Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

What is the history of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center?

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) grew out of a medical school established by the Texas Legislature in 1969 to expand physician education and health care access in West Texas. It became a separate health sciences university within the Texas Tech University System in 1979.

TTUHSC subsequently added schools in nursing, health professions, pharmacy and biomedical sciences. Its regional presence reflects its original purpose: preparing health professionals for communities spread across a large part of Texas. A significant change came in 2013, when Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso became a separate institution. Applicants should not assume that a program or policy advertised by TTUHSC El Paso applies to TTUHSC in Lubbock.

What are the faculties and departments at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center?

TTUHSC is organized around health care and biomedical education rather than the broad range of majors found at a general-purpose university. Its principal academic units include the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Health Professions, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Programs span several credential levels. The School of Nursing offers pathways for students entering nursing and for licensed nurses pursuing further education. Health Professions includes fields such as clinical laboratory science, communication disorders and rehabilitation. The other schools prepare physicians and pharmacists or offer advanced study in biomedical research. Some degrees involve substantial clinical training, while others emphasize laboratory research or online coursework.

Program location matters. TTUHSC operates across multiple Texas sites, and a degree offered by one school may have different classroom, laboratory and clinical-placement locations from a degree offered by another. Applicants should check the specific program's catalog for prerequisites, delivery format, clinical requirements and the campus where attendance is required.

What is the location of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center?

TTUHSC's main campus is in Lubbock, Texas, within a regional network of health sciences education sites. Lubbock is a West Texas city where the university's teaching, research and patient-care activities connect students with health care settings.

TTUHSC also has a presence in other Texas communities, including Amarillo and the Permian Basin. The relevant location depends on the school and program: an applicant admitted to a regional program should not assume that every course or clinical experience takes place in Lubbock.

Students should plan for transportation beyond classroom travel. Clinical assignments can require trips to hospitals or community sites, and schedules may include early or evening hours. Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport serves the city, but local commuting arrangements remain a separate consideration.

What is the mission and vision of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center?

TTUHSC describes its purpose in terms of health professions education, research, patient care and service, with particular attention to the health needs of Texas communities. Its stated vision emphasizes improving health through those connected activities.

For prospective students, that mission helps explain the institution's specialized curriculum and its use of regional campuses and clinical training sites. It is a statement of institutional priorities, not a guarantee that any student will receive a particular placement or that a program will produce a particular career outcome. TTUHSC is a public institution, not a religiously affiliated university.