Appendices
A: Glossary
Admission
The process of being brought into the University. A student is not considered for admission until all specified forms and fees have been received.
Census Date
The day, each term, on which official calculations are determined. For semesters it is the 12th class day, and for summer terms the 4th class day. Registration and Adds may not occur after this date.
Class Days
The days, Monday through Friday, during which the University is in session; not the days on which an individual class meets.
Degree Student
One admitted to a degree program.
Drop
The process of terminating enrollment in one or more classes while remaining enrolled for at least one class for the same semester. A fee is charged for dropping a class after the term has started.
Full Time
A degree-seeking undergraduate attempting 12 or more semester hours in a semester. A degree-seeking graduate student attempting 9 semester hours in a semester.
GPA
Grade Point Average. Please check elsewhere in this catalog for method of calculation.
Graduation
The ceremonial completion of a degree program. The degree is not awarded until all academic requirements are certified as completed. The student initiates application for graduation at point of registration for last term of study. Application must be processed for each attempt.
Graduate Student
A student who holds a baccalaureate degree and is enrolled in a graduate program of study.
Hold
A note placed in a student record which restricts a particular activity. Only the office which places a hold can remove it.
Late Registration
A period beginning with the first day of classes and ending on or before the census date during which registration may occur. Special permission may be required. A late registration fee is assessed.
Matriculation
The initial registration as a degree-seeking student toward a particular degree. A student matriculates once for each degree.
Non-Degree Student
One taking classes without the expectation of receiving a degree. A nondegree student is neither part time nor full time, and is not classified as freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior.
Pre/Co Requisite
A requirement that must be completed before/at the same time a course may be attempted.
Registration
Reserving space in a course (a process called tallying) followed by payment of all tuition and fees: it is a two-part process. Registration is not completed until payment has occurred.
Restricted Course
One for which admission is limited to a particular classification of student. A student who has been enrolled in error can be removed administratively.
Transcript
A record of a student’s academic history at the University. It is prepared by the Office of Admissions and Records. Please check with that office for preparation schedule and fees.
Withdrawal
The process of dropping all classes for a given term. A check-out process is involved, and the student is not associated with the University until the student seeks reinstatement for a subsequent term.
B: Course Abbreviations
The University offers graduate courses in a variety of subjects. The following table lists
- the graduate subjects offered,
- their abbreviations or course prefixes, and
- the colleges or units in which they are taught.
The prefixes are used in course listings in this catalog and the semester class schedule.
| Subject | Prefix | College or Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ACCT | Business |
| Art | ARTS | Arts, Media & Communication |
| Bilingual/ESL/Multicultural | BIEM | Education and Human Development |
| Biology | BIOL | Science |
| Biomedical Sciences | BIMS | Science |
| Business Administration | BUSI | Business |
| Business Analytics and Information Systems | BAIS | Business |
| Business Law | BLAW | Business |
| Chemistry | CHEM | Science |
| Civil Engineering | CEEN | Engineering and Computer Science |
| Coastal and Marine System Science | CMSS | Science |
| Communication | COMM | Arts, Media & Communication |
| Computer Science | COSC | Engineering and Computer Science |
| Counselor Education/Educational Psychology | CNEP | Education and Human Development |
| Criminal Justice | CRIJ | Liberal Arts |
| Data Science | DASC | Science |
| Early Childhood Education | ECED | Education and Human Development |
| Economics | ECON | Business |
| Education/Student Teaching | EDUC | Education and Human Development |
| Educational Administration | ECED | Education and Human Development |
| Educational Curriculum & Instruction | EDCI | Education and Human Development |
| Educational Foundations | EDFN | Education and Human Development |
| Educational Leadership | EDLD | Education and Human Development |
| Educational Technology | ETEC | Education and Human Development |
| Engineering | ENGR | Engineering and Computer Science |
| English | ENGL | Liberal Arts |
| Environmental Science | ESCI | Science |
| Finance | FINA | Business |
| Fisheries and Mariculture | FAMA | Science |
| Geographic Information Science | GISC | Engineering and Computer Science |
| Geology | GEOL | Science |
| Geospatial Surveying Engineering | GSEN | Engineering and Computer Science |
| Health Care Administration | HCAD | Nursing and Health Sciences |
| History | HIST | Liberl Arts |
| Industrial Engineering | IEEN | Engineering and Computer Science |
| Kinesiology | KINE | Education and Human Development |
| Management | MGMT | Business |
