Graduate School

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
Fax: 903-886-5165

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

Mission

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.

Purpose and Nature of Graduate School

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.

Major Areas of Study

We offer a master’s degree with the following majors:

  • Accounting
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Applied Criminology
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Business Administration
  • Business Analytics
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Counseling
  • Curriculum & Instruction
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational Technology
  • Educational Technology Library Science
  • English
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Finance
  • Forensic Auditing Analytics
  • Health, Kinesiology, and Sports Studies
  • Healthcare Leadership
  • Higher Education
  • History
  • Management
  • Marketing and Marketing Analytics
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Organization, Learning & Technologies
  • Political Science
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Reading
  • Secondary Education
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Spanish Language Teaching
  • Special Education
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Technology Management
  • The Art of Teaching
  • Theatre

We offer a specialist degree with the following major:

  • School Psychology

We offer doctoral degrees with the following majors:

  • Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)
  • Educational Administration (EdD)
  • Educational Psychology (PhD)
  • English (PhD)
  • Higher Education (EdD)
  • Supervision, Curriculum and Instruction (EdD)

We offer Educator Teacher Certification

We offer graduate certificates in the following areas:

  • Agribusiness
  • Applied Behavior Analysis
  • Athletic Administration
  • Auditing & Forensic Accounting
  • Business Analytics
  • Chemical Dependency Counseling
  • Criminal Justice Management
  • Criminal Justice Studies
  • Economics of U.S. Healthcare
  • Exercise Science
  • Higher Education Student Affairs
  • Higher Education Teaching
  • Holocaust Studies
  • Homeland Security
  • Instructional Coach
  • Instructional Design
  • Intercollegiate Sport Administration
  • Operational Excellence
  • Organization Development
  • Organizational Planning
  • Plant & Soil Science
  • Professional Advancement in English Studies
  • Psychology of Gerontology and Positive Aging
  • Public History
  • Sports Coaching
  • STEM Education
  • Studies in Children's and Adolescent Literature and Culture
  • Sustainable Food Systems
  • Talent Development
  • Tax Accounting
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
  • Teaching History
  • Teaching of Psychology
  • Technology Leadership
  • The Business of Social Work
  • Urban School Leadership
  • UX Design
  • Women's & Gender Studies

Graduate Faculty

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:

  1. Approve continued membership in the current status for six years.
  2. Refuse to approve Graduate Faculty Membership.
  3. Provide a three-year provisional term as Graduate Faculty. If this option is chosen, the faculty member must be reviewed again after three years and either approved for a regular six-year membership or dropped from Graduate Faculty Membership. Graduate Faculty whose status is terminated may, after one calendar year, reapply for graduate faculty status.

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.

Academic Honesty of Faculty and Professional Staff

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.

Administrative Procedures

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.

Class Attendance Rule

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:

  1. Participation in a required/authorized university activity.
  2. Verified illness.
  3. Death in a student’s immediate family.
  4. Obligation of a student at legal proceedings in fulfilling responsibility as a citizen.
  5. Others determined by individual faculty to be excusable (e.g., elective University activities, etc.).

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 Academic Standing

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.

Academic Honesty of Students

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.

Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship Training

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. 

Student Conduct (Hazing)

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.

Email for University Communication

  1. Electronic mail or email is considered an official means of communication at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
  2. Each student will be assigned a university email address when his or her application for admission to the university is processed. This email address will remain active throughout the student’s academic career. Email accounts will expire after one long semester in which the student is no longer enrolled at Texas A&M University- Commerce.
  3. Students are expected to monitor their official Texas A&M-Commerce email accounts regularly. The university recommends checking emails at least once per day. Student should report any problems with e-mail accounts or access to email to the Texas A&M-Commerce Technology Services Help Desk at 903-468-6000.
  4. Requests to substitute non-university email addresses for purposes of official communication will not be honored.
  5. Electronic mail is subject to the same policies regarding information disclosure as other methods of communication. The privacy of personally identifiable information must be protected under the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The confidentiality of email cannot be assured and any confidentiality may be compromised by access consistent with applicable law or policy, including this Policy, by unintended redistribution or due to current technologies inadequate to protect against unauthorized access. Students, therefore, should exercise extreme caution in using email to communicate confidential or sensitive matters and should not assume that their email is private or confidential. Examples of confidential or sensitive information include, but are not limited to: drivers' license numbers, credit card numbers, social security number, grades, current or past academic history, medical information and medical history, criminal history, personal bank account numbers and payroll information other than gross pay.

Registration

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.

Courses: Definition, Value and Number

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.

Graduate Student Course Load

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.

Student Class Schedule Adjustments

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.

Auditing Courses

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.

Withdrawal from the University

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.

