Undergraduate Programs

This section discusses general requirements for the baccalaureate degree, requirements related to the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) and academic policies and regulations that apply specifically to undergraduate students. For information on core curriculum requirements, see “University Core Curriculum Program” in this catalog. For information on specific majors and on college baccalaureate requirements, please refer to the chapters on specific colleges.

BACHELOR’S DEGREES
The University offers the following undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
University Minimum Requirements
General University requirements for baccalaureate degrees are:

Total Hours
A minimum of 120 semester hours of credit must be completed successfully. Some curricula or combinations of fields may require more.

Upper-division Hours
A minimum of 45 semester hours of upper-division credit (courses numbered in the 3000 and 4000 series) is required.

Grade Point Average
A minimum grade point average of 2.0 (C) on a 4 point scale in all work taken and a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in the major field of study at this university are required. Specific academic programs may require a higher grade point average in the major.

Residence Requirement
A minimum of 36 hours of upper-division course work required for graduation must be successfully completed in residence at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to obtain a baccalaureate degree. A minimum of 12 hours of these 36 hours must be in the major. Hours earned through credit by examination may not be used to fulfill the residence requirement. Hours earned through credit by examination at another institution will likewise not affect the residence requirement calculation.

General Education Requirement
To fulfill the general education requirement, a student must successfully complete the University core curriculum (or the equivalent as described below) and meet the foreign language and computer literacy requirements. In addition, all students who enter the University as full-time, first-year students must complete the First-Year Seminar requirement.

University Core Curriculum Requirement
The 45-48-hour University core curriculum, described in the “University Core Curriculum Program” section, includes courses that satisfy the state statutory requirements for core curricula and the state statutory requirements in history and in government or political science. (To receive a bachelor’s degree, a student must have successfully completed 6 semester hours in government or political science, including consideration of the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions, with special emphasis on that of Texas. Additionally, the student must have credit for 6 semester hours in American history, of which up to 3 hours may be in Texas history.)

Undergraduate transfer students have several means of fulfilling the core curriculum requirement.

1. A student may satisfy specific core curriculum requirements by taking the approved core curriculum transfer courses that are listed in Appendix B. Courses equivalent to A&M-Corpus Christi’s core curriculum courses are identified by their common course numbers.
   
2. If a student successfully completes a core curriculum of 42 or more semester credit hours at another regionally accredited public institution of higher education in Texas, and that core curriculum meets the specified “component area” requirements below, that block of courses may be transferred to this university and substituted for the core curriculum here. The student will not be required to take any additional core curriculum courses at this institution. The State of Texas has specified the following component area requirements:
   6 Credit Hours    Communication (English Rhetoric/Composition)
   3 Credit Hours    Mathematics
   6 Credit Hours    Natural Science
   3 Credit Hours    Visual and Performing Arts
   3 Credit Hours    Humanities
   6 Credit Hours    U.S. History
   6 Credit Hours    Political Science (U.S. and Texas Government)
   3 Credit Hours    Social/Behavioral Science
   6 Credit Hours    Additional courses from the above categories and/or Institutionally Designated Option
   
3. If a student transfers from another regionally accredited public institution in Texas without having completed a 42 or more semester credit hour core curriculum, A&M-Corpus Christi will accept any completed “component area requirement” of the transferring schools’ core curricula as fulfillment of the equivalent requirement here. (For example, a student who has completed the transferring school’s visual and performing arts core curriculum requirement will be considered to have completed A&M-Corpus Christi’s visual and performing arts core curriculum requirement.)
   
4. A student who transfers from a regionally accredited private or out-of-state institution will receive academic credit for each of the acceptable courses that he or she has successfully completed in the core curriculum of the sending institution as long as these courses meet the state of Texas criteria for core curricula. Following receipt of credit for these courses, the Office of Admissions and Records will determine the equivalency of those courses to the courses in A&M-Corpus Christi’s core curriculum. The student may be required to satisfy further course requirements in the core curriculum at A&M-Corpus Christi. Core curricula completed at regionally accredited private or out-of-state institutions will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
   
   For further clarification see “Transfer Credit Policies” in the “General Academic Policies and Regulations” section of this catalog.

First-Year Seminar Requirement
All students who enter the University as full-time first-year students are required to register for First-Year Seminar, UCCP 1101 and UCCP 1102, as part of a Tetrad or Triad. (See the “University Core Curriculum Program” section of the catalog.) Those who fail to complete this requirement during the first year will be required to fulfill the requirement prior to graduation.

