Policies

Academic Policies

All students have the responsibility to become acquainted with the content of this catalog in order that they may, at all times, be informed and be in compliance with academic requirements, rules, and regulations in force at the University of Houston.

The University reserves the right to change the provisions of this catalog, including, but not limited to, degree requirements, course offerings, fees, and listings in the calendar as necessitated by university or legislative action. For more information, please see Publication Disclaimer, and, for updates to the current catalog since publication, please see Publication Updates.

Admission & Orientation

Academic Fresh Start

Undergraduate students applying for admission to the University of Houston may elect to have all academic coursework completed at any institution of higher education 10 or more years prior to the starting date of the term in which the applicant seeks to enroll at the University of Houston ignored for admission purposes. Once admitted under academic fresh start the student may not receive any course credit for courses undertaken 10 or more years prior to enrollment. Once ignored this coursework cannot be used to satisfy prerequisite or degree requirements at the University of Houston. The Academic Fresh Start program is open to transfer students and former students who are readmitted. Students seeking postbaccalaureate admissions are not eligible for Academic Fresh Start.

Courses that are removed from consideration under provisions of the Academic Fresh Start Program will not be removed from the student’s academic record, but the student’s UH transcript shall be annotated to identify the courses that have been removed from consideration.

For former students, academic standing resulting from coursework within 10 years of enrollment will be considered in determining future academic standing (academic warning, probation or suspension). Any academic probations and suspensions that resulted from course work removed from consideration under this program will not be counted in any future determination as to whether the student is placed on academic warning, academic probation, or academic suspension.

There may be implications for financial aid and veterans benefits for students enrolled under Academic Fresh Start. Students should contact these offices for more information.

Students admitted or readmitted under Academic Fresh Start may elect to use the provisions of this program only once at the University of Houston and only at the point of admission or readmission to the University of Houston.

New Student Orientation

New Students

New Student Orientation (NSO) is designed to acquaint new students with the campus and the many available campus resources that enhance both academic success and personal development. Freshman Orientation and Transfer Orientation focus on several important areas, including the curriculum, academic advising, college success, scholarships and financial aid, campus activities, student services, student organizations, Cougar Spirit, and campus facilities. Enrollment (registration) for coursework also takes place during the event. New students will have an opportunity to interact with upperclassmen, faculty, academic advisors, and university staff members. By attending NSO, new students will be best prepared for the start of the first term.

New Student Orientation (NSO) is mandatory for all incoming freshmen and transfer students. More information can be found at uh.edu/orientation. Questions about New Student Orientation should be directed to orientation@uh.edu or by calling the Office of Admissions at 713-743-1010, option 4.

International Students

In addition to NSO, international students are required to attend check-in and orientation sessions organized by International Student and Scholar Services. For additional information contact:

713-743-5065

www.uh.edu/oisss/

Undeclared Major

Exploratory Studies is a short-term entry major that intentionally integrates academic support with career counseling to allow undecided students to make informed decisions about, and prepare for, declaring a degree-seeking major.

All freshmen students will declare a major by the beginning of their sophomore year (30 credit hours), if they have not already done so.

Newly admitted undeclared transfer students

• with less than 30 credit hours are to choose a major within their second term, prior to registration for their third term courses.
• with 30-44 credit hours are to choose a major within their first term at UH, prior to registration for 2^nd term courses.
• with 45 or more credit hours are to choose a major prior to attending UH (i.e., these students will only be accepted into UH with a major).

Readmission for Former UH Students

You must apply for re-admission if you:

• were previously enrolled in undergraduate coursework at the University of Houston and
• are ready to return to UH after an enrollment pause of 13 months or longer or
• are ready to return to UH from academic suspension

Readmission Criteria

Readmission to the University of Houston will vary based on the following items:

• Your academic standing from when you last attended UH (good standing or warning/probation/suspension)
• The amount of time since your last enrollment at UH. Student records are discontinued after thirteen months (3 consecutive long semesters) of non-enrollment.
• If you are reapplying to your former major or a different major
• If you have taken coursework outside of UH during your time away
• Your GPA may be considered cumulatively, meaning all college coursework attempted, or your UH GPA may be looked at separately from coursework taken outside of the university
• Disciplinary actions and certain circumstances may impact or prevent enrollment or academic progress regardless of academic standing. Such actions may include but are not limited to, violations of academic honesty, conduct code violations, or payment default of financial responsibility to the university.

Readmission Pathway

The pathway for readmission of former students to the University of Houston (UH) is determined by the students’ UH academic standing and length of time since they were last enrolled at UH. The readmission process may include additional documents and earlier deadlines. Please see the Readmission Student Application Guide to understand the readmission path that applies to your circumstances.

The standards below apply to all undergraduate and post baccalaureate students. Students who entered under a previous catalog will be held to these standards.

The following colleges have their own limits and definitions of academic standing or readmission requirements. Students are encouraged to review policies for their majors as they may be more stringent than the university policies. The dean of each college maintains final authority to determine academic standing for student majors within that college.

• Cullen College of Engineering 
• College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics 
• Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts 

Academic Standing 

Assured Readmission under Good Academic Standing

Assured readmission is granted for returning students whose cumulative UH GPA is 2.0 or higher (good academic standing).

Degree Plan Options

If enrollment has paused for 13 months or longer and the former student is in good academic standing, the student is assured readmission to return to their original college or the student may choose to apply for readmission to a different college. For students returning to their former major, readmission will be under the most current degree plan offered. If choosing to apply to a different major, the student must meet academic standing and change of major requirements for the specified major.

Application Process

If enrollment has paused for 13 months or longer and the former student is in good academic standing, the student must apply for readmission at Apply Texas Application. Applying for readmission is the process used to identify new information (e.g. contact, demographic, transfer credit… etc.). After readmission, the student must meet with an academic advisor in their admit major to address any advising holds as well as discuss course selection and registration.

Guided Readmission

Readmission consideration is provided for students whose cumulative UH GPA is below 2.0 (academic standing is Warning, Probation, or Suspension). Applicants may be considered by college review.

Degree Plan Options

• Students returning from warning, probation or suspension, may apply for readmission to their original college or Exploratory Studies.
• If readmitted, students seeking to change their major must complete the change of major process for current students and must meet change of major and academic standing requirements for the new major.
• If denied readmission, the Office of Admissions will complete and provide student with an admissibility assessment. The student may use information to determine next steps in their academic planning.

Application Process

• Students must apply for readmission if:
  • their enrollment has paused for 13 months or longer.
  • they are returning from academic suspension.
• Returning from suspension is not permitted for the summer term.
• Students must apply for readmission at Apply Texas Application.
• Applying for readmission is the process used to identify new information (e.g. contact, demographic, transfer credit… etc.). After readmission, the student must meet with an academic advisor in their admit major to address any advising holds as well as discuss course selection and registration.

Steps to Apply

1. Complete the Undergraduate Readmission Application for the University of Houston using the Apply Texas Application ( http://www.applytexas.org/).
2. Pay the nonrefundable $75 application fee with a credit card, debit card, or check. Checks can be made out to the University of Houston, 4434 University Drive, Houston, TX 77204.
3. Have your most updated official transcript from all colleges and universities attended sent to the University of Houston, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 4434 University Drive, Houston, TX 77204.
4. Please note that some colleges require additional items to be submitted, please check your myUH account or visit our website to ensure that you send in all necessary documents.

Transcripts

Choose one of the following options.

1. EDI - Request an official transcript to be sent through an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system, e.g. Speede (FICE code: 003662) or Naviance.
2. PDF - You may also upload an official PDF copy of your transcript to your my.uh.edu self-service account to complete your application.

Official transcripts must either state “official,” have your institutions seal, a signature by a school official, or an official watermark. It’s up to the discretion of the Office of Admissions to determine the validity of the transcript, and the office reserves the right to request additional or different copies if needed.

Please review your myUH To Do List for a live update on which transcripts are needed. If any of the transcripts we have on file from when you last applied have in progress courses or are not in line with the dates you provided on your most recent readmission application, we will need an updated transcript from the institution.

Fee Waivers

Readmission students are not eligible for fee waivers and must pay the application fee for the term in which they are applying. You can pay your application fee when you’re applying via Apply Texas or the Common App or via your myUH account once your application has been received. It is important to note that you are only eligible for review for the semester in which you apply. If you are denied or are interested in a different term, you will have to pay the $75 application again.

Deadlines

Visit the Deadlines page for a listing of when the admissions application and supporting materials are due.

Timeline for Decisions

Decisions for readmission will vary for each academic college. Please note that there is no average timeline for a decision, and you will hear directly from the Office of Admission once a decision has been rendered on your account. It is important to submit all application materials early to avoid delays in your decision timeframe.

Advising

Readmission applicants are required to see the academic advisor of the major in which they are applying to. Your academic advisor can give you guidance on whether you are admissible to the college you have selected and what courses you would be required to take upon admission. Readmission applicants may see a Readmit Advising hold on their myUH account which will only prevent you from registering for courses if admitted. This advising hold will not prevent you from receiving your admission decision.

Archived Information

If you attended the University of Houston prior to 2005, your information was archived due to a system change. In order to provide you with the most accurate advising, your records will need to be de-archived. You will need to meet with an Admissions Advisor to submit this request and initiate the process.

Rules and Regulations for Determining Residence for Tuition Purposes

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Bulletin and Pursuant to Title 3, Texas Education Code Effective Fall 2006:

Any questions should be directed to the Residency Determination Officer by email at: residency@uh.edu or by calling 713) 743-1010. You may also find the complete rules and regulations on the College for All Texans web site. Additional information may be found in the UH Admissions information website: http://www.uh.edu/admissions/admitted/residency-requirements/.

Student Classifications

Undergraduate

Undergraduate students’ classifications are based on the total number of credit hours earned at the University of Houston and accepted in transfer from other colleges and universities regardless of whether or not the courses involved are applicable to the major or degree plan. Credit awarded by examination and hours earned with a grade of S are counted in determining classification, but not in determining the grade point average.

Undergraduate Classifications

Law, Optometry, Pharmacy

Special classifications are used for students majoring in the professional areas of law, optometry, and pharmacy.

Post Baccalaureate

The postbaccalaureate classification describes students who have degrees but are not enrolled in a formal graduate degree program. (See Graduate and Professional Studies catalog for details.)

Credit for graduate level courses taken by postbaccalaureate students is awarded as undergraduate credit. The grade point average and minimum cumulative grade point average is calculated according to the above listing.

There are restrictions and limitations on the application of postbaccalaureate hours toward a graduate degree. All such hours must be approved by the degree-granting college and department.

Graduate

The university classifies a student as a graduate student when an admission application and the required credentials have been approved and the student has enrolled (registered) for classes as a graduate student at the University of Houston. All graduate students must go through the formal application process in order to obtain the graduate student classification.

Student Records

Note: Most requests or change of information forms are available at department Web sites (e.g., Office of the University Registrar). Go to www.uh.edu/our for further information.

Change of Address

Students can update and review their address online through their myUH account at https://my.uh.edu.

Students will not be excused from penalties on the grounds that communications mailed from the University of Houston were not received if they have failed to report a new address. Students may update and review their address online through their myUH account at https://my.uh.edu.

