History
Founded in 1963, South’s vision is to foster an environment that couples engaging learning experiences with high-level research, enabling our faculty and students to be leaders in their disciplines.
Education
The unique and beautiful Gulf Coast region is a catalyst for discovery and innovation, and South’s 1,200-acre campus has been transformed over the past decade with new facilities and resources for teaching, housing and recreation, health sciences, the arts, engineering, computer science and athletics.
Research
USA researchers are problem-solvers and pioneers, and our faculty often collaborate across disciplines.
The outcomes are high-quality scholarship, global partnerships, new information and opportunities, the transformation of traditional disciplines, and innovations that benefit society.
Student services
The Office of Student Services serves to support the College of Education and Professional Studies students in maintaining records in the areas of candidacy, graduation, and certification as awarded by the Alabama Department of Education.
A primary focus of the Office of Student Services is undergraduate student records. As part of this focus the Office of Student Services processes the following:
- Change of Majors – assist students with completing necessary paperwork
- Candidacy – review applications and notify students of status and/or admission
- Graduation – review students’ records for remaining requirements, prepare graduation check sheets and notify Registrar’s Office when requirements are complete
Housing services
Students who choose to live on campus are likely to be safer, happier, a higher GPA, and be more independent. There are SO many great reasons to live on campus – you’ll do better in school, make lifelong friends, have a built-in support system, and live close to everything. With 33 residence halls in 7 different residential communities, there are thousands of unique living experiences.
ICT services
The Computer Services Center (CSC) supports a wide range of computing and network services throughout the University Campuses and Hospitals.
Services include the student information and financial systems, wired and wireless networks, internet access and email, telephone systems, the directory and authentication systems, network storage systems, and numerous other services.Medical services
The mission of the Student Health Center (SHC) at the University of South Alabama is to provide efficient and cost effective health care services relevant to the needs of the University Community. We strive to accomplish this through health education, health promotion and primary medical care.
Campus life
The beautiful, tree-shaded main campus of the University spreads across 1,200 acres, with a landscape that includes cultivated flower gardens, walking paths and groves of pine trees, miles of bike trails, indoor and outdoor pools and a disc golf course. The Glenn Sebastian Nature Trail contains more than three miles of trails that wind through 95 acres of native pine and oak woodlands. In addition to the main campus and USA Health locations, South offers classes at its Baldwin County and Gulf Shores campuses.
Sports facilities
Our Aquatics program provides quality water activities in a safe, clean and healthy environment. The aquatics facility has two pools and a hot tub.
The outdoor pool is a zero entry pool. It has volleyball nets, basketball goals, water polo goals, a vortex and a deep water well. A 3" shallow area is for sunbathing or for small children to enjoy. The outdoor pool deck has swings, tables with chairs, hammocks and lounge chairs. There is a 14-person outdoor hot tub for anyone over 13 years of age.
Student clubs
The mission of USA Student Activities is to connect students with organizations, services and programs that will enhance their interests and passions while complimenting academic development. We encourage both individual and group experiences that foster interpersonal relationships, promote the application of practical and useful skills, and enhance the academic learning environment. We value experiences that inspire leadership, cultivate diversity, encourage campus and community engagement, and clarify individual values.
Accreditation
University of South Alabama programs are accredited by the following agencies listed below.
- ABET
- Accreditation Council for OT Education (ACOTE)
- Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA)
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- American Psychological Association (APA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) - AASCB Accounting
- Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
- Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
University of South Alabama Overview
University of South Alabama Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 19.8% United States
Top 14.3% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
1201
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1201 | 1201 | 1201 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
1677
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 126 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1317 | 1551 | 1677 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
University of South Alabama Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
United States Country
Mobile City
University of South Alabama Student Reviews & Awards
3.8
Based on 4 reviews
- 5 Star 2 Reviews
- 4 Star 1 Review
- 3 Star 0 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 1 Review
Shelby's Got Spirit!
South has a really passionate staff and great curriculum. I learned a lot; both as a person and as a student.
Great experience in Escuela de Artes Salamanca
A great introduction to design, with caring teachers and a good educational program.
1/5
Not being able to fund myself
Am not yet gone because of money
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