Graduate Bulletin of The University of Southern Mississippi

2006·29.9 MB·English

by  The University of Southern Mississippi

Graduate
Bulletin
2006-2007
The University ofSouthern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406
GENERALCATALOG ISSUE
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
2006-2007
FALLSEMESTEROPENSAUGUST23, 2006
TheUniversityofSouthernMississippiBulletin (USPS-652-260)
Publishedannually byThe University ofSouthernMississippi, Hattiesburg,
Mississippi. MediaMail PostagePaidatHattiesburg, Mississippi, 39402-9998.
POSTMASTER: Sendaddress changetoThe UniversityofSouthernMississippi,
118 College Drive#5166, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
TheUniversityofSouthernMississippiisaccreditedbytheCommissiononCollegesoftheSouthern
AssociationofCollegesandSchoolstoawardbachelor's,master's,specialist's,anddoctoraldegrees.
TheUniversityofSouthernMississippiofferstoallpersonsequalaccesstoeducational,programmatic,
andemploymentopportunitieswithoutregardtoage, sex, sexualorientation,religion, color, national
origin, Vietnam-era veteran status, or disability status. These provisions are pursuant to applicable
federal andstateregulations. InquiriesconcerningdiscriminationshouldbedirectedtotheOffice of
AffirmativeAction/EqualEmploymentOpportunity,310McLemoreHall,TheUniversityofSouthern
Mississippi,Hattiesburg,Mississippi39406-5168.
Information contained inthis publication is subjectto changewithout priornotice.Any changes
in this publication are on file in the Registrar's Office. Information contained herein shall not
constituteabindingagreementonthepartofTheUniversityofSouthernMississippi.
The University of Southern Mississippi uses a portion of educational and general funds,
includingtuition andfees, foroperatingcosts, includingmeritscholarships.
Students atThe University ofSouthern Mississippi are responsible for knowing and complying
withallrequirementsfortheirrespectivedegreesasstatedherein.
ThecolorsoftheUniversityareblackandgold.
ThemascotisGoldenEagle.
This bulletin was produced using EPArecommended standard recycled paper containing 40
percentwasteproductandprintedwith soybean-based ink. our«om*i
VOLUME NUMBER
91 3
(PublishedApril 2006)
The Contents
Academic Calendar
1
Introduction 3
Graduate Studies 11
Degrees Offered 13
Admission Requirements and Procedures 15
Master's Degree 16
Specialist's Degree 17
Doctoral Degree 18
Non-Degree 19
International 21
General Degree Requirements 24
Thesis/Dissertation Deadline Schedule 32
General Academic Information 33
Research Policies 37
Student Expenses, Financial Aid 38
University Facilities and Student Services 47
College ofArts and Letters 51
College ofBusiness and Economic Development 93
College ofEducation and Psychology 99
College ofHealth 145
College ofScience and Technology 181
Course Descriptions 219
Administration and Faculty 332
Index 353
The University ofSouthern Mississippi GulfCoast 1-21
Correspondence
Requests foraBulletin, an application form,orinformation concerningadmissionspolicies
andprocedures, room andboard, andtuition may be addressedto
GraduateAdmissions
The UniversityofSouthern Mississippi
118 CollegeDrive#10066
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
Website: www.usm.edu/graduatestudies/
E-mail: [email protected]
Othercorrespondencemaybeaddressedas follows:
Office ofGraduate Studies
#5024
Dean, CollegeofArts andLetters
#5004
Dean, CollegeofBusiness
#5021
Dean, CollegeofEducation andPsychology
#5023
Dean, CollegeofHealth
#10075
Dean, CollegeofScienceandTechnology
#5165
TheUniversityofSouthern Mississippi
118 CollegeDrive
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
1
Introduction
|
Academic Calendar
SUMMER 2006*
Monday-Friday,
