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Online Master’s Degree Programs in Mississippi

There are a number of schools in Mississippi that offer online degree programs, including a broad array of online master’s programs in business administration, education, nursing, social work, public health, public administration and other common fields of study. In addition, many out-of-state schools that offer online master’s program are authorized to accept applicants from Mississippi. As a result, Mississippi residents who hold a bachelor’s degree and meet other master’s program qualifications can choose from a numerous online programs that allow students to earn a degree without having to commute to a college campus for classes.

This page provides an overview of accredited public and private non-profit colleges and universities in Mississippi that offer online master’s programs in the most common fields for master’s-level study, as determined through an analysis of graduation data collected by the US Department of Education for its Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS). The sections below also offer information on schools in neighboring and regional states that offer online master’s programs in these common fields of study and that accept applicants from Mississippi.

Schools in Mississippi That Offer Online Master’s Programs

Eight public institutions of higher education are part of the Mississippi Public Universities system, including the University of Mississippi in Oxford; Mississippi State University in Starkville; and the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. All but one of Mississippi’s public universities offer online degree programs, and many have online master’s programs in one or more fields. In fact, the state of Mississippi maintains an online database of online degree programs offered by the state’s public universities.

The table below lists the public universities in Mississippi by size, based on IPEDS enrollment data. The schools are listed in descending order, from largest to smallest, along with the location of each school’s main campus and whether or not the school offers online degree programs.

School	Location	Online Degree Programs
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)	Oxford	Yes
Mississippi State University	Starkville	Yes
University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss)	Hattiesburg	Yes
Jackson State University (JSU)	Jackson	Yes
Delta State University	Cleveland	Yes
Alcorn State University	Lorman	Yes
Mississippi University for Women (MUW)	Columbus	Yes
Mississippi Valley State University	Leflore County	No

There are also a number of private non-profit college and universities in Mississippi that offer bachelor’s and graduate degree programs. Several of these schools are active in offering online degree programs, including online master’s programs. The five largest private colleges and universities in Mississippi are listed on the table below, along with the location of each school’s main campus and whether or not the school offers online degree programs.

School	Location	Online Degree Programs
Mississippi College	Clinton	Yes
William Carey University	Hattiesburg and Biloxi	Yes
Belhaven University	Jackson and Madison	Yes
Rust College	Holly Springs	No
Millsaps College	Jackson	No

Out-of-State Schools That Offer Online Master’s Programs

Among the numerous options Mississippi residents have for earning a master’s degree online from schools located in other states are several large universities located in the neighboring states of Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The University of Memphis (U of M), a public research university in Tennessee, is one such school. Through U of M Global, students in Mississippi can enroll in online master’s programs in business, education, and sport and hospitality management.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is another public research university that is active in offering online degree programs. UAB has a wide range of online master’s programs offered through its many academic divisions, including its College of Arts & Sciences, its Collat School of Business, and its Schools of Education, Engineering, Health Professions, Nursing, and Public Health.

Arkansas State University (A-State), which is located in Jonesboro, is the flagship university of the Arkansas State University System and one of a number of schools in Arkansas that offer online master’s programs. A-State offers a number of Master of Science in Education (MSE) programs online, as a well as online professional graduate programs in public administration, sport administration, strategic communication, engineering management, and media management.

There are two schools in Louisiana offering online master’s programs that Mississippi residents may want to explore: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU); and Tulane University. LSU Online’s graduate offerings include online master’s programs in education, business administration, engineering, social work, and kinesiology. Tulane offers online Master of Professional Science (MPS) programs in homeland security, information technology, and sport studies, as well as online master’s in liberal arts and public administration programs.