Refund of Fees

 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:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the semester
  • 80 percent during the first five class days of the semester
  • 70 percent during the second five class days of the semester
  • 50 percent during the third five class days of the semester
  • 25 percent during the fourth five class days of the semester
  • No refund after the fourth five class days of the semester

Thirteen-Week Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the session
  • 80 percent during the first, second, third and fourth class days of the session
  • 50 percent during the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class days of the session
  • 25 percent during ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth class days of the session
  • No refund after the twelfth class day of the semester

Twelve-Week Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the session
  • 80 percent during the first, second, third and fourth class days of the session
  • 50 percent during the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class days of the session
  • No refund after the eighth class day of the semester

Ten-Week Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the session
  • 80 percent during the first, second, third and fourth class days of the session
  • 50 percent during the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class days of the session
  • No refund after the eighth class day of the semester

Five, Six, Seven & Eight-Week Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the session
  • 80 percent during the first, second or third class day of the session
  • 50 percent during the fourth, fifth, or sixth class day of the session
  • No refund on the seventh day of class of the session and thereafter

Four-Week Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the summer session
  • 80 percent during the first, second or third class day of the summer session
  • 50 percent during the fourth, fifth, or sixth class day of the summer session
  • No refund on the seventh day of class of the summer session and thereafter

Three-Week Mini Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the session
  • 80 percent during the first and second class says of the session
  • 50 percent during the third and fourth class days of the session
  • No refund after the fourth day of class and the session thereafter

Thirty Two-Week Semester:

  • 100 percent prior to the first class day of the semester
  • 80 percent during the first five class days of the semester
  • 70 percent during the second five class days of the semester
  • 50 percent during the third five class days of the semester
  • 25 percent during the fourth five class days of the semester
  • No refund after the fourth five class days of the semester

Refund Information:

  • Refunds will be the applicable percentage of the total fees due for the semester, less any amount not paid.
  • If a scheduled course of instruction fails to materialize, by reason of lack of required students, all tuition for same will be refunded. Late fees and installment fees are not refunded.
  • No refunds will be made unless application is made within the same school year as withdrawal.
  • No refunds will be made on auditor’s fees.

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.

Grading System

Grades—Their Meaning and Value

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.

Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory (S-U) Grading

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.

Dropped Courses

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.

Incomplete Courses

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.

Computation of Grade Point Averages

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.

Repeating a Course

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.

Semester Grade Reports

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.

Student Appeal of Instructor Evaluation

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:

  • some basis other than performance; or
  • standards different from those applied to other students in the same course section; or
  • substantial, unreasonable, and/or unannounced departure from previously articulated standards or the syllabus.  Students may not use this process to appeal grades for individual assignments. 

See University Procedure 13.99.99.R0.05 Student Appeal of Instructor Evaluation:

  • Students who believe their grade to be unfair must first discuss the matter with the instructor.  The student must contact the instructor within 10 business days following the beginning of the next regular semester, following the semester in which the disputed grade was earned.  If the next semester is a summer term and the instructor is not available, the student may wait and contact the instructor within 10 business days following the beginning of the Fall semester.
  • If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of this meeting, the student shall file a written appeal to the Department Head/Associate Director within 10 business days following the meeting with the instructor.  The appeal must state the basis for the appeal based on the definition of unfair academic evaluation.  The student must demonstrate through documentation (e.g. course syllabus, graded homework) that the instructor:
  1. Assessed on basis other than performance; or
  2. Used standards different from those applied to other students in the same course section; or
  3. Made a substantial, unreasonable, and/or unannounced departure from previously articulated standards or the syllabus.
  • The instructor or the student may appeal the Department Head's decision (with respect to the findings and remedies) to the Dean of the College in which the course is offered within 10 days of the date on which the Department Head offered his or her judgment. 
  • Upon receipt of a written appeal, the Dean will appoint a three-person advisory committee of faculty to hear the case.  The chair of the committee will be from a department other than the one offering the course.  One of these faculty members may be suggested by the author of the appeal.  The instructor and the student may file additional statements.  The committee will review all written materials and may seek other information, as they deem appropriate.  After reviewing all information, the committee will communicate their findings and suggested remedies, if any, to the Dean of the College.
  • The Dean of the College is the final authority on issues of fairness in course evaluation.  He or she will consider the recommendations of the committee but has wide latitude in resolving the matter.

Graduate Assistantships

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:

  1. Graduate assistants (GA) must be admitted (full or conditional) to a graduate degree program, enrolled in graduate courses, and evaluated by the department based on student qualifications and need. Students with a provisional status or non-degree admission status are not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.
  2. Graduate assistants must maintain a graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and be in academic good standing.
  3. Graduate teaching assistants are required to have a minimum of 18 graduate semester credit hours in the field to be taught.
  4. Course-load requirements:
    • Full-time GAs must be registered in 6 graduate hours or more for fall/spring semester.
    • Half-time GAs must be registered in at least 3 graduate hours for fall/spring semester.
    • Full-time GAs must be registered in 3 graduate hours or more for summer I semester.
    • Half-time GAs must be registered in at least 3 graduate hours for summer I semester.
    • Full-time GAs must be registered in 3 graduate hours or more for summer II semester.
    • Half-time GAs must be registered in at least 3 graduate hours for summer II semester.

