The goal of graduate study at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy is to develop the intellectual breadth and specialized training necessary for a career in teaching, research or advanced professional practice. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge, methods and skills needed for scholarly teaching, original research and problem solving, intellectual leadership, creative expression and professional prominence and recognition.

Graduate work generally is identified with a particular discipline but may be broader in scope, involving courses and research in several disciplines. The candidate for an advanced degree presents work conducted in a chosen major area, but it also is expected that he or she will have completed supporting work at an upper-division or graduate-level in one or more relevant areas. The three components of graduate study are didactic coursework, independent study and scholarly research leading to a thesis or dissertation. The proportion of each type of study may vary according to the previous training of the individual student and the nature of the major discipline.