Mar 19, 2024  
2014-2015 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2014-2015 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Introduction



The University of Southern Mississippi and its board of trustees were established by an act of the Legislature approved on March 30, 1910, by Gov. Edmund F. Noel. Its first name was the Mississippi Normal College, and its original purpose was to train teachers for the rural schools of Mississippi. On February 2, 1932, the Legislature established the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and placed under its jurisdiction the five colleges and one university owned and operated by the state. On November 3, 1942, the people of the state voted to make the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning a constitutional board for all colleges and universities of the state. The University of Southern Mississippi is now operated under the jurisdiction of that constitutional board.

The act of March 30, 1910, did not provide any state money for the building of Mississippi Normal College but did provide that localities in the state might bid for its location by offering land for a site and money for constructing buildings. On September 16, 1910, the Board of Trustees accepted the bid of Hattiesburg and Forrest County to supply $250,000 and a free site. That site was west of the city in cutover timberland with great pine stumps everywhere. Contracts were let to clear the land and to build buildings.

The five permanent buildings (College Hall, Forrest County Hall, Hattiesburg Hall, the Industrial Cottage [now the Honor House], and the President’s Home [now the Alumni House]), a temporary wooden Dining Hall, and other necessary improvements were barely finished when the Mississippi Normal College opened on the rainy morning of September 18, 1912, with a president, a faculty of 18, and a student body of 200.

On October 17, 1911, Joseph Anderson Cook, superintendent of schools in Columbus, Mississippi, was elected president. The University of Southern Mississippi has had only ten presidents since its founding. The Board of Trustees elected Claude Bennett president, effective October 10, 1928. On April 23, 1933, the Board of Trustees elected Dr. Jennings Burton George as the third president, effective July 1, 1933. On June 13, 1945, the Board of Trustees elected Dr. Robert Cecil Cook as the fourth president, and he officially assumed office on July 1, 1945. On October 21, 1954, President Cook submitted his resignation. He served until December 31, 1954, and Dr. Richard Aubrey McLemore became acting president on January 1, 1955. The Board of Trustees, on May 19, 1955, elected Dr. William David McCain as the fifth president. He officially assumed office on August 1, 1955, and retired June 30, 1975. Dr. Aubrey Keith Lucas became the sixth president of the university on July 1, 1975, and served until his retirement on December 31, 1996, with the longest tenure of any president. Dr. Horace Weldon Fleming, Jr., served as the seventh president from January 1, 1997, until August 30, 2001. Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas returned to the presidency on September 1, 2001, and served until April 30, 2002. On April 13, 2002, the Board of Trustees elected Dr. Shelby Freland Thames as the eighth president, effective May 1, 2002. Dr. Martha Dunagin Saunders became the ninth president of Southern Miss effective May 21, 2007, and served as its first-ever female president. On July 1, 2012, Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas returned to the presidency a second time and served as interim president until March 31, 2013. On February 7, 2013, the Board of Trustees named Dr. Rodney D. Bennett as the tenth President of The University of Southern Mississippi effective April 1, 2013. Dr. Bennett serves as the first African-American president.

As has been stated, The University of Southern Mississippi was founded on March 30, 1910, as the Mississippi Normal College. On March 7, 1924, the Legislature changed the name to State Teachers College. On February 8, 1940, the Legislature changed the name to Mississippi Southern College, and on February 27, 1962, the Legislature changed the name to The University of Southern Mississippi.

The Mississippi Normal College did not grant degrees in its early years but awarded certificates for the completion of certain specified courses of study. On April 8, 1922, the Legislature authorized the awarding of the bachelor of science degree. The bachelor of music degree was authorized by the Board of Trustees on June 19, 1934. The first bachelor of arts degree was awarded on August 20, 1940. On May 26, 1947, the Board of Trustees authorized the initiation of graduate work and the awarding of the master of arts degree. In the years since 1947, the university’s graduate programs have developed logically to meet the needs for professional competence beyond the academic measure of the baccalaureate degree. Doctoral programs were first authorized by the Board of Trustees on May 20, 1959.

The administrative and academic organization of The University of Southern Mississippi is divided into the following areas: Office of the President; Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Office of the Vice President for Advancement; Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration; Office of the Vice President for the Gulf Park Campus; Office of the Vice President for Research; Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs; and Office of the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Academically, the university is organized into the College of  Arts and Letters, College of Business,  College of Education and Psychology, College of Health, College of Nursing, College of Science and Technology, the Graduate School, and Honors College.

