by
Gary
M. Lavergne, Director of Research
Office of Admissions
The University of Texas at Austin
|
Cindy Hargett, Senior Systems Analyst
Student Information Systems
The University of Texas at Austin
|
Printer Friendly PDF Version
Background
This
is the result of an inquiry into the average number of semester credit hours undergraduates earn at the time of their graduation.
The objective was to determine whether University of Texas students were
earning significantly more hours than necessary for the completion of their
degree programs. This investigation is related to the larger issue of campus
overcrowding and the amount of time students are taking to earn their degrees.
The Data
Tables
1 and 2 illustrate the degrees granted by the University of Texas for the
calendar years 1998 and 1999. “N” refers to the number of students earning
each degree. “M” refers to the mean hours earned by the students at the
time of graduation. These semester hours include credit-by-examination hours.
Table
1 includes all degrees earned by all students. Some students earned more than
one degree during 1998 and 1999; in Table 1 they are counted as many times as
degrees they earned.
Table
2 purges those students who earned more than one degree.
It is included to answer a concern that the mean semester hours earned
(in Table 1) at the time of graduation may have been inflated by those earning
more than one degree. This does not appear to be the case as the difference
between means in Tables 1 and 2 is only approximately two semester hours.
Bracketed
numbers in green are the minimum number of hours required to earn the degree
Table 1
The University of Texas at Austin
Mean Number of Semester Hours Passed at
Time of Graduation
1998-1999
(Note:
N=number of students; M=mean number of semester hours passed at time of
graduation.)
|
Degrees
Conferred
|
1998
|
1999
|
|
Spring
|
SM/Fall
|
1998
Total
|
Spring
|
SM/Fall
|
1999
Total
|
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
|
110-Bachelor
of Arts (120)
|
1579
|
139.46
|
1451
|
138.83
|
3030
|
139.16
|
1632
|
139.44
|
1465
|
138.89
|
3097
|
139.18
|
|
120-Bachelor
of Architecture (167)
|
25
|
183.16
|
22
|
187.50
|
47
|
185.19
|
29
|
187.03
|
16
|
189.94
|
45
|
188.07
|
|
130-Bachelor
of Arts in Art (120)
|
45
|
136.82
|
57
|
149.40
|
102
|
143.85
|
47
|
142.53
|
41
|
135.32
|
88
|
139.17
|
|
140-Bachelor
of Arts in Dance (125)
|
|
|
1
|
155.00
|
1
|
155.00
|
2
|
172.50
|
|
|
2
|
172.50
|
|
150-Bachelor
of Arts in Drama (120)
|
7
|
142.00
|
7
|
145.43
|
14
|
143.71
|
2
|
143.50
|
2
|
148.50
|
4
|
146.00
|
|
160-Bachelor
of Arts in Music (120)
|
10
|
180.20
|
5
|
181.60
|
15
|
180.67
|
7
|
186.71
|
3
|
177.33
|
10
|
183.90
|
|
165-Bachelor
of Arts in Theatre and Dance (120)
|
11
|
143.00
|
19
|
141.58
|
30
|
142.10
|
22
|
145.55
|
16
|
140.44
|
38
|
143.39
|
|
170-Bachelor
of Business Administration (120)
|
648
|
141.74
|
450
|
139.60
|
1098
|
140.87
|
675
|
140.61
|
376
|
140.12
|
1051
|
140.44
|
|
190-Bachelor
of Fine Arts (120)
|
83
|
145.22
|
54
|
152.30
|
137
|
148.01
|
74
|
151.27
|
72
|
145.15
|
146
|
148.25
|
|
200-Bachelor
of Journalism (120)
|
153
|
131.68
|
154
|
131.38
|
307
|
131.53
|
136
|
129.88
|
126
|
131.58
|
262
|
130.69
|
|
210-Bachelor
of Music (123)
|
28
|
173.25
|
13
|
184.23
|
41
|
176.73
|
38
|
161.03
|
10
|
180.20
|
48
|
165.02
|
|
215-Bachelor
of Social Work (125)
|
36
|
141.19
|
42
|
143.05
|
78
|
142.19
|
51
|
136.04
|
35
|
136.14
|
86
|
136.08
|
|
220-Bachelor
of Science in Advertising (120)
|
107
|
132.19
|
124
|
134.05
|
231
|
133.19
|
118
|
133.39
|
100
|
135.27
|
218
|
134.25
|
|
230-Bachelor
of Science in Aerospace Engineering (128)
|
17
|
160.41
|
23
|
165.13
|
40
|
163.13
|
20
|
163.65
|
15
|
165.80
|
35
|
164.57
|
|
235-B.
