Nov 21, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
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2023-2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Graduate School

Mark A. Sheridan, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs; Dean, Graduate School

Graduate School | 328 Administration Building
Box 41033 | Lubbock, TX 79409-1033
T 806.742.2787 | F 806.742.1746
gradschool@ttu.edu | www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool

Administrative Staff

Graduate School

Mark A. Sheridan, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, Dean, Professor of Biology
Heather Greenhalgh-Spencer, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Associate Professor of Curriculum & Instruction
Kristi Gaines, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Professor of Design
Louisa J. Hope-Weeks, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Marketing, Recruitment, and Communications

Kim Cappillino, Senior Director of Marketing, Recruitment, and Admissions

Graduate Admissions

Jade Foerster, Managing Director of Graduate Admissions / Information Technology

Enrollment Services

Vanessa Bara Morin, Director of Enrollment Services

About the Graduate School

Graduate education plays a critical role in innovation, and graduate degree holders are increasingly in demand in the workforce because of their specialized knowledge and problem-solving ability. Graduate study is much more than a continuation of undergraduate work. It is distinguished by a spirit of inquiry and the desire to increase human knowledge. Graduate study should be contemplated, therefore, only by students who have demonstrated in their undergraduate program unusual intellectual ability and the capacity for independent thought and investigation. For this reason, the Texas Tech University Graduate School exercises selectivity in its admission of students. Selective entrance requirements are partly for the maintenance of high standards that must characterize graduate study and partly for the benefit of students in helping them decide whether they should undertake such work.

The Graduate School of Texas Tech University recognizes its obligations to maintain the highest academic standards and reserves the right to decline to accept any applicant whose admission would not be in the best interest of the applicant or the university.

Mission Statement

The Graduate School prepares ethical, knowledgeable, and thoughtful graduates who are equipped to tackle complex challenges and to enrich the cultural and social fabric of society.

Academic Diversity

Established in 1923, Texas Tech has become a leading research university in the U.S. A strong commitment to academic quality and research has earned numerous graduate programs at Texas Tech national and international recognition. From a creative writing program to an advanced ceramics program, from a nationally recognized personal financial planning program to a semi-conductor processing program, the Texas Tech University Graduate School offers unlimited opportunity for the aspiring scholar.

The hallmarks of the graduate experience at Texas Tech include 1) individualized programs of study to meet students’ career objectives, 2) comprehensive professional and career development program to complement disciplinary training, 3) opportunities to engage in practical experience that attracts employers (e.g., internships, etc.), and 4) access to The Graduate Center, a facility for the exclusive use of graduate students and postdoctorals that provides academic and student support services.

The Graduate School strives to maintain flexibility through a combination of options from traditional degree programs to progressive interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary choices. The Graduate School values the student’s interests, personal research aims, and career goals. In keeping with that spirit, many outstanding facilities for interdisciplinary research are located at Texas Tech, including numerous specialized research centers and institutes. Some interdisciplinary programs are housed within specific colleges or a cluster of departments, while others are headquartered in the Graduate School. All of these programs are defined by the topic rather than by traditional disciplinary boundaries. In addition to approved student-designed options, interdisciplinary subjects include biotechnology, arid land studies, heritage and museum science, wind science, energy, applied linguistics, environmental evaluation, international affairs, women’s and gender studies, and many more.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council, assisted by the graduate faculty, is charged with the responsibility of formulating the policies of the Graduate School and the requirements for graduate degrees. The Dean administers these policies.

The Graduate Council is composed of 14 members. The graduate faculty elects 11 of the members, the Graduate Dean appoints two, and the Faculty Senate elects one from its graduate faculty membership. All 14 are voting members of the Graduate Council. The Dean is ex officio chairperson of the council; associate deans, the Provost (or a designated representative), and others appointed by the Dean are ex officio and nonvoting members of the Council. The graduate student vice president of the Student Government Association and the president of the Graduate Assembly also serve as ex officio nonvoting members of the Council.

Elected members other than the Faculty Senate representative serve for a three-year period and are not eligible for immediate reelection unless they have been chosen to fill an unexpired term. Members appointed by the Dean serve for two years. The Faculty Senate representative serves a one-year term. By a system of rotation, some new members join the council each year, replacing those whose terms of office have expired.

Graduate Faculty

Members of the graduate faculty participate in all phases of the graduate enterprise, including developing policies and procedures related to graduate education, teaching graduate courses, supervising graduate student thesis and dissertation research, and voting on candidates for graduate degrees. Membership is a means of recognizing the members of the faculty for scholarly activities, creativity, direction of graduate research and study, and other contributions to the graduate programs of the university. Except in special cases approved by the Graduate Dean, only graduate faculty may serve as instructors of graduate courses, conduct graduate examinations, and serve on thesis and dissertation committees. Please refer to OP 64.10 for additional information including the approval of external committee members and graduate course teaching waivers.

Graduate Degrees Available at Texas Tech

In addition to this list of graduate degrees, many programs offer specializations or concentrations in a variety of subject areas.

Display/Hide Programs  

Additional Programs

School of Law
School of Veterinary Medicine
Accelerated Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Degree Programs

Cost of Attendance and Financial Support

Texas Tech offers graduate study opportunities that are extremely affordable compared to other institutions. Texas Tech is outstanding among the state’s universities for its reasonable costs and its ability to help many graduate students with some form of financial assistance. With the below-average cost of living in Lubbock, graduate education at Texas Tech is an exceptional investment value.

Graduate Program Tuition. A complete explanation of tuition and fees is available online at www.sbs.ttu.edu.

Residency Status Determination. For rules governing the determination of residency status as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, see https://goo.gl/5dWYUo.

Academic Common Market. Texas Tech participates in the Academic Common Market, an interstate agreement that provides reciprocal higher education opportunities to citizens of states declared as parties to the Southern Regional Education Compact. Graduate students who are from these states and are admitted into approved out-of-state programs qualify for resident tuition if the program of study is not offered in their home state. Approved programs at Texas Tech University and the member states from which qualified students may gain resident tuition are as follows:

  • Master of Architecture (Alabama, Kentucky)
  • Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy—Wildlife, Aquatic, and Wildlands Science and Management (Arkansas, Louisiana)
  • Doctor of Philosophy—Fine Arts (Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia)
  • Doctor of Philosophy—Family and Consumer Sciences Education (Kentucky)
  • Doctor of Philosophy—Land-Use Planning, Management, and Design (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Virginia)
  • Doctor of Philosophy—Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy (Kentucky)
  • Doctor of Philosophy—Technical Communication and Rhetoric (Tennessee)

Applicants who wish to qualify for the Academic Common Market must (1) be accepted into a program for which an interstate agreement has been arranged, and (2) submit to Student Business Services proof of legal residency in a member state by providing documentation from the qualifying state’s Coordinating Board or Board of Regents.

A list of state coordinators is available from the Southern Regional Education Board, 1340 Spring Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30309. For information about the ACM program in Texas, contact the Program Development Division of Senior Colleges and Universities, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Box 12788, Capitol Station, TX 78711.

Financial Assistance. Assistantships (teaching and research), scholarships, and fellowships are available to support graduate study. The Graduate School awards fellowships and scholarships on a competitive basis each year for new and continuing degree-seeking students (both full- and part-time). Deadlines are in the spring for awards for the upcoming fall and spring semesters. Online applications and detailed information are available online at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/financial/FellowshipsScholarships.php. The Graduate School also makes recruitment fellowships available to departments to aid them in attracting new graduate students to Texas Tech. Many departments/programs offer teaching and/or research assistantships as well as some scholarships; inquiries about these opportunities should be directed to the specific department concerned. If you are a Texas resident, please fill out your FAFSA as soon as possible for need-based aid consideration.

Graduate Admissions

The Graduate School of Texas Tech University aspires to have a diverse student body. Although all students are admitted to the university by the Dean of the Graduate School, applications for degree programs also must be evaluated by the department/program to which the student is applying.

Three general categories of criteria are used as part of a holistic process to evaluate all applicants for admission and competitive scholarships:

  1. Academic Records—All academic records will be considered. All materials submitted become property of Texas Tech University and will not be returned.
  2. Test Scores—The only test scores required for admission consideration by the Graduate School are English proficiency scores for international applicants. International applicants must submit proof of English proficiency as part of their application materials. Some programs may require GRE or GMAT scores as part of their required application materials. GRE or GMAT scores should be not more than five (5) years old. In accordance with Texas Education Code §51.842, the applicant’s performance on a standardized test may not be used in the admissions or competitive scholarship process as the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant or as the primary criterion to end consideration of the applicant.
  3.  Individual Applicant Materials—Profiles may include recommendations, research background, motivation, multilingual proficiency, undergraduate institution, presentations, portfolios, interviews, work experience, demonstrated commitment to a particular field of study, community involvement, family and socioeconomic background, and standardized test scores.

For information about services for students with disabilities, contact Student Disability Services, 130 Weeks Hall or Box 45007, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-5007, 806.742.2405.

