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1. Disability Resource Center (DRC)

The DRC offers a variety of services and resources for students with disabilities to have equitable access and experiences while attending Â鶹ÊÓƵ. Academic adjustments/accommodations are determined through an interactive process to provide the best possible access to the university's activities, programs and services. General accommodations available but are not limited to: extended test time, distraction reduced testing environments, alternative formats, assistive technology, sign language interpreters, closed captioning, CART or communication access real time, note takers, physical access and priority registration. Once accepted to the university, please contact the DRC to schedule an intake appointment to discuss accommodation request. At the appointment, documentation will be needed to establish a disability has been diagnosed and that it supports accommodation requests defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the "ADA Amendments Act of 2008" including section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Determining accommodations and academic adjustments is an interactive process which may include a student's disability documentation, self-report, past experience with accommodations and other supporting information that helps determine what accommodations are necessary.

The Disability Resource Center is located in 105 Communication Building. Students or guests can contact the DRC by calling (409) 880-8347, (409) 880-5886 VP, fax (409) 880-2225, email DRC@lamar.edu or by visiting in person Communication building, office 105. Additional information is available at the DRC web site.

2. Texas Intensive English Program (TIEP at Lamar)

TIEP at Lamar  is a branch campus of the . 

TIEP at Lamar offers two strands of intensive English study: Foundations of English and English for Academic Purposes.

The Foundations of English program is designed for students with beginning to low-intermediate English proficiency as determined by the TIEP Placement Exam.

Level 101 - An introductory course for students with no English proficiency or very limited proficiency. Emphasis on oral-aural skills, grammar and development of vocabulary for everyday life. Introduction to elementary reading and writing.

Level 110 - An elementary course for students with limited English proficiency. Emphasis on the development of oral-aural skills, grammar, writing, reading and vocabulary for everyday life.

Level 120 - A transitional beginning-intermediate course which reviews and refines the foundations of English grammar. Emphasis on application and practice in all four skill areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

The English for Academic Purposes program is designed for students with intermediate to advanced English proficiency who plan to enter an undergraduate or graduate program in an American college or university. All levels teach the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), as well as grammar, vocabulary and study skills, although the relative emphasis on each varies according to the level.

Level 130 - An intermediate course with an emphasis on integrative skill development. Instruction in expository writing at the paragraph and short essay level and reading of simplified material. Includes study of all basic grammatical structures and basic listening/note-taking practice.

Level 140 - A transitional intermediate-advanced course with in-depth study of selected complex grammar structures. Reading of both simplified ESL and authentic academic material. Writing of expository compositions and a brief library research paper. Practice in advanced listening, conversation and use of idioms.

Levels 150 & 160 - Advanced integrated-skill courses with a focus on academic preparation designed to help bridge students into college and university work. Emphasis on strengthening university research and study skills and developing reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiency through in-depth reading of authentic texts; writing formal essays, reports and a documented paper; taking lecture notes and participating in various formal and informal speaking tasks. Attention given to vocabulary expansion, advanced grammar in context, pronunciation, test preparation and individual students' academic goals.

Note: Actual course availability may vary.

TIEP at Lamar also administers the English language courses for the Academic Bridge Program. This program exists for special applicants admitted to the university although their TOEFL scores are slightly below the minimum, By enrolling in half English language study and half academic study, Bridge students learn English and make progress toward their academic degree. More information can be found .

Additional information is available by calling (409) 880-8012, emailing the TIEP at Lamar director at TIEPatlamar@tiec.org or writing TIEP at Lamar, P.O. Box 10130, Beaumont, Texas 77710.

3. Military and Veteran Affairs

The Veterans Affairs (VA) Office assists all students attending Â鶹ÊÓƵ using education benefits through the Active Duty Tuition Assistance Program, VA Educational Assistance Programs and the Texas Hazlewood Exemption Act.  Our goal is to provide the pertinent information required to all our VA students attending Â鶹ÊÓƵ. 

Qualifying students are encouraged to complete admissions and testing requirements 90 to 120 days prior to the first day of class with applications for educational benefits completed at least 30 to 45 days prior to the first day of class to ensure timely delivery of benefits. 

 Further information may be found by visiting our office in the Wimberly Building, Suite 101, on our website, or by calling (409) 880-7198.

