Each graduate student must complete degree requirements in accordance with the catalog in effect at the time the student entered the graduate program in which the degree will be awarded or, at the student's option, the catalog of any subsequent year in which the student was in residence.

Please note that changes in University regulations and policies become effective for all enrolled students in the year for which the catalog is in effect, regardless of the year of initial enrollment. Thus, students may choose to satisfy degree requirements specified in an earlier catalog, but all must observe University regulations and follow graduation procedures prescribed in the catalog in effect in the intended semester of graduation.

Enrollment Requirements

All students must be enrolled in their graduate program in any term in which they are completing graduate degree requirements including taking the final master's exam, conducting research, or defending a thesis or dissertation. Enrollment in courses outside the major field will not satisfy enrollment requirements. Enrolled students who do not complete all requirements by the beginning of the next long semester must enroll to complete remaining degree requirements. 

Students who are completing their final semester of study must be enrolled and receive an acceptable grade  in the appropriate internship, project, thesis research or dissertation research course in order to graduate. 

Funded Students

Funded students are normally expected to be enrolled as full time students while holding an assistantship or associateship.  However, master's or doctoral students who need fewer hours to complete their degrees may petition for a waiver of full time enrollment as described in the Assistantship/Associateship Policy section of this catalog.

Credit Toward Degrees and Certificates

Only courses completed with a grade of A, B, C, or P can satisfy graduate degree or certificate requirements. However, courses in which grades of D or F are earned will affect a student's grade-point average. A student must have a B (3.000) grade-point average in courses included in their degree plan and a B (3.000) average in all work undertaken as a graduate student to have credits applied toward a graduate degree or certificate.

Credit for Repeated Courses

A student may repeat a course only if that course is specifically designated in this catalog as one that can be repeated for credit. A student who fails to receive credit (earns a grade of D or F) may repeat the course in order to obtain credit, in which case the grades for both attempts will count in computing the student's overall grade-point average. No student will be allowed to repeat a course in order to change a passing grade of C or higher.

Course Credit Applied to More Than One Degree

No course that has been applied to any degree, at any graduate or undergraduate institution, may be applied to any other degree, either directly or by substitution except in approved dual degree or approved fast track programs. The amount of shared credit between degrees in dual degree programs is limited and varies with the total number of hours needed to complete both degrees. Similarly, the amount of credit that can be shared in fast track programs is also limited. Details may be found in descriptions provided by participating programs elsewhere in this catalog.

Credit for Advanced Undergraduate Coursework

Up to nine hours of advanced undergraduate credit from UT Arlington or another institution may be applied to a master's degree program if the hours have not been used to earn a previous degree and have the approval of the appropriate Graduate Studies Committee and the Academic Dean. Approved fast track programs may allow dual credit. Credit hours from undergraduate coursework may not be used to satisfy doctoral degree requirements.

Earning Graduate Course Credit as a UT Arlington Undergraduate Student

Courses taken in undergraduate status may be applied to a master's program but may not be used to satisfy requirements of a doctoral program.

Some departments do not permit students to enroll in graduate courses unless they have been admitted to a graduate program. Others allow students enrolled as undergraduates to take a limited amount of graduate coursework under the conditions described below.

All undergraduate students must consult with the appropriate graduate advisor before attempting to register for graduate courses.

Advanced UT Arlington Undergraduates (Current Seniors)

An undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington may not use graduate courses (numbered 5000 and above) to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements except as part of an approved fast track program. However, an undergraduate needing no more than 12 hours in one term (six semester hours in one summer session) to complete all the requirements for a bachelor's degree may register for graduate courses and apply them toward a master's degree at UT Arlington under the following conditions:

1. In no case may a student previously dismissed from or denied admission to a graduate program enroll in graduate courses or reserve courses for graduate credit.
2. All work for undergraduate credit must be completed during that term in which the student initially enrolls in graduate courses.
3. Total registration for all work may not exceed 15 semester hours in a term (or 12 semester hours in the summer sessions).
4. The student must submit to the graduate advisor a "Reservation of Courses for Graduate Credit by Undergraduate Students" form (available from graduate advisors). The reservation must be approved by the graduate advisor and the Academic Dean.  The Office of the Registrar must certify that the reserved credit will not be applied to the student's undergraduate degree requirements.
5. The student must have at least a 3.000 undergraduate GPA to be eligible to enroll in a graduate course and to reserve it for graduate degree credit.
6. Courses taken at UT Arlington and reserved for graduate credit may be applied to a master's degree program only if a grade of A, B, C, or P was earned.
7. Credit is officially accepted for application to a graduate program when a student is unconditionally admitted to UT Arlington.
8. A maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate level courses may be reserved.

