Registration and Enrollment Requirements

Registration Required

Students must be registered for any session during which they are taking courses, or taking examinations, required in their degree program. A student requiring guidance in the preparation of a thesis or dissertation must be registered for a minimum of three semester hours in their degree program. Graduate students must be enrolled in 3 credit hours in the semester in which they graduate.  Students must be registered and have paid all required fees in the semester in which they plan to graduate.

Continuing students in good academic standing may register in one of three ways: online, with the department or program office, or with the Office of the Registrar during walk-in registration. Continuing degree-seeking graduate students are eligible to register early to increase probability of enrollment in available courses.

The Office of the Registrar informs the instructor of the names of all students who are officially registered and have paid all required tuition and fees in each class. It is recommended that the students confirm with the instructor that their registration has been properly recorded within the first week of classes. It is the students� responsibility to ensure they are enrolled in and attending the correct courses for each semester they are enrolled. Students may not attend classes in which they are not registered in the above manner unless they have been approved to audit the course.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement

Unless on an approved leave of absence, graduate students in degree programs are expected to maintain continuous enrollment during the fall and spring (long session) semesters of each academic year. Students who fail to register in any given long session will be permitted to re-enroll through their program office in any two subsequent semesters provided they were in good academic standing at the time of last enrollment. A thesis/dissertation student must enroll in at least three thesis or dissertation hours some time prior to graduating. Once a student has enrolled in thesis or dissertation, that student must maintain continuous enrollment (not necessarily in thesis or dissertation) of at least three semester hours during consecutive long semesters unless granted a leave of absence. Some programs may require additional semester hours.

Leave of Absence

Students who formally request and are granted a leave of absence will be exempted from the readmission requirements. A request for a leave of absence must be made through the department or program to the Dean of Graduate Studies and is recorded on the student�s academic record by the Office of the Registrar. The leave of absence does not alter the time limits placed on graduate degrees.

Readmission

Students in academic good standing who find it necessary to suspend their academic activities or transfer to another institution for the duration of three long semesters (not including a summer session) must reapply to the program of intended degree. In that circumstance, a new review will be made to determine eligibility of enrollment under current standards for admission. An official transcript mailed directly by each institution attended after leaving The University of Texas at Dallas must be sent to the Office of Admissions, including any transcript of attendance at another university during a summer session. If accepted, the readmitted student will be bound by the catalog in force at the time of readmission.

In Absentia Registration for Graduation

In absentia registration for graduation (i.e., registration for no course work) may be arranged for candidates who have completed all degree requirements except for the submission of final approved copies of thesis or dissertation. Graduate students may not register in absentia with grades of Incomplete on their transcript (see related, nonrefundable fee).

Dates of Early, Regular and Late Registration

Registration dates and procedures are listed in the online Comet Calendar. This online resource contains important dates and information that will be useful throughout the semester. Failure to consult and be aware of these dates and procedures does not excuse students from information or regulations contained therein. The University reserves the right to make changes in this schedule at any time.

Paying Fees as a Part of Registration

Students are not registered or eligible to attend classes until they have paid all tuition and fees in full, or have arranged installment payment with the Bursar. If a student�s registration has been canceled for nonpayment, a reinstatement fee and a late fee will be charged (see online course schedule for current fees). Students who do not pay in full or arrange for installment payments by the payment deadline in the online Comet Calendar may have their registration canceled. Students who have not completed the payment of all tuition and fees by the end of the semester will be subject to one or more of the following actions at the university�s option: bar against readmission at this institution; withholding of grades, degree and official transcript; and all penalties and actions authorized by law.

Auditing Courses

Auditing allows a student to observe the instruction of a course without earning credit. Computer Science & Engineering courses, Geoscience courses, Physical Education courses, Foreign Language courses, and any course(s) that charges a lab fee may not be audited. A student may pick up an Audit Form in the Office of the Registrar beginning the first day of classes through census day. Please consult http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/ for more detailed audit procedures and associated fees.

Identification Cards

The Comet Card is the official identification card for The University of Texas at Dallas.The card must be retained by the student throughout his/her affiliation with the University.The card is automatically activated when a student is registered for classes and deactivated when he/she is not enrolled.The Comet Card should be carried at all times when a student is on campus.

 

The Comet Card offers much more than identification and control of student privileges; there are two optional spending plans on the card, UTDollars and E-Bucks, and beginning Fall 2005 the card became a PIN-based debit card when linked to a Wells Fargo checking account.

