Graduate Academic and Degree Requirements

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General Requirements

The following general academic requirements apply to all graduate programs. Requirements that apply specifically to the master’s degree or to the doctoral degree are discussed later in this section. More detailed information about the requirements for individual degree programs may be found in the sections pertaining to those programs.

Graduation Under a Particular Catalog

A graduate student may receive a degree upon satisfying the requirements of the catalog under which the student enrolled in the program, provided the catalog is no more than seven years old for master's students and ten years old for doctoral students, when the degree is conferred and the University still offers programs and required curriculum described in that catalog. A student may petition to graduate under a subsequent catalog under which credit was earned because of a preference to meet newer degree requirements. Students who stop out of a program and reapply must meet the degree requirements of the new catalog under which they are readmitted.

Certification or licensure requirements are subject to change. Students enrolled in programs leading to certification or licensure must meet all current certification and licensure requirements, regardless of the catalog chosen.

Transfer of Credit

Coursework completed before the student applies for admission at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi or completed at another institution after admission to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is considered transfer of credit. Course work transferred or accepted for credit toward a graduate degree must represent graduate course work relevant to that degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s own graduate degree programs. The following rules apply to all graduate transfer courses.

  • The student must have earned transferred graduate credit at a regionally accredited institution.
  • The student must have earned a grade of B or better in the transfer course work. Courses lacking letter grades (e.g., courses graded pass/no pass, credit/no credit, or satisfactory/unsatisfactory) will not be accepted as transfer credit.
  • The course work must be less than 7 years old for master’s degrees and less than 10 years old for doctoral degrees at the time the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi degree is awarded.

    • Programs may have requirements that further limit the age of  acceptable transfer courses. Check individual program requirements.

  • Credit from a degree earned at another institution will not be applied to a graduate degree at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Additional limitations on transfer of credit are discussed in “Requirements for Master’s Degrees” and “Requirements for Doctoral Programs,” below. Requirements listed in this catalog are minimal requirements for transfer. Individual colleges/school and programs may have further limitations on transfer of credits.

All transferred work (with accompanying grades or marks) will be translated into Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi terms. If an equivalency has not already been established, the College of Graduate Studies will consult with the appropriate graduate program that represents the course content to determine the course equivalency and transferability. Should the Graduate Dean determine that a student has taken courses of similar level and content at more than one institution (duplicated work), the grade of the second course attempted will be the grade of record and all others will be recorded without credit. Transfer work will become a part of the student’s record only after matriculation and then only when the student has established a course-of-record. All transferred work requires approval by the College of Graduate Studies.

Correspondence and Extension Credit

Extension, correspondence study credit, continuing education units (CEU), and similar professional credits cannot be applied toward graduate degrees.

Academic Advisement

Graduate faculty advisors or advisory committees are assigned within individual graduate programs in each college/school. Faculty advisors are available to exchange ideas about courses of value as related to career plans, act as liaisons with other faculty members, refer students to other departments on campus as needed, provide input if students experience difficulty with their studies, and address questions regarding student degree plans. Specific questions related to degree requirements may also be handled by CGS academic advisors, faculty advisors, or the graduate program coordinator or equivalent in the respective college/school.

Graduate Courses

Graduate courses are numbered 5000 or higher. Courses at the 5000 level are open only to students with graduate standing and senior undergraduate students who meet specific criteria. Courses at the 6000 level and higher are limited to students admitted to a doctoral program, or graduate students who meet specific criteria. Please consult the specific program for additional details or requirements.

Graduate Credit for Undergraduate Courses

Certain 4000-level undergraduate courses under the Colleges of Liberal Arts and the College of Education and Human Development may be designated for graduate credit. The catalog descriptions of such courses generally include the phrase “May be taken for graduate credit.” Students taking these courses for graduate credit will be required to complete extra course assignments. If a graduate student registers for a 4000-level course, the student will be assumed to be taking the course for undergraduate credit unless the student receives permission from the course instructor and academic advisor to take the course for graduate credit. Permission must be granted and the request processed through the College of Graduate Studies at the time of registration, but no later than the 12th class day during a fall or spring semester or the 4th class day during a summer session.