Students Holding Bachelor or Higher Degrees Enrolled as Degreed Undergraduates

Students who have completed their undergraduate studies and have been awarded their bachelor's degree may enroll as degreed undergraduates in graduate-level course work and receive graduate credit at UT Arlington under the following conditions:

1. Courses taken at UT Arlington and reserved for graduate credit may be applied to a master's degree program only if a grade of A, B, C, or P was earned.
2. No more than 12 semester hours of credit earned while a degreed undergraduate may be applied for credit toward a master's degree. Students must file a request, approved by the graduate advisor, the Committee on Graduate Studies, and the Academic Dean to apply such credits toward a graduate degree.
3. All courses that are applied to a master's degree must have been completed no more than five years before enrollment in a graduate program at UT Arlington. If the student has completed more than 12 semester hours of graduate courses in undergraduate status, only graduate courses completed within five years of enrollment in a graduate program at UT Arlington will become part of the graduate record and considered in computing the student's grade-point average.
4. A student may elect to apply all graduate courses completed in the last five years toward their degree or to apply none of this work. Selective application of courses is not permitted. If any courses are applied for credit toward a master's degree, all courses completed within the last five years will become part of the graduate record.

Credit for courses taken as a non-degree seeking graduate student

Up to 12 graduate level (5000 and above) semester credit hours earned as a special non-degree seeking student may be applied to a graduate degree program, subject to graduate grading practices. Review and approval of the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and the approval of Graduate Admissions are required. All grades in courses taken as a special non-degree seeking student and graduate certificate status will be considered in computing a student's graduate grade-point average.

Graduate Credit for Extension Classes

Work done in extension classes may be applied toward an advanced degree under the same conditions that apply to transfer work, except that credit for extension work is limited to six credit hours.

Courses That Do Not Provide Graduate Credit

• Personal Improvement Courses: Personal improvement individual or group music or art lessons and exercise and sports activities courses can not be used for the following: 1) to satisfy graduate degree requirements; 2) meet enrollment requirements; 3) in computation of graduate grade-point averages or determination of academic probation or academic good standing; 4) in calculation of grade-point averages for the purpose of admission to a Graduate Program or for certification for graduation from a Graduate Program.
• Audited Classes: University credit is not granted for audited classes and audited classes will not satisfy enrollment requirements.
• Correspondence Courses: Correspondence courses are not accepted for graduate credit.
• Credit by Examination: Credit by examination may not be used for graduate credit and no such credit, graduate or undergraduate may appear on graduate student transcripts.

Transfer Credit and Course Waivers

Transfer Credit Applied to Master's Degrees

Equivalent coursework completed at other institutions of recognized standing may be transferred to a master's degree program after evaluation and approval. Transferred courses do not appear on the UT Arlington Official Transcript and grades earned in transferred courses are not included in calculating a student's UT Arlington graduate grade-point average.

No more than nine hours of transfer credit will be granted except in the professional master's programs that require more than 36 hours of coursework. In such programs, the number of transfer hours is limited to 25 percent of the total program hours. This rule does not invalidate agreements that are stated elsewhere in this catalog. Transfer credit will be accepted only for organized courses in which the student received a letter grade of B or higher and an official transcript showing the course(s) and grade(s) is required.

Courses from other universities taken after a student has been admitted into a master's program at UT Arlington must be approved in advance by the appropriate graduate advisor and Committee on Graduate Studies. All work submitted for transfer credit must have been completed no more than six years before completion of a graduate program at UT Arlington. A list of approved credit must be sent to the Office of Admissions to be posted to the student's university record.

Waiving Courses Required for Doctoral Degrees

Graduate-level coursework completed in the student’s major area of doctoral study at institutions of recognized standing that grant doctoral degrees in those subject areas may serve to establish the student’s competency in equivalent UT Arlington courses. Competency demonstrated by successful completion of equivalent courses may provide a basis for waiving some UT Arlington course requirements and the credit hours associated with those courses.

