Registration and Enrollment Requirements
Registration
A graduate
student:
A doctoral
student:
A continuing
student in good academic standing may register in one of three ways:
The Office of the Registrar provides the instructor the
names of all students who are officially registered and have paid all required
tuition and fees in each class. A student should confirm with the instructor
that his/her registration has been properly recorded within the first week of
classes. A student is responsible for attending the correct courses for
which he/she is registered. A student may not attend classes in which he/she is
not registered unless the student has been approved to audit the course.
Unless on an approved leave of
absence, a graduate student in a degree program must maintain continuous
enrollment during the fall and spring (long session) semesters of each academic
year. A student who fails to register in
any given long session will be permitted to re-enroll through his/her program
office in any two subsequent semesters if the student was in good academic
standing at the time of last enrollment. A thesis/dissertation student must
enroll in at least three thesis or dissertation hours before graduating. Once a
student has enrolled in thesis or dissertation, he/she must maintain continuous
enrollment (not necessarily in thesis or dissertation hours) of at least three
semester hours during consecutive long semesters unless granted a leave of
absence. Some programs may require additional semester hours.
A student who formally requests and is granted a leave of
absence will be exempt 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.
Beginning
in the Fall 2009 semester, if a student was previously
enrolled at UT Dallas, the student may be eligible to return to the University
without reapplying through admissions.
To be eligible for the new policy,
the student must have previously enrolled for at least one semester. A student is considered enrolled if he/she
was enrolled in one or more courses after the census day for a semester. The student also must have left the
University in good standing and must be in good standing with all institutions
of higher education he/she formerly attended.
Admissions
The
following guidelines describe whether or not a student must apply or submit a
re-entry form:
•
Previously
graduate degree-seeking, returning
as graduate degree-seeking
o
If
different programs and/or different plans, must reapply and waive fee unless filing
premium application
o
If
same program, same plan, and in good standing, must submit re-entry form
•
Previously
graduate non-degree- seeking,
returning as graduate degree-seeking
o
Must
reapply and pay fee
•
Previously graduate degree-seeking, returning as graduate non-degree-seeking
o
If
in good standing, must submit re-entry form
•
Previously graduate taking undergraduate courses
(GRU), coming back as graduate taking
undergraduate courses (GRU)
o
Must
submit re-entry form
Registrar
If the
student qualifies Readmission policy, the student must submit a re-entry form
and return to the Office of the Registrar by the last day of late registration.
In
addition, the student must submit official transcripts for all institutions of
higher education he/she attended after last attending UT Dallas. If official transcripts are not received by
Census Day, the student will be automatically dropped from any currently-enrolled
courses.
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. A graduate student may not register in absentia with
grades of Incomplete on his/her transcript (see related, nonrefundable fee).
Dates of Early, Regular and Late
Registration
Registration dates and procedures are listed in the online
Comet Calendar and the Academic 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 a
student from information or regulations contained therein. The University
reserves the right to make changes to both calendars at any time.
Paying Fees as a Part of
Registration
A student is not registered or eligible to attend classes
until all tuition and fees have been paid in full or until the student has
arranged installment payments 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). A student who does not
pay in full or arrange for installment payments by the payment deadline in the
online Comet Calendar or the Academic Calendar may have his/her registration
canceled. A student who has 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:
Auditing allows a student to observe the instruction of a
course without earning credit. Computer Science and Engineering courses,
Geoscience courses, Physical Education courses, Foreign Language courses,
online courses, and any courses that charge a lab fee may not be audited.
Participation and discussion is at the discretion of the instructor. Auditing
grants only the privilege of hearing and observing and does not grant credit or
access to online course tools.
A
student may pick up an Audit Form in the Office of the Registrar beginning the
first day of classes through census day. Students may audit courses only by
obtaining permission of the instructor and by completing audit registration
procedures. Please consult http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/ for more detailed audit procedures and associated fees.
All applicants for auditing graduate courses should have
documentation indicating the completion of a baccalaureate degree. Exceptions
to this policy may be granted only upon application to the Dean of Graduate
Studies. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to audit Studio/Ensemble
courses.
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 newly appointed TA's are required to attend TA Orientation held
immediately prior to the start of the fall and spring semesters.
Undergraduate
Registration for Graduate Courses
An advanced
undergraduate who is within 30 hours of completing the baccalaureate degree may
petition his/her Undergraduate Associate Dean 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 Undergraduate
Associate Dean, up to 12 semester hours of graduate work taken as an
undergraduate may be used only for completing any baccalaureate degree at UT
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
Undergraduate Associate Dean, how each approved course is to be applied and may
not change option once declared.
Graduate Courses for Possible Future
Use as Graduate Credit
Pass/fail grading options are not permitted in
this category. An undergraduate may take up to 12 semester hours of graduate
courses to reserve for possible application toward a graduate degree. To
register, an undergraduate student must obtain permission from the instructor,
from the graduate advisor of the program in which the course is offered and
from the Dean of Graduate Studies. 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. The student must declare at the time of registration for the
course, on a form provided by the Undergraduate Associate Dean, how each
approved course is to be applied and may not change option once declared.
