Dec 06, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General University Requirements



The University of North Texas at Dallas offers programs that result in the awarding of Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science (BAAS), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees upon completion of degree requirements. Further, students can develop plans of study that include minors and certificate programs to broaden expertise and marketability.

 

General Degree Requirements


UNT Dallas will confer the bachelor’s degree when the following conditions have been met:

  1. A minimum of 120 semester hours.
  2. Twenty-five (25) percent of the semester hours required for a degree must be earned at UNT Dallas.
  3. A minimum of 42 semester hours of advanced course work (3000/4000 level), 24 of which must be completed at UNT Dallas. A lower level course that, when transferred, is determined to be equivalent to a UNT Dallas upper-level course does not satisfy the requirement of advanced hours.
  4. Completion of all requirements in the university core curriculum (42-hour minimum).
  5. A major of at least 24 semester hours. At least 12 hours of advanced work (3000/4000 level) in the major must be earned at UNT Dallas (except for the BAAS degree). See the Undergraduate Degree Programs  section for specific program requirements that must also be met for successful degree completion.
  6. The completion of a minor or academic certificate is optional unless it is specified as a requirement for a particular undergraduate degree. A minor is a minimum of 18 semester hours, including 6 hours of advanced work (3000/4000 level). A certificate is generally 12-15 semester hours. For details, see the Undergraduate Degree Programs  section for the specific minor requirements that must also be met to earn the selected minor. 
  7. An official degree plan must be on file. It is recommended that the degree plan be made no later than the beginning of the junior year.
  8. A minimum grade point average of 2.00 on all coursework taken at UNT Dallas.
  9. A proficiency in English composition. Students must show competence in written expression by receiving credit for or earning a grade of C or better in two general education English courses that have a strong writing component (e.g. ENGL 1313, 1323). Students who have earned a D in one or more of these two required courses must repeat the course and raise the grade to a C or better. Students who are transferring to UNT Dallas with more than 90 hours and who have earned a D in any of the basic English writing courses must retake the course during the first semester in residence at UNT Dallas.
  10. Developmental education coursework for reading, writing and mathematics serves to help students meet the Texas Success Initiative college readiness standards, but those semester credit hours do not contribute to the 120 hours needed to graduate.

 

Writing Proficiency


UNT Dallas is committed to the discovery, acquisition, development, preservation and dissemination of knowledge and the enhancement of the intellectual, cultural and proficiency levels of all who enter its programs.  Fulfilling this commitment will contribute to both a better society and a more rewarding pattern of individual life.  As students endeavor to complete their academic studies, they are expected to exhibit good college-level writing skills in all university course work as a consideration in grading.  The Learning Commons can assist students with their writing skills both face-to-face and online at no cost.

 

University Core Curriculum


UNT Dallas adheres to the Texas Core Curriculum established in Texas Education Code Chapter 61, Subchapter S. Courses designated on the transcript as a Foundation Component Area will be applied to the Texas Core Curriculum . Courses from the core curriculum can fulfill major requirements toward degree completion as appropriate for the program plan. The major degree plans offer suggestions for Core classes to new Freshman students starting at UNT Dallas, and transfer students who may be looking ahead to attend UNTD as it can reduce hours to degree and/or provide more opportunities for elective courses.

 

Majors


All students must have a major program on record to graduate with a UNT Dallas bachelor’s degree.  Majors require students to complete at least 24 semester hours with at least 12 hours of advanced work (3000/4000) earned at UNT Dallas (except for the BAAS degree).  Each major program has a degree plan with specific course and grade point average requirements. In addition to completing the General University Requirements, students must meet all of the major requirements to graduate. 

Students can earn no more than two majors as a part of their baccalaureate degree at UNT Dallas.


Double Major


Students earning two majors of the same degree type (i.e., both majors designated as bachelor of arts degree types or both majors designated as bachelor of business administration degree types) as a part of their baccalaureate degree are completing double majors. Prerequisites and major courses for each major must be completed. Courses listed in one major can be used to fulfill requirements in the other major. Both majors must reflect the requirements from the same catalog year. To earn a baccalaureate degree with double majors, both majors must be completed simultaneously and conferred at the same time. Students cannot walk at the commencement ceremony until they are within 6 hours of completing all baccalaureate degree requirements. Both majors will be posted on the student transcript.


Dual Degree


Students earning two majors of different degree types (i.e., one major in General Business which is a bachelor of business administration degree type and one major in Psychology which is a bachelor of arts degree type) are earning dual degrees. Students must earn at least 30 distinctive course credits for the dual degree requiring up to 150 hours to complete all prerequisites and major course requirements for each major. Both majors must reflect the requirements from the same catalog year. To earn dual degrees, both majors must be completed simultaneously and conferred at the same time. Students cannot walk at the commencement ceremony until they are within 6 hours of completing all baccalaureate requirements. Both majors and degree are posted on the transcript, and students are issues two diplomas for each degree type.

