Academic Policies - University of Houston Downtown (2024)

Courses and Course Credit

Course Load

Maximum course loads are established to encourage students to think carefully about the amount of time they will need to devote to each class. The following policies are in place so that students are better able to meet their course obligations successfully.

• A standard undergraduate course load during the Fall and Spring terms is 15 to 16 semester credit hours, or five courses. Twelve semester credit hours are considered the minimum full-time load.
• Students who are employed 40 hours per week are advised to take no more than two courses, or six credit hours.
• Students who wish to enroll in 20 credit hours or more in a Fall or Spring term must receive approval from the assistant or associate dean of their college.
• The standard load for one Summer session is six to nine credit hours.
• Students who wish to enroll in ten hours or more in a single Summer session or in two overlapping Summer sessions must receive approval from the assistant or associate dean of their college.

For information on the graduate course load, consult specific master’s degree coordinator.

Eight Week Sessions

UHD offers some shorter sessions within full terms. For more information about these offerings, please consult the Academic Calendars on the UHD website.

Class Schedule Changes

Schedule changes are made online, and may require approval by an academic success coordinator. Registration instructions for Schedule Changes are found on the UHD Registrar’s Office website and the deadlines for changes are found on the Academic Calendar.

Discontinued (Canceled) 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

Undergraduate classification is determined by the number of credit hours which have been completed: 0-29 semester hours: freshman; 30-59 semester hours: sophom*ore; 60-89 semester hours: junior; and 90 semester hours and above: senior. Graduate classification is determined by admission status.

Class Attendance

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

Religious Holy Days

The University of Houston-Downtown respects the religious observances of students even though they may conflict with university class meetings, assignments, or examinations as per the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Texas Administrative Code §4.4 Student Absences on Religious Holy Days.

A student whose absence is excused under this policy shall be treated consistently with the instructor’s policies and procedures relating to other excused absences, except that no instructor’s policy may deny the opportunity for make-up work, as described here.Instructors should announce reasonable time periods for make-up work and exams in writing to the class and make clear the consequences of a student’s failure to meet such time requirements.Students needing to reschedule missed work or exams for a holy day should submit a written request to each instructor at least one week prior to the class period or assignment/exam date that will be missed. An instructor should acknowledge receipt of that request via email to the student’s official UHD email address. A new date for taking an examination or completing classwork missed for a holy day shall be set by the instructor in accordance with announced policies.

If a student and an instructor disagree about whether the absence is for the observance of a religious holy day, or if they disagree about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may appeal to the Office of the Provost. For further information about the state law, please see the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Texas Administrative Code §4.4 or contact the offices of theUHD Title IX/Equal Opportunity Services to review the policy.

Transfer Credit-Undergraduate

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

Transfer students must submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended as a part of the admission process. Transfer credit evaluations will be performed during the admission process to the university per PS03.A.10. Course work transferred or accepted for credit toward an undergraduate degree must be accredited by a recognized regional accrediting association and 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 undergraduate degree program.

Workforce Education course work, both vocational and technical, are also subject to criteria outlined in PS 03.A.10.

Transfer courses determined to be substantially equivalent to a UHD course will be transferred as the UHD course equivalent. Courses taken at other colleges that do not correspond to courses offered by UHD may transfer as elective credit. The number of hours credited for a transferred course will be calculated as UHD equivalent hours. In the case that the number of transferred hours for a course is less than the number of hours required by UHD, the missing hours must be fulfilled under the electives area of the degree plan.

With the consent of the appropriate dean, the chair of the department in which a student is majoring will make the decision concerning application of transfer credit to the degree program. Therefore, declared majors should obtain approval from their degree-granting college before taking courses from a community or junior college which they wish to transfer to UHD.

In general, UHD does not award transfer credit for vocational courses that are not considered part of a standard college curriculum. Students may petition the academic dean of the college in which they are seeking their degree, who may agree to award credit for such courses in exceptional circ*mstances.

Students should direct questions concerning transfer credit to their academic success coordinator or degree program coordinator.

Evaluation of Transfer Credit

Transcripts will be evaluated for institutional transfer credit upon completion of the admission application process.

