Office of the Registrar

Frequently Asked Questions

This section covers the frequently asked questions regarding UTD classes, change of major, graduation, etc. If you have any specific question that is not covered on this page, contact the Office of the Registrar. If you have a question related to tuition and fees, contact the Bursar's Office.

HOW TO AUDIT A COURSE

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.

• Take the Application to Audit Course form to the instructor for written approval.
  NOTE: The application will not be distributed until classes begin.
• Take the Application to Audit Course form to the Bursar’s Office and pay the non-refundable audit fee. Please visit the Bursar's website for information on fees.
• Return the signed and stamped application form to the Office of the Registrar for processing before Census Day for the semester. Census day may be found in the Comet Calendar.
• Purchase mandatory non-refundable parking decal.
  NOTE: The application will not be distributed until classes begin.

QUESTIONS ABOUT HOLDS

HOLDS are a computerized mechanism to prevent registration or transcript processing. You will be notified via your UTD e-mail if there has been a hold placed on your account. In any event, when there is a hold on your record, you need to take steps to resolve the problem. You can check your holds online.

QUESTIONS ABOUT REENTRY

If you completely withdrew from the previous semester before the 20th class day, the Office of the Registrar strongly recommends that you review your academic record online, ie, update address, transfer credit from another institution. If you have not attended UTD in three long semesters, you must apply for readmission.

QUESTIONS ABOUT READMITS/DEFERMENT

You must be formally readmitted if you have not taken any classes for three "long terms." A long term is a Spring or Fall semester. If you are readmitted, you will be bound by ALL conditions of the current catalog. To defer your admission, please complete the deferement form, print and fax it to 972-883-6803. To reapply for admission:

• Domestic and International students must complete a new application for admission no later than the published deadline and pay an application fee. Incomplete applications or late applications will be required to register late and pay a late registration fee.

HOW TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIALITY ON YOUR RECORD

Please review the FERPA portion of this website. Students may ensure their directory information is not shared with outside sources by completing a Request for Confidentiality form (Requires Adobe Reader) .

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR MAJOR

Graduate students wishing to change a major within their same department must meet with an advisor and complete an Interdepartmental Graduate Change of Program Request. Graduate students wishing to change their major to a different department must complete a new application (no application fee is required) for the new program (see academic calendar for application deadlines).

NOTE: It is imperative that any change to your major and/or degree program be received in the Office of the Registrar by the close of business day on the first day of classes for a semester/term. Change of Major/Degree program forms received after the first day of class become effective the following semester.

HOW TO ELECT PASS/FAIL GRADING (GRADUATES)

Subject to the constraints stated below, graduate students may elect to take certain courses for a letter grade or pass/fail grade (P/F).  Any student wishing to take a course on a pass/fail basis must obtain the approval of the instructor and his/her graduate advisor on the pass/fail form, which must be turned in to Office of the Registrar no later than Census Day.  A student may not take the following courses on a pass/fail basis: core courses and their prerequisites required for the degree, and elective courses in the student’s major area.  No more than 20% of a master’s degree may be taken pass/fail.  This 20% excludes casebook, internship, practicum, independent study, research, readings, thesis or dissertation, which are always taught pass/fail.

HOW TO ELECT "CREDIT/NO CREDIT" GRADING (UNDERGRADUATES)

Undergraduate Students may elect Credit/No Credit grading for up to 20% of the total number of upper-division course work taken at UTD.  Courses taught for Credit/No Credit only will not count in the 20% maximum.  You may not take your major and related courses, program prerequisites, General Education Core courses, or required Interdisciplinary Studies courses on a Credit/No Credit basis.  You may file a Credit/No Credit request, approved by your advisor, at the Office of the Registrar by Census Day.  No change can be made in grading options after census day.

HOW TO COMPLETE AN "INCOMPLETE"

If you are completing work for a previous semester in which a grade of incomplete (X) was received (except thesis and dissertation courses), do not officially register for the course again. An incomplete course grade (grade of X) must be completed within the time period specified by the instructor, not to exceed eight weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester.  If the work is not completed within the limit, the grade will be changed to "F". Once you have completed and submitted any outstanding work to the instructor, your grade will be brought to the Office of the Registrar by your instructor for processing.

HOW MANY CREDIT HOURS A NON-DEGREE STUDENT CAN TRANSFER TO A DEGREE PROGRAM

No more than fifteen hours of applicable non-degree credit may be transferred to a degree program at the University. However, acceptance of credit is at the discretion of the Associate Dean or program head and the University Registrar.

COURSE LOAD POLICY FOR ALL SESSIONS

To exceed the maximum hours, you must obtain permission from your academic advisor and it must be specifically noted on the registration form.

HOW DO I GET MY SEMESTER GRADES?

Semester grades can be viewed online, or kiosks across campus. Semester grades are not mailed or given out to students in the Office of the Registrar.

