Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

9. Colleges and Graduate Programs


9.1 College of Arts and Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences

Brian B. Anderson, Dean

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the College of Arts and Sciences is to provide quality classroom instruction, practical learning experiences, and academic and cultural enrichment opportunities that will lead to successful student learning. Through the programs in its eight departments, the College provides students with a focused course of study that will prepare them for graduate or professional schools or employment. The College also provides students with a solid educational foundation in the liberal arts that will prepare them for continued personal and intellectual growth after graduation.

Department of Languages, Literature, and Philosophy

Department Chair:  Dr. Kendall A. Dunkelberg
Graduate Director of Women’s Studies:  Dr. Shahara’Tova Dente
Graduate Director of Creative Writing:  Dr. Kendall A. Dunkelberg

Languages, Literature, and Philosophy Faculty

Professors:  Kendall Dunkelberg
Assistant Professors:  Shahara’Tova Dente, Thomas Kris Lee, and Brandy T. Wilson
Visiting Assistant Professor: Mary Miller

 

Programs

Department of Theatre

Director of Graduate Studies:
Department Chair: David Carter

Theatre Faculty

Professor: David Carter
Associate Professor: Lee Crouse
Instructors:  Kevin Crawford, Scott McGehee

9.2 College of Business and Professional Studies

Marty Brock, Dean

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the College of Business and Professional Studies is to provide advanced education in the field of business and to prepare students for successful and rewarding careers in a global business environment.

Department of Business-Graduate Studies In Business

Interim Department Chair: Dee A. Larson

Graduate Coordinator: Dee A. Larson

Faculty

Professors: Marty Brock, Kimberly D. Dorsey, Dee A. Larson, Andrew Luccasen, C. Scott Tollison
Associate Professor: Wesley H. Garrett
Assistant Professor: Linda McNeely
Instructor: Johnny Williams

Programs

9.3 College of Nursing and Health Sciences

 Tammie McCoy, Dean

Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences is reflected in the philosophies and outcomes of each program. The college provides high quality graduate professional programs in nursing and speech-language pathology. Classes are small, emphasizing a personalized learning environment that prepares graduates for competitive professional careers at the master’s or doctoral levels or admission to doctoral programs. This mission is directly related to the University’s mission to provide high quality graduate education in a variety of professional programs. 

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers graduate programs in nursing at the master’s and doctoral levels and in speech-language pathology and public health at the master’s level.

Department of Nursing

Mission Statement

The mission of the Nursing program is to provide education that prepares nurses for several levels of practice. Preparation is offered at the associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels in a personalized and stimulating environment conducive to strong academic and leadership preparation, community service, achievement of clinical expertise, and life-long learning. As a part of the educational process, students develop an awareness of gender-related issues and multicultural diversity. The mission relates to the Mission of the University by providing professional education for several levels of students with an emphasis on academic and leadership preparation for women and men in a personalized environment. The mission, philosophies, and outcomes of the department and the four nursing programs are consonant with the purpose and aims of the University and are derived from the faculty’s beliefs about the nature of education and nursing practice. Information on the undergraduate nursing programs is in the MUW Undergraduate Bulletin. Information on comparison of expenses and fees with other Mississippi Nursing Schools can be found in Nursing Education Opportunities in Mississippi at the web site http://www.mshealthcareers.com/news/nursingopp.htm .

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Department Chair: Mark Bean

Health and Kinesiology Faculty

Professor: Mark Bean
Associate Professors: K. Randell Foxworth
Assistant Professors: Chad Murphy, Caroline Payne-Purvis, Irene T. Pintado, Krista Woods

Programs

Department of Graduate Nursing

Department Chair:  Teresa Hamill

Accreditation

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program have state accreditation from the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211; 601-432-6486, http://www.ihl.state.ms.us). In addition, the Master of Science in Nursing program and the Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate APRN certificate at Mississippi University for Women are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Facilities

The MSN courses are taught on the Columbus campus of Mississippi University for Women in Martin Hall. Graduate nursing students clinical experiences are individually established as close as possible to the student’s home. Students are not guaranteed an assignment in any one clinical area. 

The DNP program courses are hybrid, utilyzing on-line and Columbus campus classes.

Graduate Nursing Faculty

DNP Program Coordinator: Shonda Phelon
MSN Program Coordinator: Alena Lester

Professors: Sueanne Davidson, Tammie M. McCoy, Carey McCarter
Associate Professors: Teresa Hamill, Alena Lester Sally Pearson, Shonda Phelon
Instructors: Beth Turner

Programs

Department of Speech-Language Pathology

Department Chair: Kathy Shapley

Speech-Language Pathology Faculty

Professors: Laura Ball, Kathy Shapley
Associate Professor: Hunter Manasco
Instructors: Mrs. Alexander, Mrs. Hanson, Ms. Hreish, Ms. Kelley

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Speech-language pathologists specialize in the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human communication disorders. They work in a variety of professional settings, such as public and private schools, hospitals, universities, nursing homes, other health care facilities, and in private practice. They work with persons of all ages, from infancy to elderly. Upon completion of the program, graduates will meet the academic and clinical requirements for American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification and for Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) and Department of Education (MDE) licensure.

