Helpful guide to UST
Arrival Information
Getting to UST from the Airports
The University of St. Thomas is located at 3800 Montrose Boulevard in the Museum District of Houston. If you arrive on a Saturday or Sunday, you will find that the University, and most businesses, are closed. If you arrive on a weekday, we invite you to visit the Admissions & International Student Offices between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Unfortunately, we are unable to make arrangements to meet you at the airport. However several transportation are available:
Housing
On-Campus Housing
The University of St. Thomas maintains living areas for undergraduate students. These include dormitory/residence rooms and apartments.
Residence Halls
Residence halls, also called "dormitories," or "dorms," are buildings that contain many student rooms. Students share a room with one or more students. Coin-operated laundry machines for washing and drying clothes are available in the building. Residence halls are in great demand by students because they are located right on campus. A typical residence hall room is furnished with beds, chairs, desks, and a closet. The student supplies his/her own sheets and towels. Residence halls afford excellent opportunities to interact with American students. Residence hall life is normally filled with activities, such as weekend movies, games, and parties that are organized by the housing area student government.
For more information about UST housing visit the Residence Life Website :
Off-Campus Housing Options
The majority of undergraduate and all graduate international students live in apartments located off campus because housing on campus is normally not available when they arrive. Our offices cannot arrange off campus housing for you. If you wish to live off campus, you should arrive in Houston several weeks before registration in order to locate housing. There are several types of housing available near the campus, such as furnished/unfurnished apartments and rented rooms in private homes.
Rooms : A room may be located in a rooming house or in a private home. Some rooms may be "suites" in an apartment complex where the student lives in one room and shares a bathroom, kitchen, and living room with occupants of three or four other rooms in the suite.
Efficiency Apartments : Also called "studio apartments," efficiencies are usually one large room that includes a kitchen area and bathroom. The occupant is expected to pay for electricity and water.
Apartments : Houston has hundreds of apartment houses. Apartments consist of a living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and one or more bathrooms. Apartments may be furnished or unfurnished; furnished apartments cost more. You pay for electricity and water, unless other arrangements are specified. Many students share an apartment with another student to lower costs. (Note: Most apartment managers will require proof that you are able to pay your rent).
Houses: Most rental houses are equipped only with stoves, refrigerators, and kitchen cabinets. The landlord/owner is responsible for making repairs and caring for the yard unless the lease specifies otherwise. The occupant or "tenant" is responsible for keeping the house clean and paying for water, electricity, heating, and pest control bills unless other arrangements have been made.
Academic Resources
The academic environment at the University of St. Thomas can be overwhelming to new students. This section will introduce students to some of the resources on campus.
The Undergraduate and the Graduate Catalog: University catalogues for undergraduate and graduate students that contain official regulations and information about the University. In the University catalogues you can find admissions information, graduation requirements, lists of registered student organizations, academic information, and information about student life. Visit www.stthom.edu/undergradcatalog.
UST Student Handbook: This booklet explains the student conduct code, academic facilities, and support services on campus. It is available through the Office of Student Activities in Crooker Center and On-Line.
Counseling and Tutorial Resources
Several academic counseling centers at the University provide assistance in special areas of study. Listed below are a few sources of academic assistance.
Professors and Departments: The immediate sources of help for students are the professors for the particular course. Professors hold office hours during the week, during which times they are available.
The Learning & Writing Center: offers assistance to enrolled students who wish to excel in their academic performance. Students receive personalized instruction in writing from trained students and staff professionals. Peer tutoring is also available to students for most subject areas. For more information, contact the Center at 713-525-3878 or visit the LWC web page.
Health & Counseling Centers:
Counseling & Disability Services assists currently enrolled students with personal, career, and academic concerns. The psychologist on staff counsels individuals, couples, families and groups. Assistance for students with special needs is also available.
