"Engineering" is published as several files. Use the links above to see the table of
contents for the whole chapter, or other files within the chapter.
In engineering degree programs, the major sequence is a set of courses in which
the student learns to put to engineering use the concepts learned in the basic
sequence. Major sequence courses are normally taken in the last two years of
undergraduate study.
Students must apply to the Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall
2.200, for admission to a major sequence. The following requirements apply both
to students seeking to transfer to the college from another institution and to
those currently enrolled at the University, either in another college or school
or in a basic sequence of courses in the College of Engineering.
- Applications for admission to the major sequence are evaluated by the College
of Engineering Admissions Committee. The criteria for admission vary from
semester to semester; these criteria are printed on the degree audit that each
student receives each semester. One admission criterion common to all degree
programs is the grade point average earned in the basic sequence courses
completed at the University.
- To be eligible for admission to a major sequence, the applicant must have
received credit from the University for the basic sequence of courses of the
degree plan, either by completing the courses at the University or by receiving
transfer credit for equivalent courses taken elsewhere. The student must not be
on scholastic probation according to University regulations and must not be on
academic probation according to the regulations of the College of Engineering.
For the basic sequence of courses in each degree plan, see the description of
each degree plan later in this chapter.
- No engineering student may register for a course identified as a major
sequence course in any of the degree plans of the College of Engineering unless
the student has been admitted to the major sequence. The prerequisites of some
courses indicate that students who have not been admitted to the major sequence
may register with the consent of the instructor. In this case, the instructor
has the authority to admit nonengineering majors to the class if they are
otherwise qualified but may not admit engineering majors who have not been
admitted to the appropriate major sequence.
- An applicant who has not previously been registered at the University must
be admitted to the University as described in
General Information.
Admission to the University does not imply or guarantee admission to a major
sequence in the College of Engineering. A student's application to the major
sequence is considered only after the student has been admitted to the
University.
- Application for admission to a major sequence must be made using the
appropriate form obtained from the Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell
Jr. Hall 2.200.
- A student who is currently enrolled in the college must submit a completed
application form.
- A student seeking to transfer from another institution must first be
admitted to the University by the Office of Admissions. Each transfer student
must then confer with the transfer adviser for the major under which the
student was admitted to the College of Engineering. A student who wishes to
change majors within the College of Engineering after being admitted to the
University must consult the Office of Student Affairs.
- Deadlines for submitting completed applications to the College of
Engineering Admissions Committee for admission to a major sequence are October
1 for entrance in the following spring semester and March 1 for entrance in
either the following summer session or the following fall semester. Application
forms should be returned to the Office of Student Affairs, College of
Engineering, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712-1080.
- A student who has been admitted to a major sequence but does not enroll,
and who wishes to enter in a subsequent semester, must reapply for admission to
a major sequence and must meet all requirements in force at the time of
reapplication. A student who has been admitted to the University but does not
enroll must reapply to the University for admission according to the policies
in force at the time of reapplication.
- A student who has been enrolled in a major sequence and wishes to return
to the college after being out for two or more semesters must apply for
admission or readmission to a major sequence on the basis of all requirements
in force at the time of return. A student who has been out of the University
for at least one long-session semester must apply for readmission to the
University.
- Any student who has been denied admission to a major sequence will not be
considered for admission for a subsequent semester unless reapplication is
made.
General Information gives information about registration, adding and
dropping courses, transfer from one division of the University to another, and
auditing a course. The
Course Schedule, published before registration
each semester and summer session, includes registration instructions, advising
locations, and the times, places, and instructors of classes. The Course
Schedule and General Information are sold at campus-area bookstores.
They are also published on the World Wide Web and are accessible through the
registrar's Web site, http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/.
To register for a course, a student must fulfill the prerequisite given in the
catalog or Course Schedule. If the student has not fulfilled the
prerequisite, he or she must obtain the approval of the department offering the
course before registering for it.
During the summer, orientation sessions are held to acquaint entering students
with many aspects of life at the University. The required and optional
placement tests described in this chapter are given during these sessions.
Before they register, all engineering students must take the required tests.
Abbreviated orientation programs are offered just before the beginning of each
semester and summer session.
An engineering student must have the approval of the dean before registering
concurrently at another institution and before enrolling in correspondence or
extension coursework either at the University or elsewhere. Application for
this approval should be made at the Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell
Jr. Hall 2.200. The student may not enroll concurrently during his or her last
semester in any course to be counted toward the degree.