The 15 Most Common Areas for Master’s Degree Studies in Mississippi

Through an analysis of IPEDS graduation data, OnlineEducation.com has identified the 15 most common areas for master’s level studies at schools in the state of Mississippi. These areas are:

Business Administration and Management
Educational Leadership and Administration
Registered Nursing/Nursing Administration/Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Accounting
Elementary Education and Teaching
Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
Biomedical Sciences
Secondary Education and Teaching
Social Work
Education/Curriculum Supervision
Curriculum and Instruction
Computer and Information Sciences
Public Health
Biology/Biological Sciences
Public Administration

While IPEDS subject area classifications do not align precisely with the names of actual online master’s programs, an analysis of the IPEDS graduation data does provide a representative overview of common fields of study at the master’s level in Mississippi. The sections below provide details about online programs offered by Mississippi schools and schools located in neighboring and regional states that offer online master’s programs in many of the fields noted above, including:

Online Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) Programs in Mississippi

In addition to being one of the most common types of master’s programs pursued by students in Mississippi, Master of Business (MBA) programs are offered online by a number of the state’s public universities, including the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Mississippi State University, the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss), and Jackson State University (JSU). Ole Miss has an online MBA program with a two-year plan of completion, during which students take two courses per semester in the fall, spring, and summer.

Mississippi State offers an online MBA program that has an optional Project Management concentration and a two-year completion plan. Southern Miss has a two-year online MBA program with an optional Sport Security Management concentration. And JSU has an online MBA program that can be completed in one year by students who have an undergraduate degree in business. In order to do so, students take two courses per eight-week term. There are five terms per year in JSU’s academic calendar. Students with a non-business bachelor’s degree are required to complete prerequisites prior to enrolling in JSU’s master’s-level MBA courses.

Among other public universities that offer online MBA programs in Mississippi with a general business curriculum are Delta State University, Alcorn State University, and Mississippi University for Women (MUW). Delta State has an Integrated MBA (iMBA) program that requires applicants to have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale or a minimum of four years of professional experience in a business management field. Alcorn State’s online MBA program has a pre-MBA curriculum consisting of nine courses in foundational topics for students who do not hold an undergraduate degree in business, and a master’s-level curriculum consisting of seven core courses and five electives. And MUW offers an online MBA program with a full-time, ten-month track, and a part-time option that allows students to complete the program at their own pace.

Mississippi College, William Carey University, and Bellhaven University are three private, non-profit schools in Mississippi that offer online MBA programs. The program offered by Mississippi College is an accelerated online MBA program in which students take ten courses during eight-week terms and can graduate in as few as ten months. The William Carey University program also consists of ten core courses, although the program uses a ten-week quarter system. And Bellhaven University has an online MBA program that offers concentrations in: Finance; Health Administration; Human Resources; Leadership; Public Administration; and Sports Administration.

While there are many out-of-state schools that offer online MBA program that accept applicants from Mississippi, residents of Mississippi who are interested in pursuing an MBA degree online may want to explore several programs offered by public universities in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), for example, offers a Flex MBA program that is 100% online and that has two specialization options: Healthcare Management; and Music Business. Arkansas Tech University offers an online MBA program with three tracks: General Business; Business Data Analytics; and Digital Marketing. And Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) offers an online MBA program that can be completed in as few as 18 months by full-time students who take two courses per seven-week term, and in 36 months by students who opt to take one course per term.

Online Master’s in Education and Teaching Programs in Mississippi

Teachers and educators in Mississippi can earn various types of online master’s degrees in education through colleges and universities located in the state. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) offers four online master’s programs for teachers and educators: an online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program with tracks for certification in secondary mathematics, English, science, and social studies; an online Master of Education (MEd) program in Early Childhood Education for students with an undergraduate degree in education; an online MEd in Educational Leadership program for teachers who are licensed and have three or more years of K-12 teaching experience; and an online Master of Arts (MA) in Higher Education that does not require prior teaching experience.

Mississippi State University offers online MAT programs in three specializations: Community College Education; Secondary School Teacher; and Special Education. The Community College Education program requires students to attend a limited number of campus-based instructional sessions. Mississippi State also offers several online Master of Science (MS) programs in education, including an online MS in Educational Leadership program with a specialization in School Administration; an online MS in Instructional Technology program; an online MS in Secondary Education program for experienced teachers; an online MS in Workforce Education Leadership program; and an online MS in Early Intervention program.

The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) has several types of MAT programs that are offered online. These include an online MAT in Secondary Teacher Education program that includes a classroom internship for students who intend to qualify for licensure; an online MAT in Teaching Languages program for French and Spanish secondary school teachers; and an online MAT in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program. In addition, Southern Miss offers online MEd programs in Curriculum and Instruction with specializations in Elementary Education, Educational Administration and Supervision, and Special Education, as well as an online MS in Sport Coaching Education program.

