Destin Tucker - Director of Admissions
200 Hall-Moody Administration Building
731-881-7020
fax 731-881-7029
Steps in Applying for Admission (Beginners and Transfers)
- Complete the online application for admission available at www.utm.edu. If a paper application is needed, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office at 731-881-7020.
- A $30 non-refundable application fee is required with application. First time freshmen and Veterans may be eligible for a fee waiver. More details at www.utm.edu/feewaiver.
- Forward a high school transcript to the Admissions Office (including courses taken during senior year). Transfer students must have transcripts forwarded from each institution attended including high school.
- Students who completed the GED or HiSet must have scores forwarded to the Admissions Office instead of high school transcripts.
- First-time freshmen must have a copy of ACT (or SAT) scores forwarded to the Admissions Office (may be on high school transcript).*
- Upon graduation, request that a final high school transcript be sent to the Admissions Office.
*Not required if applicant has been out of high school for three years or longer.
Selective Service
Students must complete the Selective Service Draft Registration statement as a part of admission to UT Martin.
Credit through Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, American Council on Education, DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, College Level Examination Program, and Proficiency Examination
A qualified applicant may gain credit hours through the following measures:
- Advanced Placement (AP) - Applicants who score three, four, or five on Advanced Placement may receive credit for the introductory sequence in certain disciplines (up to eight semester hours).
- International Baccalaureate (IB) - International Baccalaureate test scores accepted for advanced credit by the various departments at The University of Tennessee at Martin are listed below. Students who have taken tests in other areas may submit their scores to the Registrar’s Office for evaluation by the appropriate departments.
For details go to http://www.utm.edu/transfertables and click on Transfer Equivalency Tables then click on CLEP/AP & IB Placement Exams.
- College Credit Recommendation Service, a program of the American Council on Education (ACE) - only as approved by individual departments and degrees committees.
- DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) program, a registered trademark of Prometric. Subject exams approved for credit by the American Council on Education.
- College Level Examination Program (CLEP) administered by the College Entrance Examination Board.
Applicants who score at or above the minimum score established by the university for credit in the Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support and/or College Level Examination Program will be awarded the amount of credit for general and subject exams as set by the university. In order to receive credit by DSST and/or CLEP for a specific course, a student need not register for that course. Details on tests and testing dates are available from the Testing Center in the Student Success Center, located in 210 or 211 Clement Hall. Students will receive a grade of P in these classes.
- Proficiency Examination - A qualified applicant may earn credit by proficiency examination upon the recommendation of the dean of his/her college and the approval of the registrar. A minimum grade of B must be scored. A recording fee of $30 per course is required. Proficiency Credit in a foreign language may be awarded. See the Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages section for further details. Local dual credit is transfer credit awarded as part of an agreement between a high school and a specific partnering higher education institution. As UTM is not part of those partnerships/agreements, the academic departments will each decide if credit will be awarded. The student may receive credit after the passing of a proficiency exam with a grade of B or better.
Students may use a maximum of 60 credit hours earned by any combination of AP, IB, ACE, DSST, CLEP, portfolio credit, and proficiency examination. Credits earned by AP, IB, ACE, DSST, CLEP, portfolio and proficiency examination are applied in the following manner:
| Credit |
Minimum 30 hours at UTM |
4-year insitutional hours |
UTM Institutional GPA |
Overall Cumulative GPA |
| AP, IB, ACE, DSST |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| CLEP Exam |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Portfolio |
No |
Upon approval* |
No |
Yes |
| Proficiency Exam |
No |
Upon approval* |
No |
Yes |
*Credits earned are: 1. Approved by faculty in the department/program in which the degree is sought, and 2. The credit meets UTM course outcomes approved by faculty in the program housing the course(s) for which credit is awarded.
Unit Requirements
| English |
4 units |
| Mathematics |
4 units (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, and a fourth higher level math course; OR Integrated Math I, Integrated Math II, Integrated Math III, and a fourth higher level math course) |
| Natural/Physical Sciences |
3 units (Biology, Chemistry or Physics, and a third lab course) |
| U.S. History |
1 unit |
| Social Studies |
1 unit of world history, European history, or world geography (may be fulfilled by completing 2 one-half units) |
| Foreign Language* |
2 units in same language |
| Visual/Performing Arts |
1 unit of theatre arts, visual arts, music theory, music history, vocal music, general music, instrumental music, or art history |
* Waived for resident aliens if it is determined that English is their second language.
