Office: 3501 Lee Hall
662-325-3742
P.O. Box BQ; Mississippi State, MS 39762
Office of Academic Affairs
Center for Student Success
Executive Director: Dr. Rodney Pearson
Assistant Director: Mrs. Laura Dunn
Coordinator: Mr. Nick Hyer
126 Magruder Street; Mail Stop 9661
Web site http://studentsuccess.msstate.edu
Telephone: (662) 325-3181
P.O. Box 6246
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Mission
The Center for Student Success works with all MSU students – especially incoming freshmen – to help assure their smooth transition to the university and success on their road to graduation. The Center promotes student learning and an enriched MSU student experience by providing services, programs, and resources that:
- assist the student with his or her transition into university life;
- aid the student's decision-making, especially during the freshman year; and
- help achieve personal and academic progress and growth, targeted toward graduation.
The Center's strategic goals are to:
- offer services, programs, and classes that assist the student's transition to MSU;
- support student academic planning and progress through high-quality academic advising and timely feedback;
- provide informative and engaging first-year classes and programs;
- provide academic support for all students;
- develop programs and take actions that are informed by analyses of relevant data; and
- engage the university in the support of students in their progress toward graduation.
The Center for Student Success operates the College Ready program, a summer program through which an incoming freshman can take two college classes prior to their first fall semester at discounted cost. The primary goal of College Ready is to smooth the student’s transition to their new living and learning environment. The Center also includes the Freshman Year Navigator program, hiring 20 or more students each year to work as Navigators and help their assigned freshmen throughout their first year at MSU. The Center also works with the Center for Teaching and Learning to offer a wide range of First Year Experience classes, including True Maroon. Like so many of the Center’s programs, these classes are designed to help the freshman student’s transition to college and path to academic success.
The Center works closely with the Learning Center to provide Supplemental Instruction in 20 or more challenging classes each semester. It also works closely with the University Academic Advising Center, which provides all advising for the freshman class’s largest major, Undeclared. Finally, the Center works with the Pathfinders program to emphasize the importance of class attendance – class attendance is the #1 predictor of student success.
University Academic Advising Center (UAAC)
Undeclared (UND)
Director: Lynda K. Moore
Professional Academic Coordinators: Tim Fancher, Jermaine Jackson, Sandra Powe, and Katy Richey
25 Morgan Ave.; Mail Stop 9729
Web site at http://www.uaac.msstate.edu/
Telephone (662) 325-4052; Fax (662) 325-4026
P.O. Box 6117, Mississippi State, MS 39762
UAAC Mission to Undeclared Students
The University Academic Advising Center was established to meet the needs of those students who have competing interests in more than one major area, as well as those who are uncertain of their career and educational goals. The professional staff at the center offer one-on-one advising services to traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students and provide accurate information concerning general curriculum requirements, university policies and procedures, campus resources and various programs of study. The center is committed to assisting students with the development of educational plans consistent with their life goals, objectives and abilities. Students normally remain Undeclared for no more than three semesters during which time advisors recommend courses that meet basic core requirements in relation to “majors of interest” for each individual student. Students must declare a major before completing 75 hours.
UAAC advisors traditionally recommend that Undeclared students enroll in 12-18 hours each fall and spring semester with careful considerations given to courses required in each student’s majors of interest. It is the goal of the center to assist each Undeclared student in enrolling in courses that satisfy the minimum core requirements for any major the student may later choose with respect to each department’s right to specify more stringent requirements than the University as a whole. However, ultimate responsibility for taking the UAAC staff’s advice rests with the student.
UAAC urges students to make appointments with advisors at the center to establish a plan of action. The University Academic Advising Center staff encourages all Undeclared majors to utilize services offered by the Career Center, the Counseling Center, the Learning Center, Center for Student Success, Student Support Services and other support programs offered by various units at MSU.