Through JSU Online, Jackson State University (JSU) offers an online MAT program that includes student teaching internship and practicums in order to prepare students for licensure. JSU also offers an online Master of Science in Teaching (MST) in Science and Mathematics Teaching program with a concentration in Biology, an online MS in Educational Administration and Supervision program, and an online MS in Reading Education program. Finally, JSU Online has online MS in Education programs in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Physical Education.

Delta State University offers several online master’s programs for teachers through its department of distance education. The Delta State online programs include: an MAT program with a path to licensure; an MEd in Educational Administration and Supervision program; an online MEd in Elementary Education program; and an online MEd in Special Education program. And Alcorn State University offers an online Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Special Education program with a path to licensure that includes fieldwork requirements.

Among the non-profit private schools in Mississippi that offer online master’s in education and teaching programs are Mississippi College, William Carey University, and Bellhaven University. Mississippi College has four programs that are offered online: an online MEd in Curriculum and Instruction program; an online MEd in Educational Leadership program; an online MEd in Special Education program; and an online MEd in Teaching Arts program. The program offered by William Carey University is an online MEd program with specializations in Elementary, Secondary, Mild/Moderate Disabilities, and Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. And Bellhaven offers an online MEd in Curriculum and Instruction program with an optional emphasis in Educational Technology and a track for National Board Teacher Certification that requires students to spend a semester taking campus-based classes. Bellhaven also offers an online MEd in School Leadership and Supervision program and an online MEd in Reading Literacy program.

While there are a large number of online master’s programs for teachers and educators offered by schools in Mississippi, there are also several regional out-of-state schools offering online programs that Mississippi students may want to explore. The University of Memphis, for example, offers an online MSE program with four specializations: Educational Research; Instructional Design and Technology; School Librarian Information Specialist; and Literacy.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offers five MAE program specializations online: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Health Education; Reading; and School Psychometry. UAB also offers an online MS in Instructional Design and Development program, and an online MS in Kinesiology program with a specialization in Physical Education.

Finally, Arkansas State University (A-State) has seven online MSE program specializations that are designed for practicing teachers. These include: Curriculum & Instruction; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory & Practice; Gifted, Talented, and Creative; Reading; Special Education Instructional Specialist (K-12); and Early Childhood Education.

Note: There are two factors that potential applicants to online master’s in education and teaching programs may want to consider prior to applying to programs: some programs require in-person internships, practicums, and/or student teaching assignments; and teaching licensure requirements vary by state. Unlicensed teachers who want to qualify for licensure in Mississippi should review the state’s licensing procedures and requirements prior to choosing an online master’s program, particularly for programs offered by out-of-state schools. Potential applicants may also want to contact a program administrator regarding internship/student teaching requirements prior to completing the application process.

Online Master’s in Nursing (MSN) Programs in Mississippi

Registered Nurses (RNs) in Mississippi can earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in several specializations through four in-state schools that offer online programs. The Robert E. Smith School of Nursing at Delta State University has an online MSN program with three specializations: Nurse Administrator; Nurse Educator; and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). Alcorn State University offers RNs two online MSN program specialization options: Nurse Educator; and FNP. The School of Nursing at Mississippi College offers an online MSN program with a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) specialization. And William Carey University offers an online MSN program with a Nurse Educator specialization.

Mississippi RNs may also want to consider out-of-state options for earning an MSN degree online, including programs offered by schools in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has an online MSN program with FNP and Nurse Educator specializations. Both specializations require students to complete clinical hours at clinical sites in Louisiana.

Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU) offers an online MSN program with four specializations: FNP; Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP); Nurse Administrator; and Nurse Educator. Students in the ETSU program can complete their clinical hours at out-of-state sites approved by the program but may be required to attend a limited number of instructional sessions in-person on ETSU’s Johnson City campus. And the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) offers an online MSN in Nursing Administration program that includes a 15-week clinical and administrative internship that must be completed at a site approved by the program.

