Coastal Sciences, Ph.D.

The Department of Coastal Sciences offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Coastal Sciences with specialization in a wide range of subdisciplines including aquaculture, coastal ecology, biodiversity and systematics, coastal geology, estuarine and marine botany, fisheries ecology, geochemistry, parasites and diseases, and toxicology. The Ph.D. program emphasizes excellence in research. Knowledge deficiencies will be corrected through enrollment in elective courses as determined by the student’s four-member graduate committee.

Qualified students holding a bachelor’s degree (B.S./B.A.) or M.S. degree in a relevant field of science are encouraged to apply for admission.

Admission Requirements

Granting of regular admission to the doctor of philosophy degree program is based on several criteria, including but not limited to the following:

1. Regular admission to the doctor of philosophy degree program requires consideration of the undergraduate overall GPA of 3.0 in a science-based major and a minimum GPA of 3.5 on all previous graduate work;
2. Submission of official results of the general section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Successful applicants have highly competitive scores;
3. A letter of intent stating interests and career goals as well as three letters of recommendation from people qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study should be sent to the department or school. The department will not initiate its review of an application until the letter of intent and letters of recommendation are provided. The letter of intent is used as a sample of the applicant’s writing and communication skills, and provides information concerning the compatibility of the applicant’s interests with departmental research interests. These should be sent to the Department of Coastal Sciences coordinator of Graduate Studies; and
4. A minimum score of 560 on the paper test or 220 on the computer test is required on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for applicants whose native language is not English.

Because more qualified students apply to the Department of Coastal Sciences than can be accepted, admission is selective and a complete application must be submitted.

Conditional admission to the Department of Coastal Sciences is considered for students who meet Graduate School standards for conditional admission and who are sponsored by a member of the faculty of the Department of Coastal Sciences. The sponsor must provide a written statement indicating willingness to serve as the applicant’s major professor. Conditional students can not obtain a departmental assistantship but can be awarded a research stipend from a major professor’s grant.

Conditionally admitted students must maintain a 3.50 GPA for the first nine (9) hours of formal coursework numbered 600 and above or on all coursework taken while meeting this requirement, not including research hours and only including up to three (3) hours of Special Problems. If this requirement is not met, the student is not allowed to remain in the program. Upon recommendation of the departmental chair and approval by the graduate dean, the conditionally admitted student may have their admission status changed to “regular admission.”

Students wishing to be considered for a limited number of graduate assistantships for the academic year beginning in the fall semester must have their completed application package to The Graduate School no later than February 15. All applications for admission reviewed after this date will be considered if space is available, or will be placed in consideration for the next term.

Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the second semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plans of Study” link.

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 there 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 of training information.

Program Requirements

A minimum of eighty-four (84) hours beyond a B.S./B.A. degree or a minimum of fifty-four (54) graduate hours beyond the M.S. degree is required for this degree. Students must meet the general requirements of the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi. Students advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree by completing the entire program of study (projection of coursework taken during tenure in coastal sciences; see below) developed in consultation with their graduate committee with a 3.0 grade point average or above, completing an approved dissertation prospectus, and successfully passing the written and oral comprehensive examinations.

The following list describes major additional requirements:

1. Choose a major professor and establish a four-member graduate doctoral committee by the beginning of the third semester in residency;
2. Develop a program of study (projection of coursework taken during tenure in Coastal Sciences) in consultation with major professor and dissertation committee by the end of the third semester of residency. Graduate students cannot accumulate more than two Cs;
3. Research Tool(s). The Ph.D. program requires that the student’s Ph.D. committee will convene and examine the student’s academic background and progress to date and will together develop a set of research tools based on the student’s goals. These research tools will not exceed a total of 15 hours in addition to the core courses and other degree requirements.
4. The student will present a prospectus defense to his/her graduate committee to demonstrate an adequate depth of knowledge and ability to conduct research and pursue the Ph.D. program. For full-time students, this requirement will normally be fulfilled by the end of the second year of the student’s program;
5. Pass an oral and written comprehensive examination by the end of the sixth semester in residency, which is administered by the doctoral committee; and
6. Present an acceptable copy of the dissertation to the graduate doctoral committee at least 10 days prior to a public defense of the dissertation at a publicly announced meeting. (See Dissertation Timetable in front section of this Bulletin.)
7. A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation.
8. Residency. Students must meet the residency requirements specified in the Bulletin.
9. Continuous enrollment - Students must meet the requirement specified in the front section of this Bulletin.