 

UTDollars is an optional, on campus, pre-paid spending plan which can be used at all UTD dining services, Bookstore, Activity Center, Health Center, Info Depot and Bursar�s Office.E-Bucks is stored-value on the chip used for printing and copying on campus.Deposits to UTDollars can be made at the Info Depot or Bursar�s Office.Deposits to E-Bucks can be made at the Info Depot. If students link their card to a Wells Fargo checking account it can be used as a debit card at any location (on and off campus) that accepts PIN-based transactions.

 

The first Comet Card is issued at no cost.There is a fee for replacing the card (see Tuition and Fees).

Orientation

Orientation is designed to assist new students with an understanding of university rules and regulations and to provide information about registration procedures, academic programs, and student life. Attendance at Orientation is required for all F and J status international students and is strongly recommended for all new students as a means of efficient matriculation into the University. International students with F or J status will not be allowed to register without an authorized International Student Orientation form. All TA�s are required to attend TA Orientation held immediately prior to fall and spring semesters.

 

Undergraduate Registration for Graduate Courses

Advanced undergraduates who are within 30 hours of completing the baccalaureate degree may petition their ADU to take graduate courses. Approvals will be subject to the conditions outlined in the following sections.

Graduate Courses Applied Toward an Undergraduate Degree

With the approval of the student�s ADU, up to 12 semester hours of graduate work taken as an undergraduate may be used for completing any baccalaureate degree at U.T. Dallas. Pass/fail grading will be permitted in this category but must be approved by the instructor prior to the start of class.The student must declare at the time of registration for the course, on a form provided by the ADU, how each approved course is to be applied.

Graduate Courses for Possible Future Use as Graduate Credit

Undergraduates may take up to 12 semester hours of graduate courses to reserve for possible application toward a graduate degree. To register, undergraduate students must obtain permission from the instructor and from the graduate advisor of the program in which the course is offered. Such courses with an earned grade of B or better will be eligible for application to the student�s graduate record when the student is admitted to a graduate program. Courses so taken will not apply to the student�s undergraduate record and will not affect the student�s undergraduate GPA.

Graduate Courses Taken in Fast Track Options

A number of programs at U.T. Dallas offer an accelerated Fast Track option that allows students to take graduate level classes while still undergraduates. Specific admission requirements for Fast Track programs can be found within descriptions of majors. Undergraduate students at U.T. Dallas who have been admitted to Fast Track programs at U.T. Dallas leading to baccalaureate/master�s degrees may, with the permission of the ADU and graduate advisor, take a maximum of 15 specified semester hours of graduate work as an undergraduate. The graduate hours may be used to complete the bachelor�s degree and also to satisfy requirements for the master�s degree. When this option is chosen credit for the fast track hours used for an undergraduate degree will not be computed in the graduate GPA. However, they reduce the total number of graduate hours required to earn the respective degree Exceptions to the 15-hour maximum may be granted by petition to the Deans of Graduate and Undergraduate Education submitted through the relevant program�s director of graduate studies.

Graduate programs at U.T. Dallas will accept admission to a Fast Track program as satisfying Graduate Record Exam (GRE) criteria for admission to the graduate program. The School of Management requires students to meet its graduate admission requirements including completion of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) prior to receiving the baccalaureate degree.

Course Numbering System

All courses are identified by a four-digit number preceded by the name (or abbreviation) of the program. Courses beginning with a number 5 or greater are graduate courses. The second digit of the course number identifies the credit hour value. Courses with a V in the second position are variable credit hour courses.

The number of lecture hours per week and the number of laboratory hours are given in brackets following the course description: (2-4) means two hours of lecture and four hours of laboratory each week.

Frequency of Course Offerings

One of the following Frequency of Course Offering codes is found at the end of each course description in this catalog:

S = at least once each long semester.
Y = at least once a year.
T = at least once every two years.
R = based on student interest and instructor availability.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment.

The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence:  a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week.  A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence.  A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee.  The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Grades and Grade Point Average

The following grade scale is used in graduate course work at the university:

Grade

Description

Grade Points per Semester Hour

A

Excellent

4

B

Acceptable

3

C

Poor

2

F

Failure

0

X

Incomplete

 

P

Pass

 

The grades P and X do not produce grade points.

