Graduate Program Directors
Business Administration:
    Lorraine Krajewski BE 301 ext. 5276
Education:
    Cay Evans BE 367 ext. 5037
Environmental Science:
    Ron Martin SC 308A ext. 5246
Liberal Arts:
    Merrell Knighten (Interim) BH 226 ext. 5371
Systems Technology:
    John Sigle BE112 ext. 5071
School Psychology:
    Merikay Ringer BE 360 ext. 5046
LSUMC-S MS Degrees:
    Alfred McKinney SC 104 ext. 5231
 

Purpose and Organization

LSU in Shreveport offers programs of graduate study to the student who holds a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. The student may pursue the following degrees at LSUS:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Education (MED)
• Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MLA)
• Master of Science in Systems Technology (MSST)
• Specialist in School Psychology (SSP)

Other graduate degrees may be pursued at LSUS in cooperation with another Louisiana university. For these programs, the cooperating university awards the degree. The following are cooperative programs offered on this campus:

• Master of Arts in English (cooperative with Louisiana Tech or with LSU Baton Rouge)
• Master of Science in Environmental Science (cooperative with LSU Baton Rouge)
• Master of Arts in History (cooperative with Louisiana Tech)
• Master of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Microbiology and Immunology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics; and Physiology and Biophysics (cooperative with the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport)

LSU in Shreveport does not offer any graduate courses by correspondence or award graduate credit by examination.

The aim of graduate programs at LSU in Shreveport is the promotion of scholarship that is thorough, creative, and independent in character.

Graduate study is much more than a continuation of undergraduate work. It provides students the opportunity to become investigators in special fields of learning, to broaden their professional and cultural background, and to improve their professional skills and competence. The true spirit of graduate study is one of inquiry and the desire to add to one's knowledge. Graduate study is, therefore, open only to students whose academic records indicate the ability to perform at a high level of professional practice or to accomplish academic work that can be judged as outstanding in quality.

All graduate programs are administered by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who is advised by a Graduate Council composed of ten members elected from the Graduate Faculty of the University. Under general policies established by the University, the Graduate Council provides for, regulates, and authorizes graduate credit for existing courses, approves new courses, rules on questions of admissions and standards, and makes recommendations on other matters relating to the administration of all graduate programs.
 

Admissions

Admission to Graduate Study
Graduates of colleges or universities accredited by the proper regional accrediting association may apply for admission to graduate study at LSU in Shreveport. Admission is restricted to include only those students whose academic records indicate they can successfully undertake graduate work in the proposed area. In general only students formally admitted to the graduate program are eligible to enroll in graduate courses. (See "Graduate Credit" below.) All applications and inquiries should be addressed to Office of Admissions and Records, LSU in Shreveport, One University Place, Shreveport, Louisiana 71115.
 

Admission Procedure
The student seeking to pursue graduate studies at LSU in Shreveport should obtain appropriate graduate studies application forms from the Office of Admissions and Records and follow the applicable procedures listed below.
 

A. All graduate applicants

1. A complete application form, data sheet, and all supporting credentials must be sent to the Office of Admissions and Records. This must be done at least 30 days prior to the anticipated registration date in order to avoid late charges. Final admission decisions are made only after receipt of all credentials.
2. Two official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions and Records by the registrar of each college and university attended, including both graduate and undergraduate work and showing all degrees previously awarded. The student who has attended institutions outside the United States should submit complete academic records translated into English and certified as true and correct.
3. For students born after 1956, proof of immunization or immunity to measles, mumps and rubella must be provided to the Office of Admissions and Records prior to registration. This policy applies to all students entering LSU in Shreveport for the first time and all students returning after an absence of one semester or more. Proof of tetanus/diphtheria immunization is also required. A copy of the Immunization Policy is provided with the admissions materials.

A student may claim exemption from the immunization requirement for medical or personal reasons; however, the University will require the student to leave the campus and be excluded from class in the event of an outbreak of measles, mumps or rubella. Students claiming exemption will not be permitted back on campus or in class until the outbreak is over or until proof of adequate immunization has been submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records.

B. International applicants

All international applicants must meet regular admission requirements. In addition, they must submit several other kinds of information:

1. If their native language is not English, they must submit a score of at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) unless a degree has been obtained from an accredited United States institution. Information for TOEFL is available from the Educational Testing Service, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151.
2. They must submit a signed financial resource statement prior to enrollment showing the source(s) of money (in U.S. dollars) available for each year of study in the United States.
3. If they have a degree from outside the United States, they must present authorized records -- transcripts, marksheets, certification of degrees -- showing a bachelor's degree or its equivalent with a grade point average equivalent to B or better (3.00 or above on a 4.00 scale) on all undergraduate work from accredited colleges and universities. Translations are required for records in languages other than English.
4. They must submit satisfactory scores on the GRE or GMAT.

