Dec 10, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Resources and Facilities



Athletic Facilities, NCAA Programs

As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big 12 Conference, Texas Tech provides intercollegiate athletic programs for both men and women. Texas Tech’s 17 athletic programs operate under NCAA and Big 12 rules and regulations as well as under the auspices of the Texas Tech Athletic Council whose membership represents the faculty, student body, Alumni Association, and a member-at-large appointed by the university President.

Red Raider athletic activities are organized under the Director of Athletics with head coaches in each of the sports responsible to the Director. Texas Tech began competing in the Big 12 Conference in 1996 after a 35-year membership in the former Southwest Conference.

Female athletes compete in intercollegiate volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball, golf, tennis, softball, and indoor/outdoor track and field. In 1993 the Lady Raider basketball team claimed the school’s first NCAA National Championship. The men’s program includes football, basketball, cross country, indoor/outdoor track and field, baseball, golf, and tennis.

Jones AT&T Stadium is named for Texas Tech’s late President Emeritus Clifford B. Jones and his wife Audrey and for SBC Communications. While SBC’s gift of $20 million enabled renovation of the stadium in 2003, the Jones family provided the initial funds to permit construction of the stadium in 1947. Because SBC Communications acquired AT&T in 2005 and chose to keep the AT&T name, the former Jones SBC Stadium was renamed and became the only collegiate athletic facility in the nation with the AT&T name. A 2003 renovation added a new west side building, complete with 54 luxury suites, a club level, and press and camera levels. In 2010, an east side stadium building opened, featuring 29 luxury suites and over 500 outdoor club seats. The addition increased stadium capacity to over 60,000.

Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park hosts the university’s baseball team and has been voted one of the best places in the nation to watch a college baseball game. Outdoor track and field events are held at the Terry and Linda Fuller Track Complex, and soccer events are held at the John Walker Soccer Complex. Basketball games tip off in the 15,098-seat United Supermarkets Arena, one of the finest on-campus basketball-volleyball facilities in the nation. In October of 2016, Tech debuted a center-hung video board with four displays and four corner boards throughout the arena.

The Texas Tech tennis and softball programs enjoy the Don and Ethel McLeod Tennis Complex and Rocky Johnson Field. The university’s golf teams began their first season at The Rawls Course in 2003. Named after Texas Tech alumnus Jerry S. Rawls, who provided an $8.6 million gift for construction of the course, The Rawls Course was named the fourth best on-campus course in the nation and second-best golf course in Texas by Golfweek Magazine in 2018.

The Marsha Sharp Center for Student-Athletes opened in 2004 and features classrooms, a computer lab, a resource library, tutoring rooms, private study areas, and administrative offices.

In October 2017, Texas Tech opened the Sports Performance Center. Funded by gifts to The Campaign for Fearless Champions, the state-of-the-art Sports Performance Center provides Texas Tech student-athletes world-class opportunities to compete, train, and achieve at the highest levels. The building houses a 200-meter indoor banked track with seating for more than 2,000 spectators. The indoor football practice field provides an important recruiting tool and ensures that Texas Tech football players will never miss another practice due to inclement weather. A removable door separates the football and track venues, allowing privacy and student-athlete access to both sides of the facility during events.

Bookstore

Barnes & Noble at Texas Tech, the official university bookstore, is located in the Student Union Building. As the supplier for all required and recommended textbooks, the bookstore offers a large selection of used, rental, and digital books with services that include special orders and online textbook and general merchandise orders. The bookstore will also buy back books from students at the end of each semester (see store for details).

The bookstore offers a selection of reference and general interest books, study guides, and National Campus Bestsellers. In addition, the bookstore carries Texas Tech apparel and giftware, school supplies, convenience items, and much more. The bookstore also houses a Barnes & Noble Café that serves Starbucks® coffee and treats.

The bookstore accepts major credit cards, Raider Cash, and Barnes & Noble Gift Cards. Store hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays during fall and spring terms.

The bookstore’s app, My College Bookstore (available in both the Apple Store and Google Play), makes shopping simple, easy, and convenient and provides information about promos, discounts, sales, events in the store, and book due dates.

Contact: 806.742.3816, www.texastech.bncollege.com, www.facebook.com/barnesandnobletexastech, twitter.com/BNTexasTech, instragram.com/bntexastech.

Child Development Research Center

The Department of Human Development and Family Sciences in the College of Human Sciences operates a Child Development Research Center (CDRC) that offers a full-day program for children from birth to 6 years old. The center provides varied opportunities for university students to work in classrooms with professional staff to acquire information and skills related to the development and guidance of young children. The CDRC also provides opportunities for faculty and graduate students to conduct research on child behavior and family interactions, as well as to generate innovative strategies for promoting human development and family studies across the life span.

Enrollment is open to children of any race, creed, or nationality. Applications should be made through the Child Development Research Center Office, at 15th and Akron or by calling 806.742.3016.

Information Technology (Computing) Services

The Information Technology (IT) Division (www.it.ttu.edu), managed by the Texas Tech University Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO), provides a wide selection of computing resources, services, and support for students, faculty, and staff in support of institutional strategic goals and priorities. Some of the key services provided to the university community are open-access student computing facilities, university software site licenses, cloud-based printing (WEPA), free technology classroom-based short courses, self-paced computer-based training modules (www.cbt.ttu.edu), NBC Learn information resource (www.nbclearn.ttu.edu), personal web pages, email (TechMail/O365), secure remote network access, Service Desk operations, desktop support, support for centrally managed classroom technology, digital signage, secure wireless networking, identity federation, Single Sign On services, videoconference facilities, Unified Communications/Skype for Business/online meeting space, University application support, emerging technology assessments, mobile application support, online and distance education support, high performance computing, and IT consulting. As part of the Cybersecurity Awareness Program (www.cybersecurity.ttu.edu), the TTU Office of the CIO hosts multiple educational events each semester, maintains State-mandated Cybersecurity Awareness Training programs, and provides other educational resources to raise IT security awareness for the Texas Tech community.

