Academics

Definitions of terms

Academic Common Market

The Academic Common Market is an interstate agreement for sharing uncommon programs between 14 Southern states.

Residents of these states who are accepted for admission into selected out-of-state programs may enroll on an in-state tuition basis. To qualify, an applicant must (1) be accepted unconditionally into a program to which his or her state has made arrangements to send its students and (2) submit proof to the university of legal residence in the home state. Residents of the Southern states should contact the Texas state coordinator for the Academic Common Market, in care of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, P.O. Box 12788, Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711, or contact the Toulouse Graduate School at UNT for more information.

A list of certain graduate degree programs offered by UNT that are currently accepted by various states that are members of the Common Market may be obtained from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or the Toulouse Graduate School at UNT.

Texas does not include online degree programs in its Academic Common Market inventory if the student does not reside in Texas.

Academic status

This term is used as an indication of a student’s academic standing with the university. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.67 in the initial term of enrollment and a CGPA of 3.0 in all subsequent terms to remain in good academic standing.

Academic probation

A graduate student is placed on academic probation at the end of the initial period of enrollment if the CGPA drops below 2.67. A graduate student is placed on academic probation at the end of any subsequent term in which the CGPA falls below a 3.0.

Academic suspension

A graduate student who is placed on academic probation and who does not receive either a semester or a cumulative 3.0 graduate GPA during the term/semester of probation will be subject to academic suspension for a period of up to one calendar year before becoming eligible to reapply for graduate admission (see “Readmission of Graduate Students” in the Admission section) and enroll for further graduate courses. After the one-year period of suspension, students may re-enroll in graduate courses under probation. Students who are then suspended a second time without having returned to good academic standing by achieving a CGPA of 3.0 or better will be dismissed from the university. Programs are not required to readmit students who left the university on probation or suspension and reapply.

Certification-only students

Certification-only students are admitted to the Toulouse Graduate School to pursue professional or teacher certification only. Up to 12 graduate semester credit hours taken as a non-degree seeking or certification-only student may be used toward a degree with approval from the academic department. These students must meet graduate school admission requirements.

Classification of graduate students

Any student who holds a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is classified as a graduate student, whether or not admission to a degree program has been granted, and is subject to the regulations contained in this catalog concerning graduate students. Records concerning admission, continuation and graduation of such students are maintained in the office of the graduate dean.

Classification as a graduate student on this basis does not guarantee financial aid eligibility. Students should consult the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for details.

Concentration

A concentration is a recognized focus in a sub-field of a major field of study. Concentrations are placed on the UNT transcript.

Concurrent enrollment

Concurrent enrollment is enrollment for any course or courses at another institution while registered for courses at UNT. Enrollment through the Federation of North Texas Area Universities is not considered concurrent enrollment. Graduate students must secure written permission for concurrent enrollment from the office of the graduate dean prior to registration, and students must not exceed the maximum enrollment limitation set by UNT.

Concurrent programs

Concurrent programs are defined as programs (degrees, graduate academic certificates or teacher certification) that a student is pursuing simultaneously. Students in their first semester of graduate enrollment must satisfy the admission test requirement prior to submitting an application for a concurrent degree.

Continuing students

Continuing students are those who have been officially enrolled at UNT at least once during the 12 consecutive months prior to the term/semester of planned enrollment and/or have not received a degree during the same period. Students who receive a degree and reapply to the university are considered new graduate students.

Continuous enrollment

Continuous enrollment applies to the student admitted to a master’s or doctoral degree program that requires completion of a thesis or dissertation. Once enrollment in thesis or dissertation has begun, the student must continuously enroll in a minimum of 3 semester hours of thesis (5950) or dissertation (6950) during each long term/semester through the semester of graduation. Thesis or dissertation registration in at least one summer session/term is required if the student is using university facilities and/or faculty time during that summer session/term or to graduate in August. Doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment in dissertation subsequent to passing the qualifying examination for admission to candidacy.

Course numbering system

Freshman courses, 1000–1999.
Sophomore courses, 2000–2999.
Junior courses, 3000–3999.
Senior courses, 4000–4999.
Graduate courses, 5000 and above.

