To qualify for admission as a candidate for an advanced degree at U.T. Dallas an applicant must meet or exceed the general admission requirements of the University as well as those of the degree granting program. Students pursuing graduate degrees at U.T. Dallas are admitted as regular students.

Upon review of the credentials of an applicant seeking regular admission to U.T. Dallas, the graduate studies committee of a degree program may recommend, and seek concurrence of the Dean of Graduate Studies, that an applicant be admitted with specified conditions. Such conditions might include requiring additional semester hours to be taken, a specific grade point average to be maintained, or a specific score to be earned on the GRE/GMAT. A student satisfying the conditional requirements within the specified time period will qualify for regular admission. Specified graduate level coursework taken as a conditional admit student can be applied to a degree program. A student who does not fulfill the specified conditions within the time period specified at the time of admission will be barred from continued registration in the degree program. Normally a student cannot remain in conditional status for more than one calendar year. Exceptions to the one year limitation can be granted only by the Dean of Graduate Studies upon recommendation of the graduate program. Under no circumstances will the student be allowed to remain enrolled under Conditional Status for more than 15 semester credit hours or two consecutive years, whichever comes first.

NOTE: Students in this country on an F1 or J1 Visa may only be admitted to a degree program and are not eligible for Non-Degree Seeking Student status.

A student wishing to take graduate level coursework without becoming a candidate for an advanced degree may apply for admission to U.T. Dallas as a non-degree seeking graduate student. The applicant must satisfy the general university requirements for regular admission, but is not required to submit GRE or GMAT scores or letters of recommendation. Enrollment as a non-degree seeking graduate student is subject to annual review and approval by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A non-degree seeking graduate student in good academic standing wishing to be admitted to a degree program must update and complete her/his graduate application. If the student is subsequently admitted to a degree program at U.T. Dallas, no more than 15 semester credit hours taken as a non-degree student at U.T. Dallas may be transferred to that degree program except with the permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university may elect to take, or, based on their academic background be restricted to taking, only undergraduate courses. The applicant need only satisfy items 1 and 2 of the general admission requirements below to apply. These students will be required to maintain the same scholastic standards as regularly admitted undergraduates and will receive academic guidance from the college master in the school or from the Office of Teacher Education. Students restricted to taking undergraduate courses may take graduate courses in a degree program only when they qualify for regular or conditional admission to that program.

1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States, or its equivalent, is required for admission to all master’s degree programs. Equivalency is determined by the Dean of Graduate Studies. The bachelor’s degree must be substantially comparable in content to degrees granted by The University of Texas at Dallas. A master’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States or its equivalent coursework taken at U.T. Dallas or elsewhere is required for admission to doctoral degree programs.

2. Fluency in written and spoken English is necessary. A foreign student must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 550. The test must be less than two years old, unless the applicant subsequently has had substantial education at a U.S. university. International students native to countries whose official governmental language is English, and whose education has been in English, are not subject to this requirement.

3. For admission to master’s degree programs, a grade average of B or better is expected on upper-division (junior and senior level) work as well as graduate work already taken in the student’s major field and related fields. Students not in academic good standing at a previously attended university will not be admitted. An applicant who has earned a baccalaureate degree under the "academic fresh start statute" (Texas Education Code, Sec. 51.931) will be evaluated only on the grade point average of the course work completed for that baccalaureate degree and the other criteria stated in this catalog.

4. Adequate subject preparation is necessary for the proposed graduate major. Preparatory coursework may be required as a condition of admission. Prospective students are encouraged to contact the Program Head or Director of Graduate Studies of the school in which they expect to enroll, to discuss specific admission requirements.

5. Submission of official, satisfactory Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores is required for admission, according to individual program requirements.

6. Submission of a completed application. (see "Applying to the Graduate Programs" below).

7. Students must be accepted by the Graduate Studies Committee of the appropriate program. Such acceptance can also be contingent on other admission criteria listed in the program descriptions in this catalog. It is important to note that applicants are not guaranteed admission simply by meeting these minimum general requirements. Some degree programs have higher standards for admission and may have limited space or facilities that restrict the number of students admitted. For minimum requirements see appropriate program sections in this catalog.

Application forms are available from the Office of Admissions and Records, Enrollment Services, on the World Wide Web at http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/graddean/ and a form is included in the back of this catalog. Applicants are urged to plan ahead and apply as early as possible; prospective students should submit applications and supporting documents at least 45 days prior to the beginning of classes in order to assure enough time for review by graduate program admissions committees prior to the expected date of enrollment.

In addition to the application, applicants are required to provide supporting information, including the following:

Applicants should have all necessary application materials, including supporting documents, to the Office of Admissions and Records by the following dates:

Late registration fees will apply after the above dates. Students seeking appointments as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants should contact the appropriate academic program office for earlier application deadlines.

An applicant who is not residing in the United States under a permanent resident visa must, in addition to the above requirements, submit the following:

Applicants are strongly urged to submit the application and supporting materials at least six months ahead of the intended date of enrollment. Evidence of financial support while studying in the United States must be provided to the university before an international student can receive the I-20 or other visa documents. All of the required documents must be submitted by the following deadline dates in order to be considered for admission in the:

International students on non-immigrant visas are required to maintain hospitalization insurance while enrolled at the university and must show proof of insurance coverage at the time of each registration. The coverage must be equal to or better than the coverage provided by The University of Texas at Dallas Student Health Insurance Plan. Where there is no evidence of insurance coverage shown by an international student, the student will be required to purchase the U.T. Dallas insurance plan at the time of registration.

