Graduate School
About Us
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Welcome from the Dean 
Thank you for your interest in pursuing a graduate degree at The University of Southern Mississippi. It is such an exciting time to become a Golden Eagle! Comprising over 23% of the total student enrollment, graduate students are huge contributors to our Carnegie R1 status as a doctoral university with very high research activity. Southern Miss faculty garnered over $91 million in extramural funds in fiscal year 2023, conducting high-impact basic and applied research in such diverse fields as psychology, molecular biology, chemistry, polymer science, history, political science, health sciences, marine and coastal sciences, and more. Graduate students were directly involved in these research projects, publishing their work in peer-reviewed journals and presenting their data at professional conferences.
At Southern Miss, we offer face-to-face, fully online, and hybrid programs that make graduate education accessible to traditional and non-traditional students and working professionals. Our main campus is located in Hattiesburg, and Coastal USM spans the Gulf Coast from the Gulf Coast Research Lab (GCRL) in Ocean Springs to the Stennis Space Center (near Picayune). Our graduate student population is among the most diverse in the state at 54.8% white, 21.8% black/African American, 5.3% Hispanic/Latino, and over 11% international students from 31 countries. Moreover, 28% of graduate students are first generation students, the first in their family to earn a college degree.
Our microcredentials, certificate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral programs benefit students with different aspirations, including those who are interested in jobs in academia, business and industry, military, or government. An exciting new opportunity for qualified military service members is the Tuition Assistance Gap Funding program, wherein Southern Miss covers the gap between federal tuition assistance (TA) and remaining course tuition for TA-approved hours.
Importantly, we take our graduate students’ professional development seriously here at Southern Miss. We offer a variety of opportunities for students to develop transferable skills to enhance their ability to compete for jobs, competitions to encourage the development of communication skills, and competitive travel awards to support travel to professional conferences or performances, among other resources. Opportunities for professional development are found on this website.
I hope you will take a close look at all Southern Miss has to offer, reach out to the Graduate School and your program of interest, and apply. We want to help you Join Us at the Top!
Katie Anthony, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School
Vision and Mission
Focus on recruitment and success of the best and brightest students.
- Increasing visibility and perceived value of a graduate degree from Southern Miss by showcasing student and faculty accomplishments
- Developing strategies for proactive recruitment of local, regional, national, and international students
- Providing competitive financial support through assistantships and fellowships that attract high quality prospects
- Promoting student progress and success by fostering effective mentorship
Provide a holistic approach to graduate education through training in the discipline, along with opportunities for the development of transferable skills.
- Adopting policies and practices that promote accountability and an expectation of accomplishment
- Advancing professional development programs that enhance transferable skills
- Funding competitive awards to support student travel to national/international conferences to share research or creative accomplishments
Office of the Graduate School
Brittney Hawkins, B.S.
Graduate School Data Management Coordinator
Areas of Expertise
Slate set-up, maintenance, and training, SOAR processes
601.266.5184
Desira L. Bailey
Administrative Assistant
Areas of Expertise
Administrative Assistant to the Dean, Graduate Council, and Faculty Credentials
601.266.4369
Mandy Nace, MBA
Assistant to the Dean for Finance and Administration
Areas of Expertise
Maintains all Graduate School accounts and oversees all graduate assistantships
601.266.6563
Shaadi Shoubaki, M.A.
Assistant Director for Professional Development and Outreach
Areas of Expertise
Graduate student professional development coordination, recruiting, and outreach to prospective students
601.266.4736
Kayla Schreiber, M.A.
Graduate Documents Specialist
Areas of Expertise
Thesis, dissertation, and doctoral project formatting and review
Michelle Templeton, B.S.
Graduate Degree Auditor
Areas of Expertise
Progress-to-degree for students in the Center for STEM Education, School of BEES, School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering, School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Security, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, School of Ocean Science and Engineering, School of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Business and Economic Development, College of Nursing and Health Professions
601.266.4181
Erica Brock, B.S.B.A.
Assistant Director for Graduate Program Management
Areas of Expertise
Progress-to-degree for students in the College of Education & Human Sciences, School of Humanities, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Music, School of Performing & Visual Arts, School of Social Science & Global Studies, School of Media & Communication.
601.266.5136
Daleana Phillips, Ph.D.
Director of McNair Scholars Program
601.266.6544
Elyssa Klipsch, M.Ed.
Assistant Director of McNair Scholars Program
601.266.4273