Skip to Main Content

Classification

Undergraduate students are classified in accordance with the number of semester credit hours earned. The hours earned includes the hours passed at UNT Dallas and the hours accepted in transfer from other institutions or credit by examination.

  • Freshman: less than 30 credit hours

  • Sophomore: at least 30 credit hours but less than 60 hours

  • Junior: at least 60 credit hours but less than 90 hours

  • Senior: 90 credit hours or more

 

Grading System

UNT Dallas’ grading system uses the letters A, B, C, D, F, P, NP, I,  and W.

  • A - Excellent work, four (4.0) grade points for each semester hour.

  • B - Good work, three (3.0) grade points for each semester hour.

  • C - Fair work, two (2.0) grade points for each semester hour.

  • D - Passing work, one (1.0) grade point for each semester hour.

  • F - Failure; given when a student (1) has failed the course while still officially enrolled at the end of the term/semester; (2) is failing a course and misses the final examination without satisfactory explanation; or (3) stops attending class without processing an official drop or withdrawal.

  • P - Passed; a credit grade (1) on pass/no pass option, (2) on student teaching, and (3) in selected undergraduate and graduate individual problems, research, and thesis courses.

  • NP - Not passed; a failing grade on the pass/no pass option; non-punitive.

  • I - I is a non-punitive grade given only during the last one-fourth of a term/semester and only if a student (1) satisfactorily participated in the course and (2) has justifiable and documented reason, beyond the control of the student (such as serious illness or military service), for not completing the work on schedule. The student must arrange with the instructor to finish the course at a later date by completing specific requirements. These requirements must be listed on a Request for Grade of Incomplete form signed by the instructor, student and program coordinator and must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the last day of instruction of a session within each term. Grades of I assigned to an undergraduate course at the end of the Fall 2007 semester and later will default to F after one long term (i.e. Fall or Spring) unless the instructor has designated a different automatic grade. See also “Incomplete Grades” policy in this section of this catalog.

  • W - Withdrawal without penalty. Given when a student withdraws from a course or from the university prior to the end of the sixth week of classes of long terms/semesters or corresponding dates for summer sessions. After these dates, the appropriate grade earned by the student is recorded at the end of the term/semester.

Note: No grade points are allowed for grades F, I, NP, or P. A complete record of all previously used grades and grading systems is detailed on the official transcript.

 

Grade Point Average

The grade point average (GPA) is used to determine student class loads, eligibility for admission to the university and certain programs, financial aid eligibility, academic standing status, academic honors, 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 Office of the Registrar.

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 NP, P, or W are not counted as courses attempted for GPA purposes. A grade of I is not calculated into the semester, program and cumulative GPAs until the work is completed and a final letter grade is awarded. A grade of I will not impact the academic standing for the term and will not retroactively change the academic standing once a final grade is awarded. Students may repeat courses in which they receive a grade of “D” or “F”.

The semester grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total semester credit hours attempted. The semester GPA is important for the determination of academic standing status and could impact future enrollment for students who may be on Academic Probation. Refer to the Academic Standing policy in this section of the catalog for more information.

The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is utilized to determine the academic standing status, Dean’s and President’s Lists, graduation, and graduation honors. The CGPA is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points accumulated at UNT Dallas by the total semester credit hours attempted. The repetition of courses can impact the calculation of the CGPA. Refer to the Course Repeat policy in this section of the catalog for more information.

The program grade point average (for a major, minor, or certificate) is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points for any course that counts in the program accumulated at UNT Dallas by the total credit hours attempted for the program courses. Some majors require a higher grade point average than the standard 2.0 for the program to graduate. See specific program requirement in Undergraduate Degree Programs section of the catalog.

 

Pass/No Pass Option

An incoming freshman student or any undergraduate in good standing with a C average (2.0) or better on all work attempted in residence at UNT Dallas may schedule one course a semester on the pass/no pass option. Seniors may elect more than one pass/no pass course during their final semester.

A maximum of 18 semester credit hours under the pass/no pass option may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. Only courses counted as general electives on students’ degree plans may be scheduled under the pass/no pass option. These hours are not used in calculating the grade point average, but count as full course credit when a grade of Pass (P) is earned.

