Glossary of terms in the schedule

This course schedule content is archived.

» to A thru E | F thru J | K thru O | P thru T | U thru Z

A thru E

Absence for military service.

In accordance with Texas education code section 51.9111, a student is excused from attending classes or engaging in other required activities, including exams, if he or she is called to active military service of a reasonably brief duration. The student will be allowed a reasonable time after the absence to complete assignments and take exams. Policies affecting students who withdraw from the University for military service are given in the General Information Catalog.

Access periods.

The designated time periods when specified groups of students may access the registration system. You may access the registration system as many times as necessary during your scheduled and open periods. Consult the access schedules printed in this Course Schedule or your online registration information sheet to determine when you are eligible. If you attempt to access the system at a time when you are not eligible, access will be denied. You are advised to access the system during the earliest period for which you are eligible. If your session is terminated before you complete your transactions, log back in to continue. All transactions completed prior to the termination are saved.

Add/drop.

Students who have enrolled and made payment toward their tuition and fee bill are considered to be "add/dropping" when they make changes to their schedule. The payment deadline for students participating in add/drops is different than the payment deadline for students who are continuing their initial registration.

Adding a class.

When you attempt to add a class to your schedule, the registration system checks certain conditions. If any of the conditions below prevent you from adding the class, and you do not receive the waitlist option, you will be told.

Requested unique number is invalid.
Requested class is canceled.
Requested class is filled to closing limit.
Requested class is restricted to certain majors or individuals.
Requested class creates a time conflict in your class schedule.
Requested class is a duplicate.
Requested class exceeds the registration limit for number of hours:

Maximum number of hours.
undergraduate	fall/spring 17 summer 14
graduate	fall/spring 15 summer 12
law	fall/spring 16 summer 14

Requested class exceeds the limit of fifteen classes.
If the requested class is an upper-division course in the College of Communication, you may not meet the upper-division GPA requirement.
If the requested class is RHE 306, you may be ineligible based on your month of birth. Only students with an even-numbered month of birth may register for RHE 306 in the fall; only students with an odd-numbered month of birth may register in the spring. There are no eligibility requirements based on month of birth in the summer session.
Student does not meet prerequisites for the requested class.

Advising bar.

A code placed on the record of a student who is required to consult an academic adviser. A student may not access the registration system until the advising bar is cleared on the computer by his or her major department. Also see advising and major codes or consult your registration information sheet to determine if advising is required for you.

Attendance.

Regular attendance at all class meetings is expected. Instructors are responsible for implementing attendance policies and must notify students of any special attendance requirements. Special regulations of colleges and schools, required by the unique nature of their programs of study, may be enacted through the normal approval process. These special regulations may not conflict with University regulations on class attendance and absence.

Cancellation of registration.

A student may cancel their unpaid registration by dropping all their classes prior to their first payment deadline. The University will drop all the student's classes if they do not make payment by the deadline. Once payment has been made, the student must withdraw if they do not wish to continue at the University. (Also see "Withdrawal.")

Classes added, canceled, or changed after the Course Schedule is printed.

You may select classes added after the Course Schedule is published when you use the search option in the registration system. Additional information about added courses is available from the academic departments offering them. If a class is canceled or the meeting time or room is changed after you have registered for it, that information will be reflected on your class listing page. It is your responsibility to double-check your class listing prior to the first class meeting.

Classification.

The designation freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate. Undergraduates are classified as freshman, sophomores, juniors, or seniors, based on the number of semester credit hours passed and transferred, regardless of the hours' applicability toward a degree. Semester hours used to determine classification include coursework completed in residence, transferred credit, and credit by examination, extension, and correspondence. Hours in progress and hours failed are not counted in determining classification.

Classification by semester credit hours.
freshman	0-29 hours of credit
sophomore	30-59 hours of credit
junior	60-89 hours of credit
senior	more than 89 hours of credit

A graduate student is one who has been accepted to the Graduate School, a graduate program in the Red McCombs School of Business, or the School of Law. Degree-holding but nondegree-seeking students are classified as a separate group for registration purposes in access period one.