Institutional Effectiveness (www.ttu.edu/progress/). In concert with the Office of the Provost and the Office of the President, IT contributes to the design and development of institutional effectiveness data systems, data management, dashboards, and advanced analytics. This collaborative institutional team oversees data modeling and data management associated with strategic goals and outcomes, as well as national and state reporting. The effort provides analytics that support strategic decisions at TTU.

Technology Assessment (www.depts.ttu.edu/infotech/techassessment.php) provides pertinent and objective information and analysis of current and emerging technologies. This area provides the TTU community with information and various levels of assessments of technology and technology-related issues, aiding decision-making regarding technology investments at TTU.

Technology Support (www.itts.ttu.edu) provides a variety of IT services and operates the Advanced Technology Learning Center (ATLC) in the west basement of the Texas Tech Library building, as well as remote student computing labs located throughout the campus (www.depts.ttu.edu/itts/labs). Some of the IT services provided include free technology short courses (hands-on and online), 3D printing, WEPA, university software site licenses, mission critical university systems management (e.g., Blackboard, Mediasite, OmniUpdate, SharePoint, etc.), technology accessibility review, and lab management consulting. Technology Support also manages university websites, including www.ttu.edu (in partnership with the Office of Communications & Marketing). Technology Support provides periodic campus training sessions on efficient lab management strategies and cybersecurity practices and awareness, as well as advanced training sessions for campus IT professionals.

IT Help Central (ITHC) (www.ithelpcentral.ttu.edu) provides students, faculty, and staff with friendly “front line” IT support for the multitude of IT services available on campus. ITHC is the primary point of contact for anyone needing assistance regarding technology issues, as well as secondary support for campus IT professionals. In addition to resolving questions quickly, the Service Desk is also structured to escalate questions, problems, and concerns from the TTU community to the appropriate IT staff member. All issues are tracked online until they are resolved. Faculty, staff, and students may contact ITHC at 806.742.4357 (HELP), ithelpcentral@ttu.edu, or utilize the self-support feature through askIT (www.askit.ttu.edu).

Telecommunications (www.net.ttu.edu) architects and manages TTUnet (the Texas Tech network), Unified Communications/Skype for Business, secure wireless network, and Internet and Internet2 connections. Telecommunications plans and administers the development, acquisition, repair, maintenance, and delivery of network services. This department also manages the eRaider authentication account services that provide secure access to various campus resources and other select non-TTU resources through identity federation. Telecommunications is also responsible for the TTU email service and domain name service.

High Performance Computing Center (HPCC) (www.hpcc.ttu.edu) promotes and supports research and teaching by integrating leading-edge, high-performance computing; storage; and data processing resources for faculty, staff, and students.  Additionally, HPCC provides consulting services and assistance to campus researchers with advanced computational software and/or hardware needs and experimental software and/or hardware requirements, as well as training in parallel computing. The HPCC participates in regional, national, and international initiatives to bring expertise and resources to Texas Tech University researchers.

Application Development and Support (ADS) (www.ads.ttu.edu) analyzes, designs, creates, and provides high-quality applications, reports, and solutions to support academic and business processes, such as web-based learning, eCommerce transactions, data security, data science, and institutional reporting. These solutions improve student services, enhance operational visibility, streamline strategic decision making, and reduce costs. ADS also leads and assists the Texas Tech community in protecting internally-developed and third party-provided applications, using appropriate authentication and security measures.

Enterprise IT Security (EITS) protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the university’s information resources in support of academic and business processes. Risks are identified, assessed, and managed through the execution of a comprehensive information security program. As part of the program, EITS actively monitors the threat landscape and sets the strategy to defend against IT threats, responds to cybersecurity incidents, and continually enhances security processes. In addition, EITS manages the network registration service for devices that connect to TTUnet. EITS seeks to integrate secure computing into the culture of Texas Tech University through active collaborations with the campus community.

In addition to the university’s IT Division resources, the Texas Tech University System provides the following IT resources:

  • Communication Services (www.itcs.ttu.edu) provides legacy telephone services for Texas Tech entities, including supporting the associated telephone infrastructure. This area also supports university-owned cellular voice and data devices, the 800mhz radio infrastructure, and the on-campus directory assistance. For any of these needs, contact Communications Services at 806.742.2000.
  • Information Systems (www.texastech.edu/it/infosys) is responsible for the design, development, implementation, maintenance, and support of enterprise applications shared across Texas Tech components, including Banner products supporting student, student financial aid, finance, human resources, payroll, and budget systems.
  • Technology Operations & Systems Management (TOSM) (www.tosm.ttu.edu) provides technology consulting, backup/recovery, and hosting services, as well as managing the University Data Center. Staff members are available to answer questions concerning server administration, management, or support. TOSM provides a production-grade data center and encourages areas and units to house servers and data in this facility. All mission-critical services managed locally must be housed in the University Data Center and managed judiciously in accordance with University IT OPs, to protect institutional data and ensure disaster recovery planning for key IT services. For additional information, call 806.742.2900.

Landmark Arts

The mission of the Exhibitions and Speakers Program of Texas Tech University School of Art is to promote contemporary visual arts awareness in the Lubbock community through a program of exhibitions, visiting artists and scholars, symposia and workshops, publications, and hands-on experience with working artists. As a component of the School of Art, the Landmark Arts program integrates academic and professional practice.

