Click on any of the following links for information:
Jennifer L. Schroeder, Dean of the Graduate School
Business Administration Building
Internet: http://www.tamuc.edu/gradschool
E-Mail: graduate.school@tamuc.edu
Phone: 903-886-5163
Jennifer Dyer, Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Business Administration Building
Internet: http://www.tamuc.edu/gradschool
E-Mail: graduate.school@tamuc.edu
Phone: 903-886-5163
Mailing Address
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Graduate School
P. O. Box 3011
Commerce, TX 75429
Physical Address
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Graduate School
2600 S. Neal Street
Commerce, TX 75428
The mission of the Graduate School is to provide leadership and direction for all aspects of graduate education and to promote graduate student research at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Graduate work offered by the University is distinguished from undergraduate work in that the graduate student is expected to show increased maturity in scholarship, seriousness of purpose, and ability to think independently. In accordance with this distinction, graduate courses are designed to develop the student’s ability to gather relevant facts, analyze them, and make reasonable generalizations and sound conclusions through independent research.
Graduate programs provide for the needs of students seeking professional employment, research opportunities, advanced degrees, (including the master's or specialist, doctoral degrees, educator certification, graduate certificates), or personal satisfaction by increasing their depth of knowledge in their fields of specialization. Our students are prepared to be school and college teachers and administrators and advanced professionals in business, technology management, social work, the arts and various science disciplines. Some of our programs also prepare students for professional and administrative certificates.
The doctoral programs are distinct in purpose and selective in admitting candidates. The purpose of the doctoral program is to produce graduates who have developed breadth of vision, a capacity for interpretation, and the ability to carry out critical investigation.
From association with fellow scholars, the doctoral student is expected to gain new concepts, a zeal for adding to the sum of human knowledge, and the ability to conduct original research and to think clearly and independently. The student must also develop the professional competencies necessary for application of knowledge in the essential areas of human and public interest. Guidance toward extended reading and research is an integral part of graduate study.
We offer a master’s degree with the following majors:
We offer a specialist degree with the following major:
We offer doctoral degrees with the following majors:
We offer Educator Teacher Certification
We offer graduate certificates in the following areas:
We offer a Post Graduate Certificate in the following area:
Since the academic reputation of any graduate program rests upon the quality of its faculty, great care is given to the awarding of Graduate Faculty Membership. The selection of Graduate Faculty rests with the Graduate Council.
Graduate Faculty Membership is only available to full-time faculty who have a terminal degree or its equivalent. There are two types of membership: Graduate Faculty or Visiting Faculty. Visiting Faculty are eligible to teach graduate courses, direct master’s theses, and serve on doctoral committees, while Graduate Faculty can teach graduate courses and direct both master’s theses and doctoral dissertations.
Qualifications for Graduate Faculty Membership are (a) holds academic rank of assistant professor or above, or rank of assistant professional track faculty or above; (b) holds the highest earned terminal degree in the teaching discipline; (c) competence as a scholar, including research capabilities and/or creative activities as evidenced by publications and creative endeavors.
Requests for Graduate Faculty Membership and for Visiting Faculty Membership may be initiated by the faculty member or by the head of the department in which the faculty member serves. The request is forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School through the Department Head and College Dean with a recommendation from both. It is then sent to the Graduate Council, which makes a recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School as to the type of membership to be awarded.
Each Graduate Faculty member’s scholarly research, creative activity, involvement in the discipline, and graduate education is reviewed by the Graduate Council every six years. The purpose of this review is to determine if the faculty member’s current Graduate Faculty Membership is appropriate and warranted.
The six year review process is the same as for the initial selection process; however, the options open to the Council should include one of the following:
Under extenuating circumstances, the Dean of the Graduate School can grant a temporary exception for other faculty members who do not hold Graduate Faculty Membership to teach graduate courses and/or serve on thesis or dissertation committees. Information on such exceptions is submitted to the Graduate Council and does not require Council action except in such cases as it deems necessary. Questions relating to Graduate Faculty Membership should be directed to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Graduate Faculty Membership may be terminated at any time if the faculty member has been negligent and/or ineffective in the performance of his or her responsibilities (without warranting dismissal for Good Cause as set forth in the University Procedure 12.99.99.R0.12 Graduate Faculty Membership). In such cases termination of Graduate Faculty Membership will be initiated by the Dean of the Graduate School either independently, or upon recommendation of the faculty member's Department Head or Academic Dean.
Graduate faculty and professional staff at Texas A&M University-Commerce are expected to maintain high standards of integrity and honesty in all their scholastic work. Faculty and staff are expected to uphold and support integrity and honesty by maintaining conditions that encourage and enforce academic honesty.
If a faculty or staff member is accused of academic dishonesty, the Department Head or supervisor is responsible for initiating a timely investigation. Any necessary disciplinary actions that result from this investigation should be related to the severity of the infraction.
If a faculty or staff member disagrees with the charge or level of penalty, he/she is entitled to due process in accordance with the usual procedures available to faculty who are accused of any other infraction.
Administration of the Graduate School is entrusted to the Dean of the Graduate School. A Graduate Council, consisting of elected members formulates and recommends to the President of the University procedures related to graduate education. The Dean of the Graduate School is the executive officer of the Council and has authority to act for the administration and the Council. Faculty membership on the Graduate Council is limited to members of the Graduate Faculty. Student membership is limited to graduate students.
Students are expected to be present for all class meetings of any course for which they are enrolled. Students are responsible for learning about and complying with the attendance policy stated in the catalog, Student’s Guidebook, and/or faculty syllabus. Faculty members will provide details on requirements and guidelines for attendance in their classes in their course syllabi. Faculty members will keep students’ attendance records.
Students are responsible for requesting makeup work when they are absent. They will be permitted to make up work for absences that are considered excused by the faculty member. The method of making up this work shall be determined by the faculty member.
The student is responsible for providing the faculty member reason(s) for his/her absence. The faculty member then determines the validity of the reason(s) for the absence and whether the student is to be excused for the absence. Faculty members may consider the following as excusable reasons for absence:
Appeals can be made through normal administrative channels.
A record of excused and unexcused absences will be maintained by a faculty member since certain financial assistance and other programs may require attendance records.
When requested by the student, faculty will inform the student who has been absent whether make-up work is allowed and whether absences jeopardize the student’s standing in a class.
It is the prerogative of the faculty to drop students from courses in which they have accrued excessive absences as defined in the course syllabus. In such cases, faculty recommend through the Department Head to the appropriate College Dean, that a student be dropped from a class. The faculty member will document absences and will make a reasonable effort to communicate with the student prior to recommending the drop. If approved, the College Dean will forward the recommendation to the Registrar’s Office.
Students who wish to drop a course or withdraw from the university are responsible for initiating this action.
If a student believes a final course grade is unfairly impacted by attendance requirements, an appeal can be made. This appeal process is explained in University Procedure 13.99.99.R0.05 Student Appeal of Instructor Evaluation.
Good Standing is defined as follows for graduate students enrolled at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Entering students who have been fully admitted (without any type of conditional admission, provisional status, or other restriction) will be considered in good standing. A student will remain in good standing if, and only if, he or she has a cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.00 and is free of the following holds: holds indicating delinquent financial indebtedness, academic suspension, academic probation, provisional status, and disciplinary suspension. A graduate student must be in compliance with ethical and professional standards as determined by the student's academic department and university rules and procedures, University Procedure 13.99.99.R0.13 Good Academic Standing.
Students who are not in good standing are not eligible to graduate until good standing has been achieved.
Graduate students at Texas A&M University-Commerce are expected to maintain high standards of integrity and honesty in all their scholastic work. Faculty and staff members are expected to uphold and support student integrity and honesty by maintaining conditions that encourage and enforce academic honesty. Conduct that violates generally accepted standards of academic honesty is defined as academically dishonest. “Academic dishonesty” includes, but is not limited to:
CHEATING: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices or materials in any academic exercise. Unauthorized materials may include anything or anyone that gives a student assistance, and has not been specifically approved in advance by the instructor.
COMPLICITY: Intentionally or knowingly helping, or attempting to help, another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.
EXAMPLES: ABUSE AND MISUSE OF ACCESS AND UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS: Students may not abuse or misuse computer access or gain unauthorized access to information in any academic exercise.
FABRICATION: Making up data or results, and recording or reporting them; submitting fabricated documents.
FALSIFICATION: Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such as that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
FORGERY: Making a fictitious document, or altering an existing document, with the intent to deceive or gain advantage.
MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: Submitting substantial portions of the same work (including oral reports) for credit more than once without authorization from the instructor of the class for which the student submits the work.
