Mission and History

Mission

The Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies partners with other SMU schools to advance graduate education and research, to advocate on behalf of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars and to enhance the University’s stature through the promotion of a culture of excellence and the support of SMU faculty, students, and visiting scholars engaged in innovative, interdisciplinary and impactful studies.

History

On November 12, 2019, SMU announced a landmark $100 million commitment from the Moody Foundation to fund the University’s eighth degree-granting school, and SMU’s Board of Trustees approved the creation of the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies at their December 6, 2019 general meeting.  In creating the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, the Moody Foundation and SMU were guided by the shared aspirations of dramatically enhancing SMU graduate programs following recommendations outlined in the December 18, 2018 Report of the Graduate School Task Force, and positioning the University to recruit outstanding graduate students, retain and hire the most distinguished and innovative faculty and researchers, and expand research. 

The creation of the Moody School was also intended to allow SMU to deepen and forge new partnerships with companies and organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, across Texas and throughout the country and to provide SMU alumni of graduate programs with invaluable experiences and support as they take up positions in companies and institutions in their community and around the globe.  Devoted to these goals, the Moody School began formal operations in the 2020-21 academic year.