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 2.6 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 2.6. 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 certification programs. 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 an institution with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recognized accreditation or an equivalent credential from a foreign 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 Toulouse Graduate School and the Division of Enrollment office of graduate admissions.

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 sub-field of a major field of study. Most 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. Students need to secure academic program approval for course work to ensure degree applicability. Students must not exceed the maximum student load set by UNT and must stay within transfer hour limits.

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

The University of North Texas requires that graduate students enrolled in programs with a thesis or dissertation requirement maintain continuous enrollment in a minimum of three credit hours of thesis or dissertation during each long semester until the thesis or dissertation has been formally approved, with a possible one-time exception, as described below. The ability to provide access to faculty time, student services, research support, and financial aid eligibility is made possible by a graduate student’s official registration and continuous enrollment. Master’s and doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment subsequent to completing required coursework and passing any qualifying examination(s) for admission to candidacy. A graduate student must maintain continuous enrollment in a minimum of three credit hours of thesis or dissertation during each long semester after successful completion of required coursework and/or qualifying exams until the Toulouse Graduate School has approved the thesis or dissertation. 

Thesis or dissertation registration during at least one summer session is required if the student is using university facilities and/or faculty time during that summer session. Students who successfully defend and submit their final thesis/dissertation after the current semester deadline promulgated by the Toulouse Graduate School, but before the last day of the term (per the Academic Calendar), are eligible to graduate the following semester without enrolling in thesis/dissertation hours. Once a graduate student begins enrollment in thesis or dissertation hours, the Toulouse Graduate School will send a written reminder of this policy to the student and the student’s major professor each long semester until the Toulouse Graduate School has approved the thesis or dissertation. 

In the event of an unexpected delay or complication with the thesis or dissertation, a graduate student who has completed all other degree requirements, except for the thesis or dissertation, may petition for a one-time exception to this policy. 

If the student’s petition is approved by the student’s major professor, department, and the Toulouse Graduate School, the student may enroll for only one (1) credit hour of independent study in lieu of thesis or dissertation, instead of the usual three (3), during that one (1) exceptional term. 

The graduate student’s major professor and department will act on such a petition within ten (10) working days and the Toulouse Graduate School will act on a petition approved at the department level within thirty (30) working days. 

The Toulouse Graduate School is expected to approve such petitions with assurances from the major professor and the department that the student is expected to complete the degree program during the exceptional term. 

Failure to maintain continuous enrollment may invalidate any previous thesis or dissertation credits or may result in the student being dropped from the degree program, unless the student is granted an official leave of absence for medical or other exceptional reasons by the Toulouse Graduate School. See Policy 06.042. 

Course numbering system

Developmental courses, 100-999.
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

Students must apply for graduation prior to the defense of the dissertation or thesis. 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 school for final approval. Graduation information and deadlines are available from the Toulouse Graduate School and at tgs.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 institutions.

The university’s cooperative degree programs are administered through the Toulouse Graduate School. As a member of the federation, UNT offers inter-institutional 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.

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 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 Toulouse Graduate School, a student should apply for admission to each graduate academic certificate separately (and/or concurrently) with application to any other degree, academic certificate or certification programs. All course work must be completed, and the certificate awarded, within four years of the date of the first course. Graduate academic certificates are posted on the UNT transcript. Verification forms for completion should be requested from the program director in the last semester of related course work.

Grad Track

Grad Track programs allow exceptional undergraduate students to take up to 12 hours of approved graduate level courses to complete the requirements of an undergraduate degree and apply toward the graduate degree. Grad Track is only open to students in programs with an established Grad Track Pathway.  Students in the Grad Track take specific courses leading from an undergraduate to a graduate degree in a specific area.

Applications for Grad Track programs are submitted through the major department after the student has completed at least 75 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5. Grad Track students may begin taking graduate-level courses after completing 90 credit hours and must complete the bachelor’s degree within one academic year after beginning their first pathway course. Students in the Grad Track must apply for admission to the graduate program, generally by the end of their first term in the Grad Track program. Consult the Undergraduate Catalog for information about specific academic programs with Grad Track options.