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.

Tuition Remission

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.

Waiver for Out-of-State Tuition

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.

Work Load

Graduate Assistants begin work on the first class day and end work on the last class day of each semester/term.

  • Full-time GANT/GAR - works 20 hours per week each semester/term of assistantship
  • Full-time GAT - teaches 6 hours per week of undergraduate courses in the fall/spring semester
  • Full-time GAT - teaches 3 hours per week of undergraduate courses each summer semester
  • Half-time GANT/GAR - works 10 hours per week each semester/term of assistantship
  • Half-time GAT - teaches 3 hours of undergraduate courses each semester/term of assistantship

Course Load for Graduate Assistants

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.

Teaching Appointments

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.

Time Limitations

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.

Performance and Evaluation

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.

Termination

Graduate assistants may have their assistantship terminated for any of the following:

  1. A student does not abide by the appointment conditions.
  2. A student fails to perform tasks as assigned.
  3. A student does not make adequate degree progress.
  4. A student is placed on Academic Probation.
  5. A student does not make satisfactory research progress.
  6. A student fails to maintain minimum registration.
  7. A student persistently refuses to follow reasonable advice and counsel of faculty in carrying out assistantship obligations.
  8. A student fails to comply with responsibilities as an employee set forth in university procedures, department rules governing assistantships, or the terms of sponsored research agreements that fund the assistantship.
  9. A student violates the standards of student conduct in accordance with University Procedure 33.99.08.R0.03 Graduate Assistantships.

Tuition and Fees for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

Tuition rates (including guaranteed tuition) are subject to change by the Legislature. Current rates are available on the University webpage.  http://www.tamuc.edu/admissions/tuitionCosts/default.aspx

State Residency

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.

Third Party Exam Proctoring, 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.

Estimated Special Fees

Graduate Fees

Description Fee
Domestic Application Fee: $50
International Application Fee: $75
Master Thesis Fees: $63
Doctoral Dissertation Fees $73

Additional Fees

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.

Room and Board

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.

Overdue Financial Obligations

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

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.

General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School for Domestic Students

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:

  1. An application for admission to the Graduate School, available online: ApplyTexas
  2. A $50.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. An official bachelor’s degree transcript from a regionally accredited institution and a transcript from any school at which the student has completed graduate courses (these transcripts should be sent directly to the Graduate School by the issuing institutions).

To view specific departmental requirements go to:  Graduate Programs

Admission for Students Receiving Their Bachelor’s Degree from an Unaccredited Institution

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.

Suspension from other Universities

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.

Conduct Requirements for Admission

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:

  • The specifics of all prior criminal convictions and dates of occurrence;
  • For applicant in parole or probation status, references must be provided from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division, including the name and addresses of parole or probation officers. Parole and probation officials should be questioned as to whether the individual’s admission as a student or participation in the activities/services requested are consistent with the student’s parole or probation conditions or would pose a threat to the safety of the campus community;
  • Documentation of past substantiated or pending conduct charges from postsecondary institutions;
  • A personal interview to either clarify or verify information if desired by the team

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.

Online Courses and Degrees

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.

Incorrect Information, or Omission of Facts

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.

International Students

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:

  1. An application for admission to the Graduate School, available online: at ApplyTexas
  2. A $75.00 USD non-refundable application fee.
  3. Official transcripts and official copies of diplomas, translated into English, from each college or university attended. The bachelor’s degree earned at a foreign institution must be equivalent to an accredited U.S. institution’s 4 year degree or selected 3 year bachelor's degrees using the guidelines established by World Education Services.  Approval requires university accreditation with an A, A+, or A++ rating from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and student standing of first class or first division.
  4. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English proficiency, which is satisfied by one of the following:
    1. A minimum TOEFL score of 79 for internet-based testing (IBT), or score of 550 for paper-based testing (PBT), or 213 on computer-based testing (CBT) scores must be less than 2 years old,
    2. A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall band, scores must be less than 2 years old, or
    3. A minimum PTE score of 53 overall band, scores must be less than two years old; or
    4. Completing all years of a Bachelor’s degree or higher degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university.
    5. A minimum Duolingo English Test score of 105 or higher less than two years old.

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).

Submitting an Application (Domestic/International)

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:

  • To be considered for spring, the deadline is October 15th
  • To be considered for summer, the deadline is March 15th
  • To be considered for fall, the deadline is June 1st

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

Non-degree Student Status

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:

  1. An application for admission to non-degree status ApplyTexas.
  2. A $50.00 nonrefundable application fee.
  3. An official bachelor’s transcript from a regionally accredited institution.

Non-degree students are not subject to the academic suspension policies applicable to degree-seeking students.

Certification Status

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:

  1. An application for admission to Graduate School for certification ApplyTexas
  2. A $50.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. An official bachelor’s transcript from a regionally accredited institution.
  4. An official master's transcript from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants should consult with a departmental advisor for any additional specific requirements.