The graduate student enrolled in a 5000-level course that meets with a senior-level undergraduate course will be expected to complete additional requirements beyond those expected of undergraduates in the same course.

Courses 4900 and 4910, Special Problems, are used upon approval of the department chair or dean for individual instruction in any department to cover course content in special circumstances. Courses 5900, 5910, 5920 and 5930 are used in any department that offers graduate work; courses 6900 and 6910 are used in any department that offers doctoral work.

Degree plan

The degree plan is an official document prepared and approved in the student’s major department that lists courses completed, courses to be completed, proficiency examinations and all other requirements for a particular degree program. The master’s or doctoral degree plan should be prepared and approved in the department and submitted for graduate dean approval during the student’s first term/semester of enrollment. The degree plan is subject to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time the degree plan is approved.

Changes in either major or non-major requirements made necessary by altered or discontinued courses or by requirements imposed by external accrediting or certification agencies become effective for degree plan purposes at the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic year in which the changes are published in the university catalog. The changes may include additions, deletions and other changes in prerequisite requirements for existing courses. Whenever possible, new requirements are implemented with a beginning class or upon the expiration of the appropriate time limit.

Dissertation/thesis defense

Upon completion of the dissertation or thesis, a student meets with his or her advisory committee to defend the content of the dissertation or thesis. After a student has successfully defended the paper and made any revisions suggested by the advisory committee, the student is ready to submit the paper to the graduate dean for final approval. Students must apply for graduation prior to the defense of the dissertation or thesis. Graduation information and deadlines are available from the Toulouse Graduate School and at gradschool.unt.edu.

Dual/joint degree programs

Dual degree programs are separate degree programs that have been approved to work together to allow students to pursue two degrees simultaneously. This may be done by using courses for the major from each degree toward the minor on the other degree or by other approved means.

Joint degree programs are separate degree programs at different institutions that have been approved to work together to offer one degree. This is made possible by sharing faculty and academic resources.

Federation of North Texas Area Universities

The Federation of North Texas Area Universities is a collaborative effort between the University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University (TWU) and Texas A&M University–Commerce (TAMU–C). Master’s and doctoral degree programs have been developed that permit students at any one of the three participating institutions to complete a portion of their graduate work at either or both of the other two.

The university’s cooperative degree programs are administered through the Toulouse Graduate School. As a member of the federation, UNT offers interinstitutional graduate programs in a number of disciplines. Each cooperative degree program is coordinated by a federation committee for that discipline.

Enrollment of UNT students at TWU and TAMU–C under the cross-registration arrangement is contingent upon their being admitted to a graduate degree program, meeting any prerequisites for admission to the class or classes in which they wish to be enrolled, and upon the availability of space in the class.

Former students (graduated students only)

Former students are those graduated students who have not been enrolled at least once during the 12 consecutive months prior to planned enrollment and/or those who have received a degree.

Grade point average

The overall grade point average is used to determine student class loads, eligibility for admission to the university and certain programs, and eligibility for graduation. All GPA calculations are subject to post-audit and correction by the Registrar’s Office.

The GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted. The number of semester hours attempted includes all courses with grades of A, B, C, D, F and WF unless replaced by a later grade. Courses with grades of I, NP, NPR, P, PR, W or Z are not counted as courses attempted.

Graduate academic certificates

The University of North Texas offers certificate programs for graduate credit at the post-baccalaureate and post-master’s levels in areas of study designed to enhance existing bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Graduate academic certificates normally require 9–18 hours of graduate-level course work. (5000- or 6000-level courses). Since each certificate has its own admission requirements in addition to those of the Graduate School, a student should apply for admission to each graduate academic certificate separately (and/or concurrently) to other degree, certificate or teacher certification programs. All of the course work must be completed and the certificate awarded within four years of the date of the first course. No credit applied to a previously awarded master’s or doctoral program, including UNT degrees, can be applied toward the graduate academic certificate. Transfer credit from other institutions cannot be applied to the graduate academic certificate. Graduate academic certificates are posted to the UNT transcript. Verification forms for completion should be requested from the program director in the last semester of related course work. Disclosures: gradschool.unt.edu/certificatedisclosure.