Acts of Dishonesty. All prospective graduate students applying to Texas Tech University are expected to adhere to the university’s Statement of Academic Integrity. This includes entering all post-secondary institutions attended on your application for admission as well as submitting official academic credentials from all post-secondary institutions attended. Not providing that information on your application or not submitting all academic credentials is considered falsification of academic records and will result in the voiding of your application or other disciplinary action.

Domestic and Permanent Resident Student Admissions

Admission to any graduate degree program is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School upon the recommendation of the department of proposed study. Domestic applicants are U.S. citizens and immigrant permanent residents; all others, including undocumented immigrants, are considered international applicants. All application materials must be admitted.

The following procedures should be followed in order for domestic applicants to be considered for admission to a graduate program at Texas Tech University. A completed domestic Graduate School application consists of the following:

  1. Application—Applications should be submitted at least three months prior to date of intended enrollment. Preferred deadlines for priority processing are June 1 for fall, September 1 for spring, and March 1 for summer. All applications will be submitted online at go.grad.ttu.edu/apply. Falsification of application information will void admission to Texas Tech University.
  2. Nonrefundable Application Fee—An application fee as approved by the Board of Regents is required for each application. The fee will be paid online with a credit card as part of the application.
  • Texas Tech University System employees who are employed at least half-time, their spouses, and dependents under age 25 are exempt from this fee. The faculty/staff fee waiver form is located online at go.grad.ttu.edu/staffwaiver.
  • McNair Scholars and GEM (National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering) Scholars will receive an application fee waiver by submitting documentation from either the McNair Scholar coordinator at their current/former institution or by supplying proof of their GEM Fellowship.
  • U.S. military personnel, active duty or veteran, are exempt from the application fee. The Military Application Fee Waiver form is located online at go.grad.ttu.edu/militarywaiver​. 
  1. Post-Secondary Transcripts
    • The applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution in the United States or its equivalent from a foreign institution with substantially similar degree requirements as Texas Tech University; foreign institutions must be recognized by their government/government ministry or department to award undergraduate and/or post-graduate degrees.
    • The applicant must submit a transcript from each degree-awarding post-secondary college or university attended. Unofficial copies of transcripts are required for evaluation purposes.
    • All degrees earned must appear on the official transcript. If a domestic applicant received a university-level degree from a non-US college/university, an official diploma or degree certificate will be required for that degree. Diplomas are required only if an applicant is admitted and are not required for application evaluation purposes.
    • The applicant who, because of current enrollment, cannot provide final transcripts at the time of application must submit transcripts of all completed study. Consideration may then be given for tentative admission upon the condition that final transcripts are provided within the initial semester of enrollment at Texas Tech.
    • The applicant must have been in good standing in all schools attended at final matriculation.
    • If admitted, a student will be required to submit official transcripts from each degree-awarding post-secondary college/university attended by the 12th class day of the term to which the student is admitted. All degrees earned must appear on an official transcript. If a domestic applicant received a university-level degree from a non-US college/university, an official diploma or degree certificate will be required for that degree. Diplomas are required only if an applicant is admitted and are not required for application evaluation purposes.
  2. Resident Alien Card—Immigrant Permanent Residents must provide a copy of the front and back of their Resident Alien Card. Applicants with pending applications for permanent residency may submit alternative documentation; for a list of alternative documentation please email graduate.admissions@ttu.edu.
  3. Proof of Citizenship for Foreign-Born U.S. Citizens Alien—Foreign-born U.S. citizens, including U.S. citizens born abroad and naturalized U.S. citizens, must submit proof of citizenship. The following documents can be submitted to meet this requirement:
  • A copy of the U.S. passport biographic page.
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (DOS Form FS-545, DS-1350, or FS-240) – citizens born outside the United States of America, including the children born outside the U.S. to American military personnel, must submit a copy of this form. The copy may be made in color or in black-and-white.
  • Certificate of Naturalization (DHS Form N-550 or N-570) – naturalized citizens must submit a black-and-white copy of the Certificate of Naturalization form. Do NOT submit a color copy of this form.
  • Certificate of Citizenship (DHS Form N-560 or N-561) – individuals who derive their citizenship through a parent must submit a black-and-white copy of the Certificate of Citizenship form. Do NOT submit a color copy of this form.
  • U.S. Citizenship Identification Card (I-197 or I-179).
  • Birth certificate from the following American territories, commonwealths, and protectorates – U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Swains Island, the Panama Canal Zone before 1 October 1979, the Philippines before 4 July 1946, and the Northern Mariana Islands after 3 November 1986.

Citizens who cannot provide the documentation above should contact the Office of Graduate Admissions to find out what other documentation may suffice.

  1. Additional Requirements—Many programs will require additional materials such as recommendation letters, personal statements, GRE or GMAT scores, and/or writing samples. Departmental application requirements are listed on the application; you may also visit individual department websites for that information.

Evaluating Applications. Application files will not be evaluated until all of the above requirements have been met. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions via email.

Official Documents. If an offer of admission is received, the applicant will then be required to submit official copies of all academic transcripts, English proficiency scores, and GRE/GMAT scores (if required by the program) to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Any alterations or omission of information on the transcript submitted to Texas Tech University could be grounds for cancellation of the application and/or the withdrawal of the offer of admission. 

International Graduate Admissions

Texas Tech University has been fortunate to attract sizeable numbers of highly qualified and talented international students. Recognizing the difficulties involved in moving from their home countries and home schools to a new environment and new scholarly procedures and expectations, the Office of Graduate Admissions is committed to helping international students in this important transition.

All applicants who are not U.S. citizens or immigrant permanent residents are considered international applicants. International students must have a visa type which allows for academic study. Undocumented immigrants are eligible to apply for graduate admission consideration and must apply as international applicants.

The following procedures should be followed carefully in order for international students to be eligible for graduate admission consideration at Texas Tech University.

  1. Application—Applications should be submitted by January 15 for fall and summer semesters and June 15 for spring semester. International applicants may apply after these preferred deadlines. However, the Office of Graduate Admissions cannot guarantee there will be sufficient time for late applications to be evaluated and make any necessary visa/travel arrangements if admitted.
  2. Nonrefundable Application Fee—An application fee as approved by the Board of Regents is required for each application. The fee will be paid online with a credit card as part of the application. 
  • ​​​​​Texas Tech University System employees who are employed at least half-time, their spouses, and dependents under age 25 are exempt from this fee. The faculty/staff fee waiver form is located online at go.grad.ttu.edu/staffwaiver​. 
  1. Post-Secondary Academic Transcripts—The applicant must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or its equivalent from a foreign institution. Foreign institutions must be recognized by their government/governmental ministry as a degree-granting institution. The applicant must have been in good standing in all schools attended at final matriculation. Texas Tech University requires a degree that is equivalent to a U.S. undergraduate degree. A list of acceptable credentials for graduate admission is available on the website https://go.grad.ttu.edu/degequiv. Unofficial copies of transcripts are required for evaluation purposes. DO NOT SEND OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS FOR APPLICATION EVALUATION PURPOSES. Unofficial copies of transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be received before the application will be evaluated.

If admitted, an applicant must submit an official transcript from each college or university attended, including transcripts/marksheets for each semester. An applicant who, because of current enrollment, cannot provide final transcripts at the time of application must submit transcripts of all completed study. Consideration may then be given for tentative admission upon the condition that final transcripts are provided within the initial semester of enrollment at Texas Tech. Applicants must submit at least six (6) semesters of coursework to be eligible for admission consideration.

International applicants must also provide an official English translation of all transcripts/marksheets if the documents are not provided in English. The Office of Graduate Admissions will not accept a public notary certification in place of an official English translation. If official English translations are not supplied by the applicant’s institution(s), the applicant must provide a translation done by an American Translators Association-certified translator. A list of ATA-certified translators is available online at www.atanet.org/directory/. If admitted, the applicant will be required to submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended by the twelfth class day of the term to which the applicant is admitted.

