Southern Studies is an interdisciplinary program that combines required cultural studies courses on the American and global South with courses from multiple disciplines including history, literature, sociology, anthropology, music, political science, and documentary studies. Students in the program take introductory classes about how to study the South, numerous advanced courses of their choice in different fields, and senior-level seminars that require final interdisciplinary papers or projects.

The University of Mississippi had the first undergraduate major in Southern Studies, and more than 300 students have completed undergraduate degrees in the program.