Graduate Academic Policies

Graduate Admission Procedure

Admission to graduate programs is competitive, incorporating a consideration of multiple factors like GPA, standardized test scores, etc. Decisions for admission are made by department graduate committees. Usually deadlines for admission are set by each department. For information on deadlines, please visit www.uhd.edu/academic/gradprograms.htm.

Applicants are notified about their status of application and admissions by mail. Appeals of admission denials should be submitted to the appropriate Department Chair, and if necessary, to the College Dean.

Courses and Course Credit

Course Load

A full-time graduate course load during the fall and spring terms is 9 semester credit hours or three courses and 8 semester credit hours for MBA students. For students who are employed 40 hours per week, the recommended load is two courses, or six credit hours. Depending on the program, the regular load for one combined summer session (9 weeks) is 6-9 credit hours. Students who wish to enroll in more than the recommended course load must seek approval from the appropriate academic dean. For further information on graduate course load consult specific master’s degree handbooks.

Part-of-Term (PoT)

Effective Fall 2011, UHD began utilizing shorter sessions, termed “Part-of Term” (PoT) within full terms. For more information about these offerings, please review the posted academic calendars on the UHD website (www.uhd.edu).

Schedule Changes

Schedule changes are made online, and may require approval by an academic advisor. Registration instructions for Schedule Changes are found on the Registrar’s website and the dates for Schedule Changes are found in the online Academic Calendar.

Discontinued (Cancelled) Classes

The university reserves the right to discontinue classes or otherwise alter the class schedule. Whenever possible, enrollment in an alternate course is completed through an administrative change form initiated by the department responsible for discontinuing the class.

Classification

Students admitted to a graduate program are classified as graduate students. Post-baccalaureate students enrolled in graduate courses are governed by undergraduate policies.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. The responsibility for dropping from a course lies with the student. Departments and faculty members may have additional attendance policies for their courses.

Transfer Credit

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

Students must submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended as a part of the admission process. An evaluation will be performed upon acceptance into the university. Course work transferred or accepted for credit toward a graduate degree must represent collegiate course work relevant to the degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in the institution’s own graduate degree program.

Six semester hours of graduate credit from another accredited institution may be transferred into a degree plan, subject to approval from the graduate degree coordinator. After being admitted into a UH-Downtown graduate program, students should obtain approval from their degree-granting college before taking any courses, with intent to transfer. Students may take up to 9 graduate hours with post-baccalaureate status. However, these courses are evaluated by the department admitting the student, may not be accepted the specific degree program, and may be limited to 6 hours. Transfer credit will not be granted for courses in which grades of C or lower have been earned. Students should direct questions concerning transfer credit to their graduate coordinator.

Evaluation of Transfer Credit

Transcripts will be evaluated for institutional transfer credit upon admission to a UH-Downtown graduate program.

Transferring Credits from Other Countries

Students applying for admission with college credits from other countries must submit an evaluated transcript from a credential evaluation service recognized by the university. Graduate coordinators will consider granting transfer credit based on the recommendations of the evaluating service. Information and brochures from evaluating service agencies are available at the Office of Admissions and online at www.uhd.edu/admissions.

Auditing Courses

To audit a course is to enroll in a course on a noncredit basis. Audit students pay the regular tuition and all other applicable fees as set forth for the current academic year. Senior citizens 65 years or over may audit for free on a space-available basis. A change to credit status may not be made after the student has registered to audit a course. Changes from credit status to audit status in a course must be made prior to the end of the Official Day of Record. A Request for Audit form must be processed in the Registrar’s Office by the Official Day of Record for the appropriate term along with Instructor approval. Students wishing to audit courses should contact the Registrar’s Office for further details http://www.uhd.edu/registrar/documents/audit_form.pdf.

Grading System and Standards

All students are expected to maintain high academic standards throughout their graduate programs. In general, graduate students may not make any more than a certain number of grades of C. Please consult your graduate handbook for additional information. In addition, grades of D or F are grounds for dismissal from the graduate program. All graduate students at UHD are subject to the following policies as well as any policies stated in the handbooks for each degree program. Links to the graduate programs can be found at http://www.uhd.edu/academic/gradprograms.htm.

Academic Honesty

The Academic Honesty Code is embraced by all members of the University of Houston-Downtown academic community and is an essential element of the institution’s academic credibility. The Honesty Code states “We will be honest in all our academic activities and will not tolerate dishonesty.” The purpose of the Academic Honesty Policy is to deal with alleged violations of the Honesty Code in a fair and consistent manner. The policy is administered jointly by students and faculty. It is each student’s responsibility to read and understand the Academic Honesty Policy. It may be found in the Student Handbook for each program.