March20-24 Advisement in departments
Monday-Friday,
March27-April 7 Southern'sOnlineAccessible Records(SOAR)WebRegistration
byregistrationwindow
Friday, May 12 Applicationdeadline fornewstudents-Check page 16
Thursday, May25 Orientation and registrationfornewgraduatestudents;
Residencehallsopen; Advisementindepartments
Friday, May26 Open registrationforallstudentsnotregisteredviaSOAR
Monday, May29 Memorial Day Holiday; Nightclasses begin
Tuesday,May30 Dayclasses begin
Tuesday,June27 Midpointinsemester;examinations forfirst-term(8W1)classes
Tuesday,July4 IndependenceDayHoliday(observed)
Friday,July7 Lastdaytofile application fordegree forFall
2006Commencement
Friday,July28 Lastdayofregularlyscheduledclasses
Monday-Friday
July31 -August4 Examinations
Saturday,August5 Residencehalls close
FALL2006*
Monday-Friday,
March20-24 Advisementindepartments
Monday-Friday,
April 10-28 Southern'sOnlineAccessibleRecords(SOAR)WebRegistration
byregistrationwindow
Friday,August4 Applicationdeadlinefornewstudents-Check page 16
Saturday,August 19 Residencehalls open
Tuesday,August22 Openregistrationforall studentsnotregisteredviaSOAR
Wednesday,August23 Classesbegin
Monday, September4 LaborDayHoliday
dayand nightclasseswill notmeet
Friday, October 1 Midpointinsemester;examinations forfirst-term(8W1)classes
Thursday-Friday Fall Break
October 19-20 dayand nightclasseswill notmeet
Friday,November3 Lastdaytofile application fordegreeforSpring
2007 Commencement
Wednesday,November22
6:00p.m. ThanksgivingHolidaysbegin.
Dayand nightclasseswill notmeet
Monday,November27 Classes resume
Friday, December6 Lastdayofregularlyscheduledclasses
Monday-Friday
December8-14 Examinations
Friday, December 15 Commencement, BernardReedGreenColiseum
"Graduate StudentSpecial Deadlines -p. 33
1 1
Introduction
SPRING 2006*
Monday-Friday,
October9- 13 Advisementindepartments
Monday-Friday,
October 16-Nov. 3 Southern'sOnlineAccessibleRecords(SOAR)WebRegistration
byregistrationwindow
Friday, December8 Applicationdeadline fornewstudents-Check page 16
Thursday,January 1 Residencehallsopen
Friday,January 12 OpenregistrationforallstudentsnotregisteredviaSOAR
Monday,January 15 MartinLutherKing,Jr.'sBirthday(observed)
Dayand nightclasseswill notmeet
Monday,January 16 Classesbegin
Monday-Tuesday, Mardi GrasHoliday
February 19-20 dayand nightclasseswill notmeet
Friday, March9 Mid-pointinsemester;examinationsforfirstterm(8W1)classes
Monday-Friday,
March 12-16 SpringHolidays
Monday, March 19 Secondterm(8VV2)classesbegin
Friday,March23 LastdaytofileapplicationfordegreeforSummer
2007
Friday, March30 Southern MissFounder's Day
Friday,April 6 GoodFridayHoliday
dayand nightclasseswill notmeet
Monday,April 9 Classesresume
Friday, May4 Lastdayofregularlyscheduledclasses
Monday-Friday,
May 7-11 Examinations
Friday, May 1 Commencement, BernardReedGreenColiseum
Saturday, May 12 Residencehalls close
CalendarNotes
'Graduate StudentSpecial Deadlines-p. 32
1
Introduction 3
|
Introduction
The University ofSouthern Mississippi and its board oftrustees were established by an act ofthe
Legislatureapproved on March 30, 1910, byGov. Edmund F. Noel. Its firstname was the Mississippi
Normal College, and its original purpose was to train teachers for the rural schools ofMississippi.
On February 2, 1932, the Legislature established the Board ofTrustees ofState Institutions ofHigher
Learning and placed under itsjurisdictionthe five colleges and one university owned and operated by
the state. OnNovember3, 1942, the people ofthe state voted to make the Board ofTrustees ofState
InstitutionsofHigherLearning aconstitutional board forall colleges and universities ofthe state. The
UniversityofSouthernMississippiisnowoperatedunderthejurisdictionofthatconstitutional board.