• The University of Houston recognizes e-mail as an official medium for communication to its students. While U.S. Postal Service mail may also be used in some instances, fee bills, account statements and other critical documents will be delivered to currently enrolled students via e-mail correspondence only.
• Each student is assigned an e-mail alias at the time of admission.
• It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the UH e-mail alias points to a working e-mail address at all times. Students may update their e-mail address information by logging on to their myUH account at https://my.uh.edu.
• Any student may request an e-mail account from the University of Houston, to which the assigned alias may be pointed. Aliases may also be pointed to accounts outside the University. If a student chooses to have the alias point to a non-university account, the university cannot be responsible for the service.
• Enrolled students who do not have the capability to access e-mail off campus will be able to access it on campus in locations such as the library, college service centers, campus kiosks, etc.
• It is the student’s responsibility to read e-mail correspondence frequently and consistently. The University recommends students read e-mails at least once a day.
• Faculty may require the use of e-mail for completion of course work.
• E-mail aliases are classified as directory information and may be listed in University of Houston directories unless students have set FERPA/Directory restrictions in their myUH account or they have a valid Request to Withhold or Release Public Information form on file in the Office of the University Registrar. Distribution of e-mail addresses both within the University and outside the University will follow the same guidelines that apply to other directory information.
• Official university communications sent by e-mail are subject to the same privacy and records retention requirements and policies as other official university communications.
• Responsibility for implementation and administration of this policy rests with the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Change of Major

A change of major is a formal procedure requiring official approval and documentation. Students must submit an Undergraduate General Petition form requesting a change of major. This form is filed by the student in the department in which she or he wishes to major. Approval from both the department chair and the college dean is required. Students should consult an advisor in the department of their intended major for help with the change of major process.

• For students who wish to major in Business, this process has been automated and is available online on the Bauer College of Business Web site under ‘Student Services’: www.bauer.uh.edu.

The senior vice president for academic affairs has approved the following guidelines for a change of major. (Note: This policy does not apply to the Colleges of Architecture, Law, Optometry, or Pharmacy, or to the Graduate College of Social Work.)

1. Students changing majors within the university shall meet the same requirements as students seeking admission to an academic unit (department, school, or college) from outside the university who have completed the same number of semester credit hours.
2. Students applying to transfer from one unit to another within the university shall not be required to supply copies of any records which are already on file within the university (such as transcripts). Performing and Fine Arts departments may require additional documentation for transfer. For more specific information, students should contact the unit into which they wish to transfer.

The university offers vocational and career planning services through University Career Services. For academic information, as well as for help in coordinating career goals with academic plans, students may meet with academic advisors in the various departments and colleges, and Undergraduate Scholars at UH.

Change of Name

University records of a name are based upon applications for admission. Subsequent name changes, along with copies of documentation, should be promptly reported to the Office of the University Registrar, 128 Welcome Center.

Confidentiality

Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Notice of Student’s Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are as follows:

1. Students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the day the University receives the request.
2. Students have the right to request amendment of their education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. If the University denies a student requested amendment, the student has the right to a hearing regarding the requested amendment to his/her education record.
3. Students have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
4. Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Such complaints may be sent to:

Directory Information

At its discretion the University of Houston may provide “directory information” to the general public without student consent. “Directory information” is defined by FERPA as follows:

• Name
• Address
• University assigned E-mail address
• Telephone listing
• Major field of study
• Date and place of birth
• Dates of attendance
• Degrees, awards, and honors received
• Most recent previous education institution attended
• Classification
• Participation in officially recognized sports and activities
• Height/weight (athletes only)
• Enrollment status (undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time)

If a student does not want “directory information” regarding him or her to be released, the student must set FERPA/Directory restrictions in their myUH account or notify the Office of the University Registrar, 128 Welcome Center, Houston, TX 77204 in writing or by completing the Request to Withhold Public Information form, during the first week of class to ensure that information is not released by the university or published in the Student Directory. Students are responsible for requesting the release of their information once a request for withholding “directory information” has been placed on record.

Disclosure of Education Records

The University of Houston will not disclose information from a student’s education records without the written consent of the student (PDF) except in the following instances in which FERPA authorizes disclosure without prior student consent:

1. To school officials who have a legitimate educational or administrative interest in the records. A school official is defined as a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including the University’s police department and health care staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Regents; or a person assisting another school official in performing his or her official duties. A school official has a legitimate education interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities.
2. To other schools in which the student seeks to enroll.
3. To authorized representatives of the U.S. Secretary of Education, the U.S. Comptroller General, and state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs; and the U.S. Attorney General for law enforcement purposes.
4. In connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
5. To state and local officials or authorities in accordance with state law.
6. To organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of the University to develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; administer student aid programs; or improve instruction.
7. To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.
8. To parents of “dependent” student as defined under the federal tax laws.
9. To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena.
10. To appropriate parties in connection with a health or safety emergency.
11. As it relates to “directory information” unless the student restricts “directory information”.
12. To alleged victim of any crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense regarding the final results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted against the alleged perpetrator of that crime or offense with respect to that crime or offense, regardless of whether the student was found to have committed the violation.
13. To the public regarding the final results of any disciplinary proceeding in which the student was alleged to have committed a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and pursuant to the disciplinary proceeding the student was found to have violated a University disciplinary rule or policy.
14. To parents of a student who is under the age of 21 regarding the student’s violation of federal, state, or local law, or any University rule or policy, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
15. To the court where the student has initiated legal action against the University or the University has initiated legal action against the student.

Procedure to Inspect Education Records

A student has the right to inspect his or her educational records and to challenge the contents. To review records, a student must make a request in writing to the Custodian of those records. (See Custodians of Records below.) The written request must identify as precisely as possible the record or records he or she wishes to inspect.

Procedure to Amend Education Records

If a student believes the information in his or her education record contains information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy, the student should submit a written request for amendment to the appropriate custodian of the record (See the list of Custodians of Records below). The written request should clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed and specify why it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy. The University will notify the student within a reasonable time regarding whether or not the record will be amended. If the University denies the student’s request for amendment of his or her record, the student has the right to a hearing regarding the requested amendment.

** Note: This procedure does not govern grade appeals.

Procedures for a Hearing under FERPA

1. To request a hearing pursuant to the University’s denial of a student’s request to amend information in his or her education record that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy the student should submit a written request for a hearing that clearly identifies the part of the record the student wants changed and specifying why it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy to the custodian of the record that the student seeks to challenge.
2. The University will hold a hearing within a reasonable time after receiving the student’s written request for a hearing.
3. The University will give the student notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing reasonably in advance of the hearing.
4. The hearing will be conducted by an individual who does not have a direct interest in the outcome of the hearing. The hearing official will be appointed by the vice president to whom the custodian of the records in question reports.
5. The student will be provided the opportunity to present evidence supporting his or her allegation that his or her education record contains information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy. The student may, at his or her own expense, be assisted during the hearing by one individual, including legal counsel. The student must notify the hearing official no later than three (3) business days before the hearing that he or she will have legal counsel present at the hearing.
6. The custodian of the record in question and the author of that record (if appropriate) will also be provided an opportunity to respond to the student’s allegations.
7. Upon hearing all of the evidence, the hearing official will render a written determination within a reasonable time after the hearing. The written determination will include a summary of the evidence and the reasons for the hearing official’s determination.
8. Any information in the student’s education record that is determined to be inaccurate, misleading, or a violation of the student’s rights of privacy will be amended with the correct information and the student will be notified in writing of the change.
9. If it is determined that the student record is correct and does not merit amendment, the University will notify the student of his or her right to place a statement in the education record commenting on the information in the record, and/or presenting any reasons for disagreeing with the University’s decision.
10. Any statement placed by the student in his or her education record shall remain a part of the record for as long as the record is maintained by the University.

Custodians of Records

• Office of the University Registrar
  The Welcome Center
• Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid
  The Welcome Center
• Director of Student Financial Services
  The Welcome Center
• Director of the Student Health Center
  100 Health Center
• Director of Learning and Assessment
  210 Student Service Center
• Director of University Career Services
  106 Student Service Center
• Dean of Students
  252 University Center
• Dean of the appropriate college

Veterans and Dependents GI Bill

Veterans and dependents who wish to claim GI Bill education benefits should visit The Office of the University Registrar in the Welcome Center for information and assistance. Once GI Bill benefits have been initiated, recertification is necessary each term for veterans who wish to continue to receive GI Bill educational benefits.

The Office of the University Registrar is responsible for submitting certifications for educational benefits to the Veterans Administration under federal guidelines. Requests for enrollment certification, including the submission of all documentation should be made at room 128 Welcome Center.

Requests for certification may be submitted at this office as well during regular office hours which are:

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday - Friday

Related:

Enrollment

Enrollment

Overview

The university’s online enrollment services system, myUH, provides a convenient option to simplify the enrollment process. For your convenience several opportunities to enroll using the online system are offered each term, including summer sessions. Specific dates, detailed instructions, and a listing of the courses offered each term are included in the UH Self Service Center, also available online after logging in to myUH.

In order to qualify for financial aid students must have an approved change of degree objective posted in their student information system (myUH) prior to the first day of the term in which they are enrolling. Students must be advised by their academic advisor prior to enrollment and to ascertain that they have an approved degree objective posted.

Cancellation

Students may cancel their enrollment after payment by dropping courses through the online enrollment (registration) system at myUH prior to the first day of class each term. Students may also receive assistance through the Office of the University Registrar, 128 Welcome Center.

Students who do so are entitled to a full refund minus a small matriculation fee and are regarded as never having officially enrolled in that term. In the event you are placed on academic suspension, courses for which you have enrolled in any future term will be automatically cancelled - regardless of whether you have paid tuition and fees. Should you be given approval from the dean of your college to enroll, you will be required to re-enroll.

Class Membership

Students may not attend a class unless properly enrolled. Failure to follow proper enrollment (registration) procedures may jeopardize a student’s good standing at the university and result in a loss of credit. Class rosters are comprised solely from the official enrollment records of the Office of the University Registrar. Students whose names do not appear on the official class roster in each of their classes should immediately verify enrollment (registration) by logging into myUH. Students must then log into Student Self Service in order to verify enrollment.

Course Auditing

Approval to audit, or visit, a course is sometimes granted to qualified students by the dean of the college in which the course is offered. Such approval conveys only the privilege of observing and does not include submitting papers, taking tests, or participating in laboratories or field work.

Students may obtain audit application forms from the office of the appropriate dean.

The Bursar’s Office will assess any appropriate fees.

Students wishing to audit may enroll only after late enrollment.

Credit is not given for an audited course, nor may a change to credit status be made after students have enrolled.

Students auditing courses will pay the regular tuition and fees.

Students 65 years of age or older may audit any course offered by the university without payment of a fee if space is available. These students should first obtain audit application forms from the office of the appropriate dean, and then contact the Bursar’s Office, 129 Welcome Center, for a fee waiver application.

Discontinued Classes

The university reserves the right, whenever necessary, to discontinue classes or to alter the schedule otherwise. Should a class be discontinued, students will be notified at the first class meeting, or before, so they may enroll for alternate courses. Students who are enrolled in a discontinued class will be automatically dropped from that course. If they wish to enroll in another section they must go through the official procedure to add the course, whether online or though the department offering the course.

Schedule of Classes

A listing of courses and approved core curriculum for the university may be accessed well in advance of the beginning of each term, including the summer sessions. Information is provided on the Web site at myUH.

