Navigating Your Degree
Your graduate journey is unique, but every program follows important steps and milestones. This page is designed to guide you through degree planning, enrollment requirements, candidacy, and completion, so you always know what comes next.
Master's Degrees
Graduate master’s programs at UT Tyler are designed to deepen your expertise while preparing you for professional advancement or further academic study. Students can pursue either a non-thesis (coursework-based) track, which emphasizes applied knowledge and career readiness, or a thesis track, which provides the opportunity to conduct original research under faculty guidance.
Non-Thesis Track
| Step | When | Contact Person(s) |
| Select first semester courses | Before initial enrollment | Graduate Advisor |
| Plan your degree path and timeline (coursework, departmental requirements) | During your first semester | Graduate Advisor |
|
Update degree plan as needed |
Whenever changes are required | Graduate Advisor |
| Verify coursework completion | Prior to intended graduation semester | Graduate Advisor |
| Apply for graduation | By posted graduation application deadline | Graduate Advisor & Student |
| Complete final program requirements (exams, capstone project, internship) | Final semester | Graduate Advisor / Instructor / Committee |
Thesis Track
| Step | When | Contact Person(s) |
| Select first semester courses | Before initial enrollment | Graduate Advisor |
| Plan your degree path and timeline (coursework, departmental requirements) | During your first semester | Graduate Advisor |
| Update degree plan as needed | Whenever changes are required | Graduate Advisor |
| Select thesis topic and form committee | Typically by end of first year or early second year | Graduate Advisor / Graduate Faculty |
| Develop and submit thesis proposal | After committee approval, before research begins | Thesis Committee |
| Complete thesis research and writing | During program (as scheduled with advisor and chair) | Thesis Committee |
| Verify coursework completion | Prior to intended graduation semester | Graduate Advisor |
| Defend thesis (oral defense) | Prior to final submission | Thesis Committee & Graduate School |
| Submit final thesis (per Graduate School formatting & deadlines) | Before thesis submission deadline | Thesis Committee & Graduate School |
| Apply for graduation | By posted graduation deadline | Graduate Advisor & Student |
Doctoral Degrees
Doctoral programs at UT Tyler are designed to prepare students for the highest levels of scholarship and practice. Depending on your goals, you can pursue either:
- Professional/Practice-Based Doctorates (e.g., Doctor of Nursing Practice; DNP, Doctor of Education; EdD), which emphasize applied skills, leadership, and advanced professional practice.
- Research-Focused Doctorates (e.g., Doctor of Philosophy; PhD), which focus on original research, discovery, and advancing knowledge in your field.
Across all doctoral programs, you will progress through coursework, examinations, and candidacy before completing a dissertation, capstone project, or applied research requirement that demonstrates your expertise.
Early Stages
- Milestone Agreement
- Course Work; Lectures, Seminars, and Research Projects
- Supervising Committee
Admission to Candidacy
- Comprehensive/Qualifying Exams
- Research Proposal
Doctoral Dissertation
- Conduct New Research
- Defend Your Dissertation