TheactofMarch30,1910,didnotprovideanystatemoneyforthebuildingofMississippiNormalCollege,
butdidprovidethatlocalitiesinthestatemightbidforitslocationbyofferinglandforasiteandmoneyfor
constructingbuildings.OnSeptember 16, 1910,theBoardofTrusteesacceptedthebidofHattiesburgand
ForrestCountytosupply$250,000andafreesite.Thatsitewaswestofthecityincut-overtimberlandwith
greatpinestumpseverywhere.Contractswerelettoclearthelandandtobuildbuildings.
The five permanentbuildings (College Hall, ForrestCounty Hall, HattiesburgHall, the Industrial Cottage
[nowtheHonorHouse], andthePresident'sHome [nowtheAlumniHouse]),atemporarywoodenDining
Hall,andothernecessaryimprovementswerebarelyfinishedwhentheMississippiNormalCollegeopenedon
therainymorningofSeptember18, 1912,withapresident,afacultyof18,andastudentbodyof200.
On October 17, 1911, JosephAnderson Cook, superintendentofschools in Columbus, Mississippi, was
electedpresidentTheUniversityofSouthernMississippihashadonlyeightpresidentssinceitsfounding.
The BoardofTrustees electedClaude Bennettpresident, effective October 10, 1928. OnApril 23, 1933,
theBoardofTrusteeselectedDr.JenningsBurtonGeorgeasthethirdpresident,effectiveJuly 1, 1933.On
June 13, 1945,theBoardofTrusteeselectedDr.RobertCecilCookasthefourthpresidentandheofficially
assumedofficeonJuly 1, 1945.OnOctober21, 1954,PresidentCooksubmittedhisresignation.Heserved
untilDecember31, 1954,andDr.RichardAubreyMcLemorebecameactingpresidentonJanuary 1, 1955.
The Board ofTrustees, on May 19, 1955, elected Dr. William David McCain as the fifth president. He
officiallyassumedofficeonAugust1, 1955,andretiredJune30, 1975.Dr.AubreyKeithLucasbecamethe
sixthpresidentoftheuniversityonJuly 1, 1975,andserveduntilhisretirementonDecember31, 1996,with
thelongesttenureofanypresident Dr. HoraceWeldonFleming,Jr.,servedastheseventhpresidentfrom
January 1, 1997, untilAugust30,2001. Dr.Aubrey K. Lucas returnedtothepresidencyon September 1,
2001,andserveduntilApril30,2002.OnApril13,2002,theBoardofTrusteeselectedDr.ShelbyF.Thames
astheeighthpresidenteffectiveMay 1,2002.
As has been stated,The UniversityofSouthern Mississippi was founded on March30, 1910, as the
MississippiNormal College. OnMarch 7, 1924, the Legislature changedthenameto StateTeachers
College.OnFebruary8, 1940,theLegislaturechangedthenametoMississippiSouthernCollege,and
onFebruary27, 1962,theLegislaturechangedthenametoTheUniversityofSouthernMississippi.
The Mississippi Normal College did not grant degrees in its early years, but awarded certificates for
the completion ofcertain specified courses ofstudy. OnApril 8, 1922, the Legislature authorized the
awardingofthebachelorofsciencedegree.ThebachelorofmusicdegreewasauthorizedbytheBoard
ofTrusteesonJune 19, 1934.ThefirstbachelorofartsdegreewasawardedonAugust20, 1940.OnMay
26, 1947,theBoardofTrusteesauthorizedtheinitiationofgraduateworkandtheawardingofthemaster
ofarts degree. Intheyears since 1947, the university's graduateprograms have developed logicallyto
meettheneedsforprofessional competencebeyondtheacademicmeasureofthebaccalaureatedegree.
DoctoralprogramswerefirstauthorizedbytheBoardofTrusteesonMay20, 1959.
TheadministrativeandacademicorganizationofTheUniversityofSouthernMississippiisdividedintothe
followingareas: OfficeofthePresidentOfficeoftheProvostOfficeoftheChiefFinancialOfficer;Office
ofthe Vice PresidentforResearch and Economic Development; Officeofthe Vice PresidentforStudent
Affairs;andOfficeoftheDirectorofIntercollegiateAthletics.Academically,theuniversityisorganizedinto
theCollegeof Arts and Letters, CollegeofBusiness, College ofEducation and Psychology,Collegeof
Health,CollegeofScienceandTechnology,andHonorsCollege.