Section or Course Changes

Students may make changes to their course schedule only during the dates indicated in the Academic and Enrollment calendars using myUH. After the last day to drop without a grade students may drop or withdraw from a class(es) online by logging in to their myUH account, provided they have not exceeded their limit of 6 Ws (see the 6 W rule).

Undergraduate Enrollment Limit

Enrollment Cap

The Texas State Education Code (54.014, Tuition for Repeated or Excessive Undergraduate Hours) applies only to undergraduate students who are Texas residents paying resident tuition and who enrolled for the first time in a Texas college or university in Fall term 1999 or after.

This code authorizes a limit on the number of hours those students may attempt while paying in-state tuition.

• Students who initially enrolled in or after Fall 1999 and before Fall 2006 are allowed to attempt only the number of hours necessary to complete a degree in their approved major plus 45 hours.
• Students who initially enrolled in or after Fall 2006 are allowed to attempt only the number of hours necessary to complete a degree in their approved major plus 30 hours.

Students who have not chosen a major are considered, by state law, to have degree requirements of 120 hours.

Attempted hours are calculated for courses in which a student is enrolled on the Official Reporting Day (ORD) (typically twelfth class day or fourth class day in summer), not by the courses in which a student receives a grade (passing, failing, or W).

When students to whom this law applies enroll for courses that exceed this limit, state law authorizes the university to charge additional fees up to a maximum of the out-of-state tuition rates.

If you stop attending a class with the intent to drop, be sure you drop on or before the Official Reporting Day (ORD) (typically twelfth class day or fourth class day in summer) or these hours will count toward your in-state tuition limit. See your advisor if you have questions about this policy.

**FAQs to Enrollment Cap**

Course Cap

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules (under Chapter 13) authorizes institutions to charge out of state tuition for students who enroll in a course for the third or more time.

Students may be charged for semester credit hours or contact hours attempted in any course, other than a non-degree-credit developmental course, containing the same content for a third or more times at their institutions since Fall Term 2002. Attempted hours are calculated for courses in which a student is enrolled on the Official Reporting Day (ORD) (typically twelfth class day or fourth class day in summer), not by the courses in which a student receives a grade (passing, failing, or W). This provision is effective for the Spring 2004 term for credit students and for Third Quarter 2004 for continuing education students.

Semester credit hours or contact hours attempted by students for the following types of coursework are exempt from the provisions of this section:

• thesis and dissertation courses.
• courses that may be repeated for credit because they involve different or more advanced content each time they are taken, including but not limited to, individual music lessons, Workforce Education Course Manual Special Topics courses (when the topic changes), theater practicum, music performance, ensembles, certain physical education and kinesiology courses, and studio art.
• independent study courses.
• special topics and seminar courses.

If you stop attending a class with the intent to drop, be sure you drop on or before the Official Reporting Day (ORD) (typically twelfth class day or fourth class day in summer) or these courses will count towards your two attempts. See your advisor if you have questions about this policy.

Course Enrollment Restrictions

1. Students must complete prerequisites for all courses in which they enroll.
2. Students are limited to a maximum of three enrollments in a specific 3000- or 4000-level course (See item #3 under General Degree Requirements for a Baccalaureate Degree). An enrollment shall be defined as having occurred in any case in which a grade is awarded (including U, S, W, I,F, or any passing grade). This rule will not apply to courses that may be repeated for credit when topics vary.
3. Courses numbered 6000 or higher are normally limited to graduate students. Seniors and post baccalaureate students may request permission from their department or college to enroll in these classes.
4. International Students holding F-1 Visas: No more than the equivalent of one on-line/distance education class or 3 semester credit hours per session may count towards the “full course of study” requirement. For additional information contact:

International Student and Scholar Services
Student Center North Room 203
Houston, TX. 77204-5065
www.uh.edu/oisss/.

Course Load

Undergraduate Full-time Status

All undergraduate students are classified as carrying a full-time course load if enrolled (registered) for at least

• 12.0 credit hours during a fall or spring term,
• 8.0 credit hours during Summer Session 1 or Summer Session 3
• 4.0 credit hours during Summer Session 2 or Summer Session 4

Some agencies outside the university may set different guidelines for full-time status and satisfactory academic progress. Students should comply with such guidelines without contradicting university purposes and regulations.

• For visa regulatory purposes, F and J visa holders who are enrolled 6 hours during the summer term are considered carrying a full course load.

Selected colleges and departments may have more restrictive or more permissive policies than the university policies listed below.

Recommended Course Load

An undergraduate student should recognize that course work in college will require a significant amount of work outside the classroom–traditionally recommended at 2-3 hours for every hour in class. That ratio will vary with subject, but the underlying principle will not: being in college is a time-consuming activity. Any other commitments while enrolled in college courses should be balanced against the time required to attend to one’s college classes and assignments.

Taking a recommended 3:1 ratio for the sake of illustration, a student carrying a 12 credit hour course load should plan to devote an additional 36 hours per week to course-related work. That would represent a total recommended time commitment of 48 hours; 15 credit hours would obligate one to perhaps 60 hours of work a week for satisfactory performance during the fall and spring terms. These course demands need to be kept in mind when deciding whether to live on-campus or off-campus. Students living off-campus need to allow time in their schedule for commuting. Working students need to consider how many hours remain in the 168 hours of the week after deducting time for eating, sleeping, recreation, and other extracurricular activities. This recommendation would also apply for online or other distance courses.

Students who work while going to school should balance their work-related activities against the hours needed to study.

Maximum Course Load

The course load for undergraduate students is dependent on the degree plan for which they enroll. For those students who expect to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree in about four years, the cumulative maximum undergraduate course load each fall or spring term is as follows:

Maximum Course Load by College

Please consult the Graduate Catalog for maximum graduate course load information.

The maximum undergraduate course load for summer sessions, regardless of college or major, is as follows:

Maximum Summer Session Course Load

One-half of the hours in Summer Session 1 or Summer Session 3 should be added to any Summer Session 2 or Summer Session 4 - hours to determine total course load for Summer Session 1 or Summer Session 4.

Academic Probation/Academic Warning

An undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student who is on Academic Probation or Academic Warning shall enroll in no more than 13 hours in a fall or spring term for all majors except majors in the Bauer College of Business and the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts*, which allow no more than 12 hours in a fall or spring term. An undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student who is on Academic Probation or Academic Warning shall enroll in no more than 5 hours in Summer Session 2 or Summer Session 4, or 10 hours in Summer Session 1 or Summer Session 3.

These totals include all courses for which students may enroll. Permission to take course loads above these maximums must be obtained in advance of enrollment (registration) from the dean of the college of the student’s major.

Overload

No student may enroll in a course load exceeding the college’s suggested course load for a specific term as listed in the Maximum Course Load Table without prior written permission of the dean of the college of the student’s major. Students who enroll in an overload without this permission may be dropped from selected courses at the discretion of the dean and may not receive a tuition refund.

To be considered for a course overload, the student must submit a petition to the dean and should meet the following criteria:

1. Have a 3.00 minimum grade point average in the preceding two summer sessions (minimum: 12 credit hours) or in the preceding fall or spring term (minimum: 12 credit hours) at the university, or
2. Be in good academic standing in the college if in the last term before graduation.

Students should consult the appropriate college section of the catalog for any additional conditions that must be met to qualify for an approved petition for an overload. A student must file the petition for overload prior to enrollment (registration) or add/drop.

The maximum overload permitted in any college by an approved petition is a load totaling 22 hours for a fall or spring term, 9 hours in a Summer Session 2 or Summer Session 3, and 15 hours for any combination of summer enrollments.

Refer to the Graduate and Professional Studies catalog for information on graduate course overloads.

*For the College of the Arts - please see Academic Information - KGMCA section for explanation.

Adding Courses

Generally, the last day to add courses is determined by the length of the session.

Please refer to the academic calendar for specific dates.

Dropping Courses

Students are expected to commit themselves to courses as early as possible in order to succeed in their courses.

The last day to drop or withdraw from a course without receiving a grade is the Official Reporting Day (ORD). Please see the academic calendar for the exact date.

Before dropping courses:

• Students receiving financial aid should consult with a financial aid advisor
• All F-1 and J-1 international students must consult with an advisor in the International Student and Scholar Services Office
• Athletes must consult with the Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Services

Limit of 6Ws

Beginning in Fall term 2007, all students (current, transfer, and first time in college students) are permitted a total of six Ws (withdrawals), whether student or instructor initiated. Ws may be used at any time during their college career to drop a course up through the last day to drop a course or withdraw from all courses. When these six Ws have been used, the student must complete all subsequent courses. When enrollment in a course requires concurrent enrollment in another class (e.g., lecture/lab combination), the dropping of such a course combination whether for credit or not will count as one withdrawal if dropped within the same term. The academic department offering the course must verify the concurrent enrollment requirement. Term withdrawals (dropping to zero credit hours) do not count toward the limit of six Ws.

The last day to drop a course with a W is near the end of a term (generally the 14th week in a fall or spring term). The specific term deadline is posted on the academic calendar.

Student Initiated Drops

Through the last day to drop a course with a grade of W, enrollment in a course may be terminated in any one of the ways listed below. Termination of enrollment does not entitle the student to receive a refund of tuition and fees if the drop date is after the refund date. Should an attempted drop result in exceeding the six W limit, the student will remain enrolled in the course and the instructor will assign the grade earned, which may be an F. Students may appeal to exceed the six W limit for qualified reasons through the Registrar’s Office by the W drop deadline of that semester. Undergraduate students who wish to drop a course may do so online by logging in to their myUH account at accessuh.uh.edu Students are responsible for verifying that they have been dropped from a course by logging in to their myUH account at accessuh.uh.edu or through contacting the Office of the University Registrar.

The effective date recorded for the termination of enrollment for all matters relating to University of Houston records will be the date the student drops the course through his/her myUH account at accessuh.uh.edu or the date the properly approved enrollment change request form is processed by the Office of the Registrar in the Welcome Center. 

Instructor Initiated Drop

Through the last day to drop a course with a grade of W, an instructor may drop students for either of the reasons listed below.

After the last day to drop a course with a grade of W and until the official closing date of the term, instructors may drop students for one of the reasons listed below only with the approval of the dean of the college offering the course. Instructors should notify students of this action.

Before dropping a student consider how the transaction may adversely impact international students, scholar-athletes and students who rely on financial aid, campus housing, health insurance etc.

If a student has exceeded the limit of 6Ws, an instructor request to drop the student may not be processed. 

1. Lack of prerequisites or corequisites for the course listed in the current catalog. Students who enroll in a course for which they are not eligible and remain in the course knowingly misrepresent their academic records or achievements as they pertain to course prerequisites or corequisites and are in violation of the university’s Academic Honesty Policy.
2. Excessive absences, see Excused Absence policy 

Emergency Drops

The last day to drop a course with a W is near the end of a term (generally the 14th week of fall or spring term). The specific term deadline is posted on the academic calendar. 

After the last day for dropping courses, undergraduate students may be dropped from a course with a W, only for rare, urgent, substantiated, nonacademic reasons. Students wishing to initiate such actions must submit the request in writing to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (or designated representative) with accompanying documentation. Students have 90 days after the posting of a grade to initiate this action. Until a decision on this request has been made, the instructor should assign whatever grade is appropriate other than an Incomplete. The review procedure will be the same as that applied for consideration of medical and administrative withdrawals . The student and instructor will be notified of the final decision.