Waivers must be recommended by the student’s graduate advisor and current supervising professor and their recommendation must be approved by both the Committee on Graduate Studies of the student’s major area. Only courses in which the student has earned a B (3.0) or better (or a P if the UTA course is also graded P/F) will be considered for purposes of a waiver. In no case will final semester Dissertation course (6x99 or 7399) requirements be waived. An approved list of waived courses must be sent to the Office of the Registrar to be posted to the student's university record.

Transfer Credit Applied to Graduate Certificates

Equivalent coursework completed at other institutions of recognized standing may be transferred to a certificate program after evaluation and approval. Transferred courses do not appear on the UT Arlington Official Transcript and grades earned in transferred courses are not included in calculating a student's UT Arlington graduate grade-point average.

The number of transfer units is limited to 50% of the total units required for the certificate, except in certificate programs that exceed 15 units, in which case 12 of those units must be taken in residence. This rule does not invalidate written agreements stated elsewhere in this catalog. Transfer credit will be accepted only for organized courses in which the student received a letter grade of B or higher and an official transcript showing the course(s) and grade(s) is required.

Courses from other universities taken after a student has been admitted into a master's program at UT Arlington must be approved in advance by the appropriate graduate advisor and Committee on Graduate Studies. All work submitted for transfer credit must have been completed no more than six years before completion of a graduate program at UT Arlington. A list of approved credit must be sent to the Office of the Registrar to be posted to the student's university record.

Departmental, Program and College Program Manuals for Students

Many departments and programs issue program manuals, procedures and policy manuals, graduate student handbooks, and other informational publications for students and faculty in graduate programs. These publications may provide detailed and useful information; however, they are not statements of official policy of the University of Texas at Arlington nor of the University of Texas System. In all matters the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, the Handbook of Operating Procedures of the University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Texas at Arlington Catalog shall supersede departmental, program or college publications.

Master's Degree Requirements

Degree requirements and academic performance standards given in this section are the minimum required. Satisfying these general requirements and standards, however, does not imply that all degree and program requirements have been met. Many programs set special course requirements and may require higher grade-point averages or other academic standards than those given in this section. Such program requirements and standards are included in individual program descriptions in this catalog and in departmental and college program manuals or policy statements. These special requirements shall not be considered in conflict with this catalog and shall have the same force as this catalog.

Degree Plans and Required Hours

Three degree plans (thesis, thesis substitute and non-thesis) may lead  to the master's degree.  While some programs offer all three options, other do not and students should go to the information in this Catalog on each program to learn what choices are available. All degree plans require at least 30 semester hours of study. Some require more. 

The thesis degree plan requires a minimum of 30 hours which include at least 6 hours of thesis course credit and at least 24 hours of other prescribed and elective course work. Student are expected to conduct research for their theses and defend the final version of their thesis while enrolled in theses courses.  Students receiving advice and assistance from a faculty member in the preparation of a thesis must register for the appropriate thesis research course even if they are not on campus. Once the student is enrolled in the thesis course, continuous enrollment is required. The student must be enrolled in an appropriate thesis course during the term in which the thesis is defended and the final Master's Examination is unconditionally passed. The degree candidate must defend the thesis in a final oral examination open to the public.

The thesis substitute degree plan requires successful completion of  required and elective coursework which generally consist of  lectures and seminars. However, this degree plan also includes a project, research or internship course which may  involve internship experiences, reports or projects prepared in certain graduate seminar, conference or research courses or preparation of a design thesis in Architecture. Thesis substitute students must complete and pass a Final Master's Examination devised by their degree program.

The non-thesis degree plan  does not require a thesis or a thesis substitute activity. Students complete a number of required  and elective courses and must pass a Final Master's Examination devised by their degree program.

Time Limit

Programs for the master's degree must be completed within six years (time in military service excluded) from initial registration in a graduate degree program. Students who exceed the published time limits for completing the graduate degree but wish to graduate, must petition the Academic Dean for an exception to the time limit policy. 

