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The Graduate College

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JC Kellam 280
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666-4680
Ph: (512) 245-2581
Fax: (512) 245-8365
gradcollege@txstate.edu

The Graduate College

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Registration and Course Credit

Registration
Course Load and Overloads
Course Load Verification
Continuing Education Study
Extended and Distance Learning
Correspondence Study
Extension Courses
Study Abroad
Adds and Drops/Schedule Changes
Auditing a Course
Course Numbers
Course Credit and Level
Repeating Courses
Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program
Post-Graduate Credit
Transfer Credit
Dropping a Class
Withdrawal
Registration
    The Office of the Graduate College will notify applicants officially by mail regarding admission.  Since applications are for specific semesters, an applicant should notify the Office of the Graduate College as soon as possible if he or she will not be enrolling in the semester for which the applicant was accepted.
    Registration course schedules are published on the web in advance of each semester.  Students may obtain information regarding registration each semester from the Office of the Registrar at 512-245-2367 or at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu, or the Office of the Graduate College at 512-245-2581.  Registration in the Graduate College beyond the first semester depends on satisfactory progress in fulfilling any admission conditions that may have been imposed and maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
    Registration Termination. The Dean of the Graduate College may terminate the registration of any student who fails to comply with Graduate College and/or other appropriate university regulations.
Course Load and Overloads
    Course Load. At the graduate level, the full-time course load during a long semester is nine semester hours; the maximum load is 15 hours.  The full-time course load during each summer session is five graduate-level hours; the maximum load is six hours.
    An international student on an F-1 visa must register as a full-time student each fall and spring semester.  As a graduate student, an international student must carry a minimum of nine semester credit hours, as required by immigration regulations, to be considered full-time.
    The department or operating unit will determine the permissible course load of employees of the University under their supervision.  Graduate Assistants should refer to the “Grading and Academic Policies” information.
    Overloads. Course loads exceeding the maximum hour loads listed above require written approval.  Only the Dean of the Graduate College may authorize an overload.  To request an overload, you must make a request to your major department advisor to submit a written request to the Dean of the Graduate College at least three days before registration for the dean’s review and approval.  No overloads exceeding 15 semester hours total can be granted during the entire ten to twelve week summer period.
Course Load Verification
    Verification of students enrolled in the Graduate College varies by semester.  Nine hours is considered full-time during the fall or spring semester, six hours is ¾ time, and four hours is half-time..  During a six-week summer session, five hours is considered full-time, four hours is ¾-time, and three hours is half-time.  A student receiving VA benefits must check with the Veterans Affairs Office for enrollment requirements at 512-245-2641.
Continuing Education Study
    The Office of Continuing Education offers non-credit courses to the public who wish to expand their educational, social, and cultural perspectives.  Enrollment is open to all interested persons on a non-credit hour basis, therefore the courses are not offered through the Graduate College and do not apply toward a graduate degree, nor are they considered for regular admission.  For information about continuing education programs go to http://www.txstate.edu/continuinged.
Extended and Distance Learning
    The University offers many courses and programs via distance learning and at the San Marcos campus and at extended hours on evenings and weekends.
    All graduate courses and programs offered to distance learners carry the same course number, title, and description as those offered at the San Marcos campus.  Courses offered at a distance are identified each semester in the Texas State Schedule of Classes and on Cats Web.  For more information on Extended and Distance Learning at Texas State, visit http://www.studyanywhere.txstate.edu.
Correspondence Study
    Correspondence study is another option for students to earn college credit.  When circumstances such as family, jobs, business travel, etc. compete for time, and students find that it is difficult to schedule their on-campus classes, correspondence study offers a solution.  Courses are offered through various disciplines including art, humanities, science, health-related fields, mathematics, psychology, and modern languages to name a few.  Courses are revised frequently, so students are encouraged to contact the Office of Correspondence Studies for the most current list of course offerings or visit the office’s web site: http://www.studyanywhere.txstate.edu.
    Students may enroll in courses at any time of the year and take up to nine months to complete them.  A three-month enrollment extension is available for a nominal fee.  Instruction is provided by means of a study guide and textbooks, and when appropriate, may include CD-ROMs, videos, audio CDs, and additional reference and instructional material.  Many courses allow e-mail submission of assignments, and some courses are now available online.
    The Office of Correspondence Studies offers graduate and undergraduate courses.  It is up to the individual academic departments/graduate schools at your university to determine if these courses may be applied to the graduate degree.  Therefore, it is recommended that any student who wishes to apply a graduate-level course offered through the Office of Correspondence Studies toward a degree should determine prior to enrolling if that course will be accepted.
    Enrollment in a correspondence course does not constitute acceptance to the University nor to any of its graduate programs.  Correspondence course work cannot be used toward a doctoral degree at Texas State.  For more information on Correspondence Studies at Texas State, visit http://www.studyanywhere.txstate.edu.
Extension Courses
    Texas State’s Office of Extension Studies serves those persons who are unable to come to campus and who wish to earn degree credit or to pursue in-service training, and those who wish to enroll in college courses not normally offered through the academic departments.  Extension courses are offered on campus and at various off-campus locations.  The times and locations for such courses depend on student need, faculty availability, and demand.  In the past, courses have been offered in San Antonio at USAA, in Seguin at Motorola, and at a number of school districts in Travis and Williamson Counties, as well as in several foreign countries.
    All courses are from the regular Texas State curriculum.  Registration for an extension class is completed through the Office of Extension Studies and does not constitute acceptance as a regular student at Texas State.