The University of Southern Mississippi

Vision

The University of Southern Mississippi will emerge as the premier research university of the Gulf South – engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities.

Mission

Our primary mission is to cultivate intellectual development and creativity through the generation, dissemination, application, and preservation of knowledge.

Our Values

Our mission is supported by the values that have been formed through the history and traditions of our institution. These values are widely and deeply held beliefs of our faculty, staff, students, and administrators:

  • Education provides opportunities to improve the quality of intellectual, social, economic, and personal well-being. These opportunities should be available to all who are willing and able to meet our standards of excellence.
  • Our success is reflected by the degree to which our students become well-read, articulate, and creative and critical thinkers. It is measured by their display of specialized knowledge and abilities suitable to the pursuit of a career and life in our complex, ever-changing world.
  • We cherish innovation in the creation and application of basic and applied research findings, creative and artistic expression, meaningful learning experiences, the scope of services provided to our students and the broader community that we sustain, and the continuing evolution of degree programs that both respond to and anticipate the evolving demands of our society, employers, and the labor market.
  • Education encourages and advances the ideals of a pluralistic democratic society: civic responsibility, integrity, diversity, and ethical behavior.
  • Academic freedom and shared governance are long-established and living principles at the university. We cherish the free exchange of ideas, diversity of thought, joint decision making, and individuals’ assumption of responsibility.
  • We make efficient and effective use of our resources, for we are accountable to our university communities, the Board of Trustees, and taxpayers.

Our Plan

Four priorities guide The University of Southern Mississippi, each helping to support our vision. These priorities, identified through a strategic planning process in 2007-2008, provide a solid foundation for progress.

  • Climate of Academic Success
  • Image Development
  • Community Connection
  • Healthy Minds, Bodies, and Campuses

Climate of Academic Success

Our vision for a climate of academic success includes a unified environment that minimizes barriers for prospective and enrolled students, attracts and retains quality faculty and staff, embraces and reflects diversity, and produces graduates who are truly competitive in the global marketplace.

Students, faculty, and staff at Southern Miss, along with the larger community, benefit from a wide range of cultural, social, and educational experiences that yield informed, responsible, and productive citizens with a standard of lifelong learning.

University experiences are supported by quality facilities and up-to-date technology accessible to the entire university community. Educational programs adhere to rigorous standards in terms of student advisement, engagement, and mentoring; curriculum development and delivery; and the exploration and generation of scholarly work.

Students admitted to Southern Miss have every opportunity to earn a degree and acquire a comprehensive educational foundation that expands their perspectives, enhances their opportunities, and enriches our society.

Supporting Measures: Baccalaureate degrees awarded/six-year graduation rates/student return rates/square footage of new or substantially renovated facilities/accreditation for eligible programs/NSSE senior scores in the top 50 percent in each of the five benchmark areas/percentage of graduates employed in desired field or admitted to graduate school within one year of graduation

Image Development

Image development promotes the internal and external reputation of the university and supports the vision of Southern Miss. Image development must be linked to what we do and how well we do it.

Supporting Measures: Results on Chronicle/Gallup Branding Index/scores in U.S. News and Forbes University rankings/positive national media coverage.

Community Connection

We envision engaged citizens of Southern Miss (students, faculty, and staff) who genuinely invest in their university community and their host communities (locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.) Our engaged citizens internationally build community through learning and working together inside and outside the university in order to create and sustain a culture of respect and civility. We do this through hosting, serving, sharing, and discovering.

  • Hosting refers to the importance of every contact made on campus - from the first to the last.
  • Serving allows university citizens to invest in people, agencies/businesses, and organizations through volunteering, service learning, internships, applied scholarship, and university/community partnerships.
  • Sharing focuses on how we build relationships and engagement inside the university and with our host communities.
  • Discovering encompasses the scholarship and creative activities of the university communities.

Supporting Measures: Student volunteer hours/square footage of sharing (social/learning) space/attendance at university-sponsored events/peer reviewed publications and presentations/external research funding/total endowed portfolio/alumni giving.

Healthy Minds, Bodies, and Campuses

A culture that emphasizes a multidimensional healthy environment at Southern Miss is deemed central to attain the goals of this strategic plan. An emphasis on healthy lifestyles will enhance the quality of the Southern Miss experience and beyond. Appropriate efforts in campus sustainability will contribute to an improved environmental impact and an informed perspective on resource use. Continuous efforts to maintain safety and security of all at Southern Miss will increase the potential to attain individual and community goals.