Leave of absence

Leave of absence applies to students admitted to the master’s or doctoral degree who wish to discontinue work toward the degree for a specified period of time due to exigent circumstances. Leave of absence may be granted by the academic program, which then notifies the Graduate School. If the student has begun thesis or dissertation and is under the continuous enrollment requirement, a waiver of continuous enrollment must also be requested and approved by the Graduate School. Degree requirements and graduation must be completed within the appropriate time limit for completion of the degree. (See “Time Limitations ” in the master’s and doctoral degree requirements sections of this catalog.)

Non-degree students

Non–degree seeking students are admitted to the Toulouse Graduate School to enroll in graduate or undergraduate courses and are not admitted to a degree program or do not intend to complete a degree at UNT. Up to 12 graduate semester credit hours taken as a non–degree seeking student may be used toward a degree only with approval from the academic department. Non–degree seeking students must meet Graduate School admission requirements.

Students who continue to register for courses beyond the first 12 hours risk earning credits that cannot be applied to a degree program if admission is obtained later. Satisfactory completion of course work and/or other degree requirements does not imply acceptance of those credits toward a degree program. It is the responsibility of the student to know his or her admission status and seek admission to a degree program in a timely manner.

Off-campus courses

Off-campus courses are courses available at various locations in the Dallas–Fort Worth area for residence credit. Registration procedures for off-campus courses are the same as courses offered on the UNT campus. Information concerning specific off-campus courses is available prior to and during each registration period in the online schedule of classes at www.unt.edu/registrar.

Pass-through master’s degree

Students who are admitted to a 72-hour doctoral degree program, after completing a bachelor’s degree, may apply to the master’s program in the same major and receive a degree after completing all requirements for the master’s degree while continuing the doctoral program.

Prerequisite

A prerequisite is a course or other preparation that must be completed before enrollment in another course. Prerequisites are included in catalog course descriptions.

Qualifying examination

The qualifying examination is a test administered by the department once a doctoral student has completed all courses required for the degree and has satisfied all admission, language, doctoral residency and other tool-subject requirements as well as filing an official degree plan. (Degree plans should be filed within the first year of doctoral study.) Dissertation enrollment is not permitted until this test is passed. Students are admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree upon successful completion of the qualifying examination.

Schedule change (add/drop, withdrawal)

Students may make adjustments to their schedule by adding and/or dropping classes or by withdrawing from the university. Specific procedures must be followed in making these changes. Dropping all courses during a term/semester constitutes withdrawing from the university for that term/semester. Students must notify the Dean of Students Office of their intent to withdraw from the university. Procedures and deadlines for dropping or withdrawing are available in the Dean of Students Office or online at deanofstudents.unt.edu/withdrawals.

Semester hour

A semester hour is the unit of credit at UNT; the credit allows for 1 lecture hour a week for 15 weeks or the equivalent. In course listings, figures in parentheses following the course credit hours indicate the number of clock hours per week devoted to lecture and laboratory. When it appears, the third and final number in parentheses indicates the number of recitation hours per week.

Teaching assistants and teaching fellows

A teaching fellow (TF) is a graduate student who assumes total responsibility for the instruction in one or more classes. The TF is the instructor of record and is responsible for the assigning of grades. A teaching assistant (TA) is a graduate student who assists a faculty member in a class or laboratory and does not have total instructional responsibility for a class.

The minimal load of academic work required for teaching fellows and teaching assistants is outlined in the TA/TF Handbook and under “Student Load” in the Enrollment section of this catalog. The total load of course enrollment and teaching assignment may not exceed 16 semester hours in any long term/semester. Approval of the graduate dean is required for loads in excess of this amount, but approval will not be granted for a combined load in excess of 18 semester hours. The Toulouse Graduate School hosts a required Teaching Excellence Seminar. See the Campus resources  section of this catalog for a brief description and contact the Graduate School for details.

Term/semester/session

The academic year includes three terms/semesters: fall, spring and summer. During the summer term, a number of sessions are scheduled. Presently the options include 3W1 (three week one), 5W1 and 5W2 (five week one and two), 8W1 (eight week one), 10W (ten week) and SUM (full summer term).