S. Applied Learning and Development (130)
|
122
|
149.16
|
184
|
147.35
|
306
|
148.07
|
163
|
148.87
|
166
|
146.53
|
329
|
147.69
|
|
240-Bachelor
of Science in Architectural Engineering (126/197)
|
20
|
163.30
|
18
|
164.00
|
38
|
163.63
|
30
|
162.40
|
23
|
149.87
|
53
|
156.96
|
|
250-Bachelor
of Science in Architectural Studies (125)
|
3
|
134.67
|
4
|
162.50
|
7
|
150.57
|
2
|
158.50
|
6
|
155.50
|
8
|
156.25
|
|
255-Bachelor
of Science in Biochemistry (127)
|
26
|
157.15
|
24
|
157.96
|
50
|
157.54
|
29
|
156.28
|
22
|
157.86
|
51
|
156.96
|
|
260-Bachelor
of Science in Biology (126)
|
63
|
151.59
|
49
|
158.65
|
112
|
154.68
|
53
|
153.08
|
46
|
154.89
|
99
|
153.92
|
|
265-Bachelor
of Science in Botany (131)
|
2
|
148.50
|
1
|
161.00
|
3
|
152.67
|
1
|
171.00
|
1
|
141.00
|
2
|
156.00
|
|
280-Bachelor
of Science in Chemical Engineering (128)
|
74
|
155.35
|
66
|
156.50
|
140
|
155.89
|
60
|
157.88
|
55
|
158.56
|
115
|
158.21
|
|
290-Bachelor
of Science in Chemistry (127)
|
14
|
161.86
|
13
|
162.08
|
27
|
161.96
|
18
|
149.50
|
11
|
149.27
|
29
|
149.41
|
|
295-B.
S. in Child Development and
Family Relations (126)
|
23
|
143.22
|
35
|
141.86
|
58
|
142.40
|
23
|
142.70
|
33
|
139.64
|
56
|
140.89
|
|
300-Bachelor
of Science in Civil Engineering (124)
|
49
|
156.00
|
40
|
152.58
|
89
|
154.46
|
37
|
154.59
|
35
|
150.57
|
72
|
152.64
|
|
303-B.
S. Communication Sciences and Disorders (120)
|
58
|
136.47
|
44
|
132.41
|
102
|
134.72
|
65
|
133.00
|
43
|
138.02
|
108
|
135.00
|
|
304-Bachelor
of Science in Communication Studies (120)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
78
|
132.76
|
78
|
132.76
|
|
305-Bachelor
of Science in Computer Sciences (130)
|
64
|
168.59
|
109
|
154.75
|
173
|
159.87
|
95
|
162.22
|
94
|
157.77
|
189
|
160.01
|
|
320-Bachelor
of Science in Electrical Engineering (128)
|
92
|
155.95
|
123
|
151.33
|
215
|
153.30
|
129
|
151.79
|
143
|
155.45
|
272
|
153.71
|
|
345-Bachelor
of Science in Geological Sciences (126)
|
7
|
162.86
|
14
|
172.86
|
21
|
169.52
|
9
|
157.33
|
19
|
166.42
|
28
|
163.50
|
|
347-B.