Supporting Measures: Participation in university-sponsored wellness/fitness activities/employee absenteeism/LEED certified buildings and renovations/solid waste reduction/recycling.

General Information

David Sliman
Chief Information Officer
FCH 317
david.sliman@usm.edu
601.266.41 90
Fax: 601.266.41 04

Wireless Internet Access

The University of Southern Mississippi offers students, faculty, staff and guests access to wireless services. For more information about wireless services offered, go to the iTech website at www.usm.edu/itech.

Student Wireless Instructions

  1. Select USMStudent network
  2. Log in with your CampusID credentials
  3. Upon successful log in, you are connected to the USMStudent network

The configuration will only take a few minutes for your device to be updated. Once completed, you will automatically be connected to the “USM” network and directed to the USM website.  No longer will you have to enter your CampusID and password each time to access the wireless network at Southern Miss! For an additional convenience, all Wi-Fi-enabled devices, including phones and tablets, may also be configured to access the “USM” wireless network.


If you need assistance to configure your device, go to the iTech website and click on Service Catalog/Connections and Accounts/Student Wireless or you may call the iTech Help Desk at 601-266-HELP(4357)..

E-mail Accounts

The University provides email services to all current Southern Miss students, faculty, and staff. All students are required to activate their Southern Miss e-mail. To activate your e-mail account, log in to SOAR with your student ID or employee ID and password. Students can follow the directions located on the iTech Web site at www.usm.edu/itech/eagleapps.

CampusID and Password Reset

After you have established your username and password, you can reset a lost or forgotten password by going to campusid.usm.edu. CampusID will allow you to conveniently reset your password 24 hours a day.

Eagle Apps ID

After you have established your Eagle Apps e-mail and password, you can reset a lost or forgotten password by going to eagleappsid.usm.edu. Eagle Apps ID will allow you to conveniently reset your password instantly without contacting the iTech Help Desk.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended deals with one subject only: educational records. The purpose of the law is to define, more precisely than ever has been done, who may or may not see them. On the one hand, the law grants students guaranteed access; on the other hand, it takes from the universities the privilege of indiscriminate disclosure.

The FERPA sets forth these main requirements:

  1. It allows a student access to each educational record that a university or college keeps on him or her;
  2. It requires the institution to establish a policy on how students can go about seeing specific records;
  3. It requires the institution to inform all students as to what rights they have under the amendment, how they can act on these rights according to school policy, and how they can see a copy of the policy; and
  4. It requires the institution to seek student permission, in writing, before disclosing any personally identifiable record to individuals other than professional personnel employed in the university or college (and others who meet certain specified requirements).

The university has developed and put into writing a policy for handling requests from students and for disclosing personally identifiable information about students. Students are notified of their rights under the law by publishing the university policy in the Student Success Guide.

Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Since 1992, students and faculty of The University of Southern Mississippi have benefited from its membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). ORAU is a consortium of 96 colleges and universities, and a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members.

Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), the DOE facility that ORAU operates, undergraduates, graduates, postgraduates, as well as faculty enjoy access to a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Students can participate in programs covering a wide variety of disciplines including business, earth sciences, epidemiology, engineering, physics, geological sciences, pharmacology, ocean sciences, biomedical sciences, nuclear chemistry, and mathematics. Appointment and program length range from one month to four years. Many of these programs are especially designed to increase the numbers of underrepresented minority students pursuing degrees in science- and engineering-related disciplines. A comprehensive listing of these programs and other opportunities, their disciplines, and details on locations and benefits can be found in the ORISE Catalog of Education and Training Programs, which is available at http://www.orau.gov/orise/educ.htm, or by calling either of the contacts below.

ORAU’s Office of Partnership Development seeks opportunities for partnerships and alliances among ORAU’s members, private industry, and major federal facilities. Activities include faculty development programs, such as the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, the Visiting Industrial Scholars Program, consortium research funding initiatives, faculty research and support programs, as well as services to chief research officers.

For more information about ORAU and its programs, contact

Dr. Gordon Cannon                                                Monnie E. Champion
Vice President for Research                                   ORAU Corporate Secretary
ORAU Councilor for Southern Miss                         (865) 576-3306

Visit the ORAU home page at http://www.orau.org.

