Academic Regulations

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Definition of A Student 

The term “student” includes all individuals who have been offered admission, were enrolled in previous semesters, are enrolled in the current semester, and/or are enrolled for a future semester. Individuals who withdraw or are not officially enrolled for a particular term but have been enrolled previously are still considered students. In addition, individuals who enroll in programs sponsored by TAMIU are also considered students for FERPA and the Student Code of Conduct purposes.

Enrollment - General Information

Semester Credit Hours

The semester hour is the unit of credit and is defined as the amount of credit given for one recitation hour a week for one semester. Each recitation hour requires two hours of preparation on the part of the average student. Three hours of carefully planned and supervised laboratory work are equivalent to one hour of lecture or recitation.

Normal Load: The normal load for an undergraduate student for a long semester is fifteen (15) hours except during student teaching when a twelve-hour block is a normal load. The normal load for summer school is six (6) semester hours per session.

Full-Time Student: A full-time undergraduate student is one who is registered for at least twelve (12) semester hours during a fall or spring semester; to be full-time in a summer session, a student must be registered for six (6) semester hours.

Transfer Students: A transfer student may not register for more than the normal load during the first semester at Texas A&M International University. In any succeeding semester, the student may be permitted to register for the normal load plus one additional course, provided the cumulative grade average is 3.0 or better and with the approval of the appropriate Department Chair and Dean.

Maximum Number of Hours: The maximum load for an undergraduate student is eighteen (18) hours a semester (including sub-terms). Maximum number of hours in a summer session and overlapping sessions is six (6). The maximum number of hours in the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business in a summer session is seven (7).  Exceptions to this policy will require a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and the approval of the appropriate Department Chair and Dean.

Course Information

The term “course” shall be understood to mean a definite unit of work in a subject.  The first digit of the course number is the course level. The second digit is the number of semester credit hours (SCH).  Example: HIST 3332

Course Division: Lower-level courses are numbered at the 1000 or 2000 level.  These classes introduce students to the various academic disciplines, providing overviews of foundational theories, concepts, and methods, while preparing students for upper-level content.  Most general education (core) courses are lower-level courses.  These classes are typically taken by freshmen and sophomore students.

Upper-level courses are numbered at the 3000 or 4000 level.  These classes build on content in lower-level classes, providing advanced approaches and requiring students to possess prior knowledge of an academic discipline.  The completion of prerequisites may be required for advanced courses.  These classes are taken by students with junior or senior standing.

Cross-listed Courses: Students enrolled in a course that is cross-listed with one or more courses may receive credit in only one course.

Repetition of a Course: University policy states that if a student repeats a course that may not be taken for additional credit, only the last grade receive will count as part of a student’s cumulative grade point average, whether passing or failing (other than a grade of “W” or "WS"). However, for purposes of grade point average calculation, grades stand as recorded unless the same course is repeated at this university.

The Texas Administrative Code (Title 22, Part 22, Chapter 511, Subchapter C, Rule §511.51) defines a "Semester credit hour" as “a unit of measure of instruction consisting of 60 minutes, of which 50 minutes must be direct instruction, over a 15-week period in a semester system or a 10-week period in a quarter system.”  Semester credit hours (SCH) are in essence the number of contact hours a student spends in the classroom, physical or virtual.  The number of SCH do not include time outside of the classroom required to complete readings, homework, term papers, projects, or any other type of course assignment. 

College classes vary in length based on several factors.  First, the number of SCH is linked to course requirements.  The length of a class often depends on how much content needs to be covered in each session. Courses that require in-depth discussions, hands-on activities, or extensive lectures may have longer class times to accommodate the material.  Second, SCH is linked to credits.  Classes are often designed to align with credit requirements. For example, a 3-credit course may meet for 3 hours per week (typically in one session), whereas a 1-credit course might meet for just 1 hour per week.  Third, SCH is aligned to overall university scheduling.  Universities and colleges design schedules to fit within the broader academic calendar and to allow students to balance multiple courses. This can result in classes being scheduled in blocks of 1, 2, 3, or 4 hours to maximize flexibility and accommodate student needs.  Fourth, teaching style is also linked to SCH.  Some classes may require longer sessions to facilitate activities like labs, workshops, or group projects, while others may be more lecture-based and require shorter sessions.  Fifth, and most importantly, SCH is correlated with departmental/discipline-specific standards.  Different departments or disciplines may have norms or standards for class lengths based on what is considered effective for learning in that field.  In essence, the varying lengths of college classes are typically designed to best serve the educational objectives of the course while considering practical scheduling and logistical constraints.