4. University Writing Center

An academic support program of the Department of English and Modern Languages, the University Writing Center has two locations -  one on the first floor of the Mary and John Gray Library and the other on the first floor of Morris Hall - and provides free writing consulting to students and faculty. Graduate and undergraduate students serve as consultants and assist students with their writing for any course by guiding students through the entire writing process. The Writing Center provides consulting in the following areas: understanding the assignment, brainstorming, organizing ideas, revising, editing and interpreting the graded paper. Each personalized writing conference aspires to more than just the short-term goal of improving a particular paper. Rather, our writing conferences actively engage students in identifying and addressing their writing needs so that students improve their composition practices and skills and learn to apply them to various writing tasks and purposes. To achieve this, consultants use facilitative strategies that produce authentic learning and complement classroom instruction. In the interest of academic integrity, consultants neither edit nor in any other way correct students' papers for them. Students may seek assistance with non-academic writing as well, such as graduate school applications and scholarship letters. Our consulting service is beneficial to students of all writing abilities, as strong writers can also benefit from the collaborative activity of a peer writing conference. To schedule an appointment, students can visit the Writing Center Facebook page at  or the main website at www.lamar.edu/writingcenter. The Writing Center also serves faculty by providing writing and documentation resources as well as fee-based editing and a personal introduction of services to their classes. The Writing Center seeks to encourage scholarly activity across campus and provides both independent and in-class workshops each semester in support of such activity. Both writing centers are equipped with Macs and PCs for student use, restricted to academic research and writing assignments. Magic and JAWS are installed on each computer.

Contact information for students: (409) 880-8571, UWC@lamar.edu.  

Contact information for faculty and staff: (409) 880-8587, jennifer.ravey@lamar.edu.

5. Center for Academic Success (CAS)

Location: COMM 109, (409) 880-7548. The Center for Academic Success is a multiservice unit whose mission is to provide professional, personalized, academic support and counseling to help students identify and clarify educational, career and personal goals; enhance individual academic performance, retention and persistence until graduation; and maximize students’ satisfaction with their university experience. Our vision is to serve as the university’s primary location for academic and personal support resources and referrals. CAS is a welcoming resource center where students work side by side with professional staff and peers to maximize their potential for academic success.

McNair Scholars Program

Location: COMM 106, (409) 880-7582, /mcnair/. The McNair Scholars Program is federally funded by the Department of Education to motivate and prepare first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students for the rigors of graduate school through involvement in undergraduate research, funded travel to professional conferences, academic workshops and faculty mentoring. The goal of the program is ultimately to prepare students for success at the doctoral level and increase the number of Ph.D.s from underrepresented groups.

Student Tutoring and Retention Services (STARS)

Location: COMM 109, (409) 880-7201, /student-tutoring-and-retention/. STAR Services provides sustained support, guidance, resources and information to help students achieve their educational and lifelong goals and serves Â鶹ÊÓƵ students through Learning Communities, mentoring and learning skills development, REDtalks and Supplemental Instruction. STAR Services also offers individual, group and walk-in tutoring for most undergraduate subjects on the first floor of the Mary and John Gray Library. Please refer to our website for hours of operation and contact our office at STARS@lamar.edu for more information.

6. Undergraduate Advising Center

Freshmen and sophomores with fewer than 60 credit hours are advised in the Undergraduate Advising Center (UAC). The UAC supports the mission of Â鶹ÊÓƵ by enhancing student development and success through exemplary service, collaboration, and support in academic advising. The UAC facilitates student success and engagement by advising, enrolling, tracking, and referring students to faculty, departments, support services, and activities. The UAC proactively assesses and responds to student needs as professional advisors meet multiple times each semester to formulate the appropriate plan for student success toward degree completion. 

Students with over 60 credit hours meet with advisors within their academic major.

Extensive advisement opportunities for Juniors and Seniors are also available through the Offices of Student Advising and Retention Services (STARS). Detailed information is available at /student-advising-and-retention/.

I Will Enrollment Agreement

Students who do not meet the requirements for “unconditional admission” to Â鶹ÊÓƵ will be considered on an individual approval basis termed I Will enrollment.  Â鶹ÊÓƵ is committed to higher educational opportunity and recognizes that traditional formal admission requirements are imperfect predictors of student success.   Effort, dedication, and related intangible factors do matter; hence, I Will.   Lamar is equally committed to student success and behaviors indicative of future achievement.  I Will students begin their college careers within a structured higher educational environment specifically created with their needs, the needs of their fellow students, and the requirements of the university in mind.  Prospective students who do not meet the requirements for “unconditional admission” will be reviewed for individual approval and notified if I Will enrollment is offered to them.