Retention of Students and Program Completion Information

The University of Southern Mississippi Fact Book includes information on retention and graduation and is located in the reserve material at the circulation desk in Joseph Anderson Cook Library and is available upon request.

Sexual Harassment

To foster an environment of respect for the dignity and worth of all members of the university community, Southern Miss is committed to maintaining working and learning environments free of sexual harassment. It is the policy of the university that no member of its community shall sexually harass another. Any employee or student who violates this policy is subject to disciplinary action which may include termination. Sexual harassment is illegal under federal law. Contact Dean of Graduate School with concerns at (601) 266-4369.

Rehabilitation Act of 1 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act

The University of Southern Mississippi complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. No otherwise qualified individual with disabilities, shall solely by reason of his/her disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in the administration of any educational program or activity, including admission or access thereto or in treatment or employment therein by The University of Southern Mississippi. All reasonable accommodations for students must be approved through the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA); accommodations for faculty and staff must be approved through the Human Resources director. Students who need assistance in reasonably accommodating a disability in the classroom or on campus should contact the ODA director at (601) 266-5024 or (228) 214-3232; faculty/staff should contact the director of Human Resources at 266-4050. Individuals with hearing impairments can use Mississippi Relay Service at 1-800-582-2233 (TTY) to contact campus offices.

Publications

The University of Southern Mississippi has three publications each year: the Undergraduate Bulletin, the Graduate Bulletin, and the Regional Campus Publication. To obtain information about the complete programs of the university, please check each publication.

The University Press of Mississippi

The University Press of Mississippi was founded in 1970 to encourage the dissemination of the fruits of research and study through the publication of scholarly works. Functioning as the scholarly publishing arm of the state-supported universities in Mississippi, The University Press is governed by a Board of Directors made up of one representative from each of the eight state universities, one representative from the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and the director of the press.

The University Press publishes more than 50 books each year. Primary areas of interest are Mississippi history and literature, but manuscripts in all areas of study are welcomed.

Administrative offices of The University Press are located in the Education and Research Center of Mississippi, 3825 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, MS, 39211.

The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association

The Alumni Association was established in 1917 as an organization mainly involved in functions relating to placement service. Since its rebirth in 1946, when the Executive Committee recognized the need for a working Alumni Association with organized alumni groups in the various counties of the state, the Association has operated in its present form, serving as a link between the university and its former students.

Southern Miss graduates and former students are encouraged to become active in the Alumni Association through its many geographic chapters and constituent societies. Of more than 120,000 graduates since the university’s founding, approximately 16,000 are currently enlisted as paid members of the Association.

The Association provides a number of benefits to its members, including a subscription to the quarterly magazine The Talon, which helps graduates stay informed of campus developments and provides updates on former classmates. Other benefits include a waiver of out-of-state tuition fees for children and grandchildren of members who meet certain requirements, receipt of mailings on area alumni chapter meetings, select library privileges, car decals, eligibility to join the Southern Miss Credit Union and various other special events. The Association also maintains a website, SouthernMissAlumni.com, and distributes a monthly electronic newsletter, Alumni Mail.

The Association is very active in developing other programs to support all areas of the university. Some of these include the Pierce Legacy Scholars Program, which awards one-time scholarships to select children and grandchildren of alumni, sponsoring arts and athletic events, and organizing meetings throughout the region.

The Alumni Association also sponsored the drive to raise the funds necessary for the construction of the R.C. Cook University Union and Hub, helped establish the USM Foundation (the repository for all gifts to the university), and organized The Legacy, the student chapter of the Alumni Association, an organization composed of hard-working, enthusiastic students involved in a variety of activities each semester to promote the university.

Organized alumni chapters are urged to hold a meeting each year on or around March 30 for the election of officers. This date was selected by the Association as Founders’ Day in commemoration of the founding of the university on that date in 1910. All former students of Southern Miss are encouraged to gather in honor of the university on this date.

University Libraries

Library facilities at The University of Southern Mississippi include the Joseph Anderson Cook Library and the William David McCain Library and Archives on the Hattiesburg campus, the Gulf Coast Library in Long Beach, and the Gunter Library in Ocean Springs. An extensive Web site provides access to the libraries holdings, including full text and article databases, electronic journals and books, and digitized collections. The libraries Web site also provides access to services such as reference and research assistance, tutorials and other instructional services, and document delivery.

