Definitions
Degrees Awarded

Degrees awarded represents the number of degrees conferred in a fiscal (or academic) year, including each semester— fall, spring, and summer. Degrees awarded does not represent the number of students receiving awards; instead, it is the total number of degrees awarded—which may include multiple awards for some students.

Baccalaureate-Level Certificate

An upper-level undergraduate certificate requiring completion of an organized program of study that includes 21-36 hours in disciplinary areas where the institution already offers an undergraduate degree program.

Graduate-Level Certificate

A graduate-level certificate that requires the completion of an organized program of study that includes 16-29 hours in disciplinary areas where the institution already offers a graduate program at the same level as the certificate.

Degrees Awarded (used by IPEDS - Completions)

Represents the number of degrees and other formal awards (certificates) conferred during an entire academic year, from July 1 of one calendar year through June 30 of the following year.

Baccalaureate Degrees (used by IPEDS - Completions)

An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work.

Doctoral Degree (IPEDS - Completions)

The highest award a student can earn for graduate study. Summarized across old and new classification levels (Doctor’s degree- other, Doctor’s degree- professional practice, Doctor’s degree- research/scholarship, Doctor’s degree – old).

Grand Total (used by IPEDS - Completions)

Total number of baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and first professional degrees awarded.

Notes

In AY 2004-05, institutions began reporting bachelor-level certificates of greater than 20 semester credit hours (SCHs) and graduate-level certificates of greater than 15 SCHs. For consistency, certificates for prior years were allocated based on the new categories, but may not have the same SCH requirements.

Texas Southmost College awards associate degrees, not included in the degree totals.

The UT Brownsville and UT Pan American campuses closed at the end of AY 2015. UT Rio Grande Valley began enrolling students in Fall 2015.

Grand Totals are for first and second major.

Notes on race/ethnicity

Sources

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board data from the Graduation Report (CBM009)

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)