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Academic Policies and Procedures

Graduation

Application for Graduation

Students must complete an 'Application for Graduation' with their academic advisor and submit the application to The Office of the Registrar by the deadline. The procedures and deadlines for submitting this application are listed in the Comet Calendar. Students are, however, encouraged to apply for graduation prior to registering for their last semester. Students who apply after the posted deadline will be required to pay a non-refundable late fee. Completion of the graduation application is an acknowledgement that the student will graduate at the end of the semester. Students cannot withdraw an Application for Graduation once it has been submitted.

Graduation Ceremonies

Ceremonies are held at the conclusion of each semester. Students who graduate at the conclusion of a summer semester or fall may elect to participate in their graduation ceremony at that time or wait until the following spring graduation ceremony to participate. Summer and fall graduates who wish to participate in the following spring graduation must submit a written notice with The Office of the Registrar upon completion of their degree requirements.

Honors Convocation ceremonies are held at the conclusion of each spring semester.

Graduation Under a Particular Catalog

Provided the requisite courses continue to be offered, and given continuous enrollment (see section on “Readmission”), students are bound by the Core Curriculum requirements of the catalog in force at the time of admission, within that catalog’s six year limit. For students who change their major, the graduation requirements for that major will be those stated in the catalog in force at the time of the change. The Core Curriculum requirements, however, remain those of the catalog in force at the time of matriculation unless the student specifically chooses those of a more recent catalog or the catalog in force at the time of maticulation expires. Should any requisite major courses cease to be offered, substitutions would be made by the student’s Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education.

Should any requisite Core Curriculum courses cease to be offered, substitutions will be made by the Office of Undergraduate Education. These requirements must be met by all students pursuing a baccalaureate degree at The University of Texas at Dallas, regardless of their major. A specific course may be used to satisfy only one core requirement. Individual academic programs may require courses contained in parts of the University Core Curriculum to satisfy particular degree requirements. Students may be required to take extra courses if they fail to select these courses.

Administrative requirements such as minimum grade point requirements may change for all students with the issuance of a new catalog.

Graduation with Honors

Students who show particular distinction in scholarship at the university are afforded the opportunity of graduating with either or both Latin Honors and School Honors. Only grades earned at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) are used in determining graduation with honors.

Latin Honors

Graduates may earn one of three degrees of Latin Honors: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude. Requirements for graduation with honors are as follows:

A minimum of 45 U.T. Dallasgraded credit hours are required. Each Latin Honors level requires a minimum grade point average (GPA) to be attained over all course work taken at The University of Texas at Dallas. In the case of a student with a double major who wishes to graduate with honors, a single honors designation will be awarded. Students graduating with double degrees who wish to receive honors for both degrees must complete separate honors requirements for each degree.

The grade point requirements for Latin Honors are issued by the University in the summer of each academic year and apply to graduates in the following academic year. The thresholds for each level of honors are determined from a rolling average of the grades of all graduates for the previous six long semesters. Averages are computed separately for each school within the University. The GPA that represents the top five percent of all graduates in a particular school will be considered the threshold for awarding summa cum laude honors. The GPA that defines the next 10 percent in each school will be the lower limit for magna cum laude. The average grade that defines the next 15 percent in each school will be considered the benchmark for awarding cum laude honors. A minimum GPA of 3.40 is required for any Latin Honors.

Major Honors

Students may graduate with honors from their individual schools based on participation in their school’s Honors Program. Each program provides two levels of recognition, Honors and Distinction. All students must have completed a minimum of 30 graded semester credit hours to qualify for major honors.

The requirements for school honor’s recognition vary across schools. Students should review the descriptions within the school section of the catalog. To graduate with school distinction honors, students must complete an undergraduate thesis judged by faculty to be of exemplary quality.

Collegium V

Students graduating with Collegium V Honors will complete at least 24 semester credit hours within the programs and maintain a 3.50 cumulative grade point average on at least 45 hours of graded credit. In their senior year, students must complete a senior thesis or senior project. They also must participate in a select number of extra-curricular events over the course of their academic career.

Collegium V, Latin, and School Honors are all reported on students’ transcripts and diplomas

Graduation Requirements

1. Each candidate for a baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 120 semester credit hours of course work (certain degree programs require more than 120 hours). Within this requirement, students must complete the following:

• At least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division (3000/4000) course work, to include a minimum of 12 hours of advanced courses in the major subject.
• At least 25 percent (25%) of the total semester credit hours required (for the School of Management, fifty percent (50%) of the total Business credit hours) must be taken at The University of Texas at Dallas.
• At least 24 of the last 30 hours needed for a baccalaureate degree must be taken at The University of Texas at Dallas.
• A maximum of three semester credit hours of physical education activity can be applied toward graduation.

2. A minimum GPA of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale (C average) is required in the major and related courses, any declared minor, and overall. Major preparatory classes are not included in the calculation of the major GPA. Only grades earned at The University of Texas at Dallas are used in calculating this GPA.

3. Students must satisfactorily complete all degree requirements specified by the school or college in which the degree is offered. (See "Degree Programs"). In many instances, the college/school/department academic program requirements may exceed the
University core requirements.

4. Students must satisfy the Core Curriculum which is described in full here.

5. A candidate for a degree must be enrolled at UTD during the semester or term in which The Office of the Registrar confirms completion of degree requirements. Students may register in absentia if enrollment in a course is not required.

6. Students must complete an official degree plan prepared by the academic unit. The degree plan must be on file no later than the completion of 75 earned semester credit hours.

7. To qualify for a second baccalaureate degree, double degree, or double major from The University of Texas at Dallas, please review the "Other Degree Requirements".

NOTE: General and specific requirements for degrees in undergraduate programs may be altered in subsequent catalogs.

The University of Texas at Dallas 2006-2008 Undergraduate Catalog
Volume 31, Number 1
Copyright © The University of Texas at Dallas

This catalog is a general information publication only. It is not intended to nor does it contain all regulations that relate to students. The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student or faculty member and The University of Texas at Dallas or The University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Dallas reserves the right to withdraw courses at any time, to change fees or tuition, calendar, curriculum, degree requirements, graduation procedures, and any other requirements affecting students. Changes will become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine and will apply to both prospective students and those already enrolled.

Statement on Equal Educational Opportunity
The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. In accordance with federal and state law, the University prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, and veteran status. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is also prohibited pursuant to University policy.