Your classification is listed on your registration information sheet. Classification may change as a result of additional credit hours earned at the end of a semester or summer session. Use your updated classification to determine your access time.

Class meeting time and place.

The credit value of courses is expressed in semester credit hours. Most courses are designed to require approximately three hours of work a week throughout the semester for each semester hour of credit given; that is, for each hour a class meets, an average of two additional hours of preparation is expected of the student. The time requirement in the laboratory, field, or studio varies with the nature of the subject and the aims of a course, so there is no fixed ratio of laboratory to class hours.

Most courses meet three hours a week in the fall and spring semesters and have a value of three semester hours. In a six-week summer term, courses meet seven and a half hours a week for three semester hours of credit.

Also see meeting time for standard meeting times and interval between classes.

The time or meeting place of a class may not be changed without notifying the registrar in advance. A class may not meet in a facility that was not assigned to it.

Class rolls.

Faculty Members: If students (except auditors) whose names are not on your official class roster (twelfth class day for long-session semesters, fourth class day for summer terms) are attending your class, send them to the registrar's office to obtain official documentation of their registration. A student must be registered for a course to receive credit for it.

If a student is not on your class roster, they should not be allowed to attend until they are on the roster.

Errors in your class roster should be reported to the Office of the Registrar, 475-7656.

Class title.

The class title appears to the right of the course number and applies to all of the class sections listed below it until a new title is printed. In general, class titles are listed in alphabetical order for each course number except where preceded by a topic number.

Completing registration.

In order to secure classes selected during registration, a student must take action before the payment deadline to complete the registration process. The student must make a payment if there is an amount due; pay with financial aid if eligible; or confirm attendance if the entire tuition/fee bill is zero. Zero bills can occur when the entire bill is being paid by a grant or a third party such as the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan. Students take these actions at My Tuition Bill.

Continuing student.

A student who is enrolled for the previous long session at the University. A student who receives an undergraduate degree from the University and enters the Graduate School is considered a new student. (Also see "New student" and "Readmitted student.")

Course abbreviation.

Course abbreviations are listed with the names of the fields of study in the pull down menus on the search page. Within a department or program, courses are listed alphabetically by field of study.

Course number.

(also see Credit value and Letters) Courses with the same abbreviation are listed in numerical order by the last two digits of the course number and then alphabetically by any subsequent letters. For example, a course numbered 679K precedes one numbered 379L. In the summer session, course numbers are prefixed by a letter:

Summer session prefixes.
f	first term
n	nine-week term
w	whole session
s	second term

Summer session courses prefixed by f, n, and w are listed together in numerical order; courses prefixed by s are listed separately in numerical order following the f, n, and w courses.

Credit card transactions.

You may charge your tuition and fees to your credit card. A convenience charge is added to all housing, tuition and mandatory fee payments, or tuition loan payments, made by credit card. You may also use a credit card to clear most financial bars to gain access to the registration system. Because this process depends on agencies and technical systems other than those at the University, under some circumstances you may not be able to clear your bars by credit card and will therefore be denied access to the registration system. It is recommended that you clear financial bars before your scheduled access times by following the procedures outlined in registration and payment procedures.

Questions about credit card transactions should be directed to Student Accounts Receivable, (512) 475-7777.

Credit value.

Each field of study is identified by a name and a one-, two-, or three-letter abbreviation. Each course in the field is identified by a number made up of three digits or three digits and a letter. The first digit of a course number indicates the credit value of the course in semester hours. Courses numbered 201 through 299 have a value of two semester hours; 301 through 399, a value of three semester hours; and so on. A zero as the first digit indicates that the course is noncredit. If the course number ends with the letter A, B, X, Y, or Z, see letters below. A course with the single-word title Laboratory or Discussion is also noncredit, regardless of its course number; these sections are always taken concurrently with a credit-bearing lecture course.

Directory information.

The following policies are taken from General Information, Appendix C.