Student Conduct

Academic Honesty

Students may not receive a W for a course in which they have been found guilty of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. If a W is received prior to a guilty finding, the student will become liable for the Academic Honesty penalty, which may be a grade of F.

Disruptive Behavior

Student behavior that causes disruption to the academic process may be referred to the Dean of Students Office under the UH Code of Student Conduct.

More information on the Drop Limit

Texas Education Code §51.907 provides that, except for several specific instances of good cause, undergraduate students who enrolled for the first time in a Texas public institution of higher education in Fall 2007 or after will be limited to a total of six dropped courses during their entire undergraduate career. This statute applies to courses dropped at public institutions of higher education in Texas including community and technical colleges, health science centers that offer undergraduate programs, and universities. Courses dropped at independent/private institutions, or at colleges and universities outside of Texas, do not count against the student’s six drop limit. Students may also refer to the Texas Administrative Code §4.9.

For more information, please see Office of the Provost Student Policies and Resources.

Withdrawals

Withdrawal Defined

The phrase ‘withdrawal’ applies to the dropping of all courses in all sessions of the current term for which the student is enrolled (registered) at the University of Houston. It may be initiated by students.

Official Term Withdrawal

In addition to following the procedure for dropping all courses for a term withdrawal, students must return all library books and laboratory equipment and have their UH record clear in every respect. Students who wish to withdraw must submit their request by following the process outlined on the Academic Forms website.

A student whose enrollment in a course is terminated on or before the last day to drop or withdraw without receiving a grade (Census/Official Reporting Date, as listed in the zAcademic Calendar) will not have the course or grade appear on the permanent record. When termination is made after this date, the permanent record will show a grade of W for each withdrawn course and the date of withdrawal.

Withdrawal from the university is exempted from the 6W count.

Any refund due to the student will be based on the date that the Term Withdrawal Request Form was received by the Office of the University Registrar.

Deadline

• Generally, Undergraduate Students may request a term withdrawal through the last day to drop or withdraw with a ‘W’, as posted in the Academic Calendar

  • Students are responsible for initiating action to withdraw from classes on or before the last day to withdraw.
  • Students who fail to do so will be retained on the class rolls even though they may be absent for the remainder of the term. In such instances, grades of F (or U in S/U graded courses) will be given unless mitigating circumstances warrant grades of I (incomplete).
• Exceptions
  • Military withdrawal situations use a different process and deadline. Please consult with UH Veteran Services for more information.
  • Medical and personal emergency situations use a different process and deadline. Please consult with Undergraduate Academic Affairs for more information.

Procedure

• Domestic Students - two ways to submit a request

  1. MyUH
     • To initiate the term withdrawal process, the student must log on to their MyUH account and select the Manage Classes tile for the Request Term Withdrawal link.
  2. Fax or In-Person
     • Required document(s)
       • the pdf version of the Term Withdrawal Form
     • Fax number: (713) 743-8342
     • Drop-off location: Office of the University Registrar in the UH Welcome Center

• International Students holding F1 or J1 Visas - one way to submit a request

  • All International Students holding F1 or J1 Visas must FIRST meet with a representative of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS).
  • MyUH
    • Due to strict visa requirements, all international students ARE NOT able to initiate the withdrawal process via MyUH.
  1. Fax or In-Person
     • Required document(s)
       • the pdf version of the Term Withdrawal Form
       • Reduce Course Load form (required for Fall or Spring term)
       • Early Withdraw form (for OISSS)
     • Fax number: (713) 743-8342
     • Drop-off location is the Office of the University Registrar in the UH Welcome Center

University Withdrawal

In addition to suspension for academic or disciplinary causes, students may be withdrawn by the University for medical or financial reasons.

1. Financial Responsibility
   • All University of Houston students will accept the Payment Terms Agreement at the beginning of each term prior to completing enrollment in a class.  The Payment Terms Agreement outlines the student’s financial responsibilities to the university necessary to maintain enrollment.
   • Students who have a check returned as unpaid by their bank will be notified by Student Business Services.  All returned checks will be assessed a $25 service charge.  Returned checks for initial fee payment may result in dis-enrollment for unpaid tuition and fees. 
   • Students with two or more returned checks will forfeit check-writing privileges for one year and must petition for future eligibility. Students must then pay by cash, cashier’s check, money order, or credit card.
   • Students who fail to make their first payment indicated on their initial fee bill may be canceled from their courses for non-payment. Students who make their initial payment then fail to make subsequent payment by the final payment deadline provided will have a financial stop placed on their account and are subject to the following actions until the balance is cleared:
     • One time $50 severance of service fee.
     • Blocked from future enrollment.
     • No degree will be conferred. 
     • University housing may be denied.
     • Transcripts or statements regarding courses or prior credits will not be provided to or on behalf of the student.
   • Continued delinquency may result in the placement of the account with an external collection agency and assessment of a collection fee of at least 25% of the outstanding balance.
2. Undergraduate Medical Withdrawal
   A student may request withdrawals from all courses in which the student is enrolled in cases where the student experiences a medical situation that impedes academic progress. The policy and procedures for requesting a medical withdrawal follow.
   1. Policy: Undergraduate and Postbaccalaureate Students
      1. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) may grant medical withdrawals at any time to students who must withdraw for medical reasons from all courses for which they are enrolled (registered) at the University of Houston. It is expected that the request will be filed as soon as possible, no later than 140 calendar days after the close of the term in which the coursework was taken.
      2. Students who receive medical withdrawals after the last day to withdraw without receiving a grade shall normally receive a W in each course for which they were enrolled (registered), although the instructor has the option of assigning an I or F.
      3. Students may not receive medical withdrawals for courses in which they have been found guilty of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. If a medical withdrawal is completed prior to a guilty finding, the student will become liable for the Academic Honesty penalty, including F grades.
      4. Students who receive medical withdrawals must obtain permission from the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designated representative) to enroll again at the University of Houston.
   2. Procedures
      1. Students (or their appointed representatives if they are unable to act for themselves) who seek to withdraw for medical reasons from all courses for which they are enrolled (registered) at the university shall, as soon as possible, submit a medical withdrawal request to the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative), submitting all appropriate documentation, including a statement from a physician or psychologist, with their written request.
      2. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall
         1. review each request and its accompanying documentation,
         2. make inquiries and seek recommendations from instructors of record and others as appropriate,
         3. decide whether to approve or deny the request,
         4. inform both the student and the dean of the college of the student’s major of the decision in writing, and
         5. if the request is approved, place a medical withdrawal enrollment “stop” on the student’s record unless otherwise noted by physician, clinical psychologist or licensed clinical practitioner.
      3. If the medical withdrawal is requested with an effective date after the last day for a student to withdraw from classes without receiving a grade, the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall, in making inquiries and seeking recommendations from each instructor of record, notify each that if approved, the withdrawal will normally result in a grade of W.
      4. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall determine the student’s final grade when approving the request, and shall inform the student and each instructor’s dean, the Office of the University Registrar (which will enter the assigned grades into the student’s record), the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, and Student Business Services.
      5. Students who receive medical withdrawals and later seek to return to the university shall submit a written request, including a statement from a physician or psychologist, to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designated representative justifying their readiness to resume their studies.
         1. review each request to resume study at the university,
         2. make inquiries and seek recommendations as appropriate,
         3. decide whether to approve or deny the request,
         4. inform both the student and the dean of the college of the student’s major of the decision in writing, and
         5. if the request is approved, remove the medical withdrawal enrollment “stop” from the student’s record. (This action does not remove any other “stops” that may have been placed on the student’s record by other university officials.
3. Undergraduate Administrative Withdrawal
   A student may request withdrawals from all courses in which the student is enrolled in cases when the student experiences an extenuating personal or family situation, beyond the control of the student, that impedes academic progress. The policy and procedures for requesting an administrative withdrawal follow.
   1. Policy: Undergraduate and Postbaccalaureate Students
      1. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) may grant administrative withdrawals at any time to a student who must withdraw from all courses for which he or she is enrolled (registered) at the University of Houston based on an extenuating circumstance beyond the control of the student. It is expected that the request will be filed as soon as possible, no later than 140 days after the close of the term in which the coursework was taken.
      2. Students who receive administrative withdrawals after the last day to withdraw without receiving a grade shall normally receive a W in each course for which they were enrolled (registered), although the instructor has the option of assigning an I or F.
      3. Students may not receive Administrative Withdrawals for courses in which they have been found guilty of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. If an Administrative Withdrawal is completed prior to a guilty finding, the student will become liable for the Academic Honesty penalty, including F grades.
   2. Procedures
      1. Students (or their appointed representatives if they are unable to act for themselves) who seek to withdraw for administrative reasons from all courses for which they are enrolled (registered) at the university shall, as soon as possible, submit an administrative withdrawal request to the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative), submitting all appropriate documentation, including a statement from a physician, psychologist or legal advisor, with their written requests. In the event of death of an immediate family member (mother, father, grandparent, sister, brother, child, spouse) an official death certificate will be required.
      2. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall
         1. review each request and its accompanying documentation,
         2. make inquiries and seek recommendations from instructors of record and others as appropriate,
         3. decide whether to approve or deny the request,
         4. inform both the student and the dean of the college of the student’s major of the decision in writing, and
      3. If the administrative withdrawal is requested with an effective date after the last day for a student to withdraw from classes without receiving a grade, the senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall, in making inquiries and seeking recommendations from each instructor of record, notify each that if approved, the withdrawal will normally result in a grade of W.
      4. The senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative) shall determine the student’s final grade when approving the request, and shall inform the student and each instructor’s dean, the Office of the University Registrar (which will enter the assigned grades into the student’s record), the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, and Student Business Services.

Attendance 

Class Attendance

Properly enrolled students are required to attend the first day of class. Failure to attend may result in the student being dropped from the class.

The university has no specific policy regarding the number of excused absences, but expects students to attend class regularly. Students whose absences are determined by their instructors to be excessive may be dropped from the course. Unavoidable absences should be reported to the instructor as soon as possible.

Absences caused by participation in a campus-sponsored activity are considered official if the sponsor of the activity has received approval from the appropriate university administrator. Students must make up the work missed even though the absences are official.

Related policies:

• Excused Absence Policy 
• Excused Absence for Military Service 
• Religious Holy Days 

Excused Absence Policy

Regular class attendance, participation, and engagement in coursework are important contributors to student success and consistent with expectations outlined in the Class Attendance Policy. Absences will be excused as provided in the University of Houston Undergraduate Excused Absence Policy which applies to all undergraduate courses in all delivery modes.

