Registration

Information concerning registration may be obtained from the Academic Calendar, the Student Advising and Mentoring Center (SAM Center), or from the Registrar’s Office. Detailed registration procedures appear below and are included in the Schedule of Classes
at http://www.shsu.edu/schedule/.

Academic Advisement for Registration

Sam Houston State University offers year-round advisement through the Student Advising and Mentoring Center (SAM Center). The Center is located in Academic Building IV, corner of Avenue I and Bowers Boulevard. Telephone: (936)294-4444; Toll free: (866) 364-5211; Houston area: (281) 657-6432. Email: samcenter@shsu.edu.

Each student is responsible for ensuring that the courses selected meet degree requirements. A student should contact an academic advisor or refer to the appropriate undergraduate catalog in order to confirm which courses meet individual degree requirements. All students are encouraged to be advised, and it is highly recommended that students be advised throughout their academic career.

Advisement is required for the following students:

• Students with no SHSU grade point average (gpa).
• Students with a grade point average (gpa) below a 2.50.
• Students who have earned less than a grade of C in any developmental course during the previous semester at SHSU.
• Students subject to completion of TSI requirements.

Registration

Once accepted to Sam Houston State University and advised, students may register for classes during the scheduled registration periods. Registration schedules may be found in the Schedule of Classes at http://www.shsu.edu/schedule/.

During scheduled periods of registration, students may register via the internet at SamWeb. Students will need their social security number and PIN (Personal Identification Number) in order to access the registration menu. Students will also need to locate the CID (Course Identification) number for each course he/she would like to register for. CID numbers can be found in the Schedule of Classes at http://www.shsu.edu/schedule/. For further information please contact the Office of the Registrar at 936-294-1528.

Change of Schedule (Adding and Dropping Courses)

What should students consider when adding or dropping courses?

• Adding or dropping courses can impact financial aid. Students receiving financial aid and/or scholarships are encouraged to visit with a financial aid representative prior to
  adding or dropping courses.
• Adding courses will result in tuition and fee charges to be paid by 4:00 pm on the date the course(s) are added.
• A student is allowed no more than 5 Q-drops during their career at SHSU.
• A student, under specific conditions, may be charged a higher tuition rate for excessive undergraduate hours. Please reference Tuition for Excessive Undergraduate Hours within this catalog for further information.

When can students change their schedules?

• During the advanced registration period.
• During the regular registration period.
• During the late registration period.

When do charges for adding and dropping courses begin?

• Beginning on the first class day of the semester as defined in the official Academic Calendar.

Resignations

To resign (officially withdraw) from the University, a student must notify the Registrar’s Office and process a Resignation Request. The Resignation Request must be in writing and becomes effective on the date received by the Registrar’s Office. The effective date of the Resignation Request, as received by the Registrar’s Office, is the date which is used for determining any refund as authorized in the State Refund Policy (see Tuition and Fees Refund Policy). The student is responsible for clearing all debts owed to the University. Students who fail to officially resign from the University prior to the stated deadline and discontinue going to class will receive the grade of F for each course in which they are enrolled.

Students who resign after the first nine weeks of a regular semester or after the first two weeks of a summer session receive a mark of WP (withdrew passing) or WF (withdrew failing) for each course for which they are enrolled. Students who resign from the University while enrolled in a course whose duration is less than a normal term will receive a mark of WP or WF if they resign after one-half of that course time has been completed. The mark of WP or WF is the responsibility of the student’s instructors.

Off-Campus Courses

Students may register for off-campus courses, including courses offered at The University Center, during the registration periods as listed in the current Schedule of Classes (online at http://www.shsu.edu/schedule/).

Students attending classes on or off campus should follow the same schedule for adding, dropping and resigning as defined in the official Academic Calendar. See the current Schedule of Classes for a complete listing of courses and locations.

Courses at The University Center

Sam Houston State University in conjunction with five universities and the North Harris Montgomery Community College District formed The University Center, a multi-institutional teaching center, to provide unduplicated bachelor’s and master’s degree programs to the north Houston, north Harris County and Montgomery County service area. Courses completed as part of these programs carry residence credit. Please see Appendix E for a current listing of degree programs offered by SHSU at The University Center. For more information, contact The University Center Academic Services Officer for Sam Houston State University at The University Center. Telephone: (936) 273-7500 or (281) 618-7140; website: http://www.shsu.edu/ucenter.

Correspondence Courses

Correspondence courses are offered for those students who wish to add to their academic program by individual study. A student is permitted to complete eighteen semester hours toward a bachelor’s degree by correspondence coursework. Correspondence courses may be completed in a minimum of sixty days or a maximum of one calendar year.

