School of Undergraduate Studies
Lawrence D. Abraham, EdD, Interim Dean
Cassandre G. Alvarado, PhD, Assistant Dean, Assessment & College Readiness
Alan Constant, MA, Assistant Dean, Academic Support
Jeanette M. Herman, PhD, Assistant Dean, Academic Initiatives
David B. Spight, MA, Assistant Dean, Strategic Advising & Career Counseling
http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/
General Information
Mission
The School of Undergraduate Studies oversees the components of a college education that are
shared by all undergraduates at the University. The mission of the school includes the
responsibility for sustaining a dynamic common curriculum and enriching the undergraduate
experience through innovative advising, career counseling, academic assistance, learning
communities, interdisciplinary programs, and undergraduate research. The overall functions of
the school are organized as follows:
Common Curriculum
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To instill in each student the distinctive traits of a University of Texas at Austin graduate
and broadly educated person.
To ensure a high-quality core curriculum by working closely with the other colleges and
schools to set and enforce standards for the courses required of all undergraduate
students.
To develop and maintain innovative classes for first-year students.
To set standards for and to evaluate courses that satisfy campus-wide requirements in
writing and speaking, ethics and leadership, global cultures, cultural diversity,
quantitative reasoning, and independent inquiry.
To support ongoing curricular innovation and teaching excellence in these courses and
throughout the undergraduate curriculum.
Strategic Advising
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To offer advising services that help students find coherent paths through the University
that suit their academic and career interests, focusing on students who are unsure of their
majors or who are considering a change.
To help students explore the resources of the University in areas that interest them.
To provide training and resources for advisers from every college and school.
Career Counseling
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To expand self-knowledge and workplace knowledge students need for making sound
career choices.
To guide students as they plan and prepare for graduate or professional school and the
world of work.
Academic Assistance
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To provide multiple avenues by which students can develop the ability to succeed
academically.
To help students improve performance inside and outside traditional classrooms.
Learning Communities
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To support student success by cultivating community-based academic experiences,
especially for first-year students.
To foster leadership among students in these communities.
Interdisciplinary Programs
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To create and coordinate interdisciplinary certificate and degree-granting programs,
working closely with the other colleges and schools.
To develop integrated strands of courses for satisfying campus-wide requirements.
Undergraduate Research
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To foster undergraduate participation in the University’s creative activity and research.
Admission and Registration
Admission and readmission of undergraduate students to the University is the responsibility of
the director of admissions. Students who wish to explore more than one field of study before
choosing a major are encouraged to apply for admission to the School of Undergraduate Studies.
Students who are not admitted into their desired major in another college or school may also be
offered admission into the School of Undergraduate Studies.
Detailed information about the admission process is provided in General Information, which also
includes information about registration, adding and dropping courses, transferring from one
division of the University to another, and the academic calendar. The Course Schedule,
published before registration each semester, includes registration instructions, advising locations,
and the times, places, and instructors of classes. The Course Schedule and General Information
are available through the registrar’s Web site, http://registrar.utexas.edu/.
Academic Policies and Procedures
Basic Education Requirements
The University strives to enroll exceptionally well-prepared, highly motivated students and to
produce self-reliant graduates who will become leaders in both their chosen professions and their
communities. The University must not only equip its graduates with occupational skills but also
educate them broadly enough to enable them to adapt to and cope with the accelerated process of
change occurring in business, professional, and social institutions today. Students must be
exposed to a broad spectrum of arts and science so that they may be educated beyond vocational
requirements and thus be prepared for responsible citizenship in an increasingly complex world.
All graduates of the University are expected to
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communicate clearly and accurately, defend an idea on the basis of evidence, draw
conclusions, and evaluate the arguments of others;
have a critical understanding of the society in which we live and the ways it has evolved
through time;
be able to analyze ethical issues and their possible resolutions;
understand facets of science and the ways in which knowledge of the universe is gained
and applied;
understand aspects of mathematics and apply quantitative skills to problem solving;
have a critical understanding of how human cultures are expressed in literature,
philosophy, or language;
participate in and/or critically analyze some area of the visual and performing arts; and
participate in the process of inquiry through research, creative endeavors, or related
activities.