A grade of C or better will constitute as a grade of Pass (P). If the course is not passed, the transcript will show a grade of No Pass (NP) and the hours attempted will not be used in calculating the grade point average.

The pass/no pass option for a particular course is elected at the time of registration. Requests are processed after the term/semester begins. Students may change to the regular grading system in the office of their academic dean any time before the end of the sixth week of classes, or the corresponding point of a summer session, provided the eligibility requirements above are met.

Courses taken under the regular grading system may not be repeated as pass/no pass unless the grade of W was previously received.

A student who changes majors is not automatically denied credit for a pass/no pass course that becomes a degree requirement for the new major. The decision is made by the academic dean of the new department. However, under no circumstances is a grade of P changed to a letter grade.

Transfer students have the same pass/no pass privileges and restrictions, but they must pass 30 semester hours of regularly grades courses at UNT Dallas to be eligible for graduation.

 

Course Repeat Policy

Students may take a course a second or subsequent time. All course attempts are recorded on the UNT Dallas transcripts. However, the highest grade of all the course attempts will be the only grade points and attempted hours that will be calculated into the most recent cumulative grade point average (CGPA) calculation impacting graduation and academic standing. Retroactive changes will not be made to the academic standing or semester grade point averages of previous terms.

Further, undergraduate students who enroll in the same course more than twice may be charged additional tuition amounts (see “Tuition for Repeated Undergraduate Hours” in the Financial Aid section of this catalog).

Prior to enrolling in a repeated course, it is highly recommended that students consult with the Financial Aid Office and Student Financial Services for any possible financial liability.

 

Course Substitutions

Students are required to complete all courses published on their Degree Plan to meet degree requirements. On occasion, a required course may not be available; or due to program changes, the course may be no longer be offered to complete the original course requirements. Therefore, a course substitution may be required to complete the coursework. Substitutions are exceptions to the degree requirements and should only be used in extraordinary circumstances. Program coordinators should adhere to the Substitution Policy as an alternative means of meeting a program requirement in which the course(s) must have similar objectives and content as the original course.

Graduate students and program coordinators may submit course substitution requests when they desire to substitute one course for another when a clear equivalency, or near equivalency, exists between the two courses. The acceptable grade must be an A or B to approve a substitution.

Substitutions of undergraduate coursework (4000 level) is not permissible. Only graduate course work of 5000 level or above may be applied toward completion of graduate program requirements.

A maximum of 3 courses (9 credit hours) are allowed for substitutions for 30-48 hour programs and a maximum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) for degree programs exceeding 48 credit hours. The total hours approved may not exceed the required limits for combined transfer and substitution courses.

 

Grade Reports

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

At mid-term/semester in the long session, instructors may provide individual written warnings to students who are doing unsatisfactory class work.

 

Incomplete Grades

A grade of incomplete (“I”) may be granted to a student only during the last one-fourth of the session and only if the student has: (1) satisfactorily participated in the course and (2) justifiable and documented reason for not completing the work on schedule that is beyond the control of the student as deemed appropriate by the instructor of record. The student has one long term to complete the work (e.g., Spring incomplete = end of Fall completion; Summer incomplete = end of Fall completion date; and Fall incomplete = end of Spring completion date; or at the discretion of the instructor), unless the instructor designates an earlier deadline for completion. For undergraduate courses taken Fall 2007 and after, the grade of “I” will revert to a grade of “F” if the work is not completed by the end of the next long term.  

An extension for an incomplete to stand beyond one long term may be requested with appropriate justification, documentation, and approval of the instructor. Such an extension should be requested through the Student Academic Appeals Committee for review and a decision. Requests for extensions must be filed prior to the end of the long term in which course work is being completed and may not be made after the grade has been changed. 

It is important to note that a student should not register for the incomplete course again. The student must arrange with the instructor of record (or program coordinator if instructor is unavailable) to finish the work at a later date utilizing the Grade of Incomplete Documentation form. This form must be filed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office (with all needed signatures) no later than the last day of instruction for a given session/term. The date of completion of remaining coursework should be determined in consultation with the instructor. Upon completion of the work, the instructor will change the grade from a grade of “I” to the grade earned. 

