Admission and Registration

Admission

Admission and readmission of undergraduate students to the University is the responsibility of the director of admissions. All students who wish to major in geological sciences must be admitted to the University according to the procedures given in the General Information Catalog. 

Students admitted to the University with deficiencies in high school units must remove the deficiencies as prescribed in the General Information Catalog. 

Admission to the Jackson School is granted for the fall semester only. All freshmen and external transfer students are expected to attend New Student Orientation the summer before they enter the school.

Admission to the Environmental Science Program

All freshmen and external transfer students majoring in environmental science (EVS) are first admitted to the University as entry-level EVS majors in the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, or the College of Natural Sciences. After completing a minimum of 24 hours in residence, students may select the EVS degree plan that best suits their long-term interests and, if necessary, transfer to the appropriate college/school in accordance with the regulations and procedures set forth in that college or school's General Information Catalog.

Freshman Admission

Freshmen applicants seeking admission to the EVS major through the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, or the College of Natural Sciences must meet the calculus readiness requirement by the official admissions application deadline. More information about the calculus readiness requirement is available through the University Admissions Office or online.

Freshmen applicants to the EVS major from all three colleges/schools are reviewed and admitted as a single cohort. Applicants should use the ApplyTexas online application and select the "Environmental Science, Entry-Level" major option listed in the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, or the College of Natural Sciences as a first-choice major. Applicants should apply to the EVS program in the college that best suits their anticipated area of focus (geological sciences, or geographical sciences, or biological sciences, respectively).

External Transfer Admission 

Students who wish to transfer to the University from another college or university must apply to the Office of Admissions as described in the General Information Catalog. External transfer applicants seeking admission to the Environmental Science (EVS) Degree Program through the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, or the College of Natural Sciences must demonstrate calculus readiness by the official admissions application deadline. Details regarding transfer calculus readiness are available through the University Admissions Office or online.

External transfer applicants to the EVS major from all three colleges/schools are reviewed and admitted as a single cohort. Applicants should use the ApplyTexas online application and select the "Environmental Science, Entry-Level" major option listed in the Jackson School of Geosciences, the College of Liberal Arts, or the College of Natural Sciences as a first-choice major. Applicants should apply to the EVS program in the college that best suits their anticipated area of focus (geological sciences, geographical sciences, or biological sciences, respectively).

Internal Transfer Admission

Admission to the Geological Sciences Program

Freshman Admission

Freshman applicants seeking admission to the Jackson School must meet the published University admissions requirements for the major by the official admissions application deadline. More information about admission requirements are available through the University Admissions Office or online.

Applicants to the Jackson School of Geosciences must use the ApplyTexas online application and select geological sciences, entry-level as a first-choice major. When selecting a second-choice major, freshman applicants may choose from one of the many other majors offered at the University. Those students interested in applying to the environmental science degree program should refer to the information provided above. Those students interested in applying to the geosystems engineering and hydrogeology degree program should refer to the information provided below. 

External Transfer Admission

Students who wish to transfer to the University from another college or university must apply to the Office of Admissions as described in the General Information Catalog. External transfer applicants seeking admission to the Jackson School of Geosciences must meet all published University admission requirements for the major and submit a complete application by the official admissions application deadline. External transfer applicants to the Jackson School must use the ApplyTexas online application and select geological sciences, entry-level as a first-choice major.  

Only courses listed in the student’s geosciences degree program, or equivalent courses approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, may be counted toward a geosciences degree. A course may therefore be accepted for transfer credit but not be applicable toward a geosciences degree. Prospective students are encouraged to consult the geological sciences degree plans and transfer course equivalency information available online.

Internal Transfer Admission

Students enrolled in another college or school at the University may apply in early spring to be considered for admission to the Jackson School of Geosciences the following fall semester. A cumulative in-residence grade point average of 3.0 or higher is generally recommended to be competitive for admission. The following minimum requirements for consideration are in addition to the requirements to transfer from one division to another given in the General Information Catalog.  

1. Completion of at least 24 semester hours of coursework in residence at the University. Credit by exam and correspondence, extension and transfer hours may not be counted toward this requirement.
2. Completion of, or enrollment in, the following courses or their equivalent at the time of application. A grade of C- or higher required in completed courses to fulfill this requirement.

• For students with less than 30 semester hours of coursework in residence at the University at the completion of the spring semester in which they apply; Mathematics 408C or 408K and 408L. For students with 30 hours or more: Mathematics 408D or 408M.
• Geological Sciences 401 or 303.
• Chemistry 301.

Additional information for all internal transfer applicants:

• Only currently enrolled students may apply.
• Students may apply during the semester they are completing the minimum requirements to be eligible for consideration.
• Interested students are encouraged to attend a Jackson School internal transfer information session prior to the spring they intend to submit an application for internal transfer. A schedule of information sessions as well as additional information about the application process, online application, and submission deadlines are available on the Jackson School undergraduate website. 

Internal Transfer within the Jackson School

A geological sciences student interested in transferring to a different degree program within the Jackson School must submit an application in early spring for admission review. Students must meet the same minimum requirements as students applying to transfer from another division of the University to be eligible for consideration.

Students in the BS Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology and BS Environmental Science degree programs may have an active student status in more than one college or school over the course of their degree program. These arrangements are in place to provide students access to required courses not offered in their primary college or school. The Cockrell School of Engineering is the primary school for the GEH degree and the College of Liberal Arts, College of Natural Sciences, or Jackson School for the EVS degree. Therefore, students in these degree programs interested in transferring to a geological sciences degree program in the Jackson School must submit an internal transfer application for consideration as outlined in this section.

The Bachelor of Science in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology (GEH) is offered jointly by the Cockrell School of Engineering and the Jackson School of Geosciences. Students are simultaneously registered in both schools once accepted.

Freshmen Admission

Freshmen applicants seeking admission to the GEH degree program are admitted through the Jackson School of Geosciences. Applicants must meet the calculus readiness requirement by the official admissions application deadline. More information about calculus readiness is available through the University admissions office or online.

Applicants to the GEH program should use the ApplyTexas online application and select geosystems engineering and hydrogeology as a first-choice major. When selecting a second-choice major, freshman applicants may choose from one of the many other majors offered at the University. 

External Transfer Admission

Students who wish to transfer to the University from another college or university must apply to the Office of Admissions as described in the General Information Catalog. External transfer applicants are admitted through the Cockrell School of Engineering and should use the ApplyTexas online application and select geosystems engineering and hydrogeology as a first-choice major. Requirements for admission as a transfer student vary, but all transfer applicants must submit transcripts of all college and high school coursework.

External transfer applicants will be required to meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for admission to the geosystems engineering and hydrogeology major:

• Completion of Mathematics 408L, 408M, or 408D,
• Completion of Physics 303K and 103M,
• Completion of a minimum of four technical courses. Technical courses include courses offered in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geology, computer science, and engineering.

Admission applications that are not complete by the March 1st deadline may be held to a higher admissions standard than those that are complete, if enrollment limits are reached.

Internal Transfer Admissions

Students interested in transferring to the GEH program from another division of the University must apply through the Cockrell School of Engineering. Please refer to the General Information Catalog as well as the Cockrell School of Engineering portion of the Undergraduate Catalog for minimum requirements, application deadlines, and other information regarding internal transfer admissions for the geosystems engineering and hydrogeology degree program.

Registration

The General Information Catalog gives information about registration, adding and dropping courses, transferring from one division of the University to another, and auditing a course. The Course Schedule, published before registration each semester and summer session, contains registration instructions, advising locations, and the times, places, and instructors of classes. The Course Schedule and General Information Catalog are published on the registrar’s website.