To help students in all majors acquire the traits of an educated person, the General Faculty of the
University has adopted the core curriculum outlined below. All students, regardless of major,
must complete the core curriculum prior to earning an undergraduate degree.
Often, courses required by the student’s degree program may be used concurrently to fulfill one
or more of the core curriculum requirements listed below. When possible, students should select
core courses that also satisfy specific requirements of their intended degrees. For more
information, students should consult their advisers and the degree requirements given in the
college/school sections of this catalog.
Core Curriculum
All students pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University must complete the following
required coursework. These requirements are consistent with statewide core curriculum
guidelines; the area of the statewide core that each requirement meets is given in parentheses in
the following table. A single course may not be counted toward more than one core area.
The minimum acceptable grade for courses used to fulfill core curriculum requirements is D-;
individual degree plans may not require a higher minimum standard for core courses in general.
However individual degree plans may set a higher minimum grade standard for core courses that
are also required in the major field or are required as prerequisites for courses in the major.
State law requires that courses fulfilling a core component area (including the institutionally
designated option) at one Texas public institution must transfer and substitute for the receiving
institution’s requirements. However, this only applies to courses taken when a student does not
hold degree-seeking status at UT Austin. While a student holds degree-seeking status at UT
Austin, courses taken to fulfill core curriculum requirements must meet UT Austin core
definitions in the relevant UT Austin undergraduate catalog, regardless of where they are taken.
Core Area
First-year signature course (090, Institutionally designated option)
Sem
Hrs
3
One of the following courses, completed during the student’s first year in residence:
> Undergraduate Studies 302, 303
Students in the Plan II Honors Program may complete this requirement by taking Tutorial
Course 302.
English composition (010, Communication)
6
Six hours are required.
> Rhetoric and Writing 306
Nonnative speakers of English may complete three hours of this requirement by taking
Rhetoric and Writing 306Q. Students in the Plan II Honors Program may complete three
hours of this requirement by taking English 603A or Tutorial Course 603A.
> A three-hour course with a writing flag designation
The writing flagged course counted toward this area of the core may also be used to satisfy
other flag and major requirements outside the core, but may not be used to satisfy any
other requirement of the core.
Humanities (040, Humanities)
3
> English 316K
Students in the Plan II Honors Program may complete this requirement by taking English
603B or Tutorial Course 603B.
American and Texas government (070, Political Science)
Six hours are required. This coursework partially fulfills the legislative
6
requirement. ROTC courses may not be substituted for the core courses in government.
Government 310L is required for all students
Government 312L, 312P, or 312R may be used to satisfy the second half of this
requirement
Transfer students with five or more hours of coursework in American government may
complete this requirement of the core by taking Government 105, which includes Texas
government content that is consistent with the legislative requirement.
American history (060, U.S. History)
6
Six hours are required; three hours may be in Texas history. This coursework partially
fulfills the legislative requirement. ROTC courses may not be substituted for the core
courses in history.
government.
The following courses may be counted:
History 314K, 315G, 315K, 315L, 317L, 320L, 320P, 320R, 333L, 333M, 334L, 336L,
340S, 345J, 345L, 345M, 350R, 351N, 351P, 355F, 355M, 355N, 355P, 355S, 356G,
356K, 356N, 356P, 356R, 357C, 357D, 357F, 357P, 365G, 373C, 376F
Social and behavioral sciences (080, Social/Behavioral Science)
One of the following courses:
> Anthropology 302, 305, 307, 318L
> Core Texts and Ideas 302, 365
> Economics 301, 304K, 304L
> Geography 305, 306C, 307C, 308, 309, 312, 319
> History 329U
> Human Development and Family Sciences 304
> Linguistics 306, 312
> Psychology 301
> Religious Studies 310
3
> Sociology 302, 308, 308C, 308D, 309, 313K, 318, 319
Students in the Plan II Honors Program may complete this requirement by taking Social
Science 301.
Mathematics (020, Mathematics)
3
One of the following courses:
> Mathematics 302, 303D, 403K, 305G, 408C, 408K, 408N, 408R, 316
> Statistics and Scientific Computation 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 318
Students in the Plan II Honors Program may complete this requirement by taking
Mathematics 310P.