7. Center for College Readiness

To assist students in meeting the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Program, Â鶹ÊÓƵ offers courses at the college readiness or pre-collegiate level. Students who do not achieve required scores on one or more portions of the approved college readiness test(s) must be enrolled in at least one college readiness course or program. All TSI-restricted and Individual Approval students must receive approval from the Undergraduate Advising Center to add or drop a course. Usually, a course may not be added after the first two days of the semester. For detailed information about courses and policies, contact the Undergraduate Advising Center at (409) 880-8822 or e-mail advising@lamar.edu. For information about test scores necessary to enter Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s regular courses, go to /center-for-college-readiness/.

Pre-Collegiate Courses

To serve students whose performance on the college readiness test(s) indicates under-preparation, college readiness courses are offered in each of the skill areas. Students are placed into one of the three college readiness math courses based on the level of preparation indicated by the placement test.

CRRE 0371 – College Readiness Reading. Development of basic reading skills at the college level. The course is required of all students who have not achieved the required score on the reading portion of an approved placement test. This course does not satisfy the general degree requirements for any major. Prerequisite: None

CRMA 0370 – College Readiness Math-Pre-Algebra. Development of basic arithmetic skills. This course is a prerequisite for CRMA 0371 and is required for all students who have not achieved the required score on the math portion of an approved placement test. This course does not satisfy the general degree requirement for mathematics.

CRMA 0371 – College Readiness Math-Algebra I. Development of basic algebraic skills. This course is a prerequisite for CRMA 0372 and is required for all students who have not achieved the required score on the math portion of an approved placement test. This course does not satisfy the general degree requirement for mathematics. Prerequisite: CRMA 0370 or equivalent.

CRMA 0372 – College Readiness Math-Algebra II. Development of intermediate algebraic skills. This course is required for all students who have not achieved required scores on the math portion of an approved placement test. For these students, the course is a prerequisite for MATH 1314 or MATH 1324. This course does not satisfy the general degree requirements for mathematics. Prerequisite: CRMA 0371 or equivalent.

CRWT 0371 – College Readiness Writing. Development of basic composition and writing skills. This course is a prerequisite for all students who have not achieved the required score on the writing portion of an approved placement test. This course does not satisfy general degree requirements for freshman English.

8. The ReaudHonors College

The Reaud Honors College integrates academic excellence, community involvement, and civic leadership. The College provides opportunities in academics, campus engagement, residential life, summer projects, and community service, with personal attention paid to the needs, interests, and aspirations of each individual student. Through regular strategic advisement with our students, we explore, refine, and develop their personal goals and assist them in engaging with realistic opportunities in their academic and professional lives such that they may achieve Reaud Honors College Graduate status and further their educational and professional aspirations beyond Â鶹ÊÓƵ.

Incoming freshmen are expected to have an SAT score of 1200 (critical reading + mathematics) or above or a ranking in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. A composite score of 27 or higher on the ACT can be used as a substitute for the SAT.Students already enrolled at Lamar must have a University GPA of at least 3.5 and between 12 and 45 academic credits to apply. Honors College students must have a GPA of 3.4 to maintain eligibility. Applications are available in the Reaud Honors College office or may be downloaded from the Â鶹ÊÓƵ web site. For more information call (409)-880-2294.

The Honors College offers enriched classes in most of the Core Curriculum courses, unique interdisciplinary Honors seminars and topics courses, enhanced courses in many majors, and opportunities for Independent Study and the Honors Thesis, as detailed below. All Honors College students, regardless of major, are encouraged to become Reaud Honors College Graduates through accruing 23 Honors credit hours including the Honors Thesis, or 26 hours (of which 8 hours must be at the junior or senior level) without the thesis. All students must take two Honors seminars or one Honors Topics course. Students also participate in at least one high impact educational practice in the areas of undergraduate research/creative activity, diversity/global learning, internships/cooperative education, or service learning. Reaud Honors College students are eligible for generous financial support through McMaster Honors Scholarships and Grants as well as the Tom Jones Memorial Scholarship.

