Registration
and Enrollment Requirements
Registration Required
A graduate
student must be registered in any session:
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 graduate 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 provided the student was
in good academic standing at the time of last enrollment.
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).
A continuing
student in good academic standing may register in one of three ways:
The Office of the Registrar informs the instructor of the
names of all students who are officially registered and have paid all required
tuition and fees in each class. It is
recommended that the student confirm with the instructor that his/her
registration has been properly recorded within the first week of classes. It is
the student’s responsibility during his/her enrolled semester that he/she is
attending the correct courses for which he/she is registered. A student may not
attend classes in which he/she is not registered in the above manner unless the
student has been approved to audit the course.
Leave of Absence
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.
Readmission
A
student in good academic standing who
finds it necessary to suspend his/her academic activities or transfer to
another institution for the duration of three long semesters (not including a
summer session) must reapply to the program of intended degree. In that circumstance, a new review will be
made to determine eligibility of enrollment under current standards for
admission. An official transcript mailed
directly by each institution attended after leaving The University of Texas at
Dallas must be sent to the Office of Enrollment Services, including any
transcript of attendance at another university during a summer session. If accepted, the readmitted student will be
bound by the catalog in force at the time of readmission.
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.
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
•
If
different programs and/or different plans, must reapply and waive fee unless
filing premium application
•
If
same program, same plan, and in good standing, must submit re-entry form
•
Previously
graduate non-degree- seeking,
returning as graduate degree-seeking
•
Must
reapply and pay fee
•
Previously graduate degree-seeking, returning as graduate non-degree-seeking
•
If
in good standing, must submit re-entry form
•
Previously graduate taking undergraduate courses
(GRU), coming back as graduate taking
undergraduate courses (GRU)
•
Must
submit re-entry form
If the student qualifies under the
readmission policy, the student must submit a re-entry form and return it to
the Office of the Registrar by the first day of class.
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. The
readmitted student may be required to submit bacterial meningitis vaccination
necessary forms before being allowed to register.
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.
Beginning
the first day of classes through Census Day, a student may obtain an audit form
in the Office of Enrollment Services located on the first floor of the Student
Services Building. Please consult http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/faq.html
for more detailed audit procedures and associated non-refundable 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.
New
student orientation sessions are 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. New student
orientation programs are available for UT Dallas freshmen, undergraduate
transfer students, graduate students, international students, and Teaching and
Research Assistants. Attendance is strongly recommended for all new students as
a means of efficient matriculation into the University. International Student
Orientation is mandatory for all F and J status international students. TA
orientation is mandatory for all newly appointed Teaching Assistants.
Undergraduate
Registration for Graduate Courses
Upper-division undergraduates who
are classified as seniors may petition their Associate Dean to take graduate
courses by completing the appropriate form available in the student’s academic
advising office. If approved, these graduate courses can be applied toward
satisfying undergraduate degree requirements or can be designated for future
application toward a graduate degree requirement at UT Dallas. 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. Once
applied, the options cannot be changed. Approvals will be subject to the
conditions outlined in the following sections. The appropriate form to register
for Graduate courses as an Undergraduate student must be submitted to the
Office of the Registrar for processing.
Graduate
Courses Applied Toward an Undergraduate Degree
With the approval of the student’s Undergraduate Associate
Dean, up to 12 semester credit hours of graduate work taken as an undergraduate
may be used for completing any baccalaureate degree at The University of Texas
at Dallas. Pass/Fail grading for graduate courses will be permitted in this
category but must be approved by the instructor prior to the start of class.
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.
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.
A student must be classified as a
senior in order to eligible for Fast Track. Associate Deans of Undergraduate
Education (ADU) determine specific eligibility to take graduate courses as
evidenced by the attachment of a degree plan to the application form.
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.
At the end of each course
description, a frequency of course offering code is available.
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 Education, 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.
For
certification purposes, UT Dallas uses the following criteria for graduate students:
Fall/Spring Full-time status - 9 semester credit hours
Fall/Spring Half-time status – 4.5 semester credit hours
Summer Full-time status - 6 semester credit hours*
Summer Half-time status - 3 semester credit hours*
*Summer
semester status is determined by total official enrolled hours for all the
summer sessions.
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
From time to time, students who are
reservists or members of the National Guard may be called to active duty in the
U.S. military after a semester has begun. These students have several options
for the treatment of their enrollment and tuition.
Option
to Remain Enrolled and Complete Coursework Following Brief Military Service
Under certain circumstances, a
student who is required to participate in active military service 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 no 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.
Option to Withdraw, Receive Incomplete Grade, or Receive
Final Grade
A reservist or member of the National
Guard called to active duty in the U.S. military who receives activation orders
after the start of a semester has four other options for the treatment of
tuition and fees paid to The University of Texas at Dallas and transcript
notation. In accordance with Texas statutes and Coordinating Board rules, the
student may request any one of the following:
1.
The Office of the Registrar will
process the withdrawal of the student from all classes and record
“Withdrawn-Called to Military Duty” (WM) on the student’s transcript and the
Bursar Office shall refund the tuition and fees paid by the student for the
semester in which the student withdraws; or
2.
The Office of the Registrar may
grant a student who is eligible under UT Dallas guidelines an incomplete grade
(See “Incomplete Grades” section of the catalog for eligibility) in all courses
by designating “Incomplete-Called to Military Duty” (XM) on the student’s
transcript. Please note: XM grades must be resolved within one year from the
“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 the course after
successfully completing a substantial amount of course work and having
demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material; or
4.
If the student withdraws before the
Census Day of the semester in which the student is called to active military
duty and the student requests Military Leave, courses will be dropped. Courses
dropped on or before Census Day will not appear on the student’s transcript.
NOTE: There are no provisions for
refunds for active duty service members who are deployed as a result of
military orders or for individuals who choose to enter the service. The
provisions listed above apply only to reservists or members of the National
Guard called to active duty.
Option for Automatic Readmission Following Military Service
A reservist or member of the
National Guard called to active duty (not including routine National Guard
training) may be readmitted without application or payment of additional
application fees within one year of the “release from active duty” date on
military orders. Applicable students will retain academic standing and
financial eligibility if they meet current eligibility requirements other than
continuous enrollment or other timing requirements.
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
Students may complete a change of
address online through Galaxy. Students must maintain home and mail addresses
and telephone numbers using Galaxy. Although the UT Dallas administration and
faculty primarily utilize UT Dallas email for communications, UT Dallas sends
certain academic and financial communications through the mail. Therefore, if a
student fails to maintain a current address, the student will be responsible
for correspondence that is undeliverable.
Students may complete a change of
personal email online through Galaxy. A student's UT Dallas email address is
the official method of communication between faculty, administration and the
student. A UT Dallas student must maintain his/her UT Dallas email account at
all times. Therefore, if a student fails to maintain their UT Dallas email
account, the student will be responsible for correspondence that is
undeliverable.
Students may complete a “Name Change
Request” form at http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/forms/ and submit in person to The Office of the Registrar in the
Student Services Building, first floor customer service area. A copy of the
student's driver's license, a marriage certificate, or court order used as
proof of the name change must accompany the name change request.