Science and technology, Part I (030, Natural science)
Six hours in a single field of study.
The following courses may be counted:
> Astronomy 301, 302, 303, 307, 309, 309L, 309N, 309Q, 309R, 309S, 309T
Only one of the following may be counted: Astronomy 301, 302, 303, 307. Astronomy
309Q may not be paired with 309N or 309R.
> Biology 301D, 301L, 301M, 311C, 311D, 315H, 325H, 326M, 446L, 365S
It is recommended that students complete two courses chosen from Biology 301D, 301L,
and 301M; or one of the following pairs of courses: Biology 311C and 311D, Biology
311C and 326M, Biology 311C and 446L, Biology 311C and 365S, Biology 315H and
325H.
> Chemistry 301, 302, 301H, 302H, 304K, 305, 314N
It is recommended that students complete one of the following pairs of courses: Chemistry
301 and 302, 301H and 302H, 304K and 305.
> Geological Sciences 401, 302C, 302D, 302E, 302K, 302M, 302P, 303, 404C, 405, 305E,
307, 420H
Only one of the following may be counted: Geological Sciences 401, 303, 420H.
Geological Sciences 404C may not be paired with 405.
> Marine Science 307, 308
6
> Natural Sciences 306J, 306K, 306L, and 306M
Students may use NSC 306J and NSC 306K and either NSC 306L or NSC 306M to fulfill
the requirements for science and technology, part I, and science and technology, part II.
> Physical Science 303, 304; Physics 301, 302K, 302L, 303K, 303L, 309K, 309L, 316,
317K, 317L
Physical Science 303 may not be counted with Physics 301, 302K, 303K, 309K, and 317K
to complete Science and Technology Part I. Physical Science 304 may not be counted with
Physics 302L, 303L, 309L, 316, and 317L to complete Science and Technology Part I. It is
recommended that students complete one of the following pairs of courses: Physics 301
and 316; 302K and 302L; 303K and 303L; 309K and 309L; 317K and 317L; Physical
Science 303 and 304.
Students in the Plan II Honors Program may use Biology 301E or Physics 321 to fulfill
half of this requirement. To complete the six-hour requirement in this area, Plan II students
may pair Biology 301E with Biology 301D or 311C, or Physics 321 with any physics
course listed above. If Plan II students do not use Biology 301E or Physics 321 to fulfill
this requirement, they may use them to fulfill the science and technology, part II,
requirement.
Students who take the Natural Sciences 306J and 306K sequence to complete science and
Technology Part I may not use chemistry, geology, physical science, or physics
coursework to satisfy Science and Technology Part II. Students who take Natural Sciences
306J to complete Science and Technology Part II may not use physical science or physics
coursework to satisfy Science and Technology Part I.
Science and technology, Part II (031, Additional natural sciences)
Three hours in a field of study different from the field counted toward the preceding
requirement.
Courses listed under science and technology, part I, may be counted toward this
requirement; the following courses may also be counted:
> Anthropology 301, 304
> Biology 301C, 305E, 305F, 406D, 307D, 309D, 309F
> Computer Science 302, 307, 312
> Electrical Engineering 302, 306
> Geography 301C, 301K, 304E
3
> Natural Sciences 306J, 306K, 306L, and 306M
Students who take the Natural Sciences 306J and 306K sequence to complete science and
Technology Part I may not use chemistry, geology, physical science, or physics
coursework to satisfy Science and Technology Part II. Students who take Natural Sciences
306J to complete Science and Technology Part II may not use physical science or physics
coursework to satisfy Science and Technology Part I.
Visual and performing arts (050, Visual/Performing Arts)
3
One of the following courses:
> American Studies 330
> Architecture 308, 318K, 318L
> Art History 301, 302, 303
The following courses may also be counted: Art History 325, 327N, 327R, 329J, 329R,
330G, 331K, 331L, 332K, 332L, 333K, 333L, 335P, 337K, 338L, 339J, 339K, 339L, 339M,
341K, 341L, 347K, 347L, 347M, 359, 361, 361L, 362, 362R, 363, 364, 365, 366J, 366N,
366P, 367, 370, 372.
