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Great Graduate Schools and Programs in the South

If you're looking for a sunny place to earn your advanced degree, check out this list of great graduate school and program options in the Southern US.

If you’d like to go to graduate school in sunny and 75° weather, do we have a list for you. The colleges and universities below are located in the Southern United States and all offer the advanced certificates, master’s degrees, PhDs, and other graduate-level programs you’re looking for. If you see a school that interests you, just click the “Connect me” button underneath the listing—then they'll reach out to you with more information. Let’s get your grad school search going!

Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University logoAbilene Christian University is a private coeducational university in Abilene, Texas. With more than 1,800 graduate students, the University offers 28 on-campus master's, doctoral, and specialist-level programs through the Schools of Health & Human Services, Professional Studies, Organizational Leadership, Nursing, and Graduate Theology. ACU graduate studies allow students to build off education and experience through transformative, credential-integrated, hands-on learning, enriched by research and guided by faculty mentors.

Connect me with ACU!

Angelo State University

Angelo State University logoAngelo State University is a public comprehensive university in San Angelo, Texas. ASU offers its more than 1,500 graduate students 45 master’s, doctoral, and certificate programs to choose from, including degrees in Agricultural Science, Business Administration, Clinical & Mental Health Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Curriculum & Instruction, Data Science, Intelligent Systems, Organizational Leadership, Physical Therapy, Social Work, and more. In their grad programs, the University prioritizes hands-on learning, cutting-edge research, and practical skills development to ensure students are well-prepared for success in their chosen field.

Connect me with ASU!

Catawba College

Catawba College logoCatawba College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Salisbury, North Carolina—50 miles from Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. Catawba grad students can pursue a Master of Science in Exercise & Nutrition Sciences or a Master of Sport Management on campus or choose a flexible online program, which includes the MHS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and MBA options in Business Administration, General Management, and Healthcare Administration. The College’s programs are crafted to meet the evolving demands of various industries in an environment reflective of the latest advancements in technology, with state-of-the-art facilities, research labs, and collaborative spaces.

Connect me with Catawba!

Dallas Baptist University

Dallas Baptist UniversityDallas Baptist University is a comprehensive Christ-centered liberal arts university with a 368-acre suburban campus in south Dallas, Texas. The Graduate School at DBU offers advanced degrees in Business & Leadership, Education, Ministry & Counseling, and Science & Technology in addition to other master’s and doctoral programs. Most graduate programs can be completed entirely online, through face-to-face instruction, or in a hybrid format.

Connect me with DBU!

Florida Institute of Technology

FITFlorida Institute of Technology is a private university in Melbourne, Florida—60 minutes from downtown Orlando. Students can choose from more than 100 campus-based graduate programs in Engineering, Computing, Science, Business, Aeronautics, Psychology, Communication, Human-Centered Design, and Education. Florida Tech’s many centers and institutes offer graduate students a wealth of research opportunities spanning several disciplines, including human spaceflight, Mars, the Indian River Lagoon, autism, cybersecurity, climate change, and more. 

Connect me with FIT!

Gardner-Webb University

Gardner-Webb UniversityGardner-Webb University is a Baptist-affiliated liberal and professional studies university in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. With approximately 1,500 graduate students, the University offers 35 master’s, doctoral, certificate, and post-doctoral certificate programs. GWU graduate students benefit from a focus on research and professional practice, programs designed to instill professional excellence, dedicated admission counselors, and more.

Connect me with GWU!

Lynn University

Lynn UniversityLynn University is a private liberal arts university in Boca Raton, Florida—23 miles from Fort Lauderdale and 50 miles from Miami. Graduate degrees range from Aviation Management to Visual Effects Animation, with programs offered through the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Management, Communication and Design, and Education as well as the Conservatory of Music. Accelerated terms, convenient online classes or evening courses on campus, and an award-winning iPad-powered curriculum help students complete their master’s degrees in as little as one year. 

Connect me with Lynn! 

Nova Southeastern University, College of Psychology

Nova Southeastern University, College of PsychologyNova Southeastern University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts institution located in Fort Lauderdale/Davie, Florida—10 miles from downtown. The College of Psychology offers Master of Science degrees in Counseling, Experimental Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and General Psychology as well as a PhD and PsyD in Clinical Psychology and a PsyD and PsyS in School Psychology. Students have the opportunity to work in a hands-on environment with clinical practices at the Psychological Services Center and 15 on-campus working clinics that treat a diverse South Florida population and many international visitors. 

Connect me with NSU College of Psychology!

Queens University of Charlotte

Queens University of CharlotteQueens University of Charlotte is a Presbyterian-affiliated private comprehensive university on a 30-acre campus in Charlotte, North Carolina. The University offers more than 30 graduate programs, including a variety of master’s degrees and certificates in in-demand fields like Cybersecurity; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Change Management; Nursing; Education; and more. Located just minutes from the financial center and blocks from the main hospitals of the state’s leading health care systems, Queens leverages the city of Charlotte’s diverse and thriving environment as an extended classroom.

Connect me with Queens!

Samford University

Samford UniversitySamford University is a private university on a 247-acre campus in suburban Birmingham, Alabama. More than 2,100 graduate students are enrolled in nearly 50 graduate degrees through 10 academic colleges: The Schools of Arts, Arts & Sciences, Business, Divinity, Education, Health Professions, Law, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health. The University is ranked first in Alabama and among the best private universities nationally for its return on investment.

Connect me with Samford!

Discover more great places to earn your advanced degree by exploring all our featured graduate school lists.

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