The galleries of Landmark Arts are Landmark Gallery, Studio Gallery, Folio Gallery, SRO Photo Gallery, and Satellite Gallery at CASP in downtown Lubbock. The Landmark Gallery exhibits contemporary art by nationally and internationally recognized professional artists. Landmark Arts also presents speaker programs and symposia, featuring artists and scholars from around the U.S.A. that engage campus and Lubbock community participation.

Folio Gallery is an intimate venue that displays prints, photographs, and drawings by visiting professional artists. The Studio Gallery and South Gallery offer student-driven exhibitions such as the capstone exhibitions of the M.F.A., M.A.E., B.A., and B.F.A., and the annual undergraduate-juried competition. The SRO Photo Gallery presents the viewer with wide-ranging solo exhibitions of fine art photography by professional artists from around the country. The Satellite Gallery presents current creative research by students and faculty.

The galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. During university holidays the galleries are closed. More information is available at www.landmarkarts.org

Lubbock Lake Landmark

The Lubbock Lake Landmark, a renowned archaeological and natural history preserve, contains a complete cultural record from the Clovis Period (12,000 years ago) through historic times, making Lubbock one of the oldest communities in the New World. The Landmark is a unit of the Museum of Texas Tech University and offers tours, outreach, and programs related to the ongoing archaeological and natural history research at the preserve. Community and student volunteers assist in much of the research conducted and educational programming offered at the site. The Landmark is closed on Monday but open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Museum of Texas Tech University

As an education resource for a diverse audience, the Museum of Texas Tech University collects, researches, and disseminates information about the natural and cultural heritage of local and related regions. It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is located on the campus at Fourth Street and Indiana Avenue.

The building was completed in 1970 and contains over 250,000 square feet of galleries, research facilities, classrooms, work areas, and collection housing. The museum complex includes the main museum building, Moody Planetarium, Natural Science Research Laboratory, and Lubbock Lake Landmark. A 40-foot mural, created in India ink by Peter Rogers, dominates the lobby. Galleries showcase long-term and temporary exhibitions drawn from the museum’s own collections and traveling exhibits.

The Moody Planetarium is a 71-seat and two wheelchair area auditorium with a full-domed digital mirror projection system. It has daily astronomy and laser programs for the public at 2 and 3:30 p.m., Wednesday through Friday; 11:30 a.m., 2, and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday; and 2 and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.

A Master of Arts in Heritage and Museum Sciences is offered as an academic component of the museum. 

Although the chief source of funding for the museum is legislative appropriation, additional support comes from endowments and granting agencies. The Museum of Texas Tech University Association supports traveling exhibits. The education division of the museum conducts programs throughout the year, including curriculum-based self-guided tours for public schools, public workshops and lectures, special events, and other activities for major exhibitions. Volunteers from the community and Texas Tech University are always needed and welcome. The museum is a military-friendly, Blue Star museum.

The museum is closed on Monday but open free of charge from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

National Ranching Heritage Center

The National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC) is a 27-acre museum with 7 galleries, 41 pieces of life-size bronze sculptures, and an outdoor historical park containing 51 authentic ranch structures relocated, restored, and preserved to tell the ranching story. The structures—a bunkhouse, one-room schoolhouse, half-dugout, train, depot, blacksmith shop, barn, windmills, and more—date from the late 1780s to the early 1950s with 55 structures between 100 and 200 years old. More than 62,000 visitors from throughout the nation and many foreign countries tour the NRHC every year. TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, has named the NRHC the number-one tourist attraction in the Lubbock area and inducted the center into its Hall of Fame for five consecutive years of consistently high ratings from travelers.

In addition to museum exhibits and education-based seminars and programs, the NRHC hosts numerous public events annually, including Ranch Day, Summer Stampede Western Art and Gear Show, the National Golden Spur Award Dinner, and Candlelight at the Ranch. More than 160 community and student volunteers help with these events help at the center on a regular basis and 200 to 250 volunteer at public events where many dress in period clothing to re-enact scenes from pioneer days and frontier life.

Dedicated on July 4, 1976, the NRHC is open to the public free of charge from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The historical park closes daily at 4 p.m. The NRHC is closed on all major holidays, including the holiday schedule of Texas Tech faculty and staff. For additional information, see www.nrhc.ttu.edu, call 806.742.0498 or email ranchhc@ttu.edu.

Office of International Affairs

The Office of International Affairs integrates the global vision of Texas Tech University by fostering international leadership, awareness, education, research, and outreach for the university and the greater community. Working with and through the colleges, the Office of International Affairs (OIA) coordinates international activities at Texas Tech and is composed of the following divisions/stand-alone units:

  • International Enrollment and K-12 Global Education Outreach
  • International Student and Scholar Services    
  • International Grants Administration & Partnerships
  • International Relations and Outreach
  • Study Abroad

Contact: Office of International Affairs, www.international.ttu.edu, Vice Provost Sukant Misra, Ph.D., 806.742.3667.

International Enrollment and K-12 Global Education Outreach (IEO) Division.

The International Enrollment unit supports the academic pursuits of international students by providing expertise in international recruitment, international undergraduate admissions, sponsored students services, and marketing.

The K-12 Global Education Outreach (GEO) unit serves as a liaison for the university, providing cultural programming to K-12 students from public, private, and home schools throughout the South Plains.

Contact: Division of International Enrollment and K-12 Global Education Outreach, Director of IEO, Kelley Coleman, (kelley.coleman@ttu.edu).

For K-12 GEO and Facility Operations information, contact Randi Stevens, Assistant Director (randi.stevens@ttu.edu).