TUITION FOR EXCESSIVE UNDERGRADUATE HOURS

For undergraduate resident students enrolling for the first time in Fall 1999, Section 54.068 of the Texas Education Code, establishes a maximum number of semester credit hours that an undergraduate Texas resident may complete while paying tuition at the rate provided for Texas residents.  The maximum is 45 hours above the minimum number of hours required for completion of the degree program in which the student is enrolled or 120 hours for a student who is not enrolled in a degree program.  A student who exceeds the maximum hours may be charged tuition at a rate higher than the rate charged to other resident undergraduate students, but the rate may not exceed the rate charged to nonresident undergraduate students.

HOW TO CHANGE NAME AND ADDRESS

For name changes, you must complete the name change form in the Office of the Registrar.  You must also bring a copy of your driver's license and your marriage certificate for proof of name.  Complete an address change online.

SB 1231 - COURSE DROP LIMITATIONS

Certain students enrolled in Texas public colleges and universities will not be allowed to withdraw from more than six courses over their entire undergraduate career as a result of a new Texas law. This includes all classes taken at any Texas public institution of higher education. This legislation applies ONLY to students who enroll in a Texas public institution of higher education as a first-time freshman in Fall 2007 or later.

Note:First-time freshmen are free to drop classes without penalty through close of business on census day (August 31, 2008). Beginning September 1, 2008, these students may only withdraw from classes which may be subject to the new rule described above. Our best advice for now is to set your course schedule by Census Day and stick to it.

The Office of the Registrar will monitor all transfer credit from other Texas public institutions of higher education to determine (count) any withdrawals affecting students impacted by this legislation. Students will be notified of their status of withdrawals at the time of transfer evaluation.

The Office of the Registrar will exclude any transcripted course withdrawals from independent/private Texas institutions or from out-of-state colleges and universities from counting against the student's 6-drop limit.

UT Dallas recognizes courses with separate lecture and lab/discussion/recitation sections listed as co-requisites which will be treated as a single course for purposes of the limitation.

NON-ACADEMIC DROPS

To drop a course for non-academic reasons, students must complete a written petition detailing the nature of the request and include supporting documentation. Non-academic drop petitions are to be obtained from the Undergraduate Student Advising Office (JO 4.800). The Director of Undergraduate Advising will distribute the petition to a committee whose members will independently review the petition and either approve or deny the request or drop. The Director will inform the student of the outcome.

Note: It is extremely important that students petitioning to drop a class for non-academic reasons continue to attend and perform in the class if possible, until the petition request is resolved. If the petition is approved, the student will receive a grade of "W" for the course. Otherwise, the student will receive the grade earned in the course.

Non-academic drop petitions may be submitted anytime during the semester. Please contact the Undergraduate Advising Office, 972-883-6805, for the petition form and for additional information.

Students approved to withdraw under the exception subsections of SB 1231 - Course Drop Limitations (6 Drop), or for other administrative non-academic reasons, will receive a special withdrawal grade(s) designated as exclusions from the student's 6-drop limit. The Office of the Registrar will transcribe said grade(s) to the student's academic record. The traditional grades of "W", "WP", and "WF" at UT Dallas (grades assigned to students withdrawing without exception) will be counted toward the 6-drop limit and will be transcribed on the student's academic record in accordance with preliminary agreements with higher education professional organizations and the State's reporting board.

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS TO PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

The student’s university record is established and maintained to provide both the student and university with information regarding the student’s progress while enrolled at the university. Any student enrolled in the university has access to and may inspect those records relating to his or her academic progress, to the extent allowed by the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act and the Texas Public Informational Act. The record is considered to be confidential and may be released only within the limitations clearly defined by university regulations and state and federal statutes or with the student’s written permission.

The university may release directory information which is defined as public information and includes the following: student’s name, local and permanent address, telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees, awards and honors received, and the most recent educational agency or institution attended by the student. This information may be printed in various publications of the university such as the student directory, honors list, athletic programs, list of graduating students, or similar documents. Additionally, this information may be released upon request. A student may request the university not to release directory information by completing the Request for Confidentiality form (Requires Adobe Reader) .

Records which the university maintains include official university academic and personal records relating to scholastic, disciplinary and fiscal matters as well as records maintained by university agencies and agencies providing services sought voluntarily by students. Students may challenge the contents of educational records and request corrections to inaccurate or misleading information. Any request for correction or explanation of record contents should be presented in writing to the person in charge of the office where the record is maintained.

Detailed information pertaining to the content of and handling of Office of the Registrar is contained in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the University's Handbook of Operating Procedures. Students wishing more information about their rights established under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act should contact the Office of Student Life.

CAMPUS SEX CRIMES PREVENTION ACT

The "Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act" (also known as the Wetterling Act) is a federal law enacted on October 28, 2000 that provides for the tracking of convicted, registered sex offenders enrolled as students at institutions of higher education, or working or volunteering on campus.

This act amends the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 to clarify that nothing in that Act may be construed to prohibit an educational institution from disclosing information provided to the institution concerning registered sex offenders and requires the Secretary of Education to take appropriate steps to notify educational institutions that disclosure of this information is permitted. Information about registered sex offenders may be found on:

The web page for The University of Texas at Dallas
The web page for the City of Richardson
The web page for the Texas Department of Public Safety