Instructors of record for a course cannot assign a grade of Incomplete without the consent of the student via the Grade of Incomplete Documentation form. Students cannot receive a grade of incomplete for a term once grades have posted officially.

 

Grade Changes

No grade, except for a grade of “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 in person a request for a grade change to the program coordinator and the appropriate dean. The Registrar accepts requests for grade changes only from the academic deans.

 

Policy on Grade Appeals

Students are encouraged to resolve grade disputes through informal discussion with their instructors and seeking a formal process only when necessary. A student may dispute a grade formally based on one of the following criteria:

  1. A clerical or administrative error was made in the calculation or assignments of the student’s grade.

  2. The grade was not calculated in accordance with the grading criteria stated in the syllabus.

  3. The grade was based on an arbitrary or unlawful reason.

A formal grade appeal  must be filed within 10 days of the start of class of the following semester to be considered.

 

Appeal Process

  1. A student who wishes to appeal a final course grade should first arrange an informal meeting with the instructor to discuss the student’s concern.

  2. If the concern is not resolved after the informal meeting with the instructor, the student may appeal the final course grade to the program coordinator of the department. For instances in which a school does not have formal program coordinators, the dean may designate a faculty member within the school to act in place of the program coordinator. The student must forward the Grade Appeal Form to the program coordinator (or dean in absence of a program coordinator) within 10 business days of the first class day of the following semester.

  3. The program coordinator may solicit written feedback from the student and instructor and may meet with each separately before rendering a decision. The program coordinator will notify the student and instructor of the decision within 10 business days of receiving the student’s appeal. The student or the instructor may appeal the decision of the program coordinator.

  4. The student or the instructor has 10 business days from receipt of the program coordinator’s decision to send a written appeal to the dean of the respective school/college. The dean will forward the appeal with any other documentation to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. In the case of the College of Law grade appeals, the dean will appoint a three-person ad hoc committee to act in place of the Student Academic Appeals Committee.

  5. The Student Academic Appeals Committee will review the appeal and may request an in-person meeting with the student and instructor separately. The dean may also be involved in the review process and vote on the Student Academic Appeals Committee toward the decision.

  6. The Student Academic Appeals Committee will notify the dean of its decision within 30 days of its appointment. The dean will notify the student and instructor of the Student Academic Appeals Committee’s decision within three business days of receipt of the decision.

  7. All rulings made by the Student Academic Appeals Committee are final.

  8. All records related to the appeal will be filed with the program coordinator of the department in which the grade was originally signed and retained in accordance with the UNT Dallas record retention policy.

 

Dean’s List and President’s List

Undergraduate students who complete at least 12 hours of class work in regularly graded courses taken in residence during the long session with a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 are placed on the president’s list. Students who complete at least 12 hours of coursework during the long semesters with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above are placed on the dean’s list. Students are notified of this recognition by the president or the appropriate academic dean.  

 

Grade Books and Tests

The University’s records retention schedule requires that grade books be retained by the program coordinator or associate dean for five years.

In addition, 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.

 

Academic Standing

Students need to maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) to remain in good academic standing and graduate from UNT Dallas. At the end of each term (Fall, Spring and Summer), students are assessed an academic status for each term to alert a given student (and support faculty and staff) of academic difficulties and progress to degree. Students who drop below a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 are subject to course load limits, term GPA requirements to maintain enrollment, and meetings with an academic advisor to promote academic success.

Students with less than a 2.0 CGPA are allowed to enroll in no more than 12 semester credit hours over the various sessions of a given Fall or Spring term or 6 semester credit hours over the Summer term. Students already enrolled in an upcoming term with more than the allowable credit hours will be required to work with an academic advisor to adjust their schedule or risk being removed from all enrolled courses for the term. Recommendations for lower course loads made by UNT Dallas faculty and staff should be followed given their professional observations and experience. Students may appeal load restrictions based on academic standing to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. Students with scholarships that require the completion of 30 semester credit hours over the academic year can work with the Office of Academic Advising and Student Success to select courses to meet this credit milestone and the Office of Financial Aid to make scholarship appeals if needed.