PLAGIARISM: The appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING GROUP PROJECTS: If someone in a group commits academic misconduct the entire group could be held responsible for it as well. It is important to document clearly who contributes what parts to the joint project, to know what group members are doing, and how they are acquiring the material they provide.
UNIVERSITY RULES ON RESEARCH: Students involved in conducting research and/or scholarly activities at Texas A&M University-Commerce must also adhere to standards set forth in University Procedure 15.99.03.R1 Ethics in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work.
VIOLATION OF DEPARTMENTAL OR COLLEGE RULES: Students may not violate any departmental or college rule relating to academic matters.
If a graduate student is accused of academic dishonesty, the University Procedure 13.99.99.R0.10 Graduate Student Academic Dishonesty will be followed.
To ensure integrity and compliance in research, all students, faculty, and staff involved in research activities must successfully complete training in Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship.
Additional training is required for individuals whose research involves human/animal subjects or biological agents.
The Texas Education Code prohibits hazing at institutions of higher education. Hazing is defined as “any intentional, knowing, or reckless act occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization.” Hazing is a criminal violation under Texas law. A person may be found guilty of criminal conduct for hazing, encouraging hazing, permitting hazing, or having knowledge of the planning of hazing incidents and failing to report in writing his/her knowledge to the Dean of Students.
Registration dates, times, and instructions are available on the Registrar’s website. MyLeo (A&M-Commerce WEB application for Students) allows eligible students to register through the Internet. Students can access MyLeo through http://leo.tamuc.edu.
The academic year is divided into two long semesters, fall and spring, and a summer semester of two terms. Additional terms and sub-terms may be available.
A Course: A course is one subject carrying three or four graduate semester credit hours of credit. One and two semester hour subjects may, in certain cases, be converted to course equivalents by adding the semester hours and dividing by three. Subjects carrying six semester hours of credit count as two courses. Each major or minor department has the right to refuse substitution of one hour courses or their equivalents to a graduate program when it deems such substitution inappropriate for the planned program of study.
Semester Hour: The semester hour is a unit of credit. It is defined as one hour of lecture per week, or its equivalent in laboratory work, for one semester or its equivalent, as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Each course has a value of three semester hours unless otherwise specified.
Course Numbers: Graduate courses are numbered at the 500, 600, 700, 5000, and 6000 levels.
During the fall or spring semester, a student taking (9) or more graduate semester credit hours is considered full-time. The maximum course load for a full-time graduate student during the fall or spring semester is fifteen (15) graduate semester credit hours. To enroll in more than (15) graduate semester credit hours, the student must have approval from the Dean of the Graduate School. A student taking (6) graduate semester credit hours is considered half-time.
The maximum course load for a full-time graduate student during each summer term is 7 graduate semester credit hours. A student taking 6 graduate semester credit hours in a summer term (summer I or II) is considered full-time for that term. A student taking 9 graduate semester credit hours (combination of summer I and II) is considered full-time for the entire summer (summer I and II).
A graduate student holding a full-time graduate assistantship enrolled in 6 graduate semester credit hours is considered a full-time student. Graduate students must be enrolled in 9 graduate hours to be considered full-time for financial aid. See the section “Graduate Assistantships" for information about course loads for graduate assistants.
The maximum course load for a mini-term is 3 graduate semester credit hours.
A master's or specialist student who has completed all other course work and is enrolled in 3 graduate semester credit hours of 518 thesis credit is considered half-time.
Only in unusual circumstances shall a doctoral student register for more than 12 graduate semester credit hours in a given semester (fall or spring), and then only if approved in advance by the Dean of the Graduate School or other comparable official.
Doctoral students admitted to candidacy and enrolled in 3 graduate semester credit hours of 718 dissertation credit are considered half-time. Doctoral students who are enrolled in 9 graduate semester credit hours of organized classes and who are performing research related to their dissertation may be required to register for an additional 3 graduate semester credit hours of dissertation for a total of 12 graduate semester credit hours.
Students are expected to make all necessary adjustments in their class schedules by the 4th class day of a regular semester and the 2nd class day of a summer semester. Eligible students may use MyLeo (Texas A&M University-Commerce Web Applications for Students) to process drops/adds. Students not eligible to use MyLeo may submit an online drop/add sheet to the Registrar’s Office. The student must obtain approval to add and drop courses from the department/instructor and submit the drop/add sheet to the Registrar’s Office. Students may add classes until 4th class day during the fall and spring semesters and 2nd class day during the summer terms. Students may drop a class with a full refund (if remaining enrolled) until the 12th class day during the fall and spring semesters and 4th class day during the summer terms.
The student desiring to add a course(s) after the 4th class day of a regular semester or 2nd class day of a summer semester should submit an online drop/add sheet to the Registrar’s Office. The student should obtain department/instructor approval and then dean approval. The drop/add sheet is then routed to the Registrar’s Office. Students will not be allowed to add classes after the 12th class day during fall/spring or the 4th class day during a summer semester.
No course may be added to student schedules after the last day to change schedules as stated in the university calendar, except in very special cases and then only by approval of the instructor and appropriate dean.
Students desiring to audit a course may do so with the consent of the instructor and Department Head. Enrollment for audit courses occurs on the first day of classes. Students auditing courses must meet the same admission requirements and pay the same tuition and fees required for credit courses. Students enrolling in a course for audit must notify the Registrar’s Office prior to completing registration for the course. A student may not change from credit to audit after the 12th class day during the fall or spring semester, or after the 4th class day in a summer term.
A student wishing to withdraw from all courses before the end of a semester or summer term for which he/she is registered must clear his record by filing an application for voluntary withdrawal on a form which can be secured online at the following link: https://dms.tamuc.edu/Forms/withdrawalform. This is a withdrawal from the semester, not the university.
This action must be taken by the date stated in the https://calendar.tamuc.edu/ as the last day to drop a class or withdraw. Any student who withdraws from the University is subject to the conditions outlined in the section regarding Scholastic Probation or Suspension. It is the students' responsibility to withdraw from classes if he/she do not plan to attend during the semester in which they have enrolled. A student has one year from the first day of a semester to appeal a withdrawal refund.
A student officially withdrawing will receive a refund of his/her fees according to the following scale:
*Class days refer to the university Class Days, not particular class days. **For example: If a class meets MWF, the 12th class day is not the 12th day of the students' actual class; it is the 12th day of the University Class Days. See the https://calendar.tamuc.edu/ for specific dates.
Sixteen-Week Fall/Spring Semester:
Thirteen-Week Semester:
Twelve-Week Semester:
Ten-Week Semester:
Five, Six, Seven & Eight-Week Semester:
Four-Week Semester:
Three-Week Mini Semester:
Thirty Two-Week Semester:
Refund Information:
Withdrawal refunds for students receiving federal funds is based on how much Title IV aid a student has received and not earned at the time of withdrawal. The amount of aid earned is calculated on a prorata basis through 60 percent of the term. Contact the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing for additional information about this new law.
A student leaving the University before the end of a semester or summer term for which he/she is registered must clear his/her record by filing an application for voluntary withdrawal on a form available at the following link: https://dms.tamuc.edu/Forms/withdrawalform. This action must be taken by the date stated in the University Academic Calendar as the last day to drop a class or withdraw.
Additional information and the withdrawal form are also available on the Registrar's website.
| Grade Marks | Grade Meaning | Grade points Per Semester Hour |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent | 4 |
| B | Good | 3 |
| C* | Average | 2 |
| D* | Passing (Minimum) | 1 |
| F | Failure | 0 |
| X | Incomplete | 0 |
| I | Incomplete (thesis & dissertation only) | 0 |
| W | Withdrew | 0 |
| S | Satisfactory | 0 |
| U* | Unsatisfactory | 0 |
| NG | No Grade Assigned | 0 |
| Q | Course Drop | 0 |
No grades below C can be used towards a graduate program.
No more than 3 graduate courses with a grade of C can be used toward a Master's or Specialist degree.
No grades of C or below (including a grade of U) can be used towards a doctoral degree.
Grades of U will count toward the total number of grades below B for a doctoral degree.
In certain graduate courses, students will be evaluated on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory (S-U) grading basis rather than by the traditional letter grade system. Students in these specially designated courses will receive the grade of “S,” or “satisfactory,” for graduate level work equivalent to a regular “B” grade or better. Grades of “U,” or “unsatisfactory,” will be assigned to those students whose work falls below the “B” level. In such courses, only a grade of “S” may be counted toward fulfillment of degree requirements. Neither “S” nor “U” grades will be included in the calculation of grade point average to determine academic standing. The courses in which the satisfactory-unsatisfactory grading system will be used are indicated by their separate course descriptions in the current Graduate Catalog. All other courses not so identified will be graded on the traditional letter grade basis. Each department may prescribe further rules regulating the use of the satisfactory-unsatisfactory grade system within its specific graduate degree programs, but in no case may more than 50% of the courses presented toward fulfillment of the requirements for any graduate degree have been graded on the satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis.