The unit requirements align with the Tennessee State Board of Education’s policy 2.103 for earning a regular high school diploma. Exceptions to unit requirements made by public Tennessee high schools will be honored by UT Martin in accordance with the state policy. Students earning a regular high school diploma from a public Tennessee high school will automatically be awarded full credit for all entrance unit requirements. The Admissions Office will verify that the U.S. History requirement has been met (see U. S. History Entrance Deficiency section).
Applicants from private schools, home schools, and out-of-state high schools may be admitted with a maximum of three missing unit requirements as long as other admissions requirements are satisfied. Appeals to this policy will be reviewed by the Director of Admissions.
Types of Admission
Regular Admission
Graduates from high schools with state accreditation may enter UT Martin with regular admission status by meeting one of the following criteria:
- ACT Composite score of 21 (or SAT equivalent) or above and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 on a 4.0 scale, OR
- ACT Composite score of 19 (or SAT equivalent) or above and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale.
- Tennessee high school students who graduate from accredited/state-approved high schools who have a 4.0 GPA or are ranked in the top 10% of their class.
All ACT and SAT scores are super-scored when multiple tests are submitted. All applicants are required to submit ACT/SAT scores, regardless of class rank or GPA. Any student’s file not meeting guaranteed admission requirements will be reviewed for conditional admission.
ACT
In the admission process, all scores are expressed as ACT or ACT equivalents, based on concordance tables (2008, 2016) developed by the College Board for SAT scores. ACT scores received from the testing company or that are part of an official high school transcript are entered in the UT Martin admissions system. If the ACT was taken more than one time, a superscore is calculated based on the highest score achieved in each of the four test areas. The optional essay is not required or used by UT Martin.
SAT
The “old” SAT, administered before March 2016, is superscored using only the Critical Reasoning (CR) and Math (M) scores. The writing section of the “old” SAT has never been used by UT Martin as part of an applicant’s test score.
The “new” SAT, administered beginning March 2016 is superscored using only the Evidence-based Reading and Writing (ERW) and Math (M) scores. The new optional essay is not required or used by UT Martin.
SAT superscores are calculated only within the “old” or “new” SAT and not between the “old” and “new.” An SAT superscore will only be calculated if there are two or more “old” scores or two or more “new” scores.
Decisions
The test score used in decisions will be the highest of (1) an ACT superscore, (2) the ACT equivalent of an “old” SAT superscore, or (3) the ACT equivalent of a “new” SAT superscore.
Graduates from high schools without state accreditation, home-school graduates, or students who did not complete high school should contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for specific admission criteria information regarding ACT and GED or HiSet test score requirements.
An ACT score is not required if the applicant has been out of high school three years or longer. See Non-Traditional Adult Admission later in this section.
U. S. History Entrance Deficiency
Applicants accepted without the U. S. History unit requirement completed at the high school level, without a passing score on the high school equivalency exam, or without six semester hours of collegiate American history as required by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee (TN Code Annotated 49-7-110) will be designated as having a high school deficiency for U. S. History and must remove the deficiency during the first two academic years of study or 60 semester hours (whichever comes first).
Concurrent/Dual Admission
A student who has completed two semesters in an accredited high school may be concurrently enrolled in the university for no more than three courses per term if he/she has a minimum 3.00 GPA and the consent of his/her principal/counselor, parents and the Director of Regional Centers and Online Programs. An additional three-hour course may be taken if approved by the Director of Regional Centers and Online Programs. A student admitted concurrently must meet the high school unit requirements and apply for admission to enroll as a regular student after high school graduation.