For a course taken more than once at another institution, all repeated courses will appear on the transfer record but the highest grade will be applied toward the academic program . Courses that have an F or W will not apply toward any program credit requirements. Grades from the transfer institution, including any other university in the UH System, do not count toward the student’s UHD GPA, per PS 03.A.04. Developmental courses do not transfer for credit but may allow the student to move forward in their degree plan.

Transfer work that does not directly articulate to a UHD course may be evaluated for applicability to the student’s chosen degree plan by the degree-granting college, once the student has been accepted into the college as a declared major.

Students who apply to UHD while they are attending another institution must submit two official transcripts. The first should be sent at the time of application and should reflect the student’s current enrollment. A second must be sent as soon as grades are official and available for those classes.

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 UHD. Credits will be articulated based on the recommendations of the evaluating service. Determining course equivalency will be determined by relevant faculty.

Information and brochures from evaluating service agencies are available at the Office of Admissions and online at www.uhd.edu/admissions.

Transfer Credit Dispute Resolution Procedures

Students who receive written notification from Office of Admissions that a lower-level course taken at another Texas public institution of higher education has not been accepted may challenge denial of credit by UHD. To initiate a dispute action, a Transfer Dispute Resolution form must be completed. The form and instructions for its completion are available on the Office of Admission website.

Credit by Examination

UHD accepts up to 24 hours of credit by examination. Credit by examination may be obtained on the basis of several types of examinations. Nationally recognized standardized examinations such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the College Board’s Advanced Placement program, and International Baccalaureate (IB) may be used. Examinations widely used within a professional field and locally designed examinations also may be used. Students planning to take CLEP exams should do so before their final semester.

Nationally standardized examinations are administered through Testing Services; all other examinations are administered through the responsible department.

If credit is not awarded, a period of six months must elapse before application for re-examination will be considered. Appropriate fees are charged for each examination. No student may attempt the exam for a particular course more than twice. Credit may be granted for professional certification and training received from armed forces and service schools. With consent of the appropriate dean, the chair of the department in which the student is majoring will make the decision concerning the applicability of such courses to the degree program.

Credit received by examination does not fulfill residency requirements for graduation.

No grade is awarded for courses for which credit has been obtained by exam, nor are hours received for such courses included in the calculation of grade point average for graduation. Listed below are the subject examinations for the Advanced Placement Program and the College Level Examination Program.

Credit for Military Service

It is the policy of the University of Houston Downtown to award transfer credit for military courses and/or military service based on the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE)’s Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services. Credit for military courses and/or credit is available to all admitted undergraduates. Either elective or direct course credit will be awarded based on ACE recommendations.

Credit for Military Service (HB 269)

HB 269 makes military veterans who enroll in Texas universities and who meet certain requirements eligible to receive undergraduate college credit for the time they spent in the service. Eligible veterans receive college credit for all the required physical education courses needed for their degree and up to an additional 12 semester hours of elective coursework.

To be eligible to receive credit under HB 269, veterans must have:

• Graduated from a public or private high school accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense; and
• Is an honorably discharged former member of the armed forces of the United States who:
  • Completed at least two years of service in the armed forces; or
  • Was discharged because of a disability
• Credit awarded under HB 269 is awarded for having served, not for college-level courses that might have been taken while in the military.

Acceptable forms of documentation include:

• AARTS Transcript (Army ACE Registry Transcript)
• CCAF Transcript (Community College of the Air Force Transcript)
• SMART Transcript (Sailor/Marine ACE Registry Transcript)

Elective Credit

Directed Studies Courses

A directed studies course is an academic credit-bearing course in which a student works closely with a specific faculty member to tailor the learning experience on a topic of interest or to engage in research or creative activities beyond the scope of existing courses in the curriculum. Thus, a directed studies course is intended to expand the curriculum and may not duplicate an organized course. A directed studies course requires a term paper, research study or comparable project deliverable.

The student must be in good academic standing

Students wishing to enroll in a directed studies course must be in good academic standing, must have instructor approval and complete required forms prior to enrolling in the course. The student must have the approval of both the department and the dean to enroll in the course. The academic department of the course or college may have additional prerequisites or requirements for enrollment in a directed studies course.

Procedures for enrolling in directed studies courses are available in PS 03.A.17. Individual major requirements may limit the number of hours of directed study which may be applied by a student towards completion of the degree.