 

Academic Alert

Freshman students are placed on academic alert the first term/semester their CGPA drops below a 2.0. Students with an academic alert status must meet with an academic advisor to develop a plan for success for the next enrollment term. To be removed from academic alert, students must raise their CGPA above a 2.0 during the next term of enrollment.

Students on academic alert who do not raise their CGPA to at least a 2.0 by the end of the next term of enrollment are then placed on academic probation for that term.

 

Academic Probation

Students, who are either 1) not classified as a freshman student or 2) classified as freshman students and have earned an academic alert status in a previous term, are placed on academic probation at the end of any enrollment term in which the CGPA drops below a 2.0.

Students must meet with an academic advisor to develop a plan for success for the next enrollment term. Students on academic probation must earn either 1) at least a 2.25 semester GPA during the following enrollment term or 2) a 2.0 CGPA to maintain enrollment at UNT Dallas. 

Probation students who raise their CGPA to a 2.0 or above at the end of the term are back in “good academic standing” and no longer subject to course load restrictions.  However, students who earn at least a 2.25 semester GPA but may not earn at least a 2.0 CGPA can continue enrollment on probation with course load restrictions and other student success interventions in place.

 

Academic Suspension

Students on academic probation who do not earn either 1) a CGPA of 2.0 or 2) a semester GPA of 2.25 at the end of the term are subject to suspension.

  1. First academic suspension:  One long term (Fall or Spring terms)

  2. Second academic suspension: Two long terms (Fall or Spring terms)

  3. Third academic suspension: Indefinite - two calendar years

Students on suspension for the following term are dropped from all future enrollment and not allowed to attend UNT Dallas for the designated terms (including the Summer term and all sessions within the term), regardless of whether the student has registered or pre registered, paid fees or financial aid eligibility. A long term is defined as a 16-week Fall or Spring term and all the sessions within those terms. For example, students on their first academic suspension at the end of a Spring term are eligible to seek enrollment for the following spring (unenrolled for the Summer term and one long Fall term).

Enrollment to the institution is subject to current admissions policies. Students seeking enrollment after a third academic suspension must have approval from the dean for the school that offers the student’s major currently listed in the student’s record.

When students re-enroll UNT Dallas after a suspension, they must earn either 1) at least a 2.25 semester GPA during the following enrollment term or 2) 2.0 CGPA to continue enrollment. Students who do not meet one of those standards are then suspended again for a longer period (as designated above).

Students should be aware that coursework taken at another institution while on suspension may not apply directly to the degree plan or serve to meet other graduation requirements without prior consultation with UNT Dallas advisors.

 

Appeal of Academic Suspension

Students may appeal an academic suspension for extenuating personal circumstances (i.e. rarely occur, unforeseeable, and unpreventable events) to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. More information about the deadlines and appeal process can be found at Academic Advising & Support > Suspension and Reinstatement or with a probation advisor in the Office of Academic Advising & Student Success.

 

Academic Integrity

In accordance with Policy 7.002 Code of Academic Integrity, UNT Dallas expects all students to exhibit a high value of personal responsibility, accountability and honesty in all academic endeavors. The value of the UNT Dallas degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the student work submitted to attain a degree. Therefore, it is imperative that all students demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in their scholastic work. 

All members of the university community are expected to report academic dishonesty to the faculty member of the class in which the academic dishonesty is alleged to have occurred. Reports of academic dishonesty may also be made to the Dean of Students. Reports may be verbal, in writing or electronic.

 

Definitions and Examples of Academic Dishonesty

The following is a list of various types of academic dishonesty with some exemplar behaviors that often contribute. This list is meant to bring awareness of the forms of academic dishonesty commonly encountered and is not exhaustive. It is important for students to understand that a student’s lack of intent to engage in academic misconduct, or lack of knowledge of the Code of Academic Integrity, is not a defense to academic misconduct.

