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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to innovations in core curriculum to accelerate the award |
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of bachelor's degrees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core |
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curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including |
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specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum |
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shall be consistent with the common course numbering system |
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approved by the board and with the statement, recommendations, and |
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rules issued by the board. An institution may have a core |
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curriculum of other than 42 semester credit hours only if approved |
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by the board. The board by rule may approve a core curriculum of |
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fewer than 42 semester credit hours for an associate degree program |
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if the board determines that the approval would facilitate the |
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award of a degree or transfer of credit consistent with this |
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subchapter. |
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(b-1) The board by rule may approve a core curriculum of |
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fewer than 42 semester credit hours for a bachelor's degree program |
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at an institution of higher education if the board determines that |
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the approval would accelerate student completion of workforce |
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aligned credentials, as defined by board rule. |
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(c) If a student successfully completes the core curriculum |
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at an institution of higher education, that block of courses may be |
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transferred to any other institution of higher education and must |
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be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum. A |
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student shall receive academic credit for each of the courses |
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transferred and may not be required to take additional core |
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curriculum courses at the receiving institution unless the board |
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has approved a larger core curriculum at the institution. |
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(d) A student who transfers from one institution of higher |
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education to another without completing the core curriculum of the |
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sending institution shall receive academic credit from the |
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receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has |
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successfully completed in the core curriculum of the