Residence

All degree seeking graduate students must meet residency goals reflecting scholarly engagement and immersion in research, scholarship, creative work and professional development in his or her degree program. Residency requirements can be met through one of three mechanisms:

• The equivalent of two terms of full-time enrollment:    Students completing residency via enrollment should understand that the goals of residency are focused effort in activities related to their degree.
•  Program-specific alternative residency plan:  Academic degree programs may have alternative methods by which enrolled students achieve residency goals. These alternatives, if any, are described in an academic program’s description of its degree requirements.  Such plans must  have prior approval  by the Graduate School Dean. 
• Individual alternative residency plan:  Proposals for alternative residency from individual students can be submitted for approval by the Graduate School Dean.

Foreign Language Requirement

A reading knowledge of at least one foreign language (classical or modern) is required by some departments or programs for master's degree candidates. Specific language requirements, if any, are given in the individual departmental and program degree descriptions.

Supervising Committees

The Academic Dean will appoint for each master's student a supervising committee upon recommendation by the graduate advisor and the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies. The supervising committee conducts the final thesis examination for thesis degree plan candidates and determines scope, content and form of the final master's comprehensive examination for thesis substitute and non-thesis degree plan candidates. The committee will normally consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty and will be responsible for the design of the student's program. One qualified external person who is not a member of the graduate faculty may serve as a voting member of a supervising committee if nominated by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and approved by the Graduate Dean. A student may request that more than one  external members participate on the supervising committee. However  only one of these  may vote. Non-voting members must be in addition to the three voting members and must be approved by the Graduate Dean.

Final Master's Examination

A final program examination is required for all master's degree candidates. The final master's examination can result in: 1) an unconditional pass with a recommendation to the Academic Dean that the candidate be certified to receive the earned degree; 2) a conditional pass with the requirement that additional conditions be met, which may include further work on the thesis or thesis substitute, additional coursework with a minimum specified grade-point average, or both (in all cases, the final master's examination must be repeated within a specified period); 3) failure, with permission to be re-examined after a specified period; or 4) failure, with recommendation to the Academic Dean that the candidate be dismissed from the program. The Final Examination Report must  filed with the Office of the  Registrar's  regardless of the outcome. Most programs limit to two the number of repeats of the final master's examination. 

For thesis degree plan candidates, the examination will be an oral defense of the thesis. The examination will be conducted by all members of the student's supervising committee but will be open to all members of the faculty and the public. The thesis examining committee must have copies of the thesis at least two weeks prior to the thesis defense. Thesis degree plan candidates must submit an copy of the unconditionally passed thesis to the Library following the procedures for electronic submission.

For thesis substitute or non-thesis degree plan candidates, the final examination will be a examination that is written, oral or both. The scope, content and form of the examination(s) is to be determined and administered by all members of the student's supervising committee. Some programs require successful completion of a specified course in the final term of study to satisfy this requirement.

Master's Thesis

All master's students in the thesis option must be aware of requirements, components and deadlines associated with the thesis, final defense, and submission of the thesis to the Library. The thesis must be accepted by the Library by published deadlines in order to graduate from UT Arlington.

Enrollment Requirement

All students are required to enroll in a total of at  least 6 thesis hours prior to graduation.  Additionally, thesis  students must be enrolled in a thesis course in which the grade of P can be assigned in  the term in which the thesis is defended. Social work students will enroll in SOCW 6393 to conduct thesis research and SOCW 6398 in the term in which the thesis is defended. 

Thesis Defense

The thesis defense will be a public oral examination open to all members of the faculty. Questioning of the candidate will be directed by the student's thesis supervising committee. All members of the student's committee must be present at the defense.

Although the defense is concerned primarily with the thesis research and its interpretation, the examining committee may explore the student's knowledge of areas relevant to the core of the thesis problem. The thesis defense may result in a decision that the candidate has 1) passed unconditionally; 2) passed conditionally with remedial work specified by the committee; 3) failed, with permission to be re-examined after a specified period; or 4) failed and dismissed from the program. The thesis must be approved unanimously by the student's thesis supervising committee and by the Academic Dean. Regardless of the outcome of the defense, the  results must be submitted on the Final Examination report to the Office of the Registrar.

Thesis Manuscript Format, Final Submission and Archiving

Students must submit an acceptably formatted thesis manuscript to  the UTA Library before the  master's degree can be conferred. Details regarding thesis formats  can be found on the UT Arlington Library website .