Graduate Certificates

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:

  1. An application for admission to non-degree status ApplyTexas.
  2. A $50.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. An official bachelor’s transcript from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants should consult with a departmental advisor for specific departmental requirements.

Change of Major

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 change of major request may be submitted at any time but if you wish to start the next semester in your new major, your request must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than 30 days prior to first class day along with all required admission documents for the new major.  All change of majors received after the 30th deadline will be processed for the next available semester for that program.
  • You must be in academic good standing and have a graduate GPA of 3.00 or higher to be eligible to change your major.
  • A change of major request does not guarantee admission into the new major.  You must meet all the admission requirements for the new major, be considered for admission by that department and gain admission before you start courses from that program.
  • You must submit all documents required for admission consideration to the new major before you will be considered for admission. 
  • Certain master's degrees that have certifications as part of the program or professional certifications on their own, such as teacher/educator certification, school librarian certification, diagnostician, and principal or superintendent certification, etc., have minimum bachelor's overall GPA requirements for admission consideration.  To be eligible for these programs, you must have one of the following:  a bachelor's degree overall GPA of 2.75 or higher, last 60 hours of the bachelor's GPA of 3.0 or higher, an awarded master's degree with an overall 3.0 GPA or higher. Failure to meet the GPA requirement will result in denial to the new program.  The Educator Certification Office may have requirements above and beyond those listed above.

Changing from Non-Degree or Certification Status to a Degree Program

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

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.  

Master’s or Specialist Degree Program Status

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.

Full Admission Status

The applicant must satisfy the following requirements for full admission status:

  1. Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent degree from a foreign institution. The bachelor’s degree must be substantially equivalent in content to degrees granted by Texas A&M University-Commerce.
  2. Have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, or a 3.00 on the last 60 undergraduate hours.
  3. Meet all departmental requirements.

Conditional 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.

Provisional Status

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.

Academic Probation and Suspension from Master’s or Specialist Degree Programs

  • Students with full admission status who fail to achieve and maintain an overall graduate GPA of 3.00 after the completion of twelve graduate semester hours of graduate enrollment will be placed on academic probation.  A student who fails to achieve a 3.00 overall graduate GPA by the end of the next semester of enrollment will be placed on academic suspension for a period of two semesters (Two summer terms are one semester).
  • Students with conditional admission status who fail to achieve a 3.00 graduate GPA after the completion of twelve graduate semester hours will be suspended and will not be allowed to pursue further graduate study in a degree program for one year.  
  • Students with provisional admission status who fail to achieve a 3.00 graduate GPA after the completion of twelve graduate semester hours will be suspended and will not be allowed to pursue further graduate study in a degree program for one year.
  • All courses completed while the student is on probation, a one-time approval to enroll during suspension, or reinstatement must be appropriate to the degree sought.
  • Courses taken from other institutions will not be transferable if taken during a period of suspension from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
  • Students on academic probation or suspension are not eligible to change their degree or major.
  • Individual departments may reserve the right to dismiss from their programs students who, in their judgement, would not meet the professional expectations of the field for which they are training.
  • A graduate student seeking admission or readmission who has not been enrolled for a period of at least six cumulative years with an overall graduate GPA of less than 3.0 may petition the Dean of the Graduate School to have previous graduate grades eliminated from the calculation of the official grade point average.  No courses eliminated from such calculation could be used toward a graduate degree.