The University will admit no international students until it has received all credentials.

For information about additional requirements, contact the Office of Admissions at (318) 797-5061.

C. Individual program applicants

1. The Master of Business Administration
A student entering the Master of Business Administration degree program must submit an official copy of the score report attained on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Information regarding this test may be obtained by writing Graduate Management Admission Test, Educational Testing Service, Box 6101, Princeton, NJ 08541-6101, or by contacting the MBA Program Director. The applicant must also submit a one-page essay to the MBA Director that explains the applicant's reasons for pursuing the MBA degree and describes the applicant's career goals.
 
2. The Master of Education
A student entering the Master of Education degree program must submit an official transcript of the scores earned on the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Information regarding this test may be obtained by writing Graduate Record Examination, Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 80541-6000, or by contacting the Dean of the College of Education. Students may call the Sylvan Learning Center in Shreveport and schedule an appointment to take the GRE by computer. Students are able to schedule the test within a couple of weeks and results of the test are known the same day.
 
3. The Master of Arts in Liberal Arts
A student entering the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts program must schedule an interview with the MLA program coordinator and must submit a written statement of purpose that outlines educational goals and the ways in which the MLA program meets these goals.
 
4. The Specialist in School Psychology
A student entering the Specialist in School Psychology Degree program must submit an official transcript of the scores earned on the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Information regarding this test may be obtained by writing Graduate Record Examination, Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, or by contacting the Dean of the College of Education.
 
5. The Master of Science in Systems Technology
a. A student entering the Systems Technology degree program must schedule an interview with the MSST program director and must complete a separate program application form.

b. The MSST applicant is expected to have completed the general portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) prior to enrollment or by the end of the first regular semester of enrollment. Information regarding this test may be obtained by writing Graduate Record Examination, Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, or by contacting the Dean of the College of Sciences.

D. Cooperative Program applicant

1. Master of Arts in English
Students interested in the cooperative program either with Louisiana Tech or with LSU Baton Rouge should apply through the English Department at LSUS.
 
2. Master of Arts in History
Applicants must be admitted by both the Department of History/Social Sciences at LSU in Shreveport 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 department.
 
3. Master of Science in Environmental Sciences
Students interested in the cooperative program with LSU in Baton Rouge should apply through the Chemistry and Physics Department at LSUS.
 
4. Master of Science with LSUMC-S
In addition to application to LSU in Shreveport, students in this program must apply for admission to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at LSUMC-S. GRE scores at or above the 50th percentile and a GPA of 2.5 are required.

E. The transient applicant

1. A student pursuing a graduate degree program at another institution who wishes to take courses at LSU in Shreveport to be transferred may be admitted for only one semester or summer term without submitting full credentials. For such admission, the student may have the registrar of the last institution attended send to the Office of Admissions and Records a statement certifying the student's good standing in a graduate program. (See also "Admission Classification" below.)
   
   
2. A transient student desiring to enroll in graduate level courses for transfer credit offered through the College of Business Administration must, in addition, submit a GMAT score and an official undergraduate grade point average that would meet unconditional admission requirements of LSU in Shreveport.

Admission Classification
A prospective student who has earned a baccalaureate degree and plans to take additional work beyond the baccalaureate degree must apply for admission to graduate study and be admitted under one of the following classifications:

Regular
A prospective candidate for a degree who meets all requirements for unqualified admission to graduate study and has been recommended by the department and college in which he or she proposes to study and whose admission has been approved by the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs is classified as a regular degree student.

Provisional
A prospective candidate for a degree who does not satisfy the full admission requirements will be classified as provisional under the conditions specified at the time of admission by the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs upon the recommendation of the Graduate Faculty of the department in the college in which the student proposes to study. A student initiating graduate work under this classification may or may not enroll in graduate courses leading to a degree (see provisions of the individual programs), and such courses (if allowed) may be counted in a degree program when the student has met the condition(s) specified at the time of admission and has been reclassified.

Failure to satisfy the conditions in the specified time limit will result in the student's ineligibility to continue work toward the degree.

Precandidate
In programs where admission to candidacy status is a requirement (see "Specialist in School Psychology"), the student will be classified as a precandidate until all specified requirements for candidacy have been met.