Graduate Courses Taken in Fast Track
Options
Pass/fail grading options are not permitted in this category. A
number of programs at UT 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 UT Dallas who have been
admitted to Fast Track programs at UT Dallas leading to baccalaureate/master's
degrees may, with the permission of the student's Undergraduate Associate Dean
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. The student must declare at the time of registration for the course, on
a form provided by the Undergraduate Associate Dean, how each approved course
is to be applied and may not change option once declared. 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 UT Dallas will accept
admission to a Fast Track program as satisfying Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
criteria for admission to the graduate program. The Naveen Jindal 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.
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.
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
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from
class or other required activities, including examinations, 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 |
|
4.00 |
A- |
|
3.67 |
B+ |
|
3.33 |
B |
|
3.00 |
B- |
|
2.67 |
C+ |
|
2.33 |
C |
|
2.00 |
F |
Failure |
0.00 |
I |
Incomplete |
* |
P |
|
* |
*The grades P and I do not produce
grade points.
An Incomplete grade of I 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 by both 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 I is not submitted by the specified deadline, the grade of I 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 I 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 I must be converted into a letter grade (A through F or P) by
the instructor, head of the department or program, or Graduate Advisor as
indicated above.
Grade
Changes
After a final grade has been
recorded by the Registrar, faculty may change grades only to correct a clerical
error or replace a grade of “incomplete.” A faculty-initiated change of a final
grade requires the written approval of the instructor, the department or
program head, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and the School Dean. Such
grade changes must be submitted by the end of the eighth week of the long
semester after the grade was awarded. Any grade change initiated after this
deadline requires the written approval of the instructor, the department or
program head, the School Dean, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Student Request
A student has the right to request a
review of the grades received in any class.
Students must petition for a grade review by the end of the eighth week of the long semester after the grade was awarded. The request must be submitted in writing to the appropriate faculty member, who then has the remainder of that semester to take action.
Pass/Fail Grading
The pass/fail option is intended to encourage a student to
take courses in topics outside his/her major area where the student 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 and the Academic Calendar.
A
student may not elect to take the following types of courses on a pass/fail
basis:
Only pass/fail grades are given for independent study, research
and reading courses, and for thesis and dissertation.
Final
Examinations
If a final examination is given in a course, it must be
given at the time scheduled by the Registrar´s office during the final
examination period. A final examination must not last more than 2 hours and 45
minutes. Students for whom three or more final examinations are scheduled in
one day may petition to take the additional final examinations on different
days.
Academic Good Standing
Registration in the graduate programs beyond the first
semester (or summer session) is contingent on the student's being in good
academic standing based on three main factors:
• Satisfactory progress in meeting admission conditions that
were imposed at the time of admission.
• Maintenance of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in
graduate courses in the degree program.
• 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 (I) grades. Failure to achieve this 3.0 cumulative
grade point average will result in immediate dismissal from the University.
The
minimum course load for a graduate student to be considered full time is nine
semester credit hours of graduate coursework during each long term and six semester
hours in any summer session.
Students
who receive a research assistantship or a teaching assistantship must comply
with course load requirements determined by the graduate program offering the
assistantship.
Schedule Changes: Dropping, Adding and
Withdrawing From Courses
Dates
and time limits for schedule changes can be found in the online Comet Calendar
and the Academic Calendar.
A new student seeking to drop or add courses to his/her
schedule must obtain permission from his/her graduate advisor in the 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
and the Academic 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.
A student who habitually withdraws from a significant
fraction of his/her 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 Service Activation
Interruption of Education
Under certain circumstances, a student who is required to
participate in active military services is excused from scheduled classes or
other required activities and will be allowed to complete an assignment or exam
within a reasonable time after the absence. The excused absence is permitted
only if the student will miss not more than 25% of the total number of class
meetings or the contact hour equivalent (not including the final examination
period) for the specific course or courses in which the student is enrolled at
the beginning of the period of active military service.
A student who withdraws from The University of Texas at
Dallas because the student has been called to active military service has three
options for the treatment of his/her transcript and tuition and fees. U.S. 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
"withdrawn-military" (WM) on the student´s transcript; or
2.
the Registrar´s office may grant the
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 grade(s)
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 a course if the student has, in the
instructor´s judgment, successfully completed a substantial amount of
course work and demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material.
Readmission
If otherwise eligible to register for classes at the
University, a student called to active duty in the United States Armed Forces
or the Texas National Guard (not including routine Texas National Guard
training) shall be readmitted without reapplication or payment of additional
application fees within one year of the "release from active duty"
date on the student´s military orders. An eligible student will retain prior
academic standing, course credits awarded 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
A
student who wishes to repeat a course must submit a Repeated Course Adjustment
form to the Graduate Dean.
Up to three graduate courses may be repeated. However, no
graduate course may be repeated more than once. When a course is repeated, both
grades will remain in the student's record and will be included in any
transcript. The higher grade will be used in computing the grade point average
or credit hours for purposes of graduation. This policy does not apply to
coursework specified in the catalog that can be repeated for credit. Students
are advised to check with the Financial Aid office to determine how and if
grades earned in repeated coursework impact their financial aid eligibility
status.
Change of Address, Email, or Name
For a name change, a student must fill out the name change
form in the Office of the Registrar. A student must also bring a copy of
his/her driver's license or 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. A student is encouraged to set up
a UT Dallas email account upon registration in his/her first term, and ensure
the 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.