overall 3.0 GPA at the end of the following semester. Failure to meet the 3.0 grade-point average at that point will result in automatic dismissal from the Graduate School. A student who has been dismissed from the Graduate School for failure to meet the 3.0 grade-point average requirement may be readmitted for further graduate study in the same or in a different program only if a petition (accompanied by a complete record of all college or university work previously taken) has been approved by the appropriate Committee on Graduate Studies and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
   Personal improvement courses, including but not limited to, individual or group music or art lessons and exercise and sports studies activities courses will not be used for the following: 1) to satisfy graduate degree requirements; 2) in the computation of graduate grade-point averages or in the determination of academic probation or academic good standing in Graduate School; 3) or in the calculation of grade-point averages for the purpose of admission to a Graduate Program or certification for graduation from a Graduate Program.

Graduation
   A student must meet all requirements specified under Grades of Scholarship in this catalog to receive a graduate degree from The University of Texas at Arlington.

Course Auditing, Changes and Load
Auditing
   Any person who has credit in a particular course or who has a demonstrated need for the course content may be eligible for auditing that course if space is available. An auditor has the privilege of hearing and observing only; no University credit is granted for auditing. Audit applications may be secured from the Registrar's Office. A student may audit a graduate course only with permission of the instructor and approval of the Registrar. When the form has been completed and approved, the applicant, if currently enrolled, pays $20 per course at Bursar Services; if not enrolled, the applicant pays $100 per course.

Adding and Dropping Courses
   Graduate students who wish to change a schedule by either dropping or adding a course must first consult with their Graduate Advisor. The following regulations pertain to adds and drops:
1. A student may not add a course after the end
   of late registration.
2. A graduate student dropping a course after the
   Census Date but on or before the midsemester
   date will receive a grade of W only if at the time
   of dropping the student is passing the course
   (has a grade of A, B or C); otherwise an F will
   be recorded.
3. A graduate student who desires to drop all
   courses for which the student is enrolled is
   reminded that such action constitutes a
   withdrawal from the University. The student
   should indicate intention to withdraw and drop
   all courses by filing a resignation form in the
   Office of the Registrar.
4. In most cases, a graduate student may not
   drop a course or withdraw from the University
   after midsemester. Under extreme
   circumstances, the Dean of Graduate Studies
   may consider a petition to withdraw after
   midsemester, but in no case may a graduate
   student selectively drop a course after
   midsemester and remain enrolled in any other
   course.

Withdrawal
   A student who wishes to withdraw (resign) voluntarily from the University before the midsemester deadline must file a resignation form in the Office of the Registrar. After midsemester, a graduate student or undergraduate student enrolled in a graduate course is not permitted to withdraw or to selectively drop courses; in exceptional cases, however, a graduate student may submit to the Dean of Graduate Studies a Petition to Withdraw after midsemester. (Students should use the special Petition to Withdraw for this purpose.) If the petition is not approved, the student remains responsible for all course work requirements. Therefore, students should not discontinue class attendance or course assignments unless they have been notified in writing that the Dean of Graduate Studies has approved the petition to withdraw.

Course Load
   The maximum course load for full-time graduate students is 15 semester hours in a regular semester and 12 hours in a summer session. Registration in excess of this maximum will be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies only in exceptional circumstances. International students must be enrolled for a minimum of nine semester hours to maintain their visa status.

Course Designation System
   The example below provides an explanation of the designation system of graduate courses at The University of Texas at Arlington.

5313 CARBONATE PETROLOGY (2-3)
1. The four-digit number (5313) is the
    departmental unique numerical designation for
    the specific course listed.
    a. The first digit (5) in the above example
        denotes the level of the course. Graduate
        courses are designated 5 or 6.
    b. The second digit (3) denotes the semester
        hour credit of the course.
    c. The third and fourth digits (1 and 3) are
        departmental designations and might or
        might not have sequential significance.
2. The first number in parentheses following the
    course title indicates the class hours per week
    devoted to lecture. The second number
    indicates the class hours per week devoted to
    laboratory, practice or field work for the fall or
    spring semester.

   Each department or program has been assigned a unique two-, three- or four-character prefix for use in course designations on registration documents, transcripts and other University records. For example, the Carbonate Petrology 5313 course described above is taught in the Department of Geology and appears on student records as GEOL 5313. The two-, three- or four-character prefix is given in parentheses after the department or program name in the catalog section describing academic departments and programs.