Requirements for the Master’s or Specialist Degree

All Master's or Specialist degrees must meet the requirements in this section.  Additional degree requirements are listed in each departmental section of this catalog.
  • Prerequisite Coursework. Admission to Graduate School does not imply that the applicant has the necessary background to earn a degree in a specific department. To major or minor in a specific discipline, the candidate must have or must obtain adequate preparation to assure successful graduate work. Background leveling courses cannot be applied toward the graduate major.
  • Course Requirements. All master’s degrees require completion of at least 30 graduate hours.  Specialist degrees require completion of at least 66 graduate hours.
    • Major. A minimum of 18 graduate hours is necessary to complete a major. The student should check their degree plan in DegreeWorks through MyLeo for specific course requirements. A student desiring to change majors, must be in academic good standing with the Graduate School, and must complete a Change of Major/Degree form
    • Minor. Twelve semester hours in a second subject area (designated by the course prefix) constitute a minor.  Completion of a minor is not a mandatory requirement.  Students receiving a minor may be required to satisfy candidacy and are required to meet the comprehensive examination requirements of the minor department.
    • Foreign Language Requirement.  Most Master of Art degree programs include the general language requirements listed below.  Please view the program areas in this catalog for specific language requirements. 
       General foreign language requirements can be met with one of the following options:
      1. Successful completion of at least 12 semester hours (college/university level) in one foreign language.
      2. Successful completion of 6 semester hours (college/university level) and 2 years of high school credit in one foreign language.
      3. Successful completion of 3 semester hours (college/university level) and 3 years of high school credit in one foreign language.
      4. Successful completion of 12 semester hours of American Sign Language (ASL).
      5. Completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree from A&M-Commerce
      6. Successful completion of the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages examination with a minimum score/rating of intermediate proficiency in one of the following areas:
      • Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or
      • Oral Proficiency Interview - Computer (OPIc) or
      • Written Proficiency Test (WPT)
  • Grade Point Average. An overall grade point average of 3.00 or better on all graduate work completed at Texas A&M University-Commerce and an overall GPA of 3.00 or better on all graduate work taken toward the graduate degree program is required for graduation.  If a course is retaken, the last grade will be counted in the computation of the overall GPA.  A course in which an “F” is received is considered a course completed.  Only grades earned at Texas A&M University-Commerce are calculated into the student’s GPA.
    • No grade of “D” or below will count toward a master's or specialist degree.
    • No more than three grades of "C" will be used toward a master's or specialist degree.
  • Master's or Specialist Degree Residency. A minimum of two-thirds of the course work applied to a master’s or specialist degree must be taken from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Students should check with the department for any departmental residency requirements.
  • Time Limitation. All work for the master’s or specialist degree must be completed during the 6 years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded. Credit earned over 6 years prior to graduation requires specific written departmental justification and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School to be counted toward a master’s or specialist degree. The discipline in which the course(s) was taken shall be involved in the validation of an old course. In no case may courses more than 10 years old be applied toward the master’s or specialist degree. These same limitations apply to all transfer courses.  A master's or specialist student who has not been enrolled for 1 calendar year must apply for readmission under current admission & program standards for master's or specialist 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 master’s or specialist degree program and the semester the student’s degree is conferred, provided the catalog used is not more than 6 years old at the time the degree is conferred.
  • Admission to Candidacy for Master’s or Specialist Degree. In those programs requiring candidacy, the student must apply and be admitted to candidacy at least one semester prior to graduation. Not all programs require candidacy. Students should check their DegreeWorks degree plan to determine candidacy is required for their program.  Minimum candidacy requirements are:
    • Full admission into the master’s or specialist program and satisfactory completion of all background courses and other departmental requirements.
    • Completion of at least four and not more than six Texas A&M University-Commerce graduate courses. Three of the courses must be in the major field.
    • An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better on all graduate work completed at Texas A&M University-Commerce and an overall GPA of 3.00 or better on all graduate work taken toward the graduate degree program.

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.

  • Thesis (518) and Research Literature and Techniques (595) Credit. All degree programs require the satisfactory completion of either the thesis (518) or the research literature and techniques (595) course at Texas A&M University-Commerce. These courses cannot be transferred from another institution. A student who is writing a thesis is required to register for 518 to receive guidance from a member of the faculty or while utilizing university facilities.  Only 6 graduate hours of credit for 518 or 3 graduate hours of credit for 595 per degree will be given upon satisfactory completion of the requirement. Unless approved by the department and the Dean of the Graduate School, 518 or 595 must be taken in the student’s major department. A reduced fee for 518 may be approved after all other course work for the degree is completed. Students writing a thesis must be enrolled in 518 during the semester the thesis is approved by the Graduate School. A student’s completion of the 595 course must result in a product available for reference in the department for a minimum of 3 years. If a thesis student does not show to their advisor successful proposal/thesis progress in a semester of 518 or if a student does not show to complete more than 60% of the term/semester, they will be assigned a grade of U.
  • Final Comprehensive Examinations. The candidate must pass a comprehensive examination administered by the advisory committee or major department and covering all the work within the master’s or specialist degree program, including an acceptable defense of the thesis, if applicable. The student must be fully admitted to a master’s or specialist degree program and be in good academic standing with the Graduate School to be eligible to take the comprehensive examination. The Final Comprehensive Examination Report form must be submitted to the Graduate School prior to graduation according to the https://calendar.tamuc.edu/

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.

  • Graduation and Commencement. 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 after they have satisfactorily completed all degree requirements and been approved by the academic department and the Graduate School. Please check the University Academic Calendar for deadline dates for filing. Graduation information is available online at Registrar's website  Students must apply for graduation online 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 all degree requirements including :
    • Good Academic Standing                                        
    • No more than 3 Grades of "C" in the degree program
    • Overall graduate GPA of 3.00 or better
    • Overall graduate GPA of 3.00 or better on all graduate work taken toward the graduate degree program
    • Departmental Course Requirements are met
    • Successful Completion of Comprehensive Examination
    • Successful Completion of a thesis (if applicable to the program)

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.

Submitting an Application for Graduation

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.

Earning Graduate Credit

Graduate Courses

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.

Undergraduate Courses Taken for Graduate Credit

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

Transfer of Credit and Experiential Credit

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.

  • Transfer credit will be granted for only those courses in which the student received a grade of “B” or better.  Courses with a grade of P or S are acceptable when the transcript legend on the official transcript states the P or S grade is equivalent to a B or better.
  • 595 or 518 courses must be taken at Texas A&M University-Commerce and cannot be transferred from another institution.
  • Only grades earned at Texas A&M University-Commerce will be calculated into the student’s grade point average.
  • Time limitations on transfer courses are the same as Texas A&M University-Commerce courses.
    • All work for the masters or specialist degree must be completed during the 6 years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded.
  • Transfer courses will only be used from a regionally accredited university.