At TAMIU, the second number in the course sequence (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, and 6000) will indicate the number of SCH per course.  For example, a course with the course number of 1315 is a 3-hour course.  Courses are typically three (3) hours in SCH duration at TAMIU.  The Texas Administrative Code (Title 22, Part 22, Chapter 511, Subchapter C, Rule §511.51) even indicates the normality of the “3-hour course”: The "’Traditionally-delivered three semester-credit-hour course’ or ‘traditional course’ means a course containing 15 weeks of instruction (45 contact hours) plus a week for final examinations so that such a course contains 45-48 contact hours depending on whether there is a final exam.”  This is consistent with most universities in the U.S.  Any variation from 3 SCH is a function of the rationales listed in the previous paragraph. 

Grading Policies

Grades are recorded at the end of each semester. However, each college might have different grading policies specific to their programs. Numerical values corresponding to these letters are as follows:

A 90-100, excellent
B 80-89, good
C 70-79, fair
D 60-69, pass (might not be passing for certain disciplines or courses)
F Below 60, failure
FN Failure for Non-Attendance1
S/CR/P Satisfactory/credit/pass
U/NC Unsatisfactory/Non-credit
IP In Progress
W Dropped or withdrew
WS Withdrew (counts towards 6-Drop Policy)
I Incomplete
1

The FN grade indicates that a student has failed a course due to non-attendance. It is calculated as an “F” in the student’s grade point average. For students receiving financial aid, failure for non-attendance may require that student to refund all or part of their aid to the institution.

CR/NC, Credit/No Credit: Courses taken in residence on credit/no credit basis are not computed in the grade point average.  These grades may be used to satisfy degree requirements only for credit by examination and courses designated in this catalog.

S/U, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory: Courses taken in residence on satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis are not computed in the grade point average.  This grade can be given for only pre-designated courses and may be used to satisfy degree requirements.

IP, In Progress: Given to a student in a thesis course who is passing, but has not completed all required work.

W/WS, Dropped/Withdrawn: Given when a student has officially dropped a course(s) or withdrawn from the University by the deadline as stated in the official University calendar.

I, Incomplete: Given to a student who is passing but has not completed a term paper, examination, or other required work. Students electing to complete unfinished work in the course must sign an incomplete contract along with the instructor specifying assignments to be completed and the due date. Failure to comply with the stipulations of the contract will result in the “I” being converted to an “F” through an administrative action performed by the Office of the University Registrar. For the student, the grade of “I” may be removed under certain conditions:

  • If the student elects to complete the course, they may, within the time specified by the instructor, but not exceeding twelve months from the date the “I” was recorded, complete the work in the course and request that the instructor submit a change of grade form to the Office of the University Registrar. Deadline extensions may be granted by the department/college.
  • A student may not register for a course for which they have a current grade of “I”.  If the student decides to register for the same course, the “I” will be converted to a grade of “F”.

Change of Grade: After being reported to the Office of the University Registrar, grades other than “I” may not be changed unless a computation error has been made by the instructor.

Grade Points: A student’s grade average on university work is expressed in grade points. Each semester hour of “A” counts four points, “B” three points, “C” two points, “D” one point, and “F” zero points. Thus a “C” average, which is the minimum overall average for any bachelor’s degree, is expressed as a 2.0 grade point average.

Dean’s List:  Requires a GPA of 3.65 on all work attempted for the semester, with a minimum of fifteen hours completed.  Coursework from credit by exam is excluded from this calculation.

