Course Numbering System
UTD courses are given a four-digit number which is preceded by an
abbreviation of the name of the subject area. The first digit gives
the general level at which the course is usually taken, i.e., a 1
or 2 indicates that the course is freshman or sophomore level undergraduate,
and a 3 or 4 indicates that the course is junior or senior level undergraduate.
Graduate courses begin with the digits 5 through 8.
The second digit indicates the semester hour value of the course.
Courses are given semester hour values according to the number of
hours per week the course meets; the typical course is three semester
hours. Number of meetings per week and length of each meeting are
determined by the time it is offered and the type of course, e.g.,
lecture, laboratory, seminar. Variable credit hour courses will have
a “V” in the second position of the course number. The
Class Schedule for the semester will specify the hours available for
the course for the semester.
The final two digits give the course a unique number within a subject
area. In some instances, a second course number in parentheses follows
the first. These designate the State of Texas Common Course Numbering
System (TCCNS) equivalents where available. TCCNS is a standard set
of designations for academic courses. Most Texas community colleges
and universities have adopted this system which facilitates the transfer
of academic credit from one institution to another. Wherever possible,
courses at UTD have the TCCNS number, although the subject designation
may differ (e.g. BA and BUSI for Business Administration).
In all cases, the course description is followed by an indication
of the approximate number of contact hours per week in a semester
for any lecture and laboratory components of the course; e.g., (2
4) indicates 2 hours of lecture and 4 hours of laboratory per week.
Course Load
Long Semesters - There is no general minimum course
load; however, to be considered full time, an undergraduate student
must be enrolled in at least twelve semester hours during each long
term (fall and spring semesters). The standard full time course load
is fifteen semester hours. Students in a major wishing to register
for more than 18 semester hours must have the permission of the Associate
Dean of their college; all undergraduates with an undeclared major
may seek that permission from the Dean of Undergraduate Education.
Summer Semesters - The maximum course load for a
summer session is normally, six semester hours for the six week term,
eight semester hours for the eight week term, or twelve semester hours
for the twelve week term. Special arrangements may be made for a student
enrolled in the twelve week summer term to take up to 16 semester
hours if the student needs no more than 16 hours to graduate at the
end of the summer session.
In considering course load, students must be sensitive to special
considerations such as financial aid and family health insurance which
typically require some minimum number of hours per semester to maintain
eligibility.
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.
Course Substitution (Disability Services)
Students requesting subsitution of course work as a reasonable accomodation
must request this accomodation through the Disability Services Office
according to the following deadlines:
- If you entered as a freshman from High School, by the end of your
fourth semester at UTD.
- If you entered as a transferred student, by the end of your second
semester at UTD.
Please contact Disability Services with any questions about this
type of accomodation, or to initiate the request process.
To request a course substitution you must:
- Meet with the Disability Specialist at Disability Services to
discuss your need for a course substitution and to receive the
application forms. Fully complete and sign the application form.
- You may need to provide current documentation of your disability
to update material on fil. You are also required to compose a
narrative explaining the reasons for your request. This narrative
must include any previous experiences with similar course work
attempted prior to completing the application.
- If you are not currently served by the Disability Services or
if you have not been previously diagnosed with a disability, call
(972)883-2098 to schedule an intake appointment with Disability
Services.
- Meet with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate or Graduate Education
in the school in which you are registered. This meeting is to
discuss the purposed substitution and its potential impact on
your degree program and to obtain the Associate Dean's signature
on the application form.
Courses approved by The University of Texas at Dallas will be the
primary source for al approved course substitutions. If the dean
signs your application and approves your substitution, return the
completed form to the Disability Services Office.
Credit/No Credit Classes
The Credit/No Credit option is intended to encourage students to
take courses in topics outside of their major area where they would
be competing with a significant number of students who are majoring
in these outside areas. The option gives students the opportunity
to broaden their education with less emphasis on grade points. A student
will receive credit for C (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) work or better; no
credit will be given for work that is below C (2.00 on a 4.00 scale).
Students are to make their requests to be graded on a Credit/No Credit
basis directly to the Office of the Registrar by the Census Day of
classes of the semester or term. The signature of the student’s
academic advisor is required on the Credit/No Credit request form.
If a course was originally taken for a letter grade, it may not be
repeated for Credit/No Credit.
No change of grade designation from grade to Credit/No Credit or
Credit/No Credit to grade may be given after Census Day. A course
may be designated by the instructor as unavailable to students on
a Credit/No Credit basis.
A student may not take, on a Credit/No Credit basis, any course used
to satisfy a Core Curriculum requirement, any course in the major
or minor, or listed as a major and related course on the student’s
degree plan, or major prerequisite, if a letter grade is normally
awarded in those courses. Students in the Interdisciplinary Studies
program may not exercise a Credit/No Credit option in their Foundations
or Concentration.
The Credit/No Credit option is limited to 12 semester credit hours
or 20% of UTD upper-division coursework, which ever is smaller. Courses
in a student’s major which are designated as Credit/No Credit
are not included in this limit. Courses taken on a Credit/No Credit
basis will not be used in determining a student’s GPA. Care
should be taken by students in selecting courses for the Credit/No
Credit option, as this may affect eligibility for honors. (See “Graduation
with Honors”)