Beginning Fall 2008 DP, DF, DS, and DU are no longer assigned to dropped courses. A grade of "Q" denotes a dropped course.
After the census date in a term (see University Academic Calendar for specific dates), a student who drops a course will receive a grade of “Q.” Students who officially withdraw from school prior to the date stated in the current University Academic Calendar will receive a grade of “W.” Courses withdrawn are counted as attempted hours and count towards the three-peat rule.
Note: Three-Peat Rule applies to Undergraduate courses.
Additional information and the withdrawal form are also available on the Registrar's website.
Students, who because of circumstances beyond their control are unable to attend classes will, upon approval of their instructor, receive a mark of “X” (incomplete) in all courses in which they were maintaining passing grades.
When an “X” is given for a grade in a course, the credit hours are not included for up to one year when calculating the grade point averages. A grade of “X” converts to a grade of " F" one year from the close of the semester/term in which the grade was originally recorded if the course requirements have not been satisfied. The hours are included in the number of hours attempted.
Recording a grade of “X” requires the filing of a plan for completion. The plan will be submitted with the official grade record sent to the Department Head who will forward it to the Dean's office. The plan will include: (1) why the grade was given, and (2) steps necessary for the student to receive the final grade.
Once an incomplete has been assigned, the course cannot be dropped; a grade must be assigned.
A grade of “I” will only be given for the courses in thesis and dissertation (518 and 718) at the end of the terms/semesters in which the student has been accurately recorded to have completed more than 60% of the term/semester. A Grade of “I” will be given for terms/semesters prior to the terms/semester in which the final document is completed. The time limit imposed on the grade of “X” (one year) does not apply for these courses.
All grade point averages will be computed by dividing grade points accumulated by the number of hours attempted, with grades of "X", "I", "IP", "Q", "W", being excluded. Only grades earned at Texas A&M University-Commerce are calculated into the student's GPA.
When a course is repeated, only the last enrollment for the course will be used in computing the grade point average. Any student who enrolls in the same course a second time must notify the Registrar’s Office during the semester in which the course is being repeated. When the semester is completed, the Registrar’s Office will then update the grade point average to reflect the duplication of the course. After a degree is awarded, courses taken before the degree was awarded (regardless of whether the course is applied to the degree) cannot be repeated and the grade point average cannot be recalculated.
The Registrar's Office is the custodian of the students' permanent academic records.
At the end of each semester of the regular session and the end of the summer session, grades will be updated to the student information system. Students may check the status of their grades by accessing MyLeo at https://leo.tamuc.edu/login.aspx.
The final grades awarded by instructors are their expert judgment concerning student performance. Students challenging a final grade must show that the instructor’s judgment was unfair based on:
See University Procedure 13.99.99.R0.05 Student Appeal of Instructor Evaluation:
Graduate assistant teaching (GAT), graduate assistant research (GAR), and graduate assistant non-teaching (GANT) assistantships at Texas A&M University-Commerce offer financial support for graduate education. Assistantships may be awarded to qualified graduate students who have full or conditional admission to a master’s or specialist program or full admission to a doctoral program. Assistantships are available in academic and non-academic departments. In addition to funding graduate education, assistantships provide students opportunities for professional growth.
Assistantships that require teaching, laboratory instruction, and/or research (GAT, GAR, GANT) are available to masters, specialist, and doctoral students in most departments. The awarding of assistantships is a staffing function of the department making the appointment. Inquiries about applications should be addressed to the head of the department in which the applicant wishes to undertake graduate study. Applicants for such positions must satisfy requirements of both the Graduate School and the department. Additional information available on line at: https://www.tamuc.edu/graduate-school/#tamuc-section-186947.
Academic, creative excellence, and maturity are the primary qualifications considered in the appointments. Graduate students whose native language is not English must demonstrate a sufficient level of oral and written proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE approved by A&M-Commerce) before they can be awarded a teaching assistantship.
Minimum requirements for holding assistantships are:
Once an assistantship is offered and the graduate student has accepted verbally or in writing, the student has an obligation to stay in that position for the duration of the semester.
Full-time Graduate Assistant Teaching (GAT) and Graduate Assistant Research (GAR) students are eligible to receive tuition remission for a maximum of six graduate hours per term. GAT's and GAR's must be on payroll by the 12th class day of the Fall/Spring semester and 4th class day of the Summer semester to be eligible to receive tuition remission. Tuition Remission does not include out-of-state tuition, student fees, or other fees.
A student who resigns his/her graduate assistantship or whose graduate assistantship is terminated before at least three-fourths of the academic term/semester is completed loses a portion of the tuition remission and is responsible for the tuition payment.
Graduate Assistants who have not established residency in Texas and who hold full-time assistantships in their academic area are entitled to a waiver of out-of-state tuition. Students must be employed by the 12th class day for fall or spring semesters and by the 4th class day for summer terms to receive this waiver.
Graduate Assistants begin work on the first class day and end work on the last class day of each semester/term.
The course load for a full-time graduate assistant is 6-12 hours for the fall or spring semester and 3-7 hours for each summer term. A doctoral student shall not be required to register for more than 9 credit hours during any semester, with the exception of a doctoral student who also is doing research related to his or her dissertation who may be required to register for an additional 3 hours of research or dissertation, for a total of 12 credit hours. A graduate student holding a full-time graduate assistantship enrolled in 6 graduate semester credit hours is considered a full-time student. Graduate students must be enrolled in 9 graduate hours to be considered full-time for financial aid.
Graduate assistants who have primary responsibility for teaching a course for credit and/or for assigning final grades for such a course must, according to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Criteria for Accreditation, be under the direct supervision of a faculty member experienced in the teaching field, receive regular in-service training, be regularly evaluated, and have earned at least 18 graduate semester hours in their teaching discipline. Graduate students whose native language is not English must demonstrate a sufficient level of oral and written proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE approved by A&M-Commerce) before they can be awarded a teaching assistantship.
Master's/specialist assistantships may be held six semesters (exclusive of summer sessions) for students in a degree program consisting of less than 60 semester hours. Appointments may be extended for up to two semesters with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.
Master's/specialist assistantships may be held for a maximum of eight semesters (exclusive of summer sessions) for students in a degree program consisting of 60 semester hour or more. Appointments may be extended for up to two semesters with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.
Doctoral assistatnships may be held for 10 semesters (exclusive of summer semesters) for students in a doctoral degree program. Appointments may be extended for up to two semesters with the approval of the Dean of Graduate School.
All appointments are subject to satisfactory performance of assigned duties and progress toward the degree.
All appointments are subject to satisfactory performance of assigned duties, progress toward the degree or program goal, and maintenance of a 3.00 graduate grade point average and academic good standing. Appointment corrective action may be initiated by the Department Head at any time during the semester. In case of termination, the graduate assistant shall have the right to appeal through normal administrative channels.
Persons holding graduate assistantships have the right to develop to the best of their ability, both academically and professionally, and to be treated fairly and with respect. It is the responsibility of the assistant to carry out, in a professional manner, such duties as may be reasonably assigned by the Department Head or supervisor.
Individuals holding teaching assistantships will be assessed by their students every semester and evaluated annually by the Department Head or faculty supervisor. Such evaluations will be maintained in the department office. The department shall retain these evaluations for at least 3 years.
Graduate assistants may have their assistantship terminated for any of the following:
Tuition rates (including guaranteed tuition) are subject to change by the Legislature. Current rates are available on the University webpage. https://www.tamuc.edu/grad/cost/
A student’s tuition and fees are impacted by the student’s state of residency. The Texas Legislature, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Texas A&M University System have established guidelines for determining residency status. Texas residency for tuition purposes is generally obtained by working in Texas for 12 months immediately prior to enrollment in any college or university, by being a dependent of a Texas resident, or by being classified as a Texas resident for the first 5 of the 6 years immediately preceding registration.
Any student who has lived outside of Texas or who has a possibility of being a nonresident is coded accordingly. Determination of eligibility to pay in-state tuition will be finalized upon receipt of a completed residency questionnaire and appropriate documents.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the application for admission is properly completed for tuition purposes. Any change in residency status must be reported to the Graduate School office.
Non-resident students who reside in states bordering the State of Texas may be eligible for assessment of non-resident tuition and student fees at the Texas resident rate.
Doctoral students who have accumulated over 99 doctoral hours will be charged nonresident tuition and fees.