Environment and Sustainability Minor
The Environment and Sustainability Minor is a 17 credit hour, multi-disciplinary program open to all undergraduate majors in good standing. From accountants to zoologists, and all majors in between, this minor is designed to enhance your understanding of the complex environmental challenges humanity faces in the 21st century. It will also give students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an environmental area of interest. Students will study the technical aspects of issues such as climate change and energy, and learn how values, beliefs and policies affect how these issues are addressed. Students will also learn about sustainable practices and lifestyle choices that can reduce your own ecological footprint.
Two courses are required of all students: Introduction to Environmental Science (ENS 2103) and Environmental Science Practicum (ENS 4102). Of the remaining 12 hours, at least three must be taken from each of the three categories: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science & Engineering. The remaining three credit hours must be taken from a category not directly related to the student’s major course of study.
Course Work
| ENS 2103 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 |
| ENS 4102 | Practicum | 2 |
| Approved Humanities course | 3 | |
| Approved Social Sciences course | 3 | |
| Approved Science & Engineering course | 3 | |
| Consult with Program Coordinator | 3 | |
Enrollment in ENS 4102 must be arranged with the Program Coordinator. The student may arrange to work with a faculty member conducting research in the environment and sustainability field, or the student may propose a project of relevance to the certificate. This must be arranged in consultation with the Program Coordinator prior to enrolling in ENS 4102.
For further information and enrollment forms, please contact the ENS minor program coordinator:
Dr. Mike Phillips
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
117 Dorman Hall
662-325-2311; jmp657@msstate.edu
Geospatial and Remote Sensing Minor
Technology revolutions have driven the expectations of remote sensing and geospatial technologies to an all-time high for a new generation of users across a vast number of disciplines. Advances in computational technologies, visualization products, and sensor technologies have led to the development of unprecedented capabilities in geospatial technologies, such as remote sensing and geographic information systems. With the plethora of remote sensing technologies, the industry is poised to develop operational remote sensing applications that fundamentally impact management of resources. Mississippi State University has developed broad, multi-disciplinary efforts in spatial technologies of many types, and is a leader among universities in education and outreach activities to prepare the next generation for utilizing these technologies. One of the primary limitations in the development of this industry is the need for a better-educated workforce that can understand and utilize the tools of these spatial technologies. Education in geospatial and remote sensing technologies is by nature multi-disciplinary; therefore, a minor program that crosses departmental and college boundaries has been developed to address these needs. This undergraduate minor can thus serve the needs of MSU students with diverse backgrounds from a variety of disciplines. Students may strategically assess which courses within their disciplinary academic program can be used for the minor, thus satisfying the needs of both and maximizing their education experience.
The minor should represent a student’s mastery of basic GIS and Remote Sensing coursework. A minimum of 3 hours of coursework is required in each of these areas:
- Geographic Information Systems
- Remote Sensing
- Advanced Geospatial Technologies
Students are required to complete 6 hours of additional coursework within the category of Geospatial Applications. A list of geospatial application electives is listed, and it includes courses that are offered by several MSU departments.
Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of this program, the Office of the Academic Affairs is the resident office for admission and administration. Thus, the program is not focused on a single college or department. A program coordinator, appointed by the Provost, advises students seeking the GRS minor, and assists departmental advisors. The coordinator is also responsible for conducting the necessary transcript audits and authorizing the awarding of the minor.
For further information and enrollment information, contact the GRS program coordinator:
Dr. John Rodgers
Department of Geosciences
355 Lee Blvd, 108 Hilbun Hall
Mississippi State, MS 39762
662-325-3915, jcr100@msstate.edu
A total of 15 semester hours are required: nine selected from the list of required courses, and six selected from the list of elective courses.
