Texas Tech University

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How do I contact my advisor?

How do I make an appointment?

Am I required to see my advisor every term?

Yes! Every major student is required to see their major advisor every term. If you are a double major you have to see both advisors.

What if my preferred appointment time isn't available?

Sorry! Appointment time is limited and appointments fill up quickly. Keep an eye on Raider Success Hub to see if an earlier spot opens up!

Are there walk in appointment times or email appointments available?

No walk in appointments are allowed.
If you are studying abroad or completing an internship out of Lubbock please send an email to sara.dennis@ttu.edu with all of your course options for the upcoming term as well as any questions you have.

When can I register?

You can visit Raiderlink- MyTech Tab – Registration – Registration Status (Dates and Holds) to see your registration date each term. Classifications are based on credit hours, not semesters completed.

How do I late add a course?

The late add period is after the 4th day of class and before the 12th day of class in the fall and spring semesters. During summer terms, it starts after the 3rd and 4th class days. Adding late is strongly discouraged due to missed assignments and information. Attendance also needs to be considered as some professors count from the 1st day even if you weren't in the course yet. Late adds are disrupting for the teacher as well as the student who have been attending from the beginning. Students who add late statistically do not do well for a variety of reasons. Therefore, late adds are never automatic, but require research and careful consideration. If adding late also requires an override, then please consult the override information as well.
- MUST have the professor's permission in and EMAIL including the student's R#, course prefix, CRN, and if possible, section number.
For POLS courses you can email sara.dennis@ttu.edu . For all other courses you will need to contact the department you are trying to late add into. There are no late adds into online sections of POLS 1301 or 2306. No exceptions.

What is the policy on overrides and permits?

During the approved registration time period, if a class reaches capacity, a student may ask for an override. Keep in mind that capacities are set for a reason, and overrides are rarely permitted. If a student does not have the necessary prerequisites for a course, they need to email the POLS advisor with their specific situation sara.dennis@ttu.edu.

What do I do if I have a hold on my account?

If there is a hold on your account, you need to get the hold removed from the office who placed it there. For instance, if you have a housing hold, you must contact housing to remove the hold. You can check your hold by visiting Raiderlink – MyTech Tab – Registration – Registration Status (Dates and Holds). POLS department holds are updated each semester after course advising appointments. POLS Holds will not  be removed for any reason other than a students has had their advising appointment.

How do I know which courses are going to be offered for a semester or summer session?

You can visit Raiderlink – MyTech tab – Registration – Section Search Tool and select the term you are looking for and you can see all available courses.

How can I find important deadline information, such as the last day to drop a course, or when tuition is due?

Please visit the link for the official Academic Calendar

Raiderlink won't allow me to drop my Summer class. How can this be resolved?

If you are registered for one class during a Summer session that you need to drop without registering for a different class, you'll need to get in touch with the Registrar's office for assistance.

How can I find out if TTU accepts transfer credit for the courses I want to take at another college or university?

This Transfer Equivalency Search is quite handy.

What is my GPA?

This information can be viewed on your Raiderlink transcript. Go to Raiderlink - MyTech –  Transcript -  Unofficial Transcript – View Online. You can also view this in DegreeWorks

How do I know which requirements I have not yet completed?

Your DegreeWorks report provides this information. You can also access this report if you go to Raiderlink -MyTech - Registration -DegreeWorks. If you ever have any questions about this report you should contact your major advisor.

What are my fall through courses in DegreeWorks?

These courses do not currently have a specific place in your degree plan. These courses could change depending on your minor, double major and general elective needs if you need electives. These courses will be discussed in advising appointments. General Electives are not considered until your last semester.

I'm having difficulty with Visual Schedule Builder. How can I figure this out?

This video tutorial explains how to use Visual Schedule Builder to make planning your schedule easier

What do I need to do to declare or change my major or minor?

Meet with the advisor for the subject for which you would like to declare of change your major or minor. You can schedule a meeting with many TTU advisors via Raider Success Hub. If you're not able to find the advisor you need through this website, you can check the department's webpage.

I'm receiving a Campus Restriction error message when trying to register. What does that mean?

This usually means that the section is restricted to a distance education students. Try registering for a different section. Some courses have the restriction lifted about a month prior to the term beginning and some will never have the restriction lifted. This is all department specific. You can ask the department for permission to register for a distance course but it is not guaranteed.

What are some of the academic services available to me?

What are the graduation Requirements for Arts and Sciences?

College of Arts & Sciences Graduation Requirements: - Fulfill major requirements - Fulfill minor or 2nd major requirements  - Fulfill General Degree requirements – Fulfill Additional Arts and Sciences Requirements -  Acquire 120 Earned Hours -  Of the 120 hours acquire at least 40 at the junior/senior (3000/4000) level -  Grade point average 2.0 or higher

What is CLEP? How do I sign up? When do take it?

What is Concurrent Enrollment? What are the rules?

Concurrent Enrollment Rule: "Concurrent" typically means "at the same time." The catalog states: "Students who are registered at Texas Tech and wish to register concurrently at another institution must obtain prior written approval from the academic dean of the college in which they are enrolled. This approval apples to all residence courses, extension courses, and distance education courses in progress elsewhere at the time of registration and those begun during the semester." The College of Arts & Sciences typically does not grant such permission except under exceptional circumstances. You must speak with the Dr. Iber for concurrent enrollment approval. If you ask for concurrent enrollment in your graduating semester you will automatically be moved to the next semester for graduation.

What is a degree plan and when do I fill one out?

Degree plan: This phrase has more than one meaning. When I use it, I mean an official form that your major advisor can give you  that details the requirements of your program(s), i.e., your major(s) and, possibly, minor(s). In some colleges the requirements are preprinted on the form, but in many the advisor fills in by hand the courses that are required. It is often, but not always, on a multi part form that is pressure sensitive so that one of the copies can be given to you when you turn it in. It will be turned into Holden Hall 102 after it is completed.  It is normally required after you have earned 45 hours but can be turned in prior to earning 45 hours. If the college finds that you have earned 60 or more hours and you do not have a degree plan on file with them, they normally place a hold on your registration so that you cannot add or drop classes until you turn in that form. The procedure for completing the form involves you emailing sara.dennis@ttu.edu with your R number, your name and your major/minor. Once you have sent an email you can expect the paperwork to be done with 24-48 hours.

I want to take a course Pass/Fail, how do I do that?

Pass/Fail option: The courses you can take Pass/Fail are severely restricted. If you need the course for your major, your minor or for a Core or General Degree requirement, you MAY NOT take it pass/fail. The deadlines for declaring that you are taking a course pass/fail are stated in the Academic Calendar. It usually corresponds to the last day you can drop a course for that semester.

 

Department of Political Science

  • Address

    Dept. of Political Science, Texas Tech University, 113 Holden Hall, Boston & Akron Streets, Lubbock, TX 79409-1015 Fax: 806.742.0850
  • Phone

    806.742.3121
  • Email

    pols.webmaster@ttu.edu