S. in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology (135)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
257.00
|
|
|
1
|
257.00
|
|
353-Bachelor
of Science in Interior Design (126)
|
19
|
146.63
|
25
|
160.20
|
44
|
154.34
|
13
|
150.69
|
31
|
163.10
|
44
|
159.43
|
|
355-Bachelor
of Science in Kinesiology (130)
|
71
|
145.92
|
72
|
146.56
|
143
|
146.24
|
42
|
147.60
|
69
|
147.87
|
111
|
147.77
|
|
360-Bachelor
of Science in Mathematics (126)
|
25
|
159.96
|
20
|
168.10
|
45
|
163.58
|
28
|
157.00
|
27
|
157.07
|
55
|
157.04
|
|
370-Bachelor
of Science in Mechanical Engineering (128)
|
100
|
152.05
|
95
|
155.53
|
195
|
153.74
|
73
|
151.34
|
100
|
154.16
|
173
|
152.97
|
|
380-Bachelor
of Science in Medical Technology
|
|
|
15
|
151.00
|
15
|
151.00
|
3
|
131.67
|
12
|
151.42
|
15
|
147.47
|
|
385-Bachelor
of Science in Microbiology (120)
|
25
|
151.04
|
15
|
149.87
|
40
|
150.60
|
22
|
147.68
|
15
|
151.93
|
37
|
149.41
|
|
390-Bachelor
of Science in Nursing (139)
|
46
|
167.91
|
61
|
170.23
|
107
|
169.23
|
63
|
166.54
|
37
|
168.86
|
100
|
167.40
|
|
395-Bachelor
of Science in Nutrition (126)
|
31
|
161.61
|
12
|
150.00
|
43
|
158.37
|
37
|
155.32
|
16
|
153.56
|
53
|
154.79
|
|
400-Bachelor
of Science in Petroleum Engineering (130)
|
12
|
175.25
|
6
|
172.83
|
18
|
174.44
|
13
|
156.38
|
8
|
154.88
|
21
|
155.81
|
|
410-Bachelor
of Science in Pharmacy
|
37
|
208.65
|
46
|
210.61
|
83
|
209.73
|
14
|
202.71
|
21
|
212.05
|
35
|
208.31
|
|
430-Bachelor
of Science in Physics (126)
|
11
|
159.09
|
15
|
175.87
|
26
|
168.77
|
10
|
157.60
|
15
|
156.40
|
25
|
156.88
|
|
435-Bachelor
of Science in Public Relations (120)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
135.00
|
6
|
126.83
|
8
|
128.88
|
|
440-Bachelor
of Science in Radio-Television-Film (120)
|
116
|
137.95
|
140
|
134.59
|
256
|
136.11
|
134
|
134.36
|
136
|
132.63
|
270
|
133.49
|
|
450-Bachelor
of Science in Speech (120)
|
47
|
130.57
|
89
|
136.28
|
136
|
134.31
|
107
|
130.61
|
54
|
131.48
|
161
|
130.90
|
|
455-Bachelor
of Science in Textiles and Apparel (126)
|
6
|
155.83
|
15
|
157.07
|
21
|
156.71
|
14
|
148.21
|
17
|
145.18
|
31
|
146.55
|
|
460-Bachelor
of Science in Zoology (120)
|
23
|
152.43
|
24
|
160.25
|
47
|
156.43
|
28
|
158.36
|
23
|
153.00
|
51
|
155.94
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
Degrees Conferred
|
3935
|
144.31
|
3796
|
144.51
|
7731
|
144.41
|
4171
|
143.40
|
3639
|
143.25
|
7810
|
143.33
|
|
Degrees
Conferred
|
1998
|
1999
|
|
Spring
|
SM/Fall
|
1998
Total
|
Spring
|
SM/Fall
|
1999
Total
|
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
N
|
M
|
|
110-Bachelor
of Arts
|
1481
|
137.24
|
1365
|