Courses may require the use of exam-proctoring involving third-party vendors, which may incur additional charges payable at the time the service is scheduled or provided. Students may be required to schedule exams at least one week in advance or incur late scheduling charges. All costs for exams are the responsibility of the student. Students may also be responsible for providing webcams to be used in test proctoring.
Texas A&M University-Commerce enforces Academic Integrity expectations. Violation of the academic dishonesty procedures could result in forfeiture of the test, and the course instructor will be notified of the incident.
| Description | Fee |
|---|---|
| Domestic Application Fee: | $50 |
| International Application Fee: | $75 |
| Master Thesis Fees: | $63 |
| Doctoral Dissertation Fees | $73 |
| Description | Fee |
|---|---|
| Diploma fee (payable when applying for degree) | $40 |
| Educator Certification | Fee based on type of certification earned |
| Late registration fee | $100 |
| Processing fee for installment payment plan and tuition loans | $35 |
| Late enrollment fee for tuition loans or installment plan | $25 |
| Late installment payment plan fee | $25 |
| Returned check fee | $30 |
| Lab fees | $5 to $45 |
| Graduate Business Course Program Fees | $25 per hour for graduate level business courses |
| Reinstatement Fees | $200 |
| Testing Center Fees | Fee based on test type |
Motor vehicle operation and parking permits are issued for the academic year. They are $80 if purchased in the fall, $64 in the spring, and $48 in the summer. Residents of Prairie Crossing are charged $120 for Fall, $96 in spring, and $72 for summer. All permits expire August 31 of each academic year.
Note: All fees are subject to change.
For specific room and board costs, contact the Department of Residential Living and Learning at (903-886-5797) or check online at http://www.tamuc.edu/CampusLife/housing/default.aspx.
In the case of overdue financial obligations to Texas A&M University-Commerce by the student, future registrations, transcripts, and other benefits may be withheld.
Admission to Graduate School permits the student to enroll in graduate courses, but does not guarantee admission to a program leading to a masters or specialist or doctoral degree. Departments have the right, and many exercise that right, to have program admission requirements that are higher than those set by the Graduate School. In no case, however, can a department set criteria lower than the Graduate School minimum. Additional information regarding admission can be found online at https://www.tamuc.edu/graduate-school/#tamuc-section-286413.
An applicant to the Graduate School who is seeking admission must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. The bachelor’s degree must be substantially equivalent in content to degrees granted by Texas A&M University-Commerce. Each domestic applicant will submit to the Graduate School the following:
To view specific departmental requirements go to: Graduate Programs
Students desiring admission to the Graduate School at Texas A&M University-Commerce who have received their bachelor’s degree from an institution not recognized and accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies must be approved for admission by the Dean of Graduate School. Materials must be submitted to the Graduate School 30 days in advance of initial enrollment. In addition to the General Requirements for Admission (covered in the previous section), students may be required to submit additional supportive documentation. Factors considered by the Dean in making the determination include, but are not limited to, undergraduate grade point average, nature of undergraduate program, and educational qualifications of the undergraduate institution’s faculty.
Students on academic suspension from another institution are not eligible for graduate admission consideration to Texas A&M University-Commerce until their specific period of suspension expires.
Each applicant will disclose:
Criminal conviction histories (excluding juvenile adjudications) involving acts of violence or sexual misconduct; past substantiated or pending conduct charges involving acts of violence or sexual misconduct at a postsecondary institutions; expulsions or suspensions from postsecondary institutions for acts of violence or sexual misconduct.
If the applicant reports one or more convictions or past substantiated or pending conduct charges the Graduate School will forward the application to the Graduate Criminal Background Review Team for further evaluation and assessment. The team must carefully evaluate and assess the relevance of an individual’s previous criminal convictions/past substantiated or pending conduct charges regarding the applicant’s admissions and enrollment at the University and their engagement/participation in university activities/services. Admissions will request the following:
After reviewing all available information, the team must recommend whether to grant or deny the individual’s admission or participation in the activities/services requested or to grant such admission/participation subject to articulated conditions to the Vice President for Enrollment Management. Admission and/or participation in requested activities/services may only be denied if such admission/participation would pose an unreasonable risk to property or the safety or welfare of specific individuals or the general public. The Vice President for Enrollment Management will make the final decision to grant or deny the individual’s admission or participation in the activities/services requested.
At A&M-Commerce, your success is our business. That includes making higher-education opportunities available to those who, because of work and/or family obligations, find it difficult to access courses that are offered on scheduled days and times.
Learn more about our degree programs offered, how to enroll, and course listings, at the Graduate School website.
Out-of-State Students
A&M-Commerce is authorized to offer online degree programs and courses in designated states.
As a participant in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), A&M-Commerce may admit out-of-state students who live in states that are members of NC-SARA. NC-SARA member states and participating institutions are listed on the NC-SARA website.
Depending on the status of your state of residence with regard to NC-SARA, A&M-Commerce may notify you that you are not eligible to register for a Texas A&M University-Commerce distance learning degree program or course.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
Prospective and current students interested in courses, programs, certificates, or degrees that lead to professional licensure must understand their state licensing board’s requirements prior to enrolling.
Graduate admission is invalid if granted on the basis of incorrect information or on the omission of facts which, if known, would have caused the applicant to be ineligible.
Students who submit false information and/or fraudulent documents are subject to withdrawal of any offer of acceptance and withdrawal from all enrollment (completed and incomplete). Students who are withdrawn as a result of the submission of false information and/or fraudulent documents are not eligible for any refund of tuition and fees.
An international graduate student is any degree-seeking student holding a non-immigrant visa. International students who desire to enter the university must submit all admission documents to the Graduate School a minimum of 90 days prior to the semester in which they wish to enroll. Each applicant must submit the following documents:
To view specific departmental requirements go to: http://www.tamuc.edu/academics/graduateSchool/programs/default.aspx
For new student information contact Maria Hernandez (International new student Coordinator).
Each applicant is subject to departmental approval. Individual departments may establish additional requirements for admission. International students must be admitted to a degree program in order to enroll in graduate courses unless visa classification indicates otherwise.
International students who hold a F-1 visa are not eligible for non-degree student status or provisional status.
All international students are required to attend New Student Orientation conducted by the Office of International Programs. New international students must bring their immigration documents with them to orientation.
All F-1, J-1 international students, and J-2 dependents are automatically enrolled in the A&M System insurance plan every semester unless they meet one of the exemption requirements. Please contact the Office of International Programs at 903-886-5097 or email: Intl.Stu@tamuc.edu for more information, or the student may visit Academic Health Plans. Due to the mandatory coverage requirements, medical and repatriation/evacuation insurance is required the entire year (including summer).
Texas A&M University-Commerce Graduate School practices open application submission. Most programs do not require a submission deadline. For programs that do require a submission deadline, the dates are listed on the specific program area webpages. Below are the general application deadlines for international applicants:
Applications can be submitted online at ApplyTexas. All admission documents need to be mailed to:
Mailing Address
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Graduate School
P. O. Box 3011
Commerce, TX 75429-3011
Physical Address
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, TX 75428
Students who hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, but who are not seeking a graduate degree may apply for non-degree admission status and may enroll in graduate courses for educator certification, career enhancement, a graduate certificate, or personal development. International students are ineligible to enroll under non-degree student status. Financial Aid is not available for students in non-degree status.
Applicants for non-degree status must submit the following:
Non-degree students are not subject to the academic suspension policies applicable to degree-seeking students.
Students holding a bachelor’s and master's degree from a regionally accredited institution and who are not seeking a degree but are working toward a state or professionally mandated certification may enroll in graduate courses.
Applicants must submit the following:
Applicants should consult with a departmental advisor for any additional specific requirements.
Graduate Certificates are a planned course of study designed to meet the academic and career needs of graduate students and employed professionals in a wide variety of disciplines. Students holding a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution and who are not seeking a degree may enroll in graduate Certificate programs. Graduate Certificate programs must follow a planned course of study with a minimum of twelve graduate semester hours and no more than twenty-four graduate semester hours. Course substitutions are not allowed and all courses required in a certificate program must be earned from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Graduate School requires students to have a 3.0 GPA on all courses used for the certificate; however, departments may establish more rigorous GPA requirements. Credit earned over six years prior to earning a graduate certificate will require specific written departmental justification and approval of the Dean of Graduate School in order to be counted toward a graduate certificate. The discipline in which the course(s) was taken shall be involved in the validation of an out-of-date course. In no case may courses more than ten years old be accepted toward a graduate certificate. Additional information regarding Graduate Certificates can be found online.
Applicants must submit the following:
Applicants should consult with a departmental advisor for specific departmental requirements.
You may request to change your current graduate program by completing and submitting this form. You have the option to change your degree, your major, your degree and major, or to nondegree or teacher certification.