Time limitation

Master’s and doctoral degrees

A time limitation is the length of time a student has to complete all requirements for the degree program. Master’s students have five to seven years to complete their degree requirements depending on the number of semester hours required for the degree. Doctoral students have eight years to complete their degree requirements. Students anticipating that they will exceed the time limit must apply for a time extension through the academic department and college, and then approval by the graduate dean before the time limit has expired. Information on filing a time extension can be found at gradschool.unt.edu/extension.htm. Time limitations also apply to transfer credit used toward a degree. Programs may adopt shorter time limits.

Track

A track is a group of courses designed for students seeking specialized training toward specific career objectives or a group of courses designed to meet a specific need within a degree program. Tracks do not appear on transcripts or diplomas.

Undergraduate academic certificates

The University of North Texas offers upper-division undergraduate academic certificates to meet workforce needs or to provide students with life/career skills and knowledge and to allow for specialization in academic disciplines. Undergraduate academic certificates require 12–20 hours, the majority of which must be advanced. See the Undergraduate Catalog for additional information, including admission requirements.

Degree programs

The University of North Texas is composed of the following colleges and schools.

• The Toulouse Graduate School
• The College of Arts and Sciences
• The College of Business
• The College of Education
• The College of Engineering
• The College of Information
• The Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism
• The College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism
• The College of Music
• The College of Public Affairs and Community Service
• The College of Visual Arts and Design
• The Honors College

These schools and colleges offer degrees, majors, concentrations under majors, minors, certifications and preprofessional programs. See individual areas in this catalog for information about graduate offerings. Information about undergraduate offerings may be found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Interdisciplinary studies

• Master of Arts
• Master of Science

Note: Consult the associate dean of the Toulouse Graduate School for program opportunities and requirements and see the Toulouse Graduate School  section of this catalog for additional information.

Federation of North Texas Area Universities Degree Programs

The Federation of North Texas Area Universities is a collaborative effort between the University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University and Texas A&M University–Commerce. As noted in an earlier section, master’s and doctoral degree programs have been developed that permit students at any one of the three participating institutions to complete a portion of their graduate work at either or both of the other two.

The university’s cooperative degree programs are administered through the Toulouse Graduate School. As a member of the federation, UNT offers interinstitutional graduate programs in a number of disciplines. Each cooperative degree program is coordinated by a federation committee for that discipline.

Enrollment of UNT students at TWU and TAMU–C under the cross-registration arrangement is contingent upon their being admitted to a graduate degree program and meeting any prerequisites for admission to the class or classes in which they wish to be enrolled, and upon the availability of space in the class.

Universities Center at Dallas degree programs

The Federation of North Texas Area Universities manages the Universities Center at Dallas (UCD). Four universities cooperate in the offering of upper-division undergraduate courses and graduate courses at the UCD. These courses may be applied to programs and degrees offered by two of the three principal Federation universities (Texas A&M University–Commerce and the University of North Texas), and by UNT Dallas and the University of Texas at Arlington.

Graduate degree offerings are under development and may be available entirely through the UCD. Contact the UCD or the Toulouse Graduate School for up-to-date information.

Enrollment of UNT students in UCD courses offered by Texas A&M University–Commerce and the University of Texas at Arlington is conducted under the rules applied to enrollment in Federation degree programs.

Enrollment at the Collin Higher Education Center

In 2009 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC), where UNT cooperates with Collin College and other universities in the offering of undergraduate and graduate courses and degrees. Enrollment is open to all UNT students.

The CHEC is located at 3452 Spur 399, McKinney, Texas 75059. For current information about the CHEC, call 972-599-3126, visit the CHEC web site at www.collin.edu/chec/, or call the UNT Office of Admissions at 940-565-2681.

Disability accommodation

In accordance with university policies, and state and federal regulations [especially Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended], the University of North Texas endeavors to make reasonable academic adjustments for qualified students with disabilities who require accommodation in order to fulfill the requirements for a degree.

A student who encounters access problems in a campus instructional facility or who wishes to request accommodation in a course because of a disability (i.e., sign language interpreters, material in alternate format, modified testing) should follow the procedures listed below:

1. Students must be registered with the ODA and receive a letter of accommodation to present to their instructors. This document will contain information relative to the reasonable accommodations of the student and will assure the instructor that proof of disability is on file with the ODA. Students who do not present such a form can be referred to the ODA for assistance in documenting their disability. The ODA collects proof of disability and recommends compensation techniques from the licensed or certified professional making the diagnosis of disability.

