|
|
 |
Office of Graduate Studies
Objectives of Graduate Studies
The Office of Graduate Studies
(OGS) maintains the official record for each graduate
student, and in this role serves as the primary administrative
body and overarching source of information for graduate education.
Once a graduate student is accepted by an academic department,
school or college, OGS assists and facilitates progression
towards completion of a graduate degree through maintenance
of all official documents. OGS interacts directly with the
Graduate Council and Graduate Operations Committee in order
to set minimal university guidelines, and all departments
and colleges use these as a framework for operation, only
setting more stringent standards when needed and appropriate.
Clearance for graduation, including final review of theses
and dissertations when required, is performed by OGS, but
the Registrar's Office is responsible for issuing all transcripts.
The overall objective of graduate study
is to provide students with the intellectual depth and breadth,
and appropriate training necessary to pursue productive careers
in the professions and in various fields of teaching and research
and in other ways make a larger contribution to society than
would be otherwise possible.
Graduate students are admitted for graduate
study in a department to pursue generally only one of the programs
listed on the following pages. Such programs are usually accessible
by admission into a single department. However, there are a
select number of dual degree programs, which allow a student
the opportunity to pursue two masters degrees simultaneously.
For a listing of the approved dual degree programs, students
should consult their departments. In some cases, an intercollegiate
faculty oversees the programs allowing access through several
departments. Each department has one or more graduate advisors
who can provide information about specific programs within
that department.
A student's program of graduate study usually consists of
a combination of course work, independent study, and scholarly
research resulting in a report, record of study, master's thesis
or doctoral dissertation. In some programs, students may be
required to participate in an internship or other professional
activity to satisfy particular degree requirements. Some departments
require students' participation in teaching as part of their
degree programs.
Administration of Graduate Studies
The graduate faculty consists of the
President, the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Associate
Provosts, the Vice President for Research, the Dean of Graduate
Studies, the Deans of all colleges and schools, selected Directors
and a properly qualified academic group appointed by the Office
of Graduate Studies. Members of the graduate faculty participate
in the graduate degree programs of the University by serving
on student advisory committees and teaching graduate courses.
Individuals who are not members of the graduate faculty of
Texas A&M University may not teach graduate courses or
serve on student advisory committees unless special approval
is granted by the Office of Graduate Studies.
The Graduate Council serves as an advisory
group to the Dean of Graduate Studies. It makes recommendations
to the Dean and, on major policy matters, to the Faculty Senate.
The Graduate Council concerns itself with the development of
graduate programs within the University and with the maintenance
of standards of excellence in all graduate instruction and
graduate activities. Each college has a committee on graduate
instruction with the responsibility for making recommendations
concerning graduate course offerings, general policies on graduate
instruction, and for other matters pertaining to graduate studies
in that college. The chair of each committee on graduate instruction
is a member of the Graduate Council.
The Graduate Operations Committee
(GOC) serves as an advisory body to the Vice President
for Research. It focuses primarily on operations and procedures
regarding administration of graduate education throughout
the University. The GOC works very closely with the Graduate
Council to coordinate all curriculum and policy issues. It
also works closely with the Academic Operations Committee
and the Academic Program Council to consider recommendations
concerning operations and procedures. Each academic college
is represented on the GOC by the associate dean (or other
named individual) responsible for graduate studies in that
college.
Graduate Faculty
General Description of Graduate
Faculty
The Graduate Faculty is composed
of Members, Associate Members, Adjunct Members and Special
Appointments. Members and Associate Members are selected
from qualified individuals of the academic staff of Texas
A&M University, from the staff of other parts of the
University, from The Texas A&M University System, and
from affiliated research organizations (such as USDA) located
in College Station, Texas.
Nomination for membership on the
Graduate Faculty is always initiated by the head of the appropriate
academic department of Texas A&M University in College
Station and is processed as discussed in the following sections.
Appointment to membership on the
Graduate Faculty, although considered an honor, serves functional
purposes and must be earned. Appointment to membership is
not for the purpose of conferring recognition upon an individual,
but is designed to assure competence in the directing and
counseling of graduate students and in the teaching of graduate
courses. Such competence is, in part, a function of experience
and knowledge of operational procedure; it is also characterized
by ability and motivation.
Membership on the Graduate Faculty
is maintained only by participating in the graduate program
by teaching, by directing or administering graduate work,
by doing research and publication, or by other direct and
substantial contributions to the graduate programs of the
University, such as by service on a Graduate Instruction
Committee or by administrative assignments in graduate education.
