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CAMPUS ADDRESS

1400 John R. Lynch Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39217
Telephone: 601-979-2121
Toll-free: 800-848-6817

ADMISSIONS ADDRESS

Director of Admissions
Jackson State University
PO Box 17330
Jackson, Mississippi 39217
Telephone: 601-979-2100
Toll-free: 800-848-6817
Fax: 601-979-3445

Total Enrollment: 6,820

Level of Selectivity: Slightly competitive

Motto: You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

Location: Jackson State University is located in the heart of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, with a population of approximately 396,000. The city features a zoological park, an art museum and gallery, house museums, historic buildings, and a planetarium. Shopping malls are nearby. Annual activities include the Mississippi State Fair, a blues festival, and the Jubilee Jam. The city is served by mass rail and air transportation. New Orleans, Louisiana, is approximately a 4-hour drive from the campus.

HISTORY

Jackson State University (JSU) is a four-year, state-supported, coed, liberal arts university. It was founded in 1877 as the Natchez Seminary by the American Baptist Home Mission Society in Natchez, Mississippi. The purpose of the seminary was for the moral, religious, and intellectual improvement of Christian leaders of the colored people of Mississippi and the neighboring states. In 1882, the institution moved to Jackson because of its central location in the state, and shortly thereafter the name was changed to Jackson College.

For sixty-three years the school operated as a private church school. In 1940, the college became a state institution for training rural and elementary school teachers. The first bachelor’s degrees were awarded in 1944. In subsequent years, the name changed to Jackson State College. Expansion of the curriculum and facilities elevated the college to university status in 1974; thus, the name changed to Jackson State University.

In 1979, Jackson State University was officially designated the Urban University of Mississippi, and as such, seeks solutions for urban problems through its programs and activities. The University is pledged to the advancement of a free society and continued progress of democracy.

In 1983, the University completed an $11.2-million capital campaign that resulted in the renovation and improvement of several campus buildings and provided for expanded programs offered in continuing education.

ACCREDITATION

Jackson State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, master’s, Education Specialist, and Doctor of Education degrees.

COSTS PER YEAR

2002-03 Tuition: $3206 (in-state); $7376 (out-of-state)
Room and board: $2428 (room); $1824 (board)
Special fees: $175
Books: $1000
Estimated total cost: $8633 (in-state); $12,803 (out-of-state)

2000–01 FINANCIAL AID–INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING

Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 90

Financial Aid Specific to the School

• Army ROTC offers two- and four-year scholarships that pay tuition, fees, books, and other expenses and provide a monthly stipend. Students should contact the ROTC Office.
• Athletic scholarships are available to students participating in intercollegiate sports. Students should contact the Athletic Department.
• The Charles F. Moore Scholarship is awarded annually to a junior in the school of business with a B average or better. The scholarship is renewable. Students should contact the department.
• The Cooperative Education Program alternates or combines classroom study with related paid work experience. The program provides academic credit and full-time status during co-op placement. Students should contact the respective department.
• General Motors (GM) EEOC provides scholarships for GM employees and their spouses and children if the family demonstrates financial need. Scholarships are based on admission test scores and GPA. If no GM employees apply for scholarships then non-GM minorities are eligible. Students should contact the school.
• The Hearing and Hess Scholarship provides $5000 each year to a student majoring in computer science. Students must have a B average or better in high school, an ACT score of 24 or more, and demonstrated leadership potential. To maintain scholarship funds, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher.
• Jackson State pays room and board for students with four-year ROTC scholarships. Students should contact the school.
• Junior or community college graduates may be eligible for a limited number of scholarships. Students should contact the school.
• National Institute of Health-MARC Honors Program provides eight junior or senior biology or chemistry students with full tuition and a monthly stipend. Students should contact the school.
• Performance scholarships are available for students who excel in areas such as drama, music, art, computer science, elementary education, chemistry, and business. Students should contact the respective department.
• The SCT Grant is provided by Jackson State University to students who demonstrate financial need. Students should contact the school.
• The Thurgood Marshall Black Education Fund provides a four-year scholarship at this public black college. Qualifying students must have a high school GPA of 3.0 or better and an SAT score of 1000 or ACT score of 24 or more. Students must be recommended by their high school counselor as exceptional or exemplary in the creative or performing arts. The scholarship pays tuition, fees, room, and board, not to exceed $6000 annually. Students should contact the school.
• Tuition waivers are available for employees’ children, and remission of fees is available for JSU employees. Students should contact the school.
• The Young Scientists Program supports chemistry students with full tuition, books, supplies, and summer research jobs at sponsor companies. Students should contact the school.

Financial Aid Deadline: Continuous notification; April 1 (priority); July 1 (Fall); November 1 (spring)

Financial Aid Contact:

Director of Student Financial Aid
Jackson State University
PO Box 17065
Jackson, Mississippi 39217
Telephone: 601-979-2227
Fax: 601-979-2237

Minimum SAT (620) or ACT (15 Enhanced for Mississippi residents and 16 Enhanced for out-of-state residents).

