The University of Southern Mississippi, known informally as Southern Miss, is a large public research university located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. It is situated miles ( km) north of Gulfport, Mississippi and miles ( km) northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana. Southern Miss is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. The university is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a "Research University" with "High Research Activity" (designation "RU/H").