Information and Definitions

Appointment Time 
The specified day and time during Early Registration when a student may begin registration. Once your appointment time begins, you may register at that time, or any later time the system is available for registration. Appointment times are assigned for students who are eligible to enroll during Early Registration including continuing students and new or former students who have been fully matriculated by the deadlines for Spring 2007. Students are assigned appointment times based on their career/level (undergraduate or graduate), degree status and total earned hours. Appointment times are required only for participation in Early Registration. No appointment times are required for Open or Late Registration.

Catalog Number
The first digit of the catalog number indicates scholastic level of the course:

• 3000/4000 series courses: intermediate/advanced-level undergraduate; open to undergraduates and to graduate students within the limitations imposed by master’s degree requirements.

• 5000 series courses: beginning-level graduate; open to graduate students and undergraduates within six semester hours of graduation under certain other conditions.

• 6000 series courses: intermediate-level graduate; open to graduate students only.

The second and fourth digits are for administrative purposes and have no significance for the student. The third digit indicates the fixed semester credit-hour value of the course.

Census Date
As defined by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), the date for official enrollment reporting. For long semesters (fall and spring), Census Date is the 12th day of classes and is adjusted in accordance with the THECB for summer sessions. Used for last day to drop without a record and last day to request a change on residency status for that semester.

Course Load Limit
The maximum number of hours that a student will be able to take in a long semester. The spring and fall semesters have a limit of 19 for undergraduates, 15 for graduates.  For summer semesters, the limit is 12 hours for undergraduates, 9 for graduates, except for School of Education where graduates can take 10 hours for summer semesters.  These limits apply to all students and may be waived only by the associate dean of the school offering the courses.

Independent Study Registration 
Registration for courses taken by independent study cannot be done by telephone or Web. An Independent Study Registration Form can be obtained from the Student Assistance Center or from the student’s school. This form must be completed by the faculty and the student must obtain all required signature approvals. The form must then be submitted to the Office of Academic Records to be processed. Payment for independent study courses is due by the fee payment deadline established for that registration period. Independent Studies are not available to School of Business students.

Late Payment Fee

Students that have registered and have not paid their fees prior to payment deadline for each registration period will be assessed an additional late payment fee of $50. The fees collected will offset the administrative costs of collecting unpaid tuition and fees.

Late Registration Fee

$50 late registration fee will be applied to all students’ accounts that register during the late registration period.

Master’s Option Registration
A student’s first semester of registration for master’s thesis, project, internship or residency must be done in person.  Students may obtain a Master’s Option Registration form from the Office of Academic Records or from the student’s school. This form must be completed by the faculty advisor, associate dean and student. After signature approvals are complete, the form must be submitted to the Office of Academic Records to be processed. After the initial semester of registration in master’s thesis, project, internship or residency, students will be automatically enrolled in the same coursework each long semester (fall and spring, but not summer) until a final grade is awarded. This automatic registration will be processed during Open Registration and students are expected to meet the fee payment deadline for Open Registration. Students wishing to be enrolled for summer semesters must notify the Office of Academic Records prior to the beginning of the summer semester.

Personal Identification Number (PIN) and Password 
Initially assigned by the university as the student’s birth date. The PIN/Password must be changed when initially accessing the UHCL Telephone Registration System and E-Services enrollment systems. This item is not printed on any document so students should protect the confidentiality of their PIN/ Password.

Prerequisites 
Are noted in the class schedule and the university catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the prerequisites have been met prior to enrolling. The university catalog provides a complete listing of prerequisites for each course. Students should also check with the associate dean’s office in each school. Students enrolling for courses without the required prerequisites will be dropped at the refund schedule in effect at the time of withdrawal.

Registration Periods 

Students may register for classes during the following periods:

• Early Registration – The first registration period each semester, restricted to continuing students and to new or former students who have been fully matriculated by the deadline. Early registration requires an assigned appointment time, which indicates when a student may begin registering for that semester.

• Open Registration – A period of registration that is open to all eligible students. This registration period ends before semester classes begin.

• Late Registration – The last registration period for a semester, held during the first week of classes. A late registration fee of $50 will be assessed to all students who register during this period. The late registration fee is not assessed for classes added to an existing registration during this period.

Service Indicator/Hold/Encumbrance
A negative service indicator is an encumbrance placed on a student’s record that prohibits them from attaining varying degrees of service from the university until it is cleared. Failure to provide official transcripts from previous institutions may generate holds that will hinder future registration attempts and stop the release of records, including UHCL transcripts.

Students

• Admitted, waiting on official documents – Any student who meets the admission requirements of the university but who has not yet submitted all required documents and final transcripts. Conditionally admitted students are restricted from registration for a future semester until all required documents have been received by the university. Conditional admission to the university is a first step but does not include acceptance into a specific degree program within a particular school.

• Continuing Student – Includes all students who are enrolled for the current semester or who have been enrolled beyond the census date of a semester during the past academic year. You must have been enrolled during or after fall 2006 to be considered a continuing student for summer and fall 2007. Students who apply for graduation in the current semester are not considered to be continuing students for future semesters and must submit a new application to continue enrollment.

• Former Students – Students who have not attended classes beyond census date in the last academic year must reapply with application fee. Students who have not attended beyond the census date for more than five years must reapply as a new student with fee, as well as submit all supporting documents to the Office of Admissions.

• Fully Admitted – Any student who is enrolling at the university for the first time and who has submitted all supporting documents including all final transcripts. Full admission to the university is a first step, but does not include acceptance into a specific degree program within a particular school.

• Matriculated Student – A new or former student who has completed the application process and is eligible to register.

• UHCL Degree Recipients – Students who have graduated from UHCL in the past calendar year or have applied for graduation in the current semester must complete an Application for Admission to return to the university.

Student ID Cards 
A paid fee statement must be presented at the Office of Student Life, SSCB 1.204, to validate or make Student ID cards during Open Registration or the first two weeks of classes. Student IDs must be validated each semester in order for students to have full use of UHCL facilities and services, such as the library, fitness center, computing labs, bookstore, free admittance to university events, etc. For more information, contact the Office of Student Life, 281-283-2560.

Student Identification Number – A unique number permanently assigned by the university to each student. This number will be required to access a student’s record.

Time Conflicts – Students may not register for classes that have time conflicts (meet at the same time or at overlapping times).