World
- Anth 317: Indians of the Southern Frontier
- Anth 319: Environmental History of the South
- Anth 333: The Mississippian Shatterzone
- Anth 334: North American Archaeology
- Anth 337: Anthropology of Blues Culture
Writing and Rhetoric:
- Rhet 477: Rhetorics of Race in the US South
The minor in Southern Studies consists of 18 credit hours of Southern Studies courses.
Required Courses:
- S St 101: Introduction to Southern Studies I
- S St 401: Southern Studies Seminar
- S St 402: Southern Studies Seminar: Culture
One Course from:
- S St 103: Southern Mythologies and Popular Culture
- S St 104: The South and Race
- S St 105: Introduction to the South and Food
- S St 106: Introduction to Southern Documentary
- S St 107: Intro to Gender & Sexuality in the South
- S St 108: Music and Southern Society
- S St 109: Rights and Southern Activism
- S St 110: Slavery and the University
- S St 118: Introductory Topics Southern Music
And 2 more electives from additional departments (courses listed under the major).
What is Southern Studies?
Connect with a Southern Studies Major
Get to know our students.
Keely Butler
- Service and Community Engagement
What has been one of your most memorable or enjoyable moments at UM?
See Keely’s Answer
Feagin Hardy
- Service and Community Engagement
Why did you choose to attend UM?
See Feagin’s AnswerWhat can you do with a Southern Studies degree?
- Founder/CEO, Corner to Corner Productions
- Exec. Director, National Endowment for the Humanities
- CEO, Epic Spirits
- Teacher, Holly Springs High School
- Museum Educator, Kennesaw State
- Archives Librarian, Tulane University
- Faculty, Louisiana State University
- Attorney, LifePoint Health
- Owner, Bottletree Bakery
- Founder, Deep South Ventures
- Legislative Aide, US House of Representatives
- Historic Preservation, City of Oxford
Next Steps
Explore Affordability
We have a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make college more affordable for you and your family.
Apply to the University of Mississippi
Are you ready to take the next step toward building your legacy?