Please be aware of the following requirements before you request to change your major:
A student wishing to change status from non-degree student or certification status to a degree program must file a new application for admission to the Graduate School and satisfy all admission requirements for the specific degree program. A student must have at least an overall Texas A&M University-Commerce graduate GPA of 3.0 in order to change from non-degree or certification status to a degree program.
No more than 12 graduate semester credit hours taken in non-degree status may be applied toward a master’s or specialist or a doctoral degree. Individual departments will make the final determination on how many semester credit hours (up to 18) a student may transfer from certification status to a master’s or specialist degree program. All students should consult with the degree granting program concerning specific departmental transfer criteria.
DegreeWorks (digital degree plan) is a web-based planning tool to help students and advisors monitor student's progress toward degree completion. DegreeWorks is not a substitution for consultation with an academic advisor. DegreeWorks shows the student in an easy to read format, the courses and program requirements that must be completed to achieve their chosen degree. All currently enrolled graduate students who attend Texas A&M University-Commerce should use DegreeWorks.
Students desiring acceptance into a graduate master’s or specialist program first must meet the general requirements for admission to Graduate School. For master’s or specialist degree students, there are three types of admission status: full, conditional, and provisional. Financial aid is available for full and conditional admission status only.
The applicant must satisfy the following requirements for full admission status:
Applicants not qualifying for full admission may be granted conditional admission status.
A student with conditional admission will have his/her academic standing updated to full admission or good standing once the student has completed 12 graduate semester credit hours from Texas A&M University-Commerce with a graduate GPA of at least 3.0.
Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA after completing 12 graduate hours will result in suspension of the student from further graduate study in any degree program for one year.
Some programs will allow a student to enroll for one semester under provisional status (initial semester of enrollment in Graduate School) with an application for admission and an application fee. International students are not eligible for provisional status.
Students admitted provisionally must be sure all outstanding admission documents are received before the end of the first semester of enrollment. Students whose files are not complete during the semester of provisional enrollment will not be permitted to enroll in future semesters until the necessary documentation is received and an admission decision is determined. Provisional status does not guarantee admission to a degree program. Financial aid is not available for students in provisional status.
When the above requirements have been met, the student should petition the major and/or (minor, if applicable) department for admission to candidacy. The major and/or minor department may require a written and/or oral qualifying examination before granting approval. It is the student's responsibility to see that the candidacy forms are submitted to the Graduate School prior to the semester in which the student expects to graduate.
A candidate who fails the comprehensive examination may be required by the advisory committee or the major department to complete further courses or additional study to correct the weaknesses or deficiencies revealed by the examination. The candidate who fails the comprehensive examination on the first attempt may retake the comprehensive examination when the department head or equivalent deems it appropriate. Should the candidate fail the comprehensive examination upon the second attempt, a third and final attempt may be taken only with the recommendation of the major department head or equivalent and approval of the Dean of the Graduate School in accordance with University Procedure 11.99.99.R0.13 Examinations for Graduate Degrees. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam is required of all students to receive a master's or specialist degree. A student who attempts the comprehensive examinations for a third and final time and is unsuccessful is not eligible to receive his/her master's or specialist degree.
Students that have applied for graduation and are concurrently enrolled at another institution during the final semester in a program will be required to submit an official transcript before final clearance can be completed and degree can be awarded. In addition, all courses from A&M-Commerce with a grade of X or IP must be completed before a degree can be awarded, even if the courses are not used in the program.
The graduation application is available online through your myLeo account during the following time periods: Spring/fall first three weeks of the semester; summer, first two weeks of semester. Once the application period has ended, the Graduate School will begin reviewing your application.
A $40.00 application fee is required from the student upon submission of the graduation application each time an application is filed. Should a student have to reapply the next semester, a $40 reapplication fee will be required.
The Graduate School will notify the student of their official graduation status. If the student does not fulfill the degree requirements, he or she will be removed from the graduation list and will need to reapply for another term.
Graduate courses that are applied toward a masters or specialist degree are numbered 500, 600, 700, 5000, and 6000. Course requirements for specific degree programs can be found in the academic department section of this catalog.
Under some circumstances a student may take a 300 or 400 level course for graduate credit. In such cases a student will be expected to complete additional work beyond the normal course requirements at a level commensurate with graduate instruction. In order to obtain graduate credit for a 300 or 400 level course, the student must, prior to enrollment, submit a Graduate Credit for a 300 or 400 Level Course form with a copy of the course syllabus detailing the additional requirements for graduate credit to the Graduate School for final approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. In addition, the syllabus must include enhanced learning outcomes for the graduate student. Up to two such courses may be applied toward a master’s or specialist degree, and courses are not applicable to a doctoral degree. The course must be taught by a Graduate Faculty member.
Graduate Credit for a 300 or 400 Level Course form: http://www.tamuc.edu/academics/graduateSchool/graduateForms.aspx
Up to one-third of the credit required for a master’s or specialist degree program (excluding leveling courses) may be accepted as transfer credit from another regionally accredited institution in the United States. For example, a maximum of 12 graduate semester hours can be transferred for a 36-hour program; for a 30-hour program, a maximum of 9 graduate hours can be transferred. Transfer courses applied toward a master’s or specialist degree must be in a graduate academic area taught at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Students desiring to use transfer courses toward their degree requirements must have full or conditional admission to a degree program. A transfer request must be submitted and approved by the student's Academic Advisor via the Transfer Course Request form. An official transcript must be sent directly from the institution to the Graduate School. These courses will be evaluated and, if approved, posted to the Texas A&M University-Commerce transcript. Approval from both the major department and the Dean of the Graduate School is required before these courses can be applied toward a master’s or specialist degree.
Students that have applied for graduation and are concurrently enrolled at another institution during the final semester in a program will be required to submit an official transcript before final clearance can be completed and degree can be awarded.
Experiential credit is limited to one-third of the hours required for an A&M-Commerce master's or specialist program. The remainder of the graduate program must consist of coursework completed at A&M-Commerce. Awarding of this credit will be based solely on experiential learning that is part of an official agreement between the University and another national, state, or regionally accredited institution or certifying agency.
The combination of experiential credit, transfer credit, or credit from a previous A&M-Commerce graduate degree is limited to one-third of the hours required for an A&M-Commerce master's or specialist program.
Credit earned by correspondence will not apply toward a master’s or specialist or doctoral degree.
Texas A&M University-Commerce seniors in their last semester of coursework, who lack no more than 12 hours to graduate and have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or higher, may enroll for 3 to 6 hours of graduate credit. Prior written recommendation of the major department involved and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School is required.
The maximum number of individually arranged (589 and 689) hours permissible toward a master's or specialist degree program is 25% of the required coursework. Doctoral degree programs (excluding master's credit) - twelve. Exceptions must be initiated in writing by the department head and approved by the appropriate academic dean and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Enrollment in any graduate course is subject to approval by the academic dean, the department offering the course, the instructor teaching the course, and the Dean of the Graduate School, whether or not such is specifically stated in the course description. A student may be prevented from enrolling in the course or dropped from the course if the student is not academically qualified, becomes a threat to the health and/or safety of anyone in the class (including the student), interferes with the educational process, and/or is disruptive in any way. In such cases, the Dean of the Graduate School will confer with the faculty member, Department Head, and academic dean involved and then take appropriate action. Any tuition refund to which the student is entitled will be determined according to the University schedule for refunds and will be based on the date in which the student was dropped from the course.
Subject to the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School and the Department Head, students holding master’s degrees from a regionally accredited graduate institution in the United States may apply certain courses that were a part of a previously earned graduate degree toward a second master’s degree, provided such courses are not more than 6 years old at the time the second master’s degree is conferred.
The number of courses permitted will be as follows:
The second master’s degree will be subject to the general regulations governing master’s degrees except as stated above.
After a degree is awarded, courses taken before the degree was awarded (regardless of whether the course is applied to the degree) cannot be repeated and the grade point average cannot be recalculated.
If a course is repeated after a master’s/specialist degree is conferred, both courses are included in the graduate GPA calculation.
If a course is repeated after a master’s/specialist degree is conferred and the repeated course is included in the second degree, the repeated course is considered a shared course and is included in the one-third of credit hours used from a previous degree.
Students that have applied for graduation and are concurrently enrolled at another institution during the final semester in a program will be required to submit an official transcript before final clearance can be completed and a degree can be awarded.
The thesis proposal process is a major step in the academic advancement of a master's or specialist student’s completion of a thesis at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of research conduct and strictly adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations involving research. Below are guidelines to help students navigate through this important process.