Grading System

The following grades are included in the calculation of grade point averages:

*Grade descriptions are subject to override by descriptions published in the handbooks for each graduate program.

The following grades are not included in the calculation of grade point averages:

I (Incomplete)

An incomplete grade is given only when an unforeseen emergency prevents a student from completing the course work and only with the instructor’s approval. A grade of I will be changed to a passing grade if the missing work is completed satisfactorily by the deadline set by the instructor but no later than the end of the long semester immediately following the term in which the grade was received. An incomplete grade that is not removed by this deadline becomes an F. Repetition of a course for which an incomplete grade was received does not affect resolution of the original grade. An incomplete grade earned in a student’s graduating semester is computed as an F in determining grade point average.

IP (In Progress)

A grade of IP may be given in thesis and capstone courses. In the calculation of grade point average, a grade of IP is treated as a W. To receive credit for a course in which an IP was assigned, a student must register for the course again and earn a passing grade.

S (Satisfactory)

The grade of S may be earned in thesis and certain other courses. Credit received with a grade of S is not part of the grade point average calculation.

W (Withdrawal from Courses)

Students will not receive a grade for a course if they drop the course by the Official Day of Record (see Academic Calendar ).

Students automatically receive a grade of W for any course from which they drop after the Official Day of Record up to the drop/withdrawal deadline as listed in the Registration & Information Bulletin.

Official Day of Record and drop/withdrawal deadlines are published in the University Calendar online at www.uhd.edu/AcademicCalendars and may be found in the Registration & Information Bulletin.

Class days are defined as days on which the university normally has one or more classes scheduled; not the days for which an individual student is scheduled for his/her particular classes.

Additional grading system information applicable to graduate students is published in the specific master’s degree handbook.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The grade point average is a measure of a student’s academic achievement. Grade point averages are computed by multiplying the grade point value by the number of credit hours in each course, and then dividing the sum of all grade points obtained by the total number of hours attempted. The following formula represents the method of computing grade point average:

The number of grade points earned for each course equals the hour credit value of the course multiplied by the points awarded for grades received. Grades of I, S, U, IP and grades marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above are not counted in the calculation of the grade point average, except for graduation. Grades of I will be calculated as F grades in determining grade point average for graduation.

All credit hours attempted as a part of a graduate degree will be calculated in the GPA and used in determining academic standing. Grades earned at other institutions in courses that are accepted for transfer and transferred into a graduate degree program at UHD are not calculated in the GPA at any point.

Graduate students must meet a graduation n requirement of a minimum 3.0 grade point average.

Appeal of Grades

Any grade which a student believes to be in error should be appealed, first to the instructor, then to the appropriate department chair, and finally to the appropriate dean. If an appeal is not made within one calendar year after the close of the semester in which the grade was received, the grade will be considered final and no appeal will be heard.

Grades for Repeated Courses

All credit hours attempted as a part of a graduate degree will be calculated in the GPA and used in determining academic standing. This policy applies to repeated courses. If a student repeats a courses as a student enrolled in a graduate program, both grades are calculated in the GPA.

Grades earned at other institutions in courses that are accepted for transfer and transferred into a graduate degree program at UHD are not calculated in the GPA at any point.

Academic Probation and Suspension for Graduate Students in Degree Granting Program

In many graduate programs, average work (i.e., grade of C) may lead to probation, suspension, or dismissal. Students should refer to their graduate program handbooks for details.

Academic Probation

Graduate students will be placed on academic probation at the end of any term in which their cumulative graduate program GPA for graduate coursework falls below 3.0. The cumulative GPA for graduate academic probation and suspension, including repeated courses, is computed according to PS 03.A.04 (see Section 4.4 and 4.4.1) and to individual program guidelines. Students should refer to individual program handbooks in addition to this policy for GPA calculation. Graduate students remain on probation or suspension status until their cumulative graduate program GPA is raised to 3.0 or higher

A graduate student who receives grades of I (Incomplete) while on probation will remain on probation until all grades of I are resolved. A graduate student on academic probation who leaves the university must apply for readmission and, if admitted, retains his/her original academic probation status. Only courses taken at UHD may be counted in removing a student from academic probation.

