Academics

Academic Requirements for Application

Effective October 1, 2008 application

79 total semester hours in the following areas:

Writing  - 6 Semester Hours
English composition is suggested

Speech or technical writing - 3 Semester Hours
*A fundamentals of public speaking course OR A Jr/Sr level technical writing course

Math - 6 Semester Hours
College algebra is minimal level

Biological Sciences - 8 Semester Hours
Biological science courses with labs for science majors

Microbiology - 4 Semester Hours
Microbiology course with lab for science majors

Advanced Science Electives - 12 Semester Hours 
Advanced science elective courses may include junior, senior, and/or graduate level courses in the areas of:

                   
Biochemistry    Quantitative analysis Genetics
Nutrition    Calculus     Parasitology
Comparative zoology    Statistics Molecular biology
Cellular physiology    Immunology Physical chemistry
Embryology Zoology Differential equations
Histology Comparative anatomy Physics
Microbiology  Animal physiology  
    

Departmental science-based junior, senior, and/or graduate level courses may also be used to meet the advanced science electives.

Physical Sciences - 25 Semester Hours
8 semester hours of inorganic chemistry with labs
8 semester hours of organic chemistry with labs
3 semester hours of biochemistry
6 semester hours of physics with labs (may be trig based)

Humanities, Social/Behavioral Sciences, and Fine Arts - 15 Semester Hours
**15 semester hours of any combination of the humanities, social/behavioral sciences, and fine arts courses

* NOTE: To qualify for an undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University, the degree candidate must show proficiency in public speaking, computer literacy, and advanced writing skills.  Courses to meet these requirements are determined by the academic departments.

** NOTE: To qualify for an undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University, the degree candidate must successfully complete 6 semester hrs of humanities, 6 semester hrs of social/behavioral sciences, and 3 semester hrs of fine arts.

Minimum GPA to apply: 2.8 overall; 2.8 required math/science courses 
No grade lower than a C is acceptable in any required course.
No course taken more than 2 times in pursuit of an acceptable grade may be used to meet minimum course requirements; in such a case, the required course must be successfully completed (C grade or higher), and then a higher-level comparable course must be used to meet that particular requirement.