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The Federation of North Texas Area Universities is a consortium of three universities--Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman's University, and the University of North Texas--which coordinates various graduate programs and activities among the institutions.

Benefits to the Graduate Student

A graduate student entering a Federated program has access to the combined academic resources of all three universities, including their libraries and laboratories. Benefits to the student include the flexibility of cross-registration at member universities and the option to select major professors, advisors, and thesis or dissertation supervisors and/or directors from any of the schools involved in a particular program area. The student also has opportunities to interact with other advanced students in a broad range of classes, seminars, conferences, and special programs.

Admissions and Cross-Registration

A student applies for admission to a Federated program through the institution from which he or she plans to graduate. Once the Federated Admissions Committee and the appropriate persons at the home institution grant admission, the student may then cross-register for graduate courses at other participating universities and make use of the academic resources available. Semester credit hours earned through cross-registration are recorded on the student transcript at his or her home institution and are not counted as transfer credits.

The universities participating in each Federated program combine and coordinate resources in order to staff courses, advise students, and in other ways to carry out program objectives. The home institution assumes a leadership role in directing each student's program, but each student will be required to complete degree requirements as specified by the Federated program committee.

Enrichment Opportunities

Program committees of the Federation plan seminars, symposia, and workshops that are open to participating students and to the public. Nationally and internationally known scientists and scholars share research and knowledge through conferences and informal visits with students, faculty, and guests.

The Federation program committees are: Art/Fine Arts, Bilingual/ESL, Computer Science, Early Childhood Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, Library Science, Molecular Biology, Music Education, Neuroscience, Psychology, Reading, Rhetoric, Sociology, and Special Education.

The Robert B. Toulouse Scholarships

The Federation Council awards the Robert Toulouse Doctoral and Master's Scholarships annually to graduate students in one of the Federation program areas. Each recipient of these awards must be admitted to a graduate school at one of the three member universities and be actively pursuing a graduate degree in one of the Federation program areas.

Organization of the Federation

The Federation of North Texas Area Universities was established in 1968 to coordinate graduate programs among the three member universities and to promote interinstitutional cooperation. This is accomplished through a Federation Council, a Committee of Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Graduate Deans, and numerous program committees as listed above.

Each of the program committees, which are comprised of faculty from the three universities, meet during the year to plan seminars, forums, and other activities; to develop Federation grant applications and research projects; to coordinate and evaluate Federation graduate programs; and to schedule courses.

Member Universities

The three state universities in the North Texas area that make up the Federation are within commuting distance of one another and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Each offers baccaluareate through doctoral degrees and has access to the library resources of area colleges and universities through the Alliance for Higher Education.
  • Texas A&M University-Commerce:  Founded: 1889. Location: Commerce, Texas, sixty miles northeast of Dallas. Approximately 8,700 students are enrolled, with about 3,500 at the graduate level. TAMU-C offers graduate degrees in 50 master's and 6 doctoral program areas. Facilities include the James G. Gee Library; a Performing Arts Center; and a Metroplex Center in Mesquite, the newly renovated Temple Arts Building (including spacious studio areas) and the new state-of-the-art Jerry D. Morris Recreational Facility and a 110,000 square foot Science and Technology Center which includes a 40-foot dome planetarium.
  • Texas Woman's University:  Founded: 1901. Location: Denton, Texas, north of Dallas and Fort Worth. Enrollment at TWU totals over 11,200 students, of which about 5,000 are graduate students. The Blagg-Huey Library includes approximately 788,000 volumes and is associated  with the OCLC world-wide computer network. Although TWU is primarily for women, qualified applicants may enroll in all programs of the General Divisions, Institute of Health Sciences and the Graduate School.  TWU offers in 73 master's and 21 doctoral degrees at its Denton, Dallas, and Houston centers and through distance learning.
  • University of North Texas: Founded: 1890. Location: Denton, Texas, north of Dallas and Fort Worth. Of the 31,000 students enrolled at UNT, more than 6,800--22 percent--are studying at the graduate level. UNT's libraries house more than two million volumes. The fourth largest university in the state, UNT offers graduate degrees in approximately 114 master's and 49 doctoral program areas. External funding for research projects at UNT exceeds more than $25 million annually.

Degrees Offered Through the Federation

Program Degree TAMU-C TWU UNT
Art M.F.A. X X X
Computer Science M.A

M.S.

X   X
Counseling Psychology Ph.D.   X X

Early Childhood Education

M.A. X X  
M.S., M.Ed. X X X
Ed.D.   X X
Interdisciplinary Studies M.A., M.S. X   X
Molecular Biology Ph.D.   X X

Reading

M.A. X X  
M.S., M.Ed. X X X
Ed.D., Ph.D. X X X
Sociology Ph.D.   X X
Special Education Ph.D.   X X

In addition to the Federated programs listed above, the following degrees are also offered on a non-Federated basis:

  • Art--Ph.D. (UNT)
  • Computer Science--Ph.D. (UNT)
  • Biology/Molecular Biology--M.S. (TWU, UNT)
  • Music Education--M.M.E., M.M., Ph.D. (UNT)
  • Rhetoric--Ph.D. (TWU)
  • Sociology--M.A., M.S. (TWU, UNT, A&M-C)
  • Special Education--M.A., M.Ed. (TWU, UNT, TAMU-C)

For Information

Students interested in specific courses and programs available through the Federation, or in any of the other degree programs listed in this brochure, should contact one of the following member institutions:

Texas A&M University Commerce

Office of the Graduate Dean
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Commerce, TX 75429
(903) 886-5163
FAX (903) 886-5165

Email: Graduate_School@tamu-commerce.edu

Web site:  http:www.tamu-commerce.edu

Texas Woman's University

Office of the Graduate Dean
Texas Woman's University
P.O. Box 425649
Denton, TX 76204-5649
(940) 898-3414
FAX (940) 898-3414

Email:  gradschool@twu.edu

Web site:  http://www.twu.edu/gradschool/

University of North Texas

Toulouse School of Graduate Studies
University of North Texas
P.O. Box 305459
Denton, TX 76203-5459
(940) 565-4465
FAX (940) 565-2141

Email:  GradSchool_email@unt.edu

Website:  http://www.gradschool.unt.edu/

page last updated 10/5/2009 11:08