  1. Official Diploma/Degree Certificates—If admitted, the applicant is required to submit an official copy of the degree certificate, diploma, or official statement that the degree has been granted. Provisional certificates are not considered to be diplomas. Students who receive degrees from countries that are a part of the European Higher Education Area must also provide a Bologna-compliant diploma supplement; if your institution does not provide a separate diploma and diploma supplement, you must provide written documentation from your institution which states that. International applicants must also provide an official English translation of all diplomas/degree certificates if the documents are not provided in English. The Office of Graduate Admissions will not accept a public notary certification or translation. If official English translations are not supplied by the applicant’s institution(s), the applicant must provide a translation done by an American Translators Association-certified translator. A list of ATA-certified translators is available online at www.atanet.org/onlinedirectories. Diplomas are NOT required for application evaluation.
  2. Proof of English Proficiency—All international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency before their applications can be considered for admission. This requirement is waived only for graduates of regionally accredited U.S. universities or universities in English proficiency-exempt countries. A list of exempt countries can be found at go.grad.ttu.edu/exemptcountry. Applicants who have completed at least two consecutive years at a college or university in the U.S. or in an English proficiency-exempt country are also exempted from the English proficiency requirements. Applicants who believe they qualify for an exemption from the English proficiency requirement must submit the English Proficiency Exemption Request form located at go.grad.ttu.edu/englexempt​. Applicants may submit one of the following measures of English proficiency:
    • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language; www.toefl.org). The minimum TOEFL score required is 550 (paper-based version) or 79 (internet-based version). The TOEFL score must be received directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Texas Tech University’s institutional code is 6827. TOEFL scores are valid for two (2) years. Applicants may provide a copy of their Examinee Score Report for application evaluation purposes.
    • IELTS (International English Language Testing Service; www.ielts.org). The minimum IELTS required score is an overall band score of 6.5 on the Academic version; IELTS General Training results are not acceptable. There is no IELTS institution code for Texas Tech University. IELTS scores are valid for two (2) years.
    • Duolingo English Test (englishtest.duolingo.com). The minimum required Duolingo score is 100. There is no institutional code for Duolingo. Scores are reported within 48 hours and are valid for two years.
    • PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic; www.pearsonpte.com/pteacademic). The minimum required PTE Academic score is 60. PTE General and PTE Young Learners results are not acceptable. There is no PTE Academic institution code for Texas Tech University. PTE Academic scores are valid for two years.
    • Cambridge English: Proficiency (C2-Proficiency) (www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-qualifications/proficiency/). The minimum required Cambridge C2-Proficiency score is 180. There is no institutional code for the Cambridge C2-Proficiency. The Cambridge C2-Proficiency is valid for life.
    • Cambridge English: Advanced (C1-Advanced) (www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-qualifications/advanced/). The minimum required Cambridge C1-Advanced score is 180. There is no institutional code for the Cambridge C1-Advanced. The Cambridge C1-Advanced is valid for life.
    • ELS Inten sive English Program (www.els.edu). Texas Tech will accept completion of Level 112 of ELS’ English for Academic Purposes program. An official transcript and certificate of completion must be submitted.

      Unofficial student score reports of the above measures of English proficiency must be submitted for application evaluation purposes only. If admitted, the applicant will be required to submit official results from the test provider.
  3. Additional Requirements—Many programs will require additional materials such as recommendation letters, personal statements, GRE or GMAT scores, and/or writing samples. Departmental application requirements are listed on the application; prospective students may also visit individual department websites for that information.

Evaluating Applications. Applications will not be evaluated until all of the above requirements have been met. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions via email.

Official Documents. If an offer of admission is received, the applicant will be required to submit official transcripts and diplomas (including an official English translation if the document is issued in a language other than English), test scores, and any other required materials. Diplomas are only required if the degree was awarded by a non-U.S. institution. The applicant must also submit official proof of English proficiency, and the official scores must match the score copies submitted as part of the application. If an applicant cannot provide official English proficiency results because their scores have expired, they will be required to submit new English proficiency results that do meet the minimum requirement for that English proficiency requirement before they are allowed to register. If a program requires the GRE or GMAT scores, the applicant will also be required to submit official GRE/GMAT results. Any alterations or omission of information on the documents submitted to Texas Tech University could be grounds for cancellation of the application and/or the withdrawal of the offer of admission.

Non-Degree Seeking Graduate Admissions

Applicants seeking non-degree admission in any category must provide the same application materials as those seeking admission to a degree program. Please see either Domestic/Permanent Resident Admission or International Admission requirements above. NOTE: International students may not be eligible to apply for non-degree status depending on their visa type. International applicants considering applying for non-degree status are strongly encouraged to email the Office of Graduate Admissions at graduate.admissions@ttu.edu BEFORE submitting an application for a non-degree status. Admission to a non-degree program is not a guarantee of admission to a graduate degree program at a later date, nor does it guarantee that credits earned in a non-degree program will count toward a graduate degree.

  • Post Graduate—The Post Graduate category is for students who have earned an undergraduate degree and desire to take only undergraduate courses, typically for leveling purposes. In this status, a student may register indefinitely as a non-degree graduate student but cannot be appointed to teaching assistantships or research assistantships, nor are they eligible to receive an undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University while registered as a Post Graduate student. Students in this category may not register for graduate courses. Post Graduate students are not eligible for financial aid. Admission decisions for Post Graduate applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Graduate Temporary—A student in this category is considered a temporary non-degree student and may enroll for no more than twelve (12) hours. All Graduate Temporary students should be aware that completion of courses as a Graduate Temporary does not ensure that the student will be accepted into a degree program, nor does it ensure that any courses taken while enrolled as a Graduate Temporary will be accepted for credit if the student is subsequently accepted into a degree program. Graduate Temporary students are not eligible for financial aid. Admission decisions for Graduate Temporary applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Teacher Certification—A student who desires to earn teacher certification through the College of Education may apply for this type of non-degree status. Graduate courses may be taken, but if the student wishes to pursue a degree at a later time, only 12 graduate hours completed before admission to a degree program can be counted toward a degree. Teacher Certification students may be eligible for financial aid if they are concurrently enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program.
  • Continuing Professional Education Development—The Continuing Professional Education Development status is designed to meet the needs of professionals such as engineers, certified public accountants, architects, social workers, teachers, and others who require continuing professional educational development. Continuing Professional Education Development students are not eligible for financial aid. Admission decisions for Continuing Professional Education Development applications are made by the Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Graduate Certificate Program—Graduate Certificates are intended to meet the advanced skills and/or supplemental educational needs of professionals. A graduate certificate program is comprised of a set of courses that provide a coherent knowledge base. These courses may be derived from more than one (1) academic program and may be more practice-oriented than the courses in a graduate academic program. Students applying for a graduate certificate program may not be required to submit GRE or GMAT scores (although some of the Graduate Certificate Program programs do require these scores). Graduate Certificate Program students may be eligible for financial aid if they are concurrently enrolled in a graduate degree-seeking program.

Deferring Admissions

Applicants who wish to defer admission to a semester for which they did not originally apply must submit a new application plus a non-refundable application fee. Deferral of admission is not guaranteed; programs will consider students on a case-by-case basis. Applicants will be notified of deferral decisions via email.

Second Graduate Degree Program

Permission to work toward a second graduate degree of the same level is granted only upon recommendation by the relevant program and approval by the Graduate Dean. In addition, the applicant is subject to all requirements as a new student. While there is no guarantee that any work from the first degree may apply to the second, at least one full year (24 semester hours) must be taken specifically for the new degree program.

Readmission

Students who fail to register or who leave school during a spring or fall semester must submit a new application plus a non-refundable application fee. Automatic readmission is not guaranteed; programs will consider students on a case-by-case basis. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions via email.

Admission Decision Appeals

Texas Tech University graduate applicants have the right to appeal admissions decisions. The appeal must first be filed with the academic department/program to which the student applied; please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator for that department/program to find out in what format the appeal must be filed. The department/program will reconsider your application and inform you of their decision on your request for reconsideration. An unfavorable ruling at the department/program level may be appealed to the Graduate School in writing within thirty (30) days of the date on the correspondence of the ruling that you received from the academic department/program on the initial appeal; contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for more information on how to file such an appeal. Applicants can only appeal once, and decisions resulting from an appeal are final. Application fees are non-refundable regardless of the result of an appeal.

Enrollment

Students who have been granted admission to the Graduate School are expected to register for coursework whether or not they contemplate degree work. If students fail to register in the term for which admission is granted or if they have not maintained continuous enrollment once they have begun their graduate program, they will be required to reapply for admission. The details of registration are under the jurisdiction of the registrar’s office which furnishes each enrollee complete instructions for all steps in the procedure. Students should follow carefully such instructions and those found in this section of the catalog. All graduate students should register themselves. Graduate students are permitted to register at any time beginning with the first day of advance registration. Advance registration usually begins in April for the fall semester and in November for the spring and summer semesters. Online registration is available to all admitted students. Instructions for web registration, add-drop, and withdrawal can be found on Raiderlink.

Departmental Approval of Courses. Students should have a schedule of courses approved by an official representative of their major department/program at the time of registration. It is the student’s responsibility to see that the registrar’s printout corresponds exactly to the courses for which the student has registered.

Enrollment of a graduate student in any course that carries graduate credit is automatically considered to be for graduate credit and affects relevant grade point averages accordingly.

Full-Time Study. Normal full-time enrollment varies between 9 and 13 hours for doctoral students and 9 and 16 hours for other graduate students in the regular semester. The minimum enrollment for full-time graduate status is 9 hours in the regular semester and 3 hours each summer session. The minimum enrollment for full-time financial aid status is 9 hours in the regular semester and 6 hours in the summer term. Full-time status for selected professional degree programs (e.g., working professional MBA) is 6 hours in a regular semester and 3 hours each summer session. Students on fellowships, assistantships, or other appointments designed for the support of graduate study must enroll for 9 hours in each regular semester and 3 hours in each summer session for which they have a fellowship, scholarship, assistantship, or other appointment designed for the support of graduate study.

If a student is devoting full time to research, using university facilities and faculty time, the schedule should reflect at least 9 hours enrollment (6 in each summer term). Doctoral students who have completed coursework, passed qualifying exams, been admitted to candidacy, are not funded by the Graduate School or their program, and have accumulated at least 85 doctoral hours may register as full-time students for one semester, taking the number of hours (not less than 3) that will bring the total to 93 hours. Then they may register as full-time students for up to two more semesters of 3 hours each, thus constituting full enrollment. Such lower enrollment may affect financial aid status; students are encouraged to check with financial aid, scholarship, and loan officers before taking the 3-hour option.