Within the University’s Core Curriculum, Lamar offers Honors sections in every Core Area as well as opportunities to petition for Honors credit in other courses at the 1000-2000 levels that are required in a significant array of student degree plans. Honors credit involves course assignments in addition to (or different from) the standard course. Students should consult with individual professors or the Honors Dean for details.

3000-4000 level honors credits can be earned in several ways: 1) through upper-level Honors courses and seminars, 2) through Honors Independent Study classes, 3) through adding an Honors Contract to an upper-level class, or 4) through the Honors Thesis. All Honors students take at least two Honors Seminars (HNRS 3161) or one Honors Topics course (HNRS 4364). These unique, interdisciplinary courses are available only to Honors students and enable students to extend their studies beyond the traditional academic disciplines. Honors Independent Study (HNRS 3360) provides the opportunity for students in any major to create a course of study that is not covered in the regular curriculum. Students often use this opportunity for independent

research and creative endeavor. The Honors Contract may be used to individually enhance a course in the regular curriculum for Honors credit. Honors Thesis (HNRS 4360 and 4361) permits students aiming at post-baccalaureate degrees to demonstrate clearly the ability to complete a major research/creative project. For all students, it provides the opportunity to pursue in depth an area of study or research that is personally important or intriguing. Forms and guidelines for both of these options may be secured in the Reaud Honors College office or downloaded from its website.

Honors Student Life

Reaud Honors College students come from all over Texas, the United States, and even the world. They represent all five academic colleges at Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Development, Engineering, and Fine Arts and Communication) and pursue a wide array of interests. Honors students are among the most active students on campus; they participate in the full range of student organizations, often serving in leadership roles. For all of their differences, however, Reaud Honors College students are united by the goal of getting more out of college by putting more into it.

The Honors Student Association encourages participation in the cultural life of the campus and community and provides Honors students their own vehicle for organizing events and service activities and getting involved in campus life. The HSA meets monthly, and its elected officers serve as the official Student Advisory Board for the Reaud Honors College. The HSA regularly wins awards as one of the foremost student organizations on campus.

New students will be contacted by an Honors Peer Mentor – usually in their major – who can assist them in preparing for and successfully negotiating the transition from high school (or another College) to Â鶹ÊÓƵ. These seasoned Honors students are committed to making incoming freshmen and transfer students feel at home in the Lamar Honors community.

Reaud Honors College students are also able to stay in Scholar’s Tower, the Honors wing of the residence halls. For more information about Honors Program activities, see /honors-college/.

9. Air Force ROTC

Â鶹ÊÓƵ offers the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) through written agreement with the University of Houston. All Â鶹ÊÓƵ Air Force ROTC courses and physical training sessions take place on the University of Houston campus.

The University of Houston will provide AFROTC instruction in the General Military Course and/or the Professional Office Course to qualified and selected applicants who are Â鶹ÊÓƵ students, enroll qualified students of Â鶹ÊÓƵ who are selected for the General Military Course and/or the Professional Officer Course as members of the Air Force detachment of the University of Houston, and provide uniforms, in accordance with the existing agreement between the University of Houston and the Secretary of the Air Force, to Â鶹ÊÓƵ for all Air Force ROTC cadets who are enrolled as members for the Air Force ROTC detachment at the University of Houston. The courses required for this program carry Â鶹ÊÓƵ numbers, and students pay all applicable tuition and fees to Â鶹ÊÓƵ. For more information on the Air Force Science program, contact the Air Force Science Department at the University of Houston by calling (713) 743-4932 or online at .

Course Credit

ROTC classes may be taken for elective credit toward any degree plan at Â鶹ÊÓƵ or as a minor for some programs. Classes are open to all students. No military obligation is incurred as a result of enrollment in these courses. ROTC scholarship students do incur a military obligation.

The freshman- and sophomore-level courses (the General Military Course) consist of one hour of classroom instruction as well as a Leadership Laboratory each week. Each semester of the junior and senior courses (Professional Officer Corps) consists of three classroom hours of instruction as well as a Leadership Laboratory each week. As a junior, the student will study the core values, leadership, teamwork and management tools required to become an effective Air Force officer. During the senior year, students study the national security policy process, complete regional and cultural studies, and complete final requirements for commissioning as second lieutenants. Enrollment in the Professional Officer Corps (POC) is open to graduate students if they have four semesters of school remaining. Graduate student enrollment is based on needs of the Air Force. Each semester of the POC (traditionally junior and senior year) consists of three classroom hours of instruction as well as Leadership Laboratory each week.

