College of Health

Michael Forster, Ph.D., Dean
M. Kathleen Yadrick, Ph.D., Associate Dean
118 College Drive #5040
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-5253
www.usm.edu/health

Mission

The mission of the College of Health is to create, apply, and transmit expert knowledge, within and across the domains of its constituent disciplines, for the well-being and betterment of individuals, community, state, nation, and world.

Vision

The vision of the College of Health is advancing health and well-being through excellence and innovation in teaching, research and service.

Requirements for Admission

Admission to the College of Health requires applicants to meet minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements as specified by the Graduate School for master’s or doctoral study and submit acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is required of all non-English speaking applicants. Applicants must also have at least three (3) letters of recommendation from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study sent to the department or school.

Applicants must also meet all additional requirements for admission to a particular program of study. See the program description for additional admission criteria. The College of Health adheres to the university policies with regard to admission of graduate students on a conditional basis. The university regulations concerning conditional admissions for full or part-time students are stated in this Bulletin under Admission Requirements and Procedures. Members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

Requirements for Graduation

In the College of Health, the minimum requirements for the master’s and doctoral degrees are determined by the individual graduate programs within the six units. Most programs offer both the thesis and nonthesis option, with the non-clinical doctoral programs mandating a dissertation. All general requirements outlined earlier in this Bulletin must be satisfied for students to progress successfully toward degrees. While it is the student’s responsibility to know what the degree requirements are, the major professor may assist the student with requirements of the Graduate School, department, or school. Comprehensive exams are required for graduate degrees. The specific degree program will determine whether the exam will be written or oral or both. Consult the specific degree programs for their requirements. A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation. Residency is required for doctoral students.

Certain programs require clinical experiences. Clinical experiences generally require a criminal background check. A felony conviction may disqualify a student from the clinical experience thereby making the student unable to complete the degree. For additional information, contact the academic unit that houses the program.

Interdisciplinary Minor in Gerontology

The college offers an interdisciplinary minor in gerontology through five of the units within the college. More detailed information on specific program requirements and assistance with program planning is available from the designated faculty adviser in each of the college units. A student who has been admitted for graduate study may earn an interdisciplinary minor in gerontology by completing a minimum of twelve (12) semester hours of graduate-level courses selected from the course list provided.

Responsible Conduct of Research Training

All faculty holding Regular or Associate graduate faculty status, must complete RCR training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments. All graduate students must complete the RCR training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments the first semester they are enrolled in graduate school. The RCR policy and training information are found on the Graduate School web page – www.usm.edu/graduateschool. Contact the Dean of the Graduate School if you have any questions regarding the policy or training information.