The maximum allowable hours per semester is 13 for doctoral students, 15 for other graduate students, and 6 in a six-week summer term. Any exceptions to this rule must have the prior approval of the Graduate Dean.

Registration in an individual study, research (7000), or similar course implies an expected level of effort on the part of the student comparable to that associated with an organized class with the same credit value. A syllabus for the individual study course must be on file with the department for any class taken (including independent study hours).

A non-Lubbock doctoral student who is required to register solely for the purpose of satisfying a continuous enrollment requirement need not register for more than 1 credit hour during each term (as long as the student does not receive a fellowship, assistantship, or other appointments designed for the support of graduate study, and if the student is designated as an off-campus student). However, a doctoral student who is involved in internship, research, or another type of academic study should register for credit hours in proportion to the teaching effort required of the program faculty regardless of where they are physically located.

Leave of Absence. Any student who fails to register during a fall or spring semester and who does not have an official leave of absence from study is subject to review for readmission by the standards in effect at the time of reconsideration. Official leave of absence, which is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School upon departmental recommendation, may be requested only in case of serious medical conditions and other exceptional reasons. Normally, leaves of absence will not exceed one year. Leaves of absence do not extend the maximum time allowed for completion of the degree. Request for leaves of absence must first be approved by the department and then be sent to and approved by the Graduate Associate Dean for Student Affairs along with appropriate written documentation prior to their leaving the university. These requests should be submitted through the Graduate School Enrollment Services portal.

Continuous Enrollment. Students are required to register for appropriate courses in every semester or summer term in which they expect to receive assistance, use the facilities of the university, complete their comprehensive evaluation, take their preliminary or qualifying exams, or defend their thesis or dissertation. The number of hours for which students must enroll in each semester depends on their level of involvement in research and their use of university facilities and faculty time. Students in residence who are devoting full time to research should enroll for at least 9 hours. Students who are on an assistantship or who receive fellowships or scholarships through the Graduate School must register for 9 hours each semester and 3 hours in each relevant summer session in which they receive assistance. Students receiving financial assistance must register for the number of hours required by Financial Aid. For Financial Aid purposes, 9 hours of enrollment is automatically considered full-time enrollment; 4 hours of enrollment is automatically considered half-time enrollment.

Students who have begun thesis or dissertation research must register for 6000 or 8000 courses, respectively, in each regular semester and at least once each summer until all degree requirements have been completed, unless granted an official leave of absence from the program for medical or other exceptional reasons. Students officially classified as off-campus students may register for 1 hour of 6000 or 8000 with departmental approval until their final semester, at which time they must enroll in at least 3 hours.

Registration for Thesis or Dissertation Hours. Registration for at least 6 hours of 6000 is required for the master’s thesis and at least 12 hours of 8000 for a doctoral dissertation. Once the project has begun, a student must be enrolled in such courses every semester and at least one session during the summer until completion. A student should enroll under the committee chairperson. However, in those instances in which other professors on the student’s committee are making substantial contribution to the student’s research, it is permissible for the student to enroll proportionally under those professors. Students certified as off-campus and without an assistantship or scholarship/fellowship may enroll for as few as 1 hour until their final semester, at which time 3 hours minimum are required.

Students may not enroll in thesis or dissertation courses before formal admission to a degree program by the Graduate Dean.

Registration in Session of Graduation. There are three official graduation dates: December, May, and August. Every candidate for a graduate degree must be registered for classes in the session of graduation. Doctoral students must register for at least 3 hours at the 8000 level and master’s students in a thesis option must be registered for at least 3 hours at the 6000 level. Master’s students in a thesis option who have completed the required 6 hours of thesis work and have defended the thesis may enroll in at least 3 hours at the 5000 level or 7000 hours (research hours). Master’s students in a non-thesis option must register for at least 1 hour of non-thesis graduate coursework. Failure to graduate at the expected time requires such additional registrations as may be necessary until graduation. Students must complete a new Application to Graduate for each semester.

Maximum Allowable Doctoral Hours. Students not making timely progress toward completion of the doctoral degree are subject to termination by the Graduate Dean. The Texas Legislature has capped fundable graduate study at 99 doctoral hours for most programs and may impose sanctions upon universities permitting registration for excess hours. Doctoral students with more than 99 doctoral hours will be required to pay out-of-state tuition, regardless of residence status. The maximum time allowed for completing the doctoral degree is eight years from the first doctoral semester or four years from admission to candidacy, whichever comes first. The Graduate Dean must approve exceptions or extensions in advance.

Maximum Allowable Graduate Hours. Students who are in programs other than doctoral programs and are not making timely progress toward completion of their degree are subject to termination by the Graduate Dean. Graduate students beyond the maximum allowable graduate hours as determined by the Texas Legislature may be required to pay non-resident tuition, regardless of residency status. The maximum time allowed for completing a master’s degree is six years. The maximum time allowed for completing a doctoral degree is eight years. The Graduate Dean must approve exceptions or extensions in advance.

Changes in Schedule and Withdrawal. Graduate students who wish to add or drop a course past the deadline when student-initiated adds or drops are allowed as set by the Registrar must initiate such action with the graduate advisor for their academic program. A student who wishes to drop all courses in a term must withdraw from the university through the office of the Registrar. A student who quits a course or courses without officially dropping the course or making a full withdrawal from the university is likely to receive an F in that course or courses. Students should be familiar with the strict deadlines that the university has set for refund allowances for dropping courses and/or withdrawing from the university (www.depts.ttu.edu/studentbusinessservices/calendar/importDates.php).

Enrollment by Faculty and Staff. Full-time members of the faculty and staff of Texas Tech University may enroll for courses by permission of the department chairperson concerned. In registering for graduate work, they become subject to the regulations of the Graduate School. However, no member of the faculty who has held rank higher than instructor at Texas Tech is eligible to pursue a graduate degree program at this institution unless approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. An immediate supervisor of the faculty/staff member may not direct the student’s research nor permit the enrollment of the supervisee in his/her courses or other organized instructional activity.

Enrollment by Undergraduates. An undergraduate student who has earned 90 hours of course credit and who has at least a 3.0 GPA in their major subject courses may enroll for courses carrying graduate credit, subject to the approval and certification of an acceptable grade point average by the dean of the instructional college and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. This approval must be obtained on special forms available from the Graduate School website prior to registration and submitted to the Graduate School Enrollment Services through the portal. No course taken without this approval may be counted for graduate credit. Students may not receive both graduate and undergraduate credit for the same course, except for up to 9 hours when a student is admitted into an approved combined/accelerated baccalaureate – master’s degree program where the graduate program hours exceed 30.

The maximum amount of work that may be scheduled by an undergraduate taking courses for graduate credit is 16 hours in a long semester or 6 hours in a summer term, inclusive of both undergraduate and graduate work.

Continuation in Graduate School

Every student enrolled in the Graduate School, whether working toward a degree or not, is required to maintain a high level of performance and to comply fully with policies of the institution. The Graduate School reserves the right to place on probation, suspend, or dismiss any post-baccalaureate or graduate student who does not maintain satisfactory academic standing or who fails to conform to the regulations of the university.

Students who are admitted to the Graduate School or to a degree program on condition of maintaining a required GPA are automatically admitted on a probationary basis. Failure to fulfill the conditions stipulated at the time of admission will result in dismissal from the Graduate School.

Academic Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal

Probation

  • A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 is placed on academic probation.
  • The student must raise the cumulative GPA within two consecutive long terms to avoid academic suspension.
  • If semester GPA drops below 3.0 during the two-semester period, students are subject to academic suspension.
  • If cumulative graduate GPA remains less than 3.0 and their term GPA is greater than 3.0 in the next term, they are placed on continued probation.
  • If the student’s overall GPA remains below 3.0 in the following term, they are placed on academic suspension.

Suspension

  • Students placed on academic suspension are required to remain out of the Graduate School for one term and must reapply to the Graduate School.
  • In accordance with OP 64.07, any student who has been suspended must appeal to the Graduate School if reinstatement is desired.
  • Automatic readmission is not guaranteed.
  • Any student placed on academic suspension twice will not be allowed to return to the Graduate School.
  • Students may be suspended for unprofessional conduct such as cheating or plagiarism. Appeal is subject to the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct in the Student Handbook.

Dismissal from an Individual Program

Individual academic programs may have higher standards than the minimum university requirements. Students who fail to meet higher program standards may be placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from the program. Such standards must be approved by the Graduate School, and actions based thereon are to be recommended by the department/program to the Dean of the Graduate School for formal action.

Examples of such disciplinary actions include the following:

  • Failure to fulfill the conditions stipulated at the time of admissions will result in termination from the program.
  • Students not making satisfactory progress may be placed on probation and given conditions to meet to stay in the program.
  • Continued unsatisfactory progress in any area of graduate work will be cause for dismissal by the Graduate Dean.
  • Failure to pass the qualifying examination within the specified time will result in dismissal from the program by the Graduate Dean.