| Marketing | MKTG | Business |
| Mathematics | MATH | Science |
| Mechanical Engineering | MEEN | Engineering and Computer Science |
| Music (applied) | MUAP | Arts, Media & Communication |
| Nursing | NURS | Nursing and Health Sciences |
| Operations Management | OPSY | Business |
| Physics | PHYS | Science |
| Political Science | POLS | Liberal Arts |
| Psychology | PSYC | Liberal Arts |
| Public Administration | PADM | Liberal Arts |
| Public Health | PUHE | Nursing and Health Sciences |
| Reading Education | READ | Education and Human Development |
| Science, Mathematics and Technology Education | SMTE | Science |
| Sociology | SOCI | Liberal Arts |
| Spanish | SPAN | Liberal Arts |
| Special Education | SPED | Education and Human Development |
| Theatre | THEA | Arts, Media & Communication |
| Writing | WRIT | Liberal Arts |
C: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is committed to a campus-wide plan to educate students about alcohol and drug issues, discourage the irresponsible use of alcoholic beverages, and prohibit the unlawful use, possession or distribution of controlled substances. The University will act to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal laws, System policies and University rules and procedures dealing with controlled substances, illicit drugs, and the use of alcohol. The Student Code of Conduct provides information on alcohol and drug rules and university sanctions. To review the Student Code of Conduct online, click here. In addition, University Rule 34.02.01.C1, Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Rehabilitation Programs provides information about the drug and alcohol abuse awareness, prevention, and intervention programs for employees and students in accordance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, the Drug-Free Work Force Rules for Department of Defense (DOD) Contractors, and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 as required under other federal-granting authorities.
Campus Resources
A&M-Corpus Christi offers a variety of programs to promote healthy lifestyles and substance-free alternatives. University Counseling Center - The University Counseling Center offers students individual counseling, educational programming and support groups focused on alcohol and other drug use, abuse and addiction. For more information, call 361-825-2703 or visit their web site.
University Health Center - The University Health Center can provide information about the health risks of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as general medical care for students. For more information, call 361-825-2601.
Islander Peer Educators - IslanderPeer Educators strive to educate the campus community and promote healthy behaviors related to alcohol and drugs. The group facilitates a host of activities year-round. Students can becom involved with the planning of drug and alcohol education programs by contacting 361-825-2601 for more information.
University Police Department - The University Police Department educates the University community about drug and alcohol issues as well as enforces local, state and federal law. For more information, call 361-825-4242.
Annual Security Report - This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by A&M-Corpus Christi; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault, and other matters. Obtain a copy of this report by contacting the University Police Department at 361-825-4242 or by accessing the following website.
The Biennial Review of the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program is conducted to determine program effectiveness and consistency of policy enforcement. Obtain a copy of the report here.
D: Hazing
The Texas Legislature enacted an anti-hazing law in 1987. State law provides penal sanctions in the event of a conviction of hazing. According to this law, individuals or organizations engaging in hazing could be subject to fines and charged with criminal offense.
It is important to know that hazing is not just a violation of university rules; hazing is a crime. Under the law, a hazing offense can be committed not only by engaging in a hazing activity, but also by soliciting, directing, encouraging, aiding, or attempting to aid another in hazing; by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly allowing hazing to occur; or by failing to report, in writing to the Dean of Students Office or another appropriate official of the institution, first-hand knowledge that a hazing incident is planned or has occurred. The fact that a person consented to or acquiesced to a hazing activity is not a defense of prosecution for hazing under the law.
To report alleged incidents of hazing contact one of the following offices below or complete a Student Conduct Report Form found here. The University will investigate any claim of hazing and take appropriate action.
- University Police Department: 361.825.4444
- Dean of Students Office: 361.825.6219
- Department of Student Activities: 361.825.2707
Hazing Defined
The law defines hazing as “any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members are primarily students at an educational institution. Hazing includes but is not limited to:
- Any type of physical brutality, such as whipping, beating, striking, branding, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance in or on the body, or similar activity.