1. EXCUSED ABSENCES
   Absences from class including exams and submission of assignments or other course requirements may be excused for the following reasons:
   1. Medical
      1. Injury or illness of a student that is too severe or contagious to attend class or participate in course requirements. Students should not come to class or participate in campus activities if they are sick and may be contagious and should contact the Student Health Center or their health care provider as necessary.
      2. Illness of a dependent family member.
      3. Serious illness of a close family member (parents, siblings, grandparents, spouse, cohabitating partner, child, cohabitating partner/spouse’s child, cohabitating partner/spouse’s parents, cohabitating partner/spouse’s grandparents, step-parents, step-siblings, step-grandparents, grandchild, step-grandchild, legal guardian, and others as approved by course instructor, college dean, or dean’s designee).
   2. Death in Family - Death of a close family member (parents, siblings, grandparents, spouse, cohabitating partner, child, cohabitating partner/spouse’s child, cohabitating partner/spouse’s parents, cohabitating partner/spouse’s grandparents, step-parents, step-siblings, step-grandparents, grandchild, step-grandchild, legal guardian, and others as approved by course instructor, college dean, or dean’s designee).
   3. Legal or Government Proceeding - Participation in legal or government proceeding that cannot be rescheduled.
   4. Professional and Educational Activities
      1. Mandatory interviews for graduate or professional school that cannot be rescheduled.
      2. Mandatory interviews for full-time employment or internships that are related to the student’s academic program and cannot be rescheduled.
      3. Presentation of research or scholarship at a professional conference that is related to the student’s academic program.
   5. University Sponsored Activity - As indicated in the Class Attendance policy, absences caused by participation in a campus-sponsored activity are considered official if the sponsor of the activity has received approval from the appropriate university administrator.
   6. Athletic Competition - Mandatory participation as a student athlete in NCAA-sanctioned competition.
   7. Weather Related Events - Dangerous weather conditions in which driving or other means of travel is considered by local authorities to be unsafe.
   8. Other - Additional compelling reasons as approved by instructor or college dean.
2. EXCUSED ABSENCE APPROVAL PROCESS
   1. Notification
      1. Students are required to submit an excused absence request in writing (email is acceptable) to the instructor(s) of the course(s) in which absences occur. Students should contact their instructor(s) by phone if written or email communication is not possible. Instructor(s) phone numbers can be found in the Campus Directory.
      2. Requests for planned absences should be submitted to instructors as soon as the conflict becomes known and no later than 5 business days, if possible, before the anticipated absence.
      3. Unexpected absences should be communicated to the instructor before the next class meeting, or as soon as possible afterwards with an explanation regarding why the notice could not be sent before the next class meeting.
   2. Documentation
      1. Documentation to support requests for excused absences may include but is not limited to the following:
         • Written confirmation from the student’s medical provider if medical professionals are involved in the care of the student. Confirmation should include the date and time of the medical assessment and the date at which the student may return to classes. Students cannot be required to provide detailed medical information.
         • Written confirmation from the medical provider involved in the care of the student’s close family member or dependent if medical professionals are involved in the care of the family member or dependent. Students cannot be required to provide detailed medical information.
         • Death notice, obituary, or death certificate for a student’s immediate family member.
         • Copy of appropriate documentation related to legal activities.
         • Confirmation of mandatory athletic participation from an appropriate Athletics administrator.
         • Confirmation of mandatory interviews from employers or appropriate officials at institutions of higher education.
         • Conference program including documentation confirming that the student will be a presenter of scholarly work.
         • Confirmation of participation in a University sponsored activity from an appropriate administrator.
         • A number of reasons for absence are not documentable, and instructors are encouraged to use their best judgment in evaluating student requests.
      2. Providing false information or documentation is unacceptable. Allegations of misconduct will be referred for review and may be considered as prohibited conduct under the Student Code of Conduct or an act of academic dishonesty under the Academic Honesty Policy.
   3. Verification and Decision
      1. An instructor may verify a student’s absence documentation or defer verification and decision, including cases when documentation is not available, to the college dean or dean’s designee.
      2. The instructor, dean, or dean’s designee must provide the student with a decision in writing regarding whether the excused absence is approved within three business days of receiving the student’s request. Decisions must be made irrespective of the grade the student is currently earning in the class.
   4. Appeal
      1. A student may appeal an instructor’s decision regarding an excused absence request within 3 business days of receiving the decision. The appeal should be submitted in writing (email is acceptable) to the college dean or dean’s designee who must provide a decision in writing to the student within 3 business days of receiving the appeal.
      2. A student may appeal the decision of a dean or dean’s designee within 3 business days of receiving the decision. The appeal should be submitted in writing (email is acceptable) to the appropriate administrator in the Office of the Provost who must provide a decision in writing to the student within 3 business days of receiving the appeal.
      3. The decision of the Office of the Provost is final and further appeal is not permitted.
3. MAKE UP WORK
   If a student’s absence is excused, the instructor must either provide the student an opportunity to make up any quiz, exam or other work that contributes to the course grade or provide a satisfactory alternative by a date agreed upon by the student and instructor.
4. EXTENDED ABSENCES
   1. Excused Absence Limit - Excused absences under this policy may be granted for a maximum percentage of coursework as determined by the instructor in each class, typically 15%. Coursework limit may include “clicker” questions, exams, quizzes, and homework. The limit does not include the final exam.
   2. Extended Absence Alternatives - Students with absences that exceed 15% of coursework are encouraged to seek potential alternative options provided in other policies including Dropping Courses, Withdrawals, and temporary grades of Incomplete. Faculty also have the option to drop students for excessive absences until the official closing date of the term.
5. RELATED POLICIES
   Additional policies address excused absences for reasons that are not covered in this policy including the following:
   1. Military Service: Excused Absence for Military Service Policy.
   2. Religious Holy Days: Religious Holy Days Policy.
   3. Pregnancy and Related Conditions: University of Houston System Anti-Discrimination Policy.
   4. Disability: University of Houston System Student Academic Adjustments/Auxiliary Aids Policy.

Additional policies that address extended absences:

1. Emergency Withdrawal: Medical/Administrative Withdrawal 
2. Military Withdrawal: Students Called to Active Duty

Excused Absence for Military Service

In accordance with section 51.9111 of the Texas Education Code and the General Provisions under Chapter 4 of the Texas Administrative Code, a student is excused from attending classes or engaging in other required activities, including exams, if the student is called to required military service of a reasonably brief duration.

A student who has been called to required military service after a term begins should immediately initiate the request for excused absence by providing the course faculty a copy of the military orders.

The student shall be excused from attending class and be allowed to complete an assignment or take an examination from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence, as determined by the faculty member, with consideration of the date of the student’s return from required duty and within one academic term from the date of the student’s return from required duty.

An excused absence granted under this policy is designed to cover a period of time no longer than the equivalent of 25% of the overall class content (i.e., in-class hours, assignments), excluding the final exam period. Students with an absence longer than the equivalent of 25% of the overall class content may request military withdrawal under a separate policy.  

Further guidelines include:

1. Students enrolled in distance learning, hybrid, and other asynchronous courses are to receive equivalent consideration for granting of an absence under this policy.
2. Faculty must retain a student’s completed course work and the course syllabus or other instructional plan, to ensure that the student is able to complete the course under the same course requirements as when they initially registered for the class.
3. If an excused absence is granted under this policy, faculty are encouraged to outline and document the parameters and deadlines for completing make-up requirements and the consequences of a student’s failure to meet these requirements by the agreed upon deadlines.
4. Disputes arising as a consequence of a student failing to meet such parameters and deadlines for make-up requirements should be resolved according to the Excused Absence Policy appeal process.

Related Policies:

• Excused Absence Policy 
• Students Called to Active Duty

Religious Holy Days

The University of Houston respects the religious observances of students even though they may conflict with university class meetings, assignments, or examinations.

The University of Houston excuses a student from classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose.

A student whose absence is excused under this policy shall be treated consistently with the instructor’s policies and procedures relating to other excused absences, except that no instructor’s policy may deny the opportunity for make-up work, as described below.

Students are encouraged to inform instructors about upcoming religious holy days early in the term to enable better planning and coordination of work assignments (and examinations).

Instructors are encouraged to announce reasonable time periods for make-up work (and exams) in the course syllabus and to make clear the consequences of a student’s failure to meet such time requirements.

If a student and an instructor disagree about whether the absence is for the observance of a religious holy day, or if they disagree about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may appeal to the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. All parties must abide by the decision of that office.

Eligible religions are those whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation. For further information about state law, please see the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Texas Administrative Code §4.4 Student Absences on Religious Holy Days; or contact the offices of the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, the Dean of Students, and/or the A.D. Bruce Religion Center to review the policy.

Related Policies:

• Excused Absence Policy 

Degree Requirements

General Requirements for a Baccalaureate Degree

All candidates for a bachelor’s degree at the University of Houston must meet certain minimum requirements. Additional requirements may be imposed by the individual department or college. Students should refer to the department or college section of this catalog for complete requirements and total number of hours prescribed for the specific degree.

The following are the minimum requirements for a bachelor’s degree:

1. Students must complete at least 120 credit hours of courses.
   1.  At least 36 of the 120 completed credit hours must be advanced, according to the requirements of respective degree plans.
   2.  Of the 36 completed advanced hours at least 18 credit hours must be UH courses. 
2. A repeated course cannot be counted as elective credit toward satisfying the requirement for graduation or counted toward the minimum of 120 hours credit toward graduation, unless the course is identified in the Undergraduate Studies catalog as repeatable. Repeatable courses, such as Independent Study or Selected Topics courses, are often designed to be taken more than once for additional credits each time.
3. A repeated course, including courses repeated during a summer session, is equivalent to a new course both in the determination of classification and in computing the cumulative grade point average. Students may not enroll in any course more than three times, including W, F, and I grades, without permission from the college of their major. When a course is repeated, only the best attempt will be considered toward degree requirements. All attempts will remain on the student’s official transcript and count toward the student’s major and minor grade point averages and cumulative grade point average calculations. Please note that minimum grades may be required in specific courses in the student’s degree plans. This policy does not apply to courses referred to as repeatable in Requirement 2 above (e.g., Selected Topics courses).
4. Students must complete the state-mandated 42 hour core curriculum (see University Core Curriculum Requirements section of this catalog).
5. Students must complete all course requirements of the major as specified in the college section of the catalog, some of which may also satisfy university core curriculum requirements.
6. Students must earn a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average in courses with the subject code of the minor attempted at the university. Exceptions to this policy may be found in the requirements of specific minors.
7. Students must earn a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average in courses with the subject code of the major attempted at the university. Exceptions to this policy may be found in the requirements of specific majors.
8. Students must earn a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average at the university.
9. In addition to these general requirements, candidates for graduation must meet all special degree requirements as specified in the appropriate college sections in which the major is completed.
10. Students cannot satisfy any degree requirements in their major with advanced courses that were completed more than seven years before the term in which the degree is awarded, unless they receive permission from their college dean.
11. At least 25 percent of the total credit hours required for a degree must be UH courses or if 25 percent includes a fraction of a credit hour, the requirement must be rounded up to the nearest whole number of a credit hour. These hours are not to include credit by examination.
    1. A minimum of twelve credit hours of advanced hours in the major field must be UH courses.
    2. A minimum of six of the nine advanced hours in the minor field must be UH courses.
    3. A minimum of eighteen credit hours of the 36 advanced hours must be UH courses. 
12. Students may petition for exceptions to university or college degree requirements with good reason. A petition should be filled with the major department. It will be forwarded to the offices of the dean of the college. College requirements may be decided by the dean. University requirements (e.g. residency requirements) must be forwarded to the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for final action.

Degree Plan

Students must file a degree plan no later than the end of the second regular term immediately following the term in which they earned a cumulative total of 45 or more credit hours. These hours include transfer courses, international baccalaureate courses, dual credit courses, course credit awarded by examination, and any other course for which the student received college course credit. A degree plan is a statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student at an institution of higher education must complete in order to be awarded a degree from the institution. Therefore, the UH Degree Progress Report which identifies the courses needed to earn a degree will satisfy this requirement.