A graduate-level designation for a 4000-level course does not automatically indicate approval for the course to be included in a graduate degree plan. Each course in a degree plan must be approved in advance by the student’s graduate advisor or committee and meet the university requirements.

Graduate Study by Undergraduates

  1. Reservation of Work for Graduate Credit
    A senior student in the last semester of undergraduate work may enroll in graduate work and reserve the course work for graduate credit provided that:
    1. The student has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better,
    2. The dean/director of the college/school in which the work is offered has granted written approval, and
    3. The graduate work is not used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements-unless enrolled in a fast track program.
  2. Graduate Work for Undergraduate Credit
    A senior student in the last semester or summer session of undergraduate work may enroll in graduate work to be applied toward the baccalaureate degree provided that:
    1. The student has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better,
    2. The dean/director of the college/school in which the work is offered has granted written approval,
    3. The chair of the student’s major department and the dean/director of the student’s undergraduate college/school have granted written approval, and
    4. The student has not reserved the course work for graduate credit-unless enrolled in a fast track program.
    5. Graduate credit hours used to meet the requirements of a baccalaureate degree may not be used to meet the requirements for a graduate degree-unless enrolled in a fast track program.

Maximum Course Load

A graduate student may not register for more than 12 hours in a regular semester without the approval of the appropriate college dean/school director.

A student may not register for more than 6 hours of course work in a single session of summer school without the approval of the dean/director of the college/school in which the student is majoring. A student may not register for more than a total of 12 hours of course work in the combined summer sessions (not counting Maymester) without the approval of the college dean/school director.

Repetition of a Course

Repetition of a Course to Raise a Grade: A course in which the final grade is C or lower may be repeated for a higher grade. A course in which the final grade is a B may be repeated for a higher grade only with the permission of the Graduate Dean. A graduate student may retake a maximum of two courses during graduate study in the University. The student may repeat each course only one time. All grades received for the course will be computed in the grade point average.

Repetition of a Course for Multiple Credit: A course may be repeated for multiple credit towards graduation only when so designated in the course description and approved by the faculty or program coordinator/department chair as designated by the College/School in which the student is enrolled.

Maximum Hours Graded Credit/No Credit

See “Credit/No Credit Grading” in the catalog section “General Academic Policies and Regulations” for information on the maximum number of semester hours graded credit/no credit permitted for graduate degrees.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Academic research, scholarship, and creative work must be conducted under the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and all data, primary sources, procedures, and findings should be properly and thoroughly documented. The credibility and long-term reputation of the faculty and staff depend on the encouragement of, enforcement of, and reward for superior ethical standards. Achieving high ethical standards should transcend considerations of finance, personal gain, and short-term individual and institutional recognition.

The government has adopted specific laws and regulations concerning research misconduct. It is the responsibility of those involved in research to become familiar with the procedures so they know what to do if misconduct is observed as well as are vigilant about their own behavior.

For more information, visit https://www.tamucc.edu/research/compliance/research-misconduct/index.php.

Protection of Human Research Subjects

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC)  is committed to the protection of the rights and welfare of human research participants recruited to participate in research under its auspices. The TAMU-CC Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for the review and approval of all research involving human subjects conducted at TAMU-CC.

For more information, visit https://irb.tamucc.edu/index.html.

Protection of Animals in Research

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi regards the use of animals in research and teaching to be an integral component of continued progress in science and education. TAMU-CC is committed to ensuring all its animal facilities and programs maintain the highest standards of animal care and use and are operated in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines. The Health Research Extension Act (HREA) of 1985 and the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 mandate the existence of institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs). The TAMU-CC IACUC provides oversight and institutional reviews of research activities involving live vertebrates.

For more information, visit https://iacuc.tamucc.edu/index.html.

Use of Biohazards

The TAMU-CC Biosafety Program is responsible for ensuring safeguards in human health and the environment by maintaining adherence with the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (NIH Guidelines) and the Biosafety in Microbiology and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) 5th edition. The TAMU-CC Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) identifies practices, procedures, facility construction, and operational standards for safe handling and use of biohazardous materials for research, clinical, and teaching activities at TAMU-CC. The Biosafety Program is a collaborative program with Environmental Health and Safety and the IBC.

