Texas Tech University

Frequently Asked Questions About the Graduate Program

Here are some common questions we receive about the Graduate Program in Geosciences at Texas Tech University. The answers are general and may not be appropriate for every student or situation - please contact us if you want more information.

  1. Do company recruiters visit your Department?
    • The Department welcomes a mixture of multinational and smaller independent companies to interview students for internship and full-time employment opportunities. Over the last 5 years, the companies span the range from EOG, Citation, Continental and Mewbourne, including service oriented companies such as Schlumberger and Haliburton, and environmental geology consulting companies such as TRC Solutions. 
  2. What is the typical stipend offered to supported students?
    • Teaching and Research Assistantships are typically in the region of ~ $1,944 per month for MS students, and ~$2,144 for PhD students. In many cases, these assistantships are augmented by recruiting scholarship offers to help off-set in-state tuition.
  3. Why do I have to pay in state tuition?
    • The Texas State Legislature is responsible for the fiscal framework of graduate student assistantships. No state-funded institution in Texas, including Texas Tech, may waive in state tuition. To help students cover some of these expenses the Department offers recruitment scholarships on a competitive basis to as many students as possible. For MS students these fees are approximately $2300/year and for PhD's about $1300/year.
  4. What's it like living in West Texas?
    • Lubbock is a city of ~315,000 people and was recently listed as one of the Top 10 cities in the United States for Quality of Life. The city hosts a diversity of organizations that support the arts, culture and entertainment, including the Lubbock Symphony, Ballet Lubbock, a First Friday Art Trail, Big 12 Sports, and live music somewhere in town every night of the week. Cost of living is very reasonable and 1 bedroom apartment rents range from $575-900/month. 
  5. What is a 9 month position and how does it work?
    • The majority of teaching positions at Texas Tech are funded by the state and are aligned with the State's annual budgetary period. Teaching Assistantships are 9 month appointments and your appointment would typically be for the period 1 September through 31 May (i.e. Fall and Spring semester). PhD students are supported for one summer session (1.5 mo) as TA/RA. There exist additional opportunities for TA/RA in summer months. 
  6. Does the Department have extracurricular activities?
    • Students in the Geosciences at Texas Tech are active in several professional and subject oriented organizations, including the Student Geosciences Society, a Student Chapter of AAPG, Geoscience Leadership Organization and a Society of Exploration Geophysicists. The groups organize professionally oriented activities including trips to AAPG Expo's, field trips, community events such as highway clean-up and Habitat for Humanity, a colloquium series, as well as sponsoring tail-gate events during Football season and the Fall Chili Cook-Off! 
  7. Does the Department require minimum GRE and GPA scores to be eligible for admission?
    • Texas Tech University currently waives the GRE requirement. The department does not have minimum GPA requirements, but good scores make an applicant more competitive! The Graduate Committee takes a holistic approach to applicant evaluation. If you have a low GPA, look for positives and use your personal statements to explain special circumstances. Highlight stronger average GPA in the Geosciences and other Science or Engineering courses and Mathematics. 
  8. Where do I upload my Department application documents and letters of reference?
    • Students interested in the M.S. or Ph.D. in Geosciences should register their interest at choosegrad.ttu.edu. The link provides more information about the graduate program as well as a description of the documents required for preparing an application. To apply to TTU Graduate programs, please visit Texas Tech Graduate Admissions website (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/admissions/howtoapply.php). Our online application system is designed to help you easily navigate through the application process and ensure you complete your application in a timely manner. Please, direct all program-related questions to Graduate Director, Dr. Horita (juske.horita@ttu.edu).