Colleges may also have additional requirements regarding the filing of degree plans at the college level. Students should see their major academic advisor(s) for specific details.

Degree Requirement Exceptions

Students may petition for exceptions to university or college degree requirements with good reason. A petition should be filed with the major department. It will be forwarded to the office of the dean of the college. College requirements may be decided by the dean. University requirements (e.g., residency requirements) must be forwarded to the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for final action.

University Core Curriculum Requirements    

Degrees Granted

by the University of Houston

Please see the individual college sections elsewhere in this catalog for more information about specific degree offerings and requirements.

Baccalaureate

Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.)
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
Bachelor of Music (B.M.)
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering (B.S.B.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (B.S.Ch.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (B.S.C.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (B.S.Cp.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (B.S.E.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (B.S.I.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering (B.S.P.E.T.E.)

Masters

Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
Master of Hospitality Management (M.H.M.)
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
Master of Music (M.M.)
Master of Science (M.S.)
Master of Science in Accountancy (M.S.Acy.)
Master of Chemical Engineering (M.Ch.E.)
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (M.S.Ch.E.)
Master of Civil Engineering (M.C.E.)
Master of Science in Civil Engineering (M.S.C.E.)
Master of Electrical Engineering (M.E.E.)
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (M.S.E.E.)
Master of Industrial Engineering (M.I.E.)
Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (M.S.I.E.)
Master of Mechanical Engineering (M.M.E.)
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)
Master of Petroleum Engineering (M.P.E.)
Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering (M.S.P.E.)
Master of Science in Physiological Optics (M.S.P.O.)
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

Doctoral

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.)
Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Bachelor of Arts Degree Special Requirements

Candidates for any Bachelor of Arts degree must have documented proficiency at the second term of 2000-level or higher in one foreign language.

The foreign language requirement can be met the following ways:

• Students typically satisfy this requirement by completing six consecutive semester hours at the 2000- level or higher in one foreign language.
• Satisfactory completion may require up to four (4) terms of sequential level courses starting with two (2) semesters of 5 credit hour freshman level foreign language courses for a total of 16 credit hours.
• Students with foreign language competency may satisfy part of or all of this requirement by placement or credit by examination
• Students who place out of the freshman and first term sophomore level of and (approved) foreign language may satisfy the requirements by completion of three (3) semester hours of credit at the second term sophomore level or higher.
• Students should contact the UH Testing Center for UH approved placement/credit by exams options.

*Placement exams are required prior to enrollment in Spanish courses at UH.

*High School foreign language credit does not apply unless UH approved AP or IB credit is awarded.

*It is highly recommended that all levels of the foreign language courses are completed at one institution.

Deans may waive this requirement for students majoring in their college who can demonstrate that they meet at least one of the following requirements:

1. students whose first language is not English who presented a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score to qualify for admission to the university, or other language exam verified by the UH Testing Center or
2. completed at least eight years of formal education in schools where English was not the primary language of instruction.

Bachelor of Science Degree Special Requirements

Candidates for any Bachelor of Science degree must complete at least 12 credit hours in the quantitative or formal sciences, i.e., mathematics, computer science, formal logic, statistics, or other disciplines in which quantitative or formal analytical reasoning plays a major part. At least 6 credit hours must be in mathematics. Courses applied to this requirement must either be core-approved mathematics or mathematics/reasoning courses or have at least 6 credit hours of such courses as prerequisites.

Requirements for a Minor

In most fields of study at the undergraduate level, students may earn a minor by satisfying certain requirements. The general requirements are as follows:

1. Students must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of work in the minor field.
2. At least nine of the 15 credit hours must be advanced.
3. At least six of the nine advanced credit hours must be taken in residence.
4. Students must earn a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average on courses attempted in the minor at the University of Houston.

Departments and colleges may include additional requirements but cannot require more than 21 credit hours of work in the minor field of study.

Not all departments and colleges offer minors, but those that do provide academic advice for the students who seek minors in their areas.

Students should consult the general and departmental requirements listed in the college sections of this catalog for more detailed information on the availability of and requirements for minors.

Co-operative Education (Co-op) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

At the University of Houston, Co-op/CPT is approved for students in many Colleges and Departments as an “Experience Track”. To satisfy the requirements for the Experience Track, students must declare their intention to pursue the track and complete an approved Co-op/CPT internship. Zero-credit courses, as well as courses for academic credit, are available to satisfy the requirements for the Experience Track for select majors, if approved by the respective Academic Department. Co-op is available to all UH students in a participating program. Students on an F-1 visa must meet the additional requirements outlined in the section below titled “Information about Curricular Practical Training”.

Information about Co-operative Education (Co-op)

Students are required to adhere to all deadlines and requirements set by the Cooperative Education & Internship Programs Office, (713) 743-4230. The information below is also available at this link: http://career.egr.uh.edu/students/coop.

Students should know the following about the course work, fees and reporting of the co-op experience.

• Co-op education/training appears on the official transcript; therefore, students in the program must enroll each term of Co-op using their myUH account to enroll and pay for the Co-op course. Students must pay before the specified deadline each term of Co-op. All Co-op students must submit a Co-op Data Form in person at the Co-op Office or via email to complete the process.
• There is a processing fee charged for each term a student received education/training as a Co-op intern. The fee is posted directly to the student’s myUH account.  Some employers reimburse the student for the processing fee; it is up to the student to discuss with the employer regarding Co-op fee reimbursement. If the employer agrees to reimburse the student, the student should provide the employer with documentation that the fee has been paid though myUH account and request that the employer issue the reimbursement separate from the student paycheck to ensure the student receives the full reimbursement with no taxes removed.
• A Co-op Work Report is a pre-formatted 6-8 page document which must be completed to verify the work incorporates educational training in a particular field of study. The following points relate to the work report:
  • A letter grade is assigned by the instructor of record based upon completion of the Work Report submitted by the student each term of Co-op.
  • Co-op interns must complete and submit a work report each term to verify the Co-op internship experience is within their field of study. A review of the Work Report (which includes an employer evaluation) assists in determining the letter grade received on the official transcript.
  • Work reports must be completed, submitted and signed by the appropriate employment supervisor and faculty advisor before each term deadline.
  • Work reports and evaluations should be scanned and submitted via email to ecareers@central.uh.edu to confirm the date and time of the submission.
  • Submitting the work report after the deadline will result in the student receiving a lower grade.
• Three reminders will be sent to each Co-op student’s UH email address each term of the Co-op experience to ensure awareness of policies and deadlines.
• Students who are officially enrolled for Co-op and do not receive email reminders should call (713)743-4230 to ensure the Co-op Office has the correct UH email address on file.

Information about Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

For students on an F-1 visa, all of the guidelines and deadlines above are applicable. In addition, the following requirements will have to be completed prior to taking courses specified in the Experience Track.

F-1 students must visit the ISSS (International Student and Scholar Services) office to receive a CPT form. This form must be signed by the Academic Department to verify that the practical training constitutes valid professional experience. This form is submitted to the ISSS before the start of the term in which the student intends to participate in an internship. The CPT form is to be accompanied by a formal offer on the hiring company’s stationery that provides a description of the work to be performed, a beginning and ending date, and the salary offered. As with all internships, the work must be related to the students major.

CPT students are allowed only half-time employment during Fall and Spring terms. Full-time employment is allowed during the Summer term.

Follow the link below to learn more about eligibility for internships, steps to declare the experience track, and eligible coursework for each College or Department that offers CPT.

Bauer College of Business - Experience Track 

Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design - Experience Track 

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics - Experience Track 

Technology Division - Experience Track 

Cullen College of Engineering - Industrial Experience 

 Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts - Experience Track    

College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 

Department of Economics - Experience Track 

Department of Sociology - Experience Track 

Jack J. Valenti School of Communication - Experience Track 

Double Major

At the University of Houston, students may earn a baccalaureate degree with two majors (i.e., a double major) provided they meet all the following requirements:

1. The baccalaureate degree must be the same for both majors (e.g.: B.A., B.S., B.B.A., B.F.A.).
2. Students must satisfy the college and major degree requirements for their primary major that were in effect at the time they were admitted into the primary major and those for their second major in effect at the time they were admitted into the second major.
3. Students may not add a second major to a baccalaureate degree they have already received.
4. Students may not receive official university recognition in a single degree for having earned both a major and a minor in the same field of study.
5. Students must earn a 2.00 minimum grade point average in all courses attempted in each major at the university.
6. Students must complete a minimum of twelve credit hours of advanced work in residence in each major.

Students pursuing a double major must identify one of the two majors as the primary one for purposes of establishing an academic home of record. Students pursuing a double major should apply for one degree plan for both majors to the dean of the college or departmental advisor of their primary major no later than the beginning of their junior year. The college of the student’s primary major will issue the university diploma.

Students pursuing a double major who complete all degree requirements for one major but not the other may graduate with a single major but only after they obtain written approval from the dean of the college of their primary major (and, if their second major is in a different college, from the dean of that college) to change from double-to single-major status.

The University of Houston does not recognize a triple major or any number of majors above two for a single baccalaureate degree. Students who want official university recognition for more than a double major must earn more than one baccalaureate degree.

Additional Bachelor’s Degree

A student must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond any previously awarded degree for each additional bachelor’s degree pursued.

Graduation

Completion of Degree and Graduation Application

Students are required to graduate and to receive any degree and certificate in the term in which they have completed all requirements. Students who wish to be considered a candidate for a degree should submit an online application for graduation through myUH during the graduation filing period as listed in the Academic Calendar. (Application for commencement is also part of the application process.)

• Graduation Application Fees: A non-refundable application fee will be assessed for graduation applications filed during the regular graduation filing period and a non-refundable late graduation application fee assessed for those filed thereafter. For current fees, please see the University Registrar’s website.
• Multiple Degrees: Candidates for multiple degrees are required to complete an application for each degree they are seeking and will be assessed the appropriate fees. Students pursuing multiple degrees who are not on track to complete all degrees within the same academic year should complete an application for their first completed degree and complete the remaining degree(s) under postbaccalaureate status.
• Graduation Certification: Once a graduation application has been submitted, it may not be withdrawn and decision must be made to approve or disapprove based on whether all of the requirements of the degree have been met. Certification for graduation is performed by the dean’s office in the college of the student’s major and a decision of approved or disapproved is rendered within 4-6 weeks after the close of the term. Diplomas are typically mailed within 1-2 weeks from the time the approved certifications for graduation are processed.
• Application Disapproval: Disapprovals may be made prior to the close of the term if degree requirements are not met or are not in progress. Students will be notified of the disapproval and the requirements that must be completed. If disapproved for graduation, a student’s application will automatically be evaluated for graduation in the next term.

In cases where the student’s academic records have been adjusted to indicate completion of degree requirements within one year of the disapproval, the original application will be used to graduate the student in the current term. Students will be notified of their automatic application. If degree requirements are not completed within one year of the disapproval, students are notified and required to submit a new application.

• Administrative Application: The University reserves the right to initiate a graduation application for any student who has fulfilled all requirements for a declared degree or who is enrolled in courses which will complete all degree requirements. The University will notify the student, assess the appropriate graduation application fees, and confer the degree, along with any certificates for which the student has completed all requirements. Under this action students are not permitted to make degree requirement modifications to include change of majors and/or minors or add majors, minors, or second degrees. See Exceptions for further guidance.

