Here are a few common questions:
Q: I am a transfer student, do you have anything special for transfer students?
Q: How do my credits transfer from another college?
Q: Who are academic advisors?
Q: What should I talk to my advisor about?
Q: How do I build a semester class schedule?
Q: What is a typical course load at HBU?
Q: What are SMITH COLLEGE Requirements?
Q: I am in the Honors College, what classes do I take?
Q: What are the graduation requirements?
Q: What are the PROFICENCY REQUIREMENTS for graduation?
Q: How do I register or drop/add classes?
Q: How do I forward my HBU email account to my personal email account? What if I am having problems with my HBU electronic accounts?
Q: How do I figure my GPA
Q: What do I do if I get placed on Academic Probation
Send your questions to . . . . ."Ask An Advisor"
Q: I am a transfer student, do you have anything special for transfer students?
A: Transfer SOAR - Orientation for all new HBU transfer students.
Q: How do my credits transfer from another college?
A: Houston Baptist University is a participant in the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS). If a student takes a course at another participating Texas college or university, HBU may accept the course in transfer as equivalent to the corresponding HBU course if certain curriculum standards match. The TCCNS keeps a record of these Common Course Numbers for reference between the participating institutions.
Since HBU course numbers are not identical to the TCCNS, a Cross-Reference System is used. This information shows which TCCNS courses will meet degree requirements at HBU. Credit is always given at the same level at which the course was originally taken.
View our Quick Reference Transfer Course Equivalents for a comparison to some local college and university courses. If you have additional questions regarding specifics of transfer credits, please contact the Admissions Office
Q: Who are academic advisors?
A: Academic advisors are HBU faculty members. As a new student, you are assigned advisor according to your intended major after you have initially registered for your first semester. If you want to change your major, you may do so at any time by visiting the Success and Advising Center. Academic advisors are available to assist you with educational and career planning, discuss academic successes and failures, and help with course selection each semester.
See more information on academic advisors
Q: What should I talk to my advisor about?
A: Possible issues to discuss with your advisor:
- your strengths, skills, abilities, talents, and gifts
- goals (goals for the semester, for the year, or after graduation)
- course selection
- fields of study or possible majors
- internships
- volunteer opportunities
- student leadership/campus involvement opportunities
- career paths
- other issues that support your personal, spiritual, and career goals
If you are considering several fields of interest and would like to talk with someone about further exploration, please contact the Success and Advising Center. The staff is available to assist you with further investigation and clarification regarding major, career, and life goals.
Q: How do I build a semester class schedule?
A: Use the HBU weekly planner to assist you in building your schedule for the semester. Remember to consider the following:
- For every one (1) hour in class, schedule two to three (2-3) hours of study outside of class.
- Think about scheduling courses with a break in between to prepare for class or review notes.
- Keep a daily planner to schedule weekly or bi-weekly work or campus related meetings.
- Eating healthy is important to your academic health; schedule time for a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Have a quick snack on hand to eat in between meals if necessary.
- Schedule time for your physical health; schedule time each week for aerobic activity.
- Plan ahead and select your Community Life and Worship opportunities for the semester. Put the dates on your weekly schedule.
Here are a few other tips to remember when planning your future at HBU:
- Double check with your advisor regarding the availability of courses and which semester they will be offered.
- Set a CLW goal....jot down how many activities you want to be involved in each semester.
- Make a note which semester you will need to file your degree plan in the Registrar's Office. (HINT: before you have reached 64 hours)
Q: What is a typical course load at HBU?
A: Officially a full-time student enrollment is 12 or more hours per semester (4 courses). A typical full-time course load is 15-18 credits. Taking an average of 18 credits each semester will allow you to finish your degree in four years.
To decide how many hours to enroll in each semester, follow this rule: for every 1 credit hour, you will probably dedicate a minimum of 2-3 hours outside of class to study, write papers, complete assignments, etc. With this rule in mind, BIOL 2475 requires at least 8-12 hours of work outside the classroom for successful completion. First-year students enroll in an ENGL course, and FYS 1100: The Freshmen Year Seminar, and at least 3-4 other courses for the first semester. An academic advisor will help you select appropriate courses.
Q: What is Smith College?
A: Smith College Core Requirements are basic requirements (54+ credit hours) which all HBU students must complete. SMITH COLLEGE includes courses in communication, Christianity, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, fine arts, science, mathematics, and kinesiology. These courses are the academic core which builds a foundation for upper level (3000-4000) coursework.
Q: I am in the Honors College, what classes do I take?
A: 
Honors College Requirements or see Honors College web page
Q: What are the graduation requirements?
A: If you are working towards the double major or the single major, there are some general graduation requirements beyond Smith College and required courses in your major. You should discuss all the requirements for your specific major and degree with your academic advisors.
Q: PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS. Is there any other requirement for graduation?
A: Each HBU student is expected to complete competencies in written and oral communication, computer literacy, mathematics, and reading. Each proficiency must be completed before reaching 64 credits and is mandatory for graduation.
Q: How do I forward my HBU email account to my personal email account?
What if I am having problems with my HBU electronic accounts?
- If you are having problems with email, Blackboard, Huskynet, HBU Portal, consult the HBU IT department web pages.
- Access your HBU email through my.hbu.edu or through ocs.hbu.edu.
- You can send an email to faculty, staff or students by simply using their names as the addresses (aprofessor@hbu.edu).
- If you have another email account, forward your HBU email to that account by opening the email portion of your HBU email and going to preferences. Click on the little closed envelope on the left side. Click on rules in the light blue column. Click New. In name, type “forward all”, leave event on “when messages are delivered”, matching should be on all. In ACTIONS, select “send a blind copy to” and in the next blank type in the email you choose to send the forwarded email to. Click OK OR, click here for more detailed instructions from HBU IT department
You can run a GPA calculations by using the following web link:
How to calculate your GPA: http://www.back2college.com/gpa.htm
Calculate the credits you need to improve your current GPA: http://advising.wichita.edu/lasac/gpacalc/wsugpa.html
are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader. 