136.92
|
2846
|
137.09
|
1517
|
137.19
|
1385
|
137.01
|
2902
|
137.10
|
|
120-Bachelor
of Architecture
|
22
|
180.73
|
20
|
184.75
|
42
|
182.64
|
27
|
185.04
|
15
|
186.27
|
42
|
185.48
|
|
130-Bachelor
of Arts in Art
|
38
|
132.05
|
42
|
141.10
|
80
|
136.80
|
41
|
134.00
|
35
|
131.94
|
76
|
133.05
|
|
140-Bachelor
of Arts in Dance
|
|
|
1
|
155.00
|
1
|
155.00
|
1
|
161.00
|
|
|
1
|
161.00
|
|
150-Bachelor
of Arts in Drama
|
6
|
138.33
|
6
|
140.83
|
12
|
139.58
|
2
|
143.50
|
1
|
132.00
|
3
|
139.67
|
|
160-Bachelor
of Arts in Music
|
9
|
180.22
|
5
|
181.60
|
14
|
180.71
|
5
|
171.60
|
3
|
177.33
|
8
|
173.75
|
|
165-Bachelor
of Arts in Theatre and Dance
|
11
|
143.00
|
18
|
138.56
|
29
|
140.24
|
21
|
144.19
|
16
|
140.44
|
37
|
142.57
|
|
170-Bachelor
of Business Administration
|
627
|
140.75
|
432
|
138.30
|
1056
|
139.75
|
641
|
139.08
|
359
|
138.92
|
1000
|
139.02
|
|
190-Bachelor
of Fine Arts
|
79
|
143.18
|
47
|
149.83
|
126
|
145.66
|
66
|
145.64
|
69
|
143.90
|
135
|
144.75
|
|
200-Bachelor
of Journalism
|
141
|
129.47
|
146
|
130.38
|
287
|
129.93
|
125
|
128.27
|
117
|
129.59
|
242
|
128.91
|
|
210-Bachelor
of Music
|
28
|
173.25
|
13
|
184.23
|
41
|
176.73
|
37
|
159.43
|
10
|
180.20
|
47
|
163.85
|
|
215-Bachelor
of Social Work
|
35
|
140.86
|
42
|
143.05
|
77
|
142.05
|
50
|
135.64
|
34
|
135.29
|
84
|
135.50
|
|
220-Bachelor
of Science in Advertising
|
106
|
131.99
|
120
|
133.38
|
226
|
132.73
|
111
|
132.27
|
93
|
133.63
|
204
|
132.89
|
|
230-Bachelor
of Science in Aerospace Engineering
|
16
|
156.25
|
21
|
156.48
|
37
|
156.38
|
20
|
163.65
|
15
|
165.80
|
35
|
164.57
|
|
235-Bachelor
of Science in Applied Learning and Development
|
120
|
148.89
|
183
|
147.15
|
303
|
147.84
|
159
|
148.15
|
164
|
146.21
|
323
|
147.16
|
|
240-Bachelor
of Science in Architectural Engineering
|
19
|
159.95
|
16
|
159.81
|
35
|
159.89
|
29
|
161.03
|
23
|
149.87
|
52
|
156.10
|
|
250-Bachelor
of Science in Architectural Studies
|
3
|
134.67
|
4
|
162.50
|
7
|
150.57
|
2
|
158.50
|
6
|
155.50
|
8
|
156.25
|
|
255-Bachelor
of Science in Biochemistry
|
22
|
150.50
|
23
|
156.74
|
45
|
153.69
|
24
|
149.58
|
19
|
153.05
|
43
|
151.12
|
|
260-Bachelor
of Science in Biology
|
53
|
148.30
|
43
|
152.60
|
96
|
150.23
|
48
|
151.50
|
40
|
149.55
|
88
|
150.61
|
|
265-Bachelor
of Science in Botany
|
2
|
148.50
|
1
|
161.00
|
3
|
152.67
|
1
|
171.00
|
1
|
141.00
|
2
|
156.00
|
|
280-Bachelor
of Science in Chemical Engineering
|
71
|
153.21
|
63
|
153.40
|
134
|
153.30
|
60
|
157.88
|
55
|
158.56
|
115
|
158.21
|
|
290-Bachelor
of Science in Chemistry
|
13
|
159.54
|
11
|
152.00
|
24
|
156.08
|
16
|
146.06
|
11
|
149.27
|
27
|
147.37
|
|
295-B.