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). ISSS operates the university’s international student and exchange visitor immigration programs and provides employment-based immigration services to the university. It also oversees the Office of International Student Life. Counselors advise and assist international students and scholars concerning immigration rules, financial concerns, and cross-cultural issues. International Student Life plans activities for international students and coordinates with other offices on campus to provide services and programmatic support to all international students. From airport pick-up to advising the International Student Advisory Board, this office is the go-to place for international students.

Contact: Division of International Students and Scholar Services, Director of ISSS, Richard Porter (richard.porter@ttu.edu) or Assistant Director, Tracy Tindle (tracy.tindle@ttu.edu).

The International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies (ICASALS) promotes the university’s special mission of the interdisciplinary study of arid and semiarid environments and the human relationship to these environments from an international perspective. The purpose of ICASALS is to stimulate, coordinate, and implement teaching, research, and public service activities concerning all aspects of the world’s arid and semiarid regions, their people, and their problems.

Contact: International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies (ICASALS), Interim Director, Dr. Jorge Salazar-Bravo (j.salazar-bravo@ttu.edu).

International Grants Administration and Partnerships Division. The International Grants Administration and Partnerships (IGAP) division works with faculty to identify and disseminate international research and development grant opportunities and to help develop and submit multidisciplinary proposals to funding agencies. Additionally, they work with faculty to develop partnerships with international institutions to further enhance the international reputation of Texas Tech University.

Contact: Division of International Grants Administration and Partnerships, Director of International Programs, Reagan Ribordy (reagan.ribordy@ttu.edu) or Associate Director, Laura Bilbao (laura.bilbao@ttu.edu).

International Relations and Outreach. Comprised of International Alumni Relations, International Arts and Culture (art exhibits, speakers, etc.), International Scholars Engagement, and International Fundraising, the International Relations division engages and connects TTU alumni, scholars, and donors and brings cultural programming to the multiple and diverse South Plains and TTU communities.

Contact: Division of International Relations, Joan Goodman-Williamson, Executive Director (joan.williamson@ttu.edu).

For International Arts and Culture, contact Jan Stogner, Assistant Director (jan.stogner@ttu.edu).

Passport Office. The OIA also offers full passport services to the public.

Contact: Administration and Finance, Rachel Jarnagin, Business Manager, (rachel.jarnagin@ttu.edu).

Study Abroad. The Study Abroad Office in the Office of International Affairs coordinates all study abroad programs for Texas Tech University students. In today’s globalized job market, students who participate in a study abroad program, to include international internships, service-learning, and research, can be more competitive in almost every field. An educational experience overseas can equip college students with an international perspective that helps them function more objectively and comfortably in the global marketplace while earning credit toward their degree.

Texas Tech students may choose from several types of study abroad programs. The Texas Tech Center in Sevilla, Spain, offers students the opportunity to take Texas Tech catalog classes. Students may participate in an intensive Spanish language program (equivalent to four semesters) or take engineering, architecture, or pre-health courses. Students live with host families and are immersed in the language and culture through excursions and day-to-day experiences.

Many academic departments offer faculty-led programs, usually in the summer, with a wide variety of course offerings and locations to include the TTU Center in Sevilla and TTU Costa Rica. Students can earn Texas Tech credit while taking a catalog course in an international location with Texas Tech faculty.

Other study abroad programs available to Texas Tech students range in length from three weeks to a full academic year. Study Abroad Counselors assist students in choosing a program that best fits their individual needs and goals. The Texas Tech Study Abroad team also provides guidance during the application and orientation processes.

Students participating in any credit-bearing Texas Tech study abroad program and international students seeking a degree at Texas Tech are encouraged to apply for the Study Abroad Competitive Scholarship. This scholarship is funded by the International Education Fee paid by all Texas Tech students. Students participating in credit-bearing Texas Tech study abroad programs also remain eligible for Texas Tech financial aid to help fund their international program.

Contact: studyabroad@ttu.edu; www.studyabroad.ttu.edu; 806.742.3667; International Cultural Center, 601 Indiana Avenue, Lubbock, TX.

Psychology Clinic

The Texas Tech Psychology Clinic has a long history of providing quality services to the Lubbock area and university community. The Clinic is located on the first floor of the Psychology Building and is operated by faculty from the clinical and counseling psychology programs. The purpose of the Clinic is threefold: 1) to provide multi-disciplinary, evidence-based training to doctoral students under the supervision of program faculty; 2) to provide high quality, affordable psychological services to the university and the Lubbock community; and, 3) to advance theory-based mental health research. The Psychology Clinic provides a range of outpatient services to children, adolescents, and adults, including individual, family, couples therapy, behavioral parent training, parent-child-interaction therapy, vocational counseling, and psychoeducation. Therapists address a broad range of issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship and interpersonal problems, emotional and behavioral problems, eating disorders, and problems with stress and coping. The Clinic also provides psychological, neuropsychological, and vocational testing and assessment services to the Texas Tech and Lubbock communities.

Radio and TV Stations

Texas Tech Public Media. Texas Tech Public Media consists of KTTZ-TV and KTTZ-FM. Licensed and owned by Texas Tech University, KTTZ-FM is a classical music and public radio news station that broadcasts on a frequency of 89.1 MHz at 70,000 watts. KTTZ-FM operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing service to South Plains listeners within a 75-mile radius of Lubbock. KTTZ-FM offers programming from National Public Radio, American Public Media, Public Radio International networks, and locally-produced classical music and arts features. The station is supported by listeners, and additional funding is supplied by grants, underwriting, and financial support from the Texas Tech University System. KTTZ-FM also features Lubbock’s first digital broadcast radio signal using HD radio technology and adding two additional stations to its existing frequency. The station also operates FM 90.1 KNCH in San Angelo, Texas.