Grade of X: Incomplete

An Incomplete grade of X may be assigned, at the discretion of the instructor, for work unavoidably missed at the semester�s end. The student must obtain a Grade of Incomplete/Documentation Form in the office of the student�s degree program. The instructor assigning an incomplete grade must furnish a description of work required to complete the course. An incomplete must be completed eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester.The completed form must be signed both by the student and the instructor, and the appropriate Associate Dean, Graduate Advisor, or Department/Program Head, and must be retained with the student�s academic record. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the grade of X is not submitted by the specified deadline, the grade of X is changed automatically to an F. Extension beyond the specified limit can be made only with the permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies. A student may not re-enroll in a course in which an X has already been assigned.

The instructor alone will be responsible for determining whether the requirements for completion are met and for assigning the grade in the course. If the instructor who assigned the incomplete is no longer associated with the University when the work is completed, the head of the department or program may assign a committee of appropriate faculty to evaluate the material and/or obtain any other information that may be required to assign the grade in the course. Upon completion of the evaluation of the required work, the symbol X must be converted into a letter grade (A, B, C, F, or P) by the instructor, head of the department or program, or Graduate Advisor as indicated above.

Pass/Fail Grading

The pass/fail option is intended to encourage students to take courses in topics outside their major area where they would be competing with a significant number of students who are majoring in these outside areas. Subject to the constraints stated below, a student may elect to take certain courses either by letter grade (A, B, C, F) or pass/fail grade (P/F). The pass/fail option should be exercised at the time of registration. In any courses in which letter grades are given to one or more students, any student wishing to take the course on a pass/fail basis must obtain the approval of the instructor and his/her graduate advisor on the Pass/Fail form. This completed form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than Census Day. No change of grade designation from grade to pass/fail or pass/fail to grade can be made after the Census Day designated in the online Comet Calendar.

A student may not elect to take the following types of courses on a pass/fail basis: core courses and their prerequisites required for the student�s degree; and elective courses in the student�s major area. No more than 20 percent of the hours earned at U.T. Dallas for any master�s degree (excluding casebook, internship, practicum, independent study, research, reading, thesis or dissertation requirements) may be taken on a pass/fail basis.

Only pass/fail grades are given for independent study, research and reading courses, and for thesis and dissertation.

Academic Good Standing

Registration in the graduate programs beyond the first semester (or summer session) is contingent on the student�s being in academic good standing based on three main factors:

1. Satisfactory progress in meeting admission conditions that were imposed at the time of admission. 2. Maintenance of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in graduate courses in the degree program. 3. Satisfactory progress in meeting program degree requirements.

If, at the end of a semester, a student�s cumulative grade point average is below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation. The student must earn sufficient grade points during the next two semesters of registration to raise the cumulative grade point average to at least 3.0 exclusive of incomplete (X) grades. Failure to achieve this 3.0 cumulative grade point average will result in immediate dismissal from the University.

Course Load

The normal course load for a full-time graduate student during the long session is 12 semester hours. The minimum course load for a graduate student to be considered full time during long session is 9 semester hours; the maximum is 15 semester hours. The normal course load for a graduate student during the summer session is 9 semester hours. The minimum course load for a graduate student to be considered full time during the summer session is 6 semester hours; the maximum is 12 semester hours. Registration in excess of these maxima must have the recommendation of the graduate advisor and approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies and will be permitted only under exceptional circumstances. Students who are employed should consult with the graduate advisor about their combined course and work load. Course load requirements for graduate assistants are discussed in the section, Teaching and Research Assistantships.

Schedule Changes: Dropping, Adding and Withdrawing From Courses

Dates and time limits for schedule changes can be found in the online Comet Calendar.

New students seeking to drop or add courses to their schedules must obtain permission from their graduate advisor in their degree program. Drop/Add forms may be obtained from advising offices.

Drop/Adds may not be processed after Census Day. Any drops prior to and including Census Day will not show on the student�s transcript; withdrawals after Census Day will show as a W (withdraw) on the transcript.

After the last day indicated in the online Comet Calendar for a graduate student to withdraw, the course withdrawal will be approved only on a documented emergency basis for reasons extrinsic to curricula matters. To secure such approval, the student must complete a Drop/Add form and obtain the signature of the instructor certifying that the student was passing at the time of the proposed withdrawal. The student should then submit the Drop/Add form and a written petition detailing the nature of the emergency with written documentation from employer or doctor, as appropriate, to the graduate advisor and then to the Dean of Graduate Studies . If the petition is approved, the grade assigned by the instructor on the Drop/Add form will determine the grade which will appear on the student�s transcript: a passing grade will appear as a W on the transcript; a failing grade will appear as an F. Students who cease to attend classes without securing approval in the manner prescribed above will receive the grade of F for that course. Courses may not be dropped after the last day of classes in the semester.