Abuse of the academic process. Engaging in activity which interferes with the academic process; including but not limited to:

  • Falsifying or attempting to falsify class attendance, course registration and grade records, transcripts or any other academic records

  • Fabricating excuses for class or examination absence.

  • Falsifying evidence or intimidating or exerting improper influence on another in connection with an alleged violation of the Code of Academic Integrity.

Cheating. Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices or materials in academic work, including but not limited to:

  • Purchasing academic work from a commercial service or another individual.

  • Copying information from another student during an examination.

  • Providing unauthorized assistance to another student by knowingly permitting the other student to see or copy all or a part of an examination or any academic work.

  • Obtaining unauthorized advance knowledge of an examination; including accessing previously administered examinations.

  • Distributing unauthorized copies of examinations, by sale or otherwise, to another student.

Fabrication. Falsification or invention of any information, data, research or citation in academic work, including but not limited to:

  • Falsifying scientific or other data.

  • Changing information on examinations or other academic work that has been previously graded or submitted and resubmitting the work for the purpose of improving the grade.

Multiple submissions. Submitting substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without authorization from the faculty member for the class in which the student submits the work, including but not limited to:

  • Submitting the same paper for credit in more than one course without the faculty member’s permission.

  • Representing group work done in one class as one’s own work for the purpose of using it in another class.

Plagiarism. Using another’s ideas, processes, results or words without proper attribution; including but not limited to:

  • Intentionally, knowingly, or carelessly presenting the ideas, phrasing or work of another without proper citation.

  • Quoting or paraphrasing another without citing proper sources

Complicity. Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty; including but not limited to:

  • Knowingly allowing another to copy from one’s paper during an examination.

  • Distributing test questions or substantive information about materials to be tested without the faculty member’s permission.

  • Unauthorized collaboration on academic work.

  • Sitting for an examination in place of another student, or requesting that another student sit for an examination on their behalf.

  • Conspiring or agreeing with others to commit an act of academic dishonesty

 

Repercussion of Academic Dishonesty

Students engaging in academic dishonesty are subject to one or both types of sanctions: 1) academic misconduct sanctions and 2) conduct sanctions. Also, some academic programs across campus may have ethical and professional guidelines that could result in additional consequences at a program level. Refer to School student handbooks for more information as appropriate.

 

Academic Misconduct Sanctions

  1. The faculty member will contact the student within three business days after establishing a reasonable basis to believe that a student may have engaged in academic dishonesty to request a meeting to occur within five business days.

  2. The faculty member and the student will meet to review all information and allow the student an opportunity to respond and provide relevant information. The faculty member may continue to collect additional information after this meeting.

  3. Note: If the student fails to respond to the initial contact or attend the scheduled meeting, the faculty member can make a determination of student responsibility and the academic misconduct sanction in the student’s absence.

  4. The faculty member makes a decision regarding the responsibility of the student and determines an academic misconduct sanction. Sanctions can range from a verbal or written warning, assignment of educational coursework not required of other students, partial or no credit on the assignment, adjustment of the final course grade, and/or another course-related sanction that the faculty member deems appropriate.

  5. The student is provided written notification of the finding and sanction in writing from the faculty member within five business days of the decision. 

  6. If the student is found responsible for academic misconduct and administered a sanction of any kind, the faculty member will submit the Academic Misconduct Violation Report to the Dean of Students and Dean of the School within five business days of the decision.

  7. Note: Even if the student drops a course in which there was an allegation of academic misconduct, a faculty member will still review the evidence, determine if the student is responsible, and submit the Academic Misconduct Violation Report to the Dean of Students for the student’s academic disciplinary history.

  8. Students can appeal the decision or sanction administered by the faculty member within 10 business days of the written decision to the Student Academic Appeals Committee. The student will be required to provide a written statement as to the reason for the appeal and provide any documentation to support the appeal.

  9. The Student Academic Appeals Committee will request the faculty member to supply the Academic Misconduct Violation Report and additional documentation supporting the findings. The Committee also reserves the right to ask for in-person (or video conference meeting) with the student or faculty member as needed to make an informed decision.

