Exploring History Programs at Gulf Coast Community College and The University of Southern Mississippi

The Mississippi Gulf Coast offers diverse avenues for studying history, ranging from associate degrees at community colleges to advanced degrees and specialized research at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM). This article delves into the history programs available in the region, highlighting the offerings at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) and the historical development and unique resources of USM's Gulf Coast campus.

History at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

MGCCC offers an Associate of Arts degree in History. This program provides a foundation in historical knowledge and analytical skills, preparing students for further study at the bachelor's level.

Program Details

The history program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College awarded 9 associate's degrees in 2021-2022. A significant portion, 78%, of these graduates were men, while 22% were women. The majority of associate's degree recipients in this major at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 78% of students fell into this category.

Tuition and Fees

In 2022-2023, the average part-time undergraduate tuition at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was $330 per credit hour for out-of-state students.

Available Degrees

Associate Degree in History

The University of Southern Mississippi: A Historical Overview and Program Highlights

The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast provides a flexible educational delivery system designed to respond to the needs of the constituency served. A sufficient number of courses are offered so that students may earn bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a variety of specialty areas. Southern Miss Gulf Coast operates under the semester calendar and awards semester-hour credits for all courses.

From Humble Beginnings to a Dual-Campus System

The genesis of The University of Southern Mississippi on the Mississippi Gulf Coast goes back to 1947 when what was then Mississippi Southern College first organized classes at Van Hook Hall, Methodist Camp Grounds, in Biloxi. At that time, there were no permanent personnel assigned. In 1958, classroom space and facilities for Mississippi Southern College on the Gulf Coast were furnished by Mary L. Michel Junior High School in Biloxi, and thus the operation moved from the Methodist Camp Grounds. At that time, one person was assigned permanently to a combined teaching and administrative position. For teaching personnel, MSC on the Gulf Coast drew upon the talents of local professors, teachers and qualified instructors.

By 1962, Mississippi Southern College had attained university status and was renamed “The University of Southern Mississippi.” In the 1960s, the demand for education in all phases grew to the extent that course offerings were broadened to meet the needs of various occupational fields and interests. Included in these categories were Keesler Air Force Base personnel and their dependents; the industrial community, including Ingalls Ship Yard in Pascagoula; NASA at Bay St. Louis.

By the end of the 1964 summer session, The University of Southern Mississippi moved from Mary L. Michel Junior High School to Keesler Air Force Base. In September 1965, in addition to KAFB, more classroom facilities were obtained for night classes from the Jefferson Davis Campus of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District. The addition was called The University of Southern Mississippi Harrison County Resident Center.

In March 1972, The University of Southern Mississippi Harrison County Resident Center program moved from the Jefferson Davis Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College to the campus of the former Gulf Park College for Women located on Highway 90 in Long Beach. In July 1972, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning established The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus and Keesler Air Force Base teaching sites as an upper-level, degree-completion regional campus of The University of Southern Mississippi. The Jackson County Resident Teaching Center continued as a teaching site to deliver higher education programs and courses to the citizens of Jackson County.

By this time, a comprehensive plan was developed for providing needed higher education opportunities on the Gulf Coast. The plan entailed close cooperation and coordination between the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District, which would be responsible for all freshman and sophomore courses, and The University of Southern Mississippi, which would be responsible for all junior, senior and graduate offerings. The cooperation that had long existed between the University and the local junior colleges was formalized in July 1976. The landmark Two Plus Two Agreement between The University of Southern Mississippi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District provided fully coordinated comprehensive programs through the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and selected specialist levels for Gulf Coast citizens. In 1998, The University of Southern Mississippi was classified as a dual-campus system. In 1999, the State of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning approved The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast to add freshman and sophomore coursework.

Gulf Park Campus: A Hub of Education and Research

The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus brings the excellence that is Southern Miss to the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast as the second campus in the university’s dual-campus system. The 52-acre beachfront Gulf Park campus features state-of-the-art teaching, research and student service facilities. With recent renovations and restoration projects, the Spanish mission-style architecture is evident throughout the campus.

In spring 2007, night classes returned to the Gulf Park campus in the Holloway and Business complexes on the north end of the property. In fall 2007, both day and night classes returned to the Fleming Education Center. During 2011-12, renovation and restoration projects on the three most southern buildings damaged by Hurricane Katrina began. The first buildings to be completed on the Gulf Park Campus were the Science Building and Nursing Building, both located on the northwest corner of campus. The Science Building, a $10 million new construction project, features nine teaching laboratories, research space, approximately 20 faculty and administrative offices, and an 80-seat instructional classroom. The historic restoration projects for Hardy Hall and Lloyd Hall were completed in spring 2013. The $10 million project for Hardy Hall included renovations, as well as new construction for the Barnes and Noble Bookstore and an adjacent parking lot. The three-story building also houses dining services, the College of Education and Psychology, and administrative offices, including Admissions and Student Services. Elizabeth Hall, which houses the College of Arts and Letters, was the final building to complete renovations after all five buildings broke ground in 2011. In addition to faculty offices, Elizabeth Hall is also home to the University’s film Pathway which currently occupies 10 rooms.

Unique Research Centers and Facilities

USM's commitment to research and education extends beyond the classroom, with several specialized centers and facilities located on the Gulf Coast:

Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL)

The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) occupies 275 acres at two sites in Ocean Springs. GCRL is the home of a summer field program in the marine sciences that has operated continuously since 1947. Headquartered at GCRL are the Division of Coastal Sciences, the Center for Fisheries Research and Development, the Marine Education Center, and the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Research Center also operates through GCRL. The Center for Fisheries Research and Development addresses fisheries issues important to Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico region. Focusing on fisheries, habitats and invasive species, scientists work closely with marine resource users and managers in conducting research and putting new knowledge and skills to use. The Marine Education Center (MEC) is the educational and outreach arm of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. MEC endeavors to produce a cadre of well-informed and knowledgeable stewards on our coastal ecosystems. The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Research Center is headquartered at GCRL in Ocean Springs. seafood industry.

John C. Stennis Space Center

The John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Miss., is home to The University of Southern Mississippi Division of Marine Science and the Center of Higher Learning. Stennis is home to NASA’s lead center for rocket propulsion testing and earth sciences and the location of numerous other government and private agencies involved in ocean-related activities, which Stennis is an ideal setting for the marine science program. Networking opportunities for students are unparalleled as more oceanographers work at Stennis than any other single location in the world. The Division of Marine Science offers an undergraduate degree in marine science, as well as an undergraduate degree emphasis -and professional certification- in hydrography, which are offered exclusively at the Gulf Park campus. The Center for Gulf Studies, located within the Division of Marine Science at John C. Stennis Space Center, serves as a focal point for new, long-term research and socioeconomic initiatives along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Staff at the center seek sound, comprehensive science and technology-based understanding of chronic and acute stressors, both anthropogenic and natural, on the dynamic and productive waters and habitats of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Hydrographic Science Research Center, located within the Division of Marine Science at the Stennis Space Center, is the research compliment to the academic program in hydrographic science.

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