The University and the Cockrell School of Engineering have several policies, procedures and opportunities related to graduation. These include:
- A degree
audit—After earning 90 semester hours of
credit toward the degree, the student should request a degree audit in the
undergraduate office of his or her academic department. Failure to do so
may delay the student’s graduation. Each student may review his or her
degree audit through IDA, the University’s
Interactive Degree Audit
System. The
student must see their departmental advisor to establish a student profile,
which is used as their official application code for graduation. Since the
student is responsible for correct registration toward completion of the
degree program, he or she should seek clarification from Christina Perkins, Degree
Auditor in the Office of Student Affairs, ECJ 2.200, before registering if
in doubt about any requirements. Avoidance of errors is the main purpose of
the degree audit, but it remains the responsibility of the student to
fulfill all catalog requirements.
- Residence
rules — All University students must complete in residence at least sixty semester hours of the coursework counted toward the degree. In the Cockrell School of Engineering, thirty of these sixty 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 twenty-four 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 Office of Student Affairs, Ernest Cockrell Jr. Hall 2.200. - Non-residence
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. 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.
- Final
Degree Review—The student must complete all
procedures associated with the final degree review. Students must complete a
preliminary degree check with their respective department. The student is
responsible for turning in any equipment and other property belonging to the
Cockrell School of Engineering and for paying all fees. Failure to complete all
requirements for graduation will result in the withholding of a student’s
diploma and official transcript. Final degree review is administered by the
degree auditor.
-
Applying
for Graduation—Students must apply online
for graduation the first semester they are eligible to graduate. Failure to
do so will jeopardize the student’s future registration in the College of
Engineering. Any subsequent registration must be recommended by the
undergraduate advisor and approved by the dean. A student is considered
eligible to graduate if he or she can complete course requirements by
registering for 14 semester hours or fewer.
-
Commencement—In
addition to the University commencement ceremony held each spring, the
Cockrell School of Engineering holds graduation ceremonies in December and May.
Students that are completing degree requirements in August may participate
in the May ceremony.
More information on graduation is
available.
- Order
of the Engineer membership—Engineering students are eligible to join
the Order of the Engineer in the calendar year in which they graduate or at
any time after graduation. Students are inducted in a Ring Ceremony, which
are typically held during February. The Ring Ceremony includes a formal
acceptance of an engineer’s ethical responsibilities to the public and to the
profession; participants receive a stainless steel ring to be worn upon the
little finger of the working hand. More information
on Order of the Engineer is available.
- Tuition rebate—Students who graduate within three hours of the minimum number of hours required for graduation may be eligible for a tuition rebate. Eligibility requirements and procedures for requesting a rebate are available.