| Required Courses | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Remote Sensing Technologies | ||
| Introduction to Remote Sensing Technologies | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Physical Environment | ||
| Remote Sensing Applications | ||
| GIS | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of GIS | ||
| Application of Spatial Technologies to Wildlife and Fisheries Management | ||
| GIS for Natural Resource Management | ||
AND | ||
| GIS for Natural Resource Management Lab | ||
| Advanced Geospatial Coursework | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Spatial Technologies in Natural Resources Management | ||
| Spatial Statistics for Natural Resources | ||
| Ecological Modeling in Natural Resources | ||
| Advanced Spatial Technologies | ||
| Advanced GIS | ||
| Advanced Remote Sensing in Geosciences | ||
| Advanced Geodatabase Systems | ||
| Introduction to Spatial Statistics | ||
| Geospatial Applications | ||
| Choose two of the following:(Courses must be different from the ones taken from the above categories. A course may not be used to satisfy more than one requirement) | 6 | |
| The Global Positional System and Geographic Information Systems in Agriculture and Engineering | ||
| Signals and Systems | ||
| Digital Signal Processing | ||
| Current Topics in Remote Sensing | ||
| Digital Image Processing | ||
| Spatial Technologies in Natural Resources Management | ||
| Advanced Spatial Technologies | ||
| Spatial Statistics for Natural Resources | ||
| Ecological Modeling in Natural Resources | ||
| Survey of Geospatial Technologies | ||
| Advanced GIS | ||
| Cartographic Sciences | ||
| Advanced Remote Sensing in Geosciences | ||
| Geodatabase Design | ||
| Geographic Information Systems Programming | ||
| Geospatial Agronomic Management | ||
| Remote Sensing Seminar | ||
| Remote Sensing Seminar | ||
| Introduction to Spatial Statistics | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Leadership Studies Minor
The interdisciplinary minor in Leadership Studies provides academic and experiential knowledge and skills to prepare students for future leadership positions in communities, professions, and organizations. The Leadership Studies minor is open to Mississippi State University students in all Colleges, Schools, and majors. It requires 19 hours of approved coursework, including at least one experiential internship component. No more than two courses from the same academic Department may be applied to this minor. Students in the Leadership Studies minor must maintain grade point averages of 2.00 or higher overall and grade point averages of 2.50 or higher in courses applied to the minor. Students must earn a grade of C or higher in all minor courses.
Admission and Graduation Standards: Entering freshmen may declare a Leadership Studies minor in the first semester by securing approval of a minor program of studies as outlined herein. Qualified students, including incoming transfer students, may declare the minor during any subsequent semester. After the first semester of college, students must have minimum overall GPAs of 2.00 or higher (including all course work taken, not just in the minor) to enter or remain in the minor. To graduate with a Minor in Leadership Studies, students must meet all course requirements on their approved programs of minor study, must have overall GPAs of 2.00 or higher on all coursework attempted, and must have 2.50 or higher GPAs over all minor courses. Students must earn grades of C or higher in all courses applied to the Leadership Studies minor.
Curriculum Outline: Each student will select one core course in each of three core areas: Ethics, which are essential for any leader; Social Science, which studies leadership directly and provides knowledge of direct relevance to leadership; and Communication, which involves skills that are critically important for leaders. (For students in majors with little room for electives, judicious selection of the core courses in the Leadership Studies minor may simultaneously fulfill certain General Education requirements, College or School Core Curriculum, or Departmental Major requirements.) Each student will further select from an approved list, in consultation with his or her Leadership Studies minor advisor, at least three more courses that facilitate the student’s goals. Finally, each student will register for a 1-hour (48 contact hours during the semester) experiential internship.
| Area I: Ethics and Leadership | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Socially Responsible Leadership | ||
| Area II: Leadership and Social Science | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Organizational Behavior | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Political Leadership | ||
| Introduction to Engineering and Public Policy | ||
| Area III: Leadership and Communication Skills | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Principles of Public Relations | ||
| Area IV: Experiential internship component | ||
| EXL 1191 | Leadership Studies Internship I | 1 |
| Area V: Electives | ||
| Choose a minimum of three: | 9 | |
See advisor for a complete list of approved leadership electives. Courses listed in the Minor Core may also be taken as electives if they are not being used to satisfy the minor core requirement. Students generally take all of their electives in the same college, but doing so is not a requirement. Elective are best selected in consultation with the student's Leadership Studies Minor advisor to meet the goals and objectives of the student. Electives are available in each college which allows this minor to be applicable to any major. | ||
For additional information, contact Robert Green, Chair, Leadership Studies Minor committee at green@bagley.msstate.edu