Texas Southmost College (TSC) Academics and Admissions

Academics

A member of the University of Texas system beginning in 1991, the University of Texas at Brownsville, was formed from a partnership between Texas Southmost College and the University of Texas-Pan American at Brownsville. Today the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, often abbreviated UTB/TSC for obvious reasons, is a four-year public University that offers a wide range of associate, baccalaureate, and graduate courses, as well as a continuing education program. It is accredited by the Commission on colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award certificates, associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees.

Located on 524 acres in southern Brownsville, Texas, UTB/TSC’s nearly 20,000 students enjoy the sprawling campus’s unique architecture, and historical significance as the historic Fort Brown. The campus’s most historic buildings are remnants from the one-time U.S. Army outpost. As the University expands, buildings like a former Holiday Inn, the Amigoland Mall, and Brownsville historic buildings have been acquired and incorporated into the University’s real estate holdings. Campus highlights include the Education & Business Complex, the Mary Rose Cardenas North and South Halls, the Regiment House, the Smith Amphitheatre, the Old Cotton Gin, the Building 23 Married Officer’s Quarters and more. Off-campus facilities include the Andres Cueto Building, the International Technology Education and Commerce Campus and the Young House.

Through the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs offered at UTB/TSC, the University strives to “provide for personal enrichment,” and “expand knowledge” via research, service and training. The University is an advocate of bilingual abilities amongst its students, due to its unique heritage and proximity to a wide scope of cultural, social, and economic influences in the bi-national Lower Rio Grande Valley region. The Colleges, Schools and Departments at UTB/TSC are the College of Applied Technology & General Studies, the College of Education, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science, Mathematics & Technology, the School of Business, the School of Health Sciences, and the Office of Graduate Studies. Popular University programs are liberal arts, mathematics, nutrition & exercise therapy, education & teaching, security & law enforcement and art studies. Some of the University’s academic highlights are the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy, the Center for Biomedical Studies, and the Center for Civic Engagement. A cooperative Doctoral program is in place with the University of Houston. The UTB/TSC academic calendar is divided into the Fall semester, Spring semester, and Summer sessions I & II.

On-campus classroom classes are offered, as are a variety of online and distance learning courses. The University of Texas at Brownsville also offers online degree programs. Online master programs include the master of education in educational technology, the master in business administration, and the master of science in mathematics with emphasis on distance learning. Bachelor degree programs are offered in many areas, including but not limited to computer information systems technology, nursing, legal studies, criminal justice, and health services technology. Online certificate programs are available in polysomnography certification, E-learning, and the master technology teacher certificate.

The Department of Workforce Training and Continuing Education offers classes through the International Technology, Education and Commerce Campus for the improvement of technical and personal skills in areas like criminal justice, high school equivalency (GED), Kids’ College, and the language institute.

Most Popular Fields of Study

Information Summary

Ranks 97th in Texas and 1966th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	63.9
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$4,542
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	16 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	69% / 58%
Enrollment Total (all students)	7,130

Admissions

Undergraduate admissions at UTB/TSC maintain an “open door” admissions policy. Applicants to some programs, however, are subject to specific requirements. The Academic Advising Center can inform prospective students about programs which are currently competitive, or subject to limited enrollment.

Admissions criteria must be met in one of the following areas: the student is a high school graduate, the student can submit a GED or other high school equivalency score or record of completion, students who do not have a high school diploma or equivalency but have meet the standards for “individual approval,” transfer students, concurrent or dual enrollment students who have completed their junior year of high school and have special permission, and fresh start students pursuant to the Texas Education Code’s “academic fresh start” stature. Basically, students may elect to expunge any academic evaluations made 10 or more years prior to enrollment under the fresh start program. Students applying to adult and continuing education enrollment programs will not be subject to such admissions standards, provided they are not enrolling in credit-awarding courses.

Graduate Admissions require the proof of receipt of a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited four-year college or university, a GPA of 3.0 or better, official GRE or GMAT sores, and an application essay. Special admissions criteria may be set by each master’s degree program’s department. Students not meeting the previously stated admissions standards may qualify for admission with conditions, or non-degree or transient status.

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Financial Aid

Students wishing to seek financial aid assistance should contact the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Financial Assistance Office directly with specific inquiries. At UTB/TSC students are available for both federal and private grants, loans, work study programs and scholarships. General scholarships, departmental scholarships, state scholarships, private scholarships and more are available with year-round departmental deadlines. Some students may be eligible under the Imagine College! tuition program, which awards full tuition and fees for first-time full-time freshmen, who are Texas residents and have a family income of under $30,000. Students must maintain various academic standards to comply with the program’s requirements throughout the academic year.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 6354th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Texas.

Students

A wide variety of student academic support programs help students at UTB/TSC, like ASPIRE; the College Assistance Migrant Program, the Leadership & Mentorship Program, STING, Student Success, the University Scorpion Scholars and the Veterans Upward Bound. A variety of non-academic student services are available on campus, which include but are not limited to student government, student life and activities, student health services, a student union, career services, judicial services, and campus recreation. Some of the University’s many clubs and organizations are the Comedy Club, the Alpha Chi honors society, the Café Literario, the Philosophy Club and Tae Kwon Do.

Campus housing is available to students through the Residential Life department. Amenities include furnished rooms, private bathrooms, appliances and electronics, on-site laundry, computer labs, free Wi-Fi, parking, and live-in staff.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College fields intercollegiate sports teams in the Red River Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The orange, blue and white Scorpions participate in men’s soccer, golf and baseball, and women’s soccer, volleyball and golf. The homes of UTB/TSC athletics are the new Recreation, Education and Kinesiology Center Field, the REK Center Field, Scorpion Field and the Manuel Garza B. Gymnasium.

Fitness is encouraged for all UTB/TSC students through informal recreation, aquatics, fitness & wellness, intramural sports and sports clubs. Group fitness training is offered, as are marathon and triathlon training programs, a strongest scorpion competition, personal fitness training, and nutrition programs. Students choose from men’s and women’s intramural teams like flag football, softball, soccer, and basketball.

Texas Southmost College