Office of Graduate Studies

www.usi.edu/graduatestudies; 812/465-7015

Graduate Studies, located on the first floor of the Orr Center (OC 1060), serves graduate students and graduate faculty whose primary goals are the advancement of scholarship, research, and creative activity. It is through the encouragement and support of these goals that the institution contributes to the development of knowledge and the professional preparation of its graduate students.

Face-to-face, distance, and hybrid instruction through formal directed study, seminars, and independent research provides graduate students with ample opportunities to acquire advanced knowledge. Programs are designed to improve the students’ professional and scholarly abilities.

The primary responsibilities of the Office of Graduate Studies are to maintain and enhance the quality of graduate programs and to facilitate research and creative activity. The University Graduate Council, the legislative and administrative body for graduate programs of the university, sets policies and regulations governing graduate work. The University Graduate Council in conjunction with the college-level graduate councils conduct the business of the faculty having to do specifically with graduate education, including development, direction, and implementation of graduate programs.

Accreditation and Affiliation

The University is approved to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice and master’s level degrees by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), 30 North LaSalle, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60602, telephone 312/263-0456, and is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools and the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools.

Graduate Degrees

The University has authorization to confer the following graduate degrees: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Master of Arts in Communication, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Business Administration, Master of Health Administration, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science in Accountancy, Master of Science in Education, Master of Science in Industrial Management, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, and Master of Social Work.

Graduate Academic Fields