A noncommercial educational television station, KTTZ-TV (Channel 5.1 in HD) is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to the university’s Board of Regents and operates as a division within Texas Tech University.

Channel 5’s office, studio, production, master control, transmitters, engineering facilities, and 817-foot antenna-tower are located on the southwestern campus triangle west of Indiana Avenue. The station broadcasts diverse digital programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The signal coverage zone encompasses Lubbock and thirteen surrounding counties and serves 157,000 households.

KTTZ-TV is a member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), a noncommercial network of 356 television stations interconnected by satellite. Staffed by professional personnel, the station produces digital programming to satisfy the broadcasting and non-broadcasting needs of the university and surrounding communities.

Texas Tech Public Television produces local programming and holds educational and entertaining events for viewers of all ages.

KTXT-FM. The campus radio station, KTXT-FM (The Raider 88.1), is the student radio station that broadcasts on a frequency of 88.1 MHz at 35,000 watts. Staffed by students and administered by the College of Media and Communication, KTXT-FM provides the university community with diverse programming, including BBC World Service; Texas Tech news and information; weather; live play-by-play broadcasts of Texas Tech soccer, volleyball, and softball; alternative music; and a variety of student-produced radio programs. Students from the campus community can serve as members of the staff and gain valuable educational experiences related to management, marketing, producing, and entrepreneurship.

Recreational Sports

The Department of Recreational Sports believes in inspiring community, developing students, and unleashing spirit. The department serves the leisure needs of Texas Tech faculty, staff, and students through open recreation, aquatics, fitness and wellness, outdoor pursuits, intramurals, and sport clubs. Open recreation provides an opportunity for informal, nonscheduled activities at the various campus recreational facilities. The Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center has 242,000 square feet of activity and recreational space, making it one of the largest student recreation centers in the nation. The building includes seven basketball/volleyball courts; an indoor soccer arena; three weight areas, including a free weight room, selectorized weight room, and CrossFit room; 105 cardiovascular machines; and a four-lane, one-ninth mile elevated jogging track. The center also provides three fitness/dance studios, a 53-foot climbing center, 12 racquetball/squash courts, a fitness/wellness center, locker rooms, an outdoor pursuits center, an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, and an outdoor leisure pool. Equipment checkout for a variety of sports and fitness equipment is available during open recreation. Urbanovsky Park outside of the Recreation Center sports a 1.2 mile track, outdoor workout space, new outdoor basketball courts, disc golf course, and sand volleyball courts and plenty of green space to play games.

Texas Tech’s aquatic facilities are first rate, including a regulation-sized indoor Olympic pool and an outdoor leisure pool designed by students for students. The aquatics program also provides many water sports and activities such as long-course swims, lifeguard instruction classes, and Learn to Swim programs. A staff of certified lifeguards and instructors assures maximum fun whenever students use the lazy river, the hot tub, the lap swim lanes, or the diving board and drop chute.

The Fit/Well Program offers everything needed for the person striving to be healthier. Certified personal trainers, licensed massage therapists, and fitness instructors lead the Texas Tech community in fun-filled and heart-pumping workouts. Current offerings include more than 101 fitness, dance, and mind/body weekly classes; 14 personal trainers; and three licensed massage therapists. The Fit/Well also holds numerous special events throughout the year, including runs, triathlons, healthy living seminars, and screenings.

The Outdoor Pursuits Center offers climbing, camping, biking, backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, and almost anything outdoors. The center also provides trip information, equipment rental, bike check-out, and bike maintenance. The Recreation Center houses a newly remodeled rock wall, making it one of the tallest walls in the Big 12 Conference at over five stories tall.

The Intramural Program is one of the largest in the country, with flag football having the largest number of participants. More than 300 teams compete on recreation fields in the fall on Sunday through Thursday nights. Intramural competitions are split into team, individual/dual, and special sports with Greek and open divisions. Many activities or events take place on a new 16-acre turf complex. All team sports offer men’s, women’s, and co-rec teams. Fall team sports include flag football, softball, indoor soccer, and volleyball. Spring sports include basketball, softball, outdoor soccer, and four-on-four flag football. Additional competitions are available in activities such as racquetball, tennis, golf, ping-pong, and dodgeball.

The Sport Clubs Program offers a unique diversion from academic life through instruction or intercollegiate athletic competition on a club basis. Clubs can compete for national championships within their sport. Sport Clubs offer 31 clubs, ranging from traditional sports such as soccer and rugby to niche sports such as Quidditch and paintball. Sport Clubs also has martial arts and mixed martial arts clubs. New clubs include Trap and Skeet, Table Tennis, and Wrestling. All sport clubs receive funding and oversight from the Department of Recreational Sports.

Research Opportunities

Texas Tech University is making great strides in increasing its research activities and advancing its vision to become an internationally recognized, great public university.

In 2016, Texas Tech was listed among the nation’s top doctoral universities in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Of the 120 universities listed in the Very High Research Activity (R1) category, TTU is one of 86 public institutions. The Carnegie Classification is a highly regarded measure of a university’s research activity and graduate programs. 

In 2019, Texas Tech received the Hispanic Serving Institution designation from the U.S. Department of Education. This allows TTU the opportunity to provide unique research experiences to a diverse student body.

