Students must be registered for any session during which
they are taking courses, or taking examinations, required in their degree
program. A student requiring guidance in the preparation of a thesis or
dissertation must be registered for a minimum of three semester hours in their
degree program. Graduate
students must be enrolled in 3 credit hours in the semester in which they
graduate. Students must be
registered and have paid all required fees in the semester in which they plan
to graduate.
Continuing students in good academic standing may register in one of three
ways: online, with the department or program office, or with the Office of the
Registrar during walk-in registration. Continuing degree-seeking graduate
students are eligible to register early to increase probability of enrollment
in available courses.
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 students confirm with the
instructor that their registration has been properly recorded within the first
week of classes. It is the students� responsibility to ensure they are enrolled
in and attending the correct courses for each semester they are enrolled. Students
may not attend classes in which they are not registered in the above manner
unless they have been approved to audit the course.
Unless on an approved leave of absence, graduate students in degree programs
are expected to maintain continuous enrollment during the fall and spring (long
session) semesters of each academic year. Students who fail to register in any
given long session will be permitted to re-enroll through their program office
in any two subsequent semesters provided they were in good academic standing at
the time of last enrollment. A thesis/dissertation student must enroll in at
least three thesis or dissertation hours some time prior to graduating. Once a
student has enrolled in thesis or dissertation, that student must maintain
continuous enrollment (not necessarily in thesis or dissertation) of at least
three semester hours during consecutive long semesters unless granted a leave
of absence. Some programs may require additional semester hours.
Students who formally request and are granted a leave of absence will be
exempted 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.
Students in academic good standing who find it necessary to suspend their
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
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. Graduate
students may not register in absentia with grades of Incomplete on their
transcript (see related, nonrefundable fee).�
Registration dates and procedures are listed in the online Comet 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 students from information or regulations
contained therein. The University reserves the right to make changes in this
schedule at any time.
Students are not registered or eligible to attend classes until they have
paid all tuition and fees in full, or have arranged installment payment 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). Students who do not pay in full or arrange for installment
payments by the payment deadline in the online Comet Calendar may have their
registration canceled. Students who have 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: bar against readmission at
this institution; withholding of grades, degree and official transcript; and
all penalties and actions authorized by law.
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. A student may pick up an
Audit Form in the Office of the Registrar beginning the first day of classes
through census day. Please consult http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/
for more detailed audit procedures and associated fees.
The Comet Card is the official identification card for The
University of Texas at
The Comet Card offers much more than identification and
control of student privileges; there are two optional spending plans on the
card, UTDollars
and E-Bucks, and beginning Fall 2005 the card became a PIN-based debit card when linked
to a Wells Fargo checking account.
UTDollars
is an optional, on campus, pre-paid spending plan which can be used at all UTD
dining services, Bookstore, Activity Center, Health Center, Info Depot and Bursar�s
Office.� E-Bucks is stored-value on the chip used
for printing and copying on campus.�
Deposits to UTDollars
can be made at the Info Depot or Bursar�s Office.� Deposits to E-Bucks can be made at the Info Depot. If students link their card
to a Wells Fargo checking account it can be used as a debit card at any
location (on and off campus) that accepts PIN-based transactions.
The first Comet Card is issued at no cost.� There is a fee for replacing the card (see
Tuition and Fees).
Orientation is 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. Attendance at Orientation is
required for all F and J status international students and is strongly
recommended for all new students as a means of efficient matriculation into the
University. International students with F or J status will not be allowed to
register without an authorized International Student Orientation form. All TA�s
are required to attend TA Orientation held immediately prior to fall and spring
semesters.
Advanced undergraduates who
are within 30 hours of completing the baccalaureate degree may petition their
ADU to take graduate courses. �Approvals
will be subject to the conditions outlined in the following sections.
With the approval of the student�s ADU, up to 12
semester hours of graduate work taken as an undergraduate may be used for
completing any baccalaureate degree at U.T. Dallas. Pass/fail grading will be
permitted in this category but must be approved by the instructor prior to the
start of class.� The student must declare
at the time of registration for the course, on a form provided by the ADU, how
each approved course is to be applied.
Undergraduates may take up to 12 semester hours of
graduate courses to reserve for possible application toward a graduate degree.
To register, undergraduate students must obtain permission from the instructor
and from the graduate advisor of the program in which the course is offered.
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.
A number of programs at U.T. 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 U.T. Dallas who have been admitted to Fast Track programs at U.T.
Dallas leading to baccalaureate/master�s degrees may, with the permission of
the ADU 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 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 U.T. Dallas will accept
admission to a Fast Track program as satisfying Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
criteria for admission to the graduate program. The
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.