In cases of students pursuing multiple degrees, if an administrative application finds the student has completed one degree and is not on track to complete the other degree(s) within the same academic year, the student will be required to graduate from the first completed degree and complete the remaining degrees under postbaccalaureate status.

Exceptions: Students may petition for exceptions to this policy, including application withdrawal, degree requirement modifications, and the administrative application, through a petition filed with the major department. The petition will be forwarded to the office of the dean of the college then to the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost for final decision.

Cap and Gown

Students are responsible for ordering and paying for caps and gowns at the University Bookstore for all commencement exercises.

Graduation with Honors

Undergraduate students who have completed the graduation requirements of the Honors College, including a senior honors thesis or senior honors project, are graduated with “University Honors with Honors in Major.” Undergraduate students who have completed all requirements of the Honors College except for the thesis or project are graduated with “University Honors.” (See University Honors College.)

Undergraduate students who successfully complete a senior honors thesis or senior honors project and who are not members of the Honors College are graduated with “Honors in Major.”

Undergraduate students will graduate with the stated academic honors if they complete at least fifty-four (54) hours at UH and achieve the following grade point averages earned in the last fifty-four (54) hours (all of which must be A, B, C,… letter grade courses) completed at the University of Houston. 

Clarifications:

• The honors calculation will include all hours completed in the term in which the first of those final fifty-four (54) hours was completed.
• Grades of S are not assigned grade point values but do earn credit hours. Therefore, grades of S are not used in the computation of the grade point average and are excluded from the count of the last 54 credit hours.
• Grades of U, I, and W are not assigned grade point values and do not earn credit hours. Therefore, grades of U, I, and W are not used in the computation of the grade point average and are excluded from the count of the last 54 credit hours.
• See Catalog Archives for honors policy for students graduating under catalogs prior to Fall 2010.

Posthumous Degree

Upon the recommendation of the dean of the college of the student’s major and the approval of the provost, students who die before completing all degree requirements shall be awarded a bachelor’s degree posthumously if all of the following conditions had been met at the time of their death.

Eligible students meet the following:

1. were enrolled in their last semester or term of their degree plan at the university and either had been or were eligible to be approved for graduation.

2. were making satisfactory progress toward the successful completion of all remaining degree and graduation requirements.

The posthumous degree shall be awarded with any academic honors for which the students were eligible at the time of their death.

DEGREE IN MEMORIAM

A Degree in Memoriam may be awarded for students who do not meet the criteria for posthumous degree but at the time of their death were enrolled at the University of Houston.

Graduation Under a Particular Catalog

Students normally are entitled to graduate under the degree provisions of the catalog in effect at the time of their first completed term of enrollment. These exceptions apply:

1. A catalog more than seven years old shall not be used.
2. The programs of students who interrupt their enrollment at the University of Houston for more than 13 months shall be governed by the catalog in effect at the time of the students’ reentrance to the university. For these purposes, enrollment is defined as enrollment (registration) for and successful completion of at least one three-credit-hour course during a term or summer session. Students forced to withdraw for adequate cause before completion of a course may petition the dean of the college of their major for a waiver of this provision at the time of withdrawal.
3. Students who change their majors at this university, provided they do not interrupt their enrollment at the University of Houston for more than 13 months, are entitled to graduate under the general degree requirements in effect at the time they enrolled at the university, but must satisfy the college and major degree requirements in effect at the time the change of major becomes effective.
4. Students who add a second major at this university, provided they do not interrupt their enrollment at the University of Houston for more than 13 months, are entitled to graduate under the general degree requirements in effect at the time they enrolled at the university, the college and primary major degree requirements in effect at the time their primary major became effective, and the major degree requirements of the second major (and, if the second major is in a different college from the primary major, the degree requirements of that college) in effect at the time their second major became effective.
5. Students will be required to comply with all changes in the curriculum made subsequent to the years enrolled. Careful consideration will be given to all deletions and additions of courses, and will be of approximately equal credit so that no student will have an overall appreciable increase of total credits required for graduation, unless otherwise approved by the Dean of the college.
6. A student who transfers from another Texas public institution of higher education may choose a catalog for the purpose of specifying graduation requirements, based upon the dates of attendance at the receiving institution and at the transferring institution, in the same manner that a non-transfer student may choose a catalog.

Binding and Distribution of Honors Thesis

Two originals and two copies of the approved honors thesis should be submitted to the office of the dean of the college responsible for the academic field of study in which the thesis was written for binding before or on the college’s binding deadline. Students who fail to meet these deadlines may be required to refile applications for graduation for a subsequent term.

Two original copies of the thesis are retained by the M.D. Anderson Library for public access, one copy goes to the Honors College, and one copy may go to the major department/college responsible for the academic field of study in which the thesis was written. Binding fees for theses vary. Students should check with the office of the dean of the college responsible for the academic field of study in which the thesis was written for specific procedures and requirements.

Academic Progress

Academic Standing

Academic Standing

The standards below apply to all undergraduate and post baccalaureate students. Students who entered under a previous catalog will be held to these standards.

Colleges may have their own limits and definitions of academic standing. Students are encouraged to review academic standing policies for their majors as they may be more stringent than the university policies stated below. The dean of each college maintains final authority to determine academic standing for student majors within that college.

Disciplinary actions and certain circumstances may impact or prevent enrollment or academic progress regardless of academic standing. Such actions may include but are not limited to, violations of academic honesty, conduct code violations, or payment default of financial responsibility to the university.

Good Academic Standing

An undergraduate student with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or above is considered to be in good academic standing with the university.

Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Academic Suspension

1. First Time In College (FTIC) students who earn less than a 2.00 grade point average in the first long term (i.e., Fall or Spring) of enrollment at the University of Houston shall be placed on academic warning.
2. Second term First Time In College (FTIC) students who have completed their first long term and all other students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 shall be placed on academic probation. They are urged to seek advising in their major departments.
3. Students on academic probation whose term grade point average is below 2.00 are placed on academic suspension.
   1. The first academic suspension is for a period of at least one long term (fall or spring).
      1. Students placed on academic suspension for the first time at the end of a fall term may apply for readmission for the following fall at the earliest.
      2. Students placed on academic suspension for the first time at the end of a spring term may apply for readmission for the following spring at the earliest.
      3. Students placed on academic suspension for the first time at the end of a summer term may apply for readmission for the following spring at the earliest.
   2. The second academic suspension is for a period of at least 12 months.
   3. After the third academic suspension, students will not be eligible to re-enroll at the University of Houston.
4. Students on academic probation whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 but whose term grade point average is 2.00 or higher will remain on academic probation.
5. Students on academic probation will be removed from that status when their semester grade point average is 2.00 or higher and their cumulative grade point average is at or above 2.00.

Summer visiting students are not subject to academic probation or suspension while in that status. If, however, they are later admitted as regular students, the grades that they earned in their summer visiting status will be included in all subsequent calculations of their cumulative grade point average at the university.

Without regard to these regulations, the dean of a college may place any majors in that college whose academic performance is deficient on academic probation, continued probation, or suspension.

Readmission Consideration

Readmission consideration is provided for students whose academic standing is Warning, Probation or Suspension (students with a cumulative GPA of below a 2.0). Applicants may be considered by college review.

All students whose UH enrollment has paused for 13 months or longer must apply for readmission at Apply Texas Application. All students returning from academic suspension, regardless of the amount of time since their last UH enrollment, must apply for readmission. Returning from suspension is not permitted for the summer term. For further information on pathways for readmission students may review the Readmission for Former UH Students policy.

1. Only the dean of the college in which students are seeking readmission may readmit students on academic suspension from UH. Only the Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Student Success may readmit students to Exploratory Studies and Integrated Studies.
2. Readmission from academic suspension is neither automatic nor guaranteed. Students seeking readmission must reapply to the university using the Apply Texas Application (ATA) and must pay the required application fee.

Students must also appeal to the dean of the college in which they wish to earn their degrees in accordance with the college’s policies and procedures pertaining to readmission from academic suspension. Colleges may have different appeal processes. Therefore, students seeking readmission should consult the appropriate college section in this catalog or request information from the office of the academic dean for specific college requirements.

Dean’s List

To qualify for this recognition, undergraduate students must earn a 3.50 minimum grade point average (the grade of S is not counted) on nine or more semester hours completed during the term (The Colleges of Architecture, Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences and Mathematics require a 3.50 or better on a minimum of 12 credit hours). Students who earn a grade of I (except in a senior honors thesis course), D, F, or U during the term are excluded from consideration for the Dean’s List. Some colleges have additional requirements for the Dean’s List. For information, consult the catalog for the college of major or contact the office of the dean.

Grades

Grading System

Letter Grades

* Incomplete (I), in progress (IP), and not reported (NR) grade categories may appear transiently on a student transcript but will convert to other letter grades as described in the Grade Explanations below.

Note that the University of Houston operated under an interim grading policy during the early phase of the COVID 19 pandemic - specifically during Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021; grades of NCR (meaning “no credit received”) may appear on student transcripts; the NCR carries no grade points and does not grant course credit. 

Grade Assignment

Grades are awarded in courses in which students are officially enrolled after the last day to drop or withdraw from a course without receiving a grade (Official Reporting Day). This date is indicated in the Academic Calendar for each enrollment period.

Assigning a grade for evaluating a student’s work performance involves the faculty’s professional judgment and is an integral part of the faculty’s teaching responsibilities. Students are encouraged to contact the instructor of record or submit written requests to the department chair whenever questions arise concerning a grade received in a course. Grade appeals must be made within 90 days after the posting of the grade. See the Undergraduate Academic Grievances section of the Undergraduate Academic Catalog for more information.

Grade Explanations

1. Passing grades for which semester hours of credit are awarded are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and S. Note, however, that there are programs that place grade limits for academic progress. A grade may be considered passing but can still prevent a student from achieving course completion towards their major, minor, and/or course prerequisites. Refer to course descriptions and to academic policies for the relevant College, as well as major and minor programs, to ensure that a particular grade will qualify for successful programmatic completion requirements.
2. Grades of F do not receive passing credit for any program.
3. The grades of S (satisfactory) and U (unsatisfactory) may be awarded in certain specified courses.
4. The temporary grade of I (incomplete) is a conditional and temporary grade assigned when students for non-academic reasons beyond their control have not completed a relatively small part of all requirements for a course.

The student must:

• be currently passing the course or have a reasonable chance of passing the course, in the judgment of the instructor;
• contact the instructor immediately regarding the reasons that prevent the student from completing the course, final assignment and/or final examination;
• initiate the request for an I grade within 90 days of the posting of the course grade;
• make arrangements with the instructor to complete the course requirements, if assigned;
• understand that the only way to have an I grade changed to a passing grade is to fulfill course requirements in accordance with the conditions specified by the instructor;
• understand that the grade of I may be changed only to another letter grade. If the student does not complete the course requirements in the time allotted (a maximum of one year) the I grade will convert to an F grade and will be noted as a lapsed incomplete on the student’s transcript. An I grade once lapsed to an F grade may not be changed to a grade of W; and
• not re-enroll for the courses in which their grade is currently recorded as an I. Even when the conditions for fulfilling the course requirements include participation in all or part of the same course in another term, the student must not re enroll for the course.

All grades of I shall be computed as grades of F in calculating a student’s cumulative grade point average for purposes of determining fulfillment of grade requirements for a degree.