For more information, visit https://ibc.tamucc.edu/index/html.

Academic Requirements for Graduate Work

Good Standing: Graduate students, including degree-seeking, certificate-seeking, and non-degree-seeking students, are considered in “good academic standing,” making satisfactory academic progress, if they maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on all TAMU-CC graduate course work and earn a grade of S (Satisfactory), IP (In Progress), or CR (Credit) on all course work that does not affect grade point average. A higher GPA may be required by some programs. In such cases, the higher standard will be substituted for 3.0 in the discussion below.

Minimum grade requirement. Only grades of A, B, C, S, and CR are acceptable for graduate credit. IP is considered acceptable with respect to the minimum grade requirement. Grades of D, F, U (Unsatisfactory), or NC (No Credit) are not accepted for graduate credit at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. No more than two grades of C will be accepted as credit for any graduate program.

Other scholastic requirements. Satisfactory academic performance may also include specific program requirements, which can include, and are not limited to, satisfactory research performance, a satisfactory GPA in the major, satisfactory performance in examinations, such as the comprehensive examination, satisfactory performance in the program capstone course, or other specific program requirements.

Scholastic Probation and Enforced Withdrawal

Placement on Scholastic Probation: A graduate student will be placed on scholastic probation if, at the end of any semester or term, the student’s cumulative graduate grade point average falls below 3.0 (or higher GPA set by the program). A graduate student receiving a grade of U or NC for the second time will be placed on scholastic probation. Note: Grades from transfer courses are not factored into the GPA.

Removal from Scholastic Probation: A student must achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA (or higher GPA if required by the program) within completion of the next 9 semester credit hours to be removed from scholastic probation if scholastic probation was due to unsatisfactory GPA. The courses included in the 9 semester hours must be approved by the program faculty for degree-seeking students.

A student who received two or more grades of U or NC may be removed from scholastic probation after one (1) year if the student achieves a cumulative 3.0 GPA (or higher GPA if required by the program) and subsequently receives grades of S or CR.

A student will not be placed on scholastic probation in a graduating semester if the cumulative GPA is 3.00 or higher and there are no more than two Cs for courses on the degree plan.

A student who is removed from scholastic probation is not eligible for placement on scholastic probation a second time.

Placement on Enforced Withdrawal: A student who is or has been on scholastic probation will be placed on enforced withdrawal if:

  • The student’s grade point average for any subsequent term or semester falls below 3.0, or
  • The student receives a third grade of U, NC, or NP, or
  • Other scholastic requirements are not met (see Other Scholastic Requirements section), or
  • The student does not achieve the required cumulative GPA (3.0 or higher if required by the program) within completion of 9 semester hours.
  • The student does not meet the specific program requirements as stated in their conditional enrollment agreement.

A student who is removed from scholastic probation will be placed on enforced withdrawal if the student receives a third grade of U or NC, or if the graduate grade point average falls below 3.0 (or higher GPA set by the program).

Enforced withdrawal is reflected on the student’s academic record.

Reinstatement: A student on enforced withdrawal may not enroll in any graduate program for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. A student must reapply, meet current requirements for degree-seeking students, and be accepted by the University and the program to enroll for graduate studies following the period of enforced withdrawal. The application may be submitted prior to the requested enrollment date. Colleges/School or programs may develop additional procedures or requirements related to re-enrollment following enforced withdrawal. Some colleges/school or programs may not permit reinstatement from enforced withdrawal. Please see the appropriate college/school or program section of the catalog for specific requirements.

Effect of Scholastic Probation and Enforced Withdrawal on Financial Assistance or Veterans Benefits: Students receiving financial assistance should see “Financial Assistance Suspension Policy” in the “Tuition, Fees, & Financial Assistance“ section of this catalog. For additional information, they may contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Students receiving veterans’ benefits for education should contact the Office of Veterans Affairs for specific policies concerning VA status if placed on scholastic probation or enforced withdrawal.