- Any type of physical activity involving sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, calisthenics, or other similar activity that subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm or that adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student.
- Any activity involving consumption of food, liquid, alcoholic beverage, liquor, drug, or other substance, which subjects the student to an unreasonable risk of harm, or which adversely affects the mental or physical health or safety of the student.
- Any activity that intimidates or threatens the student with ostracism that subjects the student to extreme mental stress, shame, humiliation, or that adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the student or discourages the student from entering or remaining registered in an educational institution, or that may reasonably be expected to cause a student to leave the organization or the institution rather than submit to acts described in this subsection; and
- Any activity that induces, causes, or requires the student to perform a duty or task that involves a violation of the Penal Code; or
- Any activity that involves coercing, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, the student to consume:
- a drug; or,
- an alcoholic beverage or liquor in an amount that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the student is intoxicated, as defined by Section 49.01, Penal Code.
University Disciplinary Rules
The law does not restrict the right of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to enforce its own rules against hazing, and the University may take disciplinary action for conduct that constitutes hazing regardless of whether public authorities prosecute students under the state hazing law.
Hazing with or without the consent of the student is prohibited by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Both the individual(s) inflicting the hazing and the person submitting to the hazing are subject to disciplinary action. The fact that an individual who consented to or acquiesced in a hazing activity is not a defense to prosecute an offense under the hazing law, and neither will it be under the university's disciplinary process.
Initiations or activities by organizations may not include any feature which is dangerous, harmful, or degrading to the student. A violation of this prohibition renders both the organization and participating individuals subject to discipline.
Immunity from Prosecution Available
In an effort to encourage reporting of hazing incidents, the court may grant immunity from civil or criminal prosecution to any person reporting a specific hazing incident involving a student in an educational institution to the Dean of Students Office, University Police Department (UPD), a UPD Officer or other appropriate official at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. A person reporting in bad faith or with malice is not protected.
For additional information on hazing, students may refer to the Student Code of Conduct, which can be found online, or contact the Dean of Students Office directly at 361.825.6219.
E. Student Travel Rule
1. Overview
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi is supportive of student travel and recognizes that the safety of its students is of the utmost importance. The requirements outlined below apply to student travel that is more than 25 miles from campus to an activity that is organized, sponsored and/or funded by the University or by an organization properly registered at the University. Students traveling on behalf of the University must obtain prior approval from the appropriate department. This rule applies to travel by car, truck, van, bus and airplane. It must be read in conjunction with University Procedure 13.04.99.C1.01, Student Travel Procedures.
2. Travel Safety Guidelines
During travel situations specified above, students must abide by the following safety guidelines.Drivers and passengers must abide by all federal and state laws. In accordance with State law, drivers and passengers must use seat belts or other available safety restraints.
- Drivers and passengers must abide by all federal and state laws. In accordance with State law, drivers and passengers must use seat belts or other available safety restraints.
- Drivers must possess a valid driver’s license that is appropriate for the classification of vehicle being driven.
- Drivers, occupants, and their luggage should not exceed the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended capacity.
- Operator fatigue should be considered when selecting drivers. On lengthy trips, alternate drivers should be used to avoid fatigue.
3. Vehicle Options
Listed below are the basic means of travel available to students:
- Rental Vehicles: Students traveling using a rental vehicle must comply and abide with all University and rental provider rules, regulations, and stipulations.
- Vans: Fifteen (15) passenger vans may be used; however, only (9) occupants, including the driver, may ride in the van. Nothing may be loaded on top of the van, and all cargo should be loaded evenly. Cargo limit must meet safety requirements. It is preferred that a University employee drive the van.
- Personal Vehicles: The driver must have adequate motor vehicle insurance and the vehicle must meet all state safety and registration requirements.
- Commercial Carrier (airplane, bus, train, etc.) Students traveling by commercial transportation must comply with all rules specific to the carrier. This includes laws and regulations regarding carry-on luggage and weight restrictions.
4. Additional Standards
This rule is considered to be a minimum standard. Departments, units, and/or student organizations may mandate additional standards as deemed necessary to address the unique requirements associated with a particular type of student travel.