Southern Miss Gulf Scholars Program
Curriculum & Opportunities
Curriculum Course Work
- School of Coastal Resilience
BSC 345: Marine Biology (H001) - Throughout this module students will learn about important marine resources that drive the local seafood economy. On a field trip to the Maritime and Seafood Museum, students will learn about this historical seafood industry and industry practices then tour the USM Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center to learn about modern aquaculture technologies and take an excursion at sea to observe the off-bottom aquaculture site next to Deer Island.
ENG 203: World Literature (G003) - Students will explore Natasha Trethewey's Native Guard through field research of Gulfport and Ship Island.
ENG 340: Analysis of Literature (G001) - Introduces the discipline of literary criticism.
FLM 469: Film, Media, and the Environment (G001) - Students will work in small groups to identify a topic and place, conduct research on their chosen topic, and create a short narrative, documentary or experimental film that engages with an environmental issue facing the gulf coast.
MAR 417: Ocean Policy and Management (G001) - The examination of marine science and ocean policy issues, including coastal zone management, Law of the Sea and other national and international policies.
SUS 315: Field Methods (G001) - This sustainability course will answer questions such as: how has your urban waterway changed and how is it managed, can that change or would it have an impact if it did, what ways can we monitor or improve this waterway? The questions are based on the historical and cultural significance of Urban Freshwater Resources.
- School of Leadership
APT 410: Applied Technology (G001) - This module will require students to research new technologies in their specialty areas that can (a) positively impact coastal areas economically or ecologically (b) can in turn help their companies or organizations grow and be profitable. They will then identify three technologies, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, choose one of the three technologies, justify their choices, and present their conclusion in the form of a formal proposal to their company management.
LDR 300: Leadership on the Gulf Coast (G001) - Students will develop knowledge of the Gulf of Mexico and the coastal business zone as they learn how leaders impact the lives of Mississippi Gulf Coast workers. The activity includes a guest speaker (or series of guest speakers) that will speak about the importance of certain qualities of employees and the situations they work within.
Curriculum Materials
The curriculum materials can be found through the Southern Miss Gulf Scholars Program's Aquila page. The GSP Aquila page features curriculum modules, PowerPoints, and other sources.
Experiences
Student Interest
The GSP wants to instill in Gulf Scholars "soft skills" that bring together our mission of preparing students for a more sustainable, coastal future. In order to prepare students, the GSP takes inspiration from Southern Miss Career Services and teaches 8 qualities to Gulf Scholars:
1. Critical thinking and problem solving
2. Oral and written communication skills
3. Teamwork and collaboration
4. Technological impacts
5. Leadership
6. Professionalism and work ethic
7. Career management
8. Coastal and cultural awareness
GSP Curriculum Projects
BSC 345 Gulf Scholars Symposium
BSC 345 students presented their research at the Gulf Scholars Symposium, a GSP event facilitated by Dr. Jennifer McKinney. The theme was Resilience in Mississippi Fisheries, and students researched topics ranging from the impacts of plastics on marine life to overfishing.