Scholastic Probation and Registration

Students whose TAMU-CC GPA causes their academic standing to reflect Scholastic Probation (below 3.0 GPA) [please see section on Scholastic Probation and Enforced Withdrawal] are not allowed to register for courses in the short session (Maymester). If registration is found for short sessions, the Office of the University Registrar will administratively drop those courses in short session/s.

Changing Degree Programs

If a student wishes to change a degree program, the student must submit an application for admission, pay the application fee, and comply with all program requirements as identified under the University and Degree Program Graduate Admission Criteria. No more than 12 semester hours of coursework taken in non-degree seeking, certificate seeking, or previous master’s seeking status may be applied to any master’s degree and no more than one-fourth of the credit hours required may be applied to any doctoral degree.

Leave of Absence

Students facing circumstances that prevent them from maintaining active status through required long semesters (fall and spring) should consult with their faculty advisor and request a leave of absence through the Office of the University Registrar, especially if the leave affects credit recency determinations. A student in good standing may petition for a leave of absence up to two full academic terms, with a maximum of two leave requests allowed per program. Approval must be obtained from the Office of the University Registrar in advance, and if approved, registration requirements will be waived during the leave period.

A leave of absence suspends all degree-related activities, including the use of university facilities and faculty advising. The degree completion timeline pauses during the leave and resumes upon re-enrollment. Unapproved absences, based on program and degree level (doctoral or master’s), may require students to reapply to the program or university.

In cases of extenuating circumstances, the Office of the University Registrar may extend a one-semester leave of absence up to a maximum of two semesters. Students returning after an approved leave do not need to reapply to their program. A leave of absence cannot exceed one academic year.

Students should consult with their academic/faculty advisor and relevant offices to assess the impact of a leave on financial aid, scholarships, assistantships, veteran benefits, etc. International students should consult with the Office of International Education to understand how a leave of absence may impact their stay in or re-entry to the U.S.

Requirements for Master’s Degrees

In addition to the general requirements above, the following requirements apply specifically to the master’s degree.

Total Hours

Master's programs require a minimum of 30 semester hours of approved graduate credit. However, program requirements vary; thus, students should refer to specific program requirements.

Transfer of Credit

In addition to the general Transfer of Credit Policy, the following regulations will apply to master’s degree course work:

  • No more than twelve semester hours of graduate level study may be transferred.
  • All transfer work must be appropriate to the degree being sought.
  • Specific programs may limit the number of transfer courses allowed to less than twelve.

Please consult the college/school for additional information on transfer credit.

Time Limit to Degree and Recency of Credit for Master’s Degrees

The requirements for a master's degree at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi must be completed within seven years subsequent to admission to the program. The seven-year period begins the first semester of enrollment and is calculated from the date of degree conferral. Credit that is more than seven years old will not be counted toward a master's degree. Exceptions  will require strong justification in writing from the student requesting the exception as well as submission of a revalidation plan. Credits earned at another university are not eligible for an exception. Written approval from the major department chairperson, the dean/director of the college/school offering the degree, the Graduate Dean, and the Provost are required. See the revalidation process below.

Revalidation of Courses Beyond the Seven Year Limit for Master’s Degrees

Courses listed on the plan of study completed more than seven years prior to graduation are considered dated. In order to have dated courses revalidated, the Department Chair or Program Coordinator recommends a revalidation plan, which will verify that the student's knowledge in a specific subject area is current and documented. Options for course revalidation include a written examination, a paper, a project, a course retake, or other equally rigorous academic means appropriate to the discipline to determine the student learning outcomes have been met. Revalidation requests should be submitted on the Revalidation Request Form and accompanied by a written justification, updated degree plan, revalidation plan, and documentation used for revalidation. All revalidation requests and plans must be approved by the student's faculty advisor, the department chair, the College Dean/School Director, the Graduate Dean, and the Provost. The student's faculty advisor, department chair, and College Dean/School Director are responsible for determining whether the student demonstrated sufficient course knowledge necessary for successful course revalidation. Successfully revalidated courses may be included in the student's plan of study. Failure to follow all designated requirements of the revalidation agreement may result in dismissal from the program. Subsequent requests for revalidation may be considered but will be denied absent a showing of extraordinary hardship. Graduate students will not be permitted to submit more than 12 semester hours of the program's courses for revalidation. Students will be required to repeat courses beyond the 12-semester-hour limit. Only courses completed at this university are eligible for revalidation.

