College of Education & Professional Studies Director of the Office of Graduate Studies

The Office of Graduate Studies coordinates all matters related to graduate-level studies to help graduate students succeed academically and professionally, and facilitate academic policies that enhance the productivity of graduate students and their faculty mentors. The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the liaison between the Dean of the Graduate School and the College of Education and Professional Studies.

Our Mission

Our goal is to recruit highly qualified students and to make graduate study fulfilling and successful. The Office of Graduate Studies assists students through admission, registration, program study, and graduation. The College of Education and Professional Studies is pleased to offer over 20 graduate degrees at the masters, specialist, and doctoral levels as well as numerous certification programs. These degrees and certifications are offered through our graduate programs in the Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences; Health, Kinesiology, and Sport; and Leadership and Teacher Education.

Our mission is accomplished through the provision of engagement and support, research and creative activity, professional development opportunities, and outstanding faculty who provide the expertise, resources, and advocacy of intellectual and professional performance. The University’s core values of Diversity and a Global Perspective; Excellence; Freedom in the Pursuit of Knowledge, Integrity, and Transparency; and Participation in Decision-Making are essential to our vision for graduate education.

For more information regarding our graduate programs of study and available graduate assistantships, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies website.

James "Tres" Stefurak

Director of Graduate Studies

Dr. Stefurak is the Associate Dean for CEPS and an Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology in the Department of Counseling & Instructional Sciences. His research has focused on juvenile offending, child abuse and policing reform. In his teaching position, he instructs doctoral students in the Combined-Integrated Clinical & Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program. A graduate of the University of Georgia (BA, 1996; M.Ed., 2000, Ph.D., 2004), Dr. Stefurak is also a former middle school special education teacher, a child and family psychotherapist, and an experienced research mentor.

Since entering higher education in 2004 he has been Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on approximately 1.5 million dollars of externally funded scholarly activity. Most recently this has included grants with the Mobile Police Department and the U.S. Department of Justice to assist in implementing

He holds memberships in the American Psychological Association and has been awarded the College of Education Award for Distinguished Contributions to Improving our Community in 2012.

Contact Information

James "Tres" Stefurak, PhD
Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Studies

College of Education and Professional Studies, University of South Alabama jstefurak@southalabama.edu

University Commons 3612
307 University Blvd. North
Mobile, AL 36688-0002
Phone: (251) 380-2734
Fax: (251) 380-2748