A. Two-Year Learning Community

Academic Writing Requirement

  • Students are required to complete AWR 101 and AWR 201 or their equivalents as part of the Baccalaureate Experience. As a rule, first-year and transfer students who do not already have credit for AWR 101 will be placed in AWR-101 in their first year. However, students whose SAT or ACT scores, high school transcripts or admissions files indicate that it may be difficult for them to achieve satisfactory progress in AWR 101 will be required to complete AWR 100 successfully before enrolling in AWR 101. Regardless of initial placement, students must complete AWR 201 or the equivalent.
  • Non-native speakers of English whose writing indicates that it may be difficult to achieve satisfactory progress in AWR 101 will be required to complete either AWR 100 or AWR 110 successfully before enrolling in AWR 101. (For students who need additional practice after AWR 110, the professor may also recommend AWR 111 or AWR 100 as a prerequisite to AWR 101.) Regardless of initial placement, students must complete AWR 201 or the equivalent.
  • It is recommended that students complete AWR 101 within their first year, and AWR 201 by the end of their second year of enrollment at UT. It is required that students complete the Academic Writing requirement within their first two years.

First-Year Experience Requirement

First-Year Students

  • First-year students are required to complete the First-Year Seminar or Pathways to Honors programs (BAC 101/BAC 102 or HON 101/HON 102, respectively) during their first two semesters. 
  • First-year students must participate in BAC 100: Baccalaureate Digital Skills during their first year. Course equivalency will be accepted.
  • If a student changes their catalog year, completion of BAC 101/BAC 102 or HON 101/HON 102 will only be waived if the student has Junior or Senior status during the semester the change is completed.
  • If a student does not successfully complete the BAC 101/BAC 102 or HON 101/HON 102HON-102 sequence, they must retake the course the following semester. Each course in the sequence can only be retaken once, and therefore must be completed in the first three semesters. If the course is failed twice, the student will not continue in the sequence and will complete ASK 100.  If the student already completed ASK 100, the course for completion will be determined by the Director of the First-Year Experience Program.
  • If a student reaches Junior or Senior status without completing the BAC 101/ BAC 102 course sequence, they will be required to complete CAR 401 as a substitute course.
  • Additionally, Honors Program students failing either HON 101 or HON 102 will be automatically dropped from the Honors program but are still required to complete the first-year experience requirement by retaking BAC 101 or BAC 102. Students that fail HON 101 in their first semester and BAC 101 in their second semester will be required to take ASK 100. If the student already completed ASK 100, the course for completion will be determined by the Director of the First-Year Experience Program. Students that failed the first semester HON course and second semester BAC course and have senior status must complete CAR 401 as the substitute course.
  • Students readmitted to the university after one year, are in good standing and have under 60 credits will register for CAR 201 to satisfy the BAC 101/102 graduation requirement. Students readmitted having completed 60 or more credits will register for CAR401 to satisfy the BAC 101/102 graduation requirement. 

 Military Students

  • Veterans, which include active or retired military personnel (not their dependents) are required to take BAC 104, which is specifically designed for veterans, in lieu of BAC 101/BAC 102 or HON 101/HON 102.
  • Veteran students must successfully complete BAC 100.  Course equivalency will be accepted.

Transfer Students

  • Transfer students are not required to take a first-year seminar course, but are strongly advised to take BAC 103, which is an elective course specifically designed for transfers.
  • Transfer of first-year seminar courses from other institutions into the University receive course equivalency to BAC 103.
  • Transfer students entering with 31 credit hours or more may waive BAC 100.  Even if waived, a student may take BAC 100 as an elective. Course equivalency will be accepted.

First-Year Experience Policies

  • Please be advised that failure to enroll in BAC 100 with BAC 101/BAC 102, HON 101/HON 102, or BAC 104 during your first year, should you decide not to transfer and remain a student at UT, will prevent you from being able to complete your graduation requirements and adversely affect your ability to complete your degree.
  • Transfer of first-year seminar courses from other institutions into the University receive general elective credit and not course equivalency. Students must still complete BAC 101/BAC 102, HON 101/HON 102 or BAC 104 within their first-two semesters.
  • Students may not withdraw from first-year seminar or Pathways to Honors courses (BAC 101/BAC 102, HON 101/HON 102, BAC 104) for any reason.

Math Requirement

  • It is required that students complete the MAT requirement within their first two years.
  • MAT 150, MAT 180 and MAT 201 may not be used to satisfy the mathematics portion of the academic skills component. Students pursuing any major in the Sykes College of Business must take MAT 225 or higher.