TTU’s strategic plan, “A Foundation for the Next Century: A Pathway to 2025,” emphasizes innovative research and creative activities as one of our strategic priorities. As a part of this strategic priority, research and scholarly themes have been identified for which Texas Tech University is positioned to be a world leader. Growth in these themes will require support for increased development of personnel and infrastructure resources. As such, the University aspires to leadership in:

  • The interconnections of water, land, food, and fiber
  • Energy production, distribution, and utilization technologies
  • Health, well-being, and quality of life
  • Creative inquiry and expression across the arts, humanities, and sciences

Texas Tech desires to expand and enhance the undergraduate and graduate student and postdoctoral research enterprise. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to enhance their classroom activities with research faculty in all areas of the university (creative arts, social sciences, humanities, agriculture, engineering, mathematics, and the sciences) to prepare them for successful careers.

Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic

The Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic, with facilities on the east side of the Health Sciences Center, serves as a practicum site for students in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Under faculty supervision, students in speech-language pathology and audiology provide clinical services for the students, faculty, and staff of Texas Tech University and other residents of West Texas and eastern New Mexico. Assessment services and therapy are available for children and adults with hearing problems or disorders in language, voice, stuttering, or articulation. Individuals are accepted by self-referral and upon referral from other professionals. Anyone needing these services should contact the office of the Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic at 806.743.5678.

Student Union Building

The Student Union Building (SUB) is the community center of campus. The SUB has as many as 20,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests come through its doors daily.

Staff of the Student Union & Activities department have been working hard the past several years to bring Texas Tech spirit into the building. In 2016, several large photographic wall wraps were completed, representing campus life, athletics, and Texas Tech icons. The third floor of the building was renovated in 2017 to provide an open collaboration space for all students. The space is filled with moveable tables, chairs, and whiteboards, as well as a threaded power system throughout the floor, resulting in hundreds of available power outlets for students to charge their laptops, phones, and other devices. Additionally, the second-floor corridor has just been updated with new paint and carpet with a renovated student collaboration space on the West side. In 2006 the SUB completed a $45 million renovation and expansion that has created one of the finest facilities in the United States. The expansion included additional space for the official Barnes & Noble campus bookstore, the Student Organization Involvement Center, TV and study lounges, Student Government Association office suite, Student Union & Activities Administration offices, Dean of Students, the Center for Campus Life offices, Student Legal Services, and West Plaza courtyard between the SUB and the library. The Office of Parent and Family Relations was added in 2007 along with a games area in the lower west floor.

The SUB features a six-concept food court, a casual dining area with seating for 500 patrons, six study rooms, 20 technologically capable meeting rooms for events, the 936-seat Allen Theatre, the courtyard, and the east entrance ATM hub. Last summer a full-service Chick-fil-A® opened in the northeast corner of the food court. In 2014 the Student Union added the Stars and Stripes Military, Veteran, and Family Lounge. The Red Raider Ballroom was renovated with improved lighting, sound, and visual technologies in 2013. Televisions were added in the food court area in 2016. The retail and service corridor on the first floor houses a variety of businesses such as the University ID Office, Prosperity Bank, a University Police sub-station, Sam’s Place Mini-market, CopyMail service center, the Union Bistro, 1923, Red’s Donut Shoppe, Smart Choices, and Paciugo Gelato Caffé.

The Student Union Building is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.

Texas Tech Farm at Pantex

The College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources operates an agricultural farm at Pantex, located 12 miles east of Amarillo. This farm consists of 5,770 acres of deeded land and an agricultural use permit on an additional 5,304 acres controlled by the Department of Energy. The farm serves as a valuable resource for agricultural research and education, adding strength, flexibility, and prestige to the academic programs at Texas Tech.

Texas Tech Police Department

The Texas Tech Police Department is located at 413 Flint Avenue and provides 24 hour law enforcement services and security for the entire Texas Tech community. The department phone number is 806.742.3931 or, in case of an emergency, 911.

Officers of the Texas Tech Police Department are licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and are fully commissioned.

The Texas Tech Police Department offers presentations on a number of topics, including personal safety, burglary/theft prevention, sexual assault awareness, active shooter awareness, and drug and alcohol awareness programs.

The department posts information and crime statistics online at www.depts.ttu.edu/ttpd/.

Texas Tech University Ethics Center

The Texas Tech University (TTU) Ethics Center invites you to visit our web site (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ethics/ scroll down click on “Let’s Get Social”) to view the more than 100 videos, Facebook streams, and journal articles related to ethical challenges. Our mission is to promote and encourage ethical conduct. The TTU Ethics Center annual reports, also viewable from the web site, have a variety of information from events and surveys for more about the TTU ethics initiative. Data in the reports represent a sample of 6,000 to 10,000 TTU student respondents to TTU Ethics Center surveys. Programs are designed to foster the Texas Tech University Statement of Ethical Principles which are: 1) Mutual Respect; 2) Communication and Cooperation; 3) Creativity and Innovation; 4) Community Services and Leadership; 5) Pursuit of Excellence; 6) Public Accountability; and 7) Diversity.

The TTU Ethics Center works to increase its reach to domestic as well as international students in the learning community. The development of the Compassionate Ethics Program gives student social, sorority, and fraternal organizations a place to post their service work so that it may be viewed by the center’s more than 3,500 partner agencies around the world. The TTU Ethics Center partners with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs to celebrate Global Ethics Day through panel discussion on difficult topics, such as Human Migration from Threats, The Equator Principle, Climate Issues, Women & Equity, Race, and Community Relations. As reported by the TTU Ethics Center Fulbright Specialist, students appreciate that “ethics singularly is not about doing right but how to prevent doing harm.”

As an umbrella agency for the more than 120 disciplines with codes of ethics and/or guiding principles, the TTU Ethics Center hosts programs to support initiatives to have students complete their degrees with a greater knowledge of ethical protocols affiliated with the discipline. Texas Tech University graduates have an opportunity to perform at a higher standard. Through conferences, workshops, research, and learning community functions, the TTU Ethics Center’s message with partners across disciplines is to influence the ethical awareness among students, staff, faculty, administrators, and community.

