Mar 19, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Fields of Study (A-Z)



Majors are the primary undergraduate fields of study.

Minors are fields studied in addition to the major.

Concentrations (or Specializations within Art, Music, and Theatre) focus on a specific and often highly specialized area of study within a major. For instance, there is a concentration in criminology within a sociology major. Concentrations are listed along with their parent major or area of study; more information regarding specific concentrations can be found in the area of the catalog referencing those majors.

For information on teacher certification, pre-professional fields, and temporary designations for students who have not declared a major, see below.

Bachelor’s

Undergraduate Minor

Undergraduate Certificate

Concentration

Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree

Intra-institutional Dual Degree

Master’s

Doctoral

Graduate Minor

Graduate Certificates

The director of each certificate, in consultation with the director of graduate studies, will develop and specify a program of study appropriate for each student. If students decide to pursue studies beyond the certificate level, course credit earned toward the certificate can be considered toward a graduate degree.

Graduate certificates are intended to meet the supplemental post-baccalaureate education needs of professionals. A graduate certificate program is a set of courses that provides in-depth knowledge in a subject matter. The set of courses provides a coherent knowledge base.

A student applying for a graduate certificate program will be admitted with a “GCRT” designation. Some certificate programs require the GRE or GMAT, and some do not. To take any graduate course, all prerequisite courses (including undergraduate courses) must be taken and necessary background obtained before attempting the course. A student will be required to have a baccalaureate degree to start a graduate certificate program. There is only one exception to having a baccalaureate degree. If an undergraduate student from Texas Tech University has a 3.0 GPA or better and is within 12 hours of completion of a baccalaureate degree, the student may start taking graduate courses toward a graduate certificate. The student must have a baccalaureate degree to receive a graduate certificate.

Graduate credits earned while the student is enrolled in a graduate certificate program may not be applied toward a graduate degree unless the student completes the GRE or GMA T and enrolls as a fully accredited graduate student. After taking the GRE or GMA T and fulfilling all other admission requirements, a student may use the courses taken for a graduate certificate degree if the courses fulfill the requirements of the program of study for the degree.

Graduate students may pursue a graduate certificate that is outside their graduate program of study. No more than one transfer course (if approved by the advisor of the graduate certificate program and the Graduate School) will be allowed for a graduate certificate program. If a graduate student is in good standing and dropping out of the graduate program, the student may receive a graduate certificate if the necessary courses have been taken. To receive a graduate certificate, a student must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. No grade lower than a C will be accepted.

Graduate Certificate Preparation Programs

Graduate Concentration

Doctoral Track

Temporary Designations for Students Who Have Not Declared a Major

Special temporary designations are intended to provide appropriate advisement to students who have not yet declared a major. Students declaring a temporary designation will take courses to complete core curriculum and GPA requirements in preparation for entering a major. Academic advisors from the supervising college or department will assist students to choose appropriate courses and a best-fit degree program.

To file a degree plan, students must declare a major. Students normally change from the temporary designation and declare a major by the time they have earned 45 to 60 semester credit hours.

Students who have not decided on a major should consider one of the following alternatives for a temporary designation:

  • An undecided student can be designated initially as University Undecided and Exploratory. The Exploratory designation is most appropriate for students who are exploring majors in a variety of academic disciplines and colleges. Through the university’s Discovery! process , students can explore best-fit majors by aligning values, interests, skills, and abilities. Exploratory status allows students the freedom to explore best-fit academic majors while staying on track in progress toward a degree. For more information on the University Undecided and Exploratory designation, contact Texas Tech University Advising, 79 Holden Hall, T 806.742.2189, F 806.742.2200, advising@ttu.edu, www.advising.ttu.edu.
  • Students who are only exploring majors that fall within one particular academic college should check with advisors in that specific college.
  • Students who aspire to apply to a law, dental, medical, nursing, optometry, or pharmacy school or to one of a full range of health career professional schools (e.g., physical therapy, physician assistant) should consult the Pre-Professional Programs  section of this catalog and seek appropriate advisement as recommended.
  • Students who aspire to pursue pre-veterinary medicine should refer to Pre-Veterinary Medicine  and seek advisement from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
  • Students who desire to obtain an engineering degree should refer to Pre-Professional Programs , begin with a temporary pre-engineering designation, and seek advisement through Texas Tech University Advising, 79 Holden Hall, T 806.742.2189, F 806.742.2200, advising@ttu.edu, www.advising.ttu.edu.

Teacher Certification

Texas Tech University offers a wide variety of programs that can provide certification for students desiring careers in education. Teacher certification concentrations are available in the following areas:

  • All Level Art (AART)
  • All Level Music (AMUS)
  • All Level Physical Education (APED)
  • All Level Theatre Arts (ATHE)
  • Elementary Bilingual Spanish Generalist (EBSP) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Elementary ESL Generalist (EESL) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Elementary Generalist (EGNL) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies or Early Childhood majors.)
  • Elementary Math/Science (MSEL) Language Literacy Education (EDLL) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Middle-Level English, Language Arts, and Reading/Social Studies (MERS) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Middle-Level Math (MMAT) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Middle-Level Math/Science (MMSE) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Middle-Level Science (MSC) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Middle-Level Social Studies (MSST) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)
  • Secondary Agricultural Science and Technology (SAST)
  • Secondary Biology (MLBI) (As part of Multidisciplinary Science major.)
  • Secondary Chemistry (SCHE)
  • Secondary Chemistry (MLCH) (As part of Multidisciplinary Science major.)
  • Secondary Dance (SDNC)
  • Secondary English, Language Arts, and Reading (SELR)
  • Secondary Family Consumer Sciences (SFCS)
  • Secondary French (SFRE)
  • Secondary Geosciences (MLGS) (As part of Multidisciplinary Science major.)
  • Secondary German (SGER)
  • Secondary History (SHIS)
  • Secondary Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Sciences (SHNF)
  • Secondary Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS)
  • Secondary Journalism (SJOU)
  • Secondary Life Earth Science (RLEM) (As part of Multidisciplinary Science major.)
  • Secondary Life Science (SLFS)
  • Secondary Math (SMAT)
  • Secondary Physical Science (SPSC)
  • Secondary Science (SSCI) (As part of Multidisciplinary Science major.)
  • Secondary Social Studies (SSST)
  • Secondary Spanish (SSPA)
  • Secondary Speech (SSPE)
  • Special Education (AGSE) (As part of Multidisciplinary Studies major.)  

Pre-Professional Fields

Pre-Professional fields are a designation, not a major. For example, pre-law and pre-medicine are not majors. They designate a career path that will require a professional school after graduation. Pre-professional students who plan to earn a baccalaureate degree must choose a major in an academic discipline by their junior year and complete the courses required for admission into the professional school (e.g., law school). A program advisor can guide you in meeting the specific requirements for entry into a professional school (www.depts.ttu.edu/pphc, www.prelaw.ttu.edu). Available pre-professional fields include the following:

  • Clinical Laboratory Science (PMDT)
  • Occupational Therapy (POCP)
  • Physical Therapy (PPHT)
  • Physician Assistant (PHPA)
  • Pre-Dentistry (PDEN)
  • Pre-Engineering (PREN)
  • Pre-Law (PLAW)
  • Pre-Medicine (PMED)
  • Pre-Nursing (PNUR)
  • Pre-Optometry (POPT)
  • Pre-Pharmacy (PPAR)
  • Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (PRCD)