Degree Information
Expectations for Graduate Study
The major goals of graduate education
at Texas A&M University are to instill in each student
an understanding of and a capacity for scholarship, independent
judgment, academic rigor and intellectual honesty. Faculty
and graduate students have a shared obligation to work together
to foster these goals through relationships that advance freedom
of inquiry, demonstrate individual and professional integrity,
and encourage common respect.
Graduate student progress is guided
and evaluated by an advisor and a graduate committee. These
individuals give direction and support for the appropriate
developmental and learning goals of graduate students. The
advisor and the graduate committee also have the obligation
of evaluating a graduate student's academic performance. The
graduate student, the advisor and the graduate committee constitute
the basic core of graduate education. It is the quality, scope
and extent to interaction in this group that determine the
significance of the graduate experience.
High quality graduate education requires
professional and ethical conduct of the participants. Faculty
and graduate students have mutual responsibilities in ensuring
academic standards and quality graduate programs. Excellence
in graduate education is achieved when faculty and students
are inspired, have the academic and professional backgrounds
essential to function at the highest level, and are genuine
in their mutual desire to see one another triumph. Any action
that negatively affects this interaction--from either faculty
member or student--destroys the whole relationship. Mutual
respect is critical to the successful process.
The
requirements set forth in this catalog are defined as minimum
University requirements. Departments and Colleges may opt
to establish higher standards and/or additional requirements.
Student Responsibility
It is the responsibility of each student
to:
Scholastic Requirements
Graduate
students must maintain a grade point ratio (GPR) of 3.000
(B average based on a 4.000 scale) for all courses which
are listed on the degree plan and for all graded graduate
and advanced undergraduate course work (300- and 400-level)
completed at Texas A&M and eligible to be applied
toward a graduate degree. Graduate students will not
receive graduate
degree credit for undergraduate courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory
(S/U) basis. Graduate students may not receive grades
other than satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U) in
graduate courses
bearing the numbers 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693 and
695. Any other graduate course taken on an S/U basis
may not be
used on a graduate degree plan. Graduate courses not
on the degree plan may be taken on an S/U basis.
Only grades of A, B, C and S are acceptable
for graduate credit. Grades of D, F or Unsatisfactory (U) for
courses on the degree plan must be absolved by repeating the
courses at Texas A&M University and achieving grades of
C or above or Satisfactory (S). A course in which the final
grade is C or lower may be repeated for a higher grade. The
original grade will remain on the student's permanent record,
and the most recent grade will be used in computing the cumulative
and degree plan GPRs.
The cumulative GPR for a graduate student
is computed by using all graded graduate (600-level) and advanced
undergraduate (300- and 400-level) course work completed at
Texas A&M University and eligible to be applied toward
a graduate degree. Semester credit hours to which grades of
Withdraw Failing (WF) are assigned shall be included in computing
the GPR. Those involving grades of Withdraw Passing (WP), Satisfactory
(S), Unsatisfactory (U) and Q-drop (Q) shall be excluded.
If either of a student's cumulative
GPR or the GPR for courses listed on the degree plan falls
below the minimum of 3.000, he or she will be considered to
be scholastically deficient. If the minimum GPR is not attained
in a reasonable length of time, the student may be dropped
from graduate studies. The procedures for dismissal are explained
in the Texas A&M
University Student Rules . Departments or colleges may
adopt specific guidelines pertaining to scholastic deficiency
or dismissal.
Any course work not applied towards
a prior graduate degree, and not exceeding time limits, will
be included in the student's GPR for the subsequent degree
program.
Residence Requirements
A major purpose of the residence
requirements for graduate degrees is to ensure that the student
has an opportunity to benefit from the advantages of a university
environment. These advantages include not only the accessibility
of library, laboratory and other physical facilities, but also
the opportunity to participate in seminars and a variety of
cultural activities. Equally important to the graduate student
are the advantages of becoming acquainted with the faculty
and other students on both a personal and a professional basis.
A student "in residence" is
expected to devote most of his or her time and energy to
graduate studies under the
direction of the student's major professor and the advisory
committee.
Another major purpose of the
residence requirements for graduate degrees is to ensure the
faculty the opportunity to properly evaluate the student and
his or her development in order to guide and direct his or
her studies and to determine competency.
The minimum time required to
qualify for an advanced degree varies with the ability
and preparation of the student. Students may find it necessary
to extend their studies beyond the minimum requirements. For
specific minimum residence requirements, students are directed
to check the degree program description for the degree
which they are pursuing.