The Joseph Anderson Cook Library

The Joseph Anderson Cook Library contains the principal collections of books, journals, microforms, music, media, and other materials which support the research and instructional programs of the university. Book stacks, study areas and computers are available throughout the building. Access is provided to a variety of online resources on a wide range of subjects. The collections are arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification System. The library provides access to over 5 million books and microforms and over 150,000 journals.

The William David McCain Library and Archives

The William David McCain Library and Archives houses the special collections and archives of The University of Southern Mississippi. Resources are available for use by the public and the university community in the Cleanth Brooks Reading Room. Materials housed in this facility do not circulate outside the building. The online catalog and other descriptive finding aids serve as points of access to the collections. Among the notable holdings of McCain Library and Archives are the Mississippiana Collection; the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection; The Civil Rights Collection; the papers of William M. Colmer, Theodore G. Bilbo, and Paul B. Johnson, Jr.; the Walen Collection of Confederate and Civil War History; and the Cleanth Brooks Collection of belles lettres.

The Gulf Coast Library

The Gulf Coast Library houses print and nonprint materials to support the research and curriculum needs of the Long Beach campus. All university libraries’ electronic holdings are accessible at the Gulf Coast campus and materials are available for campus-to-campus loan. Collections include 37,000 volumes of curriculum resource materials. In addition, the library houses the Gulf Coast Heritage Room and provides computing access.

The Gunter Library

The Gunter Library at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs provides a collection of 1,663 print journals and over 30,000 books, reprints, reports, and gray literature, environmental impact statements; fishery management plans; and other materials supporting the research and teaching done by the Department of Coastal Sciences and GCRL scientific staff. An archival collection of GCRL publications, clippings, photographs, and other materials documenting the history of GCRL is also available.

The University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art

Originally established in 1977 as the C. W. Woods Gallery through a generous donation from the Woods family, the gallery was later expanded and renamed the University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art in 1997 by the Board of Trustees. Located off Southern Drive in Marsh Hall, the Fine Arts Building, the museum is composed of three exhibition spaces: the C. W. Woods Gallery, the Lok Exhibition Gallery, and the Karnes-Sullivan Gallery.

Recent exhibitions have included In Balance: Beauvais Lyons, Althea Murphy-Price, and Koichi Yamamoto - Three Printmakers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2011), The Intelligent Eye: Recent Paintings by William Baggett (2010), 100 Alumni: The Department of Art & Design Centennial Alumni Exhibition (2010), and American Masters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast (2009) featuring acclaimed artists from Mississippi.

In addition to exhibiting the work of nationally and internationally recognized artists, the museum also exhibits the work of Southern Miss Department of Art & Design faculty with a biannual faculty exhibition, and the work of Art & Design students and graduating seniors.

The museum also displays works of art from our permanent collection, which include works by Joan Miro, Georges Rouault, Max Papart, Thomas Downing, Ed McGowin, Thornton Willis and many well-known Mississippi artists such as Walter Anderson, Dusti Bongé, Marie Hull, and Richmond Barthé. Many select pieces from the collection can currently be seen on long-term display in the newly established Cook Library Art Gallery.

Center for International Education

Dr. Daniel Norton, Associate Vice President
118 College Drive #5069
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
U.S.A.
www.usm.edu/international-education
Phone: (601) 266.4344
Fax: (601) 266.5699

The Center for International Education (CIE) at the University of Southern Mississippi coordinates programs and services that extend the university to our local and global communities. The Center’s purpose is to promote internationalization of the university and to prepare our students, faculty and staff for leadership and success in today’s interconnected world. Through its three administrative areas described below, the center provides intensive English language instruction; administers the university’s extensive study-abroad and international exchange programs; and coordinates international admissions and services for international students, scholars, and faculty.

English Language Institute

Ann Morris, Manager
118 College Dr. #5065
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
U.S.A.
Phone: (601) 266.4338
Fax: (601) 266.5723
eli@usm.edu
http://www.usm.edu/english-language-institute

The English Language Institute (ELI) delivers intensive academic English instruction for international students as well as for local residents for whom English is a second language. Full-time study is 25 hours a week. Part-time enrollment is also possible. Terms are eight weeks in duration. The program, which accommodates students from beginning to advanced language proficiency, is attended by students from around the world.