A student who is dismissed from a program yet maintains the minimum performance standards of the institution may apply for admission to another degree program at Texas Tech University.

Dismissal from Graduate School

  • Continued unsatisfactory progress in any area of a student’s work will be cause for dismissal by the Dean of the Graduate School.
  • Any student placed on academic suspension twice will be dismissed from the Graduate School and will not be allowed to return.

General Information

The Graduate School, like other colleges and schools of Texas Tech, reserves the right to institute, after due notice and during the course of a student’s work toward a degree, any new ruling that may be necessary for the good of the university and therefore, ultimately, of its degree recipients. Normally, a student may graduate under the provisions of the catalog in effect the semester of admission into the degree program.

Responsibility of Students. Each graduate student is expected to become thoroughly familiar with both departmental and Graduate School regulations and with the requirements for degrees.

To facilitate communications, graduate students should promptly notify the Graduate School of changes of address.

Graduate Advisors. The Dean of the Graduate School is the general advisor for all graduate students, but, insofar as the particular courses and program requirements are concerned, students are counseled by the chairpersons of their major and minor departments or by other professors designated for such counseling. Advisement in matters pertaining to teachers’ certificates is the responsibility of the director of teacher certification in the College of Education.

Extracurricular Activities. Graduate students may participate in extracurricular activities within university policies. They are encouraged to participate in honor societies for which they may be qualified.

Professional and Career Development Activities. A successful career after graduate school requires more than academic knowledge and skills, whether you choose to pursue a job in an academic, industry, government, or non-profit organization. You also need to build core competencies in critical thinking, leadership and management, domain-specific knowledge, communication, professionalism, teamwork, and ethics, and the Texas Tech University Graduate School is here to help you in that process. The Graduate Center is host to numerous academic support services and facilities that include a computer lab, meeting space, quiet study areas, and a dining facility. The Graduate Writing Center (GWC) is dedicated to developing graduate students’ and postdoctoral fellows’ writing and research skills.

Requests for Workplace Accommodation. Graduate students who believe they have a disability and wish to request a non-academic accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other applicable State and Federal civil rights laws should contact the university’s student ADA coordinator (Student Disability Services) and the staff ADA coordinator (through Human Resources). The staff ADA coordinator will inform the Graduate Dean regarding the accommodation.

Prerequisites for a Graduate Major. For a graduate major, an applicant must have completed, or must take, sufficient undergraduate work to ensure adequate background for successful graduate work in the proposed field. With approval of the department or program, the student may receive credit by examination for such leveling requirements. Any department may specify additional prerequisites if they are considered necessary and may require an applicant to pass an examination before being accepted.

Transfer Credit and Distance Courses. There is no automatic transfer of credit from another university toward a graduate degree at Texas Tech. In general, all such work is subject to review by the student’s department and approved by the Graduate Dean. There is a separate time limit for coursework validity. Courses are valid for six years for a master’s degree and eight years for a doctoral degree. Any exceptions must be approved by the Graduate Dean and be requested through the Enrollment Services portal. No work completed with a grade of less than B will be considered. Graduate credit will not be granted for courses taken by correspondence.

Grades. The grades used in the Graduate School are the same as those used in undergraduate work (A, B, C, D, and F), but graduate credit is allowed only for courses completed with grades of A, B, and C, although grades of D and F are used in computing grade point averages. Instructors may choose to add a plus or a minus to the grade. These will be entered on the transcript but will not be used in calculating the grade point average.

Departments have the option to use pass/fail grades (P and F) for individually arranged courses, professional seminars, and certain other courses. No more than one-fourth of a student’s program coursework may be graded pass/fail.

Work completed at another graduate school with a grade less than B will not be accepted for transfer credit unless approved by the Dean, nor will grades of pass or satisfactory. Grades on transferred work will not raise the grade point average on courses completed at Texas Tech.

Symbols CR, NC, PR, I, and W. The symbol CR (credit) or NC (no credit) should be assigned for every enrollment for a master’s thesis or doctor’s dissertation until the completed document has been approved by the student’s committee and accepted by the Dean of the Graduate School. At that time a grade of A or B will be entered solely for the hours in which the student is enrolled in the final semester.

CR may be given by a professor when a student’s work in other individual research courses (7000 courses) is not finished but is satisfactorily in progress at the end of a semester. When the research is completed, a standard letter grade should be entered.

A grade of PR (in-progress) may be given only when the work in a course extends beyond the semester or term; it implies satisfactory performance. For such courses, a “PR” grade is recorded instead of an “I” (incomplete) or CR (credit) grade. The “PR” is changed to a letter grade upon completion of the course.  

The symbol I (incomplete) may be given by a professor when a student’s work in a course has not been completed at the end of a semester, but when failure to complete the work has been due to causes beyond the student’s control, and when the progress at the point at which the Incomplete is requested has been satisfactory. It is not used as a substitute for F. The incomplete (I) form should be initiated by the instructor of record online through the Office of the Registrar. The instructor assigning the grade must stipulate in writing at the time the grade is given, the conditions under which the incomplete (I) grade may be removed and the specific date by which the make-up work is to be completed. Beginning in the Spring 2015 term, any grade of Incomplete will revert to an F within one calendar year of the date the Incomplete is recorded. The Dean of the Graduate School will consider extensions of “I” grades beyond the one-year deadline only under serious circumstances beyond the student’s control. The instructor of the course should submit an Extension of Incomplete Grade form to the Graduate School via the Enrollment Services portal for approval.

Students may officially drop a course through the 45th class day of a long semester or the 15th class day of a summer term and receive the grade of W regardless of their progress in the class. After this time period, students must complete all courses and receive a grade.

Grade Replacement Policy. Graduate students may retake and replace grades for graduate courses under limited circumstances. Grade replacement will adjust the cumulative grade point average. A notation will indicate the original course that is being replaced. The original grade will remain on the student’s transcript; however, the higher grade will be used in the calculation of a student’s grade point average and earned credit hours. Grade replacement is subject to approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Grade replacement is not automatically applied; an electronic grade replacement request form must be submitted no later than the grade replacement deadline for that term. The Graduate School will identify courses eligible for grade replacement in consultation with programs/departments and submit those to the Office of the Registrar for processing at the end of each term.

Grade replacement is limited to a total of three (3) credits for students enrolled in a graduate certificate program, six (6) credits for students enrolled in a master’s program, and nine (9) credits for a student enrolled in a doctoral program; in the case of concurrent enrollment, the higher credit limit will apply.

The grade replacement policy only applies to didactic coursework. Special topics, independent study, seminar, thesis, and dissertation hours are ineligible for grade replacement. 

Only grades of C, D, or F are eligible for grade replacement. A specific course may be repeated only once for consideration of grade replacement; the most recent A or B will replace a previous grade of C, D, or F in that course. 

Courses taken pass/fail for grade replacement can only replace a grade of fail; they cannot replace a grade for which grade points were awarded (i.e., a D grade) in a course not taken pass/fail. 

Once a grade replacement has been approved, the process cannot be reversed or changed.

No grade may be replaced after a graduate certificate or graduate degree has been awarded.

A course in which an academic integrity violation has been officially reported may not be repeated for grade replacement.

Responsible Academic Conduct Training. An essential part of the graduate experience is to raise awareness to professional standards of research ethics, integrity, and safety and of challenges that students may face throughout their careers. To supplement the effort provided by Texas Tech faculty, the Graduate School in collaboration with the Office of Research and Innovation has developed a responsible scholarship training that addresses academic practices such as data management, intellectual property, management of conflict of interest, ethical use of humans and animals in research, social responsibility of research, effective collaboration, and research misconduct. This training is required for all new and continuing degree-seeking graduate students. Separate training modules are available for different broad disciplines (student self-selects the module). For more information or to begin the training, go to https://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/training/responsible-academic-conduct-training.php.

Apply to Graduate. A student planning to complete a graduate certificate or graduate degree in a particular term must a) be currently enrolled and b) file an “Apply to Graduate” online form (through Raiderlink) at the beginning of the semester of intended certificate completion/graduation. A list of deadlines, including the date for filing the “Apply to Graduate,” can be found on the Graduate School website (www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool). No candidate’s name will be considered for graduation unless this form has been received by the Graduate School by the specified deadline.

A candidate who does not meet the requirements to graduate at the expected time is required to file a new “Apply to Graduate” online form for any subsequent graduation and enroll in that semester.

Students who have defended their thesis or dissertation successfully by the last class day and have met all other program requirements but have missed Graduate School deadlines for graduating in that term may petition the Graduate School to participate in commencement. Master’s students in coursework only programs may participate in commencement if they have met their comprehensive evaluation component requirement but have one more course required for program completion (and are registered for that course in the subsequent semester). These requests must be made by the program advisor through the Graduate School Enrollment Services portal. 

Teacher Certification. Prospective students should understand that the material in this catalog applies only to requirements for graduate degrees and has no direct relation to certificates for public school teachers. The Graduate School gives no assurance that a program for a graduate degree and a program for a certificate will coincide. Students interested in teacher certificates should confer with the director of teacher certification in the appropriate program at the outset of their work.