> Classical Civilization 301, 302, 303, 307C, 307D, 317
> Core Texts and Ideas 350, 351
> Fine Arts 310
> Music 302L, 302P, 303M, 303N, 303P, 606A, 307, 313, 334
> Philosophy 317K, 346
> Radio-Television-Film 305, 314, 316
> Studio Art 320K, 320L
> Theatre and Dance 301, 302T, 303, 317C, 317D
> Visual Art Studies 320
Total 42
Signature Courses
The purpose of the signature course is to provide all students with a common intellectual
experience that engages them in college-level thinking and learning early in their college careers.
Signature courses introduce undergraduates to academic discussion and analysis of issues from
an interdisciplinary perspective. Signature courses are taught in small seminar format and large
format. All signature courses are designed to:
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engage students with an issue of contemporary importance, introduce them to the
methods of more than one discipline, and emphasize college-level skills in
communication, reasoning, and the interpretation of data;
familiarize students with at least one of the University’s special resources, such as
libraries, museums, and research facilities;
incorporate at least one University Lecture, which will help create a common experience
for all first-year students; and
help students acquire a measure of information literacy in disciplines relevant to the class.
The signature course is required for all students, regardless of major. New transfer students are
encouraged to enroll in signature courses that are recommended for more experienced students.
More information about signature courses is available at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/sig/.
Additional Basic Education Requirements
Skills and Experience Flags
In the process of fulfilling the core curriculum and other degree requirements, all undergraduates
are expected to complete courses with content in the following six areas:
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Writing: three flagged courses beyond Rhetoric and Writing 306 or its equivalent
Quantitative reasoning: one flagged course
Global cultures: one flagged course
Cultural diversity in the United States: one flagged course
Ethics and leadership: one flagged course
Independent inquiry: one flagged course
Courses with sufficient content in these areas will be identified in the Course Schedule by the
appropriate flags. The School of Undergraduate Studies monitors flagged courses to ensure that
they meet the guidelines set by the General Faculty. When a course is approved to carry more
than one flag, enrolled students may use all of those flags to fulfill degree requirements, except
that the global cultures flag and the cultural diversity in the United States flag must be earned in
separate courses.
Most degree programs are in the process of implementing flag requirements. Students who
choose to graduate according to the requirements of the 2012–2014 Undergraduate Catalog
should consult their advisers and the degree requirements listed in chapters 3 through 16 of this
catalog to determine which of the flag requirements apply to them.
Foreign Language
In addition to the core curriculum requirements above, undergraduates are expected to have
completed two years in a single foreign language in high school. Students without two years of
high school foreign language coursework must earn credit for the second college-level course in
a foreign language; this credit does not count toward the student’s degree. Students should
consult their advisers and the degree requirements listed in chapters 3 through 16 of this catalog
to determine whether additional foreign language requirements apply to them.
Programs and Centers
Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling
The Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling in the School of Undergraduate Studies
provides academic advising and career counseling services to students in three categories:
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New students who select the School of Undergraduate Studies so that they may delay
their choice of college or school until after a period of exploration
New students who are admitted to the School of Undergraduate Studies after having been
denied admission to their first two choices of major
New and continuing students in transition from one major to another enrolled in any
undergraduate college or school at the University
The Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling helps students to examine career
aspirations and academic interests with the goal of developing a viable and rewarding path
through the University. The center has a comprehensive library with thousands of resources for
major and career exploration as well as internship preparation and provides a variety of services
in the areas of strategic academic advising, major exploration, career counseling and assessment,
and graduate and professional school planning and preparation.
After a one- to four-semester period of exploration and strategic advising, students enrolled in
the School of Undergraduate Studies choose a major in one of the University’s other colleges or
schools. More information about the Center for Strategic Advising & Career Counseling is
available at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/csa/.
Sanger Learning Center
The Sanger Learning Center is the primary provider of academic assistance to University
students. To help students reach their highest potential in their personal and academic
development, the center provides a variety of services and resources in the areas of mathematics,
science, learning strategies, and graduate and professional school planning and preparation. The
center also offers content-based discussion sections, study groups, and tutoring for difficult
courses. Services are free to currently enrolled students in all schools and colleges (some
restrictions may apply).
