Academic Regulations

Catalog Designation

The catalog designation a student receives when entering Texas State determines the curriculum and other academic policies that apply to the student. Catalog designations are made according to the following guidelines:

  1. Students with no prior college work are assigned to the current catalog.
  2. Students with prior college work:
    1. Students with prior college work from out-of-state or private institutions are assigned to the current catalog.
    2. Students with prior college work during the last six years, solely from Texas public institutions of higher education, are assigned to the Texas State catalog which was in effect at the time of the student’s initial college enrollment.
  3. Returning Texas State students (Any Texas State student who does not enroll in the university for one long semester but wishes to return is considered a returning student. Refer to “Readmission of Returning Texas State Students”):
    1. Returning students whose initial Texas State enrollment was more than six years ago are assigned to the current catalog.
    2. Returning Texas State students whose initial Texas State enrollment was within the last six years and who have completed fewer than 30 hours of college work elsewhere during the interim retain their initial Texas State catalog designation.
    3. Returning Texas State students whose initial Texas State enrollment was within the last six years and who have completed 30 or more hours of college work elsewhere during the interim are assigned to the current catalog.
  4. Students may graduate under the requirements for the degree set forth in the Texas State catalog in force during the semester in which they first enroll, provided they graduate within six years from the end of the semester. Transfer students who have been assigned a Texas State catalog based on their first semester at a Texas junior college have six years from the end of the semester upon which their catalog designation was based to graduate, not six years from their initial semester at Texas State. After the expiration of such a period of time, students may have to meet requirements outlined in the current catalog
  5. A college dean may change the catalog designation.

Per Texas Administrative Code, Rule 4.25, each institution of higher education shall permit a student who transfers from another Texas public institution of higher education to choose a catalog for the purpose of specifying graduation requirements, based upon the dates of attendance at the receiving institution and at the transferring institution, in the same manner that a non-transfer student may choose a catalog.

Each Texas public institution of higher education shall include information about graduation requirements under a particular catalog in its official publications, including print and electronic catalogs.

Public Access to Course Information

Information on Texas State’s compliance with HB 2504 to provide public access to course information may be found at the following website: hb2504.txst.edu.  Contents include course syllabi, curriculum vita for the instructor of record, departmental budget reports, end-of-course evaluations of faculty and current work-study job openings. Information on Texas State's undergraduate classroom courses, including lecture and seminar courses, can be found under the Schedule of Classes via Texas State Self-Services Banner. 

Course Load

The following regulations govern the number of credit hours an undergraduate student may carry during a given term:

  1. Fall or Spring Semesters: Students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours are considered full-time students. Students in good academic standing may register for up to 18 credit hours each semester. Graduating seniors or other students with a Texas State GPA of 3.50 or higher may register for 19 or more credit hours with approval from their academic dean.
  2. Summer Term: Students enrolled in 12 or more hours combined over the summer term are considered full-time students. Students in good academic standing may register for up to 10 credit hours in each of the parts of summer term.

Only in exceptional circumstances, and only with the approval of the college dean, will students be allowed to exceed the stated course load limitations. In any regular semester or summer term during which a student is enrolled at Texas State, the course load limitations apply to all work attempted, whether at Texas State or elsewhere.

Credit Hour

For purposes of this catalog and in accord with federal regulations regarding the definition and assignment of credit hours under section 600.0 and 600.24(f) of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, a credit hour is an amount of work that reasonably approximates:

  • not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work each for approximately 15 weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or 10 to 12 weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time;
  • at least an equivalent amount of work as outlined in the item above for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practicum, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

A semester credit hour is defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 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. Credit hours must be presented in whole numbers. Academic administrative units are responsible for ensuring that credit hours are awarded only for work that meets these requirements. Students should expect to invest a minimum of two hours of additional work for each hour of classroom or faculty instruction per week.

Adds and Drops/Schedule Changes

Information regarding schedule changes can be found on the Office of the University Registrar's website at www.registrar.txst.edu/registration.html. Schedule changes and withdrawal dates are published each term in the official university calendar that can be found at: www.registrar.txst.edu/registration/ac.html.

For assistance, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Class Attendance

Texas State expects students to attend every scheduled class meeting. General requirements for class attendance are as follows:

  1. Faculty are encouraged to establish mandatory attendance requirements in each course.
  2. Each faculty member will inform students of the course attendance policy at the initial class meeting.
  3. Students are responsible for understanding the attendance policy for each course in which they enroll and for meeting the attendance requirements.
  4. Failure to meet the attendance requirements in a course may lower a grade.
  5. Students who do not begin attendance will be administratively dropped from the course during the roster certification period.

