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| 2007-2008 UHCL Catalog |
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| 2007-2008 UHCL Catalog |
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Admission is defined as permission to enroll in courses for academic credit. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to degree candidacy in an academic discipline. Admission to candidacy is a separate process and is accomplished by completion of an approved Candidate Plan of Study (CPS) in the academic school for the chosen degree plan. For admission purposes students are categorized as "new" or "former". These classifications are defined as follows:
Former students seeking readmission should submit the following:
Students who graduate from UHCL and wish to enroll in additional coursework must complete a new application and submit a $35 application fee. Students who leave the university on academic probation will be readmitted on probation. A degree-seeking student whose permission to register was terminated due to academic deficiency must be reinstated by the appropriate dean prior to readmission; non-degree seeking students may be reinstated by the associate vice president of academic affairs. To change levels from undergraduate to graduate or to change academic programs, former students must submit a new application for Admission and meet the appropriate admission criteria. Records from other institutions are held for a period of five years; therefore, former students who have not enrolled for a period of five years must file a new application and resubmit transcripts and other documentation required for admission. Former graduate students who do not have graduate examination scores on file will be required to submit the appropriate examination results to the Office of Admissions before the second semester of re-enrollment. Documentation for Admission from U.S. Institutions All documents submitted to meet the admissions requirements must be official. Transcripts must be mailed directly from the former institution(s) to the Office of Admissions. Unofficial transcripts, student copies of transcripts, or transfer work shown on transcripts other than those taken at the issuing institution for resident credit will not be accepted as an official record of coursework. All documents must reach the Office of Admissions by the appropriate deadlines. Applicants to UHCL who are concurrently enrolled at another institution must request a statement of coursework in progress from the registrar at that institution. Once enrolled, they must also submit an official transcript from the other institution at the end of each term in which they are concurrently enrolled. If an applicant knowingly withholds information or submits fraudulent information regarding enrollment at another collegiate institution, his or her application at UHCL will be considered invalid and the student may be administratively withdrawn from classes without a refund of fees paid. Documentation for Admission from International Institutions International students must supply the UHCL Office of Admissions with official transcripts, mark (grade) sheets and confirmation of degrees or diplomas of any and all academic studies attempted at other colleges/universities prior to enrollment. All students must supply two sets of official transcripts in the original language and an English translation, if appropriate, describing all academic studies attempted and completed. This information must be received before the final evaluation can proceed. Transcripts should clearly indicate the dates of attendance, the subjects and the marks (grades) earned. They should also reflect any degrees or diplomas awarded. Official transcripts are to be issued and forwarded directly to UHCL by the registrar, principal or responsible head of each institution attended. When this is not possible, documents certified by an embassy or consular official as true copies may be accepted. Uncertified copies are not acceptable. The university makes a reasonable determination of those courses completed outside of the United States. However, international students may be required to have a catalog match evaluation performed by an outside agency as requested by the respective school in order to determine course equivalencies. This evaluation is at the student's expense. The university assigned campus e-mail is the official communication vehicle for all student communications with academic administrative offices. It is the student's responsibility to check their e-mail regularly. Upon receipt of supporting documentation, the Office of Admissions will determine the eligibility of applicants for admission to the university and will notify applicants of this determination as soon as possible. When applicants are accepted, they will receive information regarding additional procedures to be followed prior to registration. Notification of acceptance to a specific plan or academic program will come from individual departments within academic schools. Applicants who are denied admission will be informed of the appeal procedures for reconsideration of their application. Applicants should be able to judge the validity of an appeals petition in regard to their admission decision by reviewing the requirements for admission. Exceptions will not be made without substantial cause. Acceptance into a Degree Program The acceptance of a student into a degree program is determined by the admission standards of each academic school or department. Once a student is admitted into a degree program, degree candidacy is achieved by the completion of a Candidate Plan of Study (CPS). Credits earned at UHCL do not automatically count towards the completion of a degree program until the CPS has been completed and signed by all parties. Applicants for undergraduate admission may request that an institution of higher education not consider academic course credits or grades earned 10 or more years prior to the starting date of the semester for which applicants seek admission. Further, if applicants who make this election obtain a degree and apply for admission to a postgraduate or professional school, only the grade point average earned after the Academic Fresh Start may be considered along with other criteria the institution uses to evaluate admission. If Academic Fresh Start is elected, all courses taken prior to 10 years must be excluded; requests for