The Graduate Council expects that all Deans and Department
Heads will regularly review the Graduate Faculty under their
direction and will recommend withdrawal of the appointments
of any members who no longer merit membership on the Graduate
Faculty on the basis of their lack of contribution to graduate
education. The Department Head shall notify any faculty member
who is non-voluntarily removed from the roles of the Graduate
Faculty, and the faculty member has the right to appeal his
or her removal through the PPM 2.3.2.6 (Faculty Grievance
Procedures).
A graduate student at Texas A&M
University may not be a member of the Graduate Faculty. Membership
on the Graduate Faculty of any faculty or staff member of
Texas A&M University or The Texas A&M University
System and affiliated research organizations is forfeited
upon a faculty or staff member's admission to a graduate
program at Texas A&M University. The four categories
of membership are: (1) Member; (2) Associate Member; (3)
Adjunct Member; and (4) Special Appointment.
Members
Eligibility. Tenure
track and tenured faculty members of Texas A&M University
are eligible to participate as Members of the Graduate
Faculty under criteria and guidelines as established by
each college, school or department on the College Station
campus. Appointment of an individual as a Member is accomplished
by a letter of nomination from the head of a department
on the College Station campus to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
In some cases, additional approval is required by the Dean
or the Graduate Instruction Committee of the individual's
college or school.
A non-tenure-track individual employed
by Texas A&M University, TAES, TAEX, TEES, TEEX or
TTI with professorial rank is eligible to participate as
a Member of the Graduate Faculty. A person holding the
title of Lecturer or Senior Lecturer may not normally be
considered for Member status on the Graduate Faculty. Exceptions
to this will be acceptable only if the person concerned
has an unusual or unique contribution to make to the graduate
program of Texas A&M University and approval is granted
by the department, college, school and Office of Graduate
Studies. A non-tenure-track individual is nominated by
the head of the appropriate academic department in College
Station who must present evidence that (a) the nominee
(1) has taught a graduate class, or (2) has actively served
on a graduate student's advisory committee, or (3) has
held a definite administrative assignment in the graduate
program of a university; and that (b) the nominee has published
a scholarly work as primary author (or, in the case of
a professional discipline, has exhibited appropriate evidence
of professional accomplishment). Recognized scholars and
authorities whose merits are clearly established need not
be measured by standard criteria. Appointment of these
individuals is accomplished by use of the Personal Record
Form, initiated by the head of the academic department
in College Station, through the College Graduate Instruction
Committee and the college or school Dean to the Dean of
Graduate Studies.
Privileges
A Member of the Graduate Faculty,
located at College Station, may teach graduate courses and
serve as member, co-chair or chair of a graduate student's
Advisory Committee. Members located at the Texas A&M
University Galveston Campus, the TAMU Temple Campus or TAMU's
Institute of Biosciences and Technology-Houston may teach
graduate courses and serve as a member, co-chair or chair
of a graduate student's Advisory Committee.
Other Members of the Graduate Faculty
located off-campus may teach graduate courses and serve as
a member or co-chair (but not chair), with a Member as the
other co-chair, of a graduate student's Advisory Committee.
Associate Members
Eligibility. Any
faculty member (including Instructors and Lecturers, if
permitted by the department or college's policy) or professional
staff employed by Texas A&M University, TAES, TAEX,
TEES, TEEX or TTI who holds the highest earned degree common
to that person's discipline may be granted Associate Member
status on the Graduate Faculty of Texas A&M University
provided that the individual's appointment as an Associate
Member of the Graduate Faculty will be beneficial to the
department's graduate program. In addition, employees of
federal and state agencies located in the College Station
area are eligible for Associate Member status. It is expected
that a nominee for Associate Member status has published
a scholarly work as primary author (or, in the case of
a professional discipline, has exhibited appropriate evidence
of professional accomplishment). Recognized scholars and
authorities whose merits are clearly established need not
be measured by standard criteria.
Appointment to Associate Member
status is accomplished by use of the Personal Record Form,
initiated by the head of the academic department at College
Station through the College Graduate Instruction Committee
and the college or school Dean to the Dean of Graduate
Studies. A non-tenure-track individual is nominated by
the head of the appropriate academic department at College
Station who must present evidence that (a) the nominee
(1) has taught a graduate class, or (2) has actively served
on a graduate student's advisory committee, or (3) has
held a definite administrative assignment in the graduate
program of a university; and that (b) the nominee has published
a scholarly work as primary author (or, in the case of
a professional discipline, has exhibited appropriate evidence
of professional accomplishment). Recognized scholars and
authorities whose merits are clearly established need not
be measured by standard criteria. Appointment of these
individuals is accomplished by use of the Personal Record
Form, initiated by the head of the academic department
at College Station through the College Graduate Instruction
Committee and the college or school Dean to the Dean of
Graduate Studies.