To facilitate movement through an academic program, each engineering student
must meet with an academic adviser before registering for each semester or
summer session. The student may not register until the adviser has approved the
student's proposed schedule of courses. Approval as specified by the student's
major department is required for any change from the set of courses initially
approved. Continued registration for courses without proper approval is
justification for the student to be dropped from such courses. Students are
also required to consult their advisers whenever they change their academic
programs. Departmental advisers are available throughout the year to discuss
matters that affect the student's performance.
A computer-generated advising audit is prepared for each student each semester;
the student should review this audit every semester through IDA, the
University's Interactive Degree Audit System. The advising audit lists the
courses remaining in the student's degree plan and the requirements the student
has not yet fulfilled. It normally provides an accurate statement of
requirements, but the student is responsible for knowing the exact requirements
for the degree as stated in a catalog under which he or she is entitled to
graduate and for registering so as to fulfill those requirements. The student
should seek an official ruling in the Office of Student Affairs before
registering if in doubt about any requirement.
A transfer student registering in the College of Engineering for the first time
is advised by an undergraduate adviser from the department in which the student
will be enrolled. To be advised properly, the student must have both the
transcripts of work completed at other colleges and the evaluation of that work
by the University's Office of Admissions.
Many students find the counseling they receive from their academic advisers and
from other faculty members and students will suffice. However, some find it
desirable to discuss matters with counselors in the college's Office of Student
Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200.
The purpose of the Office of Student Affairs is to advise and counsel students
about problems or concerns they have about their academic work or life in the
college.
University counseling services are also available from the Counseling and
Mental Health Center, the Telephone Counseling and Referral Service, the
Learning Skills Center, and the Student Health Center. These offices are
described in
General Information.
A student may transfer to the College of Engineering from another division of
the University in accordance with the regulations given in
General
Information.
A University student who wants to transfer to a major in the College of
Engineering must submit an application to that major; this is true both for
students in other colleges of the University and for students in other
engineering majors. Applications must be submitted by March 1 for admission in
the summer or fall and by October 1 for admission in the spring. Admission to
all engineering majors is offered as space is available to the students who are
academically best qualified.
If a student who has been admitted to a major sequence is granted admission to
another major, he or she must complete all the requirements of the basic
sequence of the new major and must apply for admission to the new major
sequence on the basis of the curriculum in effect at the time of application.
A student who is admitted to the University but denied admission to an
engineering major may seek admission to another major. He or she may not then
apply to transfer to the original major for at least one calendar year.
- As used in (2), (3), and (4) below, "coursework" includes correspondence
courses, extension courses, nonrequired electives, physical activity courses,
and courses for which the student is registered concurrently at another
institution.
- In their first semester at the University, engineering freshmen and
transfer students may register for no more than sixteen semester hours of
coursework.
- After their first semester at the University, engineering students may
register for no more than eighteen semester hours of coursework a semester,
unless they earned at least fifty-four grade points during the preceding
semester. To register for more than eighteen hours, the student must file an
Irregular Student Petition as described below.
- No student may register for more than twenty-one semester hours of
coursework during any long-session semester.
A normal course load in the College of Engineering is fifteen to eighteen hours
a semester; the suggested arrangement of courses for each degree program is
based on this load. An engineering student may not enroll in fewer than
fourteen semester hours of coursework except with the written approval of the
dean. Twelve of the fourteen hours must be applicable to the degree. All
elective courses counted toward the twelve hours applicable to the degree must
be on the lists of electives in this chapter
or be approved by the departmental
undergraduate adviser. Physical activity courses may not be used to meet these
requirements. To register for fewer than fourteen hours, the student must file
an Irregular Student Petition as described below.
A student may not receive credit for more than fourteen semester hours during a
twelve-week summer session nor for more than eight semester hours in a six-week
summer term. These limits apply whether the courses are taken at the University
or another institution. For more information about the quantity of work allowed
in the summer, see
General Information.
A student may request permission to register for fewer than fourteen hours or
for more than eighteen hours by filling out an Irregular Student Petition,
available in the Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200. The
student may not register for fewer than fourteen or more than eighteen hours
unless the Irregular Student Petition has been approved by an engineering
counselor.
A student who is employed, either by the University or elsewhere, must report
the number of hours of employment to his or her adviser when meeting with the
adviser before registering each semester or summer session. All changes in
employment, including the number of hours employed, must be reported promptly
to the Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200.
University regulations specify that the combined number of hours of University
employment and semester hour load may not exceed forty hours a week. A useful
guideline is that the number of hours of employment plus three times the
semester hour load should not exceed fifty-six. Some students may find a lower
number to be more realistic.
The official grade in a course is the last final grade reported. If a student
repeats a course and has two or more grades, all grades and all semester hours
are used in calculating the University grade point average, in determining the
student's scholastic eligibility to remain in the University, and in
determining the student's academic standing in the College of Engineering. A
student in the College of Engineering may not repeat for a letter grade a
course in which he or she has earned a grade of C or better.