The ELI fosters cross-cultural awareness within the university and the community by offering ELI students opportunities for interaction with native English speakers, both on and off campus. Founded in 1947, the ELI is among the oldest language institutes in the United States. The program is a member of the University and College Intensive English Programs consortium (UCIEP).

 

 

International Programs

Amy Linden, Director
118 College Drive #5069
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
U.S.A.
Phone: 601.266.4344
Fax: 601.266.5699
www.usm.edu/study-abroad

International Programs administers a variety of programs providing Southern Miss students with semester and short-term opportunities to study abroad for academic credit. Short-term programs offering regular Southern Miss academic credit include the following:

Organized by Southern Miss, the British Studies Program is a month-long, six-credit program based in London for students from USM and our partner universities.

Canadian Service Learning
Dolphin Studies in Honduras
Forensic Science Field Studies in Canada
International Development in the United Kingdom
IPAI Germany
Japan Business and Culture
Music and German in Vienna, Austria
Music Production in Sweden
Religions of India
Study Abroad in Italy
Study Abroad in Panama
The Caribbean Studies Program in Jamaica
The French Language Program in Paris, France and Nice, France
The Spanish Language Program in Costa Rica
The Spanish Language Program in Madrid, Spain
Tropical Ecology in Belize

Semester abroad programs offering regular Southern Miss academic credit include the following: 

ESCE International Business School, France
ISTI Institute for Translators and Interpreters, Belgium
Keele University, England
Swansea University, Wales
The Granada Program, Spain
The Hague University, Netherlands
The Southern Miss Château Program in Strasbourg, France
University of Alcalá, Spain
University of Bonn, Germany
University of Exeter, England
University of Jaén, Spain
University of Orléans, France

International Student and Scholar Services

Barbara Jackson, Administrator
118 College Drive #5151
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
U.S.A.
(601) 266.4841
fax (601) 266.4898
http://www.usm.edu/international-services
isss@usm.edu

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) coordinates all facets of international admissions and student/scholar services. ISSS provides counsel on immigration regulations, personal matters, and culture shock and adjustment, as well as some academic counseling in conjunction with various departments. The office processes all international applications, evaluates foreign academic credentials, and issues the appropriate immigration documents for the nonimmigrant foreign student. Intercultural programming for international students and the community is also coordinated by ISSS.

The ISSS office disseminates Southern Miss information to foreign schools, U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, and nonprofit international organizations such as the Institute for International Education.

ISSS also provides information to, and immigration documents for, research scholars invited by various Southern Miss departments to participate in limited research opportunities.

Accrediting Agencies

The University of Southern Mississippi is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, specialists, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of The University of Southern Mississippi. Specific academic programs as noted in this Bulletin have been accredited by the following accreditation agencies:

SACS - COMMISSION ON COLLEGES OF THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS (404-679-4500) www.sacscoc.org
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033-4097

THE ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS (813-769-6500)
777 South Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 750
Tampa, FL 33602-5730

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (312-280-2432)
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (202-336-5500)
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION (800-638-8255)
2200 Research Blvd
Rockville, MD 20850-3289

ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR EDUCATION IN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS (312-899-0040 Ext. 5400)
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606-6995

COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY EDUCATION (202-452-0109)
112 South Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-3061

COMMISSION ON COLLEGIATE NURSING EDUCATION (202-887-6791)
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036-1120

COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION IN AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN
SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION (301-296-5700)
2200 Research Blvd #310
Rockville, MD 20850

COUNCIL FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF EDUCATOR PREPARATION (202-223-0077)
2010 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036-1023

COUNCIL ON ACCREDITATION OF NURSE ANESTHESIA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (847-655-1160)
222 S. Prospect Avenue
Park Ridge, IL 60068

COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH (202-789-1050)
1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 220
Silver Spring, MD 20910-5660

COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION (703-683-8080)
1701 Duke Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-3457

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS (301-657-0270)
4340 East West Highway, Suite 402
Bethesda, MD 30814

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF ART AND DESIGN (703-437-0700)
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, VA 22090

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC (703-437-0700)
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, VA 22090

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF THEATRE (703-437-0700)
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21
Reston, VA 22090

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ACCREDITATION OF COACHING EDUCATION
1900 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22090

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF MATHEMATICS
1906 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1502

NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
1840 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201

The Graduate School also maintains affiliation with the Council of Graduate Schools , One DuPont Circle, N.W., Suite 430, Washington, DC 20036-1173, (202)223-3791.