Auditing Courses

To audit a course is to enroll and participate in a course on a noncredit basis. Audit students pay the regular tuition and all other applicable fees as set for the current academic year. A change to credit status may not be made after the student has registered to audit a course.

Students must obtain approval from the instructor of the course and from the registrar’s office before they may audit a course. Students can only audit a course if there are seats available. Students taking a course for credit have priority in registration over students auditing a course. Students auditing a course do not submit work for grades.

Changes from credit status to audit status in a course must be made prior to the end of the twelfth day of classes in a long semester or the end of the third day in a Summer, Winter or May session.A Request to 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/students.html.

As per Texas Statue, students aged 65 or older can audit classes at no cost.

Grading System and Standards

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 (www.uhd.edu/student-resources/handbook).

Grading System

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

Also included in the calculation of grade point averages are incomplete letter grades. Incomplete letter grades are: I/A (4 points), I/B (3 points), I/C (2 points), I/D (1 point) and I/F (0 grade points).

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

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A measure of the overall level of a student’s academic achievement. It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned at UHD by the total number of semester hours completed at UHD. When a course is repeated, however, only the highest grade from the attempts will be used for calculating the grade point average.

GPA at Time of Graduation

GPA at the time of graduation: UHD Grade Point Average (GPA) is used at the time of graduation and is used to certify the degree. Unless a grade appeal has been found in the student’s favor, as outlined in the grade appeal process, the GPA certified at the time of graduation remains the official GPA for the certified degree and shall not be subject to change. Grades for courses repeated after graduation and new courses completed after graduation, do not change the GPA certified at the time of graduation. A student’s cumulative GPA at UHD may be updated based on courses taken after the certification and award of the degree. Transfer grades are not included in the calculation of the UHD GPA.

Repeated Courses

Undergraduate students may enroll in a course at UHD no more than three times. Students may appeal this restriction by petitioning the dean of the college in which the course is housed. When a course is repeated, only the highest grade earned at UHD will be used in computing the grade point average. If a course taken initially at UHD is repeated later at another institution for credit, only the UHD grade is included in the UHD Grade Point Average (GPA).

GPA at the time of graduation: UHDGradePointAverage(GPA) is used at the time of graduation and is used to certify the degree.Unless a grade appeal has been found in the student’s favor, as outlined in the grade appeal process, the GPA certified at the time of graduation remains the official GPA for the certified degree and shall not be subject to change. Grades for courses repeated after graduation and new courses completed after graduation, do not change the GPA certified at the time of graduation. A student’s cumulative GPA at UHD may be updated based on courses taken after the certification and award of the degree. Transfer grades are not included in the calculation of the UHD GPA.

Grade of I (Incomplete)

A grade of I is given only when students have completed a significant portion of the course requirements and a documented emergency prevents the student from completing the remaining course requirements. Before an instructor can assign a grade of I, they must file with, and get approval by, the home department chair. This approval is documented by a form signed by both the instructor and the student that describes the necessary work that can be submitted before the deadlines described below. If a student is unable to sign the form, the instructor must state on the form the reason for granting the I and the work necessary for the removal of the I. A grade of I counts as an F in calculating the graduation GPA for purposes of determining eligibility for graduation.

• If the incomplete grade was assigned during the Fall semester, the grade of I will be changed to the grade earned based on the assignments submitted before the end of the subsequent Spring term. It is the instructor’s responsibility to submit the grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If the instructor is unavailable, the home department is responsible for submitting the grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If no grade is submitted to the registrar at the end of the subsequent Spring semester, the incomplete grade is automatically changed to an I/F.
  
• If the incomplete grade was assigned during the Spring semester or a Summer term, the grade of I will be changed to the grade earned based on the assignments submitted before the end of the subsequent Fall term. It is the instructor’s responsibility to submit the grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If the instructor is unavailable, the home department is responsible for submitting the grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If no grade is submitted to the Office of the Registrar, the incomplete grade is automatically changed to an I/F.
  
• If the incomplete grade was assigned during the part of a term or mini-term, the grade of I will be changed to the grade earned (I/F) based on the assignments submitted before the end of the subsequent long semester. It is the instructor’s responsibility to submit the grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If the instructor is unavailable, the home department is responsible for submitting the grade change to the Office of the Registrar. If no grade is submitted to the Office of the Registrar, the incomplete grade is automatically changed to an I/F.
  