Privileges
An Associate Member of the Graduate
Faculty of Texas A&M University may teach graduate courses
and serve as member or co-chair (but not as chair) with a
Member as the other co-chair of a graduate student's Advisory
Committee.
Adjunct Members
Eligibility. Recognized
scholars who do not hold a permanent appointment to the
faculty (including visiting and adjunct academic appointments)
of this University, but who otherwise meet the basic requirements
for the status of Member of the Graduate Faculty, as described
previously, may be eligible for appointment to Adjunct
Member status. In addition, individuals not located in
College Station and not employed by Texas A&M University
may be considered for Adjunct Member status on the Graduate
Faculty provided they are employed by another agency of
the Texas A&M University System or are qualified staff
of federal or state agencies. Such nominations should be
made in those cases in which there is an apparent need,
and justification can be presented by the head of an academic
department in College Station.
Appointment of an Adjunct Member
is accomplished by use of the Personal Record Form, initiated
by the head of the academic department at College Station
through the College Graduate Instruction Committee and
the college or school Dean to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
A non-tenure-track individual is nominated by the head
of the appropriate academic department in College Station
who must present evidence that (a) the nominee (1) has
taught a graduate class, or (2) has actively served on
a graduate student's advisory committee, or (3) has held
a definite administrative assignment in the graduate program
of a university; and that (b) the nominee has published
a scholarly work as primary author (or, in the case of
a professional discipline, has exhibited appropriate evidence
of professional accomplishment). Recognized scholars and
authorities whose merits are clearly established need not
be measured by standard criteria. Appointment of these
individuals is accomplished by use of the Personal Record
Form, initiated by the head of the academic department
at College Station through the College Graduate Instruction
Committee and the college or school Dean to the Dean of
Graduate Studies.
Privileges
An Adjunct Member of the Graduate
Faculty may teach graduate courses and serve as a member
or co-chair (but not chair) with a Member as the other co-chair
of a graduate student's Advisory Committee.
Special Appointment
There may be times when the head
of an academic department in College Station wishes to
have qualified individuals teach a graduate course or serve
on a student's Advisory Committee without being permanently
on the Graduate Faculty as either a Member, Associate Member
or Adjunct Member. In addition, qualified individuals from
other universities, government or industry may be appointed
in special cases to teach a graduate course or to serve
on a student's Advisory Committee.
These appointments are accomplished
by a letter of request from the head of an academic department
in College Station to the Dean of Graduate Studies with
the individual's résumé attached. In the
letter of request, the department head should indicate
if the Special Appointment status is to be limited to the
one specified committee, to one specified teaching assignment,
or to a fixed length of time (e.g., for one or two years).
A qualified individual from another
university, government or industry who holds Special Appointment
status to the graduate faculty and who serves on a Graduate
Advisory Committee is not counted toward the minimum number
of graduate faculty necessary to form the committee.
-
Research staff who are on the Graduate Faculty of
Texas A&M University and who hold payroll titles
equivalent to the "Scientist" titles will be
assigned by the Dean of Graduate Studies, for the purpose
of listing in the Graduate Catalog, the equivalent "Scientist" title.
(Example: A person holding the payroll title of "Associate
Research Engineer" will be assigned the title of "Associate
Research Scientist.")
-
Extension Service personnel on the Graduate Faculty
of Texas A&M University will be identified in the Graduate
Catalog by the title "Extension Specialist."
-
USDA personnel on the Graduate Faculty of Texas A&M
University will be identified in the Graduate Catalog by
the title "USDA Scientist."
-
Individuals in the Member, Associate Member and Adjunct
Member categories will be listed in the Graduate Faculty
section of the Graduate Catalog.
-
Only names of individuals in the Member category
of the Graduate Faculty will be listed under the respective
departmental headings in the Graduate Catalog.
Intercollegiate Faculty
Texas A&M University has established
the concept of an intercollegiate faculty with expressed goals
of (a) fostering development and communication in disciplinary
fields represented by faculty members in different departments
and colleges, (b) utilizing faculty expertise in specific areas
to strengthen emerging disciplinary programs and (c) overseeing
the academic administration of graduate degree programs in
a particular discipline.
In order to have access to an intercollegiate
faculty's degree programs, a graduate student must be admitted
to that program and a member of that faculty must serve as
chair of the student's advisory committee.
Intercollegiate faculties have been
formed in agribusiness, biotechnology, engineering systems
management, food science and technology, genetics, nutrition,
molecular and environmental plant sciences, toxicology and
reproductive biology.
Graduate Advisors
A graduate student entering the University
for the first time is required to consult with a graduate advisor
in his or her department. Departmental Graduate Advisors are
available for consultation several days prior to registration.
