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Admission requirements for graduate study at UTSA are designed so that admitted students will have a high probability of success in graduate-level academic work. Graduate study is much more than a continuation of undergraduate work and should be considered only by those students with the capacity for independent thought and investigation. Graduate programs at UTSA use selective entrance requirements in their admission of students. In addition to the University-wide admission requirements listed below, each graduate degree program specifies additional admission requirements, including scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude test, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), other standardized examinations, a portfolio, an audition, or other indicators of preparation for graduate study. Information on the GRE may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000 or by calling 1-866-473-4373. GMAT information may be obtained from Graduate Management Admission Council, 5601 Green Valley Drive, Ste. 300, Bloomington, MN 55437 or by calling 1-800-717-GMAT. The institution code for UTSA is 6919, for both the GRE and the GMAT. UTSA Testing Services also has information available on the GRE, GMAT, MAT, and other tests. Applicants should refer to individual degree descriptions for additional admission requirements.
Consistent with Texas Education Code, Section 51.842(b), any degree program that uses an applicant’s performance on a standardized test, other than scores obtained on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) required of international applicants, to make decisions about admissions or the award of competitive scholarships will compare the applicant’s test score with those of other applicants from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. If an applicant’s performance on a standardized test is used for that purpose, it will be considered together with other criteria when making an admission or competitive scholarship decision and will not be used as the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant or as the primary criterion to end consideration of the applicant.
Classifications of graduate admission require approval by the Dean of the Graduate School, the administrative officer responsible for graduate education. The criteria for the various classifications of admission to UTSA are set forth below.
A graduate degree-seeking student is one admitted to a graduate degree program. Admission as a graduate degree-seeking student may be unconditional, conditional, or conditional on academic probation.
In order to be eligible for unconditional admission as a graduate degree-seeking student, an applicant normally must:
Even though admission is based on the last 60 undergraduate hours attempted and all graduate and postgraduate coursework taken, students must list on the application for admission all colleges and universities attended and request that an official transcript from each institution be sent to the Graduate School. UTSA graduates only need to order transcripts from any institutions not listed on the UTSA transcript. The Graduate School will obtain the UTSA transcript from the Office of the Registrar.
An applicant who has insufficient preparation in his or her intended graduate degree program or who lacks certain supporting documentation required for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally to the graduate degree program upon recommendation of the Graduate Program Committee in the proposed major and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.
Conditions placed on admission may include:
Any conditions placed on the student’s admission are included in the notification of admission. If conditions placed on admission are not met within the time specified by the Graduate Program Committee and stated in the admission notice, the Dean will direct the Registrar to withdraw the student from the University. The student may petition for reinstatement under the provisions listed in this bulletin. (See “Petition for Reinstatement” in chapter 4, General Academic Regulations – Graduate.)
An applicant who fails to meet the requirements for unconditional admission and is admitted on a conditional basis may be admitted on academic probation upon recommendation of the appropriate Graduate Program Committee and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. Such admission requires that coursework taken during the first semester be completed with a grade point average of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better. Failure to earn this average results in academic dismissal.
If an applicant is not eligible for either unconditional admission or conditional admission, the applicant is denied admission as a graduate degree-seeking student. In such cases, the appropriate Graduate Program Committee may recommend the applicant’s admission or denial of admission as a special graduate student.
A special graduate student is one admitted to UTSA for the purpose of enrolling in master’s level and/or undergraduate courses without currently entering a degree program. An applicant who elects to enroll as a special graduate student normally must:
Even though admission is based on the last 30 undergraduate hours attempted for the bachelor’s degree and all graduate coursework taken, students must list on the application all colleges and universities attended. Students must request that an official transcript be sent to the Graduate School from all institutions attended. Also, official transcripts must be requested from the institution conferring the last degree, plus all the institutions where graduate hours were earned. UTSA graduates only need to order transcripts from any institutions not listed on the UTSA transcript. The Graduate School will obtain the UTSA transcript from the Office of the Registrar.
Special graduate students are eligible to take any master’s level or undergraduate courses for which they have the necessary prerequisites, provided that space is available, and have the approval of the instructor in which the course is taught. Students who wish to take a graduate course in a discipline other than that for which they have been authorized upon admission must obtain the approval of the authorized representative (as defined above) of the discipline offering the course.
Special graduate students are advised that:
An applicant who is denied admission as both a graduate degree-seeking student and a special graduate student may be eligible for admission as a special undergraduate student, if admission requirements for that classification have been met. The applicant will need to submit an undergraduate application to be considered (see “Special Students” in chapter 2, Admission – Undergraduate).
Students holding bachelor’s degrees who are admitted as special undergraduate students may enroll in undergraduate courses only. If they wish to take courses at the graduate level, they must obtain permission from the course instructor and the department chair on the form provided for this purpose or apply and be admitted as special graduate students. Students may not have active applications at the graduate and undergraduate levels for the same term and year.An applicant who wishes to enroll for courses without pursuing a degree at UTSA should apply for admission as a non-degree-seeking graduate student. In order to qualify as a non-degree-seeking graduate student the applicant must:
Even though admission is based on the last 30 undergraduate hours attempted for the bachelor’s degree and on good standing at the last institution attended, students must list on the application for admission all colleges and universities attended. Students must request that an official transcript be sent to the Graduate School from all institutions attended.
Non-degree-seeking graduate students may register for any master’s level or undergraduate course for which they have the necessary prerequisites, provided that space is available and that they have the approval of the course instructor. Students who wish to take a graduate course in a discipline other than that for which they have been authorized upon admission must obtain the approval of the authorized representative (as defined above) of the discipline offering the course.
Non-degree-seeking graduate students are advised that:
Applications from non-U.S. citizens or nonpermanent residents will be processed as international. This includes applications received from other countries.
Applicants must:
— |
TOEFL Internet |
TOEFL Computer |
TOEFL Paper |
IELTS |
English Language Assessment Program (ELAP) Exempt |
100 |
250 |
600 |
7 |
Master’s Admission Qualification* |
61 |
173 |
500 |
5 |
M.S. Environmental Science* |
— |
213 |
550 |
— |
Doctoral Admission Qualification |
79 |
213 |
550 |
6.5 |
* The minimum score required on the TOEFL
TOEFL scores may be waived for international students from countries where English is the primary language of instruction and the principal language spoken in the home; or for noncitizens of the United States earning a bachelor’s degree or higher in the United States or other English-speaking countries. Participation in UTSA’s English Language Assessment Program (ELAP) before registration is required of students with TOEFL scores below 600 (paper version) or 250 (computerized version) or 100 (Internet based) or 7 (IELTS). Based on this assessment, students needing additional instruction in English are required to enroll in appropriate English for International Students (EIS) courses.
Applicants from the following countries are exempt from submitting the TOEFL or IELTS score:
American Samoa |
Guyana |
Australia |
Ireland |
Bahamas |
Jamaica |
Barbados |
Liberia |
Belize |
New Zealand |
Canada (except Quebec) |
Sierra Leone |
Dominica |
Trinidad/Tobago |
Grand Cayman |
United Kingdom |
Grenada |
U.S. Pacific Trust |
The above criteria serve as guidelines for admission for international students. The credentials of each applicant are examined on an individual basis by the Graduate School and the appropriate Graduate Program Committee with admission granted only to those who show promise of success in graduate study at UTSA.
An applicant who has earned a baccalaureate degree under the Academic Fresh Start statute, Texas Education Code § 51.931, will be evaluated on only the grade point average of the coursework completed for that baccalaureate degree and the other criteria stated herein.
An applicant who desires to work on teacher certification requirements and holds a bachelor’s degree should apply either as a graduate degree-seeking student or special graduate student (not special undergraduate student) to the Graduate Program Committee for the M.A. in Education for certification and endorsement requirements other than endorsements in Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language. Applicants for these endorsements should apply for admission as either a graduate degree-seeking student or special graduate student to the Graduate Program Committee for the M.A. in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies. A student who is simultaneously seeking a master’s degree in education should apply for admission to the M.A. in Education Program or the M.A. in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies Program.
When admission has been granted, the student should apply to the College of Education and Human Development Advising and Certification Center for an analysis of his or her transcripts and for an official outline of a program that will ensure meeting the requirements to obtain a teacher’s certificate or a certificate endorsement. In some cases it may be possible to meet certification requirements within a degree program; in other cases the student may need to take additional work for the certificate beyond that required for the graduate degree. The completion of degree requirements does not guarantee completion of Texas certification requirements. The student’s program advisor and the College of Education and Human Development Advising and Certification Center will assist the student in planning an appropriate program of study.
Any student seeking a teaching certificate in the state of Texas must pass the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) test. For further information on the THEA requirement and exemptions for teachers, a student should contact the College of Education and Human Development Advising and Certification Center.
Recommendations for teacher certification (to the Texas Education Agency) are made by the College of Education and Human Development Advising and Certification Center only after all requirements have been met and the student has officially requested such recommendation.
A brochure summarizing education certificate and endorsement requirements is available from the College of Education and Human Development Advising and Certification Center.
Programs are subject to change without notice due to changes in the state’s certification and/or program approval requirements.
Students are not at liberty to disregard previous college work attempted. All students transferring to UTSA must list all colleges attended on their UTSA application for admission. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of the application, withdrawal of any offer of acceptance, cancellation of enrollment, permanent dismissal from the University, or other appropriate disciplinary action. Students should consult the admission categories listed above to learn which transcripts they need to have sent to the Graduate School.
Applicants for admission as master’s degree-seeking, special, or non-degree-seeking students may apply for admission as early as nine months before the beginning of the semester in which they wish to begin graduate study. Because of the time needed to prepare graduate summaries, students are encouraged to have their admission file completed at least one month before the application deadline. Application forms and instructions are available on the Graduate School Web site or from the Graduate School. The completed application form, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents must be on file with the Graduate School by the appropriate application deadline. Application fees are assessed as follows:
UTSA Graduate Nonrefundable Application Fees |
||
— |
Online Application |
Paper Application |
UTSA graduates or degree candidates |
$30 |
$35 |
Non-UTSA graduates |
$45 |
$50 |
International applicants |
$80 |
$85 |
International students are charged a nonrefundable application fee ($80 online, $85 paper). The completed application form, the nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents must be on file with the Graduate School by the appropriate application deadline for international students.
The application deadlines for master’s-level applicants are:*
Master’s Domestic |
Master’s International |
||
Semester |
Deadline |
Semester |
Deadline |
Fall |
July 1 |
Fall |
April 1 |
Spring |
November 1 |
Spring |
September 1 |
Summer (Mini-mester) |
April 1 |
Summer |
March 1 |
Summer (first term and 10-week term) |
May 1 |
||
Summer (second term) |
June 1 |
||
The deadline for doctoral applicants is February 1. Students enrolling in cooperative or joint programs between UTSA and other institutions must satisfy admission dates (and procedures) of the other institutions as well as those of UTSA. Applicants failing to submit all required admission documents by the doctoral admission deadline will need to reapply for the following year. Doctoral students are admitted during the Fall Semester only.
Each applicant for admission is responsible for ensuring that all required application materials (completed application form, nonrefundable application fee, test results, required transcripts, etc.) are on file in the Graduate School by the admission deadlines. Admission is not granted until the applicant’s file is complete. Documents submitted in support of an application become the property of UTSA and cannot be returned.
Students who apply for admission to UTSA for any semester and do not register for courses within three consecutive semesters of being admitted must reapply for admission if they wish to enroll at a later date. Any subsequent application for admission must be in accordance with current admission requirements. New transcripts, test scores, and other supporting documents are required after three consecutive semesters, since files for admitted students who do not register for courses are not retained after that period. (See program descriptions in Chapter 7, Graduate Program Requirements and Course Descriptions, of the UTSA Graduate Catalog for specific program admission requirements.)
UTSA graduate students who have not been in attendance for two full years must file an application for readmission along with a nonrefundable application fee (see application fee table) by the application deadline.
Former students returning to UTSA who have attended other institutions of higher education since they were last enrolled at UTSA must submit an official transcript from each institution. Eligibility for readmission of any former student depends on the student’s academic status at the conclusion of the last UTSA semester of enrollment and performance on any subsequent college or university work attempted. Readmission must be recommended by the appropriate Graduate Program Committee.
Students who withdrew from the University to perform military service (not including Texas National Guard training exercises) will not have to requalify for admission and will be readmitted upon request made within one year of being released from active military service. A returning student may be eligible for the same financial assistance provided before the student’s withdrawal.
2007–2008 UTSA Information Bulletin
Appendices
A. Students’ Rights and Responsibilities
B. Student Code of Conduct
C. University Policies
D. Campus Security Report
E. Student Grievances
F. Drug Free Schools
G. Tuition Rebates
H. Accreditation
2007-2008 UTSA Information Bulletin PDF file
Academic Publications
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