Registration
Students register for their courses online using ASSIST. Students will not be added to the official class rosters or grade sheets after the registration periods have ended. Per the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules and Regulations, students may not enroll in a course after the official census date (Ch. 9, Subchapter B, Sec.9.31a). Per Texas Administrative Code (Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 21, Subchapter A, Rule 21.4), students must pay all tuition and fees by the 20th class day in a regular semester (fall or spring), or by the 15th class day in a summer session. Students who do not pay tuition and fees in full or request installment plans when available will have their classes dropped for that term.
Advanced Services for Student Information Supported by Technology (ASSIST) Registration on the Web
In order to provide students with easy access to student information, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley developed Advanced Services for Student Information Supported by Technology (ASSIST). With ASSIST technology, students may access general academic and financial information from home or any place they have access to the web. Personal information is protected by the student’s UTRGV username and password. Students receive these as a part of the admissions process. For assistance, students may contact the IT Help Desk located in the Academic Services Building, Rm. 1.102.
Registration on the Web (ASSIST Registration) is available to currently enrolled students and students who apply by the published admission deadline. Academic advisement is mandatory to be eligible for registration. Students with admission, disciplinary, or financial holds will not be permitted to register until each hold has been cleared.
Students may make changes to their schedule prior to the beginning of the semester, or during the add/ drop period at the beginning of each term. Registration information is available online at www.utrgv.edu. Students who register during the add/drop period will be assessed a late registration fee. Computers are available at UCentral on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus and UTRGV Brownsville Campus for Web registration.
Centers on the UTRGV Edinburg and Brownsville Campuses for Web registration.
Dropping/Withdrawing
If a student chooses not to attend a class or classes s/he is responsible for officially dropping or withdrawing from the course(s). Students must drop their classes online in ASSIST by the posted deadline. Students wishing to withdraw from the university (drop all of their classes) must do so in person at UCentral on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus or UTRGV Brownsville Campus. (See the sections on Dropping a Course and on Withdrawal from the University p. 59.) Students who decide not to attend and do not officially complete the drop or withdrawal process through the Office of the Registrar will be responsible for tuition, fees and any other consequences or financial penalties resulting from failure to officially drop or withdraw. Students must not assume that they will “automatically” be dropped from their classes if they do not attend or do not pay. (If a student has requested some form of financial assistance, payment may have been posted to his or her account.) Refer to the refund schedules published online for refund deadlines and details.
In accordance with Texas Education Code, 51.907, undergraduate students who first entered college in the Fall 2007 semester, or later, may not drop more than a total of six courses during their undergraduate career. Courses dropped at other Texas public higher education institutions will count toward the six-course drop limit. A student may appeal a drop, if s/he shows good cause. Contact the Office of the Registrar for details concerning the appeals process or visit UCentral).
Degree Plan
Students are expected to meet with their graduate advisor and file an official degree plan during their first semester or module of enrollment. The degree plan is agreed upon with the graduate program coordinator or graduate program director and signed by the department chair and dean and submitted to the Graduate College for inclusion in the student’s official file. In general, a student may follow the degree requirements listed in this catalog by the respective departments of the university, thus planning a schedule of courses. However, having a degree plan on file is a requirement for graduation and helps to avoid taking courses that will not satisfy degree requirements. If the student wishes to make changes to the filed degree plan, a signed change form must be submitted to the Graduate College. Students must submit a new official degree plan when their plan of study changes.
Advisement
Prior to registering, students go through academic advisement through their graduate program to be advised concerning the best selection of courses.
Guidelines Related to Registration in Doctoral Courses
- Registration in an individual studies, research or similar course shall imply an expected level of effort on the part of the student comparable to that associated with the same credit value.
- A doctoral student not on campus who is required to register solely for the purpose of satisfying a continuous enrollment requirement shall be required to register for no more than three hours during each long semester (fall and spring).
- Only in unusual circumstances shall a doctoral student register for more than 12 hours in a given semester or summer session and then only if approved in advance by the dean of the college and the Dean of the Graduate College.
Maximum Period for Completion - Doctoral Degrees
A student has a maximum of 10 years from the date of first entry into doctoral-level courses to complete the degree. Under special circumstances, an extension for an additional year may be granted by the student’s Doctoral Dissertation Committee (DDC) with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate College. If the student surpasses the 10-year limit, his or her DDC will determine if the student will be permitted to continue in the program and what additional coursework or activities will be required to complete the degree.
For information on maximum period for completion for students pursuing a master’s degree, see the master’s degree requirements section.