Degree Plans

Degree plans should be developed by the time students have completed half of the course work in the program. Some programs may require the degree plan to be completed at an earlier point in the program. Degree plan development will be documented on the student’s online Degree Planner by the CGS Academic Advisor.

Thesis Committee

Students who choose the thesis option within their program of study must form a thesis advisory committee. All committee members must hold graduate faculty status at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and are required to participate in all thesis-related activities as applicable (e.g., proposal hearings, final thesis defense/final examinations). More than one dissenting vote in the thesis defense/final examination will constitute failure. Some programs may require a passing vote from all thesis committee members. Contact the program coordinator for more information.

Exit Requirements

All programs have a culminating experience. In addition to successful completion of all courses required for graduation, students are required to pass a comprehensive written examination taken during their final semester of enrollment or at time specified in their program if specified by the program, successfully complete a capstone experience or creative project, or defend a thesis.

The thesis must be reviewed for plagiarism and be approved by the thesis committee chair prior to the defense. Students must be enrolled during the semester in which the thesis defense/final examination occurs and in the semester in which they graduate.

Second Master’s Degree

A student who holds a master’s degree may take a second MA or MS degree only if the second degree is in a distinctly different field of study. The MBA, MPA, MAcc, and MSN degree may be earned only once.

Students who already hold a master’s degree and who wish to receive a master’s degree of a different type must complete all college/school and University requirements for the degree, including a minimum of 30 additional semester hours at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Upon the recommendation of the program coordinator and/or advisor, students may apply up to a maximum of 9 semester hours of related graduate credit from an earlier master's degree earned at this university to a second master’s degree. Such credit may be applied to a second master’s degree only if it falls within the recency of credit policy. Some degree programs do not permit any credit from an earlier degree to be applied to a second master’s degree. Please consult the specific program for details. Credit from a degree earned at another institution will not be applied to a second master’s degree at this university.

Requirements for Terminal Degree Programs

There are seven doctoral programs and one Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The College of Education and Human Development offers three doctoral degrees: a Ph.D. in Counselor Education, Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership. The College of Science offers two degrees: a Ph.D. in Coastal and Marine System Science, an interdisciplinary program drawing from the natural, social, and computational sciences; and a Ph.D. in Marine Biology. The College of Engineering and Computer Science offers a Ph.D. in Computer Science. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences offers a DNP, Doctor of Nursing Practice. The School of Arts, Media & Communication offers the Master of Fine Arts.

The goal of terminal degree programs at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is to provide students with a comprehensive discipline-specific knowledge base and extensive training in the methods of research/creative output. The programs are designed to encourage students to make contributions that advance their field of expertise.

The student is expected to demonstrate an ability to conduct independent research and the ability to express thoughts clearly in both verbal and written and/or creative formats. Candidates must successfully complete all requirements, demonstrate a high level of professional skill and performance in their academic work and their internship experience (if required), and submit a dissertation/creative product acceptable to their committee. Specific program requirements are located in the appropriate sections of the catalog.

Texas 99 Hour Rule

The Texas State Legislature has enacted a rule that provides that students at all state universities with over 99 doctoral hours may be subject to the payment of nonresident tuition. A student will generally be able to study at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi full-time for five complete academic years, including summers, before being affected by the 99-hour rule. For students staying beyond five years, in a number of cases there is still the possibility of a programmatic or individual exemption from the rule. For more information, contact the individual Program Coordinators.

Continuous Enrollment and Residency

Unless on an approved leave of absence, students in terminal degree programs must be registered continuously for a minimum of 3 semester credit hours per long semester (fall and spring semesters) during the academic year and pay the designated tuition and fees. Individual programs may have additional credit hour requirements. Students working on research/scholarly activity toward their dissertation should enroll in the number of credit hours that reflects the extent of study or research activity. International students may have additional registration requirements depending on their visa status and should consult with the Office of International Education to obtain current information. Students who are not continuously enrolled and do not have an approved Leave of Absence will be required to reapply to their program. In addition, terminal degree students who have established graduate committees who are not continuously enrolled and do not have an approved Leave of Absence are subject to having their committee dissolved. The Graduate Faculty Representative (GFR) will be released. If the student reapplies and is readmitted, a new committee form will be required and a new GFR will be appointed.