Academic probation will be noted permanently on a graduate student’s academic records

Academic Suspension

A graduate student on probation who does not achieve a graduate program GPA of at least 3.0 in the subsequent term will be suspended from the university. Academic suspension is noted permanently on a graduate student’s academic records. A student on suspension may not enroll in graduate classes at UHD. Graduate courses taken at another university during a period of suspension at UHD will not be counted for credit at UHD. A graduate student who is suspended may apply for reinstatement after one year of non-enrollment. Reinstatement is not automatic. The student must submit a written petition explaining the reasons why he/she thinks he/she can successfully meet the requirements of the degree; the petition should be submitted to the Graduate Director of their program. If a student is reinstated in the program, he/she will return with the same academic probation status that resulted in the original suspension and be subject to the same rules for maintaining a GPA.

Academic Dismissal

A graduate student who receives grades of “C” in 9 or more graduate semester hours is subject to dismissal. Specific programs may have more stringent requirements. Please refer to individual program handbooks for these requirements. In addition, a grade lower than “C” in a graduate course is also grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.

Graduate students who are dismissed may not take graduate courses at UHD, unless they are readmitted under amnesty or admitted to a different graduate program.

Any appeals regarding graduate probation, suspension, or dismissal may be made to the appropriate Graduate Director and, if necessary, to the Academic Dean or Dean’s designated representative

Academic Probation and Suspension for Graduate Students in Certificate Program

The rules governing probation, suspension, and dismissal of Graduate students who are enrolled in a certificate program are developed by the respective certificate programs. These standards must be published in the relevant college’s graduate handbook.

Students who wish to appeal their probationary status, suspension, or dismissal may make the appeal to the appropriate Graduate Director and, if necessary, to the Academic Dean or Dean’s designated representative.

Academic Amnesty

Graduate students who have been dismissed and wish to return to UHD after a minimum of a two-year absence may petition the Graduate Program Director for readmission under the academic amnesty policy. The student must not have attended UHD for the two-year period immediately preceding his/her return to UHD.

The amnesty provision applies only to the application of credit toward a degree and computation of the student’s grade point average. No grades on the student’s permanent record are altered or deleted.

Student Records

Transcripts

Requests for official UHD transcripts are made online through the MyUHD portal via Student eServices and are processed by the Registrar’s Office. All requests for official UHD transcripts will be processed within 2-3 business days, with the exception of transcripts that include coursework completed at South Texas Junior College, which may take up to 10 business days for processing.

Official transcripts from other institutions which are submitted to the Office of Admissions as part of the admissions process become the property of UHD and will not be rereleased to the student unless the request is covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Additionally, UHD does not include completed transfer coursework on the official UHD transcript.

Unofficial transcripts also known as the online grade history is available through the MyUHD Portal, under the My Transcript & Grades option in Student eServices.

NOTE: Grades for Part of Term (PoT) courses ending prior to the close of the full term will be available online on the dates listed in the Academic Calendar. Part of Term (PoT) official grades will be displayed on the official transcript when grades for the full term are made available. See the Academic Calendar  for grade posting dates at www.uhd.edu/academic/calendar.htm.

Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination Requirement

Effective October 1, 2013, Texas Senate Bill 1107 has been amended by Senate Bill 62 and requires all students (under age 22) entering an institution of higher education (public and private) and enrolling into courses which meet face-to-face on campus to either receive a vaccination against bacterial meningitis or meet certain criteria for declining such a vaccination before classes start.

For additional time-sensitive information about this requirement, please visit: uhd.edu/meningitis.

Release of Student Records

UHD has a policy in conformity with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) covering the release of student records. Student rights include the following:

• Students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the day the university receives the request.
• Students have the right to request amendment of their education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading.
• Students have the right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
• Students have the right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Directory Information

At its discretion the University of Houston-Downtown may provide directory information to the general public without student consent. Directory information is defined by University of Houston-Downtown (within the guidelines of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) as follows:

• Student’s name
• Mailing Address Primary Telephone number
• University Assigned e-mail address
• Classification
• Enrollment Status
• Major and minor fields of study
• Degrees, certificates, awards and honors received
• Dates of attendance
• Graduation Date
• Expected graduation date
• The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams

Students may request that directory information be withheld from the public by contacting the Registrar’s Office at any time during the semester. Such requests must be made in writing and will remain in place until the student directs the office in writing that it is to be removed. The Confidentiality Request Form is available online, visit the Registrar’s Office website for more information.

Disclosure of Education Records

In accordance with FERPA and at its discretion, UHD will disclose information from a student’s education records without the written consent of the student to school officials who have a legitimate educational or administrative interest in the records. A school official is defined as a person employed by the University who holds an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including the University’s police department and health care staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Regents; or a person assisting another school official in performing his or her official duties. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities.