Programs
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Tutorial Services—a program certified by the College Reading and Learning Association
(CRLA) up to the master tutor level—provides both individual and group tutoring. More
specifically, one-to-one tutoring by appointment and small group tutoring sessions are
offered for many lower-division undergraduate classes. Drop-in tutoring is also available
for selected natural sciences and mathematics courses, as well as writing consultation for
graduate students.
Supplemental Instruction is a nationally recognized program aimed at improving student
performance, increasing retention, and enhancing teaching. The program targets
historically difficult entry-level courses by offering students regularly scheduled
discussion sections led by trained undergraduate and/or graduate students.
The center’s classes and workshops also meet a broad spectrum of student needs, ranging
from mathematics and science reviews to graduate examination preparation to general
study strategies to career assessment.
Peer-Led Undergraduate Studying (PLUS), a program that aims to support student
performance and motivation in historically difficult courses by offering class-specific
weekly study groups. Group leaders offer a collaborative group study experience tailored
to the needs of their classmates.
Peer Academic Coaching, a program certified by the CRLA at the master tutor level,
offers structured guidance over time to students needing assistance with skills such as
reading efficiency, note-taking, time and project management, test taking, and test
preparation.
More information about the Sanger Learning Center is available at http://lifelearning.utexas.edu/.
First-Year Interest Groups
First-year Interest Groups (FIGs) are cohorts of up to twenty-five students who take two to four
courses together during the first semester of their first year. These small groups help students get
to know each other and make the transition from high school to college. Each FIG includes a
weekly one-hour seminar led by a trained peer mentor and staff member. During the seminar,
participants are introduced to University resources and have opportunities to explore their
intellectual interests and to interact with each other, the mentor, advising staff, and faculty
members.
College-based FIGs are designed for students in the same major or department. Signature FIGs
provide an opportunity for first-year students to take core courses in a group of eighteen students
and receive academic assistance from a Signature Course Peer Mentor. The Residential Firstyear Interest Group program (ResFIG) offers incoming freshmen the opportunity to join a cohort
of students with whom they live, study, participate in community service projects, and take
classes.
More information about FIGs is available at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/fig/.
Bridging Disciplines Programs
The Bridging Disciplines Programs (BDPs) support students in becoming versatile thinkers with
the skills to collaborate across disciplines and cultures. The BDPs are designed to complement a
student’s major with an individualized plan of study leading to an interdisciplinary certificate in
one of the following areas:
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Children and Society
Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies
Cultural Studies
Digital Arts and Media
Environment
Ethics and Leadership
Film Studies
Global Studies
Human Rights and Social Justice
Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship
Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofits
Social Inequality, Health, and Policy
Each BDP is overseen by an interdisciplinary faculty panel that sets policy, approves courses,
and selects students. Within each broad area, students choose a specific strand of specialized
courses drawn from disciplines across the University. Students are encouraged to use the BDP
theme to select courses and integrate degree requirements; to this end, courses taken to fulfill
core curriculum requirements, courses fulfilling major requirements, and electives may also be
counted toward a BDP. Participation in undergraduate research and internships is also central to
the design of the BDPs.
All degree-seeking undergraduates at the University are eligible to apply for the BDPs. With
careful planning, a BDP can complement most degree plans. However, because the BDPs build
on core requirements and electives, students are encouraged to start early in their University
careers.
Undergraduates who complete BDP requirements in conjunction with their degree requirements
or within one year after earning the degree receive a certificate and recognition on the University
transcript; students in integrated undergraduate/graduate programs must complete certificate
requirements within one year after they complete their undergraduate degree requirements. A
maximum of nine semester hours of the certificate coursework may be taken after the student has
earned the undergraduate degree. At least half of the required certificate coursework must be
completed in residence at the University.
A student may not earn a certificate in the same field as his or her major, and at least one
certificate course must be outside the requirements of the major. However, certificate courses
outside the major may be counted toward other degree requirements.
Students should apply for the certificate when they apply for graduation or when they complete
the certificate program, whichever is later. Transcript recognition is awarded at the end of that
semester or summer session.