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.
The
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.
The following grade scale is used in graduate course work at the university:
Grade |
Description |
Grade Points per Semester Hour |
A |
Excellent |
4 |
B |
Acceptable |
3 |
C |
Poor |
2 |
F |
Failure |
0 |
X |
Incomplete |
|
P |
Pass |
|
The grades P and X do not produce grade points.
An Incomplete grade of X 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 �both by 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 X is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the grade of X 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 X 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 X
must be converted into a letter grade (A, B, C, F, or P) by the instructor,
head of the department or program, or Graduate Advisor as indicated above.
The pass/fail option is intended to encourage students to take courses in
topics outside their major area where they 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.
A student may not elect to take the following types of courses on a
pass/fail basis: core courses and their prerequisites required for the
student�s degree; and elective courses in the student�s major area. No more
than 20 percent of the hours earned at U.T. Dallas for any master�s degree
(excluding casebook, internship, practicum, independent study, research,
reading, thesis or dissertation requirements) may be
taken on a pass/fail basis.
Only pass/fail grades are given for independent study, research and reading
courses, and for thesis and dissertation.
Registration in the graduate programs beyond the first semester (or summer
session) is contingent on the student�s being in academic good standing based
on three main factors:
1. Satisfactory progress in meeting admission conditions
that were imposed at the time of admission. 2. Maintenance of a 3.0 cumulative
grade point average in graduate courses in the degree program. 3. 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 (X) grades. Failure to achieve this 3.0 cumulative grade point
average will result in immediate dismissal from the University.
The normal course load for a full-time graduate student during the long
session is 12 semester hours. The minimum course load for a graduate student to
be considered full time during long session is 9 semester hours; the maximum is
15 semester hours. The normal course load for a graduate student during the
summer session is 9 semester hours. The minimum course load for a graduate
student to be considered full time during the summer session is 6 semester
hours; the maximum is 12 semester hours. Registration in excess of these maxima
must have the recommendation of the graduate advisor and approval of the Dean
of Graduate Studies and will be permitted only under exceptional circumstances.
Students who are employed should consult with the graduate advisor about their
combined course and work load. Course load requirements for graduate assistants
are discussed in the section, Teaching and Research Assistantships.
Dates and time limits for schedule changes can be found in the online Comet
Calendar.
New students seeking to drop or add courses to their schedules must obtain
permission from their graduate advisor in their 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 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.
Students who habitually withdraw from a significant fraction of their
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 Training Awarded as Academic Course Credit
The
1) an
official military record presented to the institution by the student that
describes the substance of the training completed by the student and verifies
the student�s successful completion of that training,
2) a
detailed description of the course of instruction,
3) all
required texts and author,
4) any
method of evaluation and,
5) the course syllabus.
All
documentation must be submitted to the Registrar�s Office by Census Day (12th
class day) of the first semester admitted. All requests for academic credit
will be reviewed by the appropriate discipline using established university
transfer credit policies.� Notification
to the student by the Registrar of approved credit will occur prior to
registration of the following long semester. All decisions are final.
Military Service
Activation Interruption of Education
A reservist or member of the National Guard called into
duty as a result of
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 chose to enter into the service. The provisions listed above
apply only to reservists or members of the National Guard called into active
military service.
Readmission:� Students called to active duty in the
National Guard (not including routine National Guard training) may be
readmitted without reapplication 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 the student meets current eligibility
requirements other than continuous enrollment or other timing requirements.
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.
Students who wish to repeat a course must complete a Repeated Course
Adjustment form in the Office of the Registrar.
Up to three courses may be repeated; however, no course may be repeated more
than once. When a course is repeated, the earlier grade will remain in the
student�s record and will be included in any transcript. The second grade will
be used in computing the grade point average or credit hours for purposes of
graduation or determination of probationary status. A notation beside the first
grade will indicate that the course has been repeated.
For name changes, students must fill out the name change form in the Office
of the Registrar. Students must also bring a copy of their driver�s
license or their marriage certificate for proof of name. Change of
address and email may be completed online.
Electronic communication is the preferred means of communicating important
academic information. Students are encouraged to set up their UT Dallas email
account upon registration in their first term, and ensure their UT Dallas email
account is kept current.
Most university administrative offices send all electronic correspondence
only to a student�s UTD email address and require that all official electronic
correspondence be transmitted from the student�s UTD email account. This
requirement allows university personnel to maintain a high degree of confidence
in the identity of the individual corresponding with a university official and
in the security of the transmitted information.