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Two Human Powered Submarines designed and raced by students in the Ocean Engineering Program at Texas A&M University.

 

Links for Undergraduate Students

Here are several other web sites that are helpful for prospective and current undergraduate students

Here are also some quick links to additional pages on this web site

FAQs

The following are answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) pertaining to the undergraduate curriculum. Most of these questions are answered in the OE Advising Guide. Questions are arranged by the following topics

If you have a subject or question you'd like added to the list, please email the undergraduate advisor, Prof. Scott Socolofsky. You may also find answers to some of your general questions at the Advising Site maintained by the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering.

Admissions: Freshmen

1. When should I apply to A&M?

Admission to Texas A&M is conducted on a rolling basis, and students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis; applications are On-Line. Because College and University enrollment limits may affect late applications, students planning to enroll in the fall are recommended to apply by February 15.

2. What are the admission requirements?

Admissions is controlled at the University level, and admissions guidelines are set by the University and College and stated in the current Undergraduate Catalog. Students desiring to major in Ocean Engineering should select the Dwight Look College of Engineering and the Ocean Engineering Program as their first choice for admissions; as long as the program is not full, students granted admission will be automatically enrolled in the Ocean Engineering Curriculum.

3. How do I set up a campus visit?

Campus visits for prospective students are organized by the Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center. They can arrange meetings with faculty and staff, admissions, financial aid, and any other groups you are interested in. Please contact them through their website for details.

Admissions: Transfer

1. How do I apply to the Ocean Engineering Program?

Transfer student admission (students coming from schools outside Texas A&M University) is by application through the On-Line system. Applications will be reviewed by the Ocean Engineering undergraduate advisor. Admissions guidelines are published in the undergraduate catalog.

2. When can I apply?

Transfer admissions are handled on a rolling basis, and admissions criteria are published in the undergraduate catalog. As of Fall 2009 (Catalog 132), transfer applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA and at least 24 graded semester hours of transferable coursework.

3. Will my credit transfer?

The admissions office evaluates transfer credit for equivalency to courses at Texas A&M University. For credit from other institutions within Texas, the Texas Common Course Numbers website details pre-approved course equivalencies. If a course does not transfer as equivalent to an A&M course, the course may still qualify to meet degree requirements by petition. In Ocean Engineering, the undergraduate advisor requires a syllabus for the course that was taken. If the course is deemed equivalent to a course required in the Ocean Engineering curriculum, the undergraduate advisor will submit a petition to have the credit accepted. Petitions are approved by the College and University.

Transfer Credit

1. What courses will transfer to A&M?

If you take courses at another institution in Texas, the Texas Common Course Numbers website details pre-approved course equivalencies. Otherwise, courses will transfer by title--these courses will not satisfy degree requirements without petition. To petition a course to be counted, the Ocean Engineering undergraduate advisor will submit a petition after review of the syllabus for the course that was taken.

2. Can I get credit for courses that do not automatically transfer?

Maybe. The undergraduate advisor will review the syllabus for the course that you want to transfer and compare it to equivalent courses at Texas A&M University. If the course is deemed equivalent to a course on the Ocean Engineering Curriculum, then the advisor will petition the course to satisfy the requirement.

3. I expected transfer credit to apply that does not show on my transcript. What do I do now?

If you have not submitted a petition, bring a syllabus for the course you need transferred to the undergraduate advisor for approval to petition. If the petition has already been submitted, you can expect the course to show on your transcript within one semester. If you have waited longer, please see the Ocean Engineering undergraduate office to track down the results of your petition.

4. How do I know if a course will transfer before I take it?

The Texas Common Course Numbers website details pre-approved course equivalencies.

5. Is it possible to take courses over the summer at a community college and transfer the credit to my degree at A&M?

Yes. Please consult the Texas Common Course Numbers to ensure that the course you plan to take has already been approved for equivalency to the corresponding Texas A&M University course.

Dropping Courses

1. How do I drop a class?

During the first week of classes you can drop and add classes for no penalty through the Howdy-Portal. After the first week of class, classes can only be dropped by Q-drop or withdrawal from the university. You may also request an incomplete, which does not drop the course but does provide time to make-up missed work.

2. When can I drop a class?

As stated above, you can only drop a course for no penalty up to the end of the first week of classes.

3. I've heard about "No Grade." What is that and can I apply that to my course grades?

If your circumstances during the semester were very critical (e.g., the death of a family member or serious illness), but you did not drop or withdraw from the class, you may be eligible to have your grades removed from your transcript. This requires a petition to be approved by the dean.

