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Texas Tech University Signs Agreements With Austin College to create Fast-Tracked Graduate Programs

By David Chapman, Section Manager

Presidents O'Day and Schovanec sit behind a long rectangular table draped with a black cover as O'Day extends his left arm to pass documents to Schovanec as he receives them with both hands
Texas Tech University and Austin College presidents Schovanec and O'Day exchange documents outlining an innovative partnership between institutions.
Presidents O'Day and Schovanec sit behind a long rectangular table draped with a black cover as O'Day extends his left arm to pass documents to Schovanec as he receives them with both hands
Texas Tech University and Austin College presidents Schovanec and O'Day exchange documents outlining an innovative partnership between institutions.

On Oct. 17, Texas Tech University officials met in Sherman, Texas to sign two agreements with Austin College to solidify academic and facilities agreements between the two institutions.

Under the academic agreement, Austin College students can enroll at Texas Tech toward the end of their bachelor's degree work and begin taking graduate level courses. These courses will reverse transfer back to Austin College for the awarding of the student's bachelor's degree. This means by the time a student graduates from Austin College with their bachelor's degree, they will have already completed some of the coursework required for a graduate degree at Texas Tech.

"This innovative partnership between Austin College and Texas Tech University, two of the finest institutions in Texas, ushers in a new era of collaboration in higher education," said Austin College President Steven O'Day.

The facilities agreement allows Texas Tech graduate courses to be conducted at the Austin College campus, effectively establishing a regional teaching site in Sherman. It also lays out the parameters and responsibilities by each institution for office space, infrastructure and classroom usage.

A black binder with the Austin College logo on the front rests on top of another black binder with the Texas Tech University logo and two writing pens lay on each binder
Partnership Agreements between Texas Tech University and Austin College
A black binder with the Austin College logo on the front rests on top of another black binder with the Texas Tech University logo and two writing pens lay on each binder
Partnership Agreements between Texas Tech University and Austin College.

"Bringing together, in one place, the extraordinary Austin College undergraduate experience with a top-quality graduate degree from Texas Tech University is a concept that speaks to the needs of today's students in Texas and around the nation," said O'Day. "The opportunity for students to pursue this educational pathway in an uninterrupted and accelerated fashion makes this truly remarkable and valuable. We are excited to be on the leading edge of higher education innovation with our friends at Texas Tech and are already looking forward to exploring new program offerings in the future."

Currently, three master's degree programs will be offered at Austin College: technical communication and public administration, through the College of Arts & Sciences, and mass communication through the College of Media & Communication. An MBA program may also be offered in the future.