Special Admission (Non-degree)
An applicant who is 18 years of age and whose high school class has graduated may be enrolled in classes as a special student if he/she is not seeking a degree from the university. Anyone denied degree-seeking status must wait a minimum of one full year before applying for Special Admission. A student who has previously been enrolled in the university as a regular student may not be readmitted as a special student unless he/she has already earned a bachelor’s degree. In this case, he/she will be enrolled as a Post-Baccalaureate student.
Special Admission students may accumulate a maximum of 60 semester hours (including previous college work) in this manner. They may convert at any time to a degree-seeking status if they meet the ACT and High School GPA requirements in place at the time of conversion. Students who cannot meet those requirements may convert, with the approval of their academic adviser, after completing a minimum of 15 college-level semester hours at UT Martin with a cumulative UT Martin GPA of 2.00 or better. Upon conversion, students must meet all high school unit deficiencies that have not been satisfied, either in high school or through completion of the appropriate college courses.
Financial aid is not available to non-degree seeking students.
Conditional Admission
A limited number of applicants who do not meet regular admission requirements will be considered for admission with Conditional Admission status. The transcripts of these applicants will be reviewed individually to assess their course-taking patterns. Conditional admission students may be required to enroll in Success Strategies dependent upon the first semester performance.
Students admitted with Conditional Admission status must take placement tests prior to freshman registration and will be placed in specific English, mathematics, and/or reading courses if appropriate.
Early Admission
A student who has completed the junior year of high school with a minimum 3.50 GPA and a composite ACT score of at least 26 may be enrolled in the university with recommendation from his/her principal/counselor, the consent of his/her parents and the Director of Admissions. Deficiencies in high school unit requirements will be waived.
Non-Traditional Adult Admission
Any applicant who has been graduated from high school for three (3) years or longer (non-traditional applicant) and has completed less than 12 hours of college-level coursework is eligible for Regular Admission if criteria is met.
If the applicant does not have an American College Test (ACT) score or other assessment to determine course level placement, the applicant may opt to begin in basic level courses or take a placement test (i.e., ACT Residual or Accuplacer) to determine appropriate level courses.
A non-traditional applicant who has not graduated from high school should contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for specific admission criteria information regarding ACT and GED or HiSet test score requirements.
The State of Tennessee high school unit requirements are not required for non-traditional applicants, but see information regarding the American History requirement under the catalog section titled, General Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree.
Transfer Admission
Transfer Students - Any students who have completed a minimum of 12 college-level quarter/semester hours prior to enrollment at UT Martin must have a 2.00 GPA to be admitted to the university. If a student has not attended college for a semester or longer (excluding summer semester), the student may be admitted on academically eligible-warning status at the discretion of the Director of Admissions.
A transfer student with junior standing (minimum 60 semester hours) at the receiving institution is exempt from meeting the high school unit requirements (excluding American history). Transfer students with less than 60 semester hours who graduated from high school after 1988 are required to have the high school units in affect at the time they graduated. All transfer students are required to provide high school transcripts unless they have previously earned Associate Degrees.
A transcript from each former institution must be presented for evaluation, even if no credit was earned. All courses from a regionally accredited college are accepted for transfer; however, they may not all count toward a degree. Once all transcripts have been received and the grades posted to the UT Martin transcript, the student will be able to review the credit received on the student portal. The UT Martin course number for equivalent courses, or the designation LD for lower-division credit and UD for upper-division credit if no equivalent course exists, will be posted to the student’s academic transcript. LD and UD credits may be applied toward degree requirements that do not designate specific course number requirements (e.g., Art LD might fulfill a non-specific art course requirement or a general elective). The student’s academic adviser will use the degree audit program to identify how each of the transferred courses may be used to satisfy specific degree requirements.
Students wishing to appeal the evaluation of any transferred courses should contact the registrar to request re-evaluation of those courses. Students may be asked to provide a copy of the course description and syllabus from the original institution. The registrar may consult the department chair for the involved discipline and the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs regarding the final designation of the course. Students wishing to further appeal the results of the transfer evaluation should follow the Degree Appeals (Special Request) process outlined in the catalog.
