Policies

 

Enrollment

Students who have been granted admission to the Graduate School are expected to register for course work whether or not they contemplate degree work. Failure to register in the term for which admission is granted requires the student 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. 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 summer and fall sessions and in November for the spring semester. Online registration is available to all admitted students. Instructions for web registration and add-drop can be found at www.techsis.admin.ttu.edu/student.

Departmental Approval of Courses.

Students should have a schedule of courses approved by an official representative of their major department 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. Graduate School Graduate School 69 Graduate School Graduate School 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. Full-time enrollment in a summer term is from 3 to 6 hours. Students on fellowships, assistantships, or other appointments designed for the support of graduate study should enroll for 9 hours in each regular semester and at least 3 hours in a summer term. 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 hours in each summer term). Doctoral student who have completed course work, passed qualifying exams, and been admitted to candidacy, and have accumulated at least 85 doctoral hours may register as full-time students for one semester, taking the number of hours (but not less than 3) that will bring the total to 93 hours, and then may register as full-time students for up to two more semesters of 3 hours each, which will constitute full enrollment for employment purposes only. (Two summer terms shall count as one semester.) 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. Normally, the maximum allowable hours per semester is 13 for doctoral students, 16 for other graduate students, and 6 in a sixweek summer term. The general rule is that a student may not earn more than 1 hour of credit for each week of the enrollment period. Any exceptions to this rule must have the prior approval of the graduate dean. Registration in an individual study, research, 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 doctoral student shall not be required to register for more than 9 credit hours during any long semester or 6 credit hours during a summer term and may not register for more than 13 and 6 hours, respectively, without the prior permission of the dean of the Graduate School. A 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. 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.

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.

Continuous Enrollment.

Students who have begun thesis or dissertation research must register for 6000 or 8000 courses 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. 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 for at least 3 hours. Students receiving financial assistance must register for the number of hours required by Financial Aid. Approval of a leave of absence will not extend the allowed time for completion of the degree.

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 is begun, a student must be enrolled in such courses every semester until completion. A student should enroll under the committee chairperson; however, in those instances in which other professors on the 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 may enroll for as little 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. Enrollment for thesis or dissertation courses is permitted only during a regular registration period. Students away from the campus may, however, register for such courses by mail, provided arrangements are made with the registrar’s office by telephone or electronically prior to the beginning of a registration period. 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, or take comprehensive examinations. 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 9 to 12 hours.

Registration in Session of Graduation.

There are three official graduation dates: December, May, and August. Every candidate for a graduate degree must be registered in the Graduate School in the session of graduation for at least 3 hours of 6000/8000, if all requirements are not met, or 1 hour of 7000 individual study for nonthesis, if all requirements are met. Failure to graduate at the expected time requires such additional registrations as may be necessary until graduation.

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. Graduate 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 out-of-state tuition, regardless of residence status. The maximum time allowed for completing a master’s degree is six years. The graduate dean must approve exceptions or extensions in advance.

Changes in Schedule and Withdrawal.

A graduate student who wishes to add or drop a course must initiate such action with the graduate advisor for his or her program. A student who quits a course without official withdrawal is likely to receive an F in that course.

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 prior approval of the graduate dean is given.

Enrollment by Undergraduates.

An undergraduate student who is within 12 hours of graduation and who has at least a B average in the major subject 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 in the Graduate School at the time of registration. No course taken without this 70 approval may be counted for graduate credit. With the approval of the dean of the instructional college and the dean of the Graduate School, students may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Students may not, however, receive both graduate and undergraduate credit for the same course, except for up to 9 hours for an approved joint undergraduate and graduate degree program. The maximum amount of work that may be scheduled by an undergraduate taking courses for graduate credit is 16 hours in a semester or 6 hours in a summer term, including graduate and undergraduate work. Undergraduates permitted to enroll for graduate work are expected to receive their bachelor’s degree within a year of their first graduate enrollment. An undergraduate may not receive credit for more than 12 semester hours of graduate work completed prior to admission to the Graduate School as an applicant for a graduate degree. Students not attending Texas Tech University must be admitted to the undergraduate program prior to being allowed to enroll in graduate classes. No one should apply to graduate school that does not anticipate undergraduate graduation prior to beginning graduate classes.

Continuation in the 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 or to suspend 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 probational basis. Failure to fulfill the conditions stipulated at the time of admission will result in termination from the Graduate School.

Academic Probation and Suspension

If a student’s graduate GPA for a particular semester falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. (A 3.0 average is the minimum requirement of the Graduate School; individual academic areas may, and often do, impose a higher grade point average for continuation in their academic programs.) A student must make a 3.0 GPA or better in the next semester in which he or she is enrolled. Failure to do so, or to maintain a 3.0 current GPA in each succeeding semester, will result in academic suspension from further enrollment as a graduate student or in graduate courses at Texas Tech. Regulations governing scholastic probation are based on semester grade point averages and will be applied regardless of overall grade point average. Any student who has been suspended must appeal to the Graduate School if reinstatement is desired. Appeal of suspension may be made in writing to the dean of the Graduate School. If the graduate dean rejects the student’s appeal, the student may request a hearing before the Student Affairs Committee of the Graduate Council. This committee will render a decision as to whether or when the student may be readmitted to graduate study. A student may be suspended for unprofessional conduct such as cheating or plagiarism. Any appeal is subject to the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct. See the Student Affairs Handbook for further information.

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. Failure to follow the regulations and requirements almost inevitably results in complications for which the Graduate School cannot assume responsibility. 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 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.

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, 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 and approval by the student’s department and by the graduate dean. No work completed with a grade of less than B will be considered. Graduate credit may be granted for courses taken by distance learning at another university. Distance learning completed through Texas Tech’s Division of Outreach and Extended Studies may be considered if the student had been officially admitted to the Graduate School prior to enrolling for the courses (see discussion of distance learning in master’s program requirements). Graduate credit is not 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 course work may be graded pass-fail, however. No final grade assigned for a graduate-level course may be raised unless an error has been made. Substituting another course for one completed with a low grade is not permitted. Work completed at another graduate school with a grade less than B will not be accepted, 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, I, and W.

The symbol CR (credit) or NC (no credit) normally is 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 for the final enrollment. CR may be given by a professor when a student’s work in other individual research 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 for the final semester. PR is not an appropriate grade for any graduate course. Graduate School Graduate School 71 Graduate School Graduate School 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 and when failure to complete the work has been due to causes beyond the student’s control. It is not used as a substitute for F. When the I is given, the instructor should file a form with the Graduate Office specifying the reasons for the grade and the work remaining to be done. 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.

Proficiency in English.

An international student found deficient in English may be required to complete certain specified courses in English usage (without graduate credit) satisfactorily before being considered for admission to candidacy for a graduate degree.

Statement of Intention to Graduate.

A student planning to graduate must file in the Graduate School’s office a “Statement of Intention to Graduate” at the beginning of the semester of intended graduation. A list of deadlines will be sent to all students who indicate a current-semester graduation date on their program forms. No candidate’s name will be placed on the “Tentative List of Graduates” for any graduation date unless this statement has been received at the Graduate Office by the specified deadline. A candidate who fails to graduate at the expected time is required to file a new “Statement of Intention to Graduate” for any subsequent graduation.

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 certificates should confer with the director of teacher certification in the appropriate program at the outset of their work.