Degree Requirements

Overall Requirements

In order to receive a bachelor’s degree from UTSA, a student must meet these minimum requirements:

Complete a minimum of 120 semester credit hours, at least 39 of which must be upper-division level.
Complete the University Core Curriculum requirements outlined in this chapter.
Complete at least one course in the University Core Curriculum designated as a Q-course to satisfy the Quantitative Scholarship requirement.
Complete the major and support work requirements and the free elective requirements for the desired degree. Free electives refer to any semester credit hours accepted by UTSA in transfer or awarded by UTSA that, for degree purposes, are not applied to Core Curriculum, major, minor, or support work requirements. The only restrictions placed upon courses used as free electives are as follows:
1. that a specific number of free elective credits must be at the upper-division level for some degree programs
2. that a maximum of 6 semester credit hours of physical activities courses can be applied to the free electives allowed for any UTSA degree program
3. that a maximum of 9 semester credit hours of military science can be applied to the free electives allowed for any UTSA degree program.
Meet all requirements for a degree as put forth by the Texas State Education Code, including the following:
1. All students must complete 6 semester credit hours of American or Texas history.
2. All students must complete 6 semester credit hours of government or political science, including the Constitution of the United States and constitutions of states, with special emphasis on Texas.
Meet the minimum UTSA residence requirements.
Achieve an overall 2.0 grade point average in all work attempted at UTSA and a 2.0 grade point average in all work included in the major.
Be in good academic standing at UTSA.
Apply formally for the degree before the deadline in the Office of the Registrar.

Minimum UTSA Residence Requirements

The following minimum UTSA residence requirements are in accordance with requirements established for all institutions in The University of Texas System and are requirements for all bachelor’s degrees:

A minimum of 25 percent of the total number of semester credit hours required for a bachelor’s degree must be completed at UTSA before a degree can be conferred.
Twenty-four of the last 30 semester credit hours applied to the degree program must be completed in residence, with the exception that among University of Texas System components, a student may, with the approval of the appropriate dean, transfer additional coursework to the program at the degree-granting institution.
Of the minimum 39 upper-division semester credit hours required in all degree programs, 18 must be earned in UTSA courses.
At least 6 semester credit hours of upper-division coursework in the major must be completed at UTSA. Additional hours in the major sequence may be required under individual UTSA degree plans.

Core Curriculum

The Core Curriculum is the part of each student’s degree program in which he or she takes courses that meet requirements common to all UTSA undergraduates. Candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core objectives by completing the Core Curriculum. To meet the Quantitative Scholarship requirement, all candidates for a bachelor's degree must complete at least one course in the Core Curriculum designated as a Q-course in the Schedule of Classes.

Transfer of Core Curriculum Courses

In accordance with the Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter S, the UTSA Core Curriculum consists of 42 semester credit hours of coursework. If a student successfully completes the entire core curriculum at another public institution of higher education in Texas, that block of courses may be transferred to any other public institution of higher education in Texas and must be substituted for the receiving institution’s core curriculum. Students will receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution unless the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a larger core curriculum at that institution.

Students who have completed a portion of the Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education may use that coursework to satisfy UTSA Core Curriculum requirements if:

the course is designated as meeting a Core Curriculum requirement at the institution, and
the course fits within the UTSA Core Curriculum.

For transfer purposes, the designated Texas Common Course Numbering (TCCN) System courses will be accepted in transfer in lieu of these courses.

Students should consult with an academic advisor to determine the sequence of courses in the Core Curriculum and the major.

Students who have successfully completed the entire core curriculum at another public institution of higher education in Texas will be required to complete at least one Q-workshop to meet the Quantitative Scholarship requirement. Q-workshops will be scheduled at different times during the academic year.

Resolution of Transfer Disputes for Core Curriculum Courses

Public institutions of higher education must follow these procedures in the resolution of credit transfer disputes involving lower-division courses:

If an institution of higher education does not accept course credit earned by a student at another institution, the receiving institution will give written notice to the student and to the sending institution that the transfer of course credit is denied. At the request of the sending institution, the receiving institution will also provide written notice of the reasons it denied credit for a particular course or set of courses.
A student who receives notice may dispute the denial of credit by contacting a designated official at either the sending or the receiving institution.
The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rules and guidelines.
If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the sending institution within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of denial, the institution that denied the course credit for transfer will notify the Commissioner of Higher Education of its denial and the reasons for the denial.
The commissioner or the commissioner’s designee will make the final determination about the transfer of course credit and give written notice of the determination to the involved student and institutions.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will collect data on the types of transfer disputes and the disposition of each case the commissioner considers.

If a receiving institution believes that a course which a student presents for transfer is not of acceptable quality, it should first contact the sending institution and try to resolve the problem. If the two institutions cannot come to a satisfactory resolution, the receiving institution may notify the Commissioner of Higher Education, who may investigate the course. If its quality is found to be unacceptable, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may discontinue funding for the course.

Goals of the Core Curriculum

The Core Curriculum reflects the educational goals of the University. It is designed to enable students to assess the perspectives and accomplishments of the past and to move to the future with an informed and flexible outlook. It promotes intellectual adaptability, ethical awareness, and transfer among diverse modes of thought.

An essential aim of the Core Curriculum is to cultivate the verbal, numerical, and visual skills necessary to analyze and synthesize information, construct arguments, and identify and solve problems. Another essential aim is to foster understanding of the intellectual and cultural pluralism of modern society as it is reflected in natural science and mathematics; behavioral, cultural, and social science; and literature and artistic expression. By encouraging interdisciplinary study, the Core Curriculum seeks to develop critical awareness of the continuities and discontinuities of human thought, history, and culture, thus helping prepare students to meet the demands of change.

The University has recently added a quantitative scholarship requirement designed to enhance quantitative reasoning and critical thinking skills. In keeping with the educational goals of the University, this requirement will help students understand and evaluate data, assess risks and benefits, and make informed decisions in all aspects of their lives.

The University reviews Core courses for their success in promoting the goals of the Core, and it encourages students to select Core courses that will best achieve these goals. Beyond the Core, each student must fulfill the requirements of a major.

Expectations for Entering Students

The Core Curriculum is built on the assumption that the foundations of the general part of a student’s education are laid in secondary school. Appropriate levels of proficiency in important subjects have been established as prerequisites for many of the courses in the Core, especially in the areas of rhetoric, mathematics, and language. Students who are unable to demonstrate proficiency may be required to take additional coursework before qualifying to take courses that meet Core Curriculum requirements. Entering students are also expected to possess proficiency in reading, knowledge of research and library tools, and a familiarity with basic computer skills. Students unable to demonstrate such proficiency and knowledge may be required to enroll in noncredit programs developed by UTSA to correct deficiencies in these areas.

Core Curriculum Component Area Requirements

COMMUNICATIONS (010) (6 semester credit hours)

To achieve the objectives of the Communications component area, students must demonstrate competent writing in English; critical proficiency in oral and graphic communication; competence in constructing valid arguments and criticizing arguments; and critical proficiency in using diverse theoretical perspectives to identify and formulate problems and draw conclusions.

Students must complete the following courses, for a total of 6 semester credit hours:

English Rhetoric/Composition

WRC 1013 Freshman Composition I
WRC 1023 Freshman Composition II

MATHEMATICS (020) (3 semester credit hours)

Students must demonstrate knowledge of higher mathematics sufficient to understand the basis of mathematical reasoning. Students will typically complete this requirement in 3 semester credit hours of coursework.

Students must complete one course (3 semester credit hours) from the following or another mathematics or statistics course at an equivalent or more advanced level:

MAT 1023 College Algebra with Applications
MAT 1033 Algebra with Calculus for Business
MAT 1043 Introduction to Mathematics
MAT 1073 Algebra for Scientists and Engineers
STA 1043 Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning
STA 1053 Basic Statistics

NATURAL SCIENCES (030) (6 semester credit hours)

Students must demonstrate knowledge of the methods, intellectual approaches, social significance, and history of the physical and natural sciences. Students will typically complete the requirements in 6 semester credit hours of coursework. Students must complete two courses from the following lists. At least one course must be chosen from Level Two. Level Two science courses are more rigorous than those in Level One.

Level One

ANT 2033 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
ANT 2043 Introduction to Archaeology
BIO 1233 Contemporary Biology I
BIO 1404 Biosciences I
CHE 1033 Chemistry in Our Daily Lives: A Pathway to Scientific Literacy
CHE 1073 Basic Chemistry
ES 2013 Introduction to Environmental Systems I
GEO 1013 The Third Planet

Level Two

AST 1013 Introduction to Astronomy
AST 1033 Exploration of the Solar System
BIO 1243 Contemporary Biology II
BIO 1413 Biosciences II
CHE 1103 General Chemistry I
CHE 1113 General Chemistry II
GEO 1103 Introduction to Earth Systems
GEO 1123 Earth History
GRG 2613 Physical Geography
PHY 1013 Universes
PHY 1603 Algebra-based Physics I
PHY 1623 Algebra-based Physics II
PHY 1903 Engineering Physics I
PHY 1923 Engineering Physics II
PHY 1943 Physics for Scientists I
PHY 1963 Physics for Scientists II

HUMANITIES & VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS (6 semester credit hours)

Students should demonstrate an understanding of the conceptual approaches and history of at least one of the arts, as a means of comprehending the aesthetic patterns that underlie human creativity; and an understanding of literary concepts and contemporary trends in interpretation, as a means of comprehending the metaphoric or analogical potential of human language.

Literature, philosophy, modern or classical language/literature and cultural studies (040) (3 semester credit hours)

Students must complete one of the following courses:

CLA 2033 Introduction to Classical Literature
CLA 2323 Classical Mythology
CSH 1103 Literary Masterpieces of Western Culture I
CSH 1113 Literary Masterpieces of Western Culture II
CSH 2313 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENG 2013 Introduction to Literature
ENG 2213 Literary Criticism and Analysis
ENG 2383 Multiethnic Literatures of the United States
ENG 2423 Literature of Texas and the Southwest
FRN 2333 French Literature in English Translation
GER 2333 German Literature in English Translation
IDS 2303 World Literature I: Through the Sixteenth Century
IDS 2313 World Literature II: Since the Sixteenth Century
ITL 2333 Italian Literature in English Translation
RUS 2333 Russian Literature in English Translation
SPN 2333 Hispanic Literature in English Translation
Visual and Performing Arts (050) (3 semester credit hours)

Students must complete one of the following courses:

AHC 1113 Survey of Art and Architecture from Prehistoric Times to 1350
AHC 1123 Survey of Art and Architecture in Europe and the New World from 1350 to 1750
AHC 1133 Survey of Modern Art
ARC 2413 History of Architecture: Prehistory through Medieval
ARC 2423 History of Architecture: Renaissance through Nineteenth Century
ART 1103 Introduction to Visual Arts
ART 1143 Art for Non-Art Majors
BBL 2023 Latino Cultural Expressions
MAS 2023 Latino Cultural Expressions
MUS 2243 World Music in Society
MUS 2623 Fundamentals of Music for the Non-Music Major
MUS 2633 American Roots Music
MUS 2663 History and Styles of Jazz
MUS 2673 History and Styles of Rock
MUS 2683 Masterpieces of Music
MUS 2743 Music and Film

SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (18 semester credit hours)

Students must demonstrate critical understanding of the political and economic dimensions of social life; knowledge of U.S. history sufficient for understanding current developments in American society within a historical context; substantial knowledge of social, racial, cultural, and gender diversity in the United States and Texas; and knowledge of the history, theory, methods, and intellectual approaches of the social and behavioral sciences, including similarities and differences with respect to one another and to other modes of understanding.

Students typically fulfill the requirements in 18 semester credit hours of coursework.

United States History and Diversity (060) (6 semester credit hours)

Each student must complete two of the following courses for a total of 6 semester credit hours. In meeting this requirement, students fulfill the statutory requirement in United States or Texas history.

HIS 1043 United States History: Pre-Columbus to Civil War Era
HIS 1053 United States History: Civil War Era to Present
HIS 2053 Texas History
Political Science (070) (6 semester credit hours)

Students must complete the following courses to fulfill the statutory requirement in United States and Texas government:

POL 1013 Introduction to American Politics

and one of the following:
POL 1133 Texas Politics and Society
POL 1213 Topics in Texas and American Politics

Note: Students who have passed the Advanced Placement (AP) examination in American Government (with a score of 3 or better) will receive 3 semester credit hours of AP credit in American government, equivalent to POL 1013 Introduction to American Politics. Students may request that this examination be used to satisfy 3 hours of the UTSA six-hour Core Curriculum requirement in Political Science, after they have completed POL 1133 Texas Politics and Society.

Students who pass the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) examination in American Government will receive 3 hours of credit in American government, equivalent to POL 1013 Introduction to American Politics. Students may request that this examination be used to satisfy 3 hours of the UTSA six-hour Core Curriculum requirement in Political Science, after these students have completed POL 1133 Texas Politics and Society.
Social and Behavioral Science (080) (3 semester credit hours)

Students must complete one of the following courses:

AMS 2043 Approaches to American Culture
ANT 1013 Introduction to Anthropology
BBL 2003 Language, Culture, and Society
BBL 2033 Cultures of the Southwest
COR 1203 Freshman Seminar
CRJ 1113 The American Criminal Justice System
CRJ 2813 Introduction to Courts and the Legal System
GRG 1013 Fundamentals of Geography
GRG 2623 Human Geography
IDS 2113 Society and Social Issues
PSY 1013 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 1013 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 2013 Social Problems
SOC 2023 Social Context of Drug Use
Economics (081) (3 semester credit hours)

Students must complete one of the following courses:

ECO 2003 Economic Principles and Issues
ECO 2013 Introductory Macroeconomics
ECO 2023 Introductory Microeconomics

WORLD SOCIETY AND ISSUES (090) (3 semester credit hours)

Students should demonstrate intellectual flexibility, explore the bridges and barriers among various forms of understanding, and understand the nature and limits of different ways of knowing and different academic fields. Students should obtain a broad acquaintance with the cultures of major portions of the world (including non-Western cultures), knowledge of the contexts of international relations, and knowledge of world geography.

Students will typically fulfill the requirements by completing 3 semester credit hours of coursework from the following:

ANT 2053 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANT 2063 Language, Thought, and Culture
ARA 1014 Elementary Arabic I
ARC 1413 Architecture and Culture
ARC 1513 Great Buildings and Cities of the World
ASL 1013 American Sign Language: Basic I
BIO 1033 Drugs and Society
CHN 1014 Elementary Chinese I
COM 2343 Introduction to Mass Communication
CS    1023 Cultural Implications of the Information Society
CSH 1203 Introduction to Hispanic Cultures
CSH 1213 Topics in World Cultures
CSH 2113 The Foreign Film
FRN 2013 Intermediate French I
FRN 2023 Intermediate French II
GER 2013 Intermediate German I
GER 2023 Intermediate German II
GRG 1023 World Regional Geography
GRK 2113 Intermediate Classical Greek I
HIS 2123 Introduction to World Civilization to the Fifteenth Century
HIS 2133 Introduction to World Civilization since the Fifteenth Century
HIS 2533 Introduction to Latin American Civilization
HIS 2543 Introduction to Islamic Civilization
HIS 2553 Introduction to East Asian Civilization
HIS 2573 Introduction to African Civilization
HIS 2583 Introduction to South Asian Civilization
HUM 2093 World Religions
IDS 2203 World Civilization to the Fifteenth Century
IDS 2213 World Civilization since the Fifteenth Century
ITL   1014 Elementary Italian I
JPN 1014 Elementary Japanese I
LAT 2113 Intermediate Latin I
LAT 2123 Intermediate Latin II
MUS 2693 The Music of Latin America and the Caribbean
PHI   2123 Contemporary Moral Issues
RUS 1014 Elementary Russian I
SPN 2003 Spanish for Elementary Education
SPN 2013 Intermediate Spanish I
SPN 2023 Intermediate Spanish II
SPN 2513 Spanish for Special Purposes
SPN 2523 Hispanic Culture and Communication
WS   2013 Introduction to Women’s Studies

Catalog of Graduation

Students have seven years from their term of original registration to complete a degree program under the catalog in effect when they initially registered. A student may choose a subsequent catalog under which to complete graduation requirements, provided the student has completed at least one course during a semester in which the selected catalog was in effect with a letter grade other than “W,” “NR,” or “F.” The student must complete all degree requirements under the subsequent catalog. Choosing a new catalog begins a new seven-year time limit. Students who graduate under one catalog and begin a second degree must begin the new degree under the catalog in effect at that time. A student must have an approved catalog at the time an application for graduation is filed.

Multiple Degrees

Pursuing One Degree Covering More Than One Major

A student completing one type of baccalaureate degree at UTSA (i.e., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science) may elect to concurrently complete other majors of that type. In such cases, only one bachelor’s degree, which includes all majors, is awarded.

If a student wishes to pursue more than one major, all requirements for a single degree and major, plus the additional requirements for the other major(s), must be completed. It is unlikely that a student fulfilling more than one major can complete all requirements within the same number of semester credit hours required for a single major.

Pursuing Two Degrees Concurrently

Students pursuing degrees of different types (i.e., a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science) at the same time must satisfy the specific catalog requirements for each degree. Courses common to both degree programs (such as Core Curriculum requirements) may be counted toward the requirements for each degree. Additional courses required in one degree program may be used as free or directed electives in the other degree program.

Pursuing Additional Degrees after Graduation

A student holding a baccalaureate degree from UTSA or another accredited institution may receive an additional bachelor’s degree from UTSA as long as it is in a different major (regardless of the concentration) or minor. Such a student continues to be classified as an undergraduate and must:

complete a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of UTSA courses (of which at least 12 hours must be at the upper-division level in the major field) for each baccalaureate degree sought beyond the first
complete all requirements for the additional major(s), as set forth in this catalog
complete all requirements for the additional degree(s), including grade-point-average requirements, Core Curriculum requirements, support courses, elective courses, and upper-division courses, as set forth in this catalog
complete requirements under the catalog in effect at the time of beginning the second degree.