4. When should I withdraw from the university?

If a significant event outside your control causes you to be unable to perform adequately in your studies (illness, death in the family, other physical or emotional problems) you may need to consider withdrawing from the university. This must be approved by the dean. Please contact the undergraduate advisor immediately if you think you need to withdraw.

5. What if I've used up all my Q-drops?

The state only allows you a limited number of Q-drops (generally 3). If you have used all of your Q-drops, you cannot drop a course except for unusual circumstances that may justify withdrawing from the university without a grade.

6. When should I take an incomplete?

Grades of "Incomplete" are intended for students who miss one major assignment or exam due to a university excused absence. You should work out the incomplete grade report with the faculty member in charge of your course. The coursework must be completed by the end of the next Fall or Spring semester; otherwise, the grade automatically changes to an F.

7. When do I have to make up incomplete grades?

The coursework must be completed by the end of the next Fall or Spring semester.

Degree Plans (Catalog Number)

1. Where do I find my catalog number?

The most reliable answer is in the Howdy Portal on the Student Information link. The Catalog term tells you your catalog. Here is a key for interpretation:

2. Can I change my catalog number?

Yes. You can always change to a more recent catalog. For instance, if you are catalog 129 (requires general and physical oceanography), you are welcome to switch to catalog 132 (requires general or physical oceanography). The catalog just sets the degree requirements: it not does not change your graduation date other than to potentially change the degree requirements. You can find degree requirements for all of the recent catalogs on the Curriculum page.

3. Can I mix requirements among catalogs?

No. You have to choose one catalog and meet all of the requirements of that catalog. You cannot choose a catalog older than the catalog that was issued when you entered Texas A&M University.

4. If I transfer to Texas A&M University from another school, what will my catalog number be?

Generally, you will be placed in the catalog that is active when you enter Texas A&M. If you have been planning and taking classes from an older catalog, it is also possible to set your catalog to the active catalog when you started college elsewhere, but this is not automatic.

Degree Audits (Evaluations)

1. How do I know what courses I still need to take in order to graduate?

You should run a Degree Evaluation from the Howdy Portal. These used to be called Degree Audits. They list everything that is required for your degree, what courses you have completed, and which courses remain to be completed.

2. My degree audit shows that I need to take a course, but that course is listed at the end of the audit under courses that do not satisfy any requirements. What is wrong?

Probably a petition needs to be filed to link the course you took with the required course. This often happens when you take a course number OCEN 489, since 489 is a place-holder for courses under revision. See the undergraduate advisor to submit the petition.

Petitions

1. How do I petition a course to count for a degree requirement?

The undergraduate advisor reviews petition requests and files the request with the college is he approves. For courses taken at A&M (such as the OCEN 489 courses), this is usually filed for you automatically. For courses taken at other schools that do not directly transfer as an A&M course, you must submit a complete syllabus for the course you took with your request.

2. When should I expect my petition to be approved and show on my transcript or degree evaluation?

Petition recommendations from the Ocean Engineering program are generally given within a week of the application. These are then forwarded to the College for final approval. It can take up to a semester for the petition to show correctly in the degree evaluation of your student record. If you suspect that a problem has occurred, contact the Ocean Engineering undergraduate advisor.

Academic Probation

1. What if I do not meet the terms of my probation?

Students placed on probation are given detailed guidelines, or terms, dictating how to resolve their probationary status. For students who are only weakly academically deficient, the undergraduate advisor will work out a plan with the student when terms are not met which may allow the student to continue at A&M. This will depend on the level of improvement achieved and the likelihood for improvement in the following semester. Once a student falls significantly behind (generally 18 grade points below a 2.0 on the overall A&M GPA), the college may ask a student to withdraw for up to a year--these decisions must be petitioned with the college.

2. When could I be forced to withdraw from the university?

All students must obtain an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in order to graduate from the University. When students fall sufficiently behind so that it becomes unlikely that they can obtain a 2.0, they are asked to withdraw for up to one academic year. This usually occurs when a student is 18 grade points or more below a 2.0 (a C is a 2.0, so a D, which is a 1.0, in a 3 credit class would count as 3 grade points below a 2.0). Students are usually on probation before the semester in which they are asked to withdraw; however, when students fail all courses in a single semester, their deficiency can become critical so that they are asked to withdraw.

Scholarships

1. How do I apply for a scholarship?

Scholarship applications are available in the spring semester. See the undergraduate advising office or the scholarship page for details.

2. Who usually gets scholarships?

Texas A&M University former students are very generous, and as a result, we are able to award a significant number of scholarships. Most scholarships require a minimum GPA of between a 3.0 and 3.5, depending on the wishes of the donor. Many of our students who fall above this range are awarded scholarships.

