Welcome to UTEP
Welcome to The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)!
This undergraduate catalog contains information about UTEP’s success in combining academic and research excellence with innovative programs and services, outstanding faculty, and a university-wide commitment to fostering student success. A nationally recognized university with faculty and staff who are dedicated to your academic success, UTEP offers a broad range of academic programs that encourage you to become involved in the discovery and creation of knowledge. UTEP is a friendly place here relationships are easily formed among fellow students, staff members, and faculty
More than 76 percent of our student population is Hispanic. About 50 percent are first-generation college students. UTEP is the first-choice institution for most students in our region: Ninety-four percent of freshman students tell us that UTEP was their first or second choice for college. UTEP is also the choice of the region’s top students who enroll in public institutions in Texas: Fifty-seven percent of El Paso County’s top-ten percent high school graduates who are enrolled in public institutions in Texas attend UTEP.
UTEP’s achievements extend far beyond the University’s traditional strengths in science and engineering. UTEP has received national acclaim for innovative programs in business, fine arts, education, the humanities, health sciences, and nursing. The Carnegie Foundation ranks UTEP in the Doctoral/Research University-Intensive category, placing UTEP among the top seven percent of all colleges and universities in the United States.
The following pages of this catalog introduce you to our policies, our degrees, majors and minors, and our curricula. As you review them, we hope you know that our commitment to you is to offer you the highest-quality education in a supportive community.
Our History
Located on the U.S.-Mexico border in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez binational metropolitan area of more than two million people, UTEP is the largest Mexican-American-majority research university in the United States. In this unique multicultural setting, the University offers a rich variety of academic programs and outstanding support services, providing academic excellence for students.
The second-oldest academic component of The University of Texas System, UTEP was established in 1914 as the Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy to prepare professionals for the mining industry of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Since its inception, the campus has featured architecture derived from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. UTEP’s unique buildings are the only examples of this ancient architecture in the Western Hemisphere. The style, characterized by thick, sloping outer walls accented with a band of elaborate brickwork, was suggested by Kathleen Worrell, the wife of the college’s first dean, after she saw photographs of Bhutanese monasteries in an issue of National Geographic Magazine. Noted El Paso architect Henry Trost designed the first buildings, and subsequent architects have continued the theme through more than 90 years of campus expansion.
The college’s curriculum expanded in 1927 with the addition of liberal arts courses. The first Master of Arts degree was established in 1940. The institution was renamed Texas Western College in 1949 and the University of Texas at El Paso in 1967. Enrollment has grown to more than 23,000 students, and the scope of programs has expanded to 71 Bachelor’s, 74 Master’s, and 20 Doctoral degrees, all designed to meet the needs of an increasingly industrialized and more diverse West Texas.
Our Campus
The 367-acre UTEP campus comprises 89 buildings with more than four million square feet of space for facilities that support academic excellence. The 125,000-square-foot Undergraduate Learning Center features multimedia computer and distance learning technology. The UTEP Library contains more than one million resources, the new Collaborative Learning Center with 224 open-access computers, a lobby café, and an extensive art collection. The 362,000-square-foot Engineering Sciences Complex houses many research opportunities for students in facilities such as the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation with $4-million of equipment, including 17 rapid-prototyping machines and facilities for tissue engineering. Nearby, the Biosciences Research Building provides state-of-the-art equipment to address biomedical and environmental problems. Computer laboratories are located throughout the campus. The Fox Fine Arts galleries, recital halls, and studios present art, theatre, music, and dance programs. Athletic facilities including the Don Haskins Center, the 52,247-seat Sun Bowl Stadium, and the Larry K. Durham Sports Center provide student-athletes a range of world-class resources including a strength and conditioning center, a sports medicine center, a student-athlete lounge and computer center, locker rooms, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, and the “Hall of Champions.”
With its strategic location on the U.S.-Mexico border, UTEP is a nationally recognized leader in creating excellent academic opportunities for the people of the El Paso region and a stimulating context for students from elsewhere to pursue their education. Quality academic programs and a robust research agenda mark UTEP as an innovative force in American higher education for the 21st century.
Our Mission
The University of Texas at El Paso is dedicated to the advancement of the El Paso region through education, creative and artistic production, and the generation, interpretation, application and dissemination of knowledge. UTEP embraces its role as an intellectual, cultural, and socio-economic asset to the region, offering programs to meet human-resource needs and contribute to the quality of life in the region.