For additional information, see www.ethics.ttu.edu.

Texas Tech University K-12

TTU K-12 is an accredited kindergarten through 12th grade school promoting student success — anytime, anywhere — using innovative online technologies, rigorous and reputable curriculum, state-certified teacher instruction and quality customer service.

A unit of the Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships division, TTU K-12 is a print-based (K-5) and online (6-12) school that has been meeting students’ needs for more than 25 years. TTU K-12 began in 1993 as a “Special Purpose District” designed to help students whose educational needs were not adequately met by traditional school districts. Since then, the unit has grown to serve students across the country and in more than 70 nations around the world.

The program is accredited by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which ensures all TTU K-12 curriculum meets the standards set by the state of Texas, and that students will be prepared for the TAKS, STAAR, and end-of-course exams. Texas Tech High School courses are also approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The school provides a full-time Texas high school diploma program that concludes with a graduation ceremony on the Texas Tech campus. TTU K-12 also offers supplemental courses and open-enrollment testing solutions such as credits by exam.

Texas Tech University Press

Texas Tech University Press (TTU Press) has been the book publishing arm of Texas Tech University since 1971 and a member of the Association of American University Presses since 1987. The mission of TTU Press is to disseminate the fruits of original research by publishing rigorously peer-reviewed works that compel scholarly exchange and that entertain and enlighten the university’s broadest constituency throughout the state, the nation, and the world. With approximately 400 titles in print, TTU Press publishes in all aspects of the Southwest, the Great Plains and the American West. Additionally, the Press publishes select titles in subject areas ranging from natural history to the natural sciences, as well as literary genres including biography, memoir, poetry, and young adult and children’s titles.

For more information and to order, visit www.ttupress.org or call 800.832.4042.

Texas Tech University Theatre

The School of Theatre and Dance presents a regular schedule of major dramatic productions each academic year under the direction of professionally qualified members of the theatre arts faculty and/or graduate students. The School selects plays to give each student generation an opportunity to experience a representative selection of the great works of the past as well as plays by modern, diverse, and contemporary authors. Many of these plays are presented on the main stage of the Charles E. Maedgen Jr. Theatre, which seats 385 patrons in a comfortable, continental arrangement.

With the advent of the new building, we also boast a state-of-the-art, completely flexible black box theatre and a small Studio Theatre as well. The theatre season, which was once divided between the lab and the main stage, now will be presented also in these two intimate spaces. All Texas Tech students are eligible to audition for roles in plays or to work on production crews.

New plays are also developed in Texas Tech’s innovative summer program, WildWind Performance Lab, and the intricacies of devised theatre in Marfa, Texas at the Crowley Theatre. The School collaborates with the Burkhart Center for Autism Research to produce a collaborative play each semester under the newly formed company, the BurkTech Players, and because Lubbock is considered the School’s campus, site-specific and found spaces are taken advantage of, as well.

Transportation and Parking Services

All vehicles parked on campus must have a valid Texas Tech ePermit. Students living off campus may purchase a permit for a commuter parking lot or garage that is valid weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Students living on campus may purchase a permit for their residence hall parking lot that is valid 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Transportation and Parking Services uses license-plate recognition to monitor campus parking, so students receive no physical permits.

By using “My Parking Account” on the Transportation and Parking Services website (www.parking.ttu.edu), viewers can access and update account information, register motor vehicles and bicycles, purchase a permit, and explore other ways to simplify their on-campus parking experience. The website also provides maps, citation appeals procedures, traffic and parking regulations, and other useful information.

A free on-campus Motorist Assistance Program is available 24 hours a day for anyone who runs out of gas, needs a battery boost, needs a car door unlocked, or has a flat tire on campus. Call 742.6277 (MAPP). TPS also offers Raider Ride, a nighttime, on-demand shuttle service. Shuttles run from 6 p.m. to 2:45 a.m., and students request a ride through the TapRide app. The ride is free if the start or end points are on the TTU campus. Details and other programs, events, and citation dismissal opportunities available to students are detailed online.

To contact Transportation and Parking Services, call 742.7275 (PARK) or visit Room 145 of the Administrative Support Center, 407 Flint Ave., from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

University Libraries/Special Collections

Ranked among the top third of academic research libraries nationally, Texas Tech University Libraries serve as a vital partner with students and faculty in their learning endeavors. The University Libraries’ system is comprised of: (1) University Library, (2) Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library and the (3) Architecture Library. The University Library is a patent and trademark depository and is one of two regional depositories for U.S. government documents in Texas. The central focus of the Texas Tech University Libraries is to make available 3.72 million physical volumes, electronic resources, special collections, and archives and to offer services to students and faculty that enable academic and research success.

The University Library is open more hours than any other building on campus (24/5 each semester with special 24/7 hours during final exam periods) and provides access to approximately 191,000 online journals, newspapers, and periodicals; almost 1 million e-books; 380 databases; and 1 million architecture and art digital images. The University Library is the center of academic, social, and intellectual discovery on (and off) campus. Librarians offer personalized assistance for research and reference needs in person, by phone, via e-mail, or through the Ask-A-Librarian chat service. Every major has its own Personal Librarian who can be found at http://guides.library.ttu.edu/. The Library’s award-winning Document Delivery service will obtain materials not owned by the Libraries for students and faculty and will hold and/or deliver them upon arrival.

