General Requirements
for a Bachelor's Degree

Other Academic Matters


Changing Rules and Procedures

The university reserves the right to change the rules regulating admission to the institution and any other regulations affecting the granting of degrees. The course offerings and requirements of the university are continually under examination and revision. This catalog presents the offerings and requirements in effect at the time of publication, but there is no guarantee that they will not be changed or revoked. Current information may be obtained from the following sources:

  • Admission Requirements - Director of Admissions
  • Course Offerings - Department offering course
  • Degree Requirements - Registrar, faculty advisor, or dean of college
  • Fees and Tuition - Division of Finance and Administration

The university further reserves the right to refuse to release to any student his/her transcript, grade report or degree, for failure to return university property or failure to pay any accounts due the university.


Classification

All degree-seeking undergraduate students will be classified according to the following chart, which is based on number of hours earned:

  • Freshman 0-29.9
  • Sophomore 30-59.9
  • Junior 60-89.9
  • Senior 90 and above

Post-Baccalaureate. A person who has completed a baccalaureate degree may be enrolled as a post-baccalaureate student provided he/she does not wish to work toward a degree. (See Undergraduate Admission Procedures and Requirements.)

Special. A person (18 years of age or over) who does not meet entrance requirements may be enrolled and classified as a special student provided he/she does not wish to work toward a degree. (See Undergraduate Admission Procedures and Requirements.)


Academic Integrity

The University of Tennessee at Martin has chosen as its primary objective quality undergraduate education. Commitment to this objective must include an obligation by all members of the university community to promote and protect the highest standards of integrity in study, research, instruction and evaluation. Dishonesty or unethical behavior does not belong at an institution dedicated to the promotion of knowledge and learning.

Integrity of the academic process requires fair and impartial evaluation by faculty and honest academic conduct by students. A student may be found to have violated this obligation if he/she:

  1. Refers during an academic evaluation to materials, sources, or devices not authorized by the instructor.
  2. Provides assistance during an academic evaluation to another person in a manner not authorized by the instructor.
  3. Receives assistance during an academic evaluation from another person in a manner not authorized by the instructor.
  4. Possesses, buys, sells, obtains, or uses a copy of any materials intended to be used as an instrument of academic evaluation in advance of its administration.
  5. Acts as a substitute for another person in any academic evaluation.
  6. Utilizes a substitute for another person in any academic evaluation.
  7. Practices any form of deceit in an academic evaluation.
  8. Depends on the aid of others, in a manner expressly prohibited by the instructor, in the research, preparation, creation, writing, performing, or publication of work to be submitted for academic credit or evaluation.
  9. Provides aid to another person, knowing such aid is expressly prohibited by the instructor, in the research, preparation, creation, writing, performing, or publication of work to be submitted for academic credit or evaluation.
  10. Indulges in plagiarism by presenting as one’s own, for academic evaluation, the ideas, representations, or works of another person or persons without customary and proper acknowledgement of sources.
  11. Submits the work of another person in a manner which represents the work to be one’s own.
  12. Knowingly permits one’s work to be submitted by another person without the instructor’s authorization.
  13. Attempts deceitfully to influence or change one’s academic evaluation or record.
  14. Indulges in conduct which is so disruptive as to infringe upon the rights of an instructor or fellow students during a class or examination session.

For additional information, see the Faculty Handbook and Student Handbook.


Course Numbers

Course numbers beginning with "0" do not count toward degree requirements.

Courses numbered in the 100 and 200 groups are lower-division courses, primarily for freshmen and sophomores. Courses numbered in the 300 and 400 groups are upper-division courses, primarily for juniors and seniors. Courses in the 500 through 700 groups are for graduate credit only.


Frequency of Course Offerings

Courses are offered in rotation. The frequency of course offerings is designated by (F) for fall semester, (Sp) for spring semester, (Su) for summer semester, or (as needed). If a course is offered only in odd or even numbered years, the designation will include --odd or --even. Frequency designations are located in "Courses Offered by the Department" at the end of each departmental section.


Upper-Division Courses

To be eligible for upper-division courses, students (transfers as well as those having previous attendance at the university) must have attained sophomore status unless approval is granted by the deans of their colleges.


Physical Education Courses

A student may elect a maximum of eight semester hours of physical activity courses to count toward degree requirements. ONLY two physical activity courses may be taken during any given semester.


Minimum Class Size

Minimum class size is determined by the department chair and dean. A regularly scheduled course may not be given for fewer than five students except by permission of the vice chancellor for academic affairs. The university reserves the right to cancel, postpone or combine classes when necessary.


Class Attendance Policy

Classroom attendance is an integral part of the education experience; therefore, it is the responsibility of the student to attend class. The instructor of a course may determine his/her own attendance policy with the provision that the policy must be applied consistently to all students in the course. The attendance policy should be reasonable, and it should be explicitly and unambiguously stated in each class at the beginning of each semester.

Faculty will monitor class attendance throughout the semester and report to the Office of Student Financial Assistance any student listed on the class roll who, in the instructor's judgement, has unofficially withdrawn from class. Reports will be made at the end of the second week of classes, at mid-term, after the 13th week of classes, if requested, and with final grades. These reports will be used to determine changes in the level of enrollment (full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, or less than half-time) for students receiving Federal Financial Assistance. Enrollment status is determined at the end of the drop/add period, which is the first week of classes during regular semesters. Thereafter, changes in enrollment status occur only for non-attendance as reported by the instructor.


Inclement Weather

The University of Tennessee at Martin will remain open except in the most severe weather conditions.

The chancellor may officially close or suspend selected activities of the university because of extreme weather conditions. When a decision to close is reached, campus and appropriate radio and TV stations will be notified so that announcements may be made.

If the university is officially closed, certain essential activities such as food services, physical plant, public safety, and telephone services will continue to operate. Some facilities such as the Paul Meek Library and Boling University Center will, if possible, continue to function as a service to students and faculty. When the university is officially closed, the Days of Administrative Closing Policy will apply for staff-exempt and staff non-exempt employees.

In the event of inclement weather when the university remains open, all faculty, administrators and staff will be expected to make every reasonable effort to maintain their regular work schedules, but are advised to avoid undue risks in traveling. Employees who anticipate arriving late or not arriving at all should notify their immediate supervisors. Employees will have the option of charging their time off to annual leave or leave without pay; or, with approval, they may make up their lost work hours.

Students will be responsible for any academic work which they miss due to absences caused by severe weather conditions. It is the individual student's responsibility to take the initiative to make up any missed class work, and it is the instructor's responsibility to provide a reasonable opportunity for students to complete assignments or examinations missed due to such absences.