DegreeWorks (digital degree plan) is a web-based planning tool to help students and advisors monitor student's progress toward degree completion. DegreeWorks is not a substitution for consultation with an academic advisor. DegreeWorks shows the student in an easy-to-read format the courses and program requirements that must be completed to achieve their chosen degree. All currently enrolled students who attend Texas A&M University-Commerce should use DegreeWorks.
The Graduate School is responsible for reviewing the formatting of all theses and dissertations and for the development of supportive services for graduate students as they move through the thesis or dissertation process. Services provided by the Graduate School include training and support to faculty, students, and staff, including materials and approaches to fit each unique discipline. The Graduate School is located on the first floor of the McDowell Business Administration Building in room 140A.
Before work on the thesis can begin, students must work with their department to select a thesis advisory committee, then complete and submit the digital form, Thesis Committee Selection Form, which is then approved by all committee members, the department head, and the Graduate School.
To ensure integrity and compliance in research, before collecting any data, all students involved in research activities must successfully complete training in Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (https://inside.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/ResponsibleConductInstructions.aspx/). This training is required of all students and is good for three (3) years. Students conducting studies that do not require IRB, IACUC, or IBC committee approval may begin data collection after receiving approval from their advisor to do so and after completing the Responsible Conduct in Research training. Data collection prior to completion of the required training is an ethical violation and the use of those data will be disallowed. Proof of completion of training is required when submitting the thesis proposal for Graduate School/TDS review and approval.
Research Compliance Committee Approval.
Graduate students whose research involves human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards, and recombinant DNA must adhere to the University research compliance procedures and complete additional training. Students conducting studies using human participants, animal subjects, or biological agents must work with his or her advisor to seek approval from the IRB, IACUC, or IBC research committee, as applicable. Data collection may begin only after the student's advisor receives approval from the appropriate reviewing body. The letter of approval is required when submitting the thesis proposal for Graduate School/TDS review and approval. Data collection prior to completion of the required trainings and receipt of the required approvals is an ethical violation and the use of those data will be disallowed. For questions or clarification about the student's responsibilities regarding research compliance, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu. Additional information is located online at Office of Sponsored Programs.
A student must work with his or her advisor to complete the appropriate application providing the following information as the proposed research/study requires:
Submission of Thesis Proposal
Students must gain proposal approval from the Graduate School/TDS at least one semester prior to the semester they submit their final thesis for approval. To gain proposal approval for a semester, submission of the thesis proposal and related documents must be received by the Graduate School/TDS by the deadline for that semester. The Graduate School recommends beginning the submission process no less than 3-5 business days prior to the applicable deadline.
Deadlines can be found on the Deadlines for Thesis and Dissertation Submissions webpage. If students or faculty have questions regarding the submission process, they should review the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide, found under the TDS/Resources for Writing webpage, under Graduate School’s Templates and Guides, or contact TDS at TDS@tamuc.edu.
Proposal Submission.
To submit a thesis proposal packet, a student must complete the digital form, Thesis Proposal Submission Form, and upload all required documents. The proposal submission form can be found on the TDS/Thesis webpage (www.tamuc.edu/Thesis). Select item 3 and read through the text. The link for the form can be found below this informational text. Click on hyperlinked form, Thesis Proposal Submission Form, complete the form, and upload to the form the required documents listed below. For more information about the submission process, see the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide, found under the TDS/Resources for Writing webpage, under Graduate School’s Templates and Guides, or you may contact TDS@tamuc.edu.
Access to iThenticate requires a license, so students are not permitted to run an iThenticate report for themselves. The thesis advisor or another member of the student's advisory committee must run and interpret the report for the student. Faculty who need to obtain a license to access the site or who are experiencing difficulty accessing their iThenticate account should contact Tina Freeman (Tina.Freeman@tamuc.edu) in the Office of Academic Technology. Contact the Graduate School at TDS@tamuc.edu with questions regarding how to print, interpret, or share the report with the Graduate School/TDS.
Proposal Approval.
TDS will conduct a format-only review based on the Graduate School/TDS thesis/dissertation template, or other applicable Graduate School approved template, and the Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. When the review is completed, the student will receive an email from TDS to the student's LeoMail email with a Reviewer's Checklist and a copy of the Thesis Proposal Approval Form. Revisions noted in the Reviewer's Checklist should be incorporated into the final document. Students can contact TDS at TDS@tamuc.edu for questions regarding the Reviewer's Checklist.
It is the student's responsibility to submit the thesis proposal and all required documents to the Graduate School/TDS by the deadline.
Submission of Final Thesis
Students must have proposal approval from the Graduate School/TDS at least one semester prior to the semester they submit their final thesis for approval. To gain final thesis approval, submission of the final thesis must be received by the Graduate School/TDS by the deadline for that semester. The Graduate School recommends beginning the submission process no less than 3-5 business days prior to the applicable deadline.
The following are the required steps to follow in order to receive final thesis approval from the Graduate School. If students or faculty have questions regarding the submission process, more information about the submission process can be found in the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide, found under the TDS/Resources for Writing webpage, under Graduate School’s Templates and Guides, or contact TDS@tamuc.edu.
Final Thesis Defense. When a student and their committee have set a date for the final thesis defense, the student must complete and submit the digital form, Notification of the Final Thesis Defense. This form must be received by TDS no less than 7 days prior to the date the defense. Students must be in good academic standing with the Graduate School and have a proposal approved by the Graduate School to be eligible to defend. Failure to complete this step may result in the final thesis submission form not working properly.
Submission of Final Thesis:
Following a successful defense and acceptance by the advisory committee, the student will complete all requested revisions. Initial submission of a final thesis packet must be made by the deadline for the semester the student wishes to graduate. The Graduate School recommends beginning the submission process no less than 3-5 business days prior to the applicable deadline. Deadlines can be found on the Deadlines for Thesis and Dissertation Submissions webpage.
To submit the final documents, go to the TDS/Thesis webpage (www.tamuc.edu/Thesis), select item 5, and read through the text; the link can be found below this informational text. Click on the hyperlinked form, Final Thesis Submission Form, complete the digital form, and upload the required documents listed below.
Access to iThenticate requires a license, so students are not permitted to run an iThenticate report for themselves. The thesis advisor or another member of the student's advisory committee must run and interpret the report for the student. Faculty who need to obtain a license to access the site or who are experiencing difficulty accessing their iThenticate account should contact Tina Freeman (Tina.Freeman@tamuc.edu) in the Office of Academic Technology. Contact the Graduate School at TDS@tamuc.edu with questions regarding how to print, interpret, or share the report or how to share the report with the Graduate School/TDS.
It is the student's responsibility to submit the final thesis and all required documents to the Graduate School/TDS by the deadline.
Final Approval. TDS will conduct a format-only review based on the Graduate School's thesis/dissertation template, or other applicable Graduate School approved template, and the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. The final thesis will be reviewed as many times as necessary until the document conforms to the Graduate School's formatting requirements and is approved by the Graduate School. After each review, TDS will communicate with students via their LeoMail email to provide them with a Reviewer's Checklist with revisions to make to their document. After each round of revisions, the student will resubmit via email to TDS (TDS@tamuc.edu), with their advisor approval, their corrected thesis for review and eventual approval. Once the Graduate School has given final approval of the thesis, the student will upload an approved PDF of the final thesis to ProQuest, pay for copyrighting (if applicable), and pay for the university copy of the bound thesis (for the advisor). Students are responsible for payment of any personal copies ordered.
Filing for Graduation. Commencement exercises are held three times each academic year, in May, August, and December. Students must file for graduation online through MyLeo during the semester they plan to graduate. Students will be approved for graduation and their degree conferred after they have satisfactorily completed all degree requirements, paid all Graduate School fees, and been approved by the Graduate Committee of the department and the Graduate School. Please check the University Academic Calendar for deadline dates for filing for graduation. Graduation information and a graduation application are available online at the Registrar's website. A student must be in good academic standing in order to complete graduation requirements. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not guarantee conferring of any degree. Texas A&M University-Commerce has the right to rescind any conferred degree if the University becomes aware that the student did not meet degree requirements.
Texas A&M University-Commerce offers the following Doctor of Education (EdD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programs:
Students desiring acceptance into a doctoral program must meet the general requirements for admission; have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, or a 3.00 on the last 60 undergraduate semester credit hours, or a 3.40 for a master’s degree and work beyond the master’s level.
Students must also meet all departmental requirements, such as GRE, letter of recommendation, interviews, etc. Individual departments may establish additional requirements for admission to a specific degree program. Applicants will be required to fulfill any additional requirements established by the major department.
Applications of students who have met the requirements listed above will be forwarded to the major department. The department will review each application and make a recommendation regarding admission status to the Dean of the Graduate School who will send written notice of the admission decision to the applicant.
