 rotate(10)'/%3E%3Cpath d='M.038.113v.15l.15.088.15-.088v-.15L.188.025l-.15.088Z' stroke='%23c44900' stroke-width='.0375' transform='rotate(10)'/%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Rehabilitation Counseling
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Rehabilitation Counseling is designed to prepare students to become rehabilitation educators, researchers, and administrators. This program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and offers advanced training in counseling with a focus on working with individuals with disabilities. Students gain skills in research, teaching in-class and online, grant writing, and administration. Graduates are equipped to pursue careers as professors, professional counselors, and rehabilitation leaders, empowering others to achieve mental and economic independence.
Clinical Psychology
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology offers integrated academic, scientific, and professional training grounded in the scientist-practitioner model. Students receive intensive instruction in psychological theory and broad clinical experience, with a focus on mental health assessment and treatment within Hispanic and Mexican American populations. The program emphasizes empirically supported interventions, multicultural competence, and collaboration with healthcare professionals. Graduates are prepared for licensure and careers as clinical psychologists, researchers, and faculty in medical, mental health, and academic settings. The program is accredited on contingency by the American Psychological Association through January 26, 2029.
Business Administration
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business Administration is designed primarily to prepare students for careers in research and teaching. Most graduates pursue academic positions, while others enter consulting, government, or public policy roles. The program offers concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Management, and Marketing. Students complete core coursework, a scholarship seminar paper, comprehensive exams, and a dissertation under the guidance of expert faculty. With rigorous academic training and individualized mentorship, students gain the skills to conduct high-quality research, contribute to business knowledge, and shape future business education. The program is accredited by AACSB International.
Curriculum and Instruction
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction is a fully online program designed to prepare experienced educators to lead educational programs and organizations in higher education and related settings. Graduates gain the skills to supervise professionals, develop and evaluate assessments and curriculum, and conduct original research in areas such as bilingual studies, educational technology, pedagogy, literacy, mathematics education, science education, and special education. As a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), the program offers a rigorous, research-based curriculum that supports impactful scholarly work. Career opportunities include roles such as curriculum director, higher education administrator, instructional coordinator, and college professor.
Mathematics and Statistics
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mathematics and Statistics with Interdisciplinary Applications is designed to provide a strong mathematics and statistics background to support intense quantitative work in a variety of disciplines. The curriculum prepares scholars to work on problems at the intersection of mathematics, science, engineering, medicine, finance, computer science, and other quantitative fields. As the most accessible and broadly interdisciplinary program of its kind in Texas, it offers unparalleled opportunities to apply advanced mathematics and statistics to real-world challenges. Graduates are prepared for careers in federal agencies, private research labs, engineering firms, and academia, with possible roles as biostatisticians, actuaries, data scientists, operations research analysts, and postsecondary educators.
Physics
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Physics provides students with a broad foundation in classical and modern physics while preparing them to solve complex problems across science, technology, and medicine. The program trains professionals to develop research-based solutions in fields such as gravitational wave astronomy, optical and radio astronomy, nanophysics, materials physics, biomedical physics, high-energy physics, and physics education. Students have access to advanced research facilities, including the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy (CGWA) and the Center for Advanced Radio Astronomy (CARA), and benefit from support through Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant positions. Graduates are prepared for careers in scientific research and development, with opportunities in healthcare, energy, technology, and geophysics. Potential roles include physicist, biophysicist, medical physicist, optical engineer, and data scientist.
Human Genetics
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Human Genetics focuses on the theory, research, and practical applications of genetics and genomics. The program prepares students to become scientific researchers and educators across academic, governmental, clinical, and industry settings. With a curriculum spanning statistical genetics, molecular genetics, functional genomics, imaging, exposomics, and stem cell research, students develop critical thinking and technical skills while addressing health conditions that disproportionately affect minority populations, particularly Mexican Americans in the Rio Grande Valley. Through hands-on research and specialized training in both laboratory and computational methods, graduates are prepared for careers as population geneticists, bioinformaticians, laboratory managers, academic faculty, or scientists in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
Physical Therapy
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program prepares graduates to become licensed physical therapists who provide evidence-based, compassionate care across a wide range of practice settings. Students receive comprehensive training to evaluate and treat individuals with musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary, and multisystem disorders. Guided by expert faculty, students develop clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and research skills through a combination of classroom learning, hands-on experiences, and interprofessional collaboration. Graduates are equipped to work in hospitals, schools, home health, skilled nursing facilities, community agencies, or private practice. The program has submitted its application for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
Occupational Therapy
The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program at UTRGV prepares highly qualified occupational therapists to support the health and well-being needs of the South Texas region. The program emphasizes advanced training in clinical practice, administration, clinical research, leadership, policy and program development, advocacy, education, and theory. Graduates are prepared to practice in clinical, research, and academic environments.
Educational Leadership
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership at UTRGV is designed to equip educational leaders with the knowledge and skills to improve institutions that serve children, youth, and adults. The program prepares graduates for leadership roles across K–12 schools, community colleges, and universities. With specializations in higher education administration, special education, and needs-based areas such as superintendency, students engage with experienced faculty dedicated to teaching, research, and service. Graduates are prepared to lead in a variety of educational settings, supported by a program with strong completion rates and a focus on affordability.
Nursing Practice
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a fully online, post-master’s program that prepares nurses for leadership roles in administration or as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). As one of two terminal degrees in the nursing field, the DNP is a practice-based doctorate grounded in the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The curriculum emphasizes interprofessional team building and includes coursework in biostatistics, informatics, clinical scholarship, healthcare policy, leadership, and ethics. It is the only DNP program in Texas with a dedicated focus on interprofessional collaboration.
Computer Science
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer Science with Interdisciplinary Applications prepares students to solve real-world problems using advanced theory, methods, and computing techniques. The program offers research opportunities in artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data mining, with applications in science, engineering, medicine, and business. Students receive individualized mentoring and collaborate across disciplines to advance knowledge and practice in computer science. Graduates are prepared for careers in academia, research, and industry.
Materials Science and Engineering
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Materials Science and Engineering provides rigorous academic training in the interdisciplinary field of materials research. The program prepares students to address real-world challenges in energy, biomedical applications, electronics, manufacturing, and more. With unique strengths in nanofiber-related research and a collaborative, customizable curriculum, students gain hands-on experience guided by expert faculty. Committed to diversity and inclusivity, the program equips graduates for careers in academia, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors. Potential roles include materials scientist, nanotechnology specialist, product development engineer, and research and development manager.