To earn a University of Tennessee degree, an applicant from a junior/community college must complete a minimum of 60 semester hours toward a degree in an accredited four-year school. At least 30 semester credit hours, but no less than 25% of coursework in their degree (as stated in the catalog of graduation), must be completed at UT Martin. To qualify for honors graduation (see Honors and Awards), a transfer student must complete at least four semesters (60 semester hours minimum) in The University of Tennessee system.
Transfer students who have not attended a college or university for a minimum of four consecutive calendar years may apply for the Academic Fresh Start Policy described later in this section.
Transient students - Any transfer student who meets admissions standards but who is enrolling for one semester only, usually the summer semester, will be classified as a transient student. A statement of academic good standing is required from the former institution. Should the student decide to remain for a longer period, he/she will be required to meet all university admission requirements, which includes having transcripts of previous college work mailed to the Admissions Office.
Readmission
Students who have previously attended UT Martin must complete a new application for admission but are not required to pay the application fee. Students who have attended another college(s) since enrollment at UT Martin must have a transcript(s) forwarded to the Admissions Office. A readmitted student must meet the high school unit requirements effective at the time of his/her first enrollment.
International Admission
The University of Tennessee at Martin welcomes international students from around the world. International applicants seeking admission to undergraduate programs must furnish the following in addition to all other entrance requirements:
1. a completed, online application for international undergraduate admission.
2. a non-refundable payment of $130 ($30 application fee and $100 processing fee).
3. a bank letter or other documents of financial support. Financial aid is not available for international
students.
4. official school or university transcript(s) with certified translations if the records are in a language other than English. Transcripts must include descriptive course titles, credit hours for each subject and grades received to earn credit.
5. high school transcript in English with a 2.50 grade point average
6. evidence of one of the following:
- A TOEFL score of 61 on the internet-based version
- A TOEFL score of 500 on the ITP paper-version, generally offered once per semester at UTM or acceptable from partner universities
- An IELTS score of 5.5
- A PTE Academic score of 45
- The following will be considered on a case-by-case basis for TOEFL or IELTS waiver:
- Other exam scores from partner institution contexts
- Applicants submitting documentation of senior year of high school in the U.S. with a 2.5 GPA and requisite ACT score;
- Applicants completing for-credit freshman English composition Levels 1 and 2 (face-to-face instruction) at another university with a grade of C or higher.
- Applicants with high school diplomas or four-year degrees from the following English-speaking nationalities: Anguilla, Antigua & Bermuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cana (English-speaking provinces) Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji Islands, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sierra Leone, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Indies, Zimbabwe
Upon arrival on the campus, all degree-seeking international students and resident aliens must enroll (and remain enrolled each semester) in the appropriate English composition courses until the student has successfully completed English 112. For further details, see “Placement of Students Who Are Not Native Speakers of English” in the Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages section.
Information on International Admissions can be found at www.utm.edu/international. Click on Future International Students for information and the international application.
Only one I-20 will be issued for each admission. I-20s start dates can be deferred if there is a delay in arrival. International students are required to report to the Admissions Office in person within 30 days after arrival in the U.S.
Academic Fresh Start
Undergraduate students (all categories) who have not attended a college or university for a minimum of four consecutive calendar years may obtain entrance through the Academic Fresh Start policy.
Specifically, Academic Fresh Start affects grades of F for courses taken prior to entrance as follows:
Calculation of Cumulative Grade Point Average
- Any grades of F will not be counted toward cumulative GPA for Academic Standing.
- Any grades of F will not be counted toward cumulative GPA for Graduation.
- All grades - including grades of F - will be counted toward cumulative GPA for consideration for Honors Graduation.
- All grades - including grades of F - will be counted toward cumulative GPA for satisfactory academic progress and financial aid.
Degree Requirements
- Any grades of F for any previous courses will not count as credit toward graduation.
- Students must select a graduation catalog in existence at the time of or after the year in which Academic Fresh Start was granted.
Transcript
- Courses and grades on transcript - includes all previous courses and grades on the transcript. Any courses and grades of F that are not counted for Academic Standing or Graduation will still appear on the student’s official transcript.