Honor Roll:  Requires a GPA of 3.50 on all work attempted for the semester with a minimum of twelve hours completed. Coursework from credit by exam is excluded from this calculation.

Classification of Students: Students are classified according to the number of credit hours completed.

Freshman 29 or less semester credit hours
Sophomore 30-59 semester credit hours
Junior 60-89 semester credit hours
Senior 90 or more semester credit hours

Academic Responsibilities

Students are expected to familiarize themselves thoroughly with the regulations of the University, to accept responsibilities for course requirements for their degrees, and to make inquiries in case of doubt. It shall not be the University's responsibility should complications arise because of failure to follow regulations and requirements. Regulations will not be waived nor exceptions to requirements made on a plea of ignorance. Students, therefore, should become familiar with all of the information related to their program of study contained in the online University Catalog.

Personal announcements sent to students through TAMIU’s Blackboard Portal and TAMIU email are the official means of communicating course and University business with students and faculty –not U.S. mail or other email addresses. Students and faculty must check Blackboard and their TAMIU email accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU email or Blackboard message from a faculty member, chair, dean, or other University administrator is not accepted as an excuse for failure to take an important action. Occasional timely messages from University service providers may also be delivered by email to students. In rare instances, personal student email accounts may be used for urgent notifications that could affect the student’s continued enrollment at the University.

Students who make any address changes while attending TAMIU are expected to notify the Office of the University Registrar immediately.  Address updates may be made via UCONNECT.  

Except when pertaining to conduct, each student is under the jurisdiction of their assigned college and must comply with the requirement of their degree. Students should work directly with an academic advisor from their major department concerning course requirements/options, deficiencies, degree plan, and special regulations. Requests to waive regulations and/or requirements should be directed in writing to the appropriate department chair and, in some cases, to the dean of the college or school. 

Registration

Degree Plan: The student should select their major field of study as early as possible or at the latest, the spring semester of their sophomore year. The planning of a course of study should be exercised in consultation with an academic or faculty advisor. Students will be required to present updated degree audits during advising sessions. A degree plan may be superseded by a new one according to the provision explained under Graduation Under a Particular Catalog in this section.

Schedule: The student's class schedule should be discussed with an academic or faculty advisor. Students are urged to confer with their advisors well in advance of registration in order to avoid difficulties with scheduling.

Early Registration: A period of early registration is scheduled each semester for upcoming terms. During that time a currently enrolled student is responsible for meeting with an academic or faculty advisor to discuss their degree plan, determining possible course schedule for the next semester, and completing their course registration.  A student is not officially enrolled until all fees have been paid.  Additional information can be found here.

Registration for a Course: The only way to enroll in a course is to officially register for it. The instructor can view the official class roster online. Schedule changes can be made in accordance with the deadlines of each session as indicated in the academic calendar.

Waitlist Policy: A student may request to be added to a closed course waitlist. If space becomes available, students will be notified via email and provided a deadline to take action and register for the desired course.  It is the student's responsibility to check their status in the course. Please note: a student may not be waitlisted for one section of a course and registered in another section of the same course.

Auditing a Course: Any person may audit a course except for individual instruction courses. Auditors do not have the privilege of submitting papers, taking part in class discussions, or participating in laboratory or fieldwork. Auditors pay tuition and fees according to the published semester credit hour fee schedule. The deadline to request instructor permission to audit a course is the census date of the semester.

Registration Policies

Definitions - Dropping and Withdrawal

A student is considered to be "dropping" a course or courses if the student remains enrolled in a minimum of one (1) credit hour at the end of the course change process. A student is considered withdrawn from the University if no semester credit hour remains at the completion of the course change process.

Dropping a Course

A course may be dropped by completing a drop form with the Office of the University Registrar in person, by email, or by fax. Courses cannot be dropped by phone.

All course drops must be completed by the deadline stated in the University academic calendar published online.

If a student chooses not to attend a class or classes, the student is responsible for officially dropping or withdrawing through the Office of the University Registrar. Students who decide not to attend and do not officially notify the Office of the University Registrar may be responsible for tuition, fees, and any other circumstances resulting from failure to officially drop or withdraw. Students must not assume that they will "automatically" be dropped from their classes if they do not attend or do not pay.