An engineering student must have the dean's approval to add or drop a course
after the fourth class day of the semester or after the second class day of a
summer term. Adds and drops are not approved after the fourth class day except
for good cause. "Good cause" is interpreted to be documented evidence of an
extenuating nonacademic circumstance (such as health or personal problems) that
did not exist on or before the fourth class day. Applications for approval to
drop a course after the fourth class day should be made in the Office of
Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200.
Engineering students are expected to attend all meetings of the classes for
which they are registered. Students who fail to attend class regularly are
inviting scholastic difficulty. In some courses instructors may have special
attendance requirements that should be made known to students during the first
week of classes. With the approval of the dean, a student may be dropped from a
course with a grade of F for repeated unexcused absences.
In addition to regulations given in
General Information, the College of
Engineering imposes the following academic standards. Students who fail to meet
the regulations stated in General Information are placed on "scholastic
probation" by the University. The probationary status given to those who fail
to meet the following college standards is "academic probation."
- A student is placed on academic probation in engineering under the following
circumstances:
- If, after the student has taken at least six semester hours in the major
area of study, his or her grade point average in the major area of study falls
below 2.00. The "major area of study" includes all courses taken in residence
in the student's discipline (chemical, electrical, mechanical, or petroleum and
geosystems engineering) and required under the student's engineering degree
plan. For architectural engineering and civil engineering majors, the major
area includes all courses in both architectural engineering and civil
engineering; for aerospace engineering majors, the major area includes all
courses in both aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics; for geosystems
engineering and hydrogeology majors, the major area includes all courses in
both geology and petroleum and geosystems engineering.
- If the student's grade point average in required technical courses taken
in residence falls below 2.00. "Required technical courses" are courses taken
in the College of Engineering or the College of Natural Sciences and required
under the student's engineering degree plan; they include approved technical
elective courses. Courses required to overcome admission or prerequisite
deficiencies are not considered in decisions on academic probation.
Grades received at the University in all courses in the major area, including
grades in courses that have been repeated, are included in computing the
student's grade point average. However, a student admitted to a major sequence
may not use credit in lower-division courses for removal of grade point
deficiencies in the major sequence.
- A student on academic probation in engineering will be removed from
probation at the end of a long-session semester or summer session if the
student is no longer subject to academic probation under either of the criteria
above.
- After being placed on academic probation in engineering, a student must be
removed from probation within the next two long-session semesters in which he
or she is registered. A student who fails to be removed from academic probation
within this time will be placed on academic dismissal from the College of
Engineering.
- A student seeking to reenter the college after having been scholastically
dismissed from the University must enroll as an undeclared major unless there
is a reasonable likelihood that the student can complete the degree plan under
which he or she last registered. A student seeking to reenter the college after
having been academically dismissed must enroll as an undeclared major. Students
who are undeclared majors may not enroll in engineering courses.
- A student may transfer to the College of Engineering from another division
of the University in accordance with the regulations given in
General
Information. If a student transfers from the College of Engineering to
another division while on academic probation and then returns to the college,
the dean will provide the student with a written statement of his or her
probationary status.
- To receive credit for any course, a student must earn a grade of D
or better. However, admission to many courses requires a grade of at least
C in prerequisite courses. Students should consult this catalog or the
department for specific grade requirements.
- All students in scholastic or academic difficulty should discuss their
status with a counselor in the Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr.
Hall 2.200.
- In cases with extenuating circumstances, the student may petition the dean
for a waiver of any of the foregoing requirements.
With the approval of the departmental undergraduate adviser, a student may
elect to take the degree-required approved nontechnical electives or any extra
courses (taken for benefit and not to be counted toward the degree) on the
pass/fail basis rather than for a letter grade. All other courses required for
the degree, and Mathematics 304E, 305G, Chemistry 304K, and Physics 306, if
taken, must be taken for a letter grade.
To elect the pass/fail system of grading, a student must have received thirty
semester hours of college credit. He or she may take no more than one course
applicable to the degree program (in addition to physical activity courses) on
this basis each semester. Credit by examination may be earned either on the
pass/fail or on the letter-grade basis; such credit earned on the pass/fail
basis is not counted toward the University's maximum of five courses taken
pass/fail that may be counted toward the degree. For more information on how to
receive credit by examination, see
General Information.