Course Offerings

1. Which courses are only offered once per year?

Some Ocean Engineering Courses are only offered once per year. These include the following courses in the Fall Semester:

And the following courses offered only in the Spring Semesters:

2. Where can I find a list of prerequisites?

Prerequisites are listed in the undergraduate catalog. You may also do your planning using the flow charts listed on our Curriculum Page.

3. I am missing the prerequisites or corequisites for a course I need to take. Can I take the course anyhow?

Generally, the answer is no. In a few cases, where students have generally fulfilled the prerequisites from similar courses, students are permitted to take courses out of sequence. This requires approval of the undergraduate advisor.

4. I didn't pass a prerequisite. Can I still take the next course in sequence?

Generally, the answer is no. In this case, each student must decide for themselves whether to repeat the prerequisite course before moving on or not. Our advise is that the prerequisites are not arbitrary, but rather are designed to show you what material must be mastered before the next course in sequence is attempted. The undergraduate advisor will always advise against taking courses before the prerequisites have been passed.

5. I didn't pass a course offered once per year. Do I have to wait until next year to repeat it? What if that delays my graduation?

Yes, you must pass all courses on the degree plan, and unless you can find an equivalent course elsewhere, you must take these courses when they are offered. Students should expect negative consequences for failing courses, and this policy is consistent with that expectation.

Common Body of Knowledge

1. What courses are in the CBK?

The common body of knowledge includes those courses required by all engineering students before they are permitted to take courses in the upper level. These include

2. How do you calculate my CBK GPA?

The CBK GPA calculation only factors in the best grade received in each of the CBK courses, including courses that are transferred from other schools. AP credit is arbitrarily assigned a grade of "B" for this calculation, but no grade is reported on the university transcript.

3. Can I move to upper division if my CBK GPA is below the automatic acceptance level?

No. Students are allowed to repeat courses in the CBK to improve their GPA since only the best grade in each course is factored into the CBK GPA.

Student Activities

1. What student activities are available to Ocean Engineering students?

Please see the Student Activities page.

Minors

1. How do I add a minor to my major degree?

Visit the departmental webpage for the minor you would like to use. Some departments ask the student's home department (in this case Ocean Engineering) to add the minor to the degree plan, other departments, such as music, require auditions before minors are granted to students who desire them. The details are also spelled out in the undergraduate catalog.

2. What are the requirements for getting a minor?

Each department sets their own requirements. Check the departmental webpages and the undergraduate catalog.

3. What minors are common for Ocean Engineering students?

Many engineering students obtain MATH minors. Ocean Engineering students may also investigate minors in the sciences. Not all departments offer a minor. When in doubt, check with the departmental webpages or the undergraduate catalog.

Technical Electives

1. What courses count as technical electives?

The approved Technical Electives List details all courses that automatically satisfy the technical elective requirements. Note that 3 hours must be taken from the Group A courses. The remaining hours can be taken from just about any 300-400 level technical course. Courses not on the list must be approved by the Ocean Engineering Program Head or the Undergraduate Advisor. Please ask if you would like to take a course that is not on the list.

Jobs

1. How do I get an internship for the summer?

The best advise is to be bold and contact companies with your resume that you would like to work for. You can also find a wealth of information on the Job Opportunities pages of this website.

2. When should I apply for an internship?

Generally, companies will look at job applications between 1 to 4 months before they would want to hire someone, so you should start looking for summer opportunities by February or March for the following summer. Be bold--you do not have to be a junior or senior to get an internship. However, you probably will need to contact a lot of companies. See the the Job Opportunities pages of this website for more advise.

3. When should I apply for a job after graduation?

As for internships, companies generally will look at students 1 to 4 months before graduation. So, you should work hard in the semester before graduation to develop a list of contacts, and you should pursue interviews with those contacts early in your graduating semester. Internships are a great way to develop relationships with companies you would like to work for, so plan for internships the summers leading up to graduation.

4. What should I do to help get a job after graduation?

Be bold, be persistent, and be professional. Contact companies and get your resume out. See the Job Opportunities pages of this website for more advise.

Core Curriculum

1. Can I take an ICD course that is only listed on the most recent catalog, or can I only take courses listed in my catalog?

You can satisfy the ICD credit with any course listed in your catalog or any course currently offered as an ICD course.

2. Which courses are "dual credit"?

See the undergraduate catalog for a list of courses that satisfy the ICD requirements at the same time as another core curriculum requirement. These courses can be in history, social and behavioral science, or visual and performing arts.

3. What are the core curriculum requirements?

See the undergraduate catalog.