The format of all thesis manuscripts must be reviewed and approved by the student's supervising committee. When the final committee- approved copy of the thesis is submitted to the Library via the University's electronic submission process, it will be archived as submitted.  Therefore, care must be taken by the student, supervising professor and thesis committee that the final document meets appropriate academic and professional standards. Students submitting the final copy of their thesis must also complete and submit the  Intellectual Property Statement form. Forms related to permissions to use work contributed by others in the thesis  will be required if the reported research was conducted jointly with other people  or when content included in the thesis  is the intellectual property of another person and requires permission before it can be  used in the manuscript.   The final thesis is University property and a student may make no private agreements with employers, funding sources, or others that restrict or infringe upon University rights. Thesis copyrights, where applicable, are held by the student author. The thesis will be archived by the Library and be available to interested members of the public. Under some circumstances (see https://libraries.uta.edu/services/thesis-dissertation )  a student may request to delay publication of the thesis for a limited period of time.  Dissertation-related fees are explained in the Tuition and Fees section of the Catalog.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the highest degree offered by The University of Texas at Arlington. The degree is awarded only for academic work of distinction through which the student demonstrates superior scholarship and capacity for original work. Requirements for the doctoral degree listed below are the minimum required. Meeting all of these requirements does not result automatically in the awarding of the doctoral degree. All departments and programs have additional requirements for a high level of scholarly achievement that must be met by successful doctoral candidates. In all doctoral programs, the basic requirements are that a student 1) attain mastery of a field of knowledge as determined by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and demonstrated in a general examination; and 2) present evidence of a capacity to complete a significant program of original research by preparation of a dissertation.

To be admitted to a doctoral program, an applicant must have completed a master's degree or at least 30 semester credit hours of graduate coursework. Students who do not meet these requirements but  who intend to complete a doctoral degree should apply as a "BS/BA to PhD"  or "Doctoral Bound" student if the program offers such options. 

Doctoral Degree Plans and Required Hours

The doctoral degree cannot be earned solely by passing certain courses and accumulating a specified number of credit hours; however, a department or program may require a core group of courses for all of its doctoral students. Courses are generally concentrated in the student's major field, but some are normally taken in one or more complementary areas.  In interdepartmental programs, the major work may be divided among two or more primary fields.

The University  imposes no specific semester-hour requirements for the doctoral degree except for hours that are required to meet residency requirements.

Time Limit

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within four years after the student unconditionally passes the comprehensive exam. Students who exceed the published time limits for completing the graduate degree but wish to graduate, must petition the Academic Dean for an exception to the time limit policy. 

Residence

All degree seeking graduate students must meet residency goals reflecting scholarly engagement and immersion in research, scholarship, creative work and professional development in his or her degree program. Residency requirements can be met through one of three mechanisms:

• The equivalent of two terms of full-time enrollment:    Students completing residency via enrollment should understand that the goals of residency are focused effort in activities related to their degree.
•  Program-specific alternative residency plan:  Academic degree programs may have alternative methods by which enrolled students achieve residency goals. These alternatives, if any, are described in an academic program’s description of its degree requirements.  Such plans must  have prior approval  by the Dean of the Graduate School. 
• Individual alternative residency plan:  Proposals for alternative residency from individual students can be submitted for approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Foreign Language Requirement

Prior to scheduling the doctoral comprehensive examination, the University requires evidence that the student has a reading knowledge of one foreign language applicable to the student's field of study or has attained proficiency in a research-tool area such as computer sciences or experimental statistics.. The foreign language requirement may be met by 1) successfully passing an examination prepared by an appointee of the Academic Dean; 2) making an acceptable score on the Educational Testing Service Graduate School Foreign Language Test; or 3) earning a grade of B or higher in French, German or Russian 4331 and 4332, or equivalents. The foreign language substitute research tool requirement may be met by a method determined by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and approved by the Academic Dean. Other suitable substitutes may be approved by the Committee on Graduate Studies and  Academic Dean.