Non-degree
Admission in the non-degree category is restricted primarily to those persons who may benefit professionally from additional study at the graduate level. In general the only supportive material required for such admission is a valid transcript showing an appropriate background and confirming the awarding of at least a bachelor's degree. A non-degree student is ineligible to become a candidate for an advanced degree or to receive a graduate appointment for financial assistance. Should the student subsequently wish to be admitted to a degree program, a formal application must be made. A maximum of 9 semester hours of graduate credit earned while classified as non-degree may be applied toward the degree, except that students in the Master of Business Administration program may not apply any credit earned while classified as non-degree.

Transient
A student in good standing at another recognized graduate school who wishes to take work at LSU in Shreveport may enroll as a transient student. In lieu of the usual transcripts and test scores, this student must submit a completed graduate application and certification of good standing in a recognized graduate school at another institution and state that he or she wishes to enroll at LSU in Shreveport for a specified semester. A student is admitted under this classification for one semester only. The student must be readmitted under this classification each semester to be eligible for graduate courses.

General Regulations

Course Loads
The following sections define maximum load requirements for graduate students.

Maximum Graduate Credits Per Semester
The maximum number of graduate credits in which a graduate student may enroll is 15 in a regular semester and 9 in a summer term. The total number of graduate and undergraduate credits in which a graduate student may be enrolled at LSU in Shreveport or concurrently is 19 during a regular semester and 10 in a summer term.

Credits Per Semester for Full-time and Part-time Graduate Students
A full-time graduate student is one who is enrolled for 9 or more credits in a regular semester or 6 or more in a summer term. A part-time graduate student is one who is enrolled in fewer than 9 credits in a regular semester or fewer than 6 credits in a summer term.

For those who seek financial aid, full-time graduate status is defined as 6 or more hours for summer, and 12 or more hours for fall or spring terms; half-time graduate status is 5-8 hours.

Maximum Credits for Working Students
A student in the Master of Education Program who is teaching full-time may not enroll for more than 6 graduate credits without permission of the Dean of the College of Education.

Transfer Credits
For the master's degree a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate credit with grades of B or higher may be transferred from another regionally accredited institution with the approval of the graduate program director. The Graduate Council may grant permission to accept a greater number of transfer credits in individual cases. Graduate credits earned by extension from other universities, by examination, or by correspondence are not accepted. (See also "Specialist in School Psychology, Advanced Standing Candidate.") Students in the Master of Education program may transfer a maximum of 18 hours with approval. Please see "Transfer Credit," Master of Education Program.

Graduate Credit
All courses that may fulfill graduate degree requirements at LSU in Shreveport are numbered 600 or 700. Courses numbered 700 are open to graduate students only, except as indicated below. The student who has been admitted to the Graduate Program under the classification Regular, Precandidate, Provisional, Non-degree, or Transient may register for graduate courses.

A senior at LSU in Shreveport who needs fewer than 15 semester hours to complete requirements for the bachelor's degree and has maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 may be permitted to register for graduate credit in courses, provided the student registers for all the remaining courses required for graduation and for no more than 15 semester hours total. This privilege applies only during the final semester of the student's undergraduate work and is extended only upon recommendation of the dean of the student's college and approval of the director of the graduate program involved. A student must complete all undergraduate degree credit courses in order to retain the privilege of obtaining graduate credit for the remaining courses.

Superior undergraduate students may register earlier than their final semester for graduate-level courses; however, these courses do not count for graduate credit. For undergraduate enrollment by these students in 700-level graduate courses, the student must have earned at least 90 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher. Approval by the dean of the student's college and the director of the graduate program involved is required. Graduate credit courses at the 700-level in the College of Business are not available to undergraduates.

Grade Requirements
In order to receive a master's or specialist's degree, a student must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average on

1. all graduate work attempted, whether at LSU in Shreveport or elsewhere, and
2. on all graduate work attempted at LSU in Shreveport.

Scholastic Regulations

Grading System

A The grade of A has a value of four quality points per semester hour and indicates superior work in both quality and quantity.

C The grade of C has a value of two quality points per semester hour and indicates work of unsatisfactory quality and suggests that further graduate study may be unwise. (Not more than two course grades of C may be presented for a graduate degree.)

D The grade of D has a value of one quality point per semester hour and indicates unacceptable work and carries no graduate credit.

F The grade of F does not earn quality points. This grade is given for work failed.

I The I indicates that satisfactory work has been done but because of extenuating circumstances the student has not been able to complete the course requirements. It is not to be given to enable a student to do additional work to bring up a deficient grade. The instructor may consider giving an I upon receipt of written authorization from the student's dean, but it is the responsibility of the student to initiate the request. An I will be converted to F unless it is removed prior to the deadline for adding courses for credit as published in the Academic Calendar. The conversion of the I takes place in the regular semester (fall or spring) after the student has been granted the I, unless the student's circumstances preclude removal of the I grade by that time. In such cases, but before that designated date, the student or the instructor may petition the student's dean for an extension of one regular semester.