A student is either granted full admission or denied admission. There is no provisional or conditional admission status.
A doctoral student who has not enrolled for one calendar year must gain readmission before further registration. After more than 1 year, a student must apply for readmission under the current admission and program standards for doctoral programs.
Some departments have specific dates for the departmental review of applications. Application submission deadlines are available online at https://www.tamuc.edu/admissions/.
Each year, doctoral departments hold a review of all their active doctoral students’ academic program progress. Notification is sent to each student concerning their progress in the program, addressing any issues or concerns. Students should contact their advisor if they have questions.
Once a doctoral student reaches 7 years in their program, they will be required to complete a Doctoral Completion Plan. The student works with his/her advisor to create the plan and the plan is submitted to the Graduate School for final approval. The Doctoral Completion Plan details the specific steps, actions, and deadlines the student must complete to graduate by the 10-year deadline. Failure by the student to follow the Completion Plan and meet all the deadlines may result in the student’s dismissal from the doctoral program.
Regardless of the option chosen, the following conditions will apply: assignment of minor advisors rests with the head of the minor department or departments; all courses applied to the minor areas must be approved by the head of the appropriate minor department; at least one dissertation committee member must be from outside the student’s major department; transfer courses applied toward a minor must be in academic areas taught at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Other Requirements:
Credit for no fewer than 9 semester hours and not more than 12 semester hours of dissertation (718) will be given.
Completion of electives and other course requirements as indicated under each departmental section of this catalog.
Specific program requirements are listed under each departmental section of this catalog.
Grade Point Average.
Academic Probation and Suspension from Doctoral Degree Programs.
Doctoral Degree Residency. After admission to a doctoral degree program, each student is required to engage in activities that fulfill departmental residency requirements. The departmental residency plan specifies requirements in the following areas:
Please check with the major department for specific requirements. Successful completion of residency is conferred by approval of the department.
Time Limitation. Course work taken beyond the master’s degree that is over 10 years old at the time the doctoral degree is to be conferred cannot be used toward the doctoral degree. A doctoral student who has not enrolled for more than 1 calendar year must apply for readmission under current admission and program standards for doctoral programs.
Catalog Privileges. A student is entitled to use the degree provisions of any catalog in effect between the semester the student is admitted to the doctoral degree program and the semester the student’s degree is conferred, provided the catalog used is not more than 10 years old at the time the degree is conferred.
Research Tools. All research tools courses must be taken at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Candidates for the doctoral degree must possess proficiency in the use of the research skills necessary to successfully complete the doctoral dissertation. Research tools courses must include bibliographic research skills, so that the candidates are able to find, evaluate, use, and communicate information in all its various formats. It is desirable for students to demonstrate these proficiencies early in their program; however, if that is not possible, students should demonstrate such proficiency prior to taking the qualifying comprehensive examinations.
Research tools requirements for doctoral degrees in the College of Education and Human Services can be met by successfully completing required coursework.
The research tools requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in English can be met with any of the following options:
Option 1 - 12 semester hours of undergraduate-level courses in one foreign language
Option 2 - 6 semester hours of graduate-level courses in one foreign language
Option 3 - Successful completion of a foreign language proficiency exam
Option 4 - Verified native or near-native competence in a second language (existing fluency in a second language
Option 5 - Completion of any four of the following courses: ENG 501, ENG 520, ENG 599, ENG 615, ENG 675, ENG 680, ENG 681, ENG 686, ENG 775, ENG 776
These courses will count toward the total required hours for the degree.
Research tools courses must include bibliographic research skills, so that candidates are able to find, evaluate, use, and communicate information in all its various formats.
These requirements are to be viewed as minimal requirements. Consequently, a department may either require additional research tools courses either for all of their students or as a requirement for an individual student based upon that student's need.
Students cannot be admitted to doctoral candidacy until the research tools requirement has been met.
Comprehensive Examinations. Upon the completion of approximately two (2) full years of study, doctoral students take written and oral comprehensive examinations. The comprehensive examinations are designed to test the student’s knowledge in the major and minor fields and are administered under the direction of an advisory committee consisting of representatives from the major and minor departments. Students must contact their major department for information regarding the comprehensive examinations. A doctoral student who does not pass the comprehensive examinations may be suspended from the doctoral program; however, upon the recommendation of the advisory committee and with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, the student may be permitted to repeat the examinations. A doctoral student who does not pass the comprehensive examinations on the second and final attempt will not be allowed to pursue further study at the doctoral level. This procedure also applies to the final oral examination and dissertation defense. It is the student's responsibility to submit all documents to the Graduate School.
Admission to Candidacy for Doctoral Degree. After the qualifying comprehensive examinations and all research tools have been satisfactorily completed and all requirements have been verified by the Graduate School, the student will be admitted to candidacy. Notification of admission to candidacy will be made by the Dean of the Graduate School. After a student has been admitted to candidacy and all course work (except 718 Dissertation) has been completed, the student may qualify for reduced tuition for a 718. The degree can be conferred no sooner than 8 months after admission to candidacy. Students must have successfully passed all qualifying comprehensive exams and been granted doctoral candidacy by the Graduate School before they can schedule their proposal defense.
Dissertation Credit. A dissertation course (718) is required for all doctoral programs, and credit will be given for no less than nine (9) semester hours and no more than twelve (12) semester hours of dissertation. After doctoral candidates are admitted to candidacy, they will be required to enroll in at least three hours of Dissertation 718 each fall and spring semester until the dissertation is completed and approved by the advisory committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. Doctoral candidates will not be required to enroll during the summer term, unless the student is using the counsel and advice of the major advisor and/or university facilities, such as the library. Students who fail to enroll for dissertation during a fall or spring semester after admission to candidacy will be prohibited from enrolling until the tuition has been collected for those semesters. Individual departments may impose additional course requirements beyond those required by the Graduate School. If a student does not show to their advisor successful proposal/dissertation progress in a semester of 718 or if a student does not show to complete more than 60% of the term/semester, they will be assigned a grade of U. A grade of U is equal to a grade below a B and will count towards academic action.
Dissertation Committee. A doctoral advisory committee will be appointed for each doctoral student to oversee the dissertation process from initial proposal to completion of the final dissertation. After consulting with the student and the faculty member in question, the head of the major department will appoint one faculty member from the major field as the dissertation advisor. After consultation with the advisor and the student, the department head will approve at least one other department member to serve on the committee, and an out of department member. The committee will consist of a minimum of three faculty members with at least two members from the student’s major and minor areas of study and with one committee member from outside the student’s major department (see University Procedure 11.99.99.R0.19 Doctoral Advisory Committees and Dissertations).).
Dissertation committees must be approved by the Graduate School. Once the committee has been determined, students will complete the digital form, Dissertation Committee Selection Form, and submit it for approval by the committee members, the department head, and the Graduate School. Once approved, the student will receive an email with a copy of the approved committee form.
Dissertation Proposal Defense
Process to Schedule Dissertation Proposal Defense. Scheduling of the dissertation proposal defense is a major step in the academic advancement of a doctoral student at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The student will work with the members of the advisory committee in developing the dissertation proposal. The proposal will be presented to the advisory committee in a session that will be open to all Graduate Faculty Members. Students must complete and submit the digital form, Schedule Form for the Proposal Defense, with a copy of the proposal document uploaded to the form. The schedule form must be received by the Graduate School by the 20th of the month preceding the month in which the presentation of the proposal defense is to be held. Should the 20th fall on Saturday or Sunday, the form must be received on the Friday prior to the 20th. It is the responsibility of the student to submit the schedule form with enough time to allow for the digital form move through the approval process (3-5 business days).
Research Compliance
To ensure integrity and compliance in research, all doctoral students must successfully complete training in Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship, which is good for three (3) years (http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/Responsible-Conduct-in-Research.aspx). Students conducting studies that do not require research committee (i.e., IRB) approval may begin data collection after receiving approval from their advisor and completing the online training for Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship. Proof of completion of training must be included with the proposal submission. Data collection prior to completion of the required training is an ethical violation and the use of those data will be disallowed. Proof of completion of training is required when submitting the dissertation proposal for Graduate School/TDS review and approval.
Research Compliance Committee Approval. Graduate students whose research involves human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards, and recombinant DNA must adhere to the University research compliance procedures and complete additional training. Students conducting studies using human participants, animal subjects, or biological agents must work with his or her advisor to seek approval from the IRB, IACUC, or IBC research committee, as applicable. Data collection may begin only after the student's advisor receives approval from the appropriate reviewing body. The letter of approval is required when submitting the dissertation proposal for Graduate School/TDS review and approval. Data collection prior to completion of the required trainings and receipt of the required approvals is an ethical violation and the use of those data will be disallowed. For questions or clarification about the student's responsibilities regarding research compliance, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs at ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu. Additional information is located online at Office of Sponsored Programs.
