The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Degree Programs
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley appears in our ranking of the Top 25 Most Affordable Online Business Graduate Degrees.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) began at the University of Texas-Brownsville in 1991. By 2015, the Texas legislature merged the University of Texas-Brownsville with Texas Southmost College, the University of Texas Pan-American, and the University of Texas Academic Health Center-Harlingen to form one of the largest universities in the state. The university is centered in Brownsville but has multiple campuses in several southern Texas communities. Over 89% of the student body is Hispanic making it the largest Hispanic educational institution in the United States. UTRGV offers over 30 continuing education certifications as well as teacher endorsements and another 120 programs that lead to bachelor’s, master or doctoral degrees. With these programs in place and more coming along every year, UTRGV provides a localized educational opportunity that has already provided a shot to the arm in the local economic communities.
To enhance the functionality of its educational programs, the university developed 13 divisions, schools, and colleges within the auspices of the institution. Those student facilitating platforms are:
- College of Education & P-16 Integration
- College of Engineering & Computer Science
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Health Professions
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Sciences
- Graduate College
- Honors College
- Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship
- School of Medicine
- School of Nursing
- School of Social Work
- University College
Of significant note is the Office of Professional Education & Workforce Development. The office serves as a key communicator and facilitator for professional development in essential fields such as IT, phlebotomy, and real estate. The office prepares students for certification in multiple areas important to the everyday flow of community life.
The online program at UTRGV is impressive. Recognizing the importance of time conservation for prospective students, UTRGV offers four baccalaureate degrees and ten minor degrees that are entirely available online. Also, the university presents seven master’s degree tracks with the traditional 16-week term structure and another 22 graduate programs provided in an accelerated seven-week structure entirely online along with another 14 graduate certification programs.
UTRGV encourages undergraduates to add a minor field of study that complements their major field of study. With the incredible array of programs available at UTRGV, a student has every chance to discover new horizons that go beyond the confines of their major. A Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology would find a compatible minor in History.
Students seeking to continue their education but are unable to spend the hours necessary to achieve a master’s degree, find several specialized post-undergraduate certification programs at UTRGV that are available in both face-to-face structured classrooms and online. These programs involve anywhere from nine credit hours of courses and up to 20 hours of study. Students that are already working in their chosen field often find a need to sharpen their skills in one area or another. The certification programs are perfect to fulfill that need. Some of the certification programs available at UTRGV include:
- Advanced Placement Spanish Literature
- Court Interpreting
- Digital Literacy Leader
- Healthcare Interpreting
- International Sustainability Management
- Literary Translation
- Localization and Audiovisual Translation
- Master Reading Teacher
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Spanish Translation
Master-level degrees at UTRGV require the completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours of curriculum to complete the degree and a maximum of 36 credit hours. The difference in hours of study depends on whether a capstone project is required to finish the degree or if credit hours of study with a comprehensive test are enough. In the Master of Science in Bioethics, a capstone project is not included and only 30 credit hours of classes are sufficient to satisfy the degree requirements. To gain a Master of Science in Mathematics, students are expected to attend 30 credit hours of study and finish a capstone project requiring another six credit hours of work
UTRGV offers qualified candidates several opportunities to prove their expertise by acquiring a doctorate. The programs offered at the doctoral-level by the university are:
- Ph.D. in Business Administration
- Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
- Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
- Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
- Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling
About The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Thought UTRGV is a recent actor on the stage of higher education in the U.S., the school is considered one of the finest educational institutions in Texas. After the completion of its evolution from a small college in Brownsville to a university that enrolls as many as 18,000 students per year, the university has gained a reputation for excellence. The university runs the whole length of the Rio Grande with campuses in Brownsville and Edinberg, properties in which classes are held in McAllen, Harlingen, Rio Grande City, and South Padre Island. The school is moving swiftly to earn acknowledgments from outside sources.
In its list of the 2020 Best Colleges, US News and World Report ranks UTRGV as 293rd. The publication goes on to rank UTRGV 17th in Top Performers in Social Mobility, 78th in Nursing Programs, and 110th in Engineering Programs. BestColleges.com ranks UTRGV as the fourth-best college in Texas and The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ranks the university third in the country in awarding bachelor degrees to Hispanics.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Accreditation Details
UTRGV is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. Programmatic accreditations include:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
- American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
- Accrediting Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET)
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CNURED)
- National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation (NASM)
- National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation (NAST)
- The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
- Council on Rehabilitation Education (CRE)
- Council on Social Work Education Office of Social work Accreditation
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Application Requirements
First-year students applying to UTRGV find the process easy. The school takes a different view of applicants than most universities. Test scores, GPA and other traditional factors have an impact, but overall the school looks at several parameters of a student before making a decision. Some of those factors are:
- Class rank
- Prior college hours
- College entrance exams (SAT/ACT)
- Rigor of high school courses completed
- Leadership experience
- Community involvement
- Career goals
Graduate school applicants must present their bachelor degree and transcripts from all higher education institutions they attended. Some graduate degree programs require entrance exams such as the GRE. Applicants should check with the appropriate department to discover the admissions requirements they demand.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition rates at UTRGV are the second-lowest in the University of Texas System and the third lowest in all of Texas. The tuition and mandatory fees per credit hour for a Texas resident are $574.43. A Texas resident taking a full load of 12 credit hours comes in at $4,066.16 per semester. Nonresidents pay considerably more with the per credit hour coming in at $996.43 and a full load cost of $12,546.16.
UTRGV offers several forms of financial aid, including community assistance, Pell Grants, State Grants, Scholarships, and specialized help for veterans, Mexican nationals, and those who prove a financial need. The Federal Student Loan programs are also available to assist students in meeting their financial obligations.
UTRGV is the foremost educational institution in its region and provides an economic incentive for students to accomplish their goals in a section of Texas that has traditionally been economically deprived. In 2013, the speculation by the Texas legislature was that with a strong educational foundation in the area of the Mexican border, the economy of the area would grow. The results are already in as the Rio Grande valley is showing an incredible economic expansion driven by successful graduates of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
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