Sec. 9-201. Directory information

(a) “Directory information” for a student is defined as the following:

name
local and permanent addresses
electronic mail addresses
public username (UT EID)
telephone listing
date and place of birth
major field(s) of study
participation in officially recognized activities and sports
weight and height if a member of an athletic team
dates of attendance
enrollment status
degrees
awards and honors received (including selection criteria)
most recent previous educational institution attended
classification and expected date of graduation
student parking permit information

(b) Directory information is public information and will be made available to the public except as noted in subsection 9–201(c).

(c) A currently enrolled student may restrict access to all or some of their directory information or may remove all or some of their information from public directories through Restrict My Info during the first twelve class days of any semester or the first four class days of any summer term. A request to restrict information will remain in effect until revoked by the student.

eBilling.

Students who register early will receive an electronic billing notification for tuition and fees. No paper bills will be mailed. Students must keep their e-mail address current. Notices are sent to the e-mail address on the student record as verified at the time of registration. Electronic billing notifications are also sent for tuition and emergency cash loans.

eCheck.

An online payment that functions like a traditional paper check. It does not require an upgraded EID and can be used by anyone acting as an eProxy. Transactions that are returned to the University, regardless of reason, will be treated as returned checks.

Electronic funds transfer.

An electronic withdrawal of funds from your bank account using pre-established authorization. Account information is stored and can be used for money in (refunds, financial aid) or money out (payments). An upgraded EID is required. Transactions that are returned to the University, regardless of reason, will be treated as returned checks.

Emergency Contact Information

Per The University of Texas' Emergency Notification Policy in the General Information Catalog, at least one emergency contact person must be listed for each enrolled student. Additionally, a student's cell phone number is collected so that the University has the ability to contact that student about critical incidents on campus via text messaging technology. Information gathered remains confidential to the extent allowed by law.

You must:

designate a Primary Emergency Contact and provide the contact's name, daytime phone number and complete US address.
- if under 18, list a parent legal guardian as the primary emergency contact.
provide your cell phone number and provider OR indicate that you have no cell phone or would like to opt out of receiving campus text alerts via cell phone.

You must designate either or both of your emergency contacts as a missing persons contact. If you are identified as missing, Student Emergency Services will notify the designated emergency contact with in twenty-four hours of receiving the report.

This information must be reviewed annually. Even if there are no changes to your emergency contacts, you must indicate that this information is still correct.

You can update your Emergency Contact Information here.

Statement on Equal Educational Opportunity.

The University of Texas at Austin is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. In accordance with federal and state law, the University prohibits unlawful discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race; color; religion; national origin; gender, including sexual harassment; age; disability; citizenship; and veteran status. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression is also prohibited pursuant to University policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies, including, but not limited to, serving as the University's Title VI/IX/ADA/ADAAA and 504 Coordinator: Linda Millstone, Associate Vice President for Institutional Equity and Workforce Diversity, NOA 4.302, (512) 471-1849. The mailing address is Office of Institutional Equity, P O Box 7609, Austin TX 78713.

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F thru J

Fees.: The total of field trip, laboratory, supplementary, and incidental fees for a class is listed after the class title.
Financial bar.: A code placed on the record of a student to deny access to the registration system because of a delinquent debt to the University. Bars incurred after your registration information sheet is created may be placed on your record prior to your access period(s). In most cases, financial bars may be paid by credit card (see above) or by check or cash at the cashiers in MAI 8. Some financial bars must be resolved in person at the administrative office that imposed the bar. Returned check bars cannot be paid by personal check, eCheck or electronic funds transfer.; If you clear a bar by check and your check is returned to the University, your registration will be incomplete. If payment is not received within ten calendar days of the returned check notice, you will not be registered for classes.
Headnote.: A notation in the course schedule that lists the administrative personnel for the area, along with their office addresses, phone numbers, and web sites. In many cases, important information about course prerequisites, descriptions, and registration restrictions is given in the headnote.
In absentia registration.: A candidate for a degree, who has completed the requirements for graduation and needs to register only for the purpose of having a degree conferred, may register in absentia. Undergraduate students must initiate in absentia requests through their academic dean by the deadline. Graduate students may only register in absentia in the fall semester. If payment is received by the deadline, the in absentia registration is complete. If you apply near the deadline, hand carry the request and payment to Registration, MAI 1, to ensure payment by the deadline.
Instructor.: When academic units update the instructor of record, and if space allows, the instructor's last name and first initial are shown to the right of the meeting location.