partial exclusions will not be considered. Academic Fresh Start is to be used for undergraduate admission purposes only. Once students are enrolled, requests for consideration are not accepted. Once Academic Fresh Start is elected, it may not be revoked. In all cases, students requesting Academic Fresh Start must be Texas residents for the purpose of tuition and fees. Students who were originally exempt from the TeXeS Success Initiative (TSI) because of hours completed prior to fall 1989 and now have chosen to ignore those hours by invoking Academic Fresh Start are still TSI exempt. Coursework that included prerequisites or university requirements, that are ignored through invocation of Academic Fresh Start, must be retaken in order to be admitted to the university or to take upper-level coursework. In order to use the Fresh Start option, students must meet with and Admissions Counselor, provide a written request of their intention to enroll under Fresh Start and sign the Academic Fresh Start Acknowledgement Form. Encumbrance Holds or Service s Indicators An encumbrance is a hold that will not allow a student to register for the next term until all required transcripts, graduate examination scores or other items are received. Encumbrances are usually placed by the third week of classes. Failure to provide official documents may generate holds that will hinder future registration attempts and stop the release of records, including UHCL transcripts. Encumbrances may vary by restriction and type and may be placed by other offices or departments. University Policy on Discretionary Authority The university reserves the right to reject any applicant whose records do not indicate potential success at UHCL, notwithstanding the completion of other requirements. The university also reserves the right to further evaluate any applicant by using psychological, achievement and/or aptitude tests and personal interviews. Additionally, the university reserves the right to reject any applicant who falsifies information submitted for admission or used to determine admissibility to the university, and to deny readmission to any former student who has falsified university documents or used a university official's signature inappropriately for personal benefit or gain. Undergraduate Admission Requirements Applicants seeking admission to University of Houston-Clear Lake, as degree seeking students, must meet the requirements outlined below from a regionally accredited university: Have earned an associate's degree The university encourages students to complete all requirements for the associate's degree whenever possible.; or, Have a minimum of 54 semester hours of college credit with grades of "C" or better. Applicants must have completed the THEA/TASP examination or must have shown college readiness according to the provisions of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) and University of Houston-Clear Lake. Applicants must be eligible to return immediately to the last institution attended. Applicants must have completed college algebra or a higher mathematics course Applicants to the School of Human Sciences and Humanities (HSH) must have completed three semesters of credit hours of College Mathematics of Liberal Arts, College Algebra or a higher mathematics course.. Composition I and II must be completed with a "C-" or better. Students admitted through the Early Admissions Option must be enrolled in the appropriate number of course credits that when added to their completed coursework (with grades of C or better) total the 54 semester hours of college credit required. Applicants must have completed two semesters (six units) of freshman composition with a grade of "C-" or better prior to being admitted to the university. Applicants may be enrolled in Composition II as long as it is completed with a "C-" or better Composition I and II grades must be "C" or better, if used to satisfy the 54 hours of credit required for admission prior to classes beginning or the classes registered for will be cancelled. All students must also show evidence of eligibility to return to the last institution attended. Official transcripts must be received for each regionally accredited academic institution attended for degree-seeking applicants. Applicants who are non-degree seeking are only required to submit the transcripts necessary to show that admissions requirements have been met and that they are eligible to return to the last institution attended. Developmental or Remedial Coursework In calculating admissibility, developmental or remedial courses will not be accepted for transfer purposes and will not count toward meeting the required 54 semester hour requirement for transfer admission or the 45 semester hour requirement for concurrent enrollment. If courses have been repeated, only the last attempt will be considered in evaluating admission requirements. If the last grade earned on a repeated course is "F", the course will not be counted toward meeting the admission requirements, even if a passing grade was earned on an earlier attempt. Undergraduate - Special Admissions Applicants who have not met the undergraduate admission requirements may be approved for admission if the following has been met:Â
Students who wish to enroll in lower-level classes while attending UHCL are encouraged to enroll for these classes at one of the community colleges within commuting range of the university. Concurrent enrollment students are limited to 12 semester credit hours of enrollment at UHCL and must remain in good academic standing. Students who do not meet the 54 hours of "C" or better from an institution outside of UHCL prior to completing 12 semester credits will not be allowed to continue. Students who fall below a grade point average of 2.0 will be placed on academic probation at UHCL and will have an encumbrance hold placed on their record blocking further registration. A concurrent enrollment student who meets regular admission requirements are must submit a new application for admission and verify that all official documents have been received. The application fee is not assessed to concurrent enrollment students who apply for regular student's status. Undergraduate and Graduate transient students who enroll at UHCL for one semester only will not be required to meet the mathematics or composition admission requirements. All other admission criteria must be met. To enroll for a