    Degree Credit for Extension Course Work. The department chair and the Dean of the Graduate College must approve extension work for it to be credited toward a graduate degree.  Students must meet the admission requirements as identified under the “Categories of Admission ‘Degree-Seeking Applicants’” section and be accepted in a degree program before extension work can receive degree credit.  Extension course work cannot be used toward a doctoral degree at Texas State.
    A maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit may be earned in extension courses offered by Texas State University-San Marcos.

    Extension Transfer Credit. Up to three semester hours of the total allowable six hours of transfer credit for a degree may be earned through extension courses at another accredited institution.  Students admitted on “Conditional Admission” or students on “Probation/Suspension” will not receive credit for transfer work taken under the aforementioned status.
    For more information on Extension Studies at Texas State, visit http://www.studyanywhere.txstate.edu.
Study Abroad
    The study-abroad experience expands students’ intellectual and personal development as they become immersed in other cultures.  Students gain a critical self-awareness, an appreciation for a multicultural world, and a clearer understanding of their own culture.  Study abroad prepares students to assume their role as responsible world citizens and to succeed professionally in today’s global economy.
    The Office of Study Abroad Programs offers students the opportunity to participate in a variety of study abroad programs at locations around the world.  The credit students earn may be applied toward a degree at Texas State.  Some of these programs involve direct enrollment in an institution abroad, while other programs are led by Texas State faculty.
    Through Texas State Study Abroad Programs, students can spend from three weeks to a full academic year in another country either learning another language, concentrating their studies related to a specific topic in their field of study, or participating in an internship.  Texas State Study Abroad Programs include a variety of activities that allow students to learn and experience the culture of the host country.  In some of these programs students have the opportunity to live with a host family to become totally immersed in the culture of the host country for a more comprehensive learning experience.
    Program locations vary each year but typically include such countries as Belize, Chile, China, England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.  Students may learn more about these programs by visiting the Study Abroad Library.  In addition to information about Texas State’s Study Abroad Programs, the Study Abroad Library houses a wealth of information about programs available from other universities and study-abroad companies.  For more information on Texas State Study abroad, visit http://www.studyanywhere.txstate.edu.
Adds and Drops/Schedule Changes
    Information regarding schedule changes can be found in the Schedule of Classes as well as on the Registrar’s web site at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu. Schedule changes and withdrawal dates are published each semester in the official University calendar that can be found at the following web site: http://www.registrar.txstate.edu/persistent-links/academic-calendar.html.
    For assistance, contact the Office of the Registrar.
Auditing a Course
    To audit a course, a student must be admitted to the Graduate College.  After the student has registered on CATS web, he or she must contact the Registrar’s Office in person by the 4th class day in the summer or by the 12th class day in the fall or spring.  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 his or her transcript record, 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 semester, with reduction made by the tuition adjustment clerk, Student Business Services (JCK Administration Building 188), before registering.
Course Numbers
    Texas State follows a four-digit numbering system.  The first digit indicates the level of the course:  1-freshman, 2-sophomore, 3-junior, 4-senior, 5 and 6-graduate and post-graduate, and 7-doctoral.  Courses numbered 5000-6000 are open to all graduate students.  Courses numbered 7000 are designed for doctoral students but are open to all graduate students.  The second digit of the course number indicates the semester credit hours the course carries.  For example, a course numbered 5300 would carry three semester hours of graduate-level credit.  The last two digits usually indicate the location of the course in the department’s curriculum.  A letter (A, B, C, etc.) or symbol (#, @, etc.) attached to a course number indicates an area of concentration within the course.  Numbers in parentheses (3-4) following a course title indicate the clock hours per week spent in lecture and laboratory, respectively.
