| (a) In accordance with Texas Education Code, §§61.821-831, each general academic institution, community college, and health-related institution shall design and implement a core curriculum, including specific courses composing the curriculum, of no less than 42 lower-division semester credit hours. Health-related institutions should encourage their students to complete their core curriculum requirement at a general academic institution or community college. (b) Each institution's core curriculum must be designed to satisfy the exemplary educational objectives specified for the component areas of the "Core Curriculum: Assumptions and Defining Characteristics" adopted by the Board; all lower-division courses included in the core curriculum must be consistent with the "Texas Common Course Numbering System," and must be consistent with the framework identified in Charts I and II of this subsection. Chart I specifies the minimum number of semester credit hours required in each of five major component areas that a core curriculum must include (with sub-areas noted in parentheses). Chart II specifies options available to institutions for the remaining 6-12 semester credit hours. Attached Graphic (c) If a student successfully completes the 42 semester credit hour core curriculum at a Texas public institution of higher education, that block of courses may be transferred to any other Texas public institution of higher education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum. A student shall receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution unless the Board has approved a larger core curriculum at that institution. (d) A student concurrently enrolled at more than one institution of higher education shall follow the core curriculum requirements in effect for the institution at which the student is classified as a degree-seeking student. (e) Except as specified in subsection (f) of this section, a student who transfers from one institution of higher education to another without completing the core curriculum of the sending institution shall receive academic credit within the core curriculum of the receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed in the core curriculum of the sending institution. Following receipt of credit for these courses, the student may be required to satisfy the remaining course requirements in the core curriculum of the receiving institution. (f) Each student must meet the minimum number of semester credit hours in each component area; however, an institution receiving a student in transfer is not required to accept component core course semester credit hours beyond the maximum specified in a core component area. (g) An institution may include within its core curriculum a course or courses that combine exemplary educational objectives from two or more component areas of the exemplary educational objectives defined in this section. (h) Each institution must note core courses on student transcripts as recommended by the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (TACRAO). (i) Each institution must publish and make readily available to students its core curriculum requirements stated in terms consistent with the "Texas Common Course Numbering System." |