second semester, transient students must submit an additional application and fee to the Office of Admissions. Students should first obtain permission from the associate dean of the appropriate academic department that is offering the course they wish to take as the application fee is non-refundable. Undergraduate transient students are exempt from the TSI only if they meet all five of the following requirements: Are enrolled at a private institution or out-of-state/country institution of higher education Provided evidence of enrollment for the immediately preceding long semester in the form of a transcript, grade report or paid fee receipt. Do not register to enroll for consecutive terms. Sign the Statement of Understanding form "T". Enroll as a non-degree seeking transient for undergraduates (NONDEGTRUG) Transient students planning to enroll in graduate courses in the School of Business must have permission form the Office of the Associate Dean prior to registering for classes. Summer Transient Student Enrollment Students seeking transient status in a summer session must have accumulated at least 30 semester credit hours with grades of "C" or better Grades of C- or below are not acceptable for Summer Transient admission. Students must also have completed six semester hours of freshman composition with grades of C- or better. They will not be required to meet the mathematics admission requirement, but must be in compliance with TSI to show evidence of eligibility to return to their last institution attended. To be admitted, the applicant must complete the application and provided transcripts from all institutions attended. The student must also provide documentation from the home institution stating that the student has been approved to enroll in a specific course by their registrar or academic advisor. Summer transient students are limited to taking six semester credit hours. Admission as a summer transient terminates at the end of the summer sessions. If a student chooses to become a regular student at UHCL, he or she must meet the current undergraduate admissions requirements. (See undergraduate admission requirements) Texas Success Initiative (formerly THEA) The Texas State Education Code requires the assessment of all students in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics skills upon their initial entry in to a Texas institution of higher education. An applicant's performance on this test will affect admissibility to UHCL and all other Texas upper-level universities. To give Texas public higher education more flexibility in their efforts to develop better academic skills among students who need them for success in college, the 78 Texas Legislature repealed the Texas Academic Skill Program and replaced it with the Texas Success Initiative (to be coded as Texas Education Code 51.3062). Transfer students who have attended a public institution of higher education in Texas must have completed the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirement prior to enrolling in upper-level courses. Students who are entering from other Texas public institutions must already have satisfied the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Students entering from out-of-state or private institutions may satisfy TSI requirements based on a review of specific coursework as determined by the Office of Admissions. All students must take the TSI test and pass any portions shown as outstanding after review of previous testing and/or previous coursework. Entering undergraduates (first bachelor's degree candidates) are expected to participate in an assessment of core competencies (e.g., reading, critical thinking and mathematics) developed in the general education curriculum. Students will be randomly selected during their first long semester (fall, spring) of attendance at UHCL. The test results will provide UHCL with the specific information for continuous improvement in teaching and learning. Assessment of General Education Core Competencies All newly accepted transfer undergraduate students are required to participate in the Measurement of Academic Proficiency and Progress (MAPP) test during their first long semester (fall, spring). The MAPP test is a measure of college-level reading, mathematics, writing, and critical thinking skills. The test results will not affect students' grade point average. This assessment is in compliance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirement to assess general education core competencies and will provide UHCL with specific information for continuous improvement in teaching and learning. UHCL will accept CLEP credit only if it has been posted to a student's transcript at another regionally accredited institution of higher education. UHCL will accept credit earned through CLEP, as specified by the faculty for the following purposes:
If approved, up to 18 hours of correspondence, extension or CLEP credit may apply as lower-level credit toward graduation. NO more than three hours in history and in government may be earned through CLEP. UHCL will accept credit earned through CLEP credit for upper-level work, but each academic school or department at UHCL will determine whether CLEP credit can be accepted by the university and applied toward their specific degree requirements. The Office of Admissions evaluates non-traditional learning experiences after receiving appropriate supporting credentials and petitions from students. Credit is recognized only for non-traditional learning experiences as described in the American Council on Education (ACE) publication. ACE recommendations are followed as closely as possible in considering the amount, level and type of credit to be recognized. Recognized non-traditional credits will be treated as transfer credit and may be considered for admission. In some academic degree programs these credits may not be accepted. Previous work, because of its nature and not its inherent quality, may be determined to have no applicability to specific degrees sought by students. This determination is made within each school. Transfer of Undergraduate Credit As an upper-level institution, UHCL does not teach freshman or sophomore courses and cannot equate lower-level courses from other institutions with courses offered at UHCL. Instead, UHCL:
Transfer disputes as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may arise when a lower-level course is not accepted for credit by a Texas institution of higher education. Any dispute between institutions involving transfer of lower-level credit will be handled according to the guidelines and procedure established by the Coordinating Board. A copy of the Coordinating Board guidelines may be obtained in the Office of the Provost or on line at www.uhcl.edu/provost. The University of Houston-Clear Lake has developed a series of articulation agreements with community colleges in the Houston area. The transfer plans are meant as guides to recommended coursework at these colleges that will aid students as they transfer into programs at UHCL. Students who plan to attend, or are currently attending, one of the following colleges are encouraged to work closely with the counseling offices at these institutions as they prepare to transfer. Articulation guides may be obtained at each of these colleges:
Unilink is a program that enables community college students to experience university life while still enrolled as freshmen and sophomores at a community college. The benefits include a signed combined community college and UHCL degree plan under the current UHCL catalog and participation in many UHCL campus activities. Many other benefits are outlined in the program guide. To be eligible to participate students must:
For more information about Unilink, contact an Enrollment Management Counselor in the Office of Admissions at 281-283-2500. Graduate Admission Requirements Applicants who have earned a bachelor's degree from an approved regionally accredited institution and who are eligible to return to the last institution attended will be considered for admission to graduate studies. Admission to the university does not ensure admission to degree candidacy in an academic discipline. Separate admission criteria must be met within each school. Graduate Application Deadlines - Schools Fall - August 1 Spring - December 1 Summer - May 1 Human Sciences and Humanities (non-clinical) Fall - August 1 Spring - December 1 Summer - May 1 Human Sciences and Humanities (Clinical Programs) Clinical Psychology, Family Therapy or School Psychology (university and program applications are required) December 10th through January 25th Counseling (university and program applications are required) Fall - July 1 Spring - October 1 Summer - March 1 Superintendent Certificate Fall - July 15 Spring - November 15 Summer - April 15 Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Ed.D (university and program applications are required)Fall admission only Examinations for Graduate Candidacies All new graduate students must provide scores on one of the following standardized tests to the Office of Admissions except as exempted below. Former students who have not previously submitted graduate examination scores must submit scores during their first semester of re-enrollment unless their school or program requires submission of these scores prior to re-admission. Scores must come directly from the testing agency. Hand-carried or student copies will not be accepted. Applicants should contact the associate dean of the school to which they are applying to determine if there is an application deadline, how scores are considered in the admissions process and if scores more than five years old will be acceptable. If a test is not required before admission to a specific school or program, students may enroll and be admitted on a conditional basis. They will be required to take the appropriate test during their first term of enrollment. Students will not be allowed to register for subsequent terms until scores are received. Non-degree applicants will be exempt from the standardized test requirement but will be required to meet all admissions requirements if they change their status to degree seeking. The university will waive the graduate test score requirement for applicants with an earned doctorate from a U.S. institution, e.g., Ph.D. or Ed.D. Exemptions will be made by the university for applicants who have an M.D., D.D.S. (or other appropriate dental degree) or J.D. degree and are licensed to practice in the U.S. The School of Business will exempt applicants who have earned a graduate degree from a business school accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. A Graduate Acceptance Committee of SCE may ask the Dean to exempt an applicant who has an earned graduate degree in an appropriate field of study from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The GMAT is required. The GRE or MAT is acceptable. The GRE is required. Science and Computer Engineering The GRE is required. The institutional code number for UHCL is R6916 for the GRE. For the GMAT, select your code by program of interest: 1FD-BS-78 Masters in Healthcare Administration 1FD-BS-08 MBA, Part Time 1FD-BS-45 MA in Human Resource Management 1FD-BS-29 MS in Accounting 1FD-BS-71 MS in Environmental Management 1FD-BS-86 MS in Finance 1FD-BS-81 MS in Management Information Systems 1FD-BS-93 MHA/MBA Joint Degree 1FD-BS-97 MS in Computer Information Systems Information can be obtained from testing companies as follows: GMAT1-800-717-4628 GRE1-609-771-7670 or 510-654-1200 MAT1-800-622-3231 All applicants for graduate admission must present documented evidence that they meet the appropriate admission requirements. International students have special documentation requirements. See Documentation for Admission from International Institutions. Applicants seeking admission to a graduate program must:
If the applicant is degree seeking:
If the applicant is non-degree seeking - an official transcript from the highest degree earned is required as well as a transcript from the last institution attended showing eligibility to return. If the applicant is seeking teacher certification - all transcripts are required for use by the School of Education in preparing the teacher certification plan. Transcripts should reach the Office of Admissions at least 30 days prior to the semester in which the student wishes to enroll. If documents are delayed, students may be allowed to register under the following provisions:
Master's degree plans (programs) require a minimum of 30 semester hours; at least the final 24 semester hours must be resident credits earned at UHCL. The possibility of transferring credit toward a master's degree is limited to no more than 12 semester credit hours and in most instances may not exceed six semester credit hours. Previously earned graduate credits are not necessarily applicable:
Undergraduate and Graduate International Applicants Since it may take additional time to obtain and evaluate credentials from higher education institutions outside the United States, all applications and credentials for international applicants must be received by the following deadlines:
In addition to meeting the documentation and admission requirements (see Documentation for Admission from International Institutions, page 11); international students must submit the following:
International students are not eligible to apply for admission as non-degree students. They must apply for degree-seeking status for a specified degree plan (program). All international undergraduate students who have not earned the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree must take the Texas Success Initiative) (TSI) test prior to enrolling in their first semester at UHCL. Graduate students seeking initial teacher certification in the School of Education are required to take the TSI test (see TSI section of catalog). Official SAT or ACT scores may waive TSI requirement. Language Proficiency Requirements for Non-U.S. Citizens All students regardless of immigration status who are citizens of countries where English is not the native language must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) prior to admission. Students must submit a minimum score of 550 on paper tests, with section scores of 50 or higher. A TOEFL score of 213 is the minimum requirement for computer-based tests. Score reports may not be more than two years old. Only original scores will be accepted. For students who choose to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in lieu of the TOEFL, the minimum overall score is 6.0 or higher band. On the new iBT TOEFL test a score of 79 - 80 is required. Procedure to Apply for English Proficiency Waiver Students who request a waiver of the TOEFL or IELTS must submit a petition in writing with supporting documentation to the Office of Admissions a minimum of 60 days prior to the term in which they wish to enroll. Action will be taken only when full documentation is provided. Waiver of the TOEFL or IELTS requirements may be considered only under the following conditions and cannot be waived for students who are on non-immigrant visas.
Co-Enrollment (International Students) International students seeking undergraduate degrees at UHCL may obtain an International Student Advisor's permission to co-enroll at another institution. A concurrent enrollment letter must be obtained from a UHCL international advisor prior to registration at the school where the student will be concurrently enrolled. Proof of payment for concurrent enrollment at another institution of higher education must be provided to a UHCL international advisor for the current semester. Undergraduate applicants who lack no more than nine semester credit hours of lower-level core curriculum or foundation courses may transfer to UHCL and co-enroll at UHCL and another institution to complete the lower-level core or foundation requirements. In all cases, students must maintain full-time status and must enroll for at least three semester credit hours at UHCL. Department of Homeland Security stipulates that no more than three credit hours of on-line courses per semester may be counted towards full-time enrollment for F and J student visa holders. All international students are required to have health insurance including medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. The University provides such insurance and automatically adds the premium to your tuition/fee statement. If you already have adequate coverage through a private insurance company and would like to waive the University coverage, you must complete a waiver form and show proof of insurance at the front counter in the Office of Admissions. Health insurance waivers will be accepted up to the census date (the census date for spring 2007 is January 29, 2007). Waivers and requests for refunds after the census date will not be processed. The University of Houston-Clear Lake is committed to providing the most appropriate and effective academic direction, assistance and support for all students. At UHCL, the function of academic advising is provided directly through the four schools: Human Sciences and Humanities, Science and Computer Engineering, Business, and Education. Matters affecting degree requirements and graduation are best handled by professional advising staff and faculty working directly within the individual academic areas. Each school within UHCL has developed unique advising procedures to best serve the needs of its students. The relationship between student and advisor provides the opportunity to learn more about education choices and objectives, degree requirements, academic policies and procedures, and university resources. All students are strongly urged to contact their academic advisor prior to registering for their first semester at UHCL. Ultimately, the student is responsible for seeking adequate academic advice, knowing and following degree requirements, noting and meeting important academic deadlines, and enrolling in appropriate courses to ensure timely progress toward a degree. A successful academic experience hinges on partnership and communication shared by the student and the advisors. What you can expect from your advisor:
What is expected of you as a student:
How to Prepare for a Meeting with Your Advisor
Become familiar with the advising process in your chosen school. Make sure your advisor has your most current contact information. Plan ahead and ask questions so your academic progress, decision-making and attainment of your university degree can be achieved with utmost success.
ACADEMIC ADVISING CORE VALUES (NACADA: National Academic Advising Association) Students deserve dependable, accurate, respectful, honest, friendly, and professional service. In order to serve students well, academic advisors understand that they are responsible to many constituents who comprise our academic communities. Advisors are responsible to the individuals they advise. Advisors are responsible for involving others, when appropriate, in the advising process. Advisors are responsible to their institutions. Advisors are responsible to higher education. Advisors are responsible to their community. Advisors are responsible for their professional practices and for themselves personally. |