The Library houses more than 270 public computers (both PC and Mac), the most computer stations on campus, each equipped with the full and latest versions of the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), AutoCAD, and other project/product and publishing tools. The ground floor also features a laptop kiosk for checkout of PC laptops, as well as the Library Makerspace featuring 3D printing, scanning, doodling pens and modeling assistance. The Makerspace also features a Virtual Reality Lab located on the second floor. The lab offers Oculus Rift VR headsets with controllers.

In the basement of the University Library, the state-of-the-art Crossroads Recording Studio provides a free facility to all students and university employees for practice, performance, podcasts, music, theater, and oral presentations. On the second floor, the Digital Media Studio (DMS) and 3D Animation Lab provide access to the latest Mac and PC software, including industry-standard design, video editing, and 3D art, modeling, and animation software. Digital cameras, high-definition digital camcorders, GoPro cameras and mounts, more than 5,000 American and international film and movie DVDs, and music and audio books on CD are all available for checkout from the DMS.

Thirty-five group study rooms are available for reservation and over 180 individual study rooms are available for check-out. The Library also offers event and exhibit space reservations for faculty, staff, and students.

The university offers a 1 credit-hour course (LIBR 1100 ) to convey effective library research methods and strategies for scholastic success. The Library also offers numerous workshops throughout the year on topics such as databases, managing citations, and more.

Contact: 806.742.2265 or library.ttu.edu.

The Architecture Library is located on the ninth floor of the Architecture Building. Its collection includes materials on architecture, design, urban planning, and landscape architecture, as well as an image library of digital collections on architecture, art, and design. The Architecture Library’s services include reference, reserve, instruction, and circulation.

Hours are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 1 to 6 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 10:30 p.m.

For more information: 806.742.8058 or http://library.ttu.edu/arch/index.php.

The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library (SWC/SCL) includes the Southwest Collection; the University Archives; Rare Books; the James Sowell Family Collection in Literature, Community and the Natural World; the Archive of Turkish Oral Narrative; and the Crossroads of Music Archive.

The Southwest Collection is the regional repository for historical information pertaining to West Texas and the Southwest. The SWC/SCL collects and makes available for research more than 1,800 collections of personal papers; more than 5,000 hours of oral history interviews; noncurrent business and institutional records; and a non-circulating library of Texana, Western Americana, maps, periodicals, photographs, newspapers, interviews, films, videotapes, and microfilm.

The University Archives serves as the institutional memory for Texas Tech University by collecting, preserving, and making accessible to researchers such materials as administrative and faculty records, publications, photographs, memorabilia, and video and audio recordings. These materials document the legal, historical, fiscal, administrative, and intellectual aspects of the university, as well as the cultural and social aspects of student life.

Consisting of some 38,000 volumes, Rare Books is a rich resource for research. Its holdings provide a wide breadth of materials, including rare and early printed books and maps; artists’ books; and limited edition, illustrated and finely bound books. Areas of strength include the history of science and medicine, European and American literature, book history and book arts, Russian and Eastern European history and culture, Mesoamerican and illuminated Medieval manuscript facsimiles, and Greek and Roman classical authors.

The James Sowell Family Collection in Literature, Community and the Natural World contains the personal papers of award-winning contemporary American writers whose work deals with the natural world, the significance of communities, and questions of social justice. In addition to published books, materials available for research include correspondence, drafts of manuscripts, research notebooks, diaries, calendars, photographs, and film.

The Archive of Turkish Oral Narrative is a research collection devoted to the study of Turkish folktales and related narrative forms: folk history, legends, folk minstrelsy and myths.

The Crossroads of Music Archive is a premier music archive in Texas actively pursuing musicians and their associates to collect and preserve the state’s vast musical heritage. Additionally, the archive is working outside the state to obtain important music collections that have been overlooked.

All materials may be used by both the university community and the general public for research or reference. The SWC/SCL is located north of the University Library. Reading Room service is provided during regular semesters from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday during the fall and spring semesters. All hours are subject to change; please call to confirm hours. Inquiries and donations are welcome. Tours are available.

Contact: 806.742.3749 or http://swco.ttu.edu

Vietnam Center and Archive

Texas Tech University established the Vietnam Center in 1989 with the missions of funding and guiding the development of the Vietnam Archive and encouraging continued study of all aspects of the American Vietnam experience. The center provides a forum for all points of view and all topics related to Southeast Asia, particularly America’s involvement in the region before, during, and since the Vietnam War.

The Vietnam Archive collects and preserves materials and artifacts focusing on the men and women who directly participated in wartime events. This includes people from the United States as well as from all participant nations. Located in the Special Collections Library, the Vietnam Archive currently contains approximately 20 million pages of material, making it the largest repository of Vietnam War related materials outside the U.S. federal government.

In addition to documents, artifacts, and related items, the Vietnam Archive includes a dynamic oral history project, a library of more than 14,000 books, and an unrivaled microfilm/microfiche collection. The Vietnam Archive microform collection comprises material from all the U.S. presidential administrations involved in Southeast Asia from World War II to 1975 and contains a comprehensive collection of other government agency and military branch records. This collection also includes one of the largest French Indochina and Vietnamese newspaper collections in the country.

To ease the burden of researching these vast holdings, the Vietnam Archive has developed one of the largest online document retrieval systems in the nation. Created in 2001, The Virtual Vietnam Archive now provides access to more than 9 million pages of materials, all of which are accessible free of charge through the Internet. These online materials include documents; photographs and slides; and thousands of maps, audio recordings, oral history interviews, films, and more. The Vietnam Archive is continually adding new pages of digital material online each year.

In addition to the Vietnam Archive and its component projects, the Vietnam Center also administers a number of special projects and events, including scholarships for Texas Tech students, annual conferences and symposia, and numerous other projects and publications. The Vietnam Center website is www.vietnam.ttu.edu.