Foreign Language Requirement
At least two high school credits in one foreign language or American Sign Language OR two semesters of study with passing grades in a single foreign language or American Sign Language at the college level are required for graduation from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. This requirement may be met by earning a CLEP or AP score equivalent to one year of college-level foreign language study.

International students who have successfully taken the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) may elect to choose English as their second language. English is considered to be the first language for all other students.

Computer Literacy Requirement
Students who are unable to demonstrate a functional level of computer literacy at the time of enrollment at the University will be required to develop those skills prior to graduation by successfully completing an approved course in Computer Science. Many high school courses in Data Processing, Computer Programming, and various computer applications provide the necessary skill training to meet this requirement. This requirement can also be satisfied by completion of COSC 1315 or equivalent work approved by the Computer Science Department. The requirement may also be satisfied by completing any course whose course description states that it fulfills the university computer literacy requirement (see below).

Transfer courses that will fulfill the computer literacy requirement include common course number COSC 1315, or common course number COSC 1301 if this course is offered with a substantial laboratory component. (Del Mar College’s ITSC 1301, Introduction to Data Processing, is an example of a course that will fulfill the requirement, as is Del Mar College’s COSC 1301.) The requirement may also be fulfilled by passing the A&M-Corpus Christi computer literacy test. (Transfer students from Del Mar College may fulfill the requirement by passing the appropriate computer literacy test at either Del Mar College or A&M-Corpus Christi.)

Courses offered by A&M-Corpus Christi that satisfy the university computer literacy requirement are listed below. Students may meet the requirement by successfully completing one of the following courses at this university:

College Degree Requirements
In addition to the University requirements, a student must meet the specific requirements as determined by the college in which the degree will be awarded. Such requirements are outlined in the college sections of this catalog.

Second Bachelor’s Degree
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi offers eight bachelor’s degrees, which are listed earlier in this chapter. Only one of each type of degree may be conferred by A&M-Corpus Christi on a particular student.

Students wishing to earn two distinct types of bachelor’s degrees (e.g., a B.A. and B.S.) must complete a minimum of 148 semester hours of credit, or 24 hours more than those counted toward the bachelor’s degree that requires the higher number of credit hours. All university, college, and major requirements must be met for each degree (see the information on degree requirements in this chapter and in the sections for the relevant college and major). Students must complete all degree requirements under a particular catalog (see “Graduation Under a Particular Catalog” in the “Academic Policies” section of the catalog).

As for any student intending to have a degree conferred, students seeking multiple degrees who plan to participate in a graduation exercise and/or receive a diploma must notify the Office of Admissions and Records by the deadline date indicated in the Class Schedule for the semester in which they plan to have the degree or degrees awarded.

Academic Major
A minimum of 24 semester hours in a defined course of study must be completed for a major. Specific majors may require completion of additional hours. See the college sections of the catalog for the specific requirements of particular majors.

Double Major
Colleges may provide the opportunity for a student to earn a double major while working toward his or her first undergraduate degree. Both majors must lead to the same baccalaureate degree (e.g., BA, BS, or BBA). A student who completes the requirements for a degree with a double major will be awarded ONE degree (with both majors indicated) and will receive ONE diploma. Because only one degree is granted for the double major, students must have completed the requirements for both majors before the degree can be awarded. Students wishing to pursue a double major must satisfy the following conditions:

• Meet all university and college requirements for each major,
• Successfully complete departmental requirements in each major (if the majors are in the same college) or successfully meet the major field of study requirements for each program as determined by each college (if the majors are in different colleges).

Academic Minor
To earn an academic minor, a student must meet the requirements mandated by the college offering the minor. At least 18 semester hours will be required in the area of the minor (excluding prerequisites); the maximum number of hours will be limited to 23. At least 6 hours of upper-level courses will be included. At least 9 semester credit hours in the area of the minor must be completed in residence at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The student must complete all prerequisites for required courses and must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.00 on a 4-point scale. Colleges may set higher GPA requirements.

The following rules apply regarding graduation with a minor:

1. A student may not count the same course for both major and minor requirements.
2. After applying for graduation, if a student fails to complete the requirements for the minor but meets the requirements for graduation, the student will be graduated without the minor.
3. A student may graduate with more than one minor if he/she meets all the requirements.

A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from this University and who wishes to complete requirements for a minor may do so by completing all course work in the minor and by fulfilling any other requirements mandated by the college offering the minor within five years of graduation. A notation indicating that all requirements for each minor have been completed will be added to the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi transcript; the transcript will not state that a minor has been awarded. If the requirements for a minor are satisfied following degree conferral, credits earned during the satisfaction of the minor have no effect on the GPA of the previously awarded degree.

Addition of a Major
A student who holds a bachelor’s degree from this University and who wishes to complete requirements for an additional major within the same degree may do so by completing all course work in the major field with a minimum GPA of 2.00 on a 4-point scale, and by fulfilling any other requirements mandated by the college offering the major.

A notation indicating that all requirements for each major have been completed will be added to the student’s transcript. The transcript will not state that a major has been awarded.

ACADEMIC POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
Recency of Credit
No restriction on recency of credit is made for undergraduate work. Lower-division and transfer hours applied toward the baccalaureate degree should provide those competencies necessary for entry into the upper-division level.

Correspondence and Extension Credit
No more than 15 semester hours of extension-center and correspondence study credit may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree. Not more than 6 semester hours of this 15 may be in correspondence study. No more than 6 semester hours of upper-division extension and correspondence credit may be applied toward a degree. All work transferred is subject to approval, as suitable for the student’s degree plan, by the student’s college dean or designee.

Placement Process
New undergraduates and transfer students are placed into mathematics classes on the basis of their scores on standardized tests (SAT, ACT, THEA, etc), their high school record, or their previous college level mathematics credits. Students without test scores or math grades in their records, or those hoping for a higher mathematics placement may take a challenge exam. The exam is offered regularly by the Mathematics Program. Call 825-2459 for details and to schedule taking the exam.

Credit by Examination
Credit by Examination is available for a limited number of courses at the University. (See “Credit by Examination” in the “General Academic Policies and Regulations” section of this catalog for a listing of such courses and requirements that must be met.) Students must register for the course and pay a fee for the test administration. For more information, please contact the Academic Testing Center at (361) 825-2334 or the appropriate college.

Maximum Course Load
An undergraduate student may not register for more than 18 hours of course work in a regular semester, or more than 7 hours of course work in a single session of summer school, without the approval of the appropriate administrator:

1. For a student with 30 or more semester credit hours and a declared major, the request must be approved by the dean of the college in which the student is majoring.
   
2. For a student with fewer than 30 semester credit hours, or for a student with 30-59 semester hours but without a declared major, the request must be approved by the Director of Academic Advising. Also, a student who is required to pass the THEA or approved alternative examination, and who has not yet done so, must have the approval of the Director of Academic Advising to register for more than the maximum course load.

Repetition of a Course
Undergraduate students may repeat courses at this University under the following circumstances:

1. Courses specifically designated as repeatable for credit in the Undergraduate Catalog (such as variable topic courses) are calculated in the grade point average in the same manner as separate courses.
   
2. Undergraduate students may also repeat any undergraduate course at this University in order to replace a grade. A failing grade for a repeated course will not affect credit already earned or subsequently earned for that course. The first time the course is repeated, the initial grade received in the course will remain on the transcript, but only the second grade will be used to calculate the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi grade point average. A notation will be placed on the transcript after the course to indicate that it has been repeated. In the case of additional repeats, the second grade and all subsequent grades are included in computing the A&M-Corpus Christi hours attempted, grade points earned, and grade point average. Except as noted above in #1, a student may not receive credit for any given course more than once. The Office of Admissions and Records conducts audits of student records as needed and prior to graduation.
   When repeating a course more than once, the student should seek advice from his or her college dean, faculty mentor or academic advisor, as appropriate, prior to registering for the course. Students may be charged an additional fee for each course taken for the third or more times. (See Tuition and Fees for details.)
   
3. Once a student has been awarded a degree at this University, he/she may not repeat a course for the purpose of changing the grade on the official transcript of any course taken as part of that degree.

Scholastic Probation, Suspension, Dismissal
Scholastic Probation and Removal from Probation. An undergraduate student whose cumulative A&M-Corpus Christi grade point average (GPA) falls below 2.0 on academic work done at the University is placed on scholastic probation. A student is removed from scholastic probation after completing a semester or summer term at A&M-Corpus Christi during which a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or greater is achieved.