Contact Information: 713.525.6953
Health Promotions & Wellness promotes a healthy lifestyles and the well-being of individuals. They assess and respond to the health and wellness needs of students and the campus at large through the development of health and wellness prevention and proactive outreach programs in conjunction with peer educators.
Contact Information: 713.525.3513
Academics at UST
The American Academic System
We are well aware that there is a difference in the education you received in your home country and the education you will receive here. This section will give you some insight into the education system here at UST and point out some differences you might/will encounter while a student.
Academics: By the time they attend college, most American students have completed twelve years of formal education: six years of elementary school, two years of junior high school, and four years of senior high school. Undergraduate college programs generally require four to five years of study, while master programs involve two further years of study, and doctoral programs three or more years beyond the master's level. The American academic system, as a whole, is intended to provide a broad education for as many people as possible. While many institutions of higher education require exams for admission evaluation, there is no screening examination that directs a student into an academic or vocational area at an early age.
Credits : The quantity of academic work a student does at the University is measured in "credits." The number of credits a: course is worth usually depends on the number of hours per week that it meets. A "three-credit course," for example, will meet three hours weekly for one semester. It might meet for three fifty-minute sessions, as undergraduate classes normally do, or for one three-hour session, the more common pattern in graduate classes.
At the end of the semester, the student who has achieved a passing grade in the course has earned "three credits" or "three credit hours." A student must earn a specified number of credits in order to graduate. This number varies for undergraduates and graduates students. At the University of St. Thomas, undergraduates need to complete a minimum of 126 hours, while graduate students need to complete at least 36 hours minimum.
The Grading System : The quality of a student's academic work is measured by means of "grades." The official explanation of grades at UST may be found in the University catalogues. Each grade carries a designated number of "points" per credit. These point designations and computations may be found in the University of St. Thomas catalogue under the heading "Academic Standing,” on page 67.
Lectures and Class Discussions: The most common method of instruction at the University is the classroom lecture. The lectures are often supplemented by class discussion, which are led by professors, by reading assignments in textbooks or library books, and by periodic written assignments.
It is very important for students to contribute to the discussion in the classrooms, as this is one aspect in which students are evaluated for grades. In some countries it is "disrespectful" for the student to question or challenge the teacher. In this country, by contrast, questioning or challenging the teacher is viewed as a good sign of interest, attention, and independent thinking.
Laboratories: Many of our science classes have co-requisite laboratory courses, where the theory learned in a classroom is applied to practical problems. This means you must take the discussion course and the laboratory course. For further information please, check with the department offering the course.
Office hours: If for some reason you do not have the opportunity to raise questions in class, you can visit privately with your professors during their office hours. These are designated times when the professor will be available in his/her office to answer questions. Professors usually announce their office hours during the first few meetings of the course.
Term papers: In many courses students are required to write a "term paper" (also called simply a "paper"). A term paper is written based on study or research the student himself/herself has done in the library or laboratory. Teachers normally assign term papers during the early part of the course. Students are expected to work on the paper during the semester and submit it near the end of the semester when it is due.
It is wise to complete term papers in advance of their due date so there is time to ask another person to review the paper and suggest revisions. Many students consult with their professors before writing their papers. Most students type their papers on the computer, using the school's word processing system.
Library: Students are likely to use the library quite often. It is important to learn how the library system works. The librarians can answer questions about the library's organization, location of specific materials, reference materials, the computer system that locates books by subject, author, or title, and other features. You will need your University of St. Thomas identification card in order to check out materials.
Examinations: Students will take many examinations while they are in school. Nearly every class has a "final examination" at the end of the semester. Most have a "mid-term examination" near the middle of the semester.
There may also be additional "tests" or "quizzes" given with greater frequency, perhaps even weekly.
Financial Aid
Undergraduate students seeking information regarding university scholarships should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Graduate students seeking information regarding university scholarships, internships or assistantships will need to contact the graduate program in which you will study.
For more information on Financial Aid visit the Web site: http://www.stthom.edu/financialaid
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