Entrance Requirements: Graduation from an accredited high school (or equivalent) and submission of an official transcript with the following units: 4 English; 3 mathematics (algebra I, algebra II, and geometry); 3 science (1 lab, biology, advanced biology, chemistry, advanced chemistry, physics, or advanced physics); 2 1/2 social sciences (U.S. history and American government); and 1 elective. Recommended requirements include 2 units of a single foreign language, mathematics in the senior year, a computer course, and typing proficiency. Proof of immunizations for measles and rubella is required. No application fee is required.

Admission Application Deadline: August 15 (fall); December 15 (spring).

Admission Contact: Director of Admissions, Jackson State University, P.O. Box 17330, Jackson, Mississippi 39217; Telephone: 601-968-2100 or 2237; 800-848-6817 (toll-free).

Graduation Requirements: A minimum of 128 credit hours and completion of the core requirements, including 15 to 21 semester hours in communications, 9 semester hours in natural science, 12 semester hours in social and behavioral science, 2 to 3 semester hours in health and physical education, 2 semester hours in concepts for success, and requirements in the major field of study. At least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and a 2.0 cumulative GPA in all courses in the major field of study is needed. Thirty hours of upper-level work in the major must be completed at Jackson State. Must pass English proficiency exam.

STUDENT BODY PROFILE

Total enrollment: 6,820
In-state: 5,423
Full-time undergraduates: 4,809
Part-time undergraduates: 662
Graduate students: 1,349
Ethnic/racial makeup: African American, 6,467; Asian, 20; Caucasian, 189; Hispanic, 8; Native American, 5; International, 131

CLASS OF 2000–01 PROFILE

Number of applicants: 4,904
Number accepted: 2,348
Number enrolled: 936
Median ACT score: 17
Average high school GPA: 2.82
Transfer applicants: 1,549
Transfers accepted: 890
Transfers enrolled: 406

FACULTY PROFILE

Number of faculty members: 399
Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
Full-time faculty members: 319
Part-time faculty members: 80
Faculty with doctorates or other terminal degrees: 75%

SCHOOL CALENDAR

August-May (semesters)
Commencement and conferring of degrees: May
One summer session.

Bachelor’s Degrees: Accounting; Art; Biology; Biology Education; Business Administration; Business Education; Chemistry; Chemistry Education; Computer Science; Counseling Education; Criminal Justice; Curriculum and Instruction; Economics; Educational Foundation and Leadership; Elementary Education; English; Environmental Science Education; Foreign Language; Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; Human Resource Education; Management; Marine Science; Marketing; Mass Communication; Military Science; Music; Office Administration; Physics; Political Science; Psychology; Public Policy and Administration; Rehabilitative Services; Science Education; Sociology; Special Education; Speech; Theater Arts; Urban Affairs

Master’s Degrees: Business Administration, Business Education, Chemistry, Chemistry Education, Communication Disorders, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Educational Administration and Supervision, Elementary Education, English/Linguistics, Guidance and Counseling, Health, History, Physical Education and Recreation, Professional Accountancy, Public Health, Reading, Secondary Education, Sociology, Special Education, Systems Management, Urban and Regional Planning

Doctorate Degrees: Business Administration, Chemistry, Early Childhood Education, Clinical Psychology, Educational Administration, Environmental Science, Mass Communication, Music, Public Administration, Social Work

Preprofessional: Dentistry, Health Recreation Administrator, Medical Technology, Medical Records Administrator, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physician Associate, Physical Therapy, Respiration Therapy, Speech Pathology, Teaching Core, Veterinary Medicine

ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

Jackson State is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Southwestern Athletic Conference Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, and the National Association of Women’s Sports.

Intercollegiate Sports: men’s baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis, and track and field; women’s basketball, track and field, and volleyball.

Intramural Sports: touch football, cross-country, table tennis, basketball, bowling, volleyball, swimming, badminton, softball, golf, tennis, billiards, track and field, chess, weight lifting, archery, and horseshoes.

Athletic Contact: Director of Athletics, Jackson State University, P.O. Box 17810, Jackson, Mississippi 39217; Telephone: 601-979-2291; 601-979-7008 (fax).

STUDENT LIFE

Campus Services: Health center, personal and psychological counseling, career planning and placement, and transportation to some off-campus housing.

Campus Activities: Social and cultural activities include theater, musicals, orchestra, chorale, and dance. Interested students may work on the Blue and White Flash (student newspaper) or the Jacksonian (yearbook).

Leadership opportunities are found in professional and departmental associations or special interest groups, such as the chess club, karate club, NAACP, or the Blue and White Flash, an independent newspaper on campus. Students with musical, dramatic, or dance talent may join the Orchestra Club, the Dunbar Drama Guild, or JSU Modern Dance Troupe. Greek sororities include Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Zeta Phi Beta; fraternities include Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, and Phi Beta Sigma. Honor societies include four general honor societies--Alpha Chi, Alpha Kappa Mu, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Phi Kappa Phi--and fourteen departmental honor societies. The Religious Council consists of seven clubs of various faiths.

Housing Availability: 2,596 housing spaces; four men’s dormitories, an honor dormitory, and two large women’s dormitory complexes.

Handicapped Services: Wheelchair accessibility.

Web site: http://www.jsums.edu/

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