Master’s Program

General Requirements

The degree requirements set forth here are in addition to those stated in the “Enrollment” section of the Graduate School catalog text.

Prerequisites. Admission to a master’s degree program is dependent upon the applicant’s undergraduate record; scores on the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination or, for business applicants, the Graduate Management Admissions Test (except in programs in which either test has been waived); other relevant information; and the recommendation of the proposed major department.

A substantial body of undergraduate work in the major subject and considerable breadth of background are essential for graduate study. Therefore, students whose undergraduate programs are considered deficient in breadth or depth may be required to complete additional preparatory work without degree credit. Such undergraduate “leveling” courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Some programs may require a grade better than a C.

Major Subject. Every program for a master’s degree not granted special exception must embody a major comprising at least 18 semester hours of graduate work, which may include a thesis.

Minor. Programs for a master’s degree may include courses outside the major area. These may be formally structured to create a secondary program of study called a Minor that is distinct, in subject area, from the primary program of study. All minors are a minimum of six credit hours. A minor is created by the offering academic unit and approved by the university using the Curriculog proposal process. Students who select and successfully complete the requirements of an approved minor will have this documented on their transcript.

Concentration. A concentration is a group of courses that constitute a distinction within a major. The concentration allows the student to complete the degree with a demonstrated proficiency in an area of focus within the major. A concentration is a minimum of six semester credit hours in the major. The concentration is created by the offering academic unit and approved by the university using the Curriculog proposal process. Students who select and successfully complete the requirements of an approved concentration will have this documented on their transcript. Concentrations are only available to students enrolled in the home major. 

Basic Plans for the Master’s Degree

There are two basic plans for the master’s program:

  • Thesis option. A minimum of 24 hours of graduate coursework plus 6 hours of thesis (6000). The courses for the master’s degree with a thesis should be approved by the research advisor and not the graduate advisor.
  • Non-thesis option. A minimum of 30 hours of graduate non-thesis coursework. Some degrees have a greater minimum hour requirement.

The option to offer thesis or non-thesis programs is a departmental decision. In addition, no more than 6 hours of individual study courses (aside from the thesis) will be permitted in the master’s program.

Filing the Official Degree Program. Immediately following the first semester of enrollment (or the completion of 9 credit hours), the student must meet with their major department to establish a degree plan for their program of study. The degree plan must be submitted to the Graduate School through DegreeWorks by a representative of the proposed major department and of other departments as appropriate. Students are expected to follow their degree plan as the basis for all subsequent enrollments. Substitutions of courses may be made only on the recommendation of the department or departments concerned and require approval of the Graduate Dean. Approval of a degree plan does not, however, constitute admission to candidacy for a master’s degree. It merely signifies that the proposed program of study will be acceptable if the student satisfies all Graduate School regulations and all the requirements connected with the degree program.

Annual Review. The Graduate School strongly recommends that faculty of master’s programs conduct a formal review of the progress of their students at least once a year and submit this review to the Graduate School Enrollment Services portal. Any student not making satisfactory progress toward the degree may be placed on probation and given conditions to stay in the program. Continued unsatisfactory progress in any area of graduate work will be cause for dismissal by the Graduate Dean.

Transferred Work. There is no automatic transfer of credit toward a master’s degree, but, in general, work completed in residence at another accredited graduate school may, on the recommendation of the departments concerned, be accepted for as much as 6 semester hours toward a master’s degree. Work completed at another graduate school with a grade less than B or grades of pass/fail or satisfactory will not be accepted. Transfer credit will not alter a student’s grade point average at Texas Tech. Courses older than six years will not be accepted for transfer without an exception approved by the Graduate Dean.

Grade Requirement for Graduation. For the master’s degree, the minimum requirement for graduation is an average of 3.0 in the major subject and an overall average of 3.0 on all courses within their program for the master’s degree, comprising the official program for the degree. Individual departments or colleges may have higher standards.

Admission to Candidacy. Every applicant for a master’s degree is required to make formal application for admission to candidacy for the master’s degree as soon as 9 to 12 semester hours of the master’s degree work, excluding leveling courses, have been completed. This application is submitted to the Graduate School through the DegreeWorks system.

Admission to candidacy will be granted at such time as all of the following requirements have been met:

  • All conditions relating to admission to the program have been met.
  • At least 9 semester hours of the graduate work required for the master’s degree have been completed (exclusive of transfer and extension courses).
  • All required leveling work has been completed with C or better grades.
  • An average grade of 3.0 or better has been maintained in all courses comprising the official program exclusive of leveling work.
  • Proficiency in a foreign language or tool subject required for the particular degree has been acceptably demonstrated.
  • The general field of the thesis has been stated and approved (for thesis students only).
  • Work to date is acceptable to the departments concerned, as attested by their approval of the application for admission to candidacy.
  • The entire program conforms with the general requirements of the Graduate School and the requirements of the particular degree.

Time Limit. With the exception of certain specially approved programs, work credited toward a master’s degree must be completed within six years. Students whose graduate study at Texas Tech is interrupted by active duty military service will be granted an extension of time for the period of their active duty.

Combined/Accelerated Baccalaureate–Master’s Programs. The Graduate School supports the development of combined/accelerated bachelors to master’s programs. Such programs provide an opportunity for highly-qualified students to earn both degrees in a cost-effective and timely manner. The programs are designed to ensure that students in these programs earn a high-quality master’s degree in pursuit of their educational and/or professional goals. The following guidelines set the minimum expectations for the combined/accelerated bachelor’s to master’s programs. Programs may set more stringent standards.

  • There must be an application process to each program to identified highly qualified candidates.
  • The earliest a student may apply to a combined/accelerated program is the semester in which they will attain their 90th hour. Additionally, students from institutions with which TTU has articulation agreements must have, or be in the semester that they will attain, 30 hours at TTU. Students admitted into a Combined/Accelerated Bachelor’s-Master’s program will remain classified as an undergraduate student until the minimum number of credits required for the undergraduate degree has been completed. This has implications for financial aid for students and should be discussed with the student by their program advisor.
  • Once accepted by the respective program into the combined/accelerated bachelor’s to master’s program, the student must apply to the Graduate School for which all admission will be conditional.
  • To obtain full standing in the Graduate School, students must meet the required hours for their respective baccalaureate degree and the program director must notify the Graduate School that the student has satisfied the program’s academic requirements.
  • No undergraduate-level course may be counted toward the master’s degree.
  • Courses completed at the graduate-level prior to being accepted to the combined/accelerated bachelor’s to master’s programs may be counted toward the master’s degree.
  • A student must have a minimum of 30 earned student credit hours at the graduate level, exclusive of hours that are counted toward the baccalaureate degree.
  • A maximum of 9 hours of graduate-level courses can be used to meet the requirement of the bachelor’s degree.
  • Course content in graduate coursework applied to the baccalaureate degree should be in conformity with the expectations of Comprehensive Standard 3.6.1 (Post-baccalaureate program rigor) of the Principles of Accreditation (graduate-level academic content is more advanced in relation to content and outcomes than the undergraduate classes substituted).
  • Students must be offered the option to have their baccalaureate degree conferred at the time when they meet the respective baccalaureate program requirements; otherwise, their baccalaureate and master’s degrees will be conferred simultaneously upon completion of all baccalaureate- and master’s-degree requirements.
  • The student must meet all requirements that are expected of a student in the respective master’s program.

All combined baccalaureate-master’s programs must be approved by Graduate Council and Academic Council.

Language, Tool Subject Requirements

Language Requirement. Many programs require a reading knowledge of one or more foreign languages, although it is not a university-wide requirement. When this requirement exists, see the appropriate departmental section in this catalog for further information. The essential purpose of a language requirement is to assure that the student gains access to scholarly literature of his or her field in more than one language. Foreign students may use their native language (if it is not English) to meet this requirement if this essential purpose is served thereby and their major department approves. Foreign students must provide official documentation of acceptable grades in languages taken abroad or be tested as described below.

To qualify for Admission to Candidacy in a program that requires knowledge of a foreign language, the applicant must demonstrate proficiency in one of the following ways (as specified by the department) not more than six years prior to submission of an official program of study: (1) passing with a C- or better the second course of the sophomore sequence of the required language; (2) passing with a B- or better the second half of one of the special 6-hour programs for graduate students offered in French, German, and Spanish; (3) passing a standardized examination in French, German, Spanish, or Latin given in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures or one of the examinations in French, German, or Spanish furnished by the Educational Testing Service and administered by the university’s Testing Center. Arrangements for these examinations should be made in the applicable unit. The Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures will administer the examinations in any other foreign language in which instruction is offered by the department. Arrangements for testing for other foreign languages will be approved by the Graduate Dean. Successful completion of the language proficiency should be submitted to the Graduate School through the Enrollment Services Portal.

Students majoring or minoring in foreign languages in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures are subject to higher performance levels in satisfying the master’s requirement. Students should consult the graduate advisor of the appropriate language for guidelines.

Tool Subject Requirement. Some departments require a tool subject in lieu of or in addition to the language requirement. When this requirement exists, further information can be found in the appropriate departmental section within this catalog. When this provision can be satisfied by a formal course(s), a grade of B or better is required either in a single course or in the last of a sequence of such courses.

