FAQ's: Graduate Program

Q. Is the Department of Environmental Toxicology located on the main Texas Tech University campus?

 

A. No; the Department of Environmental Toxicology is located about 20 minutes from the main Texas Tech University campus. Our department’s address is 1207 S. Gilbert Dr., Lubbock, TX 79416.

 

Q. Is there public transportation to the Department of Environmental Toxicology?

 

A. No; there is no public transportation, but help among fellow students can be requested until you have your own transportation. Our department is located at 1207 S. Gilbert Dr., Lubbock, TX 79416.

 

Q. Are we required to pay for parking?

 

A. Yes, TTU Transportation and Parking Services requires ENTX students to purchase an annual parking pass.

 

Q. How long does it take to complete the program?

 

A. The M.S. degree should take 2 years to complete. Most students should be able to finish within that time frame. The maximum time allowed for completing a master’s degree is six years. Master’s students beyond the maximum time allowed may be required to pay out-of-state tuition.

The Ph.D. degree should take 4-5 years to complete. Most students should be able to finish within that time frame. The maximum allowable doctoral hours is 99. Doctoral students with more than 99 doctoral hours will be required to pay out-of-state tuition, regardless of residence status. The maximum time allowed for completing the doctoral degree is eight years from the first doctoral semester or four years from admission to candidacy, whichever comes first.

 

Q. How am I assigned an advisor?

 

A. It is best to identify and communicate with a faculty member before the Admissions Committee reviews your application, but it is not required. You can contact the faculty that you would like to work with in our department and ask if they have a lab opening. Faculty will want to look at your CV and communicate with you to see if you would be a good fit for their lab.

 

To ensure that you do not miss pertinent information that may be available prior to the beginning of the school year, please contact your advisor or Dr. Greg Mayer (Graduate Advisor) if you have not chosen an advisor. Once the semester has begun, we encourage you to meet with the entire department of Environmental Toxicology faculty to help determine all aspects of your graduate academic and research program.

 

Q. What has job placement been in previous years for students receiving their degree from Environmental Toxicology?

 

A. For a complete list of past placements please visit our Alumni Page. Students have accepted jobs at some of the following locations, among others: Harvard School of Public Health, University of Waikato in New Zealand, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Clemson University, National Jewish Health, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Interior, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, Pollution Control Services Laboratory, U.S. Army, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Department of State Health Services, Tennessee Department of Health, Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, North Carolina University, Syngenta Crop Protection, AbbVie, and Amgen.

 

Q. How many graduate students are currently in the Environmental Toxicology program?

 

A. We typically have around 50 students enrolled in the program.

 

Q. How large are the classes?

 

A. Class size varies, but there are generally anywhere from 5 to 12 students in a class.

 

Q. Are night classes offered for Environmental Toxicology classes?

 

A. Currently there are no night classes offered. All classes are offered between 8AM-5PM.

 

Q. Are students provided travel funds to attend professional conferences?

 

A. Students usually are able to receive partial funding through their advising professor on their grant. Additional funding is also available in the form of a travel award from the Graduate School.

 

Q. How flexible is ENTX with taking courses in other departments?

 

A. Students must ask their advisor about the courses that they would like to take within and outside of the department. Attention will need to be paid to the timing of courses if there are any that will be taken outside of the department. All ENTX courses are offered at Reese Center located 10 miles west of the main TTU campus.

 

Q. Which courses are ENTX graduate students required to take?

 

A. ENTX students should follow the M.S. or Ph.D. Coursework, depending on their degree. The Example Time Lines are a good reference for students’ courses to take each semester. Students should complete Degree Plans by the end of the student’s second semester. Their advisors should approve of the student’s courses.

 

Q. What is the typical course load for a graduate student at ENTX?

 

A. Full time is considered 9 hours in the Fall and Spring semesters and 6 hours during the Summer. In order to receive a stipend and fee waivers, students must be enrolled full time.

 

Q. How many graduate courses are typically taught each semester?

 

A. There are generally between 4 and 8 graduate courses offered each semester. Additionally, students take research hours under their advising professor.