  10.  Within 45 calendar days, the Student Academic Appeals Committee will provide a written decision of the findings and share the decision with the student in writing.

  11. The Committee’s appeal decision will be reported to the Dean of Students and Dean of the School within five business days of the decision.

  12. Within 10 business days of the Student Academic Appeals Committee, a student may appeal in writing to the Provost on the grounds that due process was not followed in the review and decision-making of the student’s case. Appeals other than due process will not be considered by the Provost. 

 

Conduct Sanctions for Academic Misconduct

The Dean of Students maintains the academic disciplinary history. Academic Misconduct Violation Reports and the findings from any appeals will be forwarded to the Dean of Students for the student disciplinary record. Students could be subject to one or more conduct sanctions for multiple accounts of academic dishonesty and other violations of student conduct as outlined in the Code of Student’s Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct. Refer to the Policy 7.001 Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and Conduct for more information related to the policies and procedures.

 

Disruptive Behavior in an Instructional Setting

Students are expected to engage with the instructor and other students in this class in a respectful and civil manner at all times to promote a classroom environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. Students who engage in disruptive behavior will be directed to leave the classroom. A student who is directed to leave class due to disruptive behavior is not permitted to return to class until the student meets with a representative from the Dean of Students Office. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the Dean of Students before class meets again and to provide the instructor confirmation of the meeting. A student who is directed to leave class will be assigned an unexcused absent for that class period and any other classes the student misses as a result of not meeting with the Dean of Students. The student is responsible for material missed during all absences and the instructor is not responsible for providing missed material. In addition, the student will be assigned a failing grade for assignments, quizzes or examinations missed and will not be allowed to make up the work.

The Code of Student’s Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Policy 7.001) describes disruption as the obstructing or interfering with university functions or activity, including any behavior that interferes with students, faculty, or staff access to an appropriate educational environment. Examples of disruptive behavior that may result in a student being directed to leave the classroom include but are not limited to: failure to comply with reasonable directive of University officials, action or combination of actions that unreasonably interfere with, hinder, obstruct, or prevents the right of others to freely participate, threatening, assaulting, or causing harm to oneself or to another, uttering any words or performing any acts that cause physical injury, or threaten any individual, or interfere with any individual’s rightful actions, and harassment. You are encouraged to read the Code of Student’s Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct for more information related to behaviors that could be considered disruptive.

 

Definition of Terms

Academic Disciplinary History.  The Academic Disciplinary History is the record of the student’s violations, including academic dishonesty, which is maintained in the Dean of Students’ Office.

Academic Misconduct Sanction.  An academic misconduct sanction is the penalty assigned by the faculty member related to the course to students who have engaged in academic dishonesty while enrolled in the course.

Academic Status. This term is used as an indication of a student’s academic standing with the university. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 to remain in good academic standing. 

Advanced Courses. Numbered 3000 to 4999, are open to students who have 12 semester hours of credit in a given subject or who have the indicated prerequisites, and to those without the prerequisites who have the consent of the program coordinator. In some instances, school requirements may vary. Students should consult individual areas prior to enrolling in advanced courses.

Business Day. Business day refers to the period between 8am and 5pm when UNTD is open for official business.

Concurrent Enrollment.  Concurrent enrollment is enrollment for any course or courses at another institution while registered for courses at UNT Dallas. Graduate students must secure written permission for concurrent enrollment from the Office of Graduate Admissions prior to registration, and students must not exceed the maximum enrollment limitation set by UNT Dallas.

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.

Conduct Sanction. A conduct sanction is a penalty for violating the Code of Student’s Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct that may be assigned by the Dean of Students.

Continuing Students.  Continuing students are those students who have been officially enrolled at UNT Dallas 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 re-apply to the university are considered new graduate students.

Course Numbering System

  • 1000-1999 - Freshmen courses

  • 2000-2999 - Sophomore courses

  • 3000-3999 - Junior courses

  • 4000-4999 - Senior courses

  • 5000-5999 - Graduate courses

  • 7000-7999 - Law Courses

Note: Courses 2900, 2910, 4900 and 4910, Special Problems, are used upon approval of the program coordinator or dean for individual instruction in any department to cover course content in special circumstances. 