Master’s Thesis

The master’s thesis should represent independent work by the student, be conducted under the supervision of an advisory committee, and be written clearly and concisely in standard English (or another language when appropriate). As soon as the student’s area for thesis research has been determined, the Graduate Dean will appoint an advisory committee upon recommendation of the major department. The committee must consist of at least two members of the graduate faculty, including a majority of members from the student’s home academic department/program. Adjunct faculty may not serve as sole committee chair on a thesis committee but may co-chair with an approved member of the graduate faculty. Emeritus or retired faculty, as well as other qualified individuals from outside of the university, may serve as external members on the student’s committee, but may not serve as chair. No more than one external member may serve on a committee. External members must be approved by the Graduate Dean after a careful review of their qualifications.

Completion of the thesis option requires the preparation of a written thesis and a public oral defense of the thesis. At least three weeks prior to the thesis defense, or by the deadline posted in the academic calendar, a Master’s and Doctoral Defense Notification Form must be submitted to the Graduate School via the Enrollment Services portal via the appointed departmental liaison. After the scheduled thesis defense, all members of the committee must sign the Oral Defense Approval Form obtained by the student from the thesis/dissertation web page. If committee members are signing the approval form electronically, only verified or digitally drawn signatures are accepted. The completed Oral Defense Approval Form must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically via the Enrollment Services portal by the deadline posted in the academic calendar for the corresponding graduation term. The committee also must approve the final version of the thesis after the student has made necessary corrections by signing the Final Document Approval Form obtained from the Thesis/Dissertation webpage. If committee members are signing the approval form electronically, only verified or digitally drawn signatures are accepted. The student must earn a grade of B or better on thesis work to qualify for graduation. The thesis is assigned a letter grade in the final semester of thesis hours only; previous term thesis hours should receive a grade of CR (credit) or NC (no credit).

A manual entitled Texas Tech University Graduate School Formatting Guidelines (Revised January 2021) is available at the Graduate School website (www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool). All manuscripts must conform to the Graduate School formatting guidelines. The final copy of the thesis must be submitted electronically in PDF file format as an Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) to the University Library’s server. Deadlines and more information on this process are available through the Graduate School website. Paper copies may be required by the academic unit in which the student pursues the degree, but paper copies should not be submitted to the Graduate School.

During the semester of graduation, the candidate will pay Student Business Services a Thesis/Dissertation Fee to cover the cost of electronically storing the official copy (ETD) of the thesis. This fee is only paid once during the student’s graduating semester. The Thesis/Dissertation Fee is posted to students’ accounts by the Graduate School after Apply to Graduate forms have been processed for the graduating semester. Payment due dates are listed under the current semester’s deadlines at www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool.

Final Comprehensive Evaluation

The Graduate School requires a final comprehensive evaluation for all students in each master’s program. The comprehensive evaluation is most often administered in the semester of intended graduation. This should be in a format most appropriate to the major field. At departmental discretion, the evaluation format may differ for thesis and non-thesis or professional and pre-doctoral students. The final evaluation should require a synthesis and application of knowledge acquired during the course of study and research leading to the master’s degree.

A student is eligible to undergo evaluation only after having been admitted to candidacy by the Graduate Dean. As soon as possible after the evaluation, a report of the outcome should be sent electronically to the Graduate Dean via the Enrollment Services portal. A student who does not receive a satisfactory evaluation may be reassessed according to the policy of the program concerned. At the discretion of the program concerned, a student who receives a satisfactory evaluation but who does not graduate within 12 months may be required to repeat the assessment. Failure to pass the evaluation will result in dismissal. Appeals for comprehensive evaluation decisions are covered under Operating Policy 64.07.

Doctoral Program

General Requirements

The degree requirements set forth here are in addition to those stated in the “Enrollment” section of the Graduate School catalog text.

Admission to Doctoral Study. Admission to doctoral study is restricted to applicants whose backgrounds show definite promise of success on this, the highest level of academic endeavor. Each doctoral department has its own requirements that applicants must satisfy for admission. It is essential that the student communicate with departmental advisors on this matter.

Years of Study. A minimum of three years of full-time graduate study beyond the bachelor’s degree is required for the doctorate. Work completed for the master’s degree, other than thesis hours (6000-level courses), may be considered as a part of this period if it forms a logical sequence in the entire program. Credit ordinarily will not be given for work completed more than eight years prior to admission to the doctoral program at Texas Tech University. Exceptions to this policy will require written justification through the student’s department and approval by the Graduate Dean.

Work completed in the doctoral program of another recognized, accredited graduate school will be considered on the recommendation of the departments concerned, but no assurance can be given that such work will reduce the course or residence requirements here. In no case can transferred credit reduce the minimum residence (see “Residence Requirement”).

Doctoral study cannot be calculated solely in terms of credit hours, but the program for the doctorate requires completion of at least 60 or more semester hours of work beyond the bachelor’s degree, exclusive of credit for the dissertation. In addition, no more than 6 hours of individual study courses [aside from research (7000) or dissertation (8000) hours] ordinarily will be permitted in the doctoral program. Prior approval by the Graduate Dean is required for any exceptions.

Grade Requirement. For the doctoral degree, the minimum requirement for graduation is a grade point average of 3.0 in the major subject, exclusive of credits for the doctoral dissertation, and a grade point average of 3.0 in all other courses in their program taken for graduate credit outside the major. Individual departments and colleges may have higher standards than this minimum, university-wide requirement.

Major. The doctorate requires at least 60 semester hours of graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree, exclusive of the dissertation. Twelve (12) semester credit hours of dissertation are required. The Graduate School does not require a formal minor.

Minor. Programs for a doctoral degree may include courses outside the major area. These may be formally structured to create a secondary program of study called a minor that is distinct, in subject area, from the primary program of study. All minors are a minimum of 15 credit hours. A minor is created by the offering academic unit and approved by the university using the Curriculog proposal process. Students who select and successfully complete the requirements of an approved minor will have this documented on their transcript.

If a formal minor is declared, it must be represented on the student’s doctoral committee (see “Advisory Committee”) and must be covered on the qualifying examination (see “Qualifying Examination”). Programs at variance with this description may be approved in exceptional circumstances. The advisory committee and the program faculty must approve such proposed exceptions before they are submitted to the Graduate School for consideration.

Track. A track is a group of courses that constitute a distinction within a major. The track allows the student to complete the degree with a demonstrated proficiency in an area of focus within the major. The track is created by the offering academic unit and approved by the university using the Curriculog proposal process. Students who select and successfully complete the requirements of an approved track will have this documented on their transcript. Tracks are only available to students enrolled in the home major.

Residence Requirement. The purpose of residence in a doctoral program is to ensure the intellectual immersion of students in a research and learning environment with faculty, peers, and staff. This intellectual immersion can take place in forms other than those of a full-time student on campus. Recognizing that there are several ways to acquire the benefits of residence, programs are allowed to set the residence requirements that best fit their particular program. Students are expected to consult their departments about specific residence requirements for their degree.

If a doctoral program does not specify a residence requirement, then the residence requirement for that program is fulfilled by the completion of a full schedule (at least 12 semester hours) of graduate coursework in two consecutive terms. Students holding half-time assistantships may satisfy the requirement by taking at least 9 hours of coursework in each of the two long terms and 6 hours in the summer. Other patterns require approval of the Graduate Dean.

The plan for fulfilling the residence requirement must be indicated on the doctoral program form (Program for the Doctoral Degree) submitted to and approved by the Graduate School in the first year of doctoral study. (For any program variations in this requirement, see the college or department sections in this catalog.)

Filing a Doctoral Degree Plan. Early in a student’s doctoral studies, a formal evaluation will be made of his or her background preparation in the major field. This evaluation may vary according to the academic unit involved; in some cases, it may consist of a formal written or oral exam, in others, a review meeting with a committee or graduate advisor, in still another, the successful passing of a key course or courses. On the basis of this evaluation, whatever form it takes, the student’s course of study will be projected and submitted to the Graduate School through the DegreeWorks system via the appointed departmental liaison. This evaluation will occur during the student’s first year of doctoral study. Students are expected to follow it as the basis for all subsequent enrollments. Substitution of courses can be made only on the written recommendation of the department or departments concerned and approval of the Graduate Dean.

Transfer of Coursework. There is no automatic transfer of credit toward the doctorate degree. On the recommendation of the department or program, the graduate school will review transfer courses for acceptance. Work completed at another graduate school with a grade less than B or grades of pass/fail or satisfactory will not be accepted. Transfer credit will not alter the grade point average at Texas Tech University. Up to 12 semester credit hours taken at an accredited institution may be transferred into a doctoral degree plan. Upon approval by the Graduate Dean, up to 30 block semester credit hours of a previously awarded master’s degree may be counted towards a doctoral program. Should such credit be approved, no other transfer credit will be allowed. Credit ordinarily will not be given for transfer work completed more than eight years prior to admission to a doctoral program at Texas Tech University without exception by the Graduate Dean.