Refer to the Refund of Fees section for refund schedules and questions. 

Course Drop Limit Provisions

First-time/freshmen students enrolling in undergraduate courses through an affected institution of higher education are subject to the course drop limit of six-course drops including any course a transfer student has dropped at another affected institution (beginning Fall 2007).

Institutions Affected: Texas public community colleges, technical institutes/colleges, health science institutions offering undergraduate coursework, and universities must comply with the legislation of TEC 51.907.

Students Affected: Students who enroll as entering freshmen or first-time in college students in undergraduate courses offered through an affected institution of higher education for the first time during the Fall 2007 semester or any subsequent semester are subject to the course drop limit restrictions. Transfer students who first enrolled at a Texas public institution during the Fall 2007 semester or subsequent semester are considered first time in college and are affected by the six course drop limit. Students who elect to use the provisions of Academic Fresh Start who have coursework prior to the Fall 2007 semester are grandfathered and are not subject to TEC 51.907. Students who have completed a baccalaureate degree at any recognized public or private institution are not considered affected students whether or not taking additional undergraduate courses.

Course Drop Definition: When a student drops a course they are registered for after census date, they will receive a non-punitive grade of W on their transcript.

Census date varies according to the semester/session:

Semester/Session Date of Record
Fall/Spring 12th Class Day
Summer 5 Week Sessions 4th Class Day
Sub-Terms 7 Week Sessions 5th Class Day
Wintermester/Maymester 2 Week Session 1st Class Day
Wintermester/Maymester 3 Week Session 2nd Class Day

Other Factors Regarding Course Drop Limit: Transfer students who are affected by this legislation will be required to submit all transfer institution transcripts and any recorded state drops will be transferred to TAMIU. If the transfer transcript does not indicate any drops toward the limit, TAMIU will set the drop count for that institution at zero.

If a student was granted a drop at TAMIU and the Office of the University Registrar later learns that the drop counter was set incorrectly, the office will update the student’s record to correct the counter. If the student has exceeded the six-course drop limit, the drop will be removed and the faculty member of the associated course will be contacted to issue the appropriate grade.

Withdrawal Definition: A student is considered to have withdrawn from the institution when the student drops all courses during the semester.

Excluded Courses From Limit: Drops from the following types of courses are excluded from the course drop limit.

  1. Courses taken by students while enrolled in high school – whether for dual credit, early college credit, or for college credit alone.
  2. Courses dropped at private or out-of-state institutions.
  3. Remedial or developmental courses, workforce education courses, or other courses that would not generate academic credit could be applied to a degree.
  4. Courses taken as required co-requisites such as a lecture class with a required laboratory are counted as one drop whether or not identified as separate courses or as separate sections of a course.
  5. Courses that meet the definition of complete withdrawal.

Student Exceptions: Students may petition to drop more than the 6-course limit, or to drop a course and not have the drop count against the 6-course limit by submitting this form. These petitions will be reviewed by the committee.

The following circumstances will be considered:

  • A severe illness or other debilitating condition that affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
  • The student’s responsibility to provide the care of a sick, injured, or needy person such that providing the care affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
  • The death of a person considered to be a member of the student’s family or someone who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student.
  • The student’s active duty service as a member of the military or of a person considered to be a member of the student’s family or someone who is otherwise considered to have a sufficiently close relationship to the student.
  • A change of the student’s work schedule that is beyond the control of the student and affects the student’s ability to satisfactorily complete the course.
  • Other good causes as determined by the University on an individual basis.

Please note that documentation must be provided in support of any of the circumstances noted above.

The following circumstances will not be considered valid reasons for requesting an exception to the 6-course drop limit:

  • An attempt to avoid scholastic probation.
  • Failing a course.
  • Possibility of receiving a grade that will lower the grade point average.