As a public university, UTEP is committed to providing access and educational opportunity to the people of the El Paso region and the State of Texas. UTEP’s mission of ensuring access is coupled with a commitment to excellence, reflected in rigorous programs which prepare students to make significant contributions to their professions, their communities and the world.
As a research/doctoral institution, UTEP fosters a climate of scholarly inquiry, with a special focus on applying innovative interdisciplinary approaches to explore and address major issues that confront the multicultural U.S.-Mexico border region.
Our Vision
The University of Texas at El Paso will be internationally recognized as a preeminent model for urban public research universities in the 21st century. It will serve as a gateway to an improved quality of life for people of the Paso del Norte region, which includes far-west Texas, northern Mexico, and southern New Mexico.
UTEP will offer a broad range of undergraduate, professional and doctoral programs that support the workforce needs of the region and the state, and will provide lifelong educational opportunities for area residents.
UTEP will be recognized nationally as the preeminent institution in fostering student participation and success, especially young people, working adults, returning students, and lifelong learners from socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally under-represented in U.S. higher education.
UTEP graduates will be known for the high quality of their academic preparation and eagerly recruited by employers and the most selective graduate and professional schools in the country.
UTEP will be nationally and internationally recognized for its exemplary accomplishments in generating and applying knowledge about emergent global issues, with a special focus on those having a direct regional impact.
UTEP will continue to be the leading research university in the nation with a majority Mexican-American student body, and through its excellent academic programs, will help meet the demands of American enterprise for a diverse and highly educated workforce.
UTEP will be known for its commitment to diversity in its recruitment of faculty, staff, and administrators who serve as role models and mentors for its largely first-generation, Mexican-American student population.
UTEP will build on the strength of its core disciplines, the promise of new and emerging areas of academic excellence, and the resources of its U.S.-Mexico border context to develop innovative and multidisciplinary strategies to address major issues that confront the Paso del Norte region.
UTEP’s centers of excellence will be at the forefront of addressing emergent national challenges in such areas as Hispanic health disparities, the education of U.S. Hispanics, homeland security, and national defense.
UTEP will be acknowledged as the principal human and economic development engine for the Paso del Norte region and as a catalyst for technology transfer, commercialization, regional innovation, and entrepreneurship.
UTEP’s role in the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence will be recognized as the preeminent national model for successfully raising aspirations and academic achievement of K-16 students through its development of a partnership among K-12 school districts, the community college, civic and philanthropic organizations, business leaders, and researchers.
UTEP will be recognized for incorporating into both graduate and undergraduate curricula research that engages students, cultivates intellectual curiosity, and promotes innovation and creative thinking.
UTEP will be internationally recognized for its artistic and creative productions that are shaped by the confluence of cultures, values, and aesthetics of the U.S.-Mexico border region.
UTEP will be known for its commitment to play a role in creating educational opportunities for residents of northern Mexico and fostering the cross-border economic development essential to the long-term resolution of border issues.
UTEP will be known for its success in integrating public service and civic engagement into its teaching, learning, research, and creative activities, and its graduates will be prepared to engage in civic affairs and make meaningful contributions to society.
UTEP will be recognized as an engaged partner in sponsoring and enhancing cultural, artistic, athletic and entertainment activities and events in the Paso del Norte region.
UTEP’s intercollegiate athletics program will build on the legacy of its transformative NCAA men’s basketball championship to be recognized for its achievement of high performance standards in both men’s and women’s athletic competitions and in the classroom.
UTEP will be known for its effectiveness in containing costs and generating additional resources to ensure a high quality educational experience for its students and for its efficient and prudent stewardship of the resources entrusted to it by students, the State of Texas, granting agencies and donors.
Our Students
Students who attend UTEP come from a varied mix of social, cultural, and economic backgrounds that closely mirror the population of the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez region. Approximately 76 percent of UTEP’s students are Hispanic, approximately 64 percent work while in college, and more than half are first-generation college students. UTEP students typically represent the 50 United States and 71 countries, with about six percent coming from Mexico.
Accreditation
The University of Texas at El Paso is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.697.4500 for questions about the accreditation of The University of Texas at El Paso.
Information on accreditation by separate accrediting bodies for specific programs is presented in the specific college and school sections of this catalog.
