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Susan A. Siltanen, Ph.D., Dean
Professor, Communication Studies
118 118 College Drive #5024
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-4369 FAX (601) 266-51 38
Email: graduateschool@usm.edu
www.usm.edu/graduate-school
The University of Southern Mississippi’s responsibilities as a center of higher learning and an academic environment in which advanced research and free inquiry could develop to the advantage of both the student and the State have increased and flourished. The Graduate School was established in 1947 to recognize the university’s increasing leadership role in graduate education. In the years since 1947, the university’s graduate programs have developed logically on the growing points of strong undergraduate schools and departments to meet the needs for professional competence beyond the academic measure of the baccalaureate degree.
In 1972, responding to the need to offer graduate programs beyond the boundaries of the Hattiesburg campus, the Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning authorized the university to grant graduate degrees on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast. Graduate course work may be taken on the various Gulf Coast locations, as well as through the study-abroad programs, and online programs.
Because the university has emerged as a dynamic center of higher learning in which advanced research and graduate education flourish in symbiotic fashion, the Southern Regional Education Board and Carnegie Foundation bestow upon the university their highest rankings. The University of Southern Mississippi is an SREB Four-Year I institution, and is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a Comprehensive Doctoral Research institution.
The Graduate Council
The Graduate Council recommends policies pertaining to graduate education at the university. It includes elected faculty members from the various degree-granting colleges. Permanent ex officio members are the president of the university, the university librarian, and the dean of the Graduate School who serves as coresponding secretary of the council. The council elects a chair from its regular members. The university registrar serves as recording secretary of the council. The council’s meeting dates, members, bylaws and the “Index to Graduate Council Decisions” are available at www.usm.edu/graduate-school.
The responsibilities of the Graduate Council include:
- Recommending policies of admission to graduate study at Southern Miss.
- Considering and approving graduate programs (majors, minors, emphasis areas, and certificates) submitted to the council through curriculum committees of each college.
- Electing members of the graduate faculty upon recommendation by the chairs and academic deans. All graduate faculty must complete Research and Scholarly Integrity Education program.
- Approving new courses, modifying existing courses, and deleting courses for graduate credit including online courses.
- Acting upon any other issues affecting graduate programs.
The graduate programs approved by the council are carried out through the graduate faculty in each degree-granting college of the university’s academic organization.
Graduate School Admissions (U.S. citizens)
Graduate School Admissions
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 118 College Drive #5024
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-5137
All U.S. citizens applying to graduate programs offered on all Southern Miss campuses should apply online (www.usm.edu/graduate-school) and send transcripts from all universities attended, and send all materials online, and test scores to Graduate School Admissions. Students applying to more than one degree program should submit two separate applications. Students may enroll in only one program if accepted to both unless dual enrollment has been approved.
International Student Applications
Elizabeth Shoemake, Admissions Coordinator, International Student and Scholar Services
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 118 College Drive #5151
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
USA (601) 266-4841
fax (601) 266-48 98
email: isss@usm.edu
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) coordinates all facets of international admissions and student services. ISSS provides counseling on immigration regulations, personal matters, culture shock and adjustment, as well as some academic counseling in conjunction with the various departments. ISSS processes all international applications, evaluates foreign academic credentials, and issues the appropriate immigration documents for non-immigrant foreign students. Cultural programming for international students and the community is also coordinated by the office.
All international students applying to graduate programs offered on all Southern Miss campuses should submit an online application at www.usm.edu/graduate-school.
Graduate Degree Requirement Processing, Auditing, and Tracking
The Graduate School - Auditors
The Graduate School - Graduate Reader
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 118 College Drive #5024
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-4369
The degree auditors and tracking specialists maintain the plan of study, advising transcripts, process all milestone information (e.g., comprehensive exam results) and grade changes, and do the final degree audit before posting the degree. The graduate reader manages the processing of theses and dissertations from initial committee appointments to the final proofreading. The reader also sends copies of the theses and dissertations to the bindery. See www.usm.edu/graduate-school for specific information on plan of study forms, deadlines, and dissertation/thesis guidelines.
Graduate Student Senate
Gradaute Student Senate
The University of Southern Mississippi
118 118 College Drive #5024
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-4369
The Graduate Student Senate invites all graduate students to join, however, each department has one voting member. The GSS sponsors a variety of activities including lectures, informal gatherings and the annual Graduate Student Research Symposium. The GSS also provides editorial leadership to Synergy: A Journal for Graduate Student Research which is published three times a year. The Graduate Student Senate works with and advises the Dean of the Graduate School on issues affecting graduate students.
(See www.usm.edu/graduate-school for meeting dates and members).
Degree Programs Offered*
The University of Southern Mississippi offers graduate programs in nearly every recognized academic discipline. Even those departments that do not offer master’s or doctoral degrees may offer a graduate minor. In addition, some graduate degrees are offered at the Gulf Coast campus in conjunction with the Hattiesburg departments. For specific information about the graduate programs there, please see the Gulf Coast section in the Bulletin. We also offer Graduate Certificate programs.
Master’s degrees provide broad-based advanced knowledge, training, and an understanding of research, and/or creative or problem-solving activities in a discipline that will enable the recipients to contribute to their disciplines and professions.
Specialist degrees provide more advanced knowledge, problem-solving skills, and training needed to contribute to a discipline with greater emphasis on skill development and integration of applied research.
Doctoral degrees are research degrees that provide (a) specialized, advanced knowledge of a discipline, (b) an ability to integrate a specialized field of study into the larger areas of knowledge, and (c) the critical, analytical, and/or problem-solving tools needed to produce original, independent scholarly research or creative work in a discipline, thus contributing to the discipline’s body of knowledge.
The degrees offered, their majors, and emphasis areas are listed below. For specific Plans of Study, go to www.usm.edu/graduate-school/planofstudy.php.
*Please note that degree offerings may change due to current program reviews. Those listed in this Bulletin are those granted as of the 2012-2013 academic year.
Check www.usm.edu/graduate-school/planofstudy.php for current offerings. |