Please note that this policy may vary from other institutions. For more information on this policy, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Appeal Process:

  1. Students will appeal by submitting the 6-Drop Exemption form along with appropriate documentation to support their appeal.
  2. The appeal should state the course(s) that should be considered for not counting and the reason(s) why they should not count.
  3. Documentation is required for medical/family emergencies.
  4. Dropped courses may only be appealed in the term they were dropped.
  5. A student may not drop from a course in which a final grade has been assigned.
  6. Committee will approve/disapprove based on the information provided.
  7. Committee decision(s) are considered final and binding.

Withdrawal from the University

Students wishing to completely withdraw from the University must initiate the withdrawal process in the Office of the University Registrar (ZSC 121). Refer to the Refund of Fees section of the catalog for refund schedules.

Financial Aid Impact of Dropping or Withdrawal

Students receiving federal financial aid who withdraw from or stop attending all courses may be required to return a portion of financial aid received.

Federal regulations [HEA Section 484B, 485(a)(1)(F), 34 CFR 668.22], referred to as the Return of Title IV Funds policy, require TAMIU to calculate a refund and repayment of federal aid received by students who withdraw or cease attending prior to the 60% point of a term for which he/she has received federal aid. The Title IV (federal) programs under this policy are: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Teacher Educational Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant and Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized and PLUS). According to the Return of Title IV (R2T4) Funds policy, the student is allowed to retain only the amount of Title IV financial aid that was earned. If a student withdraws or stops participating in classes, a portion of the aid received is considered to be unearned and must be returned to the Title IV programs from which it was received. If the R2T4 calculation results in unearned aid that must be returned, both the school and the student are responsible for returning funds.

A student who fails all of their classes in a term may be subject to the R2T4 calculation. If a student “earned” at least one of their F’s (i.e. they participated in class until the end of the semester and received an F for poor performance), then no calculation is required. However, if the student failed all classes because they stopped attending at some point in the semester, then an R2T4 calculation is required based on the last documented date of attendance. If a last date of attendance cannot be determined, the 50% point of the term will be used as the withdrawal date, and the unearned aid will be 50%. At the end of the term, the Office of Financial Aid will notify students who have received all F's of the requirement to perform the R2T4 calculation.

Please refer to Withdrawal FAQs for more information.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAPP)

A student’s SAPP may be impacted by the withdrawal or dropping of courses. The SAPP consists of three components that students must be meeting at all times in order to continue qualifying for financial aid. Read the complete SAPP to ensure that you will be able to continue receiving financial aid in the future as well as the appeal process. The SAPP can be found at http://www.tamiu.edu/finaid/SAPP.pdf.

Exit Loan Counseling

Recipients of a federal student loan through TAMIU who are dropping below half-time or withdrawing from the university must receive approval from the Office of Financial Aid. In order to receive approval students must do exit loan counseling on-line at the time of the drop or withdrawal. Exit loan counseling must be done at www.studentaid.govexit-counseling/ and confirmation can be emailed to financialaid@tamiu.edu. Failure to do exit counseling on-line will result in a hold being placed on the student’s academic and financial aid records. This will impact the awarding of future financial assistance including loans, future registration, and transcript requests.

Attendance Policy

It is assumed that a vital part of every student’s education is regular attendance of class meetings. Every faculty member keeps a current attendance record on all students. Any absences tend to lower the quality of a student’s work in a course and frequent or persistent absences may preclude a passing grade or cause a student to be dropped from one or more courses by the respective faculty with approval of their chair and dean. Additional information is available in the current Student Handbook.

A student who abandons courses without officially withdrawing will receive a grade of “F” in each course, regardless of when that student ceases to attend classes. (See regulation under Refund of Fees section).

Continuation of Undergraduate Enrollment

Minimum Grade Point Average for Good Standing

The institutional grade point average accumulated on the permanent record of a student at TAMIU will be based on course hours and grade points earned by a student on work taken only at this university. Standards for good standing are based on an institutional 2.0 GPA.

The grade point average for a semester is computed by dividing the total grade points earned by the number of semester hours of courses with “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “F”, and "FN" grades.