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. If approved, the leave of absence may “stop the clock” on the time limit for the degree for a maximum of three terms (excluding summer). In the case of extenuating circumstances, a second leave of absence may be requested and may be approved by the Associate Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School on the recommendation from the student’s committee, graduate coordinator, department chair, and the college or academic associate dean.  A leave of absence form must be submitted to the Toulouse Graduate School and must have approval of the student’s department chair and the college or academic associate dean prior to submission to the Toulouse Graduate School. Once a student returns from an approved leave of absence of one year or longer, the student must submit an application through www.applytexas.org to reactivate the student record. After application, the student will automatically be readmitted to the prior programs and their time limit for completion of the degree will resume.

Leaves will only be granted under conditions that require suspension of all activities associated with pursuing the degree. Scenarios such as military deployment and medical leave (including childbirth, adoption of a child, or to care for a sick parent) are examples of a leave of absence that may be approved to “stop the clock” on degree time limits. Personal leave may be approved for a leave of absence, and depending on the circumstances, it may stop the clock on the degree time limit. (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. Non-degree seeking students are not financial aid eligible. 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.

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 registrar.unt.edu.

Pass-through master’s degree

Students who are admitted to a 72-hour or more 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. Contact the Toulouse Graduate School for the application.

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 https://studentaffairs.unt.edu/dean-of-students/policies/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,teaching fellows, research assistants, and graduate services assistants

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. A research assistant (RA) is a graduate student who is engaged in research activities under the direction and supervision of a principal investigator or faculty member working on research. A graduate services assistant (GSA) is a graduate student whose responsibilities may be administrative in nature or consist of other activities that do not generally fit within the teaching fellow, teaching assistant, or research assistant job responsibilities.  

The minimal load of academic work required for these positions is outlined under “Student Load” in the Enrollment section of this catalog. The total load of course enrollment and employment assignment may not exceed 16 semester hours in any long term/semester. Approval of the Toulouse Graduate School 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. See also details regarding “Continuous Enrollment” in this catalog.  See the Campus resources section of this catalog for a brief description and contact the Toulouse Graduate School for details.  

Graduate Students who hold a fellowship (scholarship) who are also employed as a teaching fellow/teaching assistant are under the load requirements specified in UNT Policy 06.020, Recruitment and Selection of Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants.

Term/semester/session

The academic year includes three terms/semesters: fall, spring and summer. Fall and spring include a full-term session, 8W1 (eight week one) and 8W2 (eight week two). Spring also includes a 3W1 session. Summer term includes sessions that are scheduled. Presently the options include 3W1 (three week one), 5W1 and 5W2 (five week one and two), 8W1 (eight week one), 8W2 (eight week two), 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 dean of the Toulouse Graduate School before the time limit has expired. Information on filing a time extension can be found at tgs.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.

• College of Applied and Collaborative Studies
• Toulouse Graduate School
• G. Brint Ryan College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Health and Public Service
• College of Information
• Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism
• College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
• College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism
• College of Music
• College of Science
• College of Visual Arts and Design
• 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: 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 institutions.

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, accommodated testing) should follow the procedures listed below:

1. Students must be registered with the Office of Disability Access (ODA) in order to request a letter of accommodation be sent to their instructor. 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.

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

3. The qualified student should confer with the instructor (during office hours) to reach mutual agreement on how accommodations are to be achieved.

4. If a student does not feel the accommodations are effective, or if they are not provided, the student should contact his/her ODA Coordinator 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: studentaffairs.unt.edu/office-disability-access/grievance.

Application for graduation

It is the responsibility of the student to stay abreast of progress toward the degree and to file an application using the MyUNT student portal. Consult tgs.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 sfs.unt.edu/tuition-and-fees. Students anticipating graduation should apply through MyUNT under Academic Records when graduation applications for that semester opens.

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 Doctor of Musical Arts (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.

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.

All courses of instruction are located in the Course Descriptions.

Grading system

UNT’s grading system uses the letters A, B, C, D, F, P, NP, NPR, I, PR, W 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 F, I, NP, NPR, P, PR, W or Z. Grades of D cannot be used toward degree completion. (Use of WF grade was discontinued fall 2018.)

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

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, and F unless replaced by a later grade. Courses with grades of I, NP, NPR, P, PR, W or Z are not counted as courses attempted.

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 to the Dean of Students office. 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).