4 Introduction
The University of Southern Mississippi
Vision
The University ofSouthern Mississippi will be a leading university in engaging and empowering
individualstotransform lives andcommunities.
Mission
The University of Southern Mississippi is a comprehensive research extensive university. Our
primary mission is to cultivate intellectual development and creativity through the generation,
dissemination, application,andpreservationofknowledge.
Ourmission is supported bythe values thathave been formedthroughthehistoryandtraditions of
our institution. These values are widely and deeply held beliefs ofourfaculty, staff, students, and
administrators:
• Educationprovidesopportunitiestoimprovethequalityofintellectual,social,economic,and
personal well-being.Theseopportunitiesshouldbeavailabletoall whoarewillingandable
tomeetourstandardsofexcellence.
• Oursuccessisreflectedbythedegreetowhichourstudentsbecomewell-read,articulate,and
creative and critical thinkers, it is measured by their displayofspecialized knowledge and
abilitiessuitabletothepursuitofacareerandlifeinourcomplex,ever-changingworld.
• Wecherishinnovation inthecreationandapplicationofbasicandappliedresearchfindings,
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
evolutionofdegreeprogramsthatbothrespondtoandanticipatetheevolvingdemandsofour
society,employers,andthelabormarket.
• Education encourages and advances the ideals of a pluralistic democratic society: civic
responsibility, integrity,diversity, andethical behavior.
• Academic freedom and shared governance are long-established and living principles atthe
university.Wecherishthefreeexchangeofideas,diversityofthought,jointdecisionmaking,
andindividuals'assumptionofresponsibility.
Wemakeefficientuseofourresources,forweareaccountabletoouruniversitycommunities,
theBoardofTrustees, andtaxpayers.
Commitments
Educating Our Students
The University ofSouthern Mississippi will maintain its leadership in pedagogy and instruction.
The General Education Curriculum, FirstYear Experience, and Honors College programs, as well
as innovative programs in international education and service-learning, underscorethe institution's
commitmenttoeducation.
Educating the Whole Student
Recognizingthatstudents learnoutsidetheclassroomaswell aswithin,TheUniversityofSouthern
Mississippi will fulfill its commitment to developing the potential ofits students. The university
engages its students through abundant opportunities for community service, leadership, student
activities, support services, access to state-of-the-art facilities, and programs. A caring, student-
centered faculty and stafffoster students' personal growth and development. Acknowledging the
mutual benefitofmaintainingclosetieswithgraduates,theuniversity isalsocommitted tocreating
opportunities foralumni involvementinuniversityactivities.
Introduction 5
|
Leading in Academic Excellence
TheUniversityofSouthernMississippiiscommittedtoqualityinall academicareas.Theuniversity
will maintain its leadership position in selected programs in science, technology, arts, humanities,
health, education, psychology, and business and will continue to be innovative in the development
ofprograms.
Conducting Innovative Research
As a comprehensive research institution, The University of Southern Mississippi will pursue
groundbreakingscholarship, creative activity, and research in science, technology, arts, humanities,
education, health, psychology, and business. Distinguished faculty and staffwill utilize research
and scholarship opportunities to fortify the education ofundergraduate and graduate students and
implementserviceinitiativesintheuniversity,inthecommunity,andintheiracademicdisciplinesas
theypushtheboundariesofknowledgeanddiscovery.
Creating Healthier Communities
The University ofSouthern Mississippi will contribute to the health and well-beingofindividuals,
families, organizations, and communities through continued innovation in applied research,
communitypartnerships,andexperiential learning.
Leading in Economic Development
The University ofSouthern Mississippi will continue its initiatives in economic development and
entrepreneurship. These initiatives include education and providing intellectual capital to augment
economicopportunities.
Enriching the Cultural Environment
The UniversityofSouthernMississippiwill provideopportunitiesforthe communitytoexperience
avarietyofcultural activities.Regularevents,performances,exhibits, andpresentationsprovidethe
campusesandsurroundingregionswithexposuretotalentedstudents,faculty,andrenownedathletes,
artistits,andscholars.Theuniversitycontinuestoserveasaprimaryproviderofathletic,artistic,and
culturaleventsandeducation.