2. Preferably, within the first week of class, qualified students must notify the instructor of the need for academic adjustments and present the letter containing suggested accommodations from the ODA.

3. The qualified student should confer with the instructor (during office hours) to reach mutual agreement on how accommodation is to be achieved and to discuss the challenges of the course, teaching methods, learning techniques, testing methodologies, special equipment needs, access challenges and other pertinent topics.

4. If a student does not feel the accommodations being offered are effective, or if they are not provided, the student should first meet with the professor; if the problem persists the primary counselor at the ODA should be contacted to help facilitate a solution. If the student is not satisfied with the resolution, a formal appeal may be filed in accordance with the procedures described here: www.unt.edu/oda/pdf/grievance_report.pdf.

Application for graduation

It is the responsibility of the student to stay abreast of progress toward the degree and to file the appropriate degree application in the office of the graduate dean. Consult gradschool.unt.edu/content/graduation for the proper dates. The applicant’s grade point average on all graduate work attempted must be at least 3.0 for the application to be accepted.

Because of the time required for receipt of transcripts, students otherwise eligible for graduation who complete their last course or courses elsewhere will not graduate at the end of the term/semester or summer session/term in which the work is completed, but will receive their degree at the close of a subsequent UNT term/semester or summer session/term.

Tuition and fees information is available online at www.unt.edu/tuition. Students anticipating graduation should consult the Academic calendar  for final dates for payment of fees and meeting other graduation requirements.

Classification of graduate faculty

Full and associate members of the graduate faculty are expected to actively participate in the graduate programs of the university through scholarly and creative accomplishments, effective teaching of graduate courses and mentoring of graduate students.

Faculty appointed to full membership may teach graduate-level courses; serve as members of master’s advisory committees, dissertation committees, or DMA advisory committees; serve as major professors, directors or co-major professors for master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, or DMA lecture recitals; and serve as university members for doctoral dissertations or final comprehensive examinations for the DMA.

Associate members of the graduate faculty may teach graduate-level courses and serve as members of master’s advisory committees, dissertation committees, or DMA advisory committees and serve as university members for doctoral dissertations or comprehensive examinations for the DMA.

Courses of instruction

Courses normally meet one hour per week in lecture for each semester hour of credit. For courses with contact hours other than one hour per week per credit hour, the contact hours are given in parentheses in the course description, following the number of credit hours. Contact hours appear as two or three numbers. The first number is the number of lecture hours per week; the second is the number of laboratory hours. When a third number appears, it is the number of hours spent in recitation per week.

Individual courses of instruction are subject to change or withdrawal at any time and may not be offered each term/semester of every year. Any course may be withdrawn from current offerings if the number of registrants is too small to justify conducting the course.

All Courses of Instruction are located in the Course Descriptions .

Grading system

Courses numbered 5000 or higher ordinarily are taken by students working toward master’s and doctoral degrees; those numbered 6000 or higher are open principally to doctoral students. The graduate student enrolled in a 5000-level course that meets with a senior-level undergraduate course will be expected to complete additional requirements beyond those expected of undergraduates in the same course.

UNT’s grading system uses the letters A, B, C, D, F, P, NP, NPR, I, PR, W, WF and Z. The letter Z is used to indicate a grade was not properly received and/or recorded for a course.

Note: At the graduate level, no semester credit hours and no grade points are allowed for grades D, F, I, NP, NPR, P, PR, NPR, W, WF or Z. (Use of E grade was discontinued in 1966; use of X and WX grades was discontinued in 1976.)

A complete record of all previously used grades and grading systems is detailed on the official transcript.

Students called to active duty

Texas Education Code 54.006(f ) indicates, “Beginning with the summer semester of 1990, if a student withdraws from an institution of higher education because the student is called to active military service, the institution, at the student’s option, shall: (1) refund the tuition and fees paid by the student for the semester in which the student withdraws; (2) grant a student, who is eligible under the institution’s guidelines, an incomplete grade in all courses by designating ‘withdrawn-military’ on the student’s transcript; or (3) as determined by the instructor, assign an appropriate final grade or credit to a student who has satisfactorily completed a substantial amount of course work and who has demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material.”