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K thru O

Letters.: Two courses that have the same abbreviation and the same last two digits may not both be counted for credit unless the digits are followed by different letters. For example, English (E) 325 and 325K may both be counted. The letter A following a course number designates the first half of the course; B, the second half. For example, Music 612A is the first half of Music 612; Music 612B, the second half. The letter X following a course number designates the first third of the course; Y, the second third; and Z, the last third. For example, Law 621XY means that the first two-thirds of the six-hour course, Law 621, is being given during one semester. Credit value for course numbers ending in A, B, X, Y, or Z is reduced accordingly. MUS 612B, for example, has a value of three semester hours rather than six.
Meeting place.: The building and room or other meeting location is given after the meeting time. Buildings are identified by three-letter abbreviations, which can be interpreted using the list of buildings printed with the campus map.
Meeting time.: The class meeting time is printed to the right of the unique number in the course schedule. Days of the week are listed by their initial letters:; The designation MWF, for instance, means that the class meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the semester. Occasionally, a note under the title indicates that the course meets on additional days, or that the course meets only on specific dates or for a part of the semester. Following the abbreviation for the day(s) of the week is the class meeting time. Standard meeting times are as follows:; Some classes have more than one meeting time that students must incorporate into their schedules. These additional times are printed immediately below the first meeting time.
My Tuition Bill site.: Secure site at www.utexas.edu/business/accounting/sar. Tuition and fee bills are not mailed; students receive an electronic billing notification. Pay your tuition/fee bill using eCheck, credit card or by electronic funds transfer. UT EID and password are required. Because this process depends on agencies and technical systems other than those at the University, under some circumstances you may not be able to pay by credit card.
New student.: A student who has not previously attended the University, or a student enrolling in the Graduate School for the first time.
Nonfinancial bar.: A code placed on the record of a student to deny access to the registration system because a requirement of an administrative office has not been satisfied. See "Registration and Payment Details," step three, for information on clearing bars. Bars incurred after your Registration Information Sheet is created may be placed on your record prior to your access period(s). A nonfinancial bar must be resolved in person at the administrative office that imposed the bar.
Notelines.: The text that appears below a class title in the detailed view of a class in the online Course Schedule may include a description, prerequisite, enrollment or other restrictions, and cross-listed courses. Prerequisites and descriptions for all courses are given in the undergraduate, graduate, and law school catalogs.
Optional fee changes.: If you want to add or delete an optional fee after your preliminary registration, you may use the Web during any of your access times. To make changes after you have paid your fee bill, go to the sponsoring department.

Standard class meeting times.
fall/spring	MWF 8-9am, 9-10am, 10-11am, 11-12noon, 12-1pm, 1-2pm, 2-3pm, 3-4pm, 4-5pm (50 minutes with a ten-minute interval at the end of class) TTh 8-9:30am, 9:30-11am, 11-12:30pm, 12:30-2pm, 2-3:30pm, 3:30-5pm (75 minutes with a fifteen-minute interval at the end of class)
summer	MTWThF 8:30-10am, 10-11:30am, 11:30-1pm, 1-2:30pm, 2:30-4pm (75 minutes with a fifteen-minute interval at the end of class)