Academic Probation

Students will be placed on academic probation at the conclusion of any long semester (fall or spring) when their institutional cumulative grade point average at TAMIU falls below 2.0. Such students are encouraged to participate to the fullest in academic support programs and to seek academic advising. Students who have been placed on academic probation will be allowed to enroll for one additional semester in an attempt to achieve the required institutional cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better.

Academic Suspension

Students who have been placed on academic probation and fail to achieve the minimum institutional cumulative grade point average during the next long semester will be placed on academic suspension. Students on academic suspension will be required to sit out one long semester and may re-enroll after such absence under academic probation. Prior to enrolling, the returning student must meet with an academic advisor to develop an academic improvement plan. The advisor will then meet with the student throughout the semester to monitor the student’s progress in meeting established goals and determine appropriate subsequent actions.

The student may appeal the academic suspension to the dean of the college/school or the dean’s designate, in which they are pursuing a degree by submitting a petition for academic reinstatement and a student self-assessment. If the petition is approved, the student will be permitted to enroll under continued suspension. Prior to enrolling, the returning student must meet with the academic advisor to develop an academic improvement plan. The academic advisor will meet with the student throughout the semester to monitor the student’s progress in meeting established goals and determine appropriate subsequent actions.

Removal of Academic Probation or Suspension Status by Wintermester, Maymester or Summer Study

Students placed on academic probation or suspension at the end of the fall or spring semesters are eligible to attend the subsequent wintermester, maymester or summer sessions at TAMIU. If the student achieves an institutional cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better at the conclusion of the wintermester, maymester or summer terms the academic probation or suspension status will be removed.

General Requirements for Graduation

Core Curriculum: Mission Statement

At TAMIU, the core curriculum introduces students to academic disciplines which form the foundation of human thought: mathematics, science, history, language, literature, the arts, and social and behavioral sciences. Our core is designed to open new areas of learning for our students and to foster skills necessary for success in higher education.

As they move through this course of study, students are encouraged, to develop the capacity to articulate and to support a thesis, to think critically, to synthesize their observations, and to perceive analogies and relationships between seemingly diverse ideas and intellectual pursuits.

University Core Curriculum Requirements

In accordance with Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter S, core curriculum requirements must be met by every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree at A&M International, regardless of their major. A specific course may be used to satisfy only one core requirement. Individual academic programs may require courses contained as options in the university core curriculum to satisfy particular degree requirements. Students may be required to take extra courses if they fail to select these courses.

Students following the 2013-2014 catalog and thereafter are required to complete all core requirements prior to earning 90 semester credit hours applicable to their chosen degree. A student failing to achieve this milestone will be required to complete any remaining core curriculum requirements in the next semester of enrollment.

Please refer to Appendix A for approved core courses.  For specific core requirements, consult the appropriate degree program.

Transfer of the Core Curriculum

A student who successfully completes a 42-semester-credit-hour core curriculum at a state-assisted institution of higher education in Texas may transfer that block of courses to TAMIU. The student will receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred that are part of the core curriculum at the sending institution. A student transferring to TAMIU who has not completed the core curriculum will be required to complete their core curriculum as specified by TAMIU.

Please refer to Appendix A for approved core courses.  For specific core requirements, consult the appropriate degree program.

College or School Requirements

Students must satisfactorily complete all degree requirements specified by the school or college in which the degree is offered. Individual academic programs may require courses contained as options in the University Core Curriculum to satisfy specific degree requirements. Students may be required to take additional courses if they fail to select these courses.

Graduation Requirements

A degree program is a series of courses leading to a degree authorized by THECB. Undergraduate degrees will have a minimum of 120 semester credit hours, and graduate degrees at the master’s level will have a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours and at the doctoral degree level at least 75 total graduate credit hours. Degree titles as authorized by THECB will be noted on diplomas and on official transcripts.

Majors:  A major when specified as a degree requirement, shall consist of a minimum of twenty-four (24) or more semester hours in one subject, six (6) of which must be taken at TAMIU. At least fifty percent of the work taken in the major field must be advanced (3000- or 4000-level) coursework. For English degrees, the required freshman courses may not be counted as part of the major.