To be considered for Academic Fresh Start, the student must
- Meet the requirements for Academic Fresh Start
- Apply for an Academic Fresh Start through the Admissions Office within two semesters of enrolling/re-enrolling in classes at UT Martin.
Students who transfer directly to UT Martin after attending another college or university within the last four years will still be eligible if they were granted a “Fresh Start” from the transferring institution. The policy will apply to grades received prior to the fresh start granted by the transferring institution.
Students can be admitted with Academic Fresh Start only one time, and once granted, Academic Fresh Start cannot be cancelled.
Residency Regulations
It is the intent that the public institutions of higher education in the State of Tennessee shall apply uniform rules, as described in these regulations and not otherwise, in determining whether students shall be classified as in-state or out-of-state students for fees and tuition purposes.
Rules for Determination of Status
- Every person having his or her domicile in this State shall be classified “in-state” for fee and tuition purposes and for admission purposes.
- Every person not having his or her domicile in this State shall be classified “out-of-state” for fee and tuition purposes and for admission purposes.
- The domicile of an unemancipated person is that of his or her parent, except as provided in paragraph (4) of this section. Unemancipated students of divorced parents shall be classified “in-state” when one (1) parent, regardless of custodial status, is domiciled in Tennessee, except as provided in paragraph (4) of this Section.
- A student shall be classified as “in-state” for fee and tuition purposes if the student is a citizen of the United States, has resided in Tennessee for at least one (1) year immediately prior to admission, and has:
- Graduated from a Tennessee public secondary school;
- Graduated from a private secondary school that is located in Tennessee; or
- Earned a Tennessee high school equivalency diploma.
- The spouse of a student classified as “in-state” shall also be classified “in-state.”
- All classifications shall be subject to the Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act, Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-58-101 et seq.
Out-of-state Students Who Are Not Required to Pay Out-of-state Tuition
- An unemancipated, currently enrolled student shall be reclassified out-of-state should his or her parent, having theretofore been domiciled in the State, remove from the State. However, such student shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition nor be treated as an out-of-state student for admission purposes so long as his or her enrollment at a public higher educational institution or institutions shall be continuous.
- An unemancipated person whose parent is not domiciled in this State but is a member of the armed forces and stationed at Fort Campbell pursuant to military orders shall be classified out-of-state, but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. Such a person, while in continuous attendance toward the degree for which he or she is currently enrolled, shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition if his or her parent thereafter is transferred on military orders.
- Part-time students who are not domiciled in this State but who are employed full-time in the State shall be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. This shall apply to part-time students who are employed in the State by more than one employer, resulting in the equivalent of full-time employment.
- A member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty for more than thirty (30) days and who has a permanent duty station in the State of Tennessee (or the spouse or dependent child of such a member) who should be classified out-of-state in accordance with other provisions of these regulations will be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. This provision shall continue to apply to such a member, spouse, or dependent child while continuously enrolled at that public higher education institution, notwithstanding a subsequent change in the permanent duty station of the member to a location outside the State.
- A person who is domiciled in the Kentucky counties of Fulton, Hickman, or Graves shall be classified out-of-state and shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition at The University of Tennessee at Martin if qualified for admission. This exemption is on condition that Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, continues to admit Tennessee residents from selected Tennessee counties to enroll at that institution without payment of out-of-state tuition.
- Any dependent child not domiciled in Tennessee but who qualifies and is selected to receive a scholarship under the “Dependent Children Scholarship Act” (T.C.A. § 49-4-704) because his or her parent is a law enforcement officer, fireman, or emergency medical service technician who was killed or totally and permanently disabled while performing duties within the scope of employment, shall be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition.