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P thru T

Prerequisites.: Certain course prerequisites listed in the Course Schedule and/or University catalogs are checked during registration. Students may be allowed to enroll in these courses but are advised that it is still their responsibility to ensure that they meet the prerequisites, since these may be enforced at any time by the department offering the course.
Rank.: Except in the School of Law and the College of Pharmacy, the last two digits of the course number indicate the rank of the course. If 01 through 19, the course is of lower-division rank; if 20 through 79, of upper-division rank; if 80 through 99, of graduate rank.
Readmitted student.: A former student at the University who has applied for readmission and has been accepted for the next semester..
Registration by proxy.: For registration and advising transactions that must be completed in person, a student may allow another person to act on his or her behalf. However, federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) and University regulations do not permit the release of confidential information without written authorization. To allow someone to act as your proxy, you will need to submit a release to Registration in MAI 1. You must sign the release and your proxy must come to MAI 1 to pick up the release. The release and your proxy's photo ID must be presented for each transaction. Note: Your proxy may not sign a promissory note on your behalf.
Registration information sheet .: Secure Web site at https://utdirect.utexas.edu/registrar/ris.WBX that lists personal information, advising information, access times, and financial and nonfinancial bar information. An EID and password are required.
Religious holy days.: A student who misses classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day should inform the instructor as far in advance of the absence as possible, so that arrangements can be made to complete an assignment within a reasonable time after the absence.
Retroactive withdrawal.: Students are expected to follow the normal withdrawal procedure whenever possible. Requests to withdraw after the semester has ended are considered only if the student had urgent, substantiated, nonacademic reasons and was unable to withdraw by the deadline. Requests for retroactive withdrawal must be submitted to the student's dean before the end of the next long-session semester.
Syllabus.: Faculty members are required to provide a syllabus to students by the first meeting day of the class and it must contain the following items:

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U thru Z

Unique number.: The five-digit number(s) listed below each title and its associated information identifies each section of the course. This number is required to complete registration transactions.
Use of letters.: Two courses that have the same abbreviation and the same last two digits may not both be counted for credit unless the digits are followed by different letters. for example, Mechanical Engineering (M E) 136N and 236N may not both be counted; however English (E) 325 and 325K may both be counted.; The letter A following a course number designates the first half of the course; B, the second half. For example, Music (M) 612A is the first half of Music 612; Music 612B, the second half. The letter X following a course number designates the first third of the course: Y, the second third; and Z, the last third. Credit value for courses with numbers ending in A, B, X, Y, or Z is reduced accordingly. MUS 612B, for example, has a value of three semester hours rather than six.
UT EID.: An electronic identifier that allows a student to use secure services on the World Wide Web. You may activate your UT EID and choose a password at www.utexas.edu/eid.
Waitlists.: Students use online waitlists to indicate that they wish to be added to a class if a seat becomes available. Academic departments use online waitlists to manage registration in some classes. The online waitlist system adds eligible students to classes on a first-come first-served basis. Students use their UT EIDs to access their waitlists at https://utdirect.utexas.edu/registrar/waitlist/

wl_see_my_waitlists.WBX.
Web-based class sites.: Password-protected class sites such as Blackboard and CLIPs are associated with many University classes. Syllabi, handouts, assignments, and other resources may be available within these sites. Site activities may include exchanging e-mail, engaging in class discussions and chats, and exchanging files. In addition, electronic class rosters are a component of the sites. Students who do not want their names included in these electronic class rosters must restrict their directory information in the Office of the Registrar, MAI 1 or online.; For information on restricting directory information, see directory information.
What I Owe.: Secure site at www.utexas.edu/business/accounting/sar. Pay most departmental charges and clear financial bars using eCheck, credit card or by electronic funds transfer. UT EID and password are required. Because this process depends on agencies and technical systems other than those at the University, under some circumstances you may not be able to pay by credit card.
Withdrawal.: To resign from the University as a student for the current semester. A student cannot withdraw from the University simply by not going to class or dropping all classes; he or she must follow the withdrawal procedure.

After tuition and fees have been paid, a student must apply to his or her dean for permission to withdraw. Refunds are processed according to the refund schedule on the Withdrawal Petition and Refund Request form. Students who withdraw prior to the first day of classes will receive a 100 percent refund of tuition and required fees, less a $15 matriculation fee. Refunds for students withdrawing after choosing the three-payment plan (not available during summer sessions) are based on the total tuition and fees, not the installment amount paid. Withdrawals for medical reasons must be approved by the associate director for clinical services of University Health Services, who will instruct the registrar to withdraw the student under specified conditions. The refund, if any, will be determined by the effective date on the withdrawal petition form.