Religious Holy Days

"Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code. In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.911, if a student notifies the instructor(s) of each class from which they be absent due to the observance of a religious holy day, the student will be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that absent day within a reasonable time after the absence. The Education Code includes excused absences for travel to and from the religious holy day observance. The student may make up class assignments or examinations without penalty within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who is excused under this section shall not be penalized for the absence, but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time. Each instructor may establish additional procedures to accommodate the needs of students who are absent from classes to observe a religious holy day. These procedures must not conflict with the state law. Coordinating Board rules now provide for an appeal of a disagreement between the student and a faculty member over an absence related to a religious holy day. If a student and an instructor disagree about the nature of the absence being for the observance of a religious holy day, or if there is a disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the President or the President’s designee. The President or the President’s designee must consider the legislative intent of Education Code Section 51.911. The student and instructor shall abide by the decision of the President or the President’s designee. The academic dean of each college serves as the President’s designee to hear requests for decisions on these matters from either the faculty member or the student. Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to the office of the Dean of Students.

Number of Drops

In 2007, the Texas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 1231, which provides that, except for specific instances of good cause, undergraduate students entering as first-time freshmen at a Texas public institution of higher education in the fall of 2007 or later will be limited to a total of six dropped courses during their undergraduate career.

Under Texas Education Code Section 51.907 “an institution of higher education may not permit a student to drop more than six courses, including any course a transfer student has dropped at another institution of higher education.” This law applies to courses dropped at public institutions of higher education in Texas, including community and technical colleges, health science centers that offer undergraduate programs, and universities. Some courses will not count against the six-drop limit. These include courses dropped at independent or private Texas institutions, courses dropped while the student is still enrolled in high school, developmental courses, non-funded courses or courses dropped at colleges in other states. For the purposes of this law, a “dropped course” is defined as a course that is dropped after the census date, but before the last day to drop.

Dropping a Class

Dropping a class is an official action whereby students inform Texas State that they will cease attending a class in which they are enrolled while remaining enrolled in at least one credit hour. Refer to the registration instructions at www.registrar.txst.edu/registration.html for details dropping a class.

  1. The drop deadline is the first 60 percent of the term. Please refer to the academic calendar on the Office of the University Registrar's website for the most recent current dates.
  2. A ''W" grade will be assigned automatically when a student drops one or more classes by the automatic "W" deadline, the first 60 percent of the term.
  3. After the drop deadline, students will be unable to drop individual classes and will receive the grade (A, B, C, D, F, U, or I,) earned in the course. To initiate an appeal to drop a class or classes after the semester has ended the student must provide: 
    1. a written letter of appeal and 
    2. documentation of extremely extenuating circumstances to the appropriate chair(s).

Withdrawal from all Classes

Withdrawing from the current term (dropping all classes and going to zero hours) is an official action whereby a student submits the online withdrawal form that goes to the Office of the University Registrar, thus informing Texas State that they will cease attending all classes in which he or she is enrolled. The deadline to withdraw from Texas State is two weeks preceding final examinations during the fall and spring semesters and one week preceding final examinations during the two parts of the summer term. 

  1. The deadline to withdraw from the semester and receive an automatic "W" is the first 60 percent of the term. Refer to the academic calendar on the Office of the University Registrar's website for the most current dates. 
  2. After the automatic "W" period, faculty assign grades to students who officially withdraw from the university. Faculty assign "W" grades only to those students who have a passing average at the time the withdrawal action is officially completed. Otherwise, faculty assigns a "U" grade and must report a last date of attendance to allow the Office of Financial aid and Scholarships to calculate potential return of the Title IV funds.
  3. Please refer to the academic calendar on the Office of the University Registrar's website for the withdrawal deadline. 

Visit the Office of University Registrar's website at www.registrar.txst.edu/resources/dropping-vs-withdrawing.html or or contact the Office of the University Registrar at 512-245-2367 for the proper procedures. Students living in the university residence halls must also contact the Department of Housing and Residential Life.

Auditing a Course

To audit a course, a student must be admitted to Texas State University. After the student has registered for classes, they must complete an online Audit Request Form found on the Office of the University Registrar's website by the census date for the term. Check the University Academic Calendar for the exact date. A student will pay the same fees as if the course were taken for credit and the course will be entered on their transcript  with a grade of "AU", but the student will not receive credit for the course. 

Senior citizens, 65 or older, may audit courses without payment of a fee if space is available. Registration is permitted just prior to the start of the term with reductions made by the tuition adjustment clerk in Student Business Services, after registering.

For more information on auditing a class, please visit the Office of the University Registrar’s website: www.registrar.txst.edu/registration/reg-home/audit.html.  

For more information on registering as a senior citizen, 65+ years of age, please visit the Office of the University Registrar’s website: www.registrar.txst.edu/registration/reg-home/65-registration.html.

Grade Report (Final Grades)

Semester grades are based on the student’s written or oral work in a given course. Attendance may also affect the grade. Final grades for each semester can be accessed through Texas State Self-Service Banner: https://ssb.txstate.edu.

Grade Symbols

Grades at Texas State are indicated by the following symbols: “A”-excellent; “B”-good; “C”-average “D”-passing; “F”-failure-earned; “U”- failure-unearned (student was not academically engaged until end of term) or withdrawn failing; "DA” (Dropped administratively due to never attended); “CR”-credit; "NC" - not completed correspondence course. A grade of “PR” which is temporary and non-punitive, may be assigned in selected courses where the required clock hours needed to complete requirements extend beyond the regular semester or summer session. A grade of EP (emergency passing) may be used during significant disruptions to academic operations created by health pandemics or natural disasters. The EP grades indicate passing credit given and counts toward attempted hours, excess hours and repeat calculations. The EP grade does not count in GPA calculations. 