Creating Global Communities
The University ofSouthernMississippi will continuetoprovidestudentswithopportunities to live
and learnabroadinpreparationforleadershiproles inaninterdependentglobal society.
6 Introduction
General Information
E-MailAccounts
/Techofferselectronicmail(e-mail)services. Ifyouareeligible(seebelow),youareentitled
toonee-mailaccount, which is keptactivefortheentiretimeyouareenrolledorworkingat
SouthernMiss. IntheeventyouleaveSouthernMissduetograduationoremploymentelsewhere,
there isagraceperiodbeforeyouraccountisremoved.
TheUniversityofSouthern Mississippiexpectsall studentstohaveanactiveSouthernMisse-mail
account. WecanforwardyourSouthernMissmailtoanye-mailaccountyoumayhavealready.
Youre-mail accountwill beusedbySouthernMiss andclassroom instructorstocommunicate
importantinformation. Youshouldgetinthehabitofcheckingyoure-mail accountdaily.
Inadditiontoprovidinge-mail,theseaccountsalsoallowyoutocreateyourownWebpages.
Inordertouseyoure-mail account,youmustbringavalidIDtotheHelpdeskandgetapassword,
oryoumaycalltheHelpDeskweekdaysbetween 8a.m. and5 p.m. at266-HELP(4357). Youmay
alsoobtainyoure-mail accountinformationat/Techcomputerlabsoncampus. Informationon
computerlabscanbe foundathttp://www.usm.edu/itech/helpdesk/labs.
All currentSouthernMissstudents,faculty,andstaffareeligibletoreceivee-mail accountsatno
charge.
Publications
TheUniversityofSouthernMississippihasfourpublicationseachyear:the UndergraduateBulletin,
the Graduate Bulletin, the IndependentStudyBulletin, and the Regional Campus Publication. To
obtain information aboutthecompleteprogramsoftheuniversity,pleasecheckeachpublication.
Family Educational Rights and PrivacyAct of1974 as amended (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and PrivacyActof 1974 as amended deals with one subjectonly:
educationalrecords.Thepurposeofthelawistodefine,morepreciselythaneverhasbeendone,who
mayormaynotseethem. Ontheonehand,the lawgrantsstudentsguaranteedaccess;ontheother
hand, ittakesfromtheuniversitiestheprivilegeofindiscriminatedisclosure.
TheFERPAsetsforththesemainrequirements:
1. Itallows astudentaccesstoeacheducational record thatauniversity orcollegekeepsonhim or
her;
2. It requires the institution to establish a policy on how students can go about seeing specific
records;
3. Itrequirestheinstitutiontoinformallstudentsastowhatrightstheyhaveundertheamendment,how
they can actonthese rightsaccordingto school policy, and howthey can seeacopy ofthe 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
universityorcollege(andotherswhomeetcertainspecifiedrequirements).
The university has developed andput intowritingapolicy forhandlingrequests fromstudents and
fordisclosingpersonallyidentifiableinformationaboutstudents. Studentsarenotifiedoftheirrights
underthe lawbypublishingtheuniversitypolicy intheStudentHandbook.
Oak RidgeAssociated Universities
Since 1992, students and faculty ofThe University ofSouthern Mississippi have benefited from its
membership inOakRidgeAssociatedUniversities (ORAU). ORAU isaconsortiumof88collegesand
universities, and a contractor for the U.S. Department ofEnergy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
ORAUworks with its member institutions to help their students and faculties gain access to federal
researchfacilitiesthroughoutthecountry;tokeepitsmembersinformedaboutopportunitiesforfellowship,
scholarship,andresearchappointments;andtoorganizeresearchalliancesamongitsmembers.
Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), the DOE facility that
ORAUoperates,undergraduates,graduates,postgraduates,aswellasfacultyenjoyaccesstoamultitudeof
opportunities for study and research. Students can participate in programs covering awide variety of
disciplines includingbusiness,earth sciences,epidemiology,engineering, physics,geological sciences.