The College of Liberal Arts includes the Departments of Communications; English; Fine Arts, Foreign Language and Humanities; and History and Social Sciences.
The College of Sciences includes the Department of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Physics, Computer Sciences, and Mathematics.
DEGREES
LSUS offers a wide variety of educational opportunities. The University offers programs in the following fields:
The MBA degree is a professional graduate degree that provides a comprehensive education in the primary academic disciplines of business administration. Specific emphasis is given to course offerings that permit the development of skills needed for effective decision making in today's business environment. The LSUS MBA Program is designed to meet the professional education needs of business and non-business undergraduate degree holders. Courses are offered in the evenings to permit students who work full-time to complete the MBA degree program in two academic years.
The Master of Science in Computer Systems Technology (MSCST) is an interdisciplinary program with components from the areas of computer science and management. Emphasis is placed on data modeling, quantitative decision making, and the structure and administration of technological systems. The MSCST is a "professional" degree program which develops the skills needed to deal effectively with the complex, technology-based systems. It is designed for those who have obtained bachelor's degrees in engineering, science, management, business, or related areas which utilize technology.
The Master of Science in Counseling Psychology is a 48-hour graduate degree designed to prepare professional counselors to fulfill a variety of counseling roles. Most directly, the program will provide the academic coursework needed for the Licensed Professional Counselor credential that authorizes counseling practice at the independent practice level in Louisiana . Graduates will have received training in the delivery of mental health and/or school counseling services in a variety of settings, including such places as governmental and private social service agencies, prisons, schools, hospitals, free-standing treatment centers, and group multi-disciplinary practices. The Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree program is designed to include an appropriate balance of theory and practice courses.
The Master of Education, a professional graduate degree, is designed to enhance and enrich students’ academic and professional backgrounds. The degree program consists of 36 semester hours and is tailored to meet the individual needs of the student. The program also allows students to seek additional certifications while pursuing the Master of Education degree. Additional certifications include Administration, Supervision, Reading Specialist, Gifted, Library Science, Health and Physical Education, and Guidance and Counseling. Teacher certification is not required to enter the M.Ed. program but may be required for some certifications.
The Master of Education in Educational Leadership program is a performance-based program of study. It is a preparation program designed for those aspiring to school principalship and other areas of supervision. The program promotes the understanding of the integration of knowledge and skills in educational leadership, based on Standards for School Principals in Louisiana (SSPL), Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC), and NCATE guidelines. Candidate development includes the acquisition of knowledge, integration of theory with practice, and the application of knowledge and skills in school settings. The majority of the coursework is designed with the incorporation of performance activities, culminating with an internship experience.
The MHA is a multidisciplinary program, which offers advanced study and training necessary for administration in hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician practices, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations and consulting. This program recognizes the unique characteristics of current healthcare organizations whose commitment to the community not only includes providing care for their patients but also involves assessing community needs, recognizing diversity, and providing community leadership. The MHA provides knowledge and skills for advancement of new candidates and advanced professional, administrative positions in all healthcare organizations.
The MSHSA program provides the highest standard of education in the human services field. The current curriculum and courses are specifically designed to prepare students for middle and upper level administrative positions in nonprofit human service organizations and cover areas such as human resource management, financial administration and resource development, and data administration. Independent studies are designed to prepare the student for a lifetime of skilled practice based on current research, theory and practice.
The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MLA) offers the mature student an interdisciplinary and non-professional graduate program. It emphasizes broad-based learning rather than the highly specialized training of more traditional graduate programs. It makes the liberal arts more accessible to adults from all walks of life-- teaching, home-making, journalism, law, medicine, social work, business, government, industry-- by meeting their special interests and needs. It is equally important for those whose interests are in volunteer work or in civic involvement, or those who are seeking personal enrichment in continuing their education.
The program thus appeals to the individual who has reached a level of personal achievement, community responsibilty, or a professional standing that demands analytical thinking, critical judgment, and decision-making. For some, it is even a step towards further graduate study.
The Specialist in School Psychology, a 70-semester-hour graduate program, has as its objective the training of professional school psychologists. It emphasizes field-learning experiences including a yearlong supervised internship in a school setting. Graduates of the program will qualify for certification as school psychologists and will develop proficiencies in psychological evaluation, remediation, consultation, counseling, and research skills to supplement the efforts of professional educators in meeting the needs of children in public and private schools.