S. in Child Development and
Family Relations
|
23
|
143.22
|
35
|
141.86
|
58
|
142.40
|
22
|
141.82
|
33
|
139.64
|
55
|
140.51
|
|
300-Bachelor
of Science in Civil Engineering
|
47
|
152.53
|
40
|
152.58
|
87
|
152.55
|
36
|
154.11
|
35
|
150.57
|
71
|
152.37
|
|
303-Bachelor
of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders
|
55
|
134.60
|
43
|
131.53
|
98
|
133.26
|
63
|
131.65
|
40
|
136.83
|
103
|
133.66
|
|
304-Bachelor
of Science in Communication Studies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
75
|
131.85
|
75
|
131.85
|
|
305-Bachelor
of Science in Computer Sciences
|
49
|
160.16
|
100
|
151.32
|
149
|
154.23
|
83
|
157.19
|
83
|
153.78
|
166
|
155.49
|
|
320-Bachelor
of Science in Electrical Engineering
|
90
|
154.88
|
122
|
151.12
|
212
|
152.72
|
124
|
149.85
|
135
|
151.64
|
259
|
150.78
|
|
345-Bachelor
of Science in Geological Sciences
|
7
|
162.86
|
11
|
162.55
|
18
|
162.67
|
9
|
157.33
|
18
|
163.22
|
27
|
161.26
|
|
347-B.
S. in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
257.00
|
|
|
1
|
257.00
|
|
353-Bachelor
of Science in Interior Design
|
19
|
146.63
|
24
|
160.08
|
43
|
154.14
|
13
|
150.69
|
26
|
156.38
|
39
|
154.49
|
|
355-Bachelor
of Science in Kinesiology
|
71
|
145.92
|
71
|
146.03
|
142
|
145.97
|
42
|
147.60
|
67
|
146.24
|
109
|
146.76
|
|
360-Bachelor
of Science in Mathematics
|
15
|
143.47
|
14
|
150.36
|
29
|
146.79
|
16
|
146.00
|
18
|
147.94
|
34
|
147.03
|
|
370-Bachelor
of Science in Mechanical Engineering
|
98
|
151.24
|
93
|
154.05
|
191
|
152.61
|
73
|
151.34
|
98
|
151.96
|
171
|
151.70
|
|
380-Bachelor
of Science in Medical Technology
|
|
|
13
|
146.46
|
13
|
146.46
|
3
|
131.67
|
8
|
138.88
|
11
|
136.91
|
|
385-Bachelor
of Science in Microbiology
|
23
|
149.43
|
15
|
149.87
|
38
|
149.61
|
19
|
145.05
|
11
|
145.18
|
30
|
145.10
|
|
390-Bachelor
of Science in Nursing
|
46
|
167.91
|
59
|
168.07
|
105
|
168.00
|
60
|
163.25
|
35
|
166.09
|
95
|
164.29
|
|
395-Bachelor
of Science in Nutrition
|
30
|
159.30
|
12
|
150.00
|
42
|
156.64
|
37
|
155.32
|
15
|
149.53
|
52
|
153.65
|
|
400-Bachelor
of Science in Petroleum Engineering
|
12
|
175.25
|
6
|
172.83
|
18
|
174.44
|
13
|
156.38
|
8
|
154.88
|
21
|
155.81
|
|
410-Bachelor
of Science in Pharmacy
|
35
|
206.57
|
44
|
208.39
|
79
|
207.58
|
13
|
199.38
|
20
|
207.10
|
33
|
204.06
|
|
430-Bachelor
of Science in Physics
|
9
|
152.33
|
10
|
162.90
|
19
|
157.89
|
6
|
146.00
|
11
|
149.09
|
17
|
148.00
|
|
435-Bachelor
of Science in Public Relations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
135.00
|
6
|
126.83
|
8
|
128.88
|
|
440-Bachelor
of Science in Radio-Television-Film
|
99
|
134.13
|
130
|
133.12
|
229
|
133.55
|
118
|
131.42
|
130
|
131.65
|
248
|
131.54
|
|
450-Bachelor
of Science in Speech
|
47
|
130.57
|
87
|
136.05
|
134
|
134.13
|
101
|
128.80
|
52
|
129.81
|
153
|
129.14
|
|
455-Bachelor
of Science in Textiles and Apparel
|
6
|
155.83
|
15
|
157.07
|
21
|
156.71
|
14
|
148.21
|
17
|
145.18
|
31
|
146.55
|
|
460-Bachelor
of Science in Zoology
|
18
|
148.50
|
17
|
153.65
|
35
|
151.00
|
22
|
151.73
|
20
|
150.90
|
42
|
151.33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All
Degrees Conferred
|
3701
|
142.31
|
3583
|
142.55
|
7284
|
142.43
|
3893
|
141.27
|
3432
|
141.27
|
7325
|
141.27
|
