Registration

This is an archived copy of the 2016-2017 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit catalog.shsu.edu.

Enrollment Requirements

Information concerning registration may be obtained from the Academic Calendar provided in this publication, 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 .

Academic Advisement for Registration

Sam Houston State University offers advisement throughout the year at the Student Advising and Mentoring Center (SAM Center). The Center is located in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building, 1901 Avenue I. Telephone: (936) 294-4444; Toll free: (866) 364-5211; Houston area: (281) 657-6432. E-mail: samcenter@shsu.edu . Students majoring in Criminal Justice should contact the Criminal Justice Advisement Center located on the second floor of the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center at 816 17th Street, Huntsville, TX  77340.  Telephone: (936) 294-1702.

The university provides advisors to assist students with registration and with making appropriate progress toward completion of degree requirements and ultimately, graduation.  However, the student bears sole responsibility for assuring that all degree requirements are fulfilled.

Students are placed under a degree and major based on the selection at the time of application to Sam Houston.  A student has the option of meeting the academic requirements for any degree as outlined in the catalog at the time of admission or of meeting those listed in any later catalog provided the requirements are met not later than six years from the effective date of the selected catalog. The student is responsible for knowledge of the detailed requirements of the degree program selected to include any special requirements of the major and/or minor department. Students must speak to their advisor in order to make a change to their major and must have a minimum 2.0 SHSU GPA.  Some academic departments may require approval of the change of major.

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.
  • All students who have not officially declared a major and are reaching 45 hours of completed coursework.
  • All students who have 90 or more hours completed or in progress.

Registration

Once accepted and advised at Sam Houston State University, students may register for classes during the scheduled registration periods. Registration procedures apply to all SHSU courses taken on campus, off campus, and online.  For correspondence course registration procedures, click here .   Registration schedules may be found in the Schedule of Classes .

During scheduled periods of registration, students may register online by selecting the MySam link on SHSU’s homepage and then Registration tab. If registering off campus, students will need their username and password in order to access the registration menu. See the Registration Toolbox in the Registration tab for registration assistance.

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 is allowed no more than 6 Q-drops during their combined career at all Texas public colleges and universities.
  • 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.
  • International students must make changes through the Office of International Programs.

When can students change their schedules?

  • During any open registration period for a current or future term.
    For registration times, please refer to Registration Dates (http://www.shsu.edu/dept/registrar/students/registration/registration-dates.html).

Resignations

A resignation is withdrawing from all classes within a term.  This does not mean the student is discontinuing his/her academic career.  The student will have one full academic year from last enrollment term to return to SHSU without reapplying, granted he/she did not leave on Academic Suspension.

To resign (officially withdraw) from the University, a student must notify the Registrar’s Office and process a Resignation Request. The Resignation Request becomes effective on the date received by the Registrar’s Office. The resignation effective date 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. International students must be advised by the International Student Advisor before resigning. Students who fail to officially resign from the University prior to the resignation deadline and discontinue going to class will receive the grade of F or the grade earned for each course in which they are enrolled.

Students who resign after the twelfth class day of a fall/spring term receive a mark of W (withdrew) for each course for which they were enrolled.  Students registered in courses meeting less than 15 weeks please refer to the resignation refund schedule. If a student has received a grade in any course for that term,  he/she is ineligible to resign.

Courses at SHSU The Woodlands Center

Please see Degrees Offered for a current listing of degree programs offered at SHSU The Woodlands Center. Courses completed as part of these programs carry residence credit. There is an additional fee charged for courses taken at SHSU The Woodlands Center. Currently, only Junior and Senior courses are available (3000/4000). For more information, contact SHSU The Woodlands Center at (936) 496-5000 or visit SHSU The Woodlands Center .  Mailing address:

SHSU The Woodlands Center
3380 College Park Drive
The Woodlands TX 77384

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. Restrictions may apply to some courses. Correspondence courses may be completed in a minimum of sixty days and 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. Correspondence coursework is posted, however, to the transfer section of the academic record, and the grade points are calculated into the overall cumulative grade point average and not the Sam Houston grade point average.

Students may not take correspondence courses to improve grades of D or F without approval from the appropriate academic dean.

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 at 2405 Avenue I in the Correspondence office, via the Correspondence Website, or by writing to:

Sam Houston State University
Correspondence Course Division
Box 2060
Huntsville, TX 77341-2536
Telephone: Toll Free: (877) 759-2232
Enrollments – shsucorrespondence@shsu.edu - (936) 294-4568
Lessons – shsucorrespondence@shsu.edu - (936) 294-4568
Final exams – shsucorrespondence@shsu.edu - (936) 294-4568
Grades – shsucorrespondence@shsu.edu - (936) 294-4568
Website: http://www.shsu.edu/academics/correspondence/ .