In order to be eligible for options under the law, a UNT student must produce a copy of his or her orders. Withdrawal may or may not require that the student talk with each instructor depending on the timing in the semester; however, the latter two options do require that the student talk with his or her instructors and come to a decision as to which solution is best for each class given the timing and circumstances. A student called to active duty may consider the following options:

1. withdrawal for a full refund of appropriate tuition and fees;

2. incomplete grades with the one-year I (Incomplete) removal time limit starting with the end of duty; and/or

3. a final grade if the course is essentially over and the course material has been sufficiently mastered (determined by the instructor).

Grade point average

The overall grade point average is used to determine student class loads, eligibility for admission to the university and certain programs, and eligibility for graduation. It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of semester hours attempted. All GPA calculations are subject to post audit and correction by the Registrar’s Office.

The number of semester hours attempted includes all courses with grades of A, B, C, D, F and WF unless replaced by a later grade. Courses with grades of I, NP, NPR, P, PR, W or Z are not counted as courses attempted.

Graduate credit for work experience

Graduate credit will not be granted for knowledge acquired through prior work or performance experience regardless of whether these experiences were of a paid or voluntary nature.

Quality of work required

The graduate student must maintain a B average on all courses that receive graduate credit, whether or not the courses are to be applied toward a graduate degree. Grades received in all courses numbered 5000 or higher are included in the computation of the graduate student’s grade point average.

The student whose graduate GPA earned at another institution is below B will be required to make up the deficiency either at the other institution or at UNT. This regulation applies not only to graduate work attempted elsewhere before the student was first admitted to the Toulouse Graduate School at UNT, but also to graduate work attempted elsewhere after the student’s admission at UNT.

Students must make satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements to remain in good standing within a specific degree program. Students whose progress is unsatisfactory may be removed from the program by the dean on recommendation of the major department or division. Courses in which the grade is D cannot be used toward completion of graduate degree requirements.

A grade of C or better must be earned in each undergraduate or graduate course assigned as a deficiency by the student’s major department. Departments that wish to do so may establish more stringent requirements.

Probation and suspension

1. College of Business. Special probation and suspension rules apply for all degree-seeking students in the College of Business. Consult the College of Business section of the catalog for further information.

2. All other students. A student who fails to achieve the required cumulative average of 3.0 GPA (B average) on all courses carrying graduate credit in a term/semester will be placed on academic probation for the subsequent term/semester. If the student achieves a 3.0 semester GPA in the subsequent term/semester, but the cumulative GPA is still below 3.0, the student will remain on academic probation. The student will be removed from probation when the 3.0 cumulative GPA is achieved. A student who is on probation cannot apply for graduation and cannot graduate.

A student who is placed on academic probation who does not receive either a semester or a cumulative 3.0 GPA during the term/semester of probation will be subject to academic suspension for a period of up to one calendar year before becoming eligible to re-enroll for further graduate courses. Graduate work completed elsewhere during a period of graduate suspension at UNT may not be counted for graduate credit at UNT. After the one-year period of suspension, students must reapply for admission to graduate school (see “Readmission of Graduate Students ” in the Admission section of this catalog); students may then enroll in graduate courses under probation with the same probation conditions as previously described. Students who are then suspended a second time without having returned to good academic standing by achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better will be dismissed from the university.

The student whose UNT GPA in graduate work falls below 3.0 must make up the deficit, either by repeating courses in which the grades are low, or by completing other UNT courses with grades high enough to bring the UNT GPA up to 3.0. Low grades made in graduate courses at UNT may not be duplicated at other institutions.

Course duplications

A student may enroll for a course a second or subsequent time and have it counted as part of the semester’s load. If a course is repeated, the last grade recorded will be considered by the dean in certifying the student’s eligibility for graduation. Departments may count the highest grade for departmental GPA requirements.

The responsibility for initiating the official recording of a grade duplication lies entirely with the student. However, the Registrar’s Office may post duplications at the request of the student’s advisor or to update academic status. In the absence of such a request, all grades received for a course will be included in the student’s cumulative hours attempted and grade points earned. Once a duplication request is submitted, only the last grade received is included in the student’s cumulative hours attempted and grade points earned.