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. 

Correspondence Courses

Credit earned by correspondence will not apply toward a master’s or specialist or doctoral degree.

Undergraduate Seniors Taking Graduate Courses for Credit

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. 

  1. Graduate courses cannot apply toward an undergraduate degree.
  2. The maximum load for seniors who register for graduate and undergraduate credit is 15 credit hours per semester or 6 hours per summer term including credit for graduate courses.

Independent Studies Courses

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 Limitation or Administrative Withdrawal

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.

Second Master’s Degree

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:

  • For 30-semester-hour programs, no more than 9 approved hours.
  • For 36-semester-hour programs, no more than 12 approved hours.
  • For 60, 61 & 62-semester-hour programs, no more than 20 approved hours.
  • For the 63 & 64-semester-hour programs, no more than 21 approved hours.
  • For the 66-semester-hour program, no more than 22 approved hours.
  • All remaining courses applied to satisfy the requirements for the second master’s degree must be Texas A&M University-Commerce courses.
    • A thesis completed for a previous degree cannot be used for a second master's degree.
    • A 595 Research Literature and Techniques course can only be used for a second master's with departmental and Graduate School approval.  A 595 Research Literature and Techniques course cannot be transferred in from another institution.

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.

Thesis and Dissertation Process

The thesis proposal process is a major step in the academic advancement of a master's or specialist students completing a thesis at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Below are guidelines to help students navigate through this important process. Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of research conduct and strictly adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations involving research.

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.

Thesis Process

Before work on the thesis can begin, students must select a thesis advisory committee and complete and submit the digital form Thesis Committee Selection Form for review and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. 

Next, to ensure integrity and compliance in research, before collecting an data, all students involved in research activities must successfully complete training in Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/Responsible-Conduct-in-Research.aspx).  This training is required of alll students and is good for three (3) years.  Students conducting studies that do not require IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval may begin data collection after receiving approval from their advisor to do so and after completing the Responsible Conduct in Research training.  Proof of completion of training is required when submitting the thesis proposal for Graduate School/TDS review and approval.  Data collection prior to completion of the required training is an ethical violation and the use of those data will be disallowed.

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 is received.  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.

Research Compliance. If a student’s research/study involves human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards, and recombinant DNA, approval from the applicable research committee must be obtained by the student’s advisor.  The following is the process for obtaining the required research committee approval:

A student and his or her advisor must complete the following if the proposed research/study involves one of the following:

  1. Human Subjects: Human Subjects research is defined as a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalized 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/training/protection-human-subjects-training.aspx).
    1. Students must complete the Human Subjects online training and gain approval for the inclusion of human subjects in their research /study from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects.  The online training can be accessed at the following website: (http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/protection-human-subjects-training.aspx).
    2. Students must gain IRB approval for their study.  The process to gain approval from the IRB includes completion of the protocol application forms by the student's advisor, and the protocol application forms. These forms are submitted to the IRB committee (ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu) for review and approval.  The Departmental IRB Representative and/or IRB committee may require revisions.  The IRB approval letter must be included with a student's thesis proposal submissions.  The IRB approval letter is not the same as Graduate School/TDS approval.
  2. Animal Subjects: Animal subjects are defined as any live, vertebrate animal (see: http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/AnimalCareInstructions.aspx)
    1. Students must complete the Animal Subjects online training and gain approval for the inclusion of animal subjects in their research/study from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).  The online training can be accessed at the following website: (http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/AnimalCareInstructions.aspx.)
    2. Students must gain IACUC approval for their study.  The process to gain approval from IACUC includes completion of the protocol application forms and submission by the student's advisor to IACUC (ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu) for review and approval.  The Departmental IACUC Representative and/or IACUC may require revisions. The IACUC approval letter must be included in with a student's thesis proposal submissions.  The IACUC approval letter is not the same as Graduate School/TDS approval.
  3. Biological Agents: If a student conducts research involving any of the agents/materials listed below, the student must have approval from the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) prior to initiation of the research (see http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/biosafetybiosecurity.aspx.)
    1. Agents that require approval are the following:
      • Pathogens and potential pathogens of humans, animals, or plants;
      • Materials potentially containing human pathogens (including human and non-human primate blood, tissue, and cell lines);
      • Recombinant DNA and RNA, including creation or use of transgenic plants and animals;
      • Select agents and toxins listed by CDC; and
      • Any material requiring a CDC license to import or a USDA permit.
    2. Students must complete Biosafety training online and gain approval from IBC before commencing any work.  Online training can be accessed at http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/training/biosafetybiosecurity.aspx.
    3. IBC approval for a student's study includes training, self-assessments, safety concerns, required biosafety levels, risk, analysis, and emergency procedures.  Detailed information regarding the training can be found under Office of Sponsored Programs website.  In addition, the process to gain approval from IBC includes completion of the protocol application forms and submission by the student's advisor to IBC (ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu) for review and approval.  The Departmental IBC Representative and/or IBC may require revisions.   Final approval rests with IBC.  The IBC approval letter must be included in with a student's thesis proposal submission.  The IBC approval letter is not the same as Graduate School/TDS approval..