W The W is assigned when a student drops a course or resigns.

AU The AU means "audit" and indicates the student enrolled for no credit and met the instructor's attendance requirements.

WAU The WAU is assigned when a student enrolled as auditing does not meet the instructor's attendance requirements or officially withdraws from the course.

IP The IP means "in progress" and is assigned for thesis or final project work begun but still to be completed.
 

Pass/No Credit
All graduate courses taken for credit toward a graduate degree must be taken for a grade, with the exception of the thesis option credits and other specifically approved courses. The awarding of a grade for the thesis credits is decided by the graduate committee of the college offering the degree program.

Repeated Courses
A graduate student may repeat any course, with all attempts counting toward the student's GPA. Graduate students do not have the option of deleting courses that are used to meet the degree requirements.

Duplicated Courses (400/600 level)
At the discretion of the program director, a student may be allowed to take a graduate course that essentially duplicates an undergraduate course.

Academic Probation and Suspension
A graduate student is expected to maintain a 3.00 grade point average on all work attempted. A graduate student who fails to earn a 3.00 average in any semester or summer term will be placed on academic probation. A graduate student on academic probation who fails to earn a 3.00 average in any semester or summer term will be dropped from graduate status for one regular semester or summer term. Probationary status is removed when the student completes a semester or summer term with a grade point average of 3.00 or better, provided the overall grade point average is 3.00 or better. (See requirements of the individual programs elsewhere in this Catalog.) A student who has been dropped from a graduate degree program for academic reasons may not obtain credit toward a degree in the University with credits earned at another university during a period of ineligibility. A student dropped for a second time from a graduate degree program is not eligible for readmission to that program.

Registration for Thesis
A student must register for thesis during each semester in which the thesis is under preparation and when college facilities and/or staff time are utilized. The letters IP will be recorded each semester for which a graduate student registers and makes satisfactory progress in the thesis course. The Registrar will record on each transcript that thesis credit for a graduate degree is limited to 6 semester hours, although the student may need to register for additional hours in order to complete the thesis.
 

Time Limit for Completing Degrees
All coursework credited toward the degree must have been begun no earlier than eight years prior to the completion of all of the degree requirements.

Extension of time may be granted only on conditions beyond control of the student. A formal request outlining the conditions upon which the extension of time is made should be addressed to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. Master of Education Students should also see "Transfer Credit," Master of Education program below.
 

Graduate Only Coursework
At least 50 percent of the courses applicable toward a degree must be numbered 700 or above.
 

Graduation Requirements
The student must meet all the requirements for a graduate degree outlined in one issue of the catalog. Any catalog in force during the student's residence at the University may be elected, provided the residence is continuous. If residence is interrupted for 12 consecutive months, the student may not elect a catalog earlier than the one in force at the time of reentry. No graduate degree, whether honorary or earned, shall be conferred except by vote of the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation of the University and the Graduate Faculty. Procedural requirements which must be completed by the student prior to graduation are as follows:

1. During the semester immediately prior to the semester or term in which the degree is to be awarded, the candidate must ask the dean of the appropriate college to evaluate the candidate's academic record for compliance with degree requirements. The degree check-out form signed by the dean and furnished the candidate must then be presented to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for approval. The candidate next must make application for a degree in the Office of Admissions and Records, giving the exact name that is to appear on the diploma.
2. The candidate must pay the diploma fee of $30 at the last registration. A candidate who has previously paid a diploma fee but failed to graduate at the time expected must pay an additional fee of $10.
3. At least three days prior to graduation, the candidate must clear any financial indebtedness to the University.
4. The candidate must participate in commencement ceremonies unless granted permission to receive his or her degree in absentia. The request for such permission, stating the extenuating circumstances, must be made in writing prior to graduation to the dean of the student's college.

Requirements for a Second
Master's Degree

Students who wish to obtain a second master's degree from this University must meet all academic and residence requirements set by the Graduate Program and the department concerned. A maximum of six hours from the first degree may be applied toward the second, provided that at the beginning of the second degree the dean and director of the second master's degree approve the credits.

Graduate Programs Offered by LSU-Baton Rouge

LSU-Baton Rouge, through its Division of Continuing Education, offers graduate work for the Master of Library Science degrees. All graduate credits earned in these programs are resident credits if the applicant has been admitted to the graduate program. Persons interested in the Master of Library Science should contact Dr. Lee Shifflet, LSU School of Library and Information Science, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803.