Minors: A minor or concentration, when included as an option among degree requirements, shall consist of at least eighteen (18) semester hours, six (6) of which must be taken at TAMIU, with at least twelve (12) semester hours of advanced work. For English degrees, the required freshman courses may not be counted as part of the minor.  

Instead of a minor, students may complete 18 SCH of electives, 12 SCH of which must be at the 3000-4000 level, from any discipline except the major field or those offered by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Students in a Bachelor of Arts degree program or a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program who do not elect to have a minor curriculum may use up to 9 hours of their available electives in additional courses in their major curriculum.

Grade Average:  An overall average of “C” (2.0) or above on all work attempted must be maintained for a degree, and, in the case of transfer students, a minimum overall grade average of “C” must also be maintained on the work attempted at this University. The grade average in the major and minor field where required must be “C”  (2.0) or above on work taken at this University.

Second Bachelor’s Degree:  No second bachelor’s degree will be conferred until the candidate has earned at least twenty-four (24) additional hours at TAMIU, satisfies any additional requirements, including specific course requirements of the second degree, and meets the required grade point average.

Residence Requirement:  The applicant for a bachelor’s degree must have been in residence at TAMIU for at least twenty-five (25) percent of the total semester credit hours required for the degree and for a minimum of twenty-four (24) or more semester credit hours of advanced work.  The A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business requires that a minimum of 50% of both the business SCH and the major/concentration SCH be completed at TAMIU.

Advanced Work:  A student must complete a minimum of forty-five (45) semester hours of advanced work (course work numbered 3000-4000) to be eligible to receive a bachelor’s degree.

Writing Intensive Courses: Effective Fall 2010, to earn a baccalaureate degree from TAMIU, a student must complete, at TAMIU, three courses beyond freshman English that are identified in the course schedule and on the transcript as “writing intensive” courses.  Writing intensive (WIN) courses allow students to develop discipline-specific writing skills at the undergraduate level.  As a high-impact practice (HIP), WIN courses are thought to increase student engagement by enhancing students’ written abilities. 

WIN courses are classes where writing is central to student learning and evaluation.  In these courses, students write regularly.  The writing experience gained in these courses combines learning to write and knowledge about a discipline.  At least 50% of the WIN course grade must be devoted to the evaluation of written work.  While a majority of the assessments in these classes revolve around writing assignments, students predominantly learn about the process of writing papers.  This includes topic selection, creation of outlines, collection of references, and multiple drafts of papers.  At least two drafts of term papers are required in WIN classes.  Thus, these classes are about both quality and quantity of written work. 

Only one of these WIN courses may be at the 1000- or 2000-level, and at least one must be in the major/concentration in which the student is earning a degree.1 Enrollment in a 1000- or 2000-level WIN course requires completion of  ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302 or department approval. A minimum grade of ‘C’ is required to earn credit for a WIN course.

WIN course assessment and rubric can be found at: WRITING INTENSIVE ASSESSMENT (tamiu.edu)

1

Chairs, with their dean’s endorsement, may approve transfer courses at the 3000-4000 level as meeting up to two of the three required writing intensive courses if the student can provide documentation deemed adequate to justify such a substitution. The requirement that at least one of the writing intensive courses must be taken at TAMIU in the student’s major may not be met by the substitution of a transfer course.

Graduation under a Particular Catalog:  A student may have the privilege of being graduated according to the curricular requirements as stated in the catalog of the year in which they first registered for work in residence at a college/university, or they may be graduated under any later catalog of a year in which they were registered for residence work, provided that requirements are met within five years of the date of the catalog chosen, and provided further that the institution offers courses listed as requirements in previous catalogs.

Application for Candidacy for Bachelor’s Degree:  A student intending to have a baccalaureate degree conferred at TAMIU must file an Application for Candidacy with the Office of the University Registrar and pay the graduation fee to the Bursar's Office by the deadline noted in the academic calendar.

Graduation In-Absentia:  Students intending to graduate in-absentia (not attend commencement) should notify the Office of the University Registrar upon application for candidacy.

