Major Specific Admission Requirements

Major Specific Admission Requirements

SAT/ACT requirements are suspended through Summer 2023. See more updates due to COVID-19.

Our colleges have found there are certain requirements that indicate success and preparedness for specific majors. Therefore, several majors at UTSA have additional admission requirements in order for incoming freshman and transfer students to be admitted directly into a college and major.

We want you to be as prepared for your major as possible. If you do not meet the stated requirements initially but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements, then you will be admitted into UTSA’s University College in an “academic studies” program based upon the major you applied for.

These “academic studies” offer prerequisite coursework and core classes appropriate for your intended major and are built specifically to prepare you for success in that major. Students are then able to move into their major and college upon successful completion of these courses.

Major Specific Admission Requirements

Majors or degree programs that have additional requirements are listed below, organized by college.

Carlos Alvarez College of Business

Students interested in majoring in Accounting, Actuarial Science, Business Analytics, Cyber Security (not including Online Cyber Security), Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Operations and Supply Chain Management (formerly Management Science), Marketing or Real Estate Finance & Development or Statistics and Data Science must meet the following admission requirements. Freshman and Transfer students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Business Studies, where students will be able to work towards meeting the pre-requisites needed to declare their business major.

Fall 2022 Applicants
must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and be able to enroll in MAT 1053 Mathematics for Business or a higher level mathematics course in your first semester at UTSA
Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 25% 1170 SAT* or 24 ACT
Direct Admission n/a 1270 SAT* or 27 ACT
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and have 3.0 GPA and Completed with a C- or better the following courses: MAT 1053 (TCCN MATH 1324) and WRC 1013 (TCCN ENGL 1301)

*New SAT scores combine Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math.

College of Engineering and Integrated Design

Students interested in majoring in Architecture or Inteiror Design, must meet the additional admission requirements below. Freshman students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Exploratory Studies. Transfer students not meeting these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Multidisciplinary Studies.

FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 10% no minimum
Direct Admission Top 25% 1220 SAT* or 25 ACT
College Review n/a 1170 SAT* or 24 ACT
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
College Review < 30 hours 3.0 GPA and meet UTSA’s general admission requirements
College Review >= 30 hours 3.0 GPA and meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and submit a portfolio
Students interested in majoring in Construction Science & Management, must meet these additional admission requirements below. Freshman and Transfer students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Architecture, Construction & Planning Studies where students will be able to work towards meeting the pre-requisites needed to declare Construction Science & Management as their major.

FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 10% no minimum
Direct Admission Top 25% 1170 SAT* or 24 ACT
Direct Admission Top 50% 1220 SAT* or 25 ACT
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission < 12 hours 3.0 GPA and meet UTSA’s general admission requirements
Direct Admission >= 12 hours 3.1 GPA and meet UTSA’s general admission requirements
Students interested in majoring in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering must meet the following admission requirements. Freshman and Transfer students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Engineering, Math and Sciences Studies where students will be able to work towards meeting the pre-requisites needed to declare Biomedical Engineering or Chemical Engineering as their major.

FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 10% no minimum and Calculus I Ready
Direct Admission Below Top 10% 1200 SAT* or 25 ACT and Calculus I Ready
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and have 3.0 GPA and Calculus I Ready and Completed with a C- or better the following courses: MAT 1214 (TCCN MATH 2413), WRC 1013 (TCCN ENG 1301)
College Review meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and have < 3.0 GPA and Calculus I Ready and Completed with a C- or better the following courses: MAT 1214 (TCCN MATH 2413), WRC 1013 (TCCN ENG 1301)

College for Health, Community and Policy

Applicants who are interested in majoring in Nutrition & Dietetics must meet specific admission requirements. Note: this major cannot be declared as a freshman. All applicants who meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Life and Health Science Studies until all program requirements can be met when enrolled at UTSA.

College of Liberal and Fine Arts

Students who are interested in majoring in Music must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and apply to audition. Freshman and Transfer students who are admitted to UTSA and interested in a music major will be admitted into Arts & Humanities Studies. Students who successfully complete their audition will eventually see their major changed to Music.

College of Sciences

Students interested in majoring in Biochemistry or Chemistry must meet the following additional requirements. Freshman and Transfer students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Life & Health Sciences Studies where students will be able to work towards meeting the pre-requisites needed to declare Biochemistry or Chemistry as their major.

Fall 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission Must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and completed MAT 1073 (or higher) with a grade of C- or higher
Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 15% 1350 SAT* or 29 ACT and Calculus I Ready
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission Meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and have 2.5 GPA and Calculus I Ready and Completed with a C- or better the following course: CHE 1103 (General Chemistry) or CHE 1143 (Principles of Chemistry I)

*New SAT scores combine Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math.