Diagnostic Evaluation

During the student's first year of doctoral program work the student must demonstrate potential to successfully complete a degree program. The method of assessing the student's potential will be determined by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and may be in the form of a written or oral examination, personal interviews with faculty members, successful completion of certain courses in the first semester of residence, or by any combination of these methods. Results of the diagnostic evaluation may be 1) approval to continue in the doctoral program; 2) approval to continue with specified remedial work; 3) failure, but with permission for assessment through a second diagnostic evaluation after a specified period; or 4) failure and termination in the program. The student must be enrolled in the graduate program in the term in which he/she completes the diagnostic evaluation.

The results of the diagnostic evaluation must be filed in the Office of the Registrar no later than after completion of 18 semester hours of coursework while enrolled in a doctoral program at UT Arlington .

After the student successfully completes the diagnostic evaluation, the Academic Dean will approve an examining committee. Members for the committee are recommended by the graduate advisor and appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies. The committee will consist of no fewer than 3 voting members, at least two of whom must be from the student's major area. Committees in interdisciplinary programs must include at least four voting members with two members coming from each discipline. Individual programs may require the committee to have more members and students must conform to such requirements. One qualified external person who is not a member of the graduate faculty may serve as a voting member of a supervising committee if nominated by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and approved by the Graduate Dean. A committee may have more than one external member but only one may have voting privileges. Students should consult with their program's graduate advisor to make sure their committees have sufficient membership to meet program requirements.

The committee is responsible for design and direction of the student's program.

Comprehensive Examination

Students are eligible to take the comprehensive examination after giving evidence to their doctoral committee of adequate academic achievement by having completed all or most coursework requirements for a degree. The comprehensive examination usually marks the end of formal coursework and the beginning of concentrated work on dissertation research and preparation. The student must be enrolled in the term in which he/she takes the comprehensive examination.

The comprehensive examination may be written, oral, or both. Its scope, content, and form are determined by the student's examining committee with approval of the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies.

In some departments and programs comprehensive examinations are given semiannually so students should consult their graduate advisor in that program for appropriate regulations and procedures.

The comprehensive examination may result in 1) unconditional pass and recommendation to proceed to the next phase of the program; 2) approval to remain in the program, but required to meet certain specified additional criteria; 3) failure, but with permission to retake the examination after a period specified by the examining committee; or 4) failure and dismissal from the program.

Dissertation

The dissertation represents the culmination of the student's academic efforts and so is expected to demonstrate original and independent research activity and be a significant contribution to knowledge.

All doctoral students must be aware of requirements and deadlines associated with the dissertation, final defense, and submission of the final copy of the dissertation.

Enrollment Requirements

1. Registration in an independent study, research, or similar course implies an expected level of effort on the part of the student that is at least equivalent to that of an organized course of the same credit value.
2. Doctoral students will not be required to register for more than nine credit hours during any term with these exceptions:
   1. Doctoral students who are enrolled in nine credit hours of organized courses and who are also doing research related to their dissertation may be required to register for up to three hours of research for a total of 12 credit hours.
   2. Doctoral students supported as a graduate research or teaching assistants may be required to register for 12 credit hours (no more than nine credit hours to be in organized courses), as determined by the students' graduate program.
3. Doctoral students who are required to register solely to satisfy the continuous enrollment requirement may register 3 credit hours during each term.
4. Doctoral students may not register for more than 12 semester hours in a term unless such registration is approved by the student's graduate advisor.
5. A doctoral student working on a dissertation should be enrolled in an appropriate 6X99 or 7399 dissertation course. Once the student is enrolled in a dissertation course, continuous enrollment is expected. A student receiving advice and assistance from a faculty member in the preparation of a dissertation must register in the course even if the student is not on campus. Doctoral students must enroll in the appropriate 6699, 6999 or 7399 Dissertation Completion course the semester in which the dissertation is defended. Students typically enroll in these courses defend and apply for graduation in the same term.  The Dissertation Completion course (7399) may only be taken two times. If a student does not complete their doctoral degree and graduate during the second attempt in 7399, they must enroll in 6699 in subsequent terms to complete the requirements for their degree..

