INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PROFESSIONAL OR GRADUATE SCHOOL
There are fundamentally two types of
programs available to students who already have a bachelor's
degree. The first is traditional graduate study, where the student earns an advanced degree or degrees (Master of Arts or Master of Science, then a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Many
students who earn master's and doctoral degrees go on
to teach and/or do research in colleges, universities
or government.
The second type of program is a professional
degree, which is usually offered at the Master's level. Examples
are the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.),
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.), and Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), offered in fields such as art, music, and creative writing.
Things to consider:
1. Time.
How much time are you prepared to invest
in graduate or professional studies? Many
professional degrees, such as Master of Business Administration
or Master of Social Work, can be completed in
18 months to 2 years by attending full-time. By contrast,
an academic sequence such as Master of Arts or Master
of Science followed by a Ph.D. program can take 4-6
years or even longer, depending
on the program and the student's outside obligations.
2. Goals.
Will the degree you seek prepare you to do work that
you will enjoy, or to earn a salary commensurate with your
goals? Or will it complement your baccalaureate degree and make it more valuable?
3. Cost.
Are you familiar with graduate tuition rates? Do you have, or anticipate having, the necessary financial resources? Many graduate programs offer scholarships, fellowships, and/or teaching or research stipends for eligible students. You should investigate these sources, plus the availability of financial aid through the university. But don't simply assume that help will be available; do the necessary research so as to avoid unpleasant surprises.
4. Dedication.
Graduate programs require a heavy investment
of time and money, but they also require a sustained
investment of
hard work for the duration of the program. It's
important to ask yourself whether you have the dedication
required.
Some graduate programs will allow postbaccalaureate
students (that is, students who have not yet been admitted
to graduate study) to take a few courses before formal
admission to the program. It's important to note
that there are limits to the number of hours you may take
as a postbac student, and that you will not receive graduate
credit for the work, at least initially. But this
is one way to determine whether a program is right for
you, and vice versa.
Changing Fields:
Many students who go to graduate school continue in their undergraduate field of study; a student who earns a B.B.A. may go on to earn an M.B.A.; the undergraduate history major may decide to earn an M.A. and Ph.D.
But it is also common for a student
to change fields when entering graduate school, either
1) to complement and enrich the undergraduate degree,
making it more valuable, or 2) to embark on a completely
different career path than originally envisioned. An example of the first would be a graduate engineer who decides that an M.B.A. will further his or her career goals better than a master's degree in engineering. Such
decisions are often influenced by the person's current
or projected job situations.
An example of the second would be an undergraduate French major who decides to earn an M.S.W. (Master of Social Work) in order to get a job as a hospital social worker.
If the change of field is dramatic,
the student may be required to meet certain prerequisites
before admission to the program. A requirement of 18 to 24 undergraduate credit hours in the new field is not unusual. Students who wish to change from a nonscientific field to science or engineering may have to take a larger number of prerequisites before admission to graduate work. Conversely, some graduate and professional programs specify only a baccalaureate degree, regardless of major.
If you contemplate changing fields, you should contact the graduate program of interest and be sure you understand the course requirements for admission.
Admission Requirements:
Admission requirements for graduate and professional programs may vary widely, but most require at least the following:
Undergraduate Grades.
Graduate programs may have a stated grade point average required for admission; however, not all programs count the entire undergraduate career in figuring that grade point average. Many programs will give much greater weight to the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Thus
a student whose freshman grade point average was low
but whose junior and senior GPA was high might well be
accepted. Standardized Graduate Admissions
Test.
Virtually all graduate programs
require an admissions test, which varies according
to the department and program. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is commonly required for students in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering; the Graduate Management Admissions Test is required for admission to M.B.A. and other graduate business programs. Be certain that you know which test is required for the program to which you seek admission, as well as deadlines for submitting scores. Test
preparation books and courses are available for most
admissions tests. Letters of Recommendation.
Most graduate programs require anywhere from three to five letters of recommendation, most of which will be academic in nature. When asking a professor to write a recommendation for you, be sure to ask well in advance of the deadline. Professors are extremely busy, particularly at those times of year, and if you procrastinate, your letter may not make it in time. Always keep one prospective recommendation source in reserve, so if a requested letter doesn't get to the school, you will have someone else you can ask. See
below for more suggestions.
How To Prepare:
1. Learn as much as you can about the graduate and professional programs you are considering. What are the specific requirements for admission? What are the deadlines for application? How many references are required? Will
the department or college allow you to take any courses
as a postbaccalaureate student prior to admission to
the graduate program?
