Word of Mouth...
These are common questions that the advisors hear from students. Some are rumors, some are half-truths, and some are whole truths. But you've probably heard these statements from friends and classmates around the business school.
- I've heard I have to take my last 30 hours at UT.
- What is this $1000 rebate I've heard about?
- I've heard that if I have 3 final exams scheduled on the same day, one of them can be moved.
- I'm interested in International Business, but I heard it's being dropped as a major.
- If I take a class at another school, does the grade go into my UT GPA? I heard transfer grades look like I took the class pass/fail.
- I got a bad grade in a class, so can I take it again and replace the first grade with the second one? Or will they be averaged together?
- I heard I shouldn't take this class (History, Government, English, Speech, etc...) at UT. Is that true?
- If I get below a 2.0 GPA in one semester, am I kicked out of the School of Business?
- I need to leave UT for a semester or more, will I be able to get back in later?
1. I've heard I have to take my last 30 hours at UT.
Actually, you need to take 24 of your last 30 hours in residence, so students can usually still take two classes at another school or via placement exam credit in their final year. Therefore if a student wants to take more than 2 classes out of residence, they need to ensure they do this early on, and not wait until their graduating year.
Please note that students may not take a class at another school in the same semester they plan to graduate, as the class cannot be transferred until after the semester is over, after the deadline to apply for graduation.
2. What is this $1000 rebate I've heard about?
An undergraduate may be eligible for a tuition rebate of up to $1000 if, at graduation, he or she has attempted no more than three semester hours beyond the minimum number of hours required for the degree. There are of course several requirements for eligibility, however, which are covered by the Tuition Rebate web page.
An eligible student should submit a request for a rebate in the Undergraduate Programs Office (CBA 2.400) at the time the student files an application for graduation; the request must be submitted by the official date of graduation. Applications and instructions are also available on the Tuition Rebate web page.
3. I've heard that if I have 3 final exams scheduled on the same day, one of them can be moved.
No, there are no specific guidelines about the number of final exams a student may have in one day. For more information, see the Examinations section of the General Information Catalog.
4. I'm interested in International Business, but I heard it's being dropped as a major.
International Business is still an official major in the McCombs School of Business, and the school has no plans to eliminate it. The Undergraduate International Business program at McCombs was ranked #6 by U.S. News and World Report in 2004.
In addition, International Business is listed as a degree option in the current Undergraduate Catalog (2004-2006), which is a valid catalog for graduation through summer 2012. Any changes to the McCombs School of Business degrees must be reflected in a future Undergraduate Catalog, and would then only affect students who entered the University under that catalog.
5. If I take a class at another school, does the grade go into my UT GPA? I heard transfer grades look like I took the class pass/fail.
Grades earned at other institutions are not calculated into a student's UT Austin grade point average. The grades will appear on a UT Austin official transcript, however. Students must earn a 'C' or better to receive transfer credit for a course, so still need to take classes at other institutions on a letter-grade basis.
Some graduate school program applications may also require a student's cumulative undergraduate GPA (UT and transfer credit). This means the student may have to provide the grade point average of all undergraduate classes they have taken at all schools.
6. I got a bad grade in a class, so can I take it again and replace the first grade with the second one? Or will they be averaged together?
Students may retake classes in which they earned a 'F' or 'D', but all the grades will remain on their records, and will be calculated into the GPA. So if a student takes a class twice and receives a 'F' and an 'A', in effect this would average as a 2.0 in their GPA, but both grades would still be recorded separately.
If a business student retakes a course in which they have already earned a 'C' or better, only the first course will count for their degree.
7. I heard I shouldn't take this class (History, Government, English, Speech, etc...) at UT. Is that true?
There are many ways to consider such options. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
UT Austin and the McCombs School of Business are known nationally and internationally for many reasons, but primarily for the quality of the faculty and classes here. While it is true that students do not need to take all their required courses at UT Austin to receive a UT Austin degree, the quality of the education students receive at UT will depend on the challenges they set and meet for themselves. If students choose to attend UT Austin for the value of the education and degree earned here, then it follows they should take as many classes here as possible.
Many business students hope to succeed in competitive career fields. Do successful business leaders (or those in any field) accomplish their success by looking for shortcuts and the easy way out? Do job recruiters or supervisors value willingness to take on difficult or unfamiliar tasks? Be careful of the habits you develop while at UT, as they may be hard to change.
Also try to avoid the mindset that certain classes or academic fields (Government, Fine Arts, etc.) are not important for Business students, as they have nothing to do with a business student's major. Whatever a student's personal preferences, all the requirements in the McCombs degrees serve a purpose, whether directly or indirectly - and anyone who feels business and government do not intersect needs to pay more attention! Knowledge in various fields is useful for more than small talk - it helps students add greater depth and flexibility to the way they think, and open them to a constant stream of new ideas and information.
There are indeed good reasons for students to take classes at other schools en route to finishing their UT Austin degree, but there are also bad reasons. We mainly urge students to think about the big picture before making these decisions.
8. If I get below a 2.0 GPA in one semester, will I be kicked out of the School of Business?
This is possible, but not likely. Any beginning student, freshman or transfer, who in their first semester fails twelve or more semester hours of coursework is subject to scholastic dismissal without a probationary period.
All other students who experience a poor semester are placed on scholastic probation before dismissal is possible, and then only if their cumulative UT GPA (which includes grades from UT credit by exam, but not from transfer work) falls below 2.0. Thus if a student has one poor semester but their cumulative UT GPA is still 2.0 or higher, they are not subject to scholastic probation.
For more information about scholastic probation or dismissal, contact your academic advisor or read the General Information Catalog.
9. I need to leave UT for a semester or more, will I be able to get back in later?
In most cases this is not a problem. Students who leave UT in good standing (not on scholastic probation or dismissal) simply need to apply for readmission in order to re-enroll at UT. They do not go into the main admissions pool with new applicants, but will be automatically readmitted into their previous school and major, as long as they meet these basic conditions:
- A complete application form, submitted online by the readmission deadline (contact the Office of Admissions for more information about this).
- A nonrefundable application fee.
- Separate and official transcripts from each college you've attended since leaving UT Austin (if any).
- A 2.50 cumulative GPA (on a 4-point scale) on all transferable coursework taken since leaving UT Austin (if any).
If a student leaves UT for a long period (6 years or more), the
degree requirements they were originally following may have expired, and
they would need to complete the degree requirements current when they
return to UT, which may be different. So we recommend students try to
complete their requirements and graduate in as timely a manner as
possible.