Suspension. A student who is on scholastic probation and who fails to make a minimum GPA of 2.0 for any semester or term is placed on academic suspension. A student suspended for the first time may not enroll at the University for the next long-session semester (fall or spring) and any intervening summer session. A student suspended for the second time will be suspended for one year. After a first or second suspension, a student may re-enroll on probationary status. The student must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 for that and all subsequent semesters and terms until a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is attained. A student who does not attain this GPA is placed on suspension again. Under extraordinary circumstances, academic suspension is appealable to the student’s academic dean.

Dismissal. A third suspension results in dismissal from the University. In most cases, a student who is dismissed because of three suspensions is not readmitted to the University. The student may, however, petition for a review of the case after a period of two calendar years. Information on procedures may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Records. Readmission is permitted only in exceptional circumstances and if authorized by the dean of the college to which admission is sought. If the student does not attain the required GPA (as described above) after such readmittance, the student is dismissed and may not petition for readmission for a period of a minimum of five calendar years.

Academic Progress of Students on “Probationary Admission” Status
If a first-time, first-year student is admitted on “Probationary Admission” status, certain conditions will apply. While on probationary admission status, the student must remain a part-time student, taking no more than 2 courses each semester. The student’s progress will be monitored at the end of each term, with a GPA of 2.0 or better required for continued enrollment each semester while on probationary status. In addition, the student may not earn a grade of D or F in any remedial course attempted while on probationary status.

The courses the student will attempt while on probationary status will be determined by A&M-Corpus Christi placement results, THEA scores (or scores on an accepted alternative examination), and the recommendation of the assigned academic advisor. All course work while a student is on probationary status will be chosen from remedial offerings and the core curriculum. After completing 12 semester credit hours of non-remedial coursework with a GPA of 2.0 or better, and having earned no grade of D or F in any remedial course attempted, the student will become a regularly admitted student, with all the rights and responsibilities of that status.

Graduation with Honors
To be eligible to graduate with honors, a student must have completed at least 45 undergraduate semester hours at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The cumulative A&M-Corpus Christi grade point average is used to determine honors status. The cumulative grade point average is calculated on all courses taken at A&M-Corpus Christi, excluding courses taken pass/no pass or credit/no credit. A student may be graduated summa cum laude with a grade point average of 3.9 or above. A student may be graduated magna cum laude with a grade point average of 3.70 through 3.899. A student may be graduated cum laude with a grade point average of 3.5 through 3.699.

Academic Honors Ceremony
Students may participate in the Academic Honors Ceremony, which is held prior to commencement, if they meet the following requirements: They must be enrolled in the semester or term in which they are scheduled to graduate. If they have not yet completed 45 undergraduate semester credit hours at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, as required for graduation with honors, they must be enrolled in enough hours to fulfill the 45-hour requirement by the end of the term. See “Graduation with Honors” above for information on the required grade point averages for summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude honors. To be recognized at one of these levels at the Academic Honors Ceremony, students must have earned the appropriate grade point average by the end of the semester immediately preceding the one in which they will graduate.

Dean’s List
All undergraduate degree-seeking students registered for a minimum of 12 semester hours at the University (excluding hours where standard letter grades are not used) who complete all work registered for and who have a 3.65 grade point average or above for a regular semester will be placed on the Dean’s List.

Graduate Study by Undergraduates

1. Reservation of Work for Graduate Credit
   A senior student in the last term of undergraduate work may enroll in graduate work and reserve the course work for graduate credit provided that
   1) the student has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better,
   2) the dean of the college in which the work is offered has granted written approval, and
   3) the graduate work is not used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements.
   
2. Graduate Work for Undergraduate Credit
   A senior student in the last semester or summer session of undergraduate work may enroll in graduate work to be applied toward the baccalaureate degree provided that
   1) the student has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better,
   2) the dean of the college in which the work is offered has granted written approval,
   3) the chair of the student’s major department and the dean of the student’s undergraduate college have granted written approval, and
   4) the student has not reserved the course work for graduate credit.

Graduate credit hours used to meet the requirements of a baccalaureate degree may not be used to meet the requirements for a graduate degree.

Catalog Subject to Change
This catalog was prepared well in advance of its effective date. While every effort has been made to provide complete and accurate information regarding undergraduate programs, changes may occur at any time, without notice, in academic requirements or policies.