Board of Regents
Officers
Members
Members with term set to expire May 2020
Members with term set to expire May 2021
Members with term set to expire February 2023
Members with term set to expire February 2025
Regent Christina Melton Crain
Regent Jodie Lee Jiles
Regent Kelcy L. Warren
Office of the Chancellor
James B. Milliken, Chancellor
Amy Shaw Thomas, J.D., Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Scott C. Kelley, Ed.D., Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs
Steven Leslie, Ph.D., Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
David L. Lakey, M.D., Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer
Stacey Napier, J.D., Vice Chancellor and Chief for Governmental Relations
Randa S. Safady, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for External Relations, Communications, and Advancement Services
Daniel H. Sharphorn, J.D., Vice Chancellor and General Counsel
Stephanie A. Bond Huie, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Institutional Research and Analysis
Administrative Officers
HEATHER WILSON, President
B.S., U.S. Air Force Academy; M.Phil., Ph.D. Oxford University
JOHN WIEBE, Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
B.A., Ohio Wesleyan University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Iowa
RICARDO ADAUTO III, Executive Vice President, Legal affairs and Oversight
B.S., The University of Texas at El Paso; J.D., The University of California at Berkeley School of Law
MARK MCGURK, Vice President for Business Affairs
BBA., The University of Texas at El Paso; M.Ed., Northern Arizona University
STEPHEN RITER, P.E., Vice President for Information Resources and Planning
B.A., B.S.E.E., Rice University; M.S., Ph.D., The University of Houston
ROBERTO OSEGUEDA, Vice President for Research
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Texas A & M University
GARY EDENS, Vice President for Student Affairs
B.B.A., M.P.A., Ed.D., University of Texas at El Paso
JIM SENTER, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
B.S., University of Tulsa; M.S, University of Idaho
BEN GONZALEZ, Vice President for Asset Management and Development
B.B.A.,The University of Texas at El Paso; M.B.A., Harvard University
ESTRELLA ESCOBAR, Associate Vice President External Relations and Communications
B.A., M.A., The University of Texas at El Paso
SHAFIK DHARAMSI, Dean, College of Health Sciences
B.Ed., B.A., York University; B.S., Medical College of Georgia; M.Sc, Ph.D., University of British Columbia
ROBERT A. KIRKEN, Dean, College of Science
B.A., Olivet College; Ph.D., Wright State University
JIM PAYNE, Dean, College of Business Administration
B.A., Berea College; M.S., Ph.D., Florida State University
PATRICIA T. CASTIGLIA , Interim Dean, School of Nursing
B.S., University of Buffalo; M.S., Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo
CLIFTON TANABE, Dean, College of Education
B.A., Fort Lewis College; M.Ed., University of Hawaiʻi; Ph. D., J.D. University of Wisconsin
THERESA A. MALDONADO, Dean, College of Engineering
B.E.E., M.S.E.E., PH.D., Georgia Institute of Technology
DENIS O'HEARN, Dean, College of Liberal Arts
B.A., University of New Mexico; A.M., Ph.D.,University of Michigan
JOSE O. RIVERA, Founding Dean, School of Pharmacy
B.S., University of Puerto Rico PharmD., University of Kentucky
BETH L. BRUNK-CHAVEZ, Dean, Extended University
B.A.,New Mexico State University; M.A., The University of Texas at El Paso; PhD., The University of Texas at Arlington
STEPHEN CRITES, Dean, Graduate School
B.S., M.A., Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Academic Calendar
Listed below are the tentative 2018-2019 academic calendars. For detailed information or changes, students should visit the academic calendar Web site, http://www.utep.edu/register.
For mini-term dates, visit the Class Schedule Web page, http://www.utep.edu/register, (under Registration Information), or call the Registration and Records Office at 915.747.5544.