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 of the Toulouse Graduate School 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.

Many UNT graduate programs maintain graduate student handbooks that provide more details about the plan of study and procedures than you will find in the Graduate Catalog. For those programs that maintain handbooks, you can obtain them from either the program’s web site or from the program advisor.

Probation and suspension

1. G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Special probation and suspension rules apply for all degree-seeking students in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Consult the G. Brint Ryan 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

Students may duplicate only two graduate courses in which they received a grade of C or lower, for grade replacement. A single course may only be repeated once for grade replacement. If a student earns a master’s degree and then pursues a doctoral degree, the two course limit is per degree level. Courses duplicated prior to Fall 2018 are not considered in the two course limit. Post baccalaureate and non-degree courses duplicated apply to the master’s limit.  Departments may submit to the Toulouse Graduate School a request for an exception to duplication processing based on extenuating circumstances.  

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 through the UNT Grade Change Request.

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: (registrar.unt.edu/transcripts-and-records/order-transcript).

Before an official transcript can be released, applicable obligations to the university must be resolved. UNT transcripts can be ordered for electronic or mail delivery online. Paper copies can be requested in person at the Registrar’s Office.

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 (incomplete)

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 Request. For graduate students, the office of Dean of 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 grade will default to F unless the instructor has designated a different automatic grade. 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 them. 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. 14.009) is available at www.policy.unt.edu.

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 07.018. Information not covered by FERPA will be released only in accordance with the policy on public information found in policy number 04.002 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 UNT Policy manual with the complete FERPA policy (07.018) can be found at www.policy.unt.edu.

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

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 before disclosing records in advance of compliance with the order or subpoena, except when directed not to do so by the court order or subpoena or when otherwise required by law. 
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 re disclosure 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 contact the UNT System Office of General Counsel.

Chosen name policy

Policy statement

The University of North Texas recognizes that students may wish to identify themselves within the University community with a chosen first name and middle name that differs from their legal first and middle name.

Application of policy

The election for a chosen name is for currently enrolled students.

Definitions

Legal name–The name that appears on government-issued identification. It is the primary name in the EIS student record system.

Chosen first and middle name– A name a person uses to identify themself other than the legal name; students may not declare a chosen name for an inappropriate purpose, including, but not limited to misrepresentation, use of derogatory terms, or avoiding legal or financial obligation.

Procedures and responsibilities

I. Currently enrolled students may request a chosen first name and/or middle name they want to be known by, regardless of whether they have legally changed their name.

II. The University reserves the right to remove a chosen first and middle name if it is inappropriate, as defined above. Chosen names may not include symbols or numbers.

III. The legal name will continue to appear in university-related systems, business processes, and documents for reporting, for financial aid, on transcripts, for payroll and tax documents, and other records where use of legal first name is required by law or University policy.

a. The University will make every attempt possible to use a student’s chosen name.

A. Legal name must appear on/in the following places:

1. Official Transcripts

2. Enrollment verification forms

3. International systems and documents

4. Financial Aid systems and documents

5. Tuition/fees, billing and refund systems and documents

6. Human Resource, Employment Records

7. State and Federal Reporting

B. In addition, the legal name will appear in most external-facing University documents, publications and communications. There are several exceptions to this policy:

1. List of candidates for degree conferral; for publication on university websites, in the Commencement program, senior and honors events, and the graduation list (student may have the chosen first and middle name appear as opposed to legal first and middle name);

2. The University-issued diploma (student may have the chosen first and middle name printed on the diploma by contacting the Registrar’s Office at the time to apply for graduation);

3. Most athletic promotional materials such as event programs, announcements during competition, and press releases;

4. University marketing materials where a student has consented to have their name identified.

IV. The chosen name will appear in university systems including but not limited to the following, where use of legal name is NOT required by law or University policy.

A. Chosen first and middle name may appear in the following places:

1. Student Portal (including class rosters)

2. Enterprise Information Systems (EIS)

3. Student Learning Management System

4. Degree Audits

5. Student Evaluations

6. Case Management Systems

7. Student ID Card

8. Dining

9. Library

10. Computer Labs

11. Housing

12. Student email address- Eagle Alert

13. Thesis/Dissertations Initial Submission