Mission and Objectives

The Mississippi University for Women graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology is committed to offering the necessary coursework and clinical practicum experiences that will qualify students to meet the academic and clinical requirements for national certification and state licensure.

The program emphasizes the clinical aspects of the profession and requires that all students demonstrate their ability to understand the normal communicative processes as well as to diagnose and treat individuals with communicative disorders. Students are also expected to develop the skills to communicate diagnostic results, treatment effects, and prognoses to other professionals and family members in both oral and written forms.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program is to advance students’ professional knowledge regarding human communication and its disorders. Through academic and clinical training, students are prepared to become professional and competent speech-language pathologists who will utilize evidence-based therapy and provide quality services to people with communication disorders and their families and who will be prepared to assume leadership positions in the workplace. Students will meet all requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the Council of Clinical Certification and for Mississippi State Board of Health and Educator’s licenses.
The graduate program enhances service to the community through the provision of clinical services offered at the MUW Speech and Hearing Center.

Accreditation:

The Master’s education program in Speech-Language Pathology at Mississippi University for Women is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville Maryland 20850. 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

Facilities

The program is taught in Cromwell Communication Center, the Speech and Hearing Center, and various clinical sites in health care facilities and schools.

Admission Policy and Dates:

See Graduate Admissions  in this Bulletin for information concerning admission policies. The application process opens on October 1 and must be completed by February 15, for fall admission.

Programs

9.4 School of Education

School of Education

Matin  L. Hatton, Dean

Department of Education

Department Chair: Shelley Bock

Graduate Education Faculty

Professor: Twila Alpe
Associate Professor: Chrystal Hodges
Assistant Professors: Kelly Bennett, Alina M. Harges
Visiting Assistant Professor: Leigh Todd

Purpose Statement for the Department of Education 

The “Educator as Reflective Decision Maker” is the model for the conceptual framework for the educator preparation programs at Mississippi University for Women. The programs have adopted the Core Standards of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as goals for teacher candidates, the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders for school administrator candidates, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards for early childhood educators. Further explanations of requirements and expectations for undergraduate teacher candidates are in the Teacher Education Handbook available through the MUW website.

The Department of Education aligns with the School of Education’s goal to advance innovation in life-long learning from preschool to post-graduation in alignment with and support of the Mississippi University for Women’s mission of delivering high-quality instruction designed to assist students in attaining their academic, professional, and personal goals.

Program Purpose:

The Graduate Programs in Education provide high quality, advanced professional development and leadership training for educators, which will strengthen their theoretical knowledge, their practice, and increase their accountability for student learning. This reflects the University’s mission of professional education with an emphasis on academic and leadership preparation.

The conceptual framework of the Department of Education and has been extended for Graduate Studies in Education to include the five core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The related belief statements that follow each core proposition further characterize the advanced programs in education.

   1. Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
   2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teache those subjects to students.
   3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
   4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from their experience.
   5. Teachers are members of learning communities.

The Graduate Programs in Education are: Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Teaching. The Master of Education provides candidates a choice of three different concentration pathways for completion; Educational Leadership, Gifted Studies, or Reading/Literacy.

Progression in the Program

  1. The potential Graduate student must make formal application for admission, providing official transcripts of all coursework (undergraduate and graduate), email addresses and/or contact information for three references who are willing to provide letters of recommendation, proof of immunization, teaching license or proof of eligibility, and $25.00 application fee. (MAT applicants must submit passing scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators OR ACT scores of 21 or above AND Praxis II, content area.) **
  2. The Graduate student, in consultation with his/her advisor, works out a proposed program of study.
  3. After the completion of the appropriate number of hours and/or semesters, as indicated in the section on Graduate Admissions in the Graduate Bulletin, the student who has been admitted conditionally must meet with his/her advisor to determine whether the student’s admission status can be changed.
  4. The Graduate student must meet with his/her advisor prior to registration to secure approval for courses to be taken in the ensuing semester.
  5. The Graduate student must submit an official transcript of any transfer credits before his/her last semester of coursework. The Graduate faculty must approve any transfer work applied to the student’s program. No more than 6 hours with minimum grade of B may be transferred.
  6. Withdrawal from a graduate class should be done in consultation with an advisor and must be approved by the Department Chair.
  7. Once graduate students have accumulated at least six hours of graduate credit at MUW, they must apply for candidacy by the end of their next semester of enrollment.
  8. All requests for modification of the Candidacy Form must be made in writing to the Department Chair whose approval allows the student to proceed with courses as planned.
  9. A minimum of 15 semester hours must be completed following the student’s admission to candidacy.
  10. Before graduation all graduate students will submit a professional portfolio to the Department Chair. For August graduates, portfolios are due the first day of the second summer session. For May and December graduates, portfolios are due one month prior to graduation. Students are advised to keep a copy of all contents for their own records.
  11. To take the Comprehensive Final Examinations, the student must submit a written request to the Department Chair at the beginning of the semester exams are to be attempted.
  12. The Graduate student needs to meet with her or his advisor to confirm completion of graduation requirements: all admission and program requirements have been satisfied, all transcripts of transfer credit have been submitted to and processed by the Registrar, the Comprehensive Final Examinations have been completed satisfactorily, the MUW cumulative GPA and the overall GPA are at least a 3.0 and no grades of incomplete remain on the student’s academic record.

Programs

Graduate Major