Graduate Advisors are designated by an asterisk in the Course
Description section of this catalog.
Ombudsperson for Graduate Education
The Ombudsperson for Graduate Education
assists graduate students, faculty, staff and administrators
in solving conflicts informally. This is accomplished by serving
as a neutral listener, information resource, advisor, intermediary
and mediator.
Graduate students may serve in many
roles during their academic careers such as students, teachers,
co-workers, colleagues, employees or technicians. Varying rules/policies
apply for the many roles. As long as the expectations for behavior
are understood and accepted by all parties, there is rarely
a problem.
However, challenges can arise when
there are differing expectations or conflicting policies, or
when one group is accused of violating the rules. The ombudsperson
advocates for the processes of graduate education by being
equally open and accessible to all parties--students, faculty,
staff and administrators.
The Ombudsperson for Graduate Education
can assist if:
-
you have an issue or a concern that you and others cannot
resolve, or that you would prefer not to address through
formal channels.
-
you have a matter to explore "off the record," or
those for which you need informal consultation.
-
you have a problem, and are unsure with whom to speak
or what options are available to address it.
-
you feel that a University policy, procedure or regulation
has been applied unfairly, or is itself unfair or ambiguous.
-
you have a problem that requires an outside party to
negotiate a solution, or facilitate your communication with
others.
Ombudsperson contact information:
Ombudsperson for Graduate Education
1113 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-1113
(979) 845-3631
ombuds@tamu.edu
University Graduate Student Information
Forum
The University-wide graduate student
information forum provides an introduction to and overview
of the graduate education experience at Texas A&M. Whereas
many colleges and departments hold graduate orientations to
cover objectives and items for specific programs, the University
Graduate Student Information Forum provides a broad overview
of the graduate process.
The information forum program covers
the what, why, and the how of graduate degree requirements,
the proper conduct of research and other pertinent topics.
Participants also have the opportunity to learn about available
campus resources from participating campus offices and organizations
at a resource fair held as part of the information forum. New
students receive information and registration forms for the
information forum when they are admitted to a degree program.
For further information about the University Graduate Student
Information Forum, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies,
302 Jack K. Williams Administration Building, Texas A&M
University, 1113 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1113, (979)
845-3631; via email at ogs@tamu.edu;
or on the website vpr.tamu.edu.
Saturday Seminars
The Office of Graduate Studies sponsors
a seminar series entitled The Saturday Seminar. These seminars
are designed to provide graduate students with practical, useful
and timely information that is generally not covered elsewhere.
Topics of these seminars include Writing and Publishing Your
Thesis or Dissertation; Getting That Job: Preparing and Interviewing
for Non-Academic Jobs; Preparing Presentations for Professional
Meetings; and Writing Grant Proposals. The seminars occur approximately
five times during the year. Students are notified of the seminars
in advance by email and posted fliers. There is no charge for
the seminars, but seating is limited, so students must reserve
a seat. For more information, please email ogs@tamu.edu.
Graduate Student Council
The Graduate Student Council (GSC)
exists to share and discuss information important to Texas
A&M University graduate and professional students and to
serve as an advocate for their interests within the University
community. Specific goals of the GSC include: to represent
all graduate and professional students by identifying and advocating
their interests on graduate issues; to be recognized as representing
a unique population within the University system; to facilitate
communication on graduate issues within the University community;
and to enhance the graduate experience through social and service
opportunities. Each academic graduate department elects one
representative each fall. Officer elections are held in the
spring. GSC also works closely with Student Government to assure
graduate student issues are represented and addressed through
student legislation and on University committees. Additional
information can be obtained by visiting us on the website at gsc.tamu.edu.
Letter of Completion
As a courtesy, the Office of Graduate
Studies may issue a letter of completion for an individual
student upon written request from the student. The letter of
completion certifies that the student has completed all academic
requirements for the degree and states the date the degree
will be awarded.
These letters may be requested anytime
from the point the student has completed all requirements for
the award of the degree and until five days prior to commencement.
Students in thesis option or doctoral programs must have completed
all degree requirements including final clearance from the
Thesis Office to be eligible to request this letter. For students
in non-thesis option programs, requests for letters will be
accepted only if the student has completed all degree plan
course work and the final examination results, if applicable,
have been approved by the Office of Graduate Studies.
In addition to making a request for
a letter with the Office of Graduate Studies, the student must
also obtain clearance from the Student Debt Management Office
(Pavilion, Room 113). The Student Debt Management Office will
verify to the Office of Graduate Studies whether all financial
obligations to the University have been satisfied.
|
|