Students interested in majoring in Biology must meet the following admission requirements. Freshman and Transfer students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Life & Health Sciences Studies where students will be able to work towards meeting the pre-requisites needed to declare Biology as their major.

Fall 2022 Applicants
No additional requirements; applicants must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements
Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission < 30 hours Meet UTSA’s general freshman admission requirements
Direct Admission >= 30 hours Meet UTSA’s general transfer admission requirements and completed College Algebra or higher which can be achieved with dual or transfer credit for College Algebra, Precalculus or Calculus I, or score 50 or higher on CLEP College Algebra Exam, or score 3 or higher on AP Calculus Exam or meet mastery metrics for Pre-Calculus or higher on the ALEKS placement exam
Students interested in majoring in Computer Science must meet the following additional requirements. Freshman and Transfer students who do not meet these requirements, but meet UTSA’s general admission requirements will be admitted into Engineering, Mathematics, and Sciences Studies where students will be able to work towards meeting the pre-requisites needed to declare Computer Science as their major.

Fall 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and be Pre-Calculus Ready
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission Meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and completed MAT 1073 or higher with grade of C- or better
Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 15% 1350 SAT* or 29 ACT and Calculus I Ready
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission Meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and be Calculus I Ready and Completed with a C- or better CS 1083 Programming I for Computer Science (UTSA Equivalencies or higher CS 1083, CS 1714 or CS 2124

*New SAT scores combine Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math.

Online Degree Programs

Students who are interested in majoring in Communication-Online must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements.
Students who are interested in majoring in Cyber Security-Online must meet the following additional requirements.

Fall 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and be able to enroll in MAT 1053 Mathematics for Business or a higher level mathematics course in your first semester at UTSA
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and completed or be able to enroll in MAT 1053 Mathematics for Business or a higher level mathematics course in your first semester at UTSA
POST BACCALAUREATE No additional requirements. Post baccalaureates who completed a degree from an accredited university will have direct admission into the Cyber Security-Online program.
Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 Applicants
FRESHMAN Admission High School Class Rank Minimum Test Scores
Direct Admission Top 25% Meet UTSA’s general freshman admission requirements and be TSI Complete and have completed or are eligible to enroll in the following courses: MAT 1053 and WRC 1013
Direct Admission Top 50% SAT score of at least 1100 (Reading and Math, old SAT), 1170 (Reading and Math, new SAT*) or an ACT composite score of at least 24 and be TSI Complete and qualify for enrollment in or completed the equivalent of the following: MAT 1053 and WRC 1013
TRANSFER Admission Transferable Credits Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale) & Coursework
Direct Admission meet UTSA’s general admission requirements and 2.5 overall GPA on all transferable coursework, eligible to return to most recent institution, must be TSI Complete and qualify for enrollment in or completed the equivalent of the following: MAT 1053 and WRC 1013.
POST BACCALAUREATE No additional requirements. Post baccalaureates who completed a degree from an accredited university will have direct admission into the Cyber Security-Online program.

*New SAT scores combine Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math.

Students who are interested in majoring in Multidisciplinary Studies-Online must meet UTSA’s general admission requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an “academic studies” program?

An “academic studies” program is based on the major that you applied for, but it also includes several other similar majors. For example, there are 10 majors grouped under the Business Academic Studies: actuarial science, accounting, cyber security, economics, finance, information systems, management science, management, marketing, and real estate finance and development. For these “academic studies,” the courses you need to take in your first year at UTSA are common to all the majors in that program. This allows you to take the appropriate courses to work toward your degree and be grouped with other students who have similar academic interests to yours.

What is University College?

University College is one of UTSA’s nine colleges and its mission is devoted exclusively to undergraduate students and their success. University College collaborates with other colleges, departments, and offices throughout the university that are focused on helping you achieve academic excellence — no matter what your major is. University College also houses the Multidisciplinary Studies major.

Why am I not admitted to the program I applied for?

Some of the academic programs at UTSA have specific requirements to be admitted directly into the program. These requirements are in place to ensure you are successful when you do enter the program.

How can I move from an Academic Studies to a major/degree program?

Your academic advisor will be able to tell you what is needed to move from the academic studies program to your intended major/degree. In most cases, these are a set of courses that you need to complete within your first two or three semesters at UTSA. Once these are completed, you will be automatically moved into your major/degree.

Can I change the major I indicated on my application?

You will have the opportunity to change your major during your orientation academic advising appointment, if you’re able to meet the requirements for the major.

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