Director:
Dr. Jorge Salazar-Bravo
Associate Professor, Biological Sciences & Director of the International Center for Arid and Semi-Arid Land Studies

The Master of Science in Arid Land Studies (MSALS) is a unique interdisciplinary graduate program designed to prepare students for international, arid lands-oriented careers in natural resources, environmental issues, and economic and social factors.

The interdisciplinary nature of this program is ideal for students who wish to expand their knowledge in different areas of study rather than specialize in a single discipline. The program must be related to sustainable use and management of drylands. MSALS students may choose the thesis option (24 hours of graduate coursework plus 6 hours of thesis and 6 hours of research credit) or the 36-hour non-thesis plan.

Students in the MSALS program choose three subject areas from the sciences and/or humanities that best suit their career goals. Common subject areas include (1) agricultural sciences and natural resources; (2) geosciences; and (3) water resources and environmental toxicology. No more than 12 credit hours may be taken within any single college except the College of Arts and Sciences

Applicants to the program must satisfy the requirements set by the university and the Graduate School. Applications and supporting documentation may be must be submitted to the Graduate School. (How to Apply) Competitive scholarships may be available.

Director:
Dr. Yehia Mechref
Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Director of Center for Biotechnology and Genomics

The Texas Tech Center for Biotechnology and Genomics administers the Master of Science in Biotechnology, with an emphasis in bioinformatics as a new option.

The degree is a two-year program, with the first two semesters consisting of required and elective coursework. The second year (nine to 12 months) is devoted to research (and possibly additional advanced coursework). Students may satisfy the research requirement in either of two ways: (1) complete an M.S. thesis, based on research carried out in the laboratory of a participating faculty member, or (2) complete a non-thesis internship in a research laboratory on campus, an industrial research laboratory, a government laboratory, or a not-for-profit foundation laboratory. Students who select a non-thesis option must pass a comprehensive final exam during their fourth (or final) semester. Options should be carefully discussed with the director and/or graduate advisor of the center.

Students interested in the program should have an undergraduate degree that provides a sound background in biological sciences, preferably from a molecular perspective. A limited number of scholarships will be available at the start of the fall semester for outstanding first-year students. Students awarded these competitive scholarships will be eligible to pay tuition at the in-state rate.

Biotechnology, JD/M.S

The dual degree candidate must choose to pursue both degrees by the end of the third or fourth semester in law school and must meet admission requirements for the M.S. degree. Students in the dual degree program cannot take any courses outside the School of Law during their first year. Typically, if all prerequisites are met, both degree programs can be finished in a maximum of four and one-half years, including summer sessions. Separate applications for the J.D. and M.S. portions of the dual degree are required. LSAT scores that are satisfactory for admission to the School of Law will eliminate the requirement that the student take the GRE.

The dual degree program is designed principally for the student with an interest in intellectual property law in the area of biotechnology. A candidate for the J.D./M.S. in biotechnology may credit up to 12 non-law hours of approved courses toward the J.D. degree, and 12 law hours may be credited toward the M.S. degree.

Graduate Advisor Biotechnology: Dr. Jatindra Tripathy jatindra.n.tripathy@ttu.edu

The Energy concentration of the Interdisciplinary Master of Science Degree is a unique graduate program that offers unmatched educational opportunities leveraging the university's unique blend of expertise covering business, law, renewable energy, and oil and gas.

The curriculum is designed to provide students with the technical and practical education required of modern energy professionals. Whether you are seeking tools for career advancement, breadth of energy knowledge for entrepreneurial endeavors or the ability to move into a demanding and rewarding industry, the MSIS – Energy provides the education and skills necessary to navigate your chosen path.

More Information

Chairperson:
Dr. Eileen Johnson
Horn Professor of Museum Science; Director, Academic and Curatorial Programs, Museum of Texas Tech University
eileen.johnson@ttu.edu

The Master of Arts in Heritage and Museum Sciences offers a specialization in either museum science or heritage management. The specialization in museum science emphasizes thorough preparation in the broad spectrum of museum theory and practice. Graduates from the museum science specialization of the program have a comprehensive background in museum studies and are prepared as generalists in a number of sub disciplines, including collections management and care; exhibitions and interpretation; museology; museum management; and curatorship in anthropology, art, history, paleontology, or the natural sciences.

The heritage management specialization emphasizes extensive investigation in the field of heritage management. Graduates from the heritage management specialization of the program are prepared to enhance local, regional, and national sociological and scientific values; encourage preservation and stewardship of cultural and natural heritage; advocate public service; and direct educational programing designed to derive maximum advantage from innovative technology without the loss of cultural identity and biodiversity. The heritage management specialization is configured to allow students to emphasize areas of special interest such as heritage administration, conservation, interpretation, heritage education, and use (heritage tourism and ecotourism). The specialization offers both theoretical and practical coursework designed to prepare graduates to be leaders in the heritage management field.