• Military Leave: Students who have received I grades because their enrollment has been interrupted by active military duty in the United States military must complete the missing work within one year from the conclusion of those duties. It is the responsibility of the student to provide official documentation of their required duties to the Office of Veterans Affairs and the Office of the Registrar. If the work is not completed within one year from the conclusion of those duties, the grade of I is changed to WM.
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• Title IX Leave: In compliance with Title IX, students with applicable leave designation may complete outstanding coursework within one long semester after the expiration of the leave. It is the responsibility of the student to provide a supporting medical statement to the Title IX coordinator and to the Office of the Registrar. If the student does not complete the outstanding coursework within one long semester after the expiration of the medical leave, the student’s grade will remain indefinitely I, unless the student decides to accept the grade earned in the class. If the student wished to accept the earned grade, they should request to do so, who will defer to the instructor of record as to the earned grade in the class.

Grade of IP (In Progress)

A grade of IP may be assigned only in courses that have been officially approved for such designation. The grade of IP is used primarily in thesis and selected research courses in which a student is registered in order to use university resources. In calculating the GPA, a grade of IP receives no grade point value and it may remain on a student’s transcript in perpetuity. To receive grade credit for a course in which an IP was assigned a student must repeat the course and earn a passing grade (i.e., once an IP is given, the grade cannot be changed).

Grade of S/U (Satisfactory Pass/Unsatisfactory Fail)

A grade of S/U may be assigned only in courses that have been officially approved for such designation. Credit received with a grade of S/U is not included in calculating the GPA.

Grade of AUD (Audit)

In accordance with PS 03.A.03, astudentmust get prior instructor approval before registering to audit a course. A grade of AUDis awarded for passing the course. No record appears on the student’s transcript if the student fails the course. Grades of AUD are not included in calculating the GPA.

Grade of CA (Credit Awarded)

A grade of CA will be assigned to non-course based credit subject to the 24 hour limit in PS 03.A.11.

Grade of W (Withdrawal)

Students will not receive a grade for a course they drop by the Official Day of Record/Census Date (see Academic Calendar). Students automatically receive a grade of W for any course they withdraw from after the Official Day of Record and prior to the withdrawal deadline as listed in the Academic Calendar. It is advised that a student consult an academic success coordinatorbefore dropping a course. For more information on dropping or withdrawing from a course and course drop limits, please see PS 03.A.36.

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 their particular classes. For purposes of determining academic calendar dates, class days during the Fall, Spring, May and Winter terms are Monday through Friday while class days during a Summer term are Monday through Thursday.

Retroactive Withdrawal: Grades of W are granted retroactively (i.e., after the published deadline) only under unusual and well documented circ*mstances. Students requesting a complete retroactive withdrawal (i.e., withdrawal from all course(s) taken during a semester) must submit and appeal to the Office of the Registrar, which is responsible for archiving these documents; submitting the appeal documents to the academic dean in the college in which the student has declared a major; and carrying out the academic dean’s decision. The process is the same for students requesting a partial retroactive withdrawal (i.e., withdrawal from one or more but not all courses taken during a semester), except that the Office of the Registrar will submit partial retroactive withdrawal appeals to the academic dean in the college in which each course is taken. If the relevant dean finds sufficient documented justification for a complete or partial retroactive withdrawal, the dean will file an administrative request with the Office of the Registrar. When an approval has been granted, the dean’s office will also notify the course instructors and the chairs of the home departments of the decision and change of grade (provided they are still employed at UHD). The Office of the Registrar is responsible for letting the student know the relevant dean’s decision, which is final. Students seeking a retroactive withdrawal must appeal within one calendar year after the close of term for which the request is made.

Appeal of Course Grades

If a student believes a course grade to be in error (i.e. if it appears to be a miscalculation, or if it appears that grade was not calculated and/or evaluated according to the course instructor’s stated procedure) a student may file an appeal by proceeding in the following sequence: (1) appeal first to the course instructor, (2) if the appeal is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, then appeal to the appropriate home department chair, (3) the final level of appeal would be to the appropriate dean.

If a student does not appeal a grade within one calendar year after the close of the semester in which the grade was received, the grade is final and no appeal will be heard.