Cross-Level Listing of Undergraduate and Graduate Courses. Cross-level listing refers to offering two courses, one undergraduate and one graduate, at the same time and place (or in the same distance education course) with the same instructor. While the classroom experience is shared between the undergraduate and graduate students, the actual courses are expected to have content, learning outcomes, and assessment measures that are both separate and distinct.  The graduate course must have distinct requirements and learning outcomes that are more advanced than those within the undergraduate course. Cross-level listed courses must have separate syllabi for the undergraduate and graduate courses.

Cumulative Grade Point Average.  The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) upon which academic standards are based is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned in residence at UNT Dallas by the total number of semester credit hours (SCH) attempted in residence at UNT Dallas.

Not included in the definition of student classification for academic standards are hours granted by this university for extension courses, service experience, advanced placement, credit by examination, CLEP or transfer hours attempted but not passed.

Excluded from the calculation of the CGPA are all courses in which the student received grades of I, NP, P,  or W.

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 degree plan is subject to the requirements of the catalog in effect for the academic catalog upon entry to UNT Dallas.

Disruptive Behavior.  Disorderly conduct taking place in an instructional setting that materially and substantially diminishes, impedes, or obstructs an instructor’s ability to teach or a student’s right to learn. Disruptive behavior includes conduct that distracts, disturbs, intimidates, or threatens others in a manner that unduly interferes with the educational process.

Double Major.  A student seeking a double major must consult with an advisor from the second department. If approved, the requirements for the second major are incorporated into the student’s degree audit.

Experimental Courses. 1980, 2980 and 4980, are new courses offered on a trial basis for 1-4 hours credit each. Registration is permitted only upon approval of the program coordinator.

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 Office of the Registrar. Visit www.untdallas.edu/academics for additional information.

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, P, or W are not counted as courses attempted for GPA purposes.

Inactive Continuing Students (Undergraduate students only). Inactive students are undergraduates who have not been officially enrolled at UNT Dallas in the last 12 consecutive months and who have not received a degree during the same period.

Inactive students are required to complete the following requirements to re-enroll:

  1. complete the Texas Common Application for returning students;

  2. submit transcripts from all colleges attended, if any, since leaving UNT Dallas;

  3. if previous UNT Dallas enrollment was as a transient, dual credit, summer visiting student or special student, all academic credentials are required prior to re-enrollment.

Major.  At least 24 semester hours in a given subject are required for a major, including 12 hours of advanced work. The number of hours required depends on the department selected

The term “professional field” is used in the School of Business to designate the major for the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and the Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management (MBA) degrees.

Minor.  A minor requires at least 18 semester hours in a given subject, including 6 hours of advanced work. Specific course sequences for a minor are determined by the department offering the minor. Not all degrees require a minor.

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

Schedule Changes (Add/Drop, Withdrawal).  Students may make adjustments to their schedules by adding and/or dropping classes or by withdrawing. Specific procedures must be followed in making these changes. (See Enrollment section of this catalog for details.)

Note: Students dropping all of their courses must go to the Registrar’s Office or send a written request to the Registrar’s Office to withdraw.

Semester Hour.  A semester hour is the unit of credit at UNT Dallas; the credit allows for one 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 these parentheses indicates the number of recitation hours per week.

Term/Semester/Session.  The academic year includes three terms/semesters: fall, spring and summer. During the fall and spring terms, the following sessions are offered: 16-week regular session (1) and 8-week I and II (8W1 and 8W2, respectively). During the summer term, the following sessions are offered: 3-week I (3W1), 5-week I and II  (5W1 and 5W2), 8-week I  (8W1) , and 10-week (10W).

Transient Student.  A transient student is an undergraduate student who has been enrolled at another college or university and who plans to attend UNT Dallas for one long term/semester only and then to return to the college or university where previously enrolled.

Undergraduate Academic Certificates.  UNT Dallas 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, and must be earned in conjunction with a Bachelor’s degree/major program at UNT Dallas. Visit www.untdallas.edu/academics for additional details.