A student and his or her advisor must complete the following if their proposed research/study involves human subjects.
Human Subjects: research is defined as a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalize knowledge, which involves the collection of data from or about living human beings. In addition, all student research involving human subjects outside the classroom is considered to be in this category (see http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/humanSubjectsIRB.aspx)
Submission of Dissertation Proposal
Students must gain proposal approval at least one semester prior to the semester they submit their final dissertation for approval and subsequent graduation. To gain approval for a semester, submission of the dissertation proposal and related documents must be received by the deadline for that semester. It is the responsibility of the student to submit his or her proposal packet by the applicable deadline. The Graduate School recommends beginning the submission process no less than 3-5 business days before the applicable deadline.
Submission deadlines can be found on the Deadlines for Thesis and Dissertation Submissions webpage. If students or faculty have questions regarding the submission process, they should review the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide, found under the TDS/Resources for Writing webpage, under Graduate School’s Templates and Guides, or contact TDS at TDS@tamuc.edu.
Proof of research compliance must be included with the proposal submission to the Graduate School/TDS. Students may not begin collecting data for their study until they have received advisory committee approval, completed all required ethics training, and gained University IRB approval, if applicable. Please note, IRB approval is not the sames as Graduate School Approval.
Proposal Submission. Students must gain proposal approval at least one semester prior to graduation. To gain approval for a semester, submission of the dissertation proposal and related documents must be received by the deadline for that semester. It is the responsibility of the student to submit his or her proposal packet by the applicable deadline. The Graduate School recommends beginning the submission process no less than 3-5 business days before the applicable deadline. Submission deadlines can be found on the Deadlines for Thesis and Dissertation Submissions webpage. If students or faculty have questions regarding the submission process, they should review the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide or contact TDS at TDS@tamuc.edu.
To submit proposal documents, go to the TDS/Dissertation webpage (www.tamuc.edu/Dissertation), select item 3, and scroll to the links below the text. Select the hyperlinked form, Dissertation Proposal Submission Form, complete the form, and upload the required documents. For more information about the submission process, see the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide. The following is a list of documents to be uploaded with the digital form:
Access to iThenticate requires a license, so students are not permitted to run an iThenticate report for themselves. The doctoral advisor or another member of the student's advisory committee must run and interpret the report for the student. Faculty who need to obtain a license to access the site or who are experiencing difficulty accessing their iThenticate account should contact Tina Freeman (Tina.Freeman@tamuc.edu) in the Office of Academic Technology. Contact the Graduate School at TDS@tamuc.edu with questions regarding how to print, interpret, or share the report with the Graduate School/TDS.
Proposal Approval. TDS will conduct a format-only review based on the Graduate School's thesis/dissertation template and the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. When the review is completed, the student will receive an email from TDS to the student's LeoMail email with a Reviewer's Checklist and a copy of the Proposal Approval Form. Revisions noted in the Reviewer's Checklist should be incorporated in to the final document. Students can contact TDS at TDS@tamuc.edu for questions regarding the Reviewer's Checklist.
Final Dissertation Defense
A student should review his or her DegreeWorks degree plan (or contact the Graduate School) prior to filling out and submitting the final defense schedule form to ensure they have Graduate School proposal approval. Students must have Graduate School proposal approval a minimum of one semester prior to defending their final dissertation. A completed Schedule Form for Final Dissertation must be received by in the Graduate School on or before the 20th day of the month prior to the month the defense is to be held. Refer to the University Academic Calendar for the dissertation defense deadline for the semester you intend to graduate. It is the responsibility of the student to submit the schedule form with enough time for the form to move through the approval process (at least 3-5 business days) and received by the Graduate School. The student will defend the completed dissertation and respond to any questions related to his/her program of study before the advisory committee in a session open to all Graduate Faculty Members.
Submission of Final Dissertation
Following a successful defense and acceptance by the advisory committee, the student will complete all requested revisions. Note that students must be registered in a dissertation course (718) the final dissertation is submitted. The Graduate School recommends beginning the submission process no less than 3-5 business days before the applicable deadline. Deadlines can be found on the Deadlines for Thesis and Dissertation Submissions webpage. It is the responsibility of the student to submit his or her final dissertation documents early enough to be received by TDS by the applicable deadline.
To submit the final dissertation documents, go to the TDS/Dissertation webpage (www.tamuc@edu/Dissertation), select item 5, and read through the text; the link to the form can be found below this informational text. Click on the hyperlinked form, Final Dissertation Submission Form, complete the digital form, and upload the required documents listed below.
If students or faculty have questions regarding the submission process, they should review the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide, found under the TDS/Resources for Writing webpage, under Graduate School’s Templates and Guides, or contact TDS@tamuc.edu.
Access to iThenticate requires a license, so students are not permitted to run iThenticate report for themselves. The doctoral advisor or another member of the student's advisory committee must run and interpret the report for the student. Faculty who need to obtain a license to access the site or who are experiencing difficulty accessing their iThenticate account should contact Tina Freeman (Tina.Freeman@tamuc.edu) in the Office of Academic Technology. Contact the Graduate School at TDS@tamuc.edu with questions regarding how to print, interpret, or share the report with the Graduate School/TDS.
It is the student's responsibility to submit the final dissertation and all required documents to the Graduate School/TDS by the deadline.
Final Approval
TDS will conduct a format-only review based on the Graduate School's thesis/dissertation template and the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. The final dissertation will be reviewed as many times as necessary until the document forms to the Graduate School's formatting requirements. TDS will communicate with students via their LeoMail email to provide them with a Reviewer's Checklist with revisions to make to their document. After each round of revisions, the student will resubmit via email to TDS (TDS@tamuc.edu), with their advisor’s approval, their corrected dissertation for review and eventual approval. Once the Graduate School/TDS has given final approval of the dissertation the student will upload an approved PDF of the final dissertation to ProQuest, pay for copyrighting (if applicable), and pay for one university copy of the bound thesis (for the advisor). Students re responsible for payment of any personal copies ordered.
Filing for Graduation. Commencement exercises are held three times each academic year in May, August, and December. Students must file for graduation online through MyLeo during the semester they plan to graduate. Students will be approved for graduation and the degree conferred after they have satisfactorily completed all degree requirements, paid all Graduate School fees, and been approved by the Graduate Committee of the department, and the Graduate School. Please check the University Academic Calendar for deadline dates for filing for graduation. Graduation information and a graduation application are available online at https://www.tamuc.edu/registrar/?source=universalmenu. Students may apply for graduation through MyLeo. A student must be in good academic standing in order to complete graduation requirements. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not guarantee conferring of any degree. Texas A&M University-Commerce has the right to rescind any conferred degree if the University becomes aware that the student did not meet degree requirements.
Transfer of Credit and Experiential Credit
Credit for work taken in other graduate schools is granted in accordance with an evaluation by the Graduate School and upon approval by the student's advisory committee and the Dean of Graduate School; however, under no circumstances will a course with a grade lower than "B" be transferred. Transfer course content must be in academic areas taught by A&M-Commerce. While there are no limitations on the number of hours that can be transferred, a minimum of forty-five hours of graduate credit must be earned from A&M-Commerce.
Awarding of experiential credit will be based solely on experiential learning that is part of an official agreement between the University and another national, state, or regionally accredited institution or certifying agency.
Correspondence Courses
Credit earned by correspondence will not apply toward a doctoral degree.
Independent Studies
Registration in an individual studies (689), research, or similar course shall imply an expected level of effort on the part of the student comparable to that associated with an organized class with the same credit value. The maximum number of individually arranged (689), hours permissible toward a doctoral degree program will be as follows: Doctoral degree programs (excluding master's credit) - twelve. Exceptions must be initiated in writing by the department head and approved by the appropriate academic dean and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Enrollment Limitation or Administrative Withdrawal
Enrollment in any graduate course is subject to approval by the department offering the course, the instructor teaching the course, and the Dean of the Graduate School, whether or not such is specifically stated in the course description. A student may be prevented from enrolling in the course or dropped from the course if it is already in progress if the Dean of the Graduate School, Department Head, or a faculty member considers the student physically or mentally incapable of performing satisfactorily or safely in a course, or if the student becomes a threat to the instructor or others in the course or is disruptive in any way. In such cases, the Dean of the Graduate School will confer with the faculty member and Department Head involved and then take appropriate action. Any tuition refund to which the student is entitled will be determined according to the University schedule for refunds and will be based on the date on which the student was dropped from the course.