- A veteran or other individual eligible to receive educational benefits administered by the United States department of veterans affairs, through any provision of the United States Code, shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition or any out-of-state fee, when the veteran or other individual is:
- Enrolled in any public institution of higher education in Tennessee;
- Utilizing such benefits at the enrolling institution; and
- Living in the state of Tennessee, regardless of the individual’s formal state of residency.,
T.C.A. § 49-7-1304
To continue to qualify for in-state tuition and fees under this subsection, a veteran shall:
a. Maintain continuous enrollment (as defined by the public institution of higher education in which the veteran is enrolled); and
b. Within one (1) year of enrolling in the public institution of higher education:
1. Register to vote in the State of Tennessee; or
2. Demonstrate by objective evidence intent to be a resident of the State of Tennessee by obtaining at least two (2) of the following:
i. A Tennessee driver’s license;
ii. A Tennessee motor vehicle registration;
iii. Proof of established employment in the State of Tennessee; or
iv. Other documentation clearly evidencing domicile or residence in this State, as determined by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
- Students not domiciled in Tennessee but who are selected to participate in institutional undergraduate honors programs specified by the public higher education institution in which the student is enrolled shall be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of- state tuition.
- A “covered individual” under the federal Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, Public Law 113- 146, who maintains continuous enrollment at the same public institution of higher education.
Residency Appeal
The decision of the Office of Undergraduate Admission may be appealed to the Extenuating Circumstances Admissions and Residency Appeals Committee at UT Martin, which shall, after full review of the documents provided in the case, determine the appropriate resident classification of the student.
Orientation, Enrollment, and First Year Initiative (FYI)
To assist with the transition from high school to college, UT Martin offers students an opportunity to participate in the First-Year Initiative, beginning with Summer Orientation and Registration (SOAR). SOAR programs begin in May and continue throughout the summer. Students who attend SOAR will connect with peers, meet with an academic adviser, and register for fall semester classes. Also, parents will be involved in information sessions during the one day program.
The second phase of the First-Year Initiative combines Welcome Weekend activities and the GENS 101 - General Studies, Seminar in Freshman Studies class. Welcome Weekend begins on the Thursday prior to the first day of regular classes when first-year students take part in a variety of programs and activities designed to orient them to the university environment. It is during this weekend that students will be introduced to their faculty mentor and specially trained peer mentor (PEP Leader). GENS 101 meets weekly during the fall semester and the class content places great emphasis on study skills and student success principles. Detailed information about Welcome Weekend and the GENS 101 class will be shared with all admitted first-year students. GENS 101 is a two credit-hour semester-long class graded “A-F” that counts in scholarship grade point average calculation. The university strongly encourages all first-year students to enroll in the First-Year Initiative. It provides the needed foundation for building success which leads to graduation.
The General Assembly of Tennessee requires entering students to complete an immunization compliance process. All immunization documentation must be submitted through Med+Proctor.
UT Martin Identification Card
Each student is required to have an identification card (the Skyhawk Card) with a photograph and student ID number issued from the university at the time of enrollment. Students should upload a picture for his/her Skyhawk Card at www.utm.edu/requestmyid. Completed cards will be distributed at SOAR orientation. Students who do not attend SOAR should pick up their Skyhawk Card at the Skyhawk Card Services counter in the One Stop, Clement Hall.
Course Selection
UT Martin uses high school GPA and entrance exam composite and subscores (when available) to make placement recommendations. These recommendations identify the best starting point for freshmen and guide them in selecting courses for which they have adequate preparation. Placement recommendations allow students to begin where they are likely to do well, assisting them in acquiring both hours toward graduation and a minimum GPA of 2.00. Entering students with an ACT Composite score below 21 are required to follow placement recommendations (see Mandatory Placement). For those students with an ACT Composite score of 21 or above, but who have an ACT sub-score in Reading, Math or English less than 21 are encouraged to follow placement recommendations listed below (under Mandatory Placement) for best chance of success.
Chemistry
Mathematics Placement Consideration. An entering student whose mathematics ACT score indicates the need for MATH 100 and MATH 110 Essentials of Algebra I, II should complete the sequence before registering for any chemistry course.
Placement Recommendations. Chemistry placement recommendations are based on the student’s high school GPA and ACT scores. Course recommendations indicate a student’s readiness to take CHEM 121 . In some cases, where students are borderline in terms of academic preparation, the recommendation will indicate the need to advise students carefully. No recommendation is made if any of the components used to make the determination is missing.