In addition, some terminal degree programs require that students continuously register in courses for a minimum of two consecutive terms, which may include summer. The purpose of the residency is to permit professional interaction with program faculty and students. The residency provides an opportunity for sustained intellectual effort/creative output by enhancing exposure to new concepts in the discipline, to research methodologies, and to development of research/creative competencies with the outcome resulting in a dissertation containing original research, a final DNP project, or a solo MFA final thesis and exhibition. For specific residency requirements, consult the degree requirements sections of the individual terminal degree programs.

Students must enroll during the semester in which the dissertation or DNP project defense/final examination occurs and in the semester in which they graduate.

Time Limit to Degree and Recency of Credit for Terminal Degree Programs

The requirements for Ph.D. and Ed.D degrees at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi must be completed within ten years subsequent to enrollment in the terminal degree program. The ten-year period begins with the first semester in which the student enrolls and is calculated from the date of degree conferral. Students have a maximum of five years to advance to candidacy and a maximum of 5 years from candidacy to successfully defend the dissertation. Students who exceed the candidacy deadline may request an extension. Candidacy extensions require strong justification in writing from the student and must include a plan for timely completion of the comprehensive examination, the proposal, and the final dissertation. The extension must be approved by the student's faculty advisor, the department chair, the College Dean/School Director, and the Graduate Dean. Credit that is more than ten years old will not count toward a terminal degree. Exceptions will only be considered for courses completed at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and will require strong justification in writing from the student requesting the exception as well as a revalidation plan. Written approval from the major department chair, the Dean/Director of the college/school from which the degree is offered, the Graduate Dean, and the Provost are required. See the revalidation process below. 

Individual programs may have shorter time-to-degree requirements. Allowed time to candidacy and recency of credit may be impacted by program requirements. See particular program requirements in this catalog as well as program handbooks.

Revalidation of Courses Beyond Degree Time Limit (for Terminal Degrees)

Courses listed on the plan of study completed more than ten years prior to graduation are considered dated. The department chair or program coordinator recommends revalidation of dated courses. Revalidation will verify that the student's knowledge in a specific subject area is current and documented. Options for course revalidation include written examinations, a project, course retake, or other equally rigorous academic means appropriate to the discipline to determine that the student learning outcomes have been met. Revalidation requests should be submitted on the Revalidation Request Form and accompanied by a written justification, updated degree plan, revalidation plan, and documentation used for revalidation. All revalidation requests and plans must be approved by the student's faculty advisor, the department chair, the College Dean/School Director, the Graduate Dean, and the Provost. The student's faculty advisor, department chair, and College Dean/School Director are responsible for determining whether the student demonstrated sufficient course knowledge necessary for successful course revalidation. Successfully revalidated courses may be included in the student's plan of study. Failure to follow all designated requirements of the revalidation agreement may result in dismissal from the program. Subsequent requests for revalidation may be considered but will be denied absent a showing of extraordinary hardship. Graduate students may not submit more than 12 semester hours of their program's courses for revalidation. Courses beyond the 12-semester hour limit must be repeated. Only courses completed at this university are eligible for revalidation.

Credit Hour Requirement

Terminal degree credit hour requirements vary. Typically, a Ph.D. or Ed.D. will consist of a minimum of 90 hours beyond the bachelor's degree for students admitted to a doctoral program directly after completion of the undergraduate degree and a minimum of 60 hours beyond the master’s degree. Credit hour requirements for the DNP and MFA are distinct from Ph.D. and Ed.D. norms. See the specific program sections of this catalog as well as program handbooks for information regarding degree requirements for particular programs. For Ph.D. and Ed.D degrees, the majority of the  degree course work must be doctoral-level courses.

Transfer of Graduate Credits

In addition to the general Transfer of Credit Policy, specific requirements must be met for courses that may transfer for terminal degree credit. The following rule applies to these courses, with the exception of degrees offered jointly.