Note: Most online MSN programs, including programs offered by out-of-state schools, have clinical requirements that must be completed in person at program-approved sites under the supervision of qualified preceptors. RNs who are considering an online MSN program may want to contact a program representative regarding potential clinical placements prior to submitting an application. RNs should also be aware that licensing requirements for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) vary by state. As a result, students should confirm that online MSN programs offered by out-of-state schools meet Mississippi’s nursing licensure eligibility requirements before applying.

Online Master’s in Accounting Programs in Mississippi

Mississippi College offers an online Master of Accounting (MAcc) program through its College of Business. The Mississippi College program is the only fully online master’s in accounting program currently offered by a school in Mississippi. It is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in accounting or who have completed a number of foundational bachelor’s-level courses in relevant subject areas, including finance, auditing, business law, statistics, and introductory and intermediate accounting. The program’s 30-credit curriculum is comprised of five required courses and five electives.

Among the out-of-state schools offering online master’s in accounting programs that accept applicants from Mississippi are two schools located in neighboring states. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) offers an online MAcc program through its Collat School of Business. The UAB program is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting. However, UAB’s Collat School of Business offers an online accounting bridge program for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in accounting. And Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee Tech) offers an online MAcc program that requires students to attend two weekend residency sessions at the school’s Cookeville campus. The program is designed for students who have an undergraduate degree in accounting or in business administration with a concentration in accounting.

Note: Completing a master’s degree in accounting is one way to meet the academic training requirements to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. However, CPA eligibility requirements vary by state. As a result, some online programs offered by out-of-state schools may not meet Mississippi’s CPA eligibility requirements. Students from Mississippi should review the state’s CPA licensing requirements prior to applying to online programs offered by out-of-state schools.

Online Master’s Counseling Programs in Mississippi

Currently, there are no schools in Mississippi that offer online master’s in counseling programs. Mississippi residents who are interested in earning a master’s degree in counseling online can do so through programs offered by out-of-state schools, including several programs offered by schools in the Mississippi region.

Arkansas is home to three universities that offer online master’s in school counseling programs: Arkansas State University (A-State); the University of Central Arkansas (UCA); and Southern Arkansas University (SAU). A-State offers an online Master of Science in Education (MSE) in School Counseling that requires a 15-week clinical practicum and a 15-week supervised internship. The program can be completed in less than two years. UCA has an online Master of Science (MS) in School Counseling program that requires students to be on campus for a clinical practicum and to complete an in-person clinical internship. And SAU offers an online Master of Education (MEd) in School Counseling program, as well as an online MEd in College Counseling and Student Affairs program.

For Mississippi residents who are interested in earning a master’s in clinical mental health counseling online, there are also several options in neighboring states. SAU offers an online MS in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling program with an internship component that is designed to prepare students for licensure in clinical counseling. The University of Tennessee at Martin offers an online Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Counseling program with specialization tracks in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling, as does The University of Louisiana at Monroe, which has an online MS in Counseling program with tracks for Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Child, Adolescent, Adult), and School Counseling.

Note: Prior to applying to an online master’s in counseling program offered by an out-of-state school, Mississippi residents should review Mississippi’s licensing requirements for clinical mental health and school counselors, as these requirements vary by state. Students should also be aware that online master’s in counseling programs require the completion of in-person clinical hours at program-approved sites. Thus, it is advisable to contact program administrators at out-of-state schools regarding clinical placements prior to submitting applications.

Online Master’s in Biology and Biomedical Science Programs in Mississippi

There are two schools in Mississippi that offer online master’s programs in the biological sciences. Mississippi State University offers an online Master of Science (MS) in General Biology with a curriculum that is designed for secondary school teachers. Mississippi State’s Teachers in Biology (TIB) program offers all of its coursework online but requires students to attend a ten-day campus session for a final capstone course. And Alcorn State University offers and online MS in Biology program with a curriculum that covers topics in anatomy, physiology, biostatistics, and cellular and molecular biology.

Certified medical technologists and laboratory scientists who are interested in earning a master’s degree in biomedical science may be interested in exploring the online MS in Clinical Laboratory Science (CNS) offered by the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss). Students who have not yet met Medical Technologist (MT) or Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) certification requirements are eligible for the program but must complete an in-person clinical practicum in order to graduate.