Submission of Thesis Proposal

Students must gain proposal approval from the Graduate School/TDS at least one semester prior to the semester they defend and 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 Disseratation Submissions webpage.  If student or faculty have questions regarding the submission process, they should review the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide 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 scroll to the links below the text and click on the hyperlinked form.  Thesis Proposal Submission Form.  Complete the digital form and upload the required documents listed below.  For more information about the submission process, see the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide or contact TDS@tamuc.edu.  The following is a list of documents to be uploaded with the digital form:

  • Thesis proposal document (Word format, unless using LaTex),
  • Proof of completion of CITI trainings,
  • IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval letter (if applicable; see ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu), and
  • iThenticate similarity report (and score justification provided by the advisor if the similarity score is above 12%).

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 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 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..

Submission of Final Thesis

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, they should review the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide or contact TDS at TDS@tamuc.edu.

Final Thesis Defense.  The digital form, Notification of the Final Thesis Defense must be completed, submitted, and received by TDS  no less than 7 days prior to the date the defense is to be held.  Students must be in good academic standing with the Graduate School and have a proposal approved by the Dean of the Graduate School to be eligible to defend.

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 scroll to the links below the text.  Click on the hyperlinked Final Thesis Submission Form and complete the digital form and upload the required documents listed below.  

  • Final thesis in Word format (or PDF if using LaTex).
  • iThenticate similarity report (with score justification provided by the advisor if score is above 12%.

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 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 requirement and is approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.  After each review TDS student will communicate with students via their LeoMail email to provide them with a Reviewer's Checklist with revisions to make.  After each round of revisions, the student will resubmit, with advisor approval, his or her 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 the degree conferred after they have satisfactorily completed all degree requirements and they have 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 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.

Doctoral Degree Programs

Texas A&M University-Commerce offers the following Doctor of Education (EdD) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programs:

  1. EdD in Educational Administration,
  2. EdD in Higher Education,
  3. EdD in Supervision, Curriculum, and Instruction,
  4. PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision,
  5. PhD in Educational Psychology, and
  6. PhD in English.

Admission to Doctoral 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; and must 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/.

Requirements for the Doctoral Degree

DegreeWorks

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 doctoral students who attend Texas A&M University-Commerce should use DegreeWorks. 

Doctoral Yearly Review

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 as well as addressing any issues or concerns.  Students should contact their advisor if they have questions.

Doctoral 7-year Review and Doctoral Completion Plan

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.

Course Requirements

  • A minimum of 90 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree or 60 semester hours beyond the master’s degree is required for the doctoral degree.
  • At least 45 hours of graduate course credit must be earned from A&M-Commerce (not including 718 hours).
  • Master's level 595 research courses cannot be used toward a doctoral program. 
  • All courses applied toward a doctoral degree must be 500-level or higher.
  • Undergraduate courses taken for graduate credit are not applicable to a doctoral degree. 
  • No more than 12 graduate semester credit hours (including hours completed in non-degree status) beyond the master’s degree taken prior to admission to a doctoral program can be applied toward a doctoral degree.
  1. Major. A major requires a minimum of 36 semester hours excluding dissertation hours (718); however, a specific program may require additional semester hours for a major. (Specific program requirements are listed under each departmental section of this catalog.)
  2. Minor. Students selecting the 60 hours beyond the master’s degree option are not required to have a minor. A minor consisting of a minimum of 30 semester hours is required in all 90-hour programs except the Counselor Education and Supervision, Educational Psychology, and English programs. The minor requirement can be fulfilled by one of the following options:
    1. A comprehensive minor with all course work in one academic area. A committee member will be assigned from the academic area and will determine the courses to be taken and will be involved in evaluating the written and oral qualifying examinations, the dissertation, and the dissertation defense.
    2. A split minor of two academic areas with at least 12 hours in each area (a 12-18 or 15-15 format). Committee members will be assigned from both academic areas, and they will determine the courses to be taken and will be involved in evaluating the written and oral qualifying examinations, the dissertation, and the dissertation defense.
    3. An interdisciplinary studies minor in three academic areas (a 12-9-9 format). In rare cases, an interdisciplinary studies minor consisting of at least 9 hours in each of three academic areas may be approved. Committee members will be assigned from each of the academic areas and will be involved in the evaluation of the written and oral qualifying examination, the dissertation, and the dissertation defense.

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.