Advisory Committee. As soon as the course of study for an applicant has been determined, an advisory committee of at least three members of the graduate faculty (including the minor area, if a minor is declared) with a majority of members from the student’s home academic department/program, will be appointed by the Graduate Dean on the recommendation of the advisor concerned. This committee will meet as often as necessary with the applicant and will direct his or her work at all stages. Either the chair or the co-chair of a student’s committee must be graduate faculty and be a member of the department or program faculty from which the student will receive the doctorate. Emeritus or retired faculty as well as other qualified individuals from outside of the university may serve as external members on the student’s committee but may not serve as chair; no more than one external member may serve on a committee. External members must be approved by the Graduate Dean after a careful review of their qualifications.

Annual Review. The Graduate School requires faculty in each doctoral program to conduct a formal review of their students’ progress at least once each year, with copies of these progress reports submitted to the Graduate School via the Enrollment Services portal. Any student not making satisfactory progress may be placed on probation and given conditions to meet to stay in the program. Continued unsatisfactory progress in any area of a student’s work will be cause for dismissal from the program by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Time Limit. All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within a period of eight consecutive calendar years from matriculation or four years from admission to candidacy, whichever comes first. Graduate credit for coursework taken at Texas Tech more than eight calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements. Absent an extension, the student may be permitted to retake the qualifying examination, and, upon passing that examination, be readmitted to candidacy by the Graduate Council for some period of time not to exceed four years.

Final corrected electronic copies of the dissertation must be received in the Graduate School no later than one year after the final examination or within the eight-year or four-year time limit, whichever occurs first. Failure to complete this step will result in the degree not being awarded.

Admission to Candidacy. Authority for admitting an applicant to candidacy for a doctor’s degree is vested in the Graduate Council. Upon receipt of a recommendation from the student’s advisory committee, the Graduate Dean will submit it to the Graduate Council for approval. By written communication, the Graduate Dean will transmit the results of the council’s action to the applicant, to the chairperson of the advisory committee, and to the chairperson of the department concerned. A student must be admitted to candidacy for the doctorate at least four months prior to the proposed graduation date.

Language, Tool Subject Requirements

Doctor of Philosophy. Each department offering a doctoral program determines its language requirements, subject to the approval of the Graduate Council. Language requirements, if any, are described in the sections of this catalog devoted to instructional departments.

Some departments require a tool subject in lieu of or in addition to the language requirement. When this requirement exists, see the appropriate departmental section in this catalog for further information. If this provision is satisfied by formal courses, a grade of B or better is required either in a single course or in the last of a sequence of such courses passed not more than eight years prior to the student’s approval for doctoral work.

Doctor of Education. To qualify for admission to candidacy, applicants for the Ed.D. degree are required to show competency in educational research methods and educational statistics as well as a foreign language if their research requires such competency.

Qualifying Examination, Final Examination

Qualifying Examination. The Qualifying Examination for Admission to Candidacy for the doctor’s degree is one of the major features of the doctoral program and will be administered in both the major and minor areas of study (if a formal minor has been declared). The examination requires a synthesis and application of knowledge acquired during the course of study for the doctoral degree; consequently, satisfactory performance in coursework does not necessarily guarantee successful performance on the qualifying examination. A student is eligible to stand for this examination after receiving approval of the doctoral degree plan from the Dean of the Graduate School, completing all language and tool requirements, and completing most of the coursework prescribed by the approved plan. Students must take this examination within one calendar year of completing all requirements listed on the degree plan. Failure to do so will be cause for dismissal from the program.

The qualifying examination normally is prepared and administered by the candidate’s advisory committee and any other professors the committee or the Graduate Dean may consider necessary. In some instances, the department or college may administer the examination. The major portion of the examination is ordinarily a written exam requiring at least six hours. It usually also includes an oral examination under the supervision of the committee and any other professors who may be invited to participate.

If the qualifying examination is considered satisfactory and the requirements in languages (including English) and/or tool subjects have been met, the chairperson of the advisory committee will send electronically to the Graduate Dean via the Enrollment Services portal, for consideration by the Graduate Council, a formal written recommendation that the applicant be admitted to candidacy for the doctor’s degree. The letter also will state the date of the examinations and whether the student passed both the major and minor portions (if an official minor is involved). This recommendation will be forwarded as soon as all the above requirements have been met.

If the qualifying examination is not satisfactory, the chairperson of the advisory committee will relay this information electronically via the Enrollment Services portal to the Graduate Dean. An applicant who does not pass the qualifying examination may be permitted to repeat it once after a time lapse of at least four months and not more than 12 months from the date of the unsatisfactory examination. Failure to pass the qualifying examination within the specified time will result in dismissal from the program irrespective of performance in other aspects of doctoral study.

Final Examination. A final public oral examination, usually over the general field of the dissertation, is required of every candidate for the doctorate and must be held when school is in session and faculty are on duty. The oral examination must be scheduled by the student and the advisory committee after the committee has read the completed dissertation and prior to the defense deadline during the semester of graduation. Students should present their dissertation to all committee members at least three weeks before the defense date. In addition, the Graduate School requires three weeks notification prior to the oral examination. Students and/or their chair must recommend a graduate faculty member to serve as the Graduate Dean’s representative during the final examination or defense. The Graduate Dean’s representative must be a member of the graduate faculty who does not have an appointment in the student’s department; this representative’s appointment may be in the student’s college. A copy of the dissertation should also be sent to the Graduate Dean’s representative three weeks prior to the defense for review. The required Defense Notification Form noting the time, place, and other information concerning the examination is available at www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool and should be submitted to the Graduate School electronically via the Enrollment Services portal at least three weeks before the defense date. The Graduate Dean’s representative’s name must be included on the Defense Notification Form; acceptance of the Defense Notification Form by the Graduate School constitutes acceptance of the recommended Dean’s representative. The student and/or committee chair is responsible for communicating directly with the Dean’s representative to coordinate all details pertaining to the defense.

The advisory committee and the Graduate Dean or a member of the graduate faculty designated to act in place of the Graduate Dean conduct the examination. All members of the committee participate fully in the examination and cast a vote. Professors other than members of the committee, including the Graduate Dean’s representative, may participate in the examination but have no vote in determining the outcome. At the conclusion of the examination, all members of the committee and the Graduate Dean’s Representative must sign the Thesis/Dissertation Approval Form obtained by the student from the thesis/dissertation web page. Verified authentic electronic signatures are acceptable. When the student has completed any additional corrections to their document given at the end of the oral defense all committee members must sign the Final Document Approval Form obtained from the Thesis/Dissertation webpage. If committee members are signing the approval form electronically, only verified or digitally drawn signatures are accepted. The completed Final Document Approval Form must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically via the Enrollment Services portal by the deadline posted in the academic calendar for the corresponding graduation term. Appeals for final exam decisions are covered under Operating Policy 64.07. The approval of the dissertation is a separate step following corrections made to the dissertation by the student (see below).

Dissertation

Except for the Doctor of Musical Arts, a dissertation is required of every candidate for a doctoral degree. This requirement is separate and apart from other requirements in doctoral programs; consequently, successful performance in other areas does not necessarily guarantee acceptance of a dissertation. The dissertation work must earn a grade of at least B to qualify the student for graduation. The Graduate School strongly recommends that each student be required to present and defend a dissertation proposal before his or her committee early in the course of the research. An approved dissertation proposal form is not required by the Graduate School.

The advisory committee and the Graduate Dean must approve the subject of the dissertation at least four months before the candidate’s proposed date of graduation; often this takes the form of a successfully defended dissertation proposal although other methods of approving the subject may be considered. The dissertation must demonstrate a mastery of the techniques of research, a thorough understanding of the subject matter and its background, and a high degree of skill in organizing and presenting the materials. The dissertation should embody a significant contribution of new information to a subject or a substantial reevaluation of existing knowledge presented in a scholarly style. The work on the dissertation is constantly under the supervision of the advisory committee and any other professors the committee or the Graduate Dean may consider necessary. The committee also must approve the final version of the dissertation after the student has made necessary corrections by signing the Final Document Approval Form obtained from the Thesis/Dissertation webpage. If committee members are signing the approval form electronically, only verified or digitally drawn signatures are accepted. The completed Final Document Approval Form must be submitted to the Graduate School electronically via the Enrollment Services portal by the deadline posted in the academic calendar for the corresponding graduation term.

All manuscripts must conform to policies and formatting instructions published at www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool. The final copy of the dissertation must be submitted electronically in PDF file format as an ETD to the University Library’s server. Deadlines and more information on this process are available through the Graduate School website. Paper copies may be required by the academic unit in which the student pursues the degree; no paper copies are to be sent to the Graduate School. All copies of a dissertation must be accompanied by an abstract of no more than 350 words.

Thesis/Dissertation Fee. During the semester of graduation, the candidate will pay Student Business Services a Thesis/Dissertation Fee to cover the cost of reviewing and archiving the official copy (ETD) of the dissertation. This fee is paid only once. The Thesis/Dissertation Fee is posted to students’ accounts by the Graduate School after the student successfully meets the ETD deadline during the graduating semester. Payment due dates are listed under the current semester’s deadlines at www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool.