Graduation
Special Requirements of the School
All University students must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 to graduate. Students in the Cockrell School must also have an in-residence grade point average of at least 2.00 in all courses applicable to the degree, the major area of study and required technical courses. “Major area of study” and “required technical courses” are defined in the section “Academic Standards."
A candidate for a degree in engineering must be registered in the Cockrell School either in residence or in absentia the semester or summer session the degree is to be awarded. No later than the date given in the official academic calendar, the candidate must complete an online application form for graduation or graduation in absentia at http://www.engr.utexas.edu/graduation/.
All individual degree programs must include at least 48 semester hours of engineering coursework.
Residence Rules
All University students must complete in residence at least 60 semester hours of the coursework counted toward the degree. In the Cockrell School, 30 of these 60 hours must be in the major field or in a field closely related to the major as approved by the major department and the dean.
At least the last 24 hours of technical coursework counted toward an engineering degree must be taken while the student is registered as an undergraduate engineering major at the University. A student seeking an exception to this requirement must obtain written approval in advance from the dean. Information about the petition process is available in the Engineering Student Services Office, located in the Engineering Education and Research Center (EER).
Degree Audit
Each student should review his or her degree audit every semester through IDA, the University’s Interactive Degree Audit system. The degree audit normally provides an accurate statement of requirements, but the student is responsible for knowing the requirements for the degree as stated in a catalog under which he or she is eligible to graduate and for registering so as to fulfill these requirements; see the rules on graduation under a particular catalog. Since the student is responsible for correct registration toward completion of the degree program, he or she should first check the requirements with their department Undergraduate Advising Office and then seek an official ruling in the Engineering Student Services Office before registering if in doubt about any requirement. Avoidance of errors is the main purpose of the degree audit, but it remains the responsibility of the student to fulfill all catalog requirements.
Applying for Graduation
Students must apply for graduation the first semester they are eligible to graduate. A student is eligible to graduate if their engineering degree audit is 100% complete. If a student fails to submit an application for degree by the deadline given in the academic calendar, an application for degree may be submitted by his or her academic Dean or designee. An application submitted under these circumstances cannot be canceled without a successful appeal to the Office of the Provost (Student Success Initiatives). Please refer to the Graduation Appeal Application for further information.
Please contact the Engineering Student Services Office, located in the Engineering Education and Research Center (EER) 2.848, or by phone at (512) 471-4321 for further questions.
Nonresidence Coursework
A student in his or her final semester may not enroll concurrently at another institution in any course, including a distance education course, to be counted toward the degree. In the final semester, the student may also not enroll by extension or correspondence in coursework to be counted toward the degree. All transfer, extension, and correspondence coursework must be added to the student’s official record before his or her last semester.
Second Degrees
A student who completes a bachelor’s degree in engineering may receive a second bachelor’s degree in a second engineering discipline if the student meets all the requirements of the second degree that he or she did not meet in completing the first degree. This process is subject to approval by the Engineering Student Services Office. No student may receive two bachelor’s degrees in the same discipline of engineering, even if the technical area options are different. For example, a student may receive the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and that of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering but may not receive two Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degrees. A student may not receive bachelor’s degrees in both architectural engineering and civil engineering.
Commencement
In addition to the University commencement ceremony held each spring, the Cockrell School holds a commencement ceremony in May. Degree candidates intending to graduate in the current academic year and who have applied to participate are eligible to attend the May commencement ceremony. Information about graduation and commencement is available at http://www.engr.utexas.edu/graduation.
Registration as a Professional Engineer
The practice of engineering has a profound effect on public health, safety, and welfare. Therefore, the commitment to the public good through the licensing or registration provisions available in all states and many foreign countries is an important step in the professional development of an engineer. Becoming licensed in Texas as a professional engineer requires graduation from an approved curriculum in engineering, passage of the examination requirements, and a specific record of an additional four years or more of active practice in engineering work indicating that the applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of such work. Additional requirements include good character and reputation.
Engineering students are encouraged to take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination during their last long-session semester and to seek certification as an “engineer in training.”
For additional information, contact the Texas Board of Professional Engineers or the equivalent agency in another state.