Air Force Science Minor

Students considering using Air Force ROTC classes as a minor should consult an advisor in their major field. The minor must consist of a minimum of 18 semester hours, of which 12 must be at the junior or senior level (3000 or 4000 level). Nine semester hours of these must be completed in residence, of which six must be advanced. Students must attend Field Training in order to be commissioned.

Leadership Laboratory

As an Air Force ROTC cadet, each student is required to attend an additional two-hour class known as Leadership Laboratory. Although not part of the academic class requirement, it is an essential element of officer training. Leadership Laboratory is an intensive military training program in which students gain invaluable leadership and managerial experience while learning about the Air Force way of life. Students have numerous opportunities to hear guest speakers and panel discussions, participate in field trips and experience practical leadership exercises.

AFROTC Scholarship Opportunities

Air Force ROTC offers various scholarship opportunities for students at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. All AFROTC scholarship recipients receive a nontaxable monthly stipend; this is in addition to the tuition and book scholarship monies. The annual stipend amount ranges from $2,500 per year to $4,500 per year, depending on the recipient's enrollment year. For additional information on AFROTC scholarship opportunities, please visit the or call 1-800-4AFROTC.

Additional Training

All cadets are required to complete a summer Field Training (FT) program. This rigorous program of leadership training, physical conditioning and academics assesses the cadet's potential to be an Air Force officer. Cadets also receive survival and firearms training and career information. Cadets receive travel pay and daily pay for FT. This training occurs the summer prior to entry into the Professional Officer Corps (traditionally summer prior to junior year.)

Cadets meet two times per week at the University of Houston Alumni Center to perform physical fitness training. The training is mandatory and emphasizes push-ups, sit-ups and running in order to pass the USAF physical fitness test. Lamar students combine their academics, leadership laboratory and physical fitness into one day at University of Houston. Other physical fitness training is conducted on an honor system set up directly between the Cadets and Detachment 003.

Cadets are eligible to compete to attend Professional Development Training during the summer months. These programs are strictly voluntary. This training includes activities such as tours of nearby active duty Air Force bases, soaring and free-fall parachuting at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), Cultural and Foreign Language Immersion abroad, hands-on research at Air Force laboratories, shadowing an Air Force officer in Operation Air Force, and internships at NASA and other government organizations. Cadets receive travel pay and daily pay for the majority of these programs. For more information, contact the Unit Admissions Officer at (713) 743-4932 or visit the University of Houston Air Force website at .

10. Center for General Studies/Bachelor of General Studies

Program Coordinator: Dr. Joe Nordgren, 203 Parker Building, Phone (409) 880-8508

Director of Academic Advising: Ms. Frances Morris,107 Communication Building, Phone (409) 880-7570, Email: gsadvising@lamar.edu

The Center for General Studies assists students who have not selected a major with enrollment and course selection and provides counseling on academic progress and academic opportunities. Students who have yet to select a major are restricted to 1000-and 2000-level courses but are free to enroll in additional lower-level electives while completing the components of the General Education Core Curriculum. Typically, students will choose a major field of study by the end of the third semester of enrollment. Students should consult the discipline-specific sections of this catalog to identify advisors and advising centers for academic departments.

The Bachelor of General Studies degree can provide opportunity for an individual to construct a personal curricular plan, i.e., to take courses in more than one area of interest, resulting in a broad-based program of study. Additionally, the Bachelor of General Studies program is designed for those students who have already established careers and who wish to earn credit toward a degree while learning for the pleasure of learning. The Bachelor of General Studies degree will be granted upon the completion of 120 semester credit hours as follows: General Education Core Curriculum (42 semester hours); General electives (33 semester hours): Advanced Requirements, AASC-3301 and AASC-4301 (6 semester hours); and Advanced Electives (39 semester hours). Course selection is subject to the approval of the academic advisor. A minimum of 45 upper-division hours is required, with at least 12 advanced hours in each of three areas of concentration. At least 12 hours of these upper-division courses will be at the 4000 level. Students entering the B.G.S. degree program must earn a “C” or higher in all upper-level courses (required courses and electives) that comprise the 45 advanced hours within the suggested program of study.