History

The University of Mississippi from 1848, the date of its formal opening, until 1870 conferred the honorary degree of Master of Arts upon certain of its graduates who had attained intellectual distinction. Courses at the graduate level were offered first in 1870. A comprehensive examination as a requirement for the master's degree also was established that year. A definite program of graduate study with a minimum residence requirement of one academic year was inaugurated in 1890. During the last nine decades, graduate work at The University of Mississippi has been continually developed and expanded. The Graduate School was formally organized in 1927 to coordinate and administer graduate study and research at the University.

Aims and Ends of Graduate Education

The purpose of graduate education at the University was first articulated by the Aims and Ends statement associated with the organization of the School in 1927. The statement is as follows:
The student who undertakes graduate study should understand at the outset that work of this character implies more than the acquisition of knowledge under competent instruction. He or she should aspire to a degree of knowledge of a given subject in order to make a contribution that is of original and independent value. This does not imply that much of the student's energies are not still to be applied to the acquisition of facts universally accepted, a process that should continue through life, but in graduate study these facts are to be weighed, coordinated, and supplemented by the student's own contributions.

Graduate School Office

Associate Dean Don Cole and Assistant Dean Judith Cole manage the Graduate School Office in Room 113 of the Old Chemistry Building. Among the duties of the office are to receive applications, coordinate their review, communicate with prospective students regarding their admission status, maintain academic records, monitor students' progress, process assistantship appointments, advise students, and interpret academic policies established by the Graduate Council.

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Accreditation

The University of Mississippi is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools [1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone (404) 679-4501] to award baccalaureate, master's, specialist, first professional, and doctoral degrees.
The Graduate School, which administers all graduate study at the University, holds membership in the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States. Its faculty consists of about 400 members, who are qualified to offer graduate work.

The Graduate Student Council

The Graduate Student Council at The University of Mississippi addresses the needs and concerns of all graduate students on the Oxford campus. The council officers and senate work with the faculty, administration, and other student organizations to promote higher academic achievement and standards, to facilitate interdepartmental communication among graduate students, and to provide graduate students with more opportunities for social interaction. By collectively addressing common concerns of its membership, the Graduate Student Council strives to eliminate much of the unnecessary stress often associated with graduate student life.

Some of the Graduate Student Council's goals are to offer financial assistance for paper presentations at academic conferences, to compile and disseminate information concerning graduate grants and scholarships outside the University, and to work with the University's placement office to establish a clearinghouse of information regarding career opportunities in academia and other professions. For more information about the Graduate Student Council: http://savant.bus.olemiss.edu/gsc/.