The term "transcript" is understood to refer to the recorded results of the student’s academic work. This document will contain all the important facts pertaining to the student’s academic level, scholarship and degrees. Two copies (each) of official transcripts from each college or university attended are required. While hand-carried transcripts will be accepted for admission purposes, official copies sent directly from each educational institution attended must be received by the Office of Admissions and Records no later than Census Day of the semester for which the student first registers. Students who do not meet this deadline will not be permitted to register in subsequent semesters or to receive U.T. Dallas transcripts until the official transcripts are received. All materials submitted in the process of applying to the university become the property of the university and will not be returned to the applicant.

Section 4.29, Texas Education Code provides legal penalties for any alteration of academic records or transcripts with the intent to use such a document fraudulently or permit the fraudulent use of such a document. Falsifying or omitting information may result in withdrawal of any offer of acceptance, cancellation of enrollment, and/or disciplinary actions.

The Office of Enrollment Services will assist prospective students in exploring the possibility of graduate study at The University of Texas at Dallas. The office has a variety of source documents including admissions applications; program brochures; application forms; and current listings of program advisers in the graduate programs. Prospective students are encouraged to come to the Office of Enrollment Services which is located in the Conference Center; or they may call or write to: Director of Enrollment Services, The University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688, CN12, Richardson, Texas 75083-0688, (972) 883-2341, or Fax (972) 883-2599. For detailed admissions or academic advice, contact the specific academic program.

A nonrefundable application fee of $25, payable by check, is required of all students applying for admission to The University of Texas at Dallas. The International Student Application Fee includes this required fee (see page 42).

The information about the GRE and GMAT examinations given below was current at the time this catalog was published. Applicants should be advised that both examinations are undergoing changes in format and design.

The GRE general test is offered on a year-round basis at regional testing centers in a computer-based testing (CBT) format. Information on regional CBT testing sites and on locations of the remaining paper offerings of the GRE through 1999 may be obtained directly from Graduate Record Examination, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000; Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000; by phone (609) 771-7670, via e-mail at gre-info@ets.org; or on the World Wide Web at http://www.gre.org. Applicants should specify by both institution and code that the test score be sent to The University of Texas at Dallas, Code R-6897.

The GMAT is offered on a year-round basis at regional testing centers in a computer-based testing (CBT) format. Information on regional CBT testing sites may be obtained directly from Graduate Management Admission Test, Educational Testing Service, Box 6103, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6103; by phone (609) 771-7330; via e-mail at gmat@ets.org; or on the World Wide Web at http://www.gmat.org. Applicants should specify by both institution and code that the test score be sent to The University of Texas at Dallas, Code 6897.

Students are required to be able to speak and write English clearly and well. State law and regulations of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board require that international students appointed as Teaching Assistants (TA’s) be proficient in the use of the English language. An English Proficiency Interview conducted by the program and/or the Graduate Dean will be used to screen for students

requiring remedial help in the form of an English as a Second Language (ESL) course. International students must satisfy the proficiency requirement upon appointment or pass the ESL course within two semesters to be eligible for consideration of continued appointment as a TA. Regardless of test scores, students must meet the language requirements of their programs.

Detailed information on graduate policies can be found in the policy memorandum "Policy on Procedures for Completing a Graduate Degree." Faculty and students should be familiar with the policies contained in this memorandum. Copies are on file in the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies and in the academic program offices.

Each student admitted to a graduate program will have a specific program of studies agreed upon in consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee or graduate adviser for that program, except in those Schools with standard degree plans. A complete Program of Studies Form will be filed in and approved by the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies prior to the student’s registration for his or her 19th semester credit hour to be counted toward a master’s degree, or 50th semester credit hour taken beyond the bachelor’s degree to be counted toward a doctoral degree.

A degree seeking student may petition to have graduate coursework taken at another institution be counted towards satisfying the master’s or doctoral degree requirements. All petitions for transfer of credit must be prepared by the Graduate Program and submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies for approval. The request must be accompanied by an official transcript and an official explanation of the course numbering system at the school where the credit was earned. To qualify for transfer of credit, the grade earned in the course must be a B or better from an accredited college or university, and the course must not be a correspondence or extension course. Also, the University does not award transfer credit for experiential learning, performance, or experience that occurs prior to enrollment. Courses delivered in a distance learning format will be considered by the Graduate Dean on a case-by-case basis. All petitions for transfer of credit for coursework taken prior to enrolling at U.T. Dallas should be submitted to the Graduate Advisor by the student prior to filing a Program of Studies; however, acceptance of transfer of credit hours will not occur until after the student has completed 9 semester credit hours at U.T. Dallas with a grade point average of at least 3.0. All petitions must be processed and approved no later than the semester prior to anticipated graduation. Accordingly, requests to take courses at another institution during the semester a student plans to graduate cannot be approved because the grades may not be received in time to certify the student for graduation. Up to 15 semester credit hours of graduate courses taken elsewhere can be transferred towards a master’s degree. Up to 36 semester hours of credit for a master’s degree or its equivalent can be transferred from another university towards a doctoral degree. No more than 15 semester credit hours taken as a non-degree student at U.T. Dallas can be subsequently transferred to a degree program at U.T. Dallas. Some degree programs have more restrictive transfer requirements.