Prior to admission consideration, students must complete the online application through the Graduate School and satisfy the requirements of the university. Once that process is concluded, program admission and competitive scholarship awards are based on three general categories of criteria: academic record, test scores, individual profile.

For additional information about the Heritage and Museum Sciences program please see http://www.depts.ttu.edu/museumttu/masters/prospective-students.php or contact the Assistant Director for Academic Programs, Sally Shelton at sally.shelton@ttu.edu

Director:
Dr. Delong Zuo,
delong.zuo@ttu.edu

Texas Tech University offers a unique Ph.D. in Wind Science and Engineering. The educational objective of the program is to provide students with the broad education necessary to pursue research and solve problems related to the detrimental effects of windstorms (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms) and to learn to take advantage of the beneficial effects of wind (e.g., wind energy).

Each student's core coursework and dissertation research are multidisciplinary. The doctorate requires at least 60 semester hours of graduate studies in addition to a dissertation (requirement of the Graduate School).

Coursework for students is tailored with the advice and consent of their graduate advisor to provide background for multidisciplinary dissertation research.

Students are also required to complete 6-credit hours of summer off-campus external internship at an academic institution, in a governmental or private laboratory, or with a private company. Opportunities are also available to complete this internship requirement abroad.

Students pursue multidisciplinary research under the guidance of the chair or co-chairs of their advisory committee. Graduate faculty members from at least two disciplines will be represented on each student's advisory committee. Research must be multidisciplinary and can include a combination of engineering, atmospheric sciences, economics, physical sciences, and mathematics. Field/lab experiments, analytical research, or numerical simulations are examples of acceptable dissertation research.

Students must complete a qualifying examination to be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The qualifying examination questions are based on a dissertation proposal, which is provided to the advisory committee by the student prior to the qualifying examination. Additionally, students shall have at least one paper based on their dissertation research published (or accepted to be published) in a peer-reviewed journal prior to graduation.

Financial support in the form of scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships is available to qualified students. See the WISE Research Center website (www.depts.ttu.edu/nwi/) for more details of the degree program and ongoing research topics.

Program Coordinator:
Dr. Eric Bernard, Professor and Chairperson, Landscape Architecture
eric.bernard@ttu.edu

The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Land-Use Planning, Management, and Design (LPMD) focuses on various aspects of land and land use. It trains students to be leaders in their community, firms, and organizations with enhanced understanding of multidisciplinary endeavors, improved communication skills between compartmentalized systems of knowledge, and the ability to bring knowledge from one discipline to focus on problems and ongoing projects in another. LPMD training prepares students to be leaders in administrative, legislative, academic, research, design firms, or organizations that deal with land use.
This program is administered by the Graduate School with an interdisciplinary steering committee. Faculty and courses are drawn from participating units across the university. Studies of the complex factors influencing human use of resources, training in the research and evaluative methods that can be applied to interdisciplinary studies, and education in the institutional structures that shape policy and action are included in the program.
Students with an interest in issues of resiliency including environmental/natural resource management and planning, community planning and design, public policy administration, and historic preservation are encouraged to work together to take on global challenges involving land use.
Students admitted to the LPMD program are expected to bring a set of knowledge and skills from their background departments. They will be exposed to various courses in contributing disciplines and, with the assistance of their advisor and/or committee, will be expected to demark an intersection that will be the focus of the dissertation. All students are required to complete a minimum of 66 hours beyond the bachelor's degree plus a minimum of 12 (8000-level) hours of dissertation. This includes specified 24 hours of multidisciplinary core courses, 21 hours of track courses, 15 hours of supporting courses and 6 hours of tool courses. Students will need to specify one track in which 21 hours of courses are selected, of which only 4 courses in one discipline can be taken. Track courses, research projects, and the student's dissertation will focus on the track selected and will be chosen by the student and approved by the advisor.
Because students come from a variety of backgrounds with different interests and career goals, one standard course of study is not required. Students craft a degree plan with their advisory committee drawn from three or more departments and two or more colleges. This committee arranges a student's course of study and specialization. The student then follows this "custom-designed" program of study, while the advisory committee is responsible for administering comprehensive exams and for directing both the dissertation and the student's program.
Requirements considered for admission to the program include GRE, grade point average, statement of research interests and goals, writing samples/portfolio, and letters of recommendation on official letterheads. International applicants must submit TOEFL or IELTS score.
Core Courses (24 credits total) and Specialization Courses (21 credits total) are selected with the advisory committee. Other degree-related courses include:
• LPMD 7000 - Research (V1-12 semester credit hours)
• LPMD 8000 - Doctor's Dissertation (V1-12 semester credit hours)