After the student has completed the remaining coursework, the instructor will submit a grade change via the myUH Faculty Center to change the I grade to the grade earned.

The temporary grade of IP (in progress) is a grade assigned when students are completing a Senior Honors thesis. Students will receive an “IP” (in progress) grade for 3399, which will be changed to a letter grade at the end of the semester when the thesis is finished (and defended).

All unreported grades (NR) automatically convert to a grade of F or U (as appropriate) 90 days after the formal closing of the term. The NR category is an administrative placeholder assigned when a course instructor leaves a student’s grade field blank when submitting the final grade roster.

The grade of W is assigned to a course only after the last day to drop or withdraw without receiving a grade by the official census date (ORD) (see Academic Calendar), and before the final day to drop or withdraw (generally the 14th week in a fall or spring term). Students are responsible for initiating action to drop or withdraw from classes. Students who fail to do so will be retained on the class rolls even though they may be absent for the remainder of the term. In such instances a grade of F (or U in S/U graded courses) will be awarded unless the conditions for a grade of I have been met.

Grade Point Average

Grade points are awarded as shown in the table above for each semester hour in which students receive a grade.

The grade point average is the quotient obtained by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the number of semester hours in which students receive a letter grade. Grades of S, U, NR, IP, I, and W are not assigned grade point values and are not used in the computation of the grade point average.

A change in grade (other than I, or IP) will affect the academic status of the term in which the grade was earned and all subsequent terms. Students should be aware that a change of grade from I or IP will affect the cumulative grade point average effective the term the incomplete is earned and all terms including the term the I or IP is completed (or changed to F or U).

Decimals beyond two places are truncated, not rounded, in computing the grade point average.

Cumulative Grade Point Average

The cumulative grade point average is based upon all work taken at the University of Houston, including courses that are repeated, for which grade point values are assigned.

A repeated course, including courses repeated during a summer session, is equivalent to a new course both in the determination of classification and in computing the cumulative grade point average.

All grades of I shall be computed as grades of F in calculating a student’s cumulative grade point average for the purposes of determining fulfillment of grade requirements for a degree.

First-year Grade Exclusion Policy

1. Grade exclusion will not retroactively alter academic or financial aid actions, decisions, or sanctions that resulted from the original grade or original semester GPA.
2. Students who receive a grade of D+ or below in a course within the first twelve months from students’ initial matriculation semester in residence are eligible to repeat the course and have the original grade excluded from the computation of their cumulative grade point average.
3. Grade exclusion may only be used once per course and is applicable to a maximum of three courses, only one of which may be at a 3000- level. No 4000 and 5000-level courses are eligible for grade exclusion.
4. The course must be repeated at UH within twelve months of earning the original grade.
5. The original course and grade will continue to appear on the student’s transcript with a notation that the course was repeated and that the original grade was not included in the computation of the student’s cumulative GPA.

The grade exclusion policy is not applicable for course(s) in which the student’s grade of D+ or below resulted from a UH Academic Honesty policy violation.

Final Grade Reports

Students may view and/or print grades by logging into their myUH account at https://accessuh.uh.edu.

Instructors submit final grades through myUH. During the final exam period for each term, grades are posted every three hours and are viewable after posting.
All unreported grades (NR) automatically convert to a grade of F or U (as appropriate) 90 days after the formal closing of the term.

Students are encouraged to contact the instructor of record or submit written requests to the department chair whenever questions arise concerning a grade received in a course. Grade appeals must be made within 90 days after the posting of the grade.

Scholastic Requirements

A minimum of a 2.00 (average grade of C) minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation, undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students are expected to maintain a 2.00 or higher GPA throughout their academic career. Students who do not maintain a minimum 2.00 GPA are subject to scholastic action in any term in which one or more semester credit hours are attempted.

Examinations

Within Term Examinations

Examinations in undergraduate courses within the term shall be given during the scheduled time and day of the class as designated in the class listings. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the dean of the college and the Provost. All classroom and laboratory examinations are subject to this campus policy.

When it is known prior to the beginning of the term that there will be examinations scheduled at times other than the regularly scheduled time period for the class and for which written approval has been obtained, such examinations shall be footnoted in the class listings.

When examinations are to be scheduled at times other than the regularly scheduled time period for the class and where written approval has been obtained, and in recognition of students’ needs and responsibilities within and outside the university, written notification (e.g., course syllabus) shall be provided to the students during the drop/add period for the term.

Final Examinations

Final examinations, if given, shall be administered during the time and date designated in the official university class schedule.

If during the summer a final examination is scheduled to conflict with a scheduled class, the final examination shall take precedence over the class and the instructor of the class shall not penalize any student who misses the class to take the final exam. The student who has the conflict shall notify both instructors of that conflict as soon as possible, but no later than the week before the scheduled exam. The student’s absence from class shall be considered to be official, and the instructor shall allow the student to either make up missed work or be exempt without penalty from making it up.

An instructor shall not require previously unscheduled work in the form of tests, papers, or reports during the 14 calendar days prior to the examination period of each term or five calendar days prior to the examination period of each summer session.

There shall be no required undergraduate class meetings, other than for final examination purposes, after the last day of classes. There shall be no final examinations during the reading period (see the Academic Calendar section of this catalog).

Related Policies:

• Excused Absence Policy 
• Religious Holy Days 
• Grade Appeal Policy (under Final Grade Reports) 

Student Responsibility

Basic Responsibilities and Expectations

A responsible student is a successful student. At the University of Houston, students are expected to conduct themselves in a mature and responsible manner, respect the opinions, rights, and personal property of others, and meet their financial obligations. Students are responsible for seeking help and guidance from all of the resources that the university makes available to them. They are expected to be proactive and remain informed about university dates and deadlines, and understand academic and disciplinary policies. They are responsible for communication with their professors, advisors, and university staff, and the commitment to being organized and prepared to learn. Above all, our students are expected to strive for honesty and academic integrity throughout their period of study at the University of Houston.

Student Identification Number

All students at the University of Houston have been assigned a PeopleSoft ID number. For security purposes, students are required to use this university student ID number for all electronic and hard-copy forms/communication. The ID number can be found by going to https://accessuh.uh.edu/login.php.

Identification Cards

Persons on the premises of the University of Houston or utilizing its services may be required to furnish proof of identity when requested. Students are required to obtain and show proof of a valid university ID card and present it when requested to do so by a university official. Cougar1 Cards are available in room 101, Welcome Center Parking Garage.

Student E-mail Accounts

It is mandatory that students obtain and activate a University of Houston e-mail address. Beginning in 2001, all students admitted to the university have been assigned an e-mail alias that points to the e-mail address first provided to UH when the student applied for admission (it is blank if one was not provided). E-mail messages addressed to the alias are automatically forwarded to the student’s preferred e-mail account. This alias will be used to send official university information regarding billing, emergency closings, and/or information from the student’s college and department. All students must check their University of Houston e-mail account on a regular basis. Students are also responsible for keeping their UH e-mail alias updated and pointed to the e-mail address they are currently using. Students who do not have an e-mail account or alias should request one from the university either online, or by going to the Information Technology Support Center service counter is located in room 58 of M.D. Anderson Library. For additional questions about the university e-mail account or alias, please contact the IT Support Center at 713-743-1411, or send e-mail to support@uh.edu.

University Dates and Deadlines

Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to all university and college dates and deadlines. Such dates and deadlines include those for enrollment (registration), adding and dropping of courses, payment and refunds, and applying for graduation.

Academic Advising

Students are expected to meet with an advisor on a regular basis, preferably, prior to each enrollment (registration) period. This will help to ensure that the appropriate courses have been taken in the proper sequence and that all prerequisites have been met.

University Communication

University of Houston students must verify the correct local and permanent addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail address listed in their myUH account. Any changes in student contact information should be updated in myUH immediately. Official correspondence from the university is sent to the e-mail address, or in some cases, the mailing address in myUH. If the student has moved and failed to correct his or her contact information, they will not be relieved of the responsibility on the grounds that the correspondence was not received.

International Students

International students are responsible for maintaining continuous contact with the Office of International Students and Scholars Services (OISSS). This office provides students with current information concerning SEVIS regulations in order to maintain their legal status. F-1 and J-1 students must maintain their full-time student status at the university and are expected to comply with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State requirements regarding their lawful presence in the United States, as well as all university policies. In addition, UH students studying abroad must adhere to the same rules and responsibilities as those students at the university’s main campus.

Academic Policies

Students are expected to know and abide by the university’s academic policies and regulations. The University of Houston, however, reserves the right to change the provisions of both the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs, as well as the listings in the Academic Calendar, as may be necessitated by university or legislative action. These change may include, but are not limited to, degree requirements, course offerings, fees, academic rules, and regulations. Earlier versions of the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs are available in hard copy and archived online.

Academic Honesty and Disciplinary Policies

Specific policies regarding student life and academic honesty are available in the Dean of Students Office. These policies are also published in the Student Handbook, available online and through the Dean of Students Office. Professors are responsible for the initial enforcement of Academic Honesty Policy at UH, but the responsibility for enforcing student life policies rests with the Dean of Students, the campus police, and the University Hearing Board. Disciplinary records are confidential and are not released to anyone off campus without the student’s written permission unless subpoenaed.

Maintenance of Individual Records

Students are responsible for the submission and verification of their own official university paperwork. They are expected to retain copies of all documents of enrollment (registration) and course adjustments, as well as any other university transactions. This will ensure a smooth resolution if any problems should arise regarding tuition and financial aid, housing, academic records, enrollment, and/or graduation. In order to protect student rights and records, it is the student’s responsibility to provide original written consent if they wish to have their records released as per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations.

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Maintaining a Learning Environment

In order to respect the learning process and the dignity and rights of all persons, students and instructors are expected to maintain a classroom environment conducive to academic excellence. Students should deactivate cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices likely to interrupt a class. Students anticipating possible emergencies should make the instructor aware of the situation beforehand. Disruptive behavior of any kind compromises the academic process and will not be tolerated.

Related Information:

Dean of Students Office: http://www.uh.edu/dos/

Care Team: CARE Team - University of Houston (uh.edu)

Academic Honesty

For additional guidance regarding this policy, please refer to the UH Provost’s website:

https://uh.edu/provost/policies-resources/honesty/

Undergraduate Academic Grievances

Issues of grievance regarding grades, course requirements and classroom procedures can occur. The first and best source for resolving the problem is with the professor. The university expects most issues to be resolved amicably and informally with the professor. In the event that an informal resolution is not possible, students may file a written grievance on a General Petition Form, available in department and college offices, and online at www.uh.edu/academics/forms. These forms must be filed with the professor within 90 calendar days of the posting of the final grades for the course. Appeals may be considered at the following levels, as necessary: professor, departmental chair, college dean, senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representative at all levels). Faculty are required to retain all evaluated student material not previously returned for a six month period after the end of the last class of the term evaluated.

Because assigning a grade for evaluating a student’s work performance involves the faculty’s professional judgment and is an integral part of the faculty’s teaching responsibilities, disagreement with an instructor concerning a grade or evaluation is not a justifiable grievance to be considered under this policy unless a violation of university, college, or department academic policies or procedures can be shown to have affected that grade or evaluation.

Please note that appeals for decisions in the following areas are guided by separate appeal or grievance policies and procedures: Academic Honesty, Equal Opportunity, Student Life, and Financial Responsibility.