The responsible party at each level has 14 academic calendar days to respond to students in writing with their decision regarding the appeal, unless granted an exception by the dean of the college in which the original grade was awarded.

Appeals must be submitted in writing. Students bear the responsibility by providing documentation related to the grade appeal. If the appeal reaches the chair or dean and it is determined that there is evidence of a grading error, the chair or dean will consult with the course instructor before making a final decision. Final decisions must be communicated in writing to all concerned parties.

When the appealed grade is from a course that is housed in multidisciplinary or multi-college program, all appeals will be handled within the course’s home department and college. A student may file an appeal by proceeding in the following sequence; (1) appeal first to the course instructor, (2) if the appeal is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the appeal to the chair of the department in which that course is housed (for courses in programs that do not have a department chair, the appeal is initiated with the program director), (3) the final level of appeal would be to the dean of the college in which that course is housed.

An instructor may appeal the chair’s decision to the Office of the Dean.

Change of Course Grade

A change of course grade initiated by the instructor must be approved by the home department chair within one calendar year after the close of the semester in which the grade was received. If the time period extends beyond one year or involves change from an F, it must also be approved by the dean.

A change of course grade issued by the home department chair must be approved by the dean and notification must be sent to the instructor.

A change of course grade issued by the dean must include notification to the instructor and home department chair.

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List recognizes students who have achieved superior academic performance during the fall or spring semester. To be included on the Dean’s List for a specific semester, a student must, during that semester, complete at least nine semester hours of college-level work, earn at least a 3.5 grade point average, and receive no grade of I or F. The Dean’s List is published by each college at the end of each fall and spring semester.

Academic Probation and Suspension

Probation

Academic probation is a warning to the student that his or her UHD cumulative GPA is unsatisfactory. A student who is on academic probation and is not making satisfactory progress toward meeting graduation requirements may be placed on academic suspension if their academic record does not improve.

A student is placed on academic probation at the end of any term in which their cumulative UHD GPA falls below 2.0. The cumulative UHD GPA for academic probation is computed using grades earned at UHD. Grades of I, IP, S, U or W are not counted. See the Grading System and Standards section of the catalog for additional details on grades that count toward the UHD GPA.

All students on probation must consult with an academic success coordinator before term registration to discuss their plans, academic progress and GPA repair, and available academic support. A probationary student may be required to agree to a contract of actions likely to result in improved academic performance.

Students on probation must maintain a UHD term GPA of 2.0 or above in each term in which they are enrolled until their cumulative UHD GPA reaches 2.0 or above. Students on academic probation will be placed on continued probation at the end of any term in which they fail to earn a minimum term GPA of 2.0. Failure to earn a term GPA of 2.0 or above while on continued probation status will result in academic suspension. Only courses taken at UHD will remediate the cumulative UHD GPA. A student returns to regular academic standing after their cumulative UHD GPA reaches 2.0 or higher.

Suspension and Dismissal

Suspension means that a student is ineligible to register or remain in classes. Students on continued probation will be suspended at the end of any term in which they fail to earn a minimum UHD term GPA of 2.0.

Upon suspension, any registered coursework for the next term will be administratively dropped by the Records Office. A student’s suspension is in effect for that term, pending readmission. The student may appeal the suspension to their academic dean or the dean’s designated representative. For an appeal, students must provide clear and compelling evidence of potential academic success, for example, academic success at other institutions. The final decision for readmission rests with the academic dean or dean’s designated representative.

If a student’s appeal is approved, the student will be placed on extended probation. The student must meet with a dean’s representative or designated academic success coordinator to discuss how to improve their academic performance and make satisfactory academic progress. The student may be required to agree to a contract of actions likely to result in improved academic performance. Students must maintain a term GPA of 2.0 or above in each term they register until achieve a cumulative UHD GPA of 2.0. Failure to maintain a term GPA of 2.0 will result in academic dismissal from the university. This academic dismissal will be permanent unless the student successfully appeals to their academic dean or dean’s designated representative for readmission, or receives Academic Amnesty.

