About Us

 Your Voyage of Exploration is about to Begin!

"You're in college? What's your major?"   That's always the first question, right? But for many students, there isn't one right answer to that question.

• Maybe you are seeking a broad and flexible general education.
• Maybe you seek solutions to a complex problem requiring knowledge from more than one field of study.
• Maybe you just aren't sure you understand all the options available, and you'd like to explore a bit before you get pinned down. 
• Maybe you've started in a major, but need to develop your learning and study skills in order to truly fulfill your potential.

Through a broad range of degree programs, intensive advising, and foundational coursework, we aim to foster independence of mind, a spirit of exploration and discovery, and an awareness of our common responsibility to work collaboratively towards solutions to complex problems. So take a look around. We're here to provide some maps, to make sure the boat doesn't leak, and you haven't forgotten your pocket handkerchiefs. Plotting the course is up to you.

About the School

In addition to offering two majors and multiple minors and certificates, ISPD offers advising and programming to Exploratory Students, and orientation, mentoring, and learning skills classes to all University students. ISPD is also home to the Center for Black Studies and the Center for American Indian Research and Studies.

We currently have six faculty and two staff members, serving over 400 students on both the Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses, as well as offering most of our coursework online.