This first-year honors program is designed to recognize students whose high
school records and scores on college entrance examinations indicate that they
have an excellent chance of becoming Engineering Scholars. Although all
students follow the same basic curriculum, special sections taught by
outstanding teachers usually are arranged for students in the Freshman
Engineering Honors Program. Eligibility for the program is determined by the
applicant's scholastic rank in high school, SAT I or American College Testing
Program score, scores on the SAT II: Subject Test in Mathematics, Level 1 or
Level 1C, and on the SAT II: Subject Test in Writing, and written comments
submitted by high school teachers. For additional information and an
application form, write to the Office of Student Affairs, College of
Engineering, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200, The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas 78712-1080.
Beyond the freshman year, a limited number of engineering students who have
demonstrated exceptional academic ability will be invited to participate in the
Engineering Honors Program. Students are selected by the Engineering Honors
Program Committee. Admission to the program includes an invitation and
submission of an application that includes a statement of purpose.
To be eligible, a student must be in the top 10 percent of those in his or her
classification and degree plan and must meet other criteria established by the
Engineering Honors Program Committee. Transfer students are eligible after they
have completed at the University twenty-four semester hours of coursework
applicable to the degree.
To continue in the program, a student must maintain the academic standards
established by the Engineering Honors Program Committee.
The Department of Chemical Engineering offers a four-year honors curriculum in
which honors sections of selected courses are offered once a year. Information
about the curriculum is given as part of the description of the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in this chapter.
A limited number of students whose high school class standing and admission
test scores indicate strong academic potential and motivation may pursue a
curriculum leading to both a bachelor's degree in engineering and a Bachelor of
Arts, Plan II. This dual degree option, offered jointly by the College of
Engineering and the Plan II Honors Program of the College of Liberal Arts,
provides the student with challenging liberal arts courses while he or she
pursues a professional degree in engineering. Admission to this program
requires three separate applications: one to the University, one to the College
of Engineering, and one to the Plan II Honors Program. Students interested in
this dual degree plan option should contact both the College of Engineering
Office of Student Affairs and the Plan II office for more information on
applications and early deadlines.
Engineering Scholars are designated each spring semester from the sophomore,
junior, and senior classes. To be eligible, a student must have a certain
number of hours of credit earned at the University, must rank academically in
the top 5 percent of the class, must be of good character, and must show
promise of continued success in engineering.
The designation University Honors, awarded at the end of each long-session
semester, gives official recognition and commendation to students whose grades
for the semester indicate distinguished academic accomplishment. Both the
quality and the quantity of work done are considered. Criteria for University
Honors are given in chapter 1.
Students who, upon graduation, have demonstrated outstanding academic
achievement are eligible to graduate with University Honors. Criteria for
graduation with University Honors are given in chapter 1.
Professional and honor societies play an important role in the life of an
engineering student. Membership in the professional societies is open to all
students studying engineering and related fields. These societies are student
branches of national professional societies that endeavor to advance the
profession of engineering by education, publication, and sponsorship of
meetings and conferences. Represented at the University are the following: Air
and Waste Management Association, American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Nuclear
Society, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Society, Earthquake Engineering Research
Institute, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (including the
Computer Society and the Group on Engineering in Medicine and Biology),
Institute of Transportation Engineers, Longhorn Solar Racecar Team, National
Association of Architectural Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, Pi
Sigma Pi, Society of Automotive Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional
Engineers, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Society of Plan II Engineers,
Society of Women Engineers, Texas Society of Professional Engineers, Theta Tau,
UT Amateur Radio Club, and UT Space Society.
The purpose of the honor societies is to recognize through membership those
students who have established outstanding scholastic records and have
demonstrated desirable character and personality traits. Honor societies
frequently support projects that aid students and benefit the College of
Engineering.
Each of the branches of engineering has a chapter of a national honor society.
These honor societies are Chi Epsilon (architectural and civil engineering),
Eta Kappa Nu (electrical engineering), Omega Chi Epsilon (chemical
engineering), Phi Lambda Upsilon (chemical engineering and chemistry), Pi
Epsilon Tau (petroleum engineering), Pi Tau Sigma (mechanical engineering),
Sigma Gamma Epsilon (geology, meteorology, and petroleum engineering), and
Sigma Gamma Tau (aerospace engineering).
Embracing all branches of engineering is the Texas Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta
Pi, which was organized at the University in 1916. Only students in the upper
fifth of the senior class or the upper eighth of the junior class, and a few
graduate students, qualify scholastically for membership consideration.
Character and personality traits are also considered in selecting new members.
Generally the chapter elects fewer members than the number of eligible
students.
Engineering students are eligible for membership in Phi Kappa Phi, a national
academic honor society that elects its membership from the top few percent of
the entire student body, and in the Golden Key National Honor Society.
The Student Engineering Council is the governing body representing all
undergraduate engineering students. Representatives to the council are selected
by the professional and honor societies in the college.
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28 August 1996. Registrar's Web Team
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