Graduation with Honors:  Requirements for graduation with honors include the completion of at least 45 semester credit hours with an institutional minimum grade point average of 3.50.

The criteria for graduation with honors are:

Cum Laude (with honors): a grade point average of 3.50 or higher but less than 3.70.

Magna Cum Laude (with high honors): a grade point average of 3.70 or higher but less than 3.90.

Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors): a grade point average of 3.90 or higher.

Degree Conferral and Eligibility for Participation in Graduation Ceremonies: It is the policy of TAMIU that only students who have completed their degree requirements participate in graduation ceremonies. There are two commencement ceremony dates each year. Spring graduates attend the May ceremony. Students who finish requirements in any of the summer terms receive their diplomas in late August and are invited to attend the following December ceremony along with the Fall graduates.

Graduate Study for Undergraduate Students

A senior student in the last semester or summer session of undergraduate work may complete a normal load with graduate work as provided below:

  • Must be within 15 semester credit hours of graduation.
  • Must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in upper-division work.
  • Must not enroll for more than 15 semester credit hours total and must not enroll for more than 6 semester credit hours of graduate work.
  • Cannot count work in graduate courses towards the bachelor’s degree. Graduate courses will be reserved for credit toward the graduate degree when fully accepted into a graduate program. (Not applicable to students pursuing the BA/MA degree.).
  • Must have approval from the Department/Division Chair and the Dean of the College in which the work is offered.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Upon acceptance, students automatically become members of the University community and, as such, assume full responsibility for proper conduct until their separation from the University. All University students should be familiar with the ordinary conventions of adult society governing their behavior.

In addition, all University students must be acquainted with and bound by the University rules and regulations covering the student code of conduct as stated in the Student Handbook which is available online at http://www.tamiu.edu/scce/ or at the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement in Student Center 226.

TAMIU reserves the right, through due process, to place on probation, suspend, or expel any student for improper conduct.

Other Procedures and Policies

Death of a Student

When the death of a currently enrolled student is reported, the Office of the University Registrar must be notified immediately. After confirming the death, the Office of the University Registrar takes the following steps:

  1. Notifies the President, the Vice President of Student Success, the appropriate faculty and college dean.
  2. Sets grades for all current courses to a nonpunitive mark of “W” and updates directory data to block mailings to the deceased.
  3. Notifies the Business Office of the effective date of the assignment of the mark.
  4. Notifies the Financial Aid Office.

Official Summons

Answering an Official Summons: Occasionally, it is essential that a student be summoned to one of the administrative or academic offices on campus. A student who fails to answer an official summons promptly will be subject to suspension from all classes until the particular matter of business has been concluded and the student has been granted permission to return to classes.

Student Emergency Assistance

TAMIU makes every attempt to meet the needs of the University’s globally diverse students through various resources and programs designed to enhance the experience of all students. Through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement (SCCE), students can request assistance to learn about their rights and responsibilities, crisis intervention support, medical leave request, absence notification to faculty, and other special needs the student may encounter. Contact SCCE at 956.326.2265 or visit Student Center 226.

Hazing

Hazing is a criminal violation under Texas law. A person may be found guilty of criminal conduct for hazing, encouraging hazing, permitting hazing, or having knowledge of the planning of hazing incidents and failing to report in writing their knowledge.

The Education Code defines hazing as “any intentional, knowing, or reckless act occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution by one person or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization.” The statute contains a list of conduct that constitutes hazing.

Both failing to report hazing and hazing that does not result in serious bodily injury are Class B misdemeanors. Hazing that results in serious bodily injury is a Class A misdemeanor. Hazing resulting in a death is a state jail felony. An organization found guilty of hazing may be fined $5,000 to $10,000 or, for incident causing personal injury or property damage, an amount double the loss or expenses incurred because of the hazing incident. It is not a defense to prosecution that the person hazed consented to the hazing activity.

Any person reporting a specific hazing incident to an appropriate institutional official is immune from civil and criminal liability unless the report is in bad faith or malicious.

This state law does not limit or affect an education institution’s right to enforce its own penalties against hazing.