Gulf Coast campus gets new home and new doctorate program

When Tulane University"s Mississippi coast campus relocates from its current home in Biloxi"s Edgewater Mall, the new venue will be twice as large and will feature a brand new doctoral program in social work.

Frederick Buttell, professor and program director for the Tulane School of Social Work, says the university addressed the state"s need for more education in the social work field.

“Currently, there is only one doctoral social work program in Mississippi,” says Buttell. “Offering the doctorate in social work will allow Mississippi"s social workers the opportunity to pursue advanced education along the coast.”

One goal was to ensure the program was not entirely research based, but also practical.

“There was a need for a doctoral level educational option in social work that was not exclusively geared toward preparing the next generation of academic researchers,” says Buttell. “Our doctorate program has an equal focus on policy, practice and program evaluation research.”

Response to the new doctoral program has been strong.

“We have more than 30 applications for the program and will shoot for a cohort of 10 to 12. All live and work in Mississippi, most along the coast,” says Buttell.

With the admissions process still underway, Karen Delzell-Lucas, dean of the Mississippi Coast campus, says she believes the larger campus will attract more undergraduate and graduate students.

The new 14,961 square-foot location, which took over the former Books-A-Million store at 2600 Beach Blvd. in Biloxi, features 12 classrooms, a student lounge, computer lab, student carrels and a student conference room, says Delzell-Lucas.

Classes are expected to begin at the new campus Sept. 8, with a grand opening celebration scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29.