English
Freshman English. Recommendations for initial placement in freshman English courses are based upon the student’s ACT score in English and high school grade-point average. If the student’s ACT Composite score is less than 21, then mandatory placement applies. All ENGL 105 and ENGL 111 instructors may administer an impromptu diagnostic writing assignment during the first class meeting. Instructors who feel that they have an improperly placed student may recommend a different placement. Students who are inappropriately registered for ENGL 105 or ENGL 111 will be dropped from that course and should see their advisers immediately to add the appropriate course during the add period.
Honors English. Students who score 28 or above on the English portion of the Enhanced ACT may enroll in the freshman honors sequence (111H-112H) which offers enrichment and variety, collegial contact with other excellent students and an obvious designation of distinction on the academic transcript. Any student who earns an A in ENGL 111 may enroll in ENGL 112H , if space is available.
International students. International students normally begin the English sequence with English 100, but may be placed higher based on their results on the English Writing Proficiency Placement Exam. At least once each semester, the Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages administers an English Composition Placement Examination to ensure the appropriate English placement for international students. Eligibility for enrolling in English 100 or taking the placement exam requires that the student meet one of the following criteria:
Enrollment in or completion of Level 6 of the Tennessee Intensive English Program,
OR achievement of a minimum UT Martin institutional TOEFL score of 500 (paper) or 173 (computer),
OR achievement of a minimum iBT score of 61 (Internet-based),
OR achievement of a minimum IELTS score of 6.0.
Enrollment in ENGL 111 requires successful completion of the Tennessee Intensive English Program and placement in the respective course based on the results of the placement examination.
Mathematics
The usual beginning mathematics courses are:
Entrance Deficiencies. Students with entrance deficiencies in high school mathematics will need to take mathematics courses to remove the deficiencies. Each course will remove one unit of deficiency. Students with deficiencies in Algebra should start with MATH 100 to remove the deficiencies.
Mandatory Placement. Mandatory placement applies to students with ACT Composite scores of less than 21 and prevents students who place in MATH 100 from enrolling in a course with a higher number.
Consideration of the Requirements for a Student’s College Curriculum. Students in engineering, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and some areas of agriculture, education, pre-medicine and business need the MATH 251 -MATH 252 Calculus sequence. If the student has not studied trigonometry in high school or college, the student must complete MATH 170 or MATH 185 before enrolling in MATH 251 . Students who place in MATH 140 but need MATH 185 to prepare for calculus may enroll in the 185 course. ACT scores, reading level, English placement and high school grade-point average are considered as a part of the advising.
Reading
Recommendations for enrollment in READ 100 are based on the student’s ACT reading score. Anyone with an ACT Reading score of 17 or less should be placed in READ 100 . Students who enroll in this class can expect to receive instruction and practice in reading strategies required to handle beginning college text material. READ 100 should be completed prior to, or in conjunction with, enrollment in any reading intensive courses such as Biology, Business Law, Geology, History and Psychology. See the Mandatory Placement section below for more information.
Foreign Language
Entrance Deficiencies. An entrance deficiency in foreign languages can be removed by passing 111, the first semester of the elementary sequence of a foreign language, or 115 if continuing a foreign language begun in high school.
Foreign Language Placement. Students who enter with two or more high school units of Spanish or French, and who wish to continue in the same language, will take the department’s placement exam and, based on the results of that exam, will be advised to enroll in SPAN 115 or FREN 115 or a more advanced class. Continuing students in German, Japanese and Portuguese may start with 122 or a more advanced class, depending on their score on the placement exam. Students who enroll in 111 to remove a deficiency will receive elective credit for that course.
Scores on the French/Spanish/German placement exams are used to place freshmen in the appropriate language at one of the following levels:
- 111 - First level for students who have a foreign language deficiency, who took German, or who took less than two years of French or Spanish in high school
- 115 - First level for students with two or more years of French or Spanish in high school
- 122
- 222
- 341, 342, or another advanced class.
Students who studied foreign language in high school and begin their language study at UT Martin with an intermediate or advanced-level course and attain a grade of B or better in the course may earn retroactive credit for up to eight semester hours.
