About Us: Organization and History

 ABOUT THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

The University seeks to recruit and maintain a faculty, which, through its preparation and scholarly activities, exerts a profound effect on various institutions in the state, region, nation, and world. Beyond faculty traditional roles, faculty members engage in service that complement and enhance both teaching and research initiatives and provide an additional mechanism for Southern University to have an impact on the community, state and nation.   

The University develops and maintains a physical environment that is safe and conducive to intellectual growth and development while operating in accordance with the highest standards of fiscal and administrative management. This environment is enhanced using the most recent information technology, which offers the University community access to resources from throughout the world.

ORGANIZATION OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

The Graduate School is housed in the Office of Professional and Graduate Studies, which consists of a dean, an associate dean of budget operations, a director of admissions, admissions counselors, an executive assistant,  and an administrative coordinator. The Dean of the Graduate School reports to the Executive Vice President and Provost.

The Office of Graduate Studies is responsible for enforcing  the coordination of graduate degree programs in the various schools and colleges. General policies and standards of the Graduate School are established by the Graduate Council. The responsibility for the detailed, day-to-day operations of graduate programs lies with the individual departments, schools, and colleges. The Graduate School works in collaboration with the graduate programs and the respective college to ensure that programs meet all standards and policy guidelines.

 HISTORY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

On April 28, 1956, the State Board of Education requested officials of Southern University to establish a graduate school. In the spring semester of 1957, Southern University admitted its first students into the Graduate School. On August 8, 1958, at the end of the summer session, Southern University conferred its first master’s degrees on eight candidates.  Currently the University offers fifteen masters-level degrees, and six doctoral and professional degrees.

To meet the challenges of the next millennium, Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge has moved from Masters level University to a Doctoral research institution. Graduate studies have gained momentum because of new and redesigned graduate degrees, and a dedicated graduate faculty a committed group that includes Fulbright Scholars, distinguished researchers, and mentors. The Graduate School offers limited funding based on available funds to students who enroll in graduate programs.  Additional funding and support are also offered at the program levels.

[Return to Top]

[Graduate School Home]  [About Us]  [Contact Us]