Students may earn a degree emphasizing biochemistry and molecular biology, cellular biology and anatomy, microbiology and immunology, pharmacology and therapeutics, and molecular and cellular physiology awarded by LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.
Fifteen hours of coursework are done at LSUS. Thesis work requiring six hours may be done at either institution, and the remaining nine hours are taken on a space available basis from selected courses at LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport.
Students are referred to the LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport catalog for specific regulations regarding this degree. Further information may be obtained from the College of Sciences office at LSUS (Science Building 104), phone 797-5231.
The Department of English at LSUS offers graduate studies leading to the Master of Arts in English from either LSU in Baton Rouge or Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. By allowing participants to complete up to 12 hours of their graduate course work here, the program suits the needs of working professionals in the Shreveport-Bossier City area who would have difficulty meeting the normal residence requirements at the other institutions.
Students in the program apply for admission to the graduate schools of both LSUS and one of the cooperating institutions. Although the institution awarding the degree makes the final decision on admission, each student has an advisory committee made up of faculty from both institutions. Students in both plans must take at least 15 hours of course work in courses offered exclusively for graduate students.
Those interested in either of these cooperative programs should apply through the English Department at LSUS.
Admission Requirements/Study Options for:
Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge
For admission into the M.A. program, students must have an undergraduate major in English or its equivalent (generally regarded to be 30 term hours in English literature and theory courses). In past years, successful applicants have had undergraduate grade point averages of at least 3.2 overall and GRE scores of about 1,200 (verbal and quantitative combined).
Once accepted, students have two options for earning the M.A.:
Thesis Option: Requires 24 term hours of graduate work, 12 term hours of research credit, and a research thesis.
Non-Thesis Option: Requires 36 term hours of graduate course work and a comprehensive examination.
Louisiana Tech University
For admission, applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college, with a minimum of 24 hours in English, at least 12 of these on the junior or senior level. For unconditional admission, applicants must have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.
After entering the program, students select one of two possible degree plans:
Plan A: Requires 24 term hours of graduate course work, 6 term hours of credit for a thesis, and a comprehensive examination.
Plan B: Requires 33 term hours of graduate course work and a comprehensive examination.
The College of Sciences at LSUS offers a cooperative graduate program leading to the Master of Science in Environmental Sciences from LSU in Baton Rouge. Students in the program apply for admission to the Graduate Schools of both LSUS and LSU-BR. Although LSU-BR makes the final decision on admission, each student has a committee made up of faculty from both campuses. Participants are allowed to complete up to 18 hours of their graduate course work at LSUS.
Admission requirements and study options for LSU in Baton Rouge.
For admission into the M.S. program, students must have completed the prerequisite courses in chemistry, biological sciences, math, and economics. In past years, successful applicants have had undergraduate grade point averages of at least 3.0 overall and GRE scores of about 1,100 (verbal and quantitative combined.)
Concentrations
The M.S. degree program in Environmental Sciences (ENVS) offers two areas of concentration: Environmental Planning and Management, and Environmental Toxicology. The Environmental Planning and Management concentration allows students the option of completing a thesis or a non-thesis curriculum. The Environmental Toxicology concentration requires a thesis.
Thesis Option: In both concentrations, a minimum of 24 term hours of graduate course work, 6 term hours of research credit, and a research thesis is required.
Non-Thesis Option: A minimum of 37 term hours of graduate course work and a comprehensive examination is required.
The Department of History/Social Sciences offers a program of graduate studies leading to the Master of Arts in History at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. Students may take up to 12 term hours at LSUS. Professors from LSUS may serve on a thesis committee, but a professor from Louisiana Tech must direct the thesis. Students specialize in the history of the United States, Europe, Latin America, or Asia and choose one of two options:
Thesis Option: Requires 24 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis.
Non-thesis Option: Requires 33 hours of coursework and a written examination in the specialty area.
Applicants must be admitted by both the Department of History/Social Sciences at LSUS and the Department of History at Louisiana Tech and must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, GRE scores, and 21 hours of history at the undergraduate level. For further information, contact the Chair of either college.