Incomplete Grades

The “I” grade may be assigned when a student, for non-academic reasons beyond their control, has not completed a portion of the course. If a student needs to repeat a course or a significant portion of a course, a “W ”, “F”, or “U” grade should be assigned according to regulations governing the assignments of such grades. An “I” grade from Texas State will not count as hours completed until another grade is assigned.

One year from the semester in which a Texas State “I” grade is assigned, or a time period specified by the instructor, whichever is shorter, the I grade will automatically be changed to an “F” if the coursework has not been completed. The grade of "I" may be changed only to another letter grade and may not be extended beyond one year from term in which the original grade was assigned. A grade of "I", once changed to an "F" or another letter grade, may not be changed back to a grade of "I".

Once the grade of "I" has been changed to another letter grade, it will be computed in the student's grade point average (GPA). An “I” grade transferred from another institution remains as “I” on the Texas State record until an updated transcript is received from the other institution.

An undergraduate student cannot graduate with an "I" grade on their record. If the student wishes to graduate and if the course is not needed for a degree requirement, the "I" grade will have to be converted to an "F" regardless of whether the one-year time period has passed or not. A grade change request may be submitted by no later than the end of the final examination period before the student's graduation. If no grade change request is received, the grade of "I" will convert to an "F" and will be computed in the student's GPA. For more information, see G/PPS No. 02.12 Grades and Grade Changes.

Withdrawal Grade

A "W" grade cannot be assigned if the student has not officially dropped the course within the semester deadline. A grade of “W ” is assigned if a student drops a course by the Automatic “W ” Drop/Withdrawal Deadline (see University Calendar in this catalog ). After the Automatic “W ” Drop/Withdrawal Deadline, a “U” or “W ” will be assigned depending on whether the student is passing (“W ”) or failing (“U”) the course at the time the drop/withdrawal action is officially completed. For a complete list of grades currently and previously used at Texas State visit the Office of the University Registrar's website at www.registrar.txst.edu/our-services/grades.html.

Grade-Point Average (GPA)

Texas State utilizes the four-point system. The GPA is the total number of grade points earned divided by the number of semester hours attempted. Semester grade symbols have the following values: “A” = 4 points; “B” = 3 points; “C” = 2 points; “D” = 1 point; “F” and “U” = 0 points. Neither hours nor grades are calculated for "I", "CR", "PR", "NC", or "W". To maintain an average of "C", grade points divided by semester hours attempted must equal at least 2.00.

The Texas State GPA for all work attempted at Texas State is used to determine whether a student is meeting minimum academic standards. Beginning in the fall of 1991, this Texas State GPA will be calculated by the procedures described in the section titled “Repeating Courses” (see below). Courses taken at other schools will not be included in the institutional GPA at Texas State.

Change of Grade

An individual course grade may be changed when the involved faculty member certifies to the Office of the University Registrar that an error was made in computing the original grade. The grade change must be approved by the department chair/school director and the appropriate college dean. Students who wish to protest a grade earned in a course should first discuss the grade with the instructor. If no resolution is reached, the student may appeal the grade to the department chair/school director. If no satisfactory conclusion can be reached at this level, the student may appeal to the college dean whose decision is final. In accordance with Texas State's records retention policies, a student appeal for a change of grade must be filed no later than 2 years after the grade is issued.   

Transcripts

Effective fall 1991, Texas State transcripts will separate transfer coursework from Texas State course work. Transfer work will be listed first and will show the number of hours transferred. Texas State coursework listed chronologically will follow any transfer coursework. The transcript will show Texas State hours attempted, Texas State hours passed, Texas State grade points and Texas State GPA.

Repeating Courses

Effective fall 1991, a student may repeat a course, but cannot receive credit for the course more than once unless the course description in the catalog specifically provides that the course may be repeated for credit. When a course is taken more than once from Texas State, the second grade (first repeat) and all subsequent grades (repeats) are included in computing the Texas State hours attempted, grade points earned and GPA. W, I, PR, and RP grades are excluded. If the last grade in a repeated course is lower than an earlier grade, the last grade is used to determine whether the course fulfills university requirements. If the last time a course is taken is from another school, that course will meet degree requirements, but the last grade at Texas State counts towards the Texas State GPA. A course taken for transfer credit must be repeated as transfer credit to count as a repeat. When a course is taken more than once from a transfer institution, the second grade (first repeat) and all subsequent grades (repeats) are included in computing the Overall hours attempted, grade points earned and GPA. “W” and “I” grades are excluded.

Student Indebtedness

All University property in a student’s possession must be returned and all debts to Texas State, including past due indebtedness to loan funds, must be satisfactorily adjusted before the student is eligible to receive a statement of good standing, an official transcript of credit, graduation, or re-admission to Texas State. Moreover, continued failure to adjust such debt may result in the student’s losing the privilege of attending class.