Students who habitually withdraw from a significant fraction of their schedules may lose the right to withdraw or may be dismissed from the university for failure to make adequate academic progress.

Any student on a Teaching/Research Assistantship wishing to drop a course at any time during the semester must secure the signature of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

The Office of the Registrar, upon recommendation of the instructor and with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies, may require a student to drop a course for which the student has not satisfied the prerequisite.

UTD operates multiple sessions with different academic calendar and Census dates. If a student registers in a shorter session, it is the student�s responsibility to review the online Comet Calendar and deadlines that affect the drop/add/withdrawal procedures. The same holds true for the summer session.

 

Military Training Awarded as Academic Course Credit

 

The University of Texas at Dallas shall consider whether to award lower division (1000 or 2000 level) academic course credit toward a degree to admitted students when a student has completed and provided all of the following documentation to the Registrar�s Office:

1)      an official military record presented to the institution by the student that describes the substance of the training completed by the student and verifies the student�s successful completion of that training,

2)      a detailed description of the course of instruction,

3)      all required texts and author,

4)      any method of evaluation and,

5)      the course syllabus.

 

All documentation must be submitted to the Registrar�s Office by Census Day (12th class day) of the first semester admitted. All requests for academic credit will be reviewed by the appropriate discipline using established university transfer credit policies.Notification to the student by the Registrar of approved credit will occur prior to registration of the following long semester. All decisions are final.

 

 

Military Service Activation Interruption of Education

A reservist or member of the National Guard called into duty as a result of U.S. military demands, receiving activation orders after the start of a semester, has three options for the treatment of tuition and fees paid to The University of Texas at Dallas and transcript notation. According to state statutes and Coordinating Board rules, The University of Texas at Dallas, at the student's request:

    1. the Bursar�s office shall refund the tuition and fees paid by the student for the semester in which the student withdraws and records �withdraws-military� (WM) on the student�s transcript; or
    2. the Registrar�s office may grant a student, who is eligible under The University of Texas at Dallas guidelines (see �Incomplete Grades� section of the catalog for eligibility), an incomplete grade in all courses by designating "incomplete-military" (XM) on the student's transcript.Please note, resolution of the XM grades must occur within one year from �release from active duty� date on military orders; or
    3. the student may petition the instructor to assign an appropriate final grade or credit for the course after successfully completing a substantial amount of course work and having demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material.

NOTE: There are no provisions for refunds for active duty service members who are deployed as a result of military orders or for individuals who chose to enter into the service. The provisions listed above apply only to reservists or members of the National Guard called into active military service.

Readmission:Students called to active duty in the National Guard (not including routine National Guard training) may be readmitted without reapplication or payment of additional application fees within one year of the �release from active duty� date on military orders.Applicable students will retain academic standing and financial eligibility if the student meets current eligibility requirements other than continuous enrollment or other timing requirements.

 

Withdrawal (Resignation) from the University

A student who wishes to withdraw entirely from the University must complete the proper withdrawal form and procedures in the Office of the Registrar. The grade assigned by the instructor on the withdrawal form will determine the grade which will appear on the student�s transcript: a passing grade will appear as a W on the transcript; a failing grade will appear as an F. Withdrawal after the final drop date requires the same procedures as listed in the previous paragraphs on Schedule Changes.

Repeated Course Work

Students who wish to repeat a course must complete a Repeated Course Adjustment form in the Office of the Registrar.

Up to three courses may be repeated; however, no course may be repeated more than once. When a course is repeated, the earlier grade will remain in the student�s record and will be included in any transcript. The second grade will be used in computing the grade point average or credit hours for purposes of graduation or determination of probationary status. A notation beside the first grade will indicate that the course has been repeated.

Change of Address, Email, or Name

For name changes, students must fill out the name change form in the Office of the Registrar.  Students must also bring a copy of their driver�s license or their marriage certificate for proof of name.  Change of address and email may be completed online.

Electronic communication is the preferred means of communicating important academic information. Students are encouraged to set up their UT Dallas email account upon registration in their first term, and ensure their UT Dallas email account is kept current.

Most university administrative offices send all electronic correspondence only to a student�s UTD email address and require that all official electronic correspondence be transmitted from the student�s UTD email account. This requirement allows university personnel to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of the individual corresponding with a university official and in the security of the transmitted information.