Mandatory Placement
Placement in one or more of the following courses is mandatory for students with ACT composite scores less than 21 whose placement results show they need to enroll in: ENGL 105 , MATH 100 and/or READ 100 . Students who do not have ACT scores must take the university’s placement tests in English, mathematics and reading and follow placement results or opt to begin in basic level courses. International students must comply with the additional English proficiency requirements listed under item 4 of the requirements for admission as an international student (see admission requirement information earlier in this section). Students must complete all mandatory placement courses during the first two years of academic study or 60 semester hours, whichever comes first. Exception: Enrollment in ENGL 105 or MATH 100 is optional for transfer students (i.e., anyone who completed 12 or more college-level credit hours prior to first-time enrollment at UT Martin) if they have already passed a college-level course in that discipline. Enrollment in a reading course is also optional.
Enrollment and Minimum Completion Grades in English Composition
The University of Tennessee at Martin believes that writing skills are an important key to academic success. To that end, all students are expected to 1) enroll each semester, with the exception of summer term, in the appropriate English composition course, as determined by ACT scores and high school grade point or the ESL Writing Proficiency Placement Exam, and 2) remain enrolled each semester in the appropriate course (ENGL 105 , ENGL 110, ENGL 111 , or ENGL 112 ; minimum grade of C required for completion) until the student has successfully completed ENGL 112 or its equivalent. Students must complete ENGL 112 within the first 60 hours with a grade of C or better or registration restrictions will be imposed.
Academic Advising
UT Martin provides academic advisement to all regularly enrolled students. Each student will be assigned a faculty adviser by the appropriate department chair if the student has declared a major; or in the appropriate Exploratory Major within the college of interest. Advisers will aid the students in selecting and scheduling appropriate courses and will be available to counsel them in all matters pertaining to their academic programs and career objectives. See section on Student Success Center for special academic support services offered.
In support of the academic advising program, the university shall:
- provide students with information on policies, procedures and programs of the campus;
- assist students in exploring educational and career opportunities;
- assist students in establishing life goals;
- assist students with the development of an educational plan of study and the selection of courses; and
- make students aware of the range of services and educational opportunities pertinent to their educational objectives at this campus.
The vice chancellor for academic affairs is responsible for the academic advisement program that is based upon a system of policies, procedures, publications, personnel and services that are adopted on a university-wide basis. The deans of the individual colleges are accountable to the vice chancellor for academic affairs for the effectiveness of the advisement programs within each college. Deans of each college are responsible for implementing the academic advising system which is determined as being most effective in meeting the advising needs of the students within each college. Academic deans are responsible for ensuring that advisers have accurate information for each new advisee assigned. Advising records available to all advisers should include the following: ACT and/or SAT student profile reports, campus placement scores, TOEFL scores (if appropriate), admission confirmation, academic planning worksheet, academic progress information, record of referrals to other student services and academic advising agreement. Academic deans are also responsible for seeing that files are promptly forwarded to the appropriate office or adviser when students change colleges, majors or advisers.
In support of the academic advising program, the university shall:
- provide advisers with current and accurate information related to student educational preparation and progress;
- provide advisers with appropriate training in academic advising;
- periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the advisement program and individual advisers; and
- consider academic advising in tenure, promotion and merit decisions.
Student Advisement
Each student will be assigned a faculty adviser by the appropriate department chair if the student has declared a major; or in the appropriate Exploratory Major within the college of interest. Advisers will aid the students in selecting and scheduling appropriate courses and will be available to counsel them in all matters pertaining to their academic programs and career objectives.
Course Loads
Students may enroll during the fall and spring semesters for a maximum of 20 credit hours with their adviser’s approval (nine hours during each summer term). No more than 6 hours will be allowed during Maymester. The appropriate college dean’s written approval must be obtained in order to register for additional credit hours.
Students with an academically eligible-warning status may not register for more than 16 credit hours per semester or eight credit hours per summer term without the written approval of the appropriate college dean. (See Academic Continuation - Academically Eligible-Warning .)
An Add/Drop request form noting over max hours must be submitted to the Office of Academic Records for processing. Only the credit hours of courses required for a student’s degree program can be considered when calculating federal Title IV financial aid awards.
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