There are several out-of-state schools in the Mississippi region that offer online master’s in biology and biomedical science, including the University of West Alabama (UWA), which has an online MS in Conservation Biology program. Virginia’s Troy University offers an online MS in Environmental and Biological Sciences with a thesis track and a non-thesis track. Kentucky’s Morehead State University offers an online MS in Biotechnology program that can be completed in twelve months. And the University of Missouri (Mizzou) offers an online MS in Biomedical Sciences through its College of Veterinary Medicine with a curriculum that focuses on the application of biomedical sciences in veterinary medicine.

While there are several schools in Mississippi that offer Master of Social Work (MSW) programs, currently none of those programs are offered online. However, Mississippi residents are eligible to apply to master’s in social work programs offered online by The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock), and Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU).

The University of Tennessee program is an online Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). It is, for all practical purposes, the same as an MSW program. UA Little Rock offers an online MSW program with a curriculum that includes training in clinical and macro practice social work. And LSU offers an online Advanced Generalist MSW program that provides training and instruction in clinical and macro practice social work. The LSU program has a standard, 60-credit option for students who do not hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, and a 30-credit Advanced Standing option for students who hold a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from a program accredited by the CSWE.

Note: Online MSW and MSSW programs require students to complete field education hours in person at a social work agency approved by the program. Mississippi residents who are considering online programs offered by out-of-state schools may want to contact a program administrator regarding field placements prior to submitting an application. It is also important to note that eligibility requirements for licensing in clinical social work vary by state. Thus, some programs offered online by out-of-state schools may not fulfill all of Mississippi’s licensing requirements for clinical social workers. Therefore, students should review Mississippi’s licensing requirements and examine a program’s curriculum to ensure that it meets those requirements prior to applying to an out-of-state program.

Online Master’s in Computer and Information Sciences Programs in Mississippi

While there are no online master’s in computer science offered by schools in Mississippi, there are two Mississippi schools that offer online master’s programs in information systems and library and information science. Mississippi State University (MS State) has an online Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) program that features courses in information technology, database design, business telecommunications, and software development. The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) offers an online Master of Science (MS) in Library and Information Science program with a school librarian licensure track and a non-licensure track for students who are interested in studying information science and library management at the master’s level but do not intend to apply for a state license.

For Mississippi residents who would like to explore online master’s in computer and information science programs offered by out-of-state schools, there are several options in nearby states. For example, Southern Arkansas University (SAU) offers an online Master of Science in Computer and Information Science (MSCIS) program that has three specialization tracks: Information Technology; Data Science; and Cybersecurity & Privacy.

The University of Arkansas (U of A) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) also offer online programs that Mississippi residents may want to explore. The U of A program is an online Master of Information Systems (MIS) program that is offered through the university’s Sam A. Walton College of Business and that focuses on the business applications of information science. The program features two concentrations: Enterprise Resource Planning; and Enterprise Systems Management.

The UA Little Rock program is an online MSIS program that includes four core requirements in database systems, data science, information visualization, and data security, and five electives in the following concentrations: Information Science; Technology Innovation; Computer Science; Business Information Systems; Statistics; and Systems Engineering.

Online Master’s in Public Health (MPH) Programs in Mississippi

The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) offers an online Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Administration program that includes training in epidemiology, biostatistics, and population health, as well as courses in health policy, healthcare economics, and marketing and fiscal management in healthcare. The program requires students to complete a public health internship. And Mississippi University for Women (MUW) has an online MPH that it offers through its Department of Health & Kinesiology.

Among the out-of-state schools in the Mississippi region that offer online MPH programs are the University of Memphis in Tennessee and Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU). The University of Memphis offers an online MPH program that has specializations in: Biostatistics; Epidemiology; Environmental Health; Health Systems Management; and Social and Behavioral Sciences. ETSU offers an online MPH program with three specialization tracks: Community Health; Epidemiology; and Public Health Administration.

Note: Some online MPH programs incorporate internships and field education placements that students must complete in person at sites approved by the program. Mississippi residents who are considering online MPH programs, particularly programs offered by out-of-state schools, may want to contact a program administrator about these requirements in order to determine potential field placement sites in advance of submitting an application.