In order to earn a BDP certificate, students must satisfy the following requirements:
1. At least nineteen semester hours of coursework. The distribution of coursework varies by
specialization, and students should consult the BDP office for the requirements of each
program. For all specializations, the coursework requirements consist of the following:
a. Foundation Courses: One to ten hours in foundation courses that introduce key
concepts and methodologies related to the interdisciplinary concentration.
b. Connecting Experiences: Three to nine hours in undergraduate research,
internships, and/or independent creative project courses that connect students’
interdisciplinary concentration to their major.
c. Courses in a Strand: Six to twelve hours in courses in a strand, which allows
students to focus their remaining BDP coursework. Course listings for BDP
strands are located on the BDP Web site at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/bdp/.
2. A three- to four-page integration essay in which students reflect on what they have
learned and accomplished through their BDP experience. These essays will be reviewed
by members of a BDP faculty panel. Additional guidelines are available from the BDP
advisers.
3. Students must earn a grade of at least C- in each of the courses taken to fulfill BDP
requirements and the cumulative grade point average in all courses counting toward a
student’s BDP certificate must be at least 2.0. All but one of the courses taken to fulfill
BDP requirements must be taken on the letter-grade basis.
4. At least half of the required course work in the BDP certificate must be completed in
residence at The University of Texas at Austin.
5. Completion of the requirements of a major.
More information about BDPs is available at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/bdp/.
Office of Undergraduate Research
Every undergraduate at the University has the opportunity to become a researcher and to take
part in the vibrant intellectual work of the University. Undergraduates often bring enthusiasm
and fresh ideas to the research process and are valuable contributors to this work. The Office of
Undergraduate Research connects students to research opportunities and resources, raises
awareness of undergraduate research in all disciplines, and provides support to faculty members
and advisers who work with undergraduates.
Services offered through the Office of Undergraduate Research include weekly information
sessions on research involvement, individual advising sessions, and workshops on a variety of
topics tailored to the needs of student groups and advisers. The office also offers a workshop
series that guides students through the process of submitting an abstract and presenting their
work at a national conference.
To facilitate involvement in undergraduate research, the School of Undergraduate Studies offers
two courses that students may take to receive credit for research experiences with University
faculty members: Undergraduate Studies 310 and 320. Enrollment in these courses is
coordinated through the Office of Undergraduate Research.
The Office of Undergraduate Research also oversees EUREKA
(http://www.utexas.edu/research/eureka/), a Web site devoted to undergraduate research
resources and opportunities at the University. The site provides a searchable database of more
than two thousand faculty research profiles, a list of faculty projects with opportunities for
undergraduates, a research guide with information on getting started, and spotlights on successful
faculty/student collaborations.
More information on the Office of Undergraduate Research is available online at
http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/ugr/ or by phone at (512) 471-5949.
University Honors Center
The Honors Center in the School of Undergraduate Studies is a focal point for interdisciplinary
honors activities at the University. The center offers a variety of enrichment programs for
undergraduate honors students and support to the campus activities of several national honor
societies including: Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Eta Sigma, National Society of Collegiate
Scholars, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Mortar Board.
More information about the Honors Center is available in the General Information Catalog and at
http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/uhc/.
Longhorn Scholars Program
The Longhorn Scholars Program is designed for students from selected Texas high schools
whose graduates have historically been underrepresented at the University.
Throughout their four years at the University, Longhorn Scholars benefit from strategic
academic advising, peer mentoring, and access to classes taught by outstanding faculty members.
Students also have opportunities to develop leadership skills, participate in faculty research, and
participate in the diverse educational experiences offered at the University.
Participation in the Longhorn Scholars Program is by invitation. More information about the
Longhorn Scholars Program is available at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/lsp/.
Texas Success Initiative
The Texas Success Initiative is a state-legislated program designed to improve student success in
college. The two components of the program are:
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Assessment of each student's basic skills in reading, mathematics, and writing, and
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Developmental instruction to strengthen academic skills that need improvement.
More information about the Texas Success Initiative is available in the General Information
Catalog and at http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/tsi.
Courses