2. If you already know which type of program you want to enter, you should do some research to learn which universities offer that program, and which of those will suit you best. For example, the University of Houston does not offer a master's degree in library science. If your ambition is to be a librarian, you must investigate programs offered by other schools, such as the University of North Texas in Denton. (Some UNT courses toward the M.L.S. are offered locally.) Criminal
justice programs, also unavailable at UH, are offered
by the University of Houston-Downtown and Sam Houston
State University in Huntsville.
3. Some graduate programs are exceedingly demanding and competitive, while others are more laid-back in atmosphere. Try to match yourself up with a program that suits your needs, abilities, and disposition. (Warning:
a mistake in this area can be catastrophic.) The most direct source for this information is students currently in the program.
4. Take as many writing courses as you can as
an undergraduate. Use paper requirements in other courses as an opportunity to improve your writing. You will need this preparation when you reach graduate school: All graduate students must be able to write a coherent presentation that expresses an argument or research results clearly and effectively. Graduate
students in the humanities are faced with heavy and continual
writing demands, and students in the sciences, social
sciences, and engineering must be able to write up their
results in a lucid and convincing manner.
5. If, during your undergraduate years, you suspect that you will want to pursue graduate study, you should be planning to ask at least 3 or 4 professors for letters of recommendation. If you find a professor you like and for whom you work well, try to take a second course from that person. If you get to know your professors and do excellent work besides, you will be able to ask for (and receive) recommendation letters that are informed and enthusiastic about your interests, goals, and abilities. Be
proactive: sit on or near the front row; take part in
class discussions; don't hang back in the back of the
room.
The more research and planning you
do ahead of time, the greater the likelihood that you
will find a graduate program that suits your talents,
aspirations, and personal circumstances.
Finally, don't worry too much if you're
convinced that all the other students in the program
will be smarter than you. All graduate students worry about that, usually unnecessarily. Most
graduate or professional programs will not admit you
if they have serious reason to believe you can't handle
the work, so take your acceptance letter as a vote of confidence in your ability to succeed.
Good luck!
Links to Admissions Requirements
Graduate and Professional Programs
University Admissions Requirements : http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/adm_crit.html
Graduate Admissions Application Booklet : http://www.uh.edu/enroll/admis/graduate/GradBook_Appl0203.pdf
Graduate Contact Information : http://www.uh.edu/enroll/admis/graduate/graduate_majors.htm
International Graduate Student Information : http://www.uh.edu/enroll/admis/OIA/I_graduate/g_pres.htm
Admissions Requirements by College and Department:
GERALD D. HINES COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/arc/arc_admissions.html
For more information: http://www.arch.uh.edu/home/index.html
C. T. BAUER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/bcb/bcb_admissions.html
Degree Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/bcb/degrees.html
For more information: http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/index.html
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/edu/admissions.html
Degree Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/edu/degrees.html
For more information: http://www.coe.uh.edu/departments/gso.cfm
CULLEN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/egr/admissions.html
Department/Degree Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/egr/egr_degrees.html
For more information: http://www.egr.uh.edu/academics/?e=grad
CONRAD N. HILTON COLLEGE OF HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT:
College/Degree Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/hrm/hrm_degrees.html
For more information: http://www.hrm.uh.edu/ .
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/las/las_admissions.html
Departmental Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/las/las_degrees.html
For more information: http://www.hfac.uh.edu/classmain/class_gradadv1.htm
COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/nsm/nsm_admissions.html
Departmental Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/nsm/nsm_degrees.html
For more information: http://nsm.uh.edu/grad.htm
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK:
Degrees and Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/gsw/gsw_degrees.html
For more information: http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/mswprogram.htm
COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY:
Requirements by Degree: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/opt/opt_admissions.html
For more information: http://www.opt.uh.edu/prospective_students/academics/od/academic_prerequisites.htm
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY:
Requirements by Degree: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/pha/pha_degrees.html
For more information: http://www.uh.edu/pharmacy/admissions.htm
COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY:
College Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/tec/tec_admissions.html
Departmental Requirements: http://www.uh.edu/grad_catalog/tec/tec_degrees.html
For more information: http://www.tech.uh.edu/academics/grad/grad_degrees.htm
Dual and Concurrent Degree Programs
and Interdisciplinary Options
UH Graduate and Professional Schools
Bauer College of Business :
The Master of Business Administration may be earned in combination with any of the following degrees:
Doctor of Jurisprudence (M.B.A./J.D.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and
http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ .
Master of Arts in Spanish (M.B.A./M.A.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and http://www.class.uh.edu/mcl/ .
Master of Hospitality Management (M.B.A./M.H.M.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm .
Master of Industrial Engineering (M.B.A./M.I.E.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and
http://www.egr.uh.edu/ie/graduate/?e=programs#mba_mie .
Master of Social Work (M.B.A./.M.S.W.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and
http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/msw/concurentprograms.htm .
Master of International Management (M.B.A./M.I.M.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and http://www.t-bird.edu/ .
Cullen College of Engineering :
Master of Business Administration and Master of Industrial Engineering (M.B.A./M.I.E.)
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and
http://www.egr.uh.edu/ie/graduate/?e=programs#mba_mie .
Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management :
Master of Hospitality Management and Master of Business Administration
See http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm and HRM handout.
UH Law Center :
Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.)
See http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ and
http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm .
Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Arts in History (J.D./M.A.)
See http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ .
Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Social Work (J.D./M.S.W.)
See http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ and
http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/msw/concurentprograms.htm .
Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Public Health (J.D./M.P.H.), offered in
conjunction with the University of Texas School of Public Health in the UT Health
Science Center. See http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ .
Doctor of Jurisprudence and Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Humanities (J.D./Ph.D.) at
the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
See http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ .
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) :
Master of Arts in Spanish and Master of Business Administration (M.A./M.B.A.)
See http://www.class.uh.edu/mcl/ and
http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm
Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Sciences (interdisciplinary) may be combined with a
variety of graduate degree programs.
See http://www.class.uh.edu/cogsci/ .
Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies (interdisciplinary) is open to students in all UH
graduate and professional degree programs.
See http://www.class.uh.edu/WS/GradCertificate.html .
The Department of English offers an Ad Hoc Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Degree Option.
See http://www.hfac.uh.edu/english/englweb/Ad_Hoc.html .
College of Natural Science and Mathematics :
Computational Sciences Certificate, interdisciplinary graduate certificate program open
to certain graduate degree candidates in participating departments.
See http://math.uh.edu/ , click on Graduate Program.
College of Pharmacy :
Doctor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Philosophy (Pharm.D./Ph.D.)
See http://www.uh.edu/pharmacy/pharmphdinfo.htm .
Graduate School of Social Work :
Master of Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work (M.S.W./Ph.D.)
See http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/msw/concurentprograms.htm .
Master of Social Work and Master of Business Administration
See http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/msw/concurentprograms.htm and
http://www.bauer.uh.edu/mba/jointdegrees.htm .
Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health at University of Texas School of
Public Health
See http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/msw/concurentprograms.htm
Master of Social Work and Doctor of Jurisprudence (M.S.W./J.D.)
See http://www.sw.uh.edu/prospectiveStudents/msw/concurentprograms.htm and
http://www.law.uh.edu/academic/ .
Links to Graduate Admissions Requirements
Area Universities
Lamar University
Beaumont, Texas
Degrees Offered: http://dept.lamar.edu/graduatestudies/MasterDegree.htm
University Requirements: http://dept.lamar.edu/graduatestudies/Info_Admission.htm
Houston Baptist University
Houston, Texas
University Requirements: http://www.hbu.edu/Pages/admiss/G2apply.html
Program Requirements: http://www.hbu.edu/Pages/acad/H3grad.html
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, Texas
Graduate Catalog Information: http://www.pvamu.edu/index.php?page=catalog (list on
right).
Rice University
Houston, Texas
Departmental Requirements: http://rgs.rice.edu/Grad/Admissions/departments.cfm
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, Texas
University Requirements: http://www.shsu.edu/~grs_www/admission.html
Degrees and Departmental Requirements: http://www.shsu.edu/~grs_www/degrees.html
Texas A & M University at Galveston
University Requirements: http://www.tamug.edu/admrc/graduate_admissions.html
Programs and Degrees: http://www.tamug.edu/research/graduate_students.htm
Application Information: http://www.tamug.edu/research/gradstudies/grad_app_info.htm
Texas Southern University
Houston, Texas
University Requirements: http://www.tsu.edu/academics/graduate/admissions/index.asp
Degrees: http://www.tsu.edu/academics/graduate/degree/index.asp
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Degrees: http://www.uhcl.edu/admissions/ (Click on "Degrees Offered.")
University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, Texas
M.S. in Criminal Justice: http://www.dt.uh.edu/academic/colleges/humanities/cj/graduate.htm
M.A. in Teaching: http://www.dt.uh.edu/academic/colleges/humanities/urbaned/mat.htm
University of Houston-Victoria
Programs and Degrees: http://www.uhv.edu/prospective/grad_programs.htm
Contact Information: http://www.uhv.edu/prospective/grad_forms.htm
University of St. Thomas
Houston, Texas
Program Requirements: http://basil.stthom.edu/admissions_graduate.html
|