Grade changes

No grade except I may be removed from a student’s record once properly recorded. Changes are not permitted after grades have been filed except to correct clerical errors.

Requests for error correction must be initiated immediately after the close of the term/semester for which the grade was recorded.

A faculty member who believes an error has been made in calculating or recording a grade may submit a request for a grade change to the department chair and the graduate dean. The Registrar accepts requests for grade changes only from the academic deans.

Grade reports

The electronic grade report and academic standing are available online at my.unt.edu at the close of each term/semester. If the grade report or the academic standing is believed to be in error, the student should contact the Registrar’s Office within 30 days following the first class day of the succeeding term/semester.

At mid-term/semester in the long sessions, instructors may provide individual written warnings to students who are doing unsatisfactory class work. These warnings are mailed from the Registrar’s Office upon request of the instructor.

Transcripts

Transcript request information can also be found on the Registrar web page (www.unt.edu/registrar).

Before an official transcript can be released, all financial or administrative obligations to the university must be resolved. To check for blocks, please refer to the student center at my.unt.edu. UNT transcripts may be ordered in person at the Registrar’s Office or by written request. When sending a written request, include:

• Your full name and any previous name(s), if applicable
• Your ID number (or social security number if ID number is unknown)
• Your birth date
• Your approximate date of attendance at UNT
• Complete directions where to mail the transcript
• Your signature (required)
• A daytime phone number, e-mail address and your home mailing address (to contact you if there are any questions)
• Instructions for any “special handling” requirements (e.g., “place transcripts in separate, sealed envelopes,” “hold request until current term/semester grades are posted,” etc.)

Mail your written request to:

University of North Texas
Registrar’s Office
Attn: Transcripts
1155 Union Circle #311400
Denton, TX 76203-5017

Or fax the written request to:

940-565-3878
Attn: Transcripts

If you have any questions concerning transcripts, please contact the Registrar’s Office in person or call the Registrar’s Office at 940-565-2111.

Grade books

University policy requires that grade books be retained by the departmental chair for five years.

Tests

University policy requires that departments retain tests for one year after the term/semester has been completed or return tests to students. If the tests are returned, students are responsible for producing the tests should a grade appeal be necessary.

Pass/no pass option

Graduate students are eligible to enroll for undergraduate courses under the pass/no pass option so long as such courses are not taken to make up undergraduate deficiencies or to meet any graduate degree requirements. Completion of an undergraduate course on the pass/no pass grading system may not be made the basis of a later request to be absolved of any degree requirement.

Any department or college of the university may elect to assign pass/no pass grades in graduate-level courses in which the student is engaged in individual research and is not attending an organized class, and in thesis, dissertation and problems courses. The student should inquire at the office of the Toulouse Graduate School at the time of registration for such courses whether a letter grade or a pass/no pass grade will be granted. Pass/no pass grades are not taken into account in computing the student’s graduate grade point average.

Removal of I

A student may remove a grade of I within one year by completing the stipulated work. After the student completes the stipulated work, the instructor then records the final grade on the UNT Grade Change Form and obtains the department chair’s signature. For graduate students, the office of the graduate dean in the Toulouse Graduate School completes processing with the Registrar’s Office, where the grade point average is adjusted accordingly. If the student does not complete the stipulated work within the time specified (not to exceed one year after taking the course), the instructor may change the grade of I to a grade of F, if appropriate. The GPA is adjusted accordingly.

Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree are subject to the “Removal of I” policy as stated in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Records policies

State privacy policy

State law, with few exceptions, gives individuals the right to be informed about the information UNT collects about the individual. It also gives individuals the right to receive and review collected information and the opportunity to have UNT change any incorrect information. UNT’s privacy policy (no. 1.7.9) is available at www.unt.edu/policy.

Student education records

Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the university has established policies relating to the accessibility of student information in the custody of the University of North Texas. The UNT FERPA policy statement appears in its entirety in the UNT Policy Manual, policy number 18.1.9. Information not covered by FERPA will be released only in accordance with the policy on public information found in policy number 10.6 of the UNT Policy Manual. Requests for public information not subject to FERPA must be submitted to the university Public Information Officer in writing. The complete FERPA Policy (18.1.9) is available at www.unt.edu/policy.

FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. Students have the right to:

1. Inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a written request for access.
   
   Students should submit written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department or other appropriate official. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. Request the amendment of personal education records the student believes are inaccurate, misleading or a violation of privacy.
   
   A student may ask the university to amend a record that he or she believes is inaccurate, misleading or a violation of privacy. The student should write to the UNT System Office of General Counsel, clearly identify the part of the record he or she wants changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. Students may request a hearing to review a denial of a request to amend educational records. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the decision to deny a request to amend.

3. Generally, FERPA requires written consent before personally identifiable information contained in a student’s education records may be disclosed to a third party. However, FERPA authorizes disclosure of personally identifiable information without the student’s consent under certain circumstances. One such exception is directory information.
   
   

   Directory information consists of a student’s name; address; university assigned e-mail address; university assigned enterprise-wide user identification number (EUID); month, day and place of birth; major field of study; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; dates of attendance; enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time); classification; degrees, awards and honors received (including selection criteria); expected graduation date; dissertation and thesis titles; most recent previous school attended; and photograph.

   Directory information will be provided without a student’s consent upon request unless the student files a request in the Registrar’s Office asking that their directory information not be disclosed without specific authorization. The request should be submitted prior to the 12th class day in the fall and spring terms, the 2nd class day of a three week session, or the 4th class day of a five week summer session. A request to withhold information may be submitted after the stated deadline for a term or session, but information may be released between the deadline and receipt of the request. The university will comply with a student’s request to have their information excluded from available directory information until the request is amended in writing.

The University of North Texas will disclose information from a student’s education records without the written consent of the student to the following individuals or under the following conditions:

1. School officials who have a legitimate educational interest.
2. Parents when:
   1. the student is a dependent of the parent for tax purposes as evidenced by appropriate documentation, including the parent’s most recent tax return or a student financial aid application;
   2. a health or safety emergency necessitates disclosure to protect the health or safety of the student or another individual; or
   3. the student is under 21 years of age at the time of the disclosure and the student has violated a federal, state or local law or any rule or UNT policy governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance and UNT has found the student in violation of the Code of Student’s Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct.
3. Officials of another school to which a student seeks or intends to enroll or has already enrolled, upon written request, if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.
4. Certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, the Attorney General of the United States, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, and state and local educational authorities in connection with an audit or evaluation of federal or state supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with federal legal requirements that relate to those programs.
5. Financial aid personnel in conjunction with an application for or receipt of financial assistance, provided the disclosure is needed: (i) to determine the eligibility of the student for financial aid, (ii) to determine the amount of financial aid, (iii) to determine the conditions that will be imposed, or (iv) to enforce the terms or conditions of the financial aid.
6. Individuals delivering a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. The university will make reasonable efforts to notify the student in advance of compliance. The university will not disclose any information about a grand jury subpoena issued for law enforcement purposes when so ordered and when required by law or government regulation.
7. Organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of UNT pursuant to a written agreement to develop, validate or administer predictive tests or student aid programs, or to improve instruction. Information from education records may only be used to meet the purposes of the study stated in the written agreement between the university and the organization(s) and must contain the current restrictions on redisclosure and destruction of information requirements applicable to information disclosed under this exception.
8. Accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
9. To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency. Appropriate parties include, but are not limited to, school officials, law enforcement officials, parents and emergency/medical personnel.
10. To victims of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, limited only to the final results of a UNT disciplinary proceeding regardless of whether UNT determines through its own investigation that a violation was committed.
11. To any member of the public in matters relating to sex offenders and information provided to UNT under relevant federal law.
12. To a court in which the university is defending itself against legal action initiated by a parent or eligible student.
13. To the originating party identified as the party that provided or created the record. This allows for returning documents, such as official transcripts, that appear to have been falsified back to the institution or school official identified as the creator or sender of the record for confirmation of its status as an authentic record.
14. Individuals requesting records for students who are deceased.

Individuals may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe the University of North Texas has failed to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The complaint should be sent to:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

For information regarding the university’s policy on access to student education records, contact the university Registrar. For information regarding access to public information and to request accessibility to university records, contact the UNT System Office of General Counsel.