Notification of Name Change

The form is located in the Payroll Office.
 

  • Present to the Payroll Office (located CHSS Building, Suite 420, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday) legal documentation such as marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and social security cards reflecting the correct name.
  • 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

  • The form is located in the Payroll Office .
  • Permanent and local addresses can be changed online by accessing student records through the My Sam link at http://www.shsu.edu/ using the Banner Self-Service link on the Campus Resources tab.
  • 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

  • Freshman: 1-29 hours completed
  • Sophomore: 30-59 hours completed
  • Junior: 60-89 hours completed
  • Senior: 90 hours or more completed.

Hours earned at Sam Houston State University and hours accepted in transfer from other institutions will count toward the student’s classification.

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.

Auditing a 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; students 65 years of age or older are exempt from paying the audit fee.

For instructions and a copy of the Audit Form, please, go to the Registrar’s Office located on the 3rd floor of the Estill Building. The Audit Form with appropriate approvals may only be submitted to be processed on the 2nd class day only if there is an open seat available. An individual will not be permitted to audit if the class section is at maximum capacity.

An individual auditing a course:

  • is encouraged to attend all lectures and obtain the maximum educational benefit from the information presented,
  • is not permitted to take tests or examinations in the course being audited,
  • is authorized to receive a courtesy library card permitting use of the Newton Gresham Library for the duration of the course audit,
  • 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,
  • 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
  • will not have a record of course audit in the Registrar's Office.

Transcripts

Options to order transcripts can be found at http://www.shsu.edu/dept/registrar/transcripts-and-student-records/how-to-order-transcripts.html.
Official transcripts will not be released for students who have a financial indebtedness to the University.

Texas Success Initiative

Students who are entering or enrolled in a Texas public institution of higher learning and are not exempt must take the TSI Assessment test and have scores on file before they will be allowed to attend college-level classes. Only students who fail the TSI Assessment test 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.

Official placement test scores or valid exemption must be on file with the Registrar’s Office before students register for classes. Visit http://www.shsu.edu/tsi for additional information.

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 I 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 2200 on the ELA and Math sections of the TAKS Test with a writing essay score of 3 or higher. Scores are valid for five years from test date; 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 not seeking a degree or certificate may be exempt at the discretion of the institution.

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 the TSI Assessment 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; and
  • remain in class unless granted permission to drop.

Students Who Fail One or More Section of the TSI Assessment Test May Satisfy TSI Requirements by

  • Getting a passing score on a retake of the TSI Assessment 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 Placements

Reading Requirements

  • Students who score from 001 to 347 on the TSI Assesment test must pass INRW 0301 with a grade of C or better.
  • Students who score from 348 to 350 on the TSI Assessment test have the option to pass the INRW 0301 with a grade of C or better; or to enroll in an accelerated option.
  • Students who have a passing score of 351 or higher on the TSI Assessment test have satisfied their TSI requirements and are not required to enroll in a developmental education course.

Writing Requirements

  • Students who score from 001 to 357 on the TSI Assessment test must pass INRW 0301 with a grade of C or better.
  • Students who score from 358 to 362 with a 3 - 4 Essay on the TSI Assessment test have the option to pass the INRW 0301 with a grade of C or better; or to enroll in an accelerated option.
  • Students who have a passing score of 363 with a 4 Essay on the TSI Assessment test have satisfied their TSI requirements and are not required to enroll in a developmental education course. Students who make a 5 or higher on their Essay section will automatically be TSI writing complete regardless of the score in the multiple-choice section.

Mathematics Requirements

  • Students who score from 001 - 335 on the TSI Assessment test must enroll in a math developmental sequence. The first semester, they must pass MATH 0331 with a grade of C or better. The following semester, they must pass MATH 0332 with a grade of C or better.
  • Students who score from 336 to 344 on the TSI Assessment test must pass MATH 0332 with a grade of C or better.
  • Students who score from 345 to 349 on the TSI Assessment test have the option to pass the MATH 0332 with a grade of C or better; or to enroll in an accelerated option.
  • Students who have a passing score of 350 or higher on the TSI Assessment test have satisfied their TSI requirements and are not required to enroll in a developmental education course.

For more information on the Texas Success Initiative at SHSU, please visit www.shsu.edu/tsi . To inquire about taking the TSI Assessment test, please contact the Testing Center by email at test.ctr@shsu.edu or by phone (936) 294-1025.