Fall 2019
| description | date |
|---|---|
| FALL Registration Begins | April 1st |
| Last Day to Clear Students on Suspension/Probation as well as those with Insufficient Prerequisites | Aug 15th |
| Drops for Students with Unsatisfactory Academic Standing, Insufficient Prerequisites, as Prior Grades of C in the Course | Aug 16th |
| Financial Aid is Disbursed | Aug 19th |
| Fall classes begin | Aug 26th |
| Late Registration Period (Fees are incurred) | Aug 26-30th |
| Labor Day Holiday - University Closed | Sept 2nd |
| Fall Census Day | Sept 11th |
| Note: This is the last day to register for classes. Payments are due by 5:00 pm | |
| 20th Class Day | Sept 23rd |
| Note: Students who were given a payment deadline extension will be dropped at 5:00 pm if payment arrangements have not been made | |
| Graduation application deadline for degree conferral | Oct 4th |
| Fall Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | Nov 1st |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitted after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Deadline to submit candidates' names for commencement program | Nov 15th |
| Thanksgiving Holiday - University Closed | Nov 28-29th |
| Fall- last day of classes | Dec 5th |
| Dead Day | Dec 6th |
| Fall Final Exams | Dec 9-13th |
| Fall Commencement | Dec 14-15th |
| Grades are Due | Dec 18th |
| Grades are posted to student records; students are notified of grades and academic standing | Dec 19th |
Wintermester 2020
| description | date |
|---|---|
| Last Day to Clear Students on Suspension/Probation as well those with Insufficient Prerequisites | Jan 2nd |
| Drops for Students with Unsatisfactory Academic Standing, Insufficient Prerequisites, and Prior Grades of C in the Course | Jan 2nd |
| Financial Aid is Disbursed | Jan 3rd |
| Wintermester Classes Begin; Last Day to Register; Census Day; Payment Deadline | Jan 6th |
| Wintermester Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | Jan 13th |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitter after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Wintermester - Last Day of Classes | Jan 17th |
| Wintermester Final Exams | Jan 18th |
Spring 2020
| description | date |
|---|---|
| Spring Registration Begins | Oct 28th |
| Last Day to Clear Students on Suspension/Probation as well as those with Insufficient Prerequisites | Jan 9th |
| Drops for Students with Unsatisfactory Academic Standing, Insufficient Prerequisites, and Prior Grades of C in the Course | Jan 10th |
| Financial Aid is Disbursed | Jan 13th |
| Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday – University Closed | Jan 20th |
| Spring Classes Begin | Jan 21st |
| Late Registration (Fees are incurred) | Jan 21st-24th |
| Spring Census Day | Feb 5th |
| Note: This is the last day to register for classes. Payments are due by 5:00 pm. | |
| 2oth Class Day | Feb 17th |
| Graduation application deadline for degree conferral | Feb 21st |
| Midterm Spring 2019 Grades Due | Mar 21st |
| Spring Break | Mar 16-20th |
| Cesar Chavez Holiday - no classes | Mar 27th |
| Spring Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | Apr 3rd |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitted after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Spring Study Day | Apr 10th |
| Deadline to submit candidates’ names for degree conferral | Apr 17th |
| Spring - Last day of classes | May 7th |
| Dead Day | May 8th |
| Spring Final Exams | May 11th-15th |
| Spring Commencement | May 16-17th |
| Grades are Due | May 20th |
| Grades are posted to student records; students are notified of grades and academic standing | May 21st |
| New Row |
Maymester 2020
| description | date |
|---|---|
| Maymester Classes Begin; Last Day to Register; Census Day; Payment Deadline | May 18th |
| Memorial Day Holiday – University closed | May 25th |
| Maymester Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | May 26th |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitted after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Maymester – Last Day of Classes | May 29th |
| Maymester Final Exams | May 30th |
Summer 2020
| description | date |
|---|---|
| Summer Registration Begins | March 30th |
| Last Day to Clear Students on Suspension/Probation as well as those with Insufficient Prerequisites | May 28th |
| Drops for Students with Unsatisfactory Academic Standing, Insufficient Prerequisites, and Prior Grades of C in the Course | May 29th |
| Financial Aid is Disbursed | June 1st |
| Summer I & Full Term Classes Begin | June 8th |
| Summer I Census Day; Last Day to Register for Summer I; Summer I Payment Deadline | June 10th |
| Summer Full Term Census Day; Last Day to Register for Summer Full Term; Summer Full Term Payment Deadline | June 15th |
| Summer I Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | June 26th |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitted after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Independence Day Holiday – University Closed | July 4th |
| Summer I – Last day of classes | July 2nd |
| Summer I Final Exams; Full Term classes do not meet | July 6th |
| Summer II Classes Begin | July 7th |
| Summer II Census Day; Last Day to Register for Summer II; Summer II Payment Deadline | July 9th |
| Summer Full Term Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | July 10th |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitted after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Graduation Application deadline for degree conferral | July 17th |
| Summer II Drop/Withdrawal Deadline | July 24th |
| Note: Student-initiated drops are permitted after this date, but the student is not guaranteed a grade of W. The faculty member of record will issue a grade of either W or F. | |
| Summer II & Full Term – Last day of classes | July 31st |
| Summer II & Full Term Final Exams | Aug 3-4th |
| Grades are Due | Aug 6th |
| Grades are posted to student records; students are notified of grades and academic standing | Aug 7th |