Dissertation Committee

After the student has passed the comprehensive examination, the doctoral supervising committee may be altered or expanded to accommodate the dissertation research needs of the student. The supervising committee is responsible for providing feedback regarding the student's dissertation, attending the defense, and determining the results of the student's defense. The committee will consist of no fewer than 3 voting members. Individual programs may require the committee to have more members and students must conform to such requirements. One qualified external person who is not a member of the graduate faculty may serve as a voting member of a supervising committee if nominated by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and approved by the Graduate Studies Office. All  voting and non-voting external members of the committee must be approved by the Graduate Dean. Students should consult with their program's graduate advisor to make sure their committees have sufficient membership to meet program requirements. 

Dissertation Defense

Doctoral students must be enrolled in the appropriate Dissertation course in the term in which he/she defends the dissertation (see Enrollment Requirements above).

The dissertation defense will be a public oral examination open to all members (faculty, students and invited guests) of the University community. Questioning of the candidate will be directed by the student's dissertation supervising committee. All members of the student's committee must be present at the defense.

Although the defense is concerned primarily with the dissertation research and its interpretation, the examining committee may explore the student's knowledge of areas relevant to the core of the dissertation problem. The dissertation defense may result in a decision that the candidate has 1) passed unconditionally; 2) passed conditionally with remedial work specified by the committee; 3) failed, with permission to be re-examined after a specified period; or 4) failed and dismissed from the program. The dissertation must be approved unanimously by the student's dissertation supervising committee. Regardless of the outcome of the defense, the results of the defense must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

Dissertation Manuscript Format, Final Submission and Archiving

Students pursuing a doctoral degree must submit an acceptably formatted manuscript to the UTA Library before the degree can be conferred. Details regarding dissertation formats can be found on the UT Arlington Library website . 

The format of all dissertation manuscripts must be reviewed and approved by the student's supervising committee. When the final committee-approved copy of the dissertation is submitted to the Library via the University's electronic submission process, it will be archived as submitted.  Therefore, care must be taken by the student, supervising professor and the other committee that the final document meets appropriate academic and professional standards. Students submitting a final copy of their dissertation must also complete and submit the  Intellectual Property Statement form and  the Survey of Earned Doctorates. Forms related to permissions to use work contributed by others in the dissertation  will be required if the reported research was conducted jointly with others or when content included in the dissertation  is the intellectual property of another person and requires permission before it can be  used in the manuscript.   The final dissertation is University property and a student may make no private agreements with employers, funding sources, or others that restrict or infringe upon University rights. Dissertation copyrights, where applicable, are held by the student author. The Dissertation will be archived by the Library and be available to interested members of the public. Under some circumstances (see https://libraries.uta.edu/services/thesis-dissertation )  a student may request to delay publication of the dissertation for a limited period of time.  Dissertation-related fees are explained in the Tuition and Fees section of the Catalog.

Credit Toward Certificates

Generally, only courses completed with a grade of A, B, C, or P can satisfy graduate certificate requirements. A student must have a B (3.000) grade-point average in courses included in their degree plan and a B (3.000) average in all work undertaken as a graduate student to have credits applied toward a graduate certificate. However, some certificate programs require that a student earn a B or higher in each required course. Courses in which a student earns an unacceptable grade  will none-the-less affect that student's grade-point average. . Students should examine requirements carefully and ask the program advisor for clarification if needed. 

Grade Point Average

All grades in courses taken as a special non-degree seeking student and graduate certificate status will be considered in computing a student's graduate grade point average.

Transfer Credit Applied to Graduate Certificates

Equivalent coursework completed at other institutions of recognized standing may be transferred to a master's certificate program after evaluation and approval. Transferred courses do not appear on the UT Arlington Official Transcript and grades earned in transferred courses are not included in calculating a student's UT Arlington graduate grade point average.

The number of transfer units is limited to 50% of the total units required for the certificate, except in certificate programs that exceed 15 units, in which case 12 of those units must be taken in residence. This rule does not invalidate written agreements stated elsewhere in this catalog. Transfer credit will be accepted only for organized courses in which the student received a letter grade of B or higher and an official transcript showing the course(s) and grade(s) is required.

Courses from other universities taken after a student has been admitted into a master's program at UT Arlington must be approved in advance by the appropriate graduate advisor and Committee on Graduate Studies. All work submitted for transfer credit must have been completed no more than six years before completion of a graduate program at UT Arlington. A list of approved credit must be sent to the Office of the Registrar to be posted to the student's university record.