 

Minors


Minors programs are provided to students as an opportunity to explore another area of interest and gain additional focused knowledge and skills to complement a major or prepare for a changing workforce. All listed undergraduate minors require a minimum of 18 credit hours, with a minimum of 6 of those credit hours being advanced level (3000/4000) courses. Additional requirements are listed with the specific minor. Students may need to satisfy course prerequisites which require additional courses not listed in the specific minor requirements. 

Minors must be earned in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree and an undergraduate major. A student is unable to earn a major and a minor in the same academic discipline. For example, a student cannot complete a criminal justice major and a criminal justice minor or a biology major and a biology minor. Students can earn no more than two minors as a part of their baccalaureate degree at UNT Dallas.

 

Academic Certificates


UNT Dallas offers upper-division undergraduate academic certificate program to meet workforce needs or provide students with life/career skills and knowledge and to allow for specialization in academic disciplines.

Undergraduate academic certificates requires a minimum of 12 credit hours, all earned at UNT Dallas, with all courses being at the advanced (3000/4000) level. Additional requirements are listed with the specific academic certificate.  In rare cases, student may need to satisfy course prerequisites which require additional courses not listed in the specific certificate requirements.

Academic certificates must be earned in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree and an undergraduate major unless otherwise noted as a “stand-alone” certificate on the degree plan in this catalog.  A student is unable to earn an academic certification and a major/minor in the same academic discipline. For example, a student cannot complete the certificate and a major in Logistics & Supply Chain Management.

The Office of the Registrar posts undergraduate academic certificates to students’ transcripts at the end of the semester earned. The school awarding the certificate prints the certificates and mails it to the student.

Note: Hours used for attaining an undergraduate academic certificate could potentially exclude a student from consideration for the $1,000 Tuition Rebate since all hours earned for the certificate are counted in the total hours earned toward a degree.  

 

Undergraduate Degree Programs


The University of North Texas at Dallas offers Undergraduate Degree Programs  that result in the awarding of Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science (BAAS), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees upon completion of degree requirements. Further, students can develop plans of study that include minor and certificate programs to deepen learning and marketability. If elected and otherwise noted, minors and certificates must be completed with a major degree program.

Students can also pursue post-baccalaureate education to earn degrees such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (MEd), and Master of Science (MS) degrees as well as the Juris Doctor (JD). See the College of Law Catalog and Graduate Catalog for more information.

 

Graduation Under a Particular Catalog


Students are designated a catalog that includes the academic requirements that they must meet to graduate with a degree from UNT Dallas.  These requirements are important for students to understand to make progress to degree.  Rules regulating the catalog assigned to students are as follows:

  1. A student may meet the graduation requirements noted in the catalog in effect at the time of admission to UNT Dallas or the requirements in any later catalog published before the student’s graduation.
  2. Any student transferring directly from a Texas community college to UNT Dallas shall have the same choice of catalog published degree requirements as the student would have if the dates of attendance at the university had been the same as the dates of attendance at the community college.  Transfer students from senior institutions or out-of-state community colleges will use the catalog in effect at their date of enrollment at UNT Dallas.
  3. All requirements of the chosen catalog must be met within eight years of that catalog’s publication.  This catalog will expire at the close of the 2028 Summer semester/term.  Any student who does not attend UNT Dallas for one full academic year must meet the requirements of the catalog effective the semester of the student’s return.
  4. Changes in either major or non-major requirements made necessary by altered or discontinued courses or by requirements imposed by external accrediting or certification agencies become effective for degree audit purposes at the beginning of the academic year immediately following the academic year in which the changes are published in the university catalog.  The changes may include additions, deletions and other changes in prerequisite requirements for existing courses.  Whenever possible, new requirements are implemented with a beginning class or upon the expiration of the appropriate time limit.

If a change in the academic catalog is necessary, speak with your academic advisor for more information. 

 

Transcripts


Transcripts contain the complete record of all courses in which the student was registered, including the grades, semester academic standing status and/or recognitions, any degree, diploma, or certificate conferred.  Transcript request information can be found on the Registrar web page (registrar.untdallas.edu).  Students must request transcripts through their student account at my.untdallas.edu or access the online TranscriptPlus website on the Registrar web page and complete all required information.  Transcripts are only available for students if they have attended UNT Dallas starting with the Fall 2015 semester or later.  Transcript requests are normally processed within 24 to 48 business hours.

Before an official transcript can be released, all financial or administrative obligations to the university must be resolved. To check for blocks, please refer to the Student Center at my.untdallas.edu.

If you have any questions concerning transcripts, please visit the Office of the Registrar or call 972-338-3664.