  • A grade point average of 3.00 or better on all graduate work completed at Texas A&M University-Commerce and an overall grade point average of 3.00 or better on all graduate courses completed, is required for graduation.
  • If a course is retaken, the last grade will be counted toward graduation and computation of the overall grade point average.
  • No grade of “C” (including a grade of "U") or below will count toward a doctoral degree.
  • A course in which an “F” is received is considered a course completed.
  • Only grades earned at Texas A&M University-Commerce will be calculated into student’s grade point average.

Academic Probation and Suspension from Doctoral Degree Programs.

  • A student who fails to achieve and maintain an overall 3.00 graduate grade point average during any semester of enrollment will be placed on academic probation.  A student who fails to achieve a 3.00 overall graduate grade point average by the end of the following semester of enrollment will be placed on academic suspension for a minimum of two semesters (two summer terms count as one semester).
  • A student placed on academic suspension for two semesters may appeal for reinstatement at the end of the two-semester suspension period.
  • A second suspension of a student will result in dismissal from the program, and the student will not be allowed to pursue further study toward a doctoral degree at A&M Commerce.
  • All courses completed while the student is on probation and those completed upon enrollment following suspension must be appropriate to the degree sought.
  • No course with a grade of “C” or lower (including a grade of "U") will count toward a doctoral degree.
  • A student receiving a grade of “C” or lower (including a grade of "U") in a third graduate course result in dismissal from the program, and the student will not be allowed to pursue a further doctoral degree at A&M-Commerce. This provision applies to all courses taken, including duplicated courses.
  • Courses taken from other institutions will not be transferable if taken during a period of suspension from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
  • Students on academic probation or suspension are not eligible to change their degree or major.
  • Individual departments may reserve the right to dismiss from their programs students who, in their judgment, would not meet the professional expectations of the field for which they are training.

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:

  1. Involvement in events that broaden intellectual growth.
  2. Use of academic support resources.
  3. Faculty-student interactions that promote scholarship, mentoring, and opportunities for evaluation.
  4. Involvement with cognate disciplines and research scholars in those disciplines.
  5. Engagement in meaningful peer interactions.

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 Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) requires 12 hours of prescribed coursework.
  • The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) requires 15 hours of prescribed coursework.
  • Courses must be completed with a grade of B or better.
  • Only doctoral research tools courses approved in advance of their offering, by the Graduate Council, can be used to satisfy these requirements.
  • These course requirements cannot be met through individual studies courses (689 or 589).

The research tools requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in English can be met with any of the following options:

  1. Twelve semester hours of college-level classes in one foreign language, as verified by official transcript, or
  2. Successful completion of a foreign language reading exam, as assessed by department faculty and written verification sent to the Graduate School, or
  3. Verified native or near-native competence in a second language, as assessed by department faculty and written verification sent to the Graduate School, or
  4. Completion of any four of the following courses, with a grade of B or above: ENG 501, ENG 520, ENG 599, ENG 613, ENG 686, ENG 710, ENG 780, PSY 612.

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 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 11.04.99.R0.23 Doctoral Advisory Committees and Dissertations).

Dissertation committees must be approved by the Dean of 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 dean.  Once approved, the student will receive an email with a copy of the approved committee form.

Submission of Dissertation Proposal

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.  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 Dissertation 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. 

Additional training is required for students whose research involves human participants and approval from the IRB committee must be obtained.  Data collection may begin once approval from the appropriate reviewing body is received.  Proof of approval (an approval letter sent to the student's advisor) must be provided with the proposal submission.  Data collection prior to completion of the required trainings and receipt of the required approval 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, or 903-886-5766.  Additional information is located online at http://www.tamuc.edu/Research/.

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)

  1. Student must complete the Human Subjects online training and gain approval for the inclusion of human subjects in their research/study from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects. The online training can be accessed at the following website: http://www.tamuc.edu/research/compliance/humanSubjectsIRB.aspx
  2. Students, with the help of their advisor, must complete the protocol application forms. A student’s advisor submits the protocol application forms to IRB (ResearchCompliance@tamuc.edu).  The Departmental IRB Representative and/or IRB committee may require revisions.  The IRB approval letter must be included in students' dissertation proposal submissions.  The IRB approval letter is not the same as Graduate School/TDS approval. 

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:

  • Dissertation proposal document (Word document),
  • A copy of all required training certificates (CITI training reports),
  • IRB approval letter (if applicable), and
  • iThenticate similarity report (and score justification provided by the advisor if the score is above 12%).

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.  

Submission of Final Dissertation

Scheduling the 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. 

Dissertation Defense. 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 semester the final dissertation is submitted. 

Initial submission of a final dissertation packed 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 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 scroll to the links below the text.  The student must complete the digital form, Final Dissertation Submission Form, and upload the documents listed below.  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.

  • Final dissertation document (as a Word document),
  • Dissertation Information Sheet with title page included,
  • iThenticate similarity report (and score justification provided by advisor if the score is above 12%), and
  • Survey of Earned Doctorates (required for PhD students only, not EdD students).

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 Dissertation 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.  After each round of revisions, the student will resubmit, with advisor approval, his or her 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 thefinal 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 and they have 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.

Earning Graduate Credit

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.

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