For a dismissal appeal, a student must provide clear and compelling evidence of potential academic success, for example, academic success at other institutions. The final decision for readmission rests with the Academic Dismissal Committee. The constitution of the Academic Dismissal Committee includes representation from the Dean’s office of each college and the Dean of Students’ office. Ex-officio members of the committee will be assigned based upon appropriate needs. A student who is readmitted to the University by the Academic Dismissal Committee will return without a declared major. The decision of the Academic Dismissal Committee is final.

Academic probation and suspension will be noted on the student’s official undergraduate transcript.

Academic Amnesty

An undergraduatestudent returning to UHD after a minimum of a two-year absence may petition the Dean’s office of the college that housed their major when they left UHD for application of the academic amnesty policy. Whether a student receives amnesty will be determined by the Academic Dismissal Committee, made up of the Assistant Deans from every College, as per their established protocols.To be eligible, the student must not have attended UHD for the two-year period immediately preceding his/her return to UHD. The student must also complete 24 semester credit hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 following readmission to UHD. If academic amnesty is granted, all courses with grades of F or D earned prior to readmission are ignored in applying credit toward fulfillment of degree requirements and in future computations of the student’s grade point average. 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 and are processed by the Registrar’s Office. All requests for official UHD transcripts will be processed within 5-7 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 Unofficial Transcript Document, are available through the myUHD portal.

NOTE: Grades for Eight-Week session courses ending prior to the close of the full term will be available online on the dates listed in the Academic Calendar. Eight-Week session 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 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 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. If the University denies a student’s requested amendment, the student has the right to a hearing regarding the requested amendment to his/her education record.
• 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. Such complaints may be sent to the Family Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Directory Information

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

If a student does not want directory information to be released, he/she/they is responsible for notifying the Registrar’s office in writing during the first week of each semester to ensure that information is not released or published in the Student Directory. Students are responsible for requesting the release of their information once a request for withholding directory information has been placed on record. 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 in consultation with the Registrar, 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 S350; Director of the Career Development Center, Room S402; Director of Student Counseling Services S280 and Director of Student 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 Custodian of those records. 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 45 business days. The Dean of Student will schedule a meeting with the student and allow for the student to review their educational records and facilitate any concerns the student might have regarding their educational record. Educational records are for viewing purposes only and may (at the discretion of the Registrar) be physically withheld from the student. 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 appropriate Custodian of the record. 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 45 business day 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 with the Dean of Students regarding the requested amendment. This procedure does not govern grade appeals. The final decision to amend educational records must be rendered by the Provost.

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. 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

A bachelor’s degree contains a minimum of 120 semester credit hours (SCHs), comprising the 42 SCHs of university-approved core curriculum, and required courses, prescribed electives, and any available free electives. Some bachelor’s degrees may vary in the allocation of hours. Bachelor’s degrees requiring more than 120 SCHs must be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. For degree completion, at least 25% of the semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by UHD.

Minors typically require some lower division and some upper-division courses and total between 15 and 18 hours. Students may use a combination of required or elective courses in their major to achieve a minor.

In addition to completion of specific degree requirements, all students must meet the following requirements: at least 30 semester credit hours of course work toward the degree must be taken at the University of Houston-Downtown; a minimum of 18 hours must be at the upper-division level (3000-4000) and be approved by the student’s major department. Only the appropriate academic dean may waive any portion of these requirements and only upon petition by a student who has extraordinary reasons.

The University of Houston Downtown limits academic residency to no more than twenty-five percent of the degree requirements for all degrees for active-duty service members. Academic residency can be completed at any time while active-duty service members are enrolled. Reservists and National Guards on active-duty are covered in the same manner.

A minimum grade point average of 2.0 calculated on all grades earned at UHD is required for graduation. In addition, a grade point average of 2.0 is required for all courses taken at UHD that apply toward the degree.

Students enrolled in any degree program at UHD who wish to take courses at another college or university, including any other university in the UH System, and apply the credits earned toward their degree, must have prior approval of the appropriate officer of the student’s degree program. Courses taken without such approval may not be counted toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. A student taking courses under these provisions is responsible for having their official transcript from the second institution, including any other university in the UH System, forwarded to the Registrar’s Office at UHD, and for requesting that an official evaluation of this transcript be made and reported to the appropriate officer of the student’s degree program.

