Students may find themselves needing to petition a degree requirement for a variety of reasons. All petitions for Natural Sciences degree requirements, except the University core curriculum, are handled through an on-line petition system. Your academic advisor can submit a petition on your behalf.

Guidelines for All Petitions

• Start with your academic advisor to discuss options
• Seek permission before enrolling in a course at UT or another university
• Understand that petitions are for sound academic reasons only

College Policies

Petitioning a Degree Requirement
Petition Results
Petitioning a University Core Curriculum Requirement
Foreign Language Requirement
Concurrent Enrollment (simultaneous enrollment at another university)
Enrolling as an Undergraduate in a Graduate Course

Petitioning a Degree Requirement

The most common reason for petitioning is substituting transfer coursework for specific degree requirements. Other petitions may include substituting appropriate university courses for requirements and small reductions in select residency requirements. Degree requirements are rarely, if ever, waived outright.

Please see your academic advisor to initiate an on-line petition. The advisor may ask you to provide a copy of your syllabus, a write-up of your research results, or a written statement explaining the reason for your request. Based upon a recommendation from faculty in your department, the Dean's Office makes a final decision and notifies you through the Natural Sciences Secure Web Services.

Petition Results

View the results of your petition at the Natural Sciences Secure Web Services page.

Foreign Language Requirement

International, permanent resident, and U.S. citizen undergraduates who speak languages for which the university offers a standardized placement exam may earn academic credit toward their foreign language requirement. The Center for Teaching and Learning provides a general yearly schedule of standardized exams and when they are offered. To ensure completion of the foreign language requirement in time for graduation, please take foreign language exams no later than the sophomore year.

Native speakers of languages for which the university does not offer a standardized placement exam may be able to take a proficiency exam offered by the Texas Language Center in the College of Liberal Arts. Students are given an oral and a written exam to determine their proficiency levels. Results are sent directly to the college in which the student is enrolled. Depending on the level of proficiency demonstrated through the exams, Natural Sciences may approve a petition to waive the foreign language requirement. See the list below for proficiency equivalencies.

Novice High = 1st semester proficiency
Intermediate Mid = 2nd and 3rd seemster proficiency
Intermediate High or above = 4th semester proficiency

Students do not receive academic credit through this process.

Another alternative is available to students who completed high school education in another country in a school in which instruction was in that native language. A student should provide a high school diploma or equivalent document to the adviser for a petition to be filed. Students do not receive academic credit through this process.

Petitioning a University Core Requirement

Petitions for University core curriculum requirements are the responsibility of the School of Undergraduate Studies (UGS). Your academic advisor and a designated advisor in the School of Undergraduate Studies can assist you with this process. For more information, see the UGS website.

Concurrent Enrollment

Concurrent enrollment refers to the act of enrolling simultaneously at more than one college or university. The College policy is as follows:

Summer concurrent enrollment is permitted without conditions. Concurrent enrollment is permitted in limited circumstances during fall and spring semesters. You do not need advance approval if you meet both conditions A and B:

A. You are registered at the University for a minimum of 9 hours, and
B. You are seeking to currently enroll in a non-mathematics or non-science course.

You do not need to take any action if you meet BOTH conditions. To be certain that your courses will satisfy degree requirements, please consult with your academic advisor prior to any concurrent enrollment.

In addition, you do not need advance approval if you meet both conditions C and D:

C. You are registered at the University for a minimum of 9 hours, and
D. You are seeking to enroll in a mathematics or science course through UT Extension. However, you cannot take a mathematics or science course through UT Extenion if you have already enrolled in it twice at the University.

You do not need to take any action if you meet BOTH conditions, and you are not repeating a mathematics or science course for a 3rd or more time.

If you feel you have an academically sound reason to seek an exception to the fall and spring conditions, you may initiate a petition prior to enrollment. Please see your academic advisor to discuss your options and begin the process. The Dean's Office makes a final decision and notifies you through the Natural Sciences Secure Web Services.

Second Degree Seekers: Please note that each college at the University has different policies regarding concurrent enrollment. If you are seeking degrees in more than one college, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are meeting the policies of both colleges.

Enrolling as an Undergraduate in a Graduate Course

The University and the College encourage academically strong students to enroll in graduate courses to enhance their undergraduate education. With approval, graduate courses may count toward undergraduate degrees. Students must be upper-division (completion of 60 hours) and have a minimum 3.0 university grade point average. Discuss this option with your academic advisor. A registration form is available for pickup at the ground floor front counter of the Dean's Office in WCH.