Statement on Equal Educational Opportunity

To the extent provided by applicable law, no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity sponsored or conducted by The University of Texas System or any of its component institutions on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.

Accreditation

The University of Texas at Austin is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone number (404) 697-4501) to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas was established by the state legislature in 1881; by popular vote, the Main University was located at Austin and the Medical Branch at Galveston. The Austin campus was opened in September, 1883, with a faculty of 8 and a student body of 218; about three-quarters of the students were registered in the Academic Department and the remainder in the Law Department. In the intervening eleven decades, the central campus has grown from 40 to more than 360 acres, while the student body has increased to about 38,000 undergraduates and 12,000 graduate students. In 1967, with the creation of The University of Texas System, the name of the Main University was changed to the University of Texas at Austin.

University students represent both the diverse population of the state and the full range of contemporary scholarship: an undergraduate may choose courses from more than 160 fields of study while pursuing any of more than 100 majors. Undergraduate study is supported by extensive mainframe and microcomputer facilities and by one of the largest academic libraries in the nation. Students also benefit from the broad range of scholarly and technical research conducted by the faculty and the research staff.

The city of Austin, with a population of about 600,000, is a relaxed and cosmopolitan setting for the University. The city is home to respected professional communities in theatre, dance, the visual arts, and classical and popular music that offer a wide range of cultural events. Students may also take part in recreational activities made possible by the temperate climate and Austin's location in the Hill Country of central Texas.

For further historical and current information about the University, see General Information.

The Mission of the University

The mission of the University is to achieve excellence in the interrelated areas of undergraduate education, graduate education, research, and public service. The University provides superior and comprehensive educational opportunities at the baccalaureate through doctoral and special professional educational levels. The University contributes to the advancement of society through research, creative activity, scholarly inquiry, and the development of new knowledge. The University preserves and promotes the arts, benefits the state economy, serves the citizens through public programs, and provides other public service.

The University of Texas System

The University of Texas at Austin is the largest component of The University of Texas System. The system is governed by a nine-member Board of Regents appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the state Senate. In addition to the University, the system consists of the following institutions:

The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Brownsville
The University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas - Pan American
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas at Tyler
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler

Organization of the University

Academic Affairs

Subject to the supervision of the Board of Regents and to the authority the board has vested in administrative officers, the General Faculty is responsible for the governance of the University. The president is the chief executive officer; the executive vice president and provost is the chief academic officer. The administration of each college or school is the responsibility of that division's dean; in most colleges and schools an associate or assistant dean for academic affairs oversees the day-to-day academic life of the division. Several colleges are further divided into departments and academic centers; academic and administrative matters in these units are the responsibility of the department chairman or center director. A list of the University's colleges and schools and their constituent departments and academic centers is given in General Information and in "Degree Programs."

Student Services

Student services are provided by the Division of Student Affairs, under the direction of the vice president for student affairs. The division consists of the following units, each of which offers programs that supplement the classroom experience and enrich the quality of campus life. The services of each unit are more fully described in General Information. Services provided by the colleges and schools are described in chapters 2 through 12 of this catalog.

The Office of Admissions is responsible for recruitment, application processing, residency decisions, and the transfer of credit.

The Office of the Registrar oversees registration, maintains and certifies student records, issues diplomas and transcripts, and publishes catalogs, course schedules, and final examination schedules.

Counseling, Learning, and Career Services provides personal counseling, learning assistance programs, career development assistance, and crisis intervention.

The Office of the Dean of Students administers orientation programs, provides facilities and support for registered student organizations, administers disciplinary proceedings, and assists students with disabilities and others with special needs and concerns.

Student Financial Services administers loans, grants, and scholarships provided by the University, the state, and the federal government.

University Health Services provides complete ambulatory health care and pharmacy services to students and conducts a number of health education programs.

The Division of Housing and Food Service operates the University residence halls, which house 5,400 men and women, as well as cooperative houses for women and family apartments.

The International Office directs programs for international students, faculty members, staff members, and visitors and for University students going abroad.

The Division of Recreational Sports sponsors team, dual, and individual intramural sports, sports clubs, and outdoor recreation programs and provides excellent facilities for informal recreation.

The Texas Union serves as the University's community center, offering programs for students and faculty and staff members that promote intellectual, cultural, social, and recreational development.

Texas Student Publications publishes the campus newspaper the Daily Texan, the Cactus and Peregrinus yearbooks, and the University Directory. TSP also oversees the student-run KVR-TV and KVRX Radio.

Legal Services for Students provides students with legal advice, representation, and referral.

Degree Programs

The eleven undergraduate colleges and schools of the University offer the majors listed in the first column; the degree(s) available in each field are given in the second column. Degree programs are described in chapters 2 through 12.

The University offers graduate study in most of the following areas and in other fields. Information about graduate courses and degrees and other information for graduate students is given in The Graduate Catalog.

Contents  |  Next File

Undergraduate catalog

Contents  |  Chapter 1  |  Chapter 2  |  Chapter 3  |  Chapter 4
Chapter 5  |  Chapter 6  |  Chapter 7  |  Chapter 8  |  Chapter 9
Chapter 10  |  Chapter 11  |  Chapter 12  |  Chapter 13
Texas Common Course Numbering System (Appendix A)
Appendix B

Related information

Catalogs  |  Course Schedules  |  Academic Calendars
Office of Admissions