Course Credit and Level
    A student must be in attendance in class, fulfill the course requirements, and be evaluated by the course instructor in order to receive course credit for that class.  The attendance requirement to receive class credit does not affect enrollment for thesis or independent study.
    A student must be enrolled in the course during the semester or summer session in which he or she receives credit for that class.  A student may not enroll in a class to:
  1. Receive credit for course work performed in a preceding semester or summer session.
  2. Receive credit for work performed at another college or university.
    Course Level. All courses required for the graduate degrees offered at Texas State are at the 5000 level or above.
Repeating Courses
    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 repeated once, the last grade earned (“W” and “I” grades excluded) is the only grade included in computing the student’s cumulative record of hours attempted and grade points earned.  When a course is repeated more than once, the second grade and all-subsequent grades are included in computing the student’s cumulative record of hours attempted and grade points earned.  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.
    For each course taken more than twice by a student with an “in-state” status, additional charges will be assessed which are equivalent to the out-of-state tuition rate.  This does not apply to thesis or dissertation hours or individual instruction.  Refer to the Registration Instructions at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu for more information.
Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program
    The Texas Certified Manager (CPM) Program is offered by the Texas State University-San Marcos William P. Hobby Center for Public Service through the Office of Continuing Education.  The CPM Program offered by Texas State is accredited by the National Consortium of Certified Public Managers.  It offers a systematic training program to enhance the quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and professionalism of government managers.  Individuals may enroll at any time during the year; programs are held 1 and ½ days a month on the Texas State University campus in San Marcos and 1 day a month at the Texas State University Higher Education Learning Center in Round Rock.  Admission to the University is not required.  Courses offered through the CPM Program may not apply for degree credit in the Political Science Department without the approval of the appropriate program advisor.
    For additional information about the CPM Program, contact the director of the CPM Program at 512-245-3453; fax 512-245-7543; e-mail hb02@txstate.edu; or access the program web site at http://txstate.edu/cpm.
Post-Graduate Credit
    After a student is regularly admitted to a graduate degree program, he or she may be permitted to utilize some of the courses taken as a post-graduate certification, non-degree, or certificate student toward their graduate degree.  At the recommendation of the student’s graduate advisor and with approval of the Dean of the Graduate College, up to six hours of graduate-level courses taken under the post-graduate status with a grade of “B” or better may be petitioned for degree credit.

Transfer Credit
    A maximum of six semester hours of credit earned at another institution may be accepted as transfer credit and applied toward the graduate degree.   Exceptions to the standard maximum of six credit hours of transfer work are the mathematics education doctoral program and the communication design master’s program.  The mathematics education doctoral program requires completion of 78 semester hours of course work, of which 24 credit hours of transfer course work may be approved by the Dean of the Graduate College upon recommendation from the Ph.D. Program Director.  The master’s in communication design is a 60 semester hour degree program, in which a maximum of 27 semester credit hours of transfer credit may be approved by the Dean of the Graduate College upon recommendation from the program’s graduate advisor.  Transfer credit will be accepted and applied toward the graduate degree provided that:

  1. The credit was earned in graduate courses completed in residence at an accredited institution.
  2. The courses are at the appropriate level and applicable to the student’s degree program at Texas State.
  3. Courses have not been, and will not be, used for credit toward another degree.
  4. If the credits were earned prior to the student’s admission to his or her program of study within the Texas State Graduate College and the credits were earned while the student was enrolled in a graduate degree program at the prior institution, the student must provide the Office of the Graduate College with written verification of his or her status at that university.  Additionally, the student must have his or her departmental graduate advisor submit a written request to the Dean of the Graduate College asking for acceptance of the transfer work toward the student’s Texas State degree.
  5. If the credits are to be earned after the student is admitted to the Texas State Graduate College, the student must obtain prior written approval from the Dean of Graduate College who will then send a letter of good standing to the other institution before the student enrolls in the course(s) to be transferred.  The student must initiate a request for a letter of good standing well in advance of the time of anticipated enrollment if the student plans to take courses at another university to complete a part of his or her Texas State graduate program.  Transfer credit cannot be permitted unless a letter of good standing has been issued prior to the student’s enrollment in the course(s) to be transferred.  If a student is currently working toward a graduate degree at Texas State and wishes to take a course at another accredited university to apply toward his or her degree at Texas State, the student will need to
    1. Receive permission from the departmental graduate advisor to take a course elsewhere.
    2. Have  the graduate advisor submit a written request to the Dean of the Graduate College so that the Dean can issue an official letter of good standing.  The request from the advisor should identify the course(s) by name and number and should state what semester(s) and where the student will be taking the work.  If the Dean of the Graduate College approves the request, a letter of good standing will be sent by the Dean of the Graduate College to the university where the student will enroll.
    3. Have an official transcript of the work forwarded to the Texas State Office of the Graduate College as soon as the student completes the course work.

    Transfer work will be accepted only if it bears a letter grade of “B” or higher, or a numerical equivalent.  A grade of “Credit,” “Pass,” “Satisfactory, “etc., is unacceptable.  Transfer work will not be accepted for graduate degree credit from another institution if such courses are designated as non-degree, background, preparatory, etc.  No credit will be awarded until an official transcript showing the course work to be transferred is on file in the Office of the Graduate College.  The student may also be requested to provide a catalog from his or her prior school that gives course descriptions for any transfer work requested.  Students admitted on “Conditional Admission”, students on “Probation/Suspension”, or students who have not taken the GRE will not receive credit for transfer work taken under the aforementioned status.
    Transcrpts for transfer work. Texas State transcipts will separate transfer course work from Texas State course work.  Transfer work listed chronologically will be listed first and will show the number of hours transferred; no transfer GPA will be printed.  Texas State course work listed chronologically will follow any transfer course work.  The transcript will show Texas State hours attempted, Texas State hours passed, Texas State grade points and Texas State GPA.
    Courses taken at other schools will not be included in the GPA at Texas State.  Texas State GPA will be the only GPA calculated.
    Background Course Work. Courses taken to fulfill background requirements will be accepted only if such courses are of the same level as those specified on the official degree audit.

Dropping a Class
    Dropping a class is an official action whereby a student drops one or more courses, yet remains enrolled in at least one other course.  Refer to the Registration Instructions at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu for details on dropping a class.
    Deadlines. The deadline for dropping classes or withdrawing from the University is listed on the Registrar’s web site at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu. When a student drops one or more classes or withdraws from the University, either a “W” or an “F” grade will be assigned for each course as follows:
  1. A “W” grade will be assigned automatically if a student officially withdraws from the University or officially drops one or more classes by the “automatic W” Drop/Withdraw deadline.
  2. After the automatic “W” period, faculty assign grades to students who officially drop classes or withdraw from the University.  Faculty assign a “W” grade only to those students who have a passing average at the time the drop/withdraw action is officially completed.  Otherwise, faculty assign an “F” grade.
Withdrawal
    Withdrawing from the University (dropping all classes) is an official action whereby a student informs the University Registrar, who in turn informs the instructor(s) of record, that the student will cease attending all classes in which enrolled.
    The student must contact the University Registrar in person, by letter, or by fax to withdraw officially from the University.  Visit the Registrar’s Office web site at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu or contact the Registrar’s Office at 512-245-2367 for the proper procedures.  Students living in university residence halls must also contact the Residence Life Office in person, by letter, or by fax.
The Graduate College | Texas State University-San Marcos | 601 University Drive | San Marcos, TX 78666-4605
512-245-2581 | gradcollege@txstate.edu