 

Transfer Hours from Another Institution


Students who complete work at another institution, to be applied toward a bachelor’s degree at UNT Dallas, should make sure that the appropriate officer of the other institution furnishes to the Office of Admissions at UNT Dallas a complete official transcript of such work.

The Office of Admissions processes acceptable transfer credit from other institutions based on evaluation of course content as described in the catalogs of those institutions and in consultation with appropriate academic units at UNT Dallas as necessary for clarification.

Transfer credit may only be received for course work completed at an accredited institution of higher education. Transfer credit from other institutions will be converted to semester hours and a 4.0 grading system for evaluation purposes as appropriate. The student’s academic dean determines applicability of the credit to a degree program. Students seeking a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree should refer to the special provisions of the respective degree programs.

Students who have begun residence work at UNT Dallas and who have attained junior standing may, only with the prior written consent of their academic dean, enroll in and transfer hours from approved two-year colleges.

Grade points earned at other institutions are excluded in the computations of the CGPA, but transfer hours accepted are included in determining the classification and minimum required level of performance.

Additional information concerning academic status is available from the Offices of the Academic Advising and Student Success or Registrar.

Because of the time required for receipt of transcripts, students otherwise eligible for graduation who complete their last course or courses elsewhere do not graduate at the end of the term/semester or summer session in which the work is completed, but receive their degrees at the close of a subsequent UNT Dallas term/semester or summer session.

 

Requirements for a Second Bachelor’s Degree


To be eligible for a second bachelor’s degree, a student must have completed an undergraduate degree verified with official transcripts.  Students must complete 30 semester credit hours at UNT Dallas, complete the Texas Core Curriculum requirements, and all requirements for a major, including 12 hours of advanced courses in residence at UNT Dallas.  Students who completed a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) at UNT Dallas cannot complete another BAAS degree unless eligible to pursue one of the specialized concentrations offered in the BAAS program (see Applied Arts and Sciences, BAAS   under Undergraduate Degree Programs for more information).

 

Definition of Terms


Concentration.  A concentration is a recognized focus in a subfield of a major field of study. 

Core Complete.  A student who transfers to UNT Dallas as core complete has successfully completed a 42-hour Texas core curriculum at another state-assisted institution of higher education in Texas and will have satisfied the core curriculum at UNT Dallas.

Corequisite.  A corequisite is a course that must be completed at the same time as another course.  All corequisites are included in catalog course descriptions.

Course Numbering System

  • 1000-1999 - Freshman courses
  • 2000-2999 - Sophomore courses
  • 3000-3999 - Junior courses
  • 4000-4999 - Senior courses
  • 5000-5999 - Graduate courses
  • 7000-7999 - Law courses

Double Major. Students seeking two different majors concurrently conferred as a part of a baccalaureate degree in which the degree types are the same, i.e. both majors are bachelor of arts degree types or both bachelor of sciences degree types.

Dual Degree. Students seeking two different majors concurrently conferred as a part of a baccalaureate degree in which the degree types differ, i.e. one major may be a bachelor of arts and the other major could be a bachelor of science.

Electives.  “Electives” generally refer to any course that a student can choose to take from the UNT Dallas course listing.  Major electives on a degree plan refer to student-selected courses within the major or approved electives list of the major.  

Major.  At least 24 semester hours in a given subject are required for a major, including 12 hours of advanced work. The number of hours required depends on the department selected. The term “professional field” is used in the School of Business to designate the major for the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and the Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management (MBA) degrees.

Double Major.  A student seeking a double major must consult with an advisor from the second department. If approved, the requirements for the second major are incorporated into the student’s degree audit.

Minor.  A minor requires at least 18 semester hours in a given subject, including 6 hours of advanced work. Specific course sequences for a minor are determined by the department offering the minor. Not all degrees require a minor.

Prerequisite. A prerequisite is a course or other preparation that must be completed before enrollment in another course. All prerequisites are included in catalog course descriptions.

Semester Hour. A semester hour is the unit of credit at UNT Dallas; the credit allows for one lecture hour a week for 15 weeks or the equivalent. In course listings, figures in parentheses following the course credit hours indicate the number of clock hours per week devoted to lecture and laboratory. When it appears, the third and final number in these parentheses indicates the number of recitation hours per week.

Track.  A track is a group of courses designed for students seeking specialized training toward specific career objectives or a group of courses designed to meet a specific need within a degree program.

Undergraduate Academic Certificates.  UNT Dallas offers upper-division undergraduate academic certificates to meet workforce needs or to provide students with life/career skills and knowledge and to allow for specialization in academic disciplines. Undergraduate academic certificates requires a minimum of 12 credit hours, all earned at UNT Dallas, with all courses being at the advanced (3000/4000) level., and must be earned in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree/major program at UNT Dallas.