Simultaneous Majors and Second Degrees

Simultaneous Majors

An undergraduate may pursue two majors simultaneously. If a student’s simultaneous majors are of two different types of degree (e.g. a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science), then the degree named on their diploma will be that of the major chosen to be their primary degree program. Students wishing to graduate with two majors must officially declare each major, must be admitted into each major, and must satisfy all the requirements of each major as well as those set forth in this policy.

Students declaring simultaneous majors must indicate which degree will be considered the primary degree program and which will be the secondary degree program. The primary degree program will serve as the academic home of record, and the dean or his/her designee of the college housing the primary degree will be responsible for monitoring students’ compliance with all University rules and regulations.

The state has imposed a limit of 120 hours for all degrees (except in cases where the university has received permission for additional hours). For more information See Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 61, Subchapter §61.0515. Students working towards simultaneous majors may be charged out-of-state tuition for the excess hours as defined by the state of Texas.

The degree plans for the majors in both the primary and the secondary majors will be housed in electronic form accessible to academic success coordinators and administrators in both major fields.

Both majors or degrees will be noted on the transcripts of students who are certified with simultaneous majors or degrees.

Failure to Complete Requirements for Simultaneous Majors

A student may elect to stop pursuing simultaneous majors at any time before certification for graduation.

Students who will not be able to meet all of the requirements of one of the simultaneous majors by the time of certification will be notified by the dean’s representative in their home college. At that point, such students have three options and must state the preferred option in writing to that representative:

• to get certified in only the completed degree or major
• to change the uncompleted degree program or major into a minor, if a minor in that area exists
• to delay any certification until both degrees or majors are completed

Additional Bachelor’s Degree

To qualify for a second UHD bachelor’s degree after having been already certified in one UHD bachelor’s degree, a candidate must meet the general and specific requirements for each degree ANDtake at least 30 unique hours, including 18 hours needed for the major, in residency for each degree at the University of Houston-Downtown, with a minimum of 18 of the unique hours in each program being upper-level and applicable to the upper-level requirements of the degree.

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 through the myUHD portal and pay the graduation fee by the Official Day of Record for the term of intended graduation. Instructions are provided on the Registrar’s website. 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 re-apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee again when they become eligible to graduate.

Commencement Exercises

To participate in commencement exercises, students must be enrolled in the courses needed to complete all degree requirements, must file an application for graduation, and pay the graduation fee by 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 University Registrar in consultation with appropriate academic dean.

Commencement participants with honors are so designated in the commencement program and wear special insignia with their academic regalia. As commencement occurs prior to the posting of final grades, the designation of honors for May and December commencement participants reflects only grades earned prior to the final semester. Designation of final honors on the transcript and diploma, however, is based on all work attempted.

Arrangements for obtaining academic regalia may be made through the university bookstore. Deadlines for ordering and paying for regalia are announced for each commencement.

Graduation with University Honors

Students who complete bachelor’s degree requirements with exceptionally high grade point averages receive degrees with honors. University honors will appear on the student transcript and diploma. To qualify for University honors consideration students must have earned and or enrolled in a total of 42 credit hours or more at UHD of which 24 credit hours must be upper level course work. Preliminary designation of university honors for commencement is based upon a minimum of 30 credit hours completed at UHD. In accordance with the Grading System Standards, all UHD credit hours are used in the GPA calculation. Only credit hours at UHD are considered; transfer credits are not used in the GPA calculation for university honors.

For consideration of university honors, the university will look at two different UHD GPA calculations:

• the UHD GPA calculated from the student’s last 42 credit hours (including currently enrolled classes) taken at UHD and
• the UHD GPA calculated from all courses taken at UHD.

The higher of the two UHD GPAs will be considered for university honors categories below:

• a cumulative grade point average of 3.80-4.00 is required for summa cum laude.
• a cumulative grade point average of 3.60-3.79 is required for magna cum laude.
• a grade point average of 3.40-3.59 is required for cum laude.

Designation of university honors in the commencement program for graduates will reflect only grades earned prior to the final semester. University honors also will be calculated after final semester grades post and final honor status is reflected on the transcript.

Students not eligible for cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude honors may be eligible for College Honors. Each college will set its own GPA requirements for College Honors. College honors will be calculated after final semester grades post. College honors will be reflected only on the student’s final transcript.

Eligibility for College Honors can be found in the general information section for each college in the academic catalog.