Custodian of Records

The following individuals are designated by the University as custodians of records: Registrar’s Office, Room N330; Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, Room S330; Director of the Career Development Center, Room S402; Director of Counseling and Health Services, Room S445; Dean of Students, Room S380; Dean of each College.

Procedure for Inspecting Education Records

A student has the right to inspect his or her education records and challenge the contents. To review records, a student must make a request in writing to the Registrar’s Office. The request must clearly and specifically identify the record or records he or she wishes to inspect plus the purpose of the request. The request must be signed and dated by the student. The University will respond to the student’s request within a reasonable time. A request to inspect (review) education records is not considered the same as a request for copies of the records.

Procedure for Amending Education Records

If a student believes the information in his or her education record contains information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy, the student should submit a written and signed request for amendment to the Registrar’s Office. The written request should clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed and specify why it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy. The University will notify the student within a reasonable time regarding whether or not the record will be amended. If the university denies the student’s request for amendment of his or her record, the student has the right to a hearing regarding the requested amendment. This procedure does not govern grade appeals.

Change of Name and Address

An official change in name must be reported to the Registrar’s Office and when applicable to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Original legal documentation must be presented along with a copy of the Social Security card when requesting a name change or correction (e.g. marriage certificate, divorce decree, naturalization certificate, etc.) A copy of your state issued driver’s license or government issued photo ID will also be required. Mailing addresses may be changed online through the MyUHD Portal’s Student eServices at www.uhd.edu/eservices under “My Personal Profile & Emergency Alerts.” Currently enrolled students requesting a name change should refer to the Student Information Change form for important information regarding updates to GatorMail and Blackboard.

Graduation Requirements

General Degree Requirements for Graduation

Students must meet all catalog requirements of their degree programs, as certified by their academic dean.

Grade Point Average

All graduate students receiving a degree from the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) must attain at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, calculated on grades earned at UHD in completion of their graduate program. Repeated courses for graduate students are handled under the provisions of the Grading System Policy (PS 03.A.04, section 4.8 and 4.8.1). Colleges may impose more stringent requirements in one or more of their degree programs. Grades of I are calculated as F in the determination of a student’s cumulative GPA for graduation.

Residency

A maximum of six transferred graduate semester credit hours may be applied to fulfill UHD graduate program requirements, if approved by the graduate program director.

Only the appropriate academic dean may waive any portion of these requirements. Students seeking a waiver of the residency requirements must follow the procedures established by their academic college.

Graduation with Honors

University or college honors are not applied to the graduation and commencement of graduate students, nor the transcripting of UHD graduate programs

Graduation under a Specific Catalog

A student usually graduates under the degree provisions of the catalog in effect at the time of his or her first completed term of enrollment or any subsequent catalog.

Exceptions:

• No catalog more than ten years old may be used.
• The program of students whose enrollment is interrupted for more than two consecutive long semesters for reasons other than military service shall normally be governed by the catalog in effect at the time of the students’ reenrollment in the university. Students have the option of graduating under the provisions of this catalog or any subsequent catalog.
• A student whose enrollment is interrupted by military service must reenroll within one year from date of separation from the service and no more than five years from the beginning of military service in order to remain under the provisions of the catalog in effect at the time of original enrollment at the university.
• Students forced to withdraw for adequate cause before the completion of the degree may, upon readmission, petition the appropriate academic dean to graduate under the catalog in effect at the time of original enrollment.
• The program of students who change their major shall be governed by the catalog in effect at the time of the change of major.

Application for Graduation

All degree candidates must file an application for graduation with their college and pay the $50 graduation fee by the Official Day of Record for the term of intended graduation. The graduation fee covers the costs of processing the graduation application, printing the diploma and mailing it to the graduate, and other costs associated with the commencement ceremony. If students fail to complete all degree requirements during the term in which they applied for graduation and paid the graduation fee, then they must apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee again when they become eligible to graduate.

Candidates must also place a diploma order, which specifies how they want their name to appear on the diploma, with the Registrar’s Office. The Diploma Order form is available on the Registrar’s Office webpage.

Commencement Exercises

To participate in commencement exercises, students must be enrolled in the courses needed to complete all degree requirements and must file an application for graduation with their college, and pay the graduation fee by the second Monday after the last day to drop a course without a grade (the Official Day of Record) for the term of intended graduation. The final decision on eligibility for graduation and participation in commencement exercises rests with the appropriate academic dean.

Students participating in commencement must wear academic regalia. Arrangements for obtaining the appropriate academic regalia may be made through the university bookstore. Deadlines for ordering and paying for regalia are announced for each commencement.