  • The student must have been enrolled as a terminal degree student when the coursework was completed.
  • The maximum amount of transfer credit from another doctoral degree program accepted toward the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi degree is one-fourth of the credit hours required for the A&M-Corpus Christi degree.

Application of Previous TAMU-CC Graduate Credits

Students who hold a master’s degree or have post-master’s graduate credit from this university may apply up to a maximum of one-fourth of the required hours of related credit to a terminal degree at this university. The credit may be applied only if it (a) falls within the recency of credit policy, (b) is approved by the program coordinator and/or advisor as appropriate course work for the degree sought, and (c) was not used to meet minimum requirements for a master’s degree. Post-master’s graduate credit earned at another university will not be applied to a terminal degree at this university.

Doctoral Committee

The student will choose a doctoral committee chair from among the regular graduate faculty members of the doctoral program. Doctoral committees will be composed of a minimum of four Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi graduate faculty members and will include the doctoral committee chair, two other graduate faculty members, and a Graduate Faculty Representative, selected by the Graduate Dean from a different department or college/school. The Graduate Dean will officially appoint the doctoral committee. Normally, the student's committee chair and the committee members recommended by the student and the chair will be faculty members from the program offering the degree. Persons with unique and appropriate expertise may be appointed to the dissertation committee upon approval of the Graduate Dean for the dissertation portion of the doctoral program. All doctoral committee members representing the student's discipline may be required to review and approve degree plans and participate in qualifying examinations, proposal hearings, comprehensive and final examinations, including defense of dissertation, and all are required to sign relevant documents. More than one dissenting vote in the dissertation defense/final examination will constitute failure. The Graduate Faculty Representative will not be required to attend or evaluate materials related to the comprehensive examination.

Graduate Faculty Representative

The Graduate Faculty Representative helps ensure the quality of the graduate degree is appropriate for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and that students receive fair and reasonable treatment in their graduate experience. All committee members will be provided a copy of the proposal and the dissertation allowing for a two-week turnaround before the scheduled proposal and defense/final examination.

Degree Plan

Degree plans should be developed by the time students have completed half of the course work in the program. Some programs may require the degree plan to be completed at an earlier point in the program. Degree plan development will be documented on the student’s online Degree Planner by the CGS Academic Advisor. Changes to the degree plan must be approved Degree plans must be consistent with the requirements of the program and require signature of the student. Changes in the degree plan must be approved by the doctoral committee chair, college dean/school director, and graduate dean.

Comprehensive Examination

Each student must take a written comprehensive exam. The timing and content of the exam will be determined by the program faculty and will focus on the field in which the degree is taken. Faculty members responsible for portions of the written exam will provide a response of satisfactory or unsatisfactory (or other rating) and will inform the designated faculty advisor, program coordinator, or department chair of reasons for the unsatisfactory rating if such a rating is given. Programs will follow their outlined procedures to determine the outcome and determine follow-up for students who did not pass. The examination results must be reported to the Graduate Dean. 

Candidacy

A student is advanced to candidacy after successful completion of the comprehensive exam. Doctoral students have a maximum of five years to advance to candidacy unless the program specifies a lesser time period.

Dissertation Proposal

A research proposal must be submitted in written format and be presented in a meeting between the student and the doctoral committee. The dissertation should include the application of sound research strategies applied to identified problems within one’s discipline. Dissertation research typically adds to the literature in one’s field of study. The proposal should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the proposal hearing and must be submitted no fewer than two semesters prior to the student’s anticipated graduation.

Dissertation Defense/Final Examination

The comprehensive exam must be passed and courses in the plan of study completed with a GPA of not less than 3.0 before the dissertation defense/final examination will be scheduled. The dissertation defense/final examination must cover the dissertation but need not be limited thereto.

It is the responsibility of the student to apply to the College of Graduate Studies in order to schedule the defense. Prior to the defense/examination, the following should occur:

  1. The student submits a copy of the dissertation to each committee member for review allowing for a two-week turnaround (normally a minimum of 8 weeks prior to graduation).
  2. After reviewing the dissertation, the dissertation committee chair will sign the form titled Preliminary Agreement to Schedule the Dissertation Defense indicating preliminary acceptance of the dissertation.  Preliminary approval indicates that major changes will not be required in the final copy of the dissertation. The Preliminary Approval of Dissertation form will not be signed if major changes are required in the dissertation, or if committee members determine that further study is necessary.
  3. After the Preliminary Agreement to Schedule Dissertation form is signed by the dissertation chair and the program coordinator or department chair, the student must submit the form to the College of Graduate Studies by the deadline specified in the academic calendar (normally eight weeks prior to graduation). Upon receipt of the signed form, the student’s college will announce the dissertation defense/final examination on its listserv. The defense must be scheduled a minimum of six weeks prior to graduation. Unless the deadline is met, the student will not be permitted to graduate until the following semester.
  4. The dissertation must be reviewed for plagiarism by the dissertation chair and approved prior to the defense.
  5. Oversight of the dissertation defense/final examination will be the responsibility of the dissertation chair. All members of the dissertation committee will attend the dissertation defense/ final examination. The dissertation defense/final examination will be open to all members of the university community. However, at some point the dissertation defense/final examination will close to permit the completion of the examination by the doctoral committee. The dissertation chair will submit a final report of the outcome to the Graduate Dean.

Subsequent to the dissertation defense/final examination, the student will submit an electronic copy of the dissertation, no less than four weeks prior to graduation, to the College of Graduate Studies where it will be reviewed and given final approval and acceptance by the university. The format of the submitted dissertation must conform to university guidelines, which are available on the College of Graduate Studies website. If corrections are required, the dissertation will be returned to the student for revision.

Application for Degree

The doctoral degree is awarded at each semester's graduation ceremony: spring (May), fall (December), and summer (August). Students must submit a completed application for graduation to the Office of the University Registrar by the published deadline in the Academic Calendar.

Pathways to the Doctorate

Pathways to the Doctorate is a program dedicated to increasing the number and quality of master's and doctoral graduates across all disciplines within The Texas A&M University System. Consisting of eleven universities, a comprehensive health science center,  eight state agencies, and the Rellis Campus, the System spans the State of Texas. This enables the System to recruit top students from a variety of geographic, socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and cultural environments. The Pathways to the Doctorate program is one approach to meeting the goals of the state's higher education plan, Closing the Gaps. The goal of Pathways to the Doctorate is to attract high achieving students within The Texas A&M University System to pursue careers in higher education.

Through a variety of activities such as seminars and workshops, inter-institutional exchange programs, a mentoring program, and an annual research symposium with system-wide participation, the Pathways program aims to:

  • Create a pathway for talented students to pursue graduate education.
  • Foster opportunities for faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students to collaborate and to foster innovative research and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Enlighten and encourage students and teachers (K-12 through college) to see that science and technology are essential to lead a life of discovery and fun.
  • Help meet faculty needs as post-secondary enrollment grows and current faculty retire.

Graduate Assistantships

There are three types of graduate assistants at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: graduate teaching assistants, graduate research assistants, and administrative assistants. Students interested in serving as graduate assistants should contact the coordinator of their graduate program, as well as Career Services, to check availability. Graduate students interested in becoming teaching assistants in the First-Year Seminar Program should contact College of Liberal Arts for information. Graduate assistants receive a stipend to help them finance their graduate studies.

Any student serving as a graduate assistant with a 50% FTE appointment during a regular semester (fall or spring) must be enrolled for at least 6 hours of graduate-level coursework in that semester. Individual colleges/school or programs may have additional credit hour requirements. Any student serving as a graduate assistant with a 50% FTE appointment during the summer must be enrolled for at least 3 hours of graduate level coursework during the combined summer terms. Any exceptions to these rules must have the approval of the Graduate Dean.

Teaching assistants must meet the enrollment requirements in the previous paragraph and must make steady progress toward the completion of an advanced degree. Any exceptions to this rule must have the approval of the Graduate Dean.

Non-resident or international students holding a 50% FTE graduate assistantship receive instate tuition and fees at the rate charged to Texas residents for the semester in which they hold the assistantship appointment.