Semester credit hours earned in correspondence courses are not considered “Resident Classroom Instruction” hours and are not used in determining academic honors: cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude, the Dean’s List, and the President’s Honor Roll. However, the semester credit hours and grade points earned for correspondence courses are included in the calculation of the overall SHSU grade point average.

Students may not repeat by correspondence any course in which a previous grade of D or F has been earned.

Correspondence courses are not offered at the graduate level, nor can any correspondence course taken at any level or at any institution count towards a graduate degree at Sam Houston State University.

Students may enroll in correspondence courses at any time. Additional information, including a brochure listing courses offered and an enrollment application, may be obtained by inquiring in person in Room 116, Academic Classroom Building III, or by writing to Correspondence Course Division, Box 2536, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341-2536. Telephone: (936) 294-1003, 294-1005, 294-3824. Website: http://cor.shsu.edu.

Notification of Name Change

• Present to the Registrar’s Office (located on the 3rd floor of the Estill Building, room 331) legal documentation such as marriage certificates, divorce decrees and social security cards reflecting the correct name.
• All degrees and transcripts are issued under the student’s legal name as recorded in the Registrar’s Office.
• A change of name can impact Financial Aid when the lender is unaware of the name change. Students are encouraged to visit with a financial aid representative prior to changing their name.

Notification of Address Change

• Permanent and local addresses can be changed online at https://samweb.shsu.edu/regr19wp/.
• It is essential to have the correct address on file each semester in order to receive important communication from SHSU.
• The University assumes no obligation for failure of a student to receive communications.

Classification of Students by Hours Completed Toward Graduation

• Freshman: 1-31 hours completed
• Sophomore: 32-63 hours completed
• Junior: 64-93 hours completed
• Senior: 94 hours or more completed.

Only hours earned at Sam Houston State University and hours accepted in transfer from other institutions will count toward the student’s classification, which is determined by the Registrar. Credit awarded by examination and hours earned with the grade of CR are counted in determining classification, but are not included in determining grade point average. Hours earned in developmental courses are not counted toward the student’s classification.

Audit, Course

A student auditing a course may attend lectures and other class meetings, take part in class discussions and receive written confirmation of attendance. The student will not receive evaluations of participation and will not be allowed to submit assignments or take examinations and tests, except by special and express permission of the instructor.

An individual must receive prior approval from the appropriate department chair and the instructor involved in order to audit a course. Neither the instructor nor the University assumes responsibility for the academic progress of any person auditing a course. The audit fee for each course is $50; senior citizens who are 65 years of age or older are exempt from paying the audit fee. An individual auditing a course:

a. is encouraged to attend all lectures and obtain the maximum educational benefit from the information presented,
b. is not permitted to take tests or examinations in the course being audited,
c. is authorized to receive a courtesy library card permitting use of the Newton Gresham Library for the duration of the course audit,
d. is not authorized to be issued a Sam Houston State University Student Identification Card unless also enrolled as a regular student at Sam Houston State University,
e. is not authorized to use Sam Houston State University medical, athletic, or recreational facilities unless also enrolled as a regular student at Sam Houston State University, and f. will not have a record of course audit in the Registrar’s Office.

Transcripts

A currently enrolled student or a former student of the University may obtain a transcript of his/her completed work from the Office of the Registrar. All requests for transcripts must be in writing and must be accompanied by the individual’s signature. A fee, which according to state law must be paid in advance, will be charged for each copy. The current fee for each transcript is $5. Effective Fall 2007, students will be allowed 5 free transcripts throughout the semester for which they are enrolled. Students who graduate will be extended the 5 free transcripts for one year following the posting of a degree. The fee for transcripts will be included in the Records Fee effective Fall 2007. Transcripts will not be released for students who have a financial indebtedness to the University. Checks should be made payable to Sam Houston State University.

Texas Success Initiative
(Formerly Known as The Texas Academic Skills Program)

As of September 1, 2003, the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) has been replaced by the Texas Success Initiative. The name of the TASP Test has been changed to the THEA (The Higher Education Assessment) Test.

Students who are entering or enrolled in a Texas public institution of higher learning and are not exempt, or in a teacher education program must take a TSI test and have scores on file before they can attend college-level classes. Only students who fail or defer sections of the TSI tests are required to take developmental courses. Such students must enroll in at least one developmental course each semester until the Texas Success Initiative requirements are satisfied.

TSI Test Exemptions

• An ACT composite score of 23 or higher, with a score of at least 19 on both the Math and English sections from the same test date. Scores are valid for five years from test date; or
• A re-centered SAT score of 1070 or higher with a minimum score of 500 on both the math and verbal sections from the same test date. Scores are valid for five years from test date; or
• A score of at least TLI X-89 in reading, TLI X-86 in math and 1770 in writing on the TAAS Test. Scores are valid for three years from test date; or
• A score of at least 2200 on the ELA and Math sections of the TAKS Test with a writing essay score of 3 or higher; or
• An associate (AA or AS) or a baccalaureate (BA, BS, etc.) degree from an accredited Texas public institution of higher education; or
• Students who transferred from outside Texas or from a private Texas college or university and successfully completed the appropriate reading, math, and writing related coursework. Please visit the SAM Center for more details; or
• Students who previously attended any institution of higher education and have been determined to have met readiness standards by that institution; or
• Students who are serving on active duty in the military, the Texas National Guard, or the reserves, or were honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty in the military, the Texas National Guard, or the reserves after August 1, 1990.

Temporary TSI Test Exemptions

• Students who are in a certificate program of one year or less may have their exemption status waived as long as they are in the program.
• Students who are not seeking a degree or certificate may be exempt at the discretion of the institution.
• Transient students from private or out-of-state schools with the appropriate coursework may be exempt if they file a waiver with the Registrar’s Office.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the institution of his/her exemption.

Responsibilities of Non-Exempt Students Who Have Not Passed All Parts of a TSI Test:

Students must continuously enroll in the appropriate developmental program until they have satisfied all TSI Requirements. Students must enroll and participate fully in each developmental course and:

• attend class and any required tutorial session(s).
• complete all assignments and take all exams.
• demonstrate to the instructor of the course that the student is making a good faith effort to develop the appropriate skills and knowledge.
• remain in class unless granted permission to drop by the appropriate dean. This applies even if the student passes a TSI test prior to the completion of the semester.

Students who fail one or more sections of a TSI Test may satisfy TSI Requirements by:

• Getting a passing score on a retake of a TSI test,
• Completing a developmental program in the appropriate area with a grade of “C “ or better,
• Completing an approved college-level course(s) in the appropriate area with a grade of “C” or better or
• Using a score on an ACT, SAT, or TAKS test that meets the exemption standard in the appropriate area.

Sam Houston State University TSI Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Requirements and Placement Charts:

Reading Requirements

• Students who score below the minimum THEA score of 201 (see Table below), must pass RDG 031D with a grade of C or better and retest to satisfy the SHSU TSI requirement.
• Students who score between 201 and 215 on the THEA must pass RDG 031D with a grade of C or better.
• Students who score between 216 and 229 on the THEA must pass RDG 011D and two reading intensive courses with a C or better, and attend 15 hours of tutorials in the Reading Center to satisfy TSI requirements. Students who are not successful in RDG 011D must pass RDG 031D with a C or better the following semester.
• Students who have a passing score have satisfied their TSI requirements and are not required to remediate.

Placement Chart for Reading

Writing Requirements

• Students who score below the minimum retest score must pass ENG 031D with a grade of C or better and retest to satisfy the SHSU TSI requirement.
• Students who score above the minimum retest score must pass ENG 031D with a grade of“C” or better to satisfy the SHSU TSI requirement.
• Students who have a passing score have satisfied their TSI requirements and are not required to remediate

Placement Chart for Writing

Mathematics Requirements

Students can enroll in a college level math course if they meet TSI requirements and:

• meet the required prerequisite score with a TSI Test (See Placement Chart below),
• completed a previous college level math course with a grade of “C” or better,
• completed MTH 032D with a grade of “C” or better,
• completed the higher level MTH 031D with a grade of “C” or better in F03 or with a grade of“S” prior to F03,
• are repeating a math course previously attempted, or
• are currently taking MTH 032D at SHSU with the understanding that they will not be allowed to remain in the course if MTH 032D is not completed with a grade of “C” or better.

Students, who have satisfied TSI requirements but have not met the required SHSU placement standards, must take MTH 032D before taking a college-level math course but are not required to remediate every semester.

Students who do score below 206 on THEA, 42 on the Asset, or 30 on the Compass, must retest. Any student who is not TSI compliant must enroll in the appropriate developmental course (See SHSU Mathematics Placement Chart below). Regardless of the student’s TSI status, the following cut-off scores should be used to place students in appropriate mathematics courses. When multiple scores are available, the student should be placed in the higher course.

Placement Chart for Mathematics

* The Math ACT is used for placement only when the student is TSI compliant.
** The Math SAT is used for placement only when the student is TSI compliant.

If remediation is not required, the student may enroll in MTH 163, 164, 169, 170, 184, 199 or STA 169. All other mathematics courses have non-remedial prerequisites. See the attached Information Sheet for College-Level Mathematics Courses.

Test Scores Required to Take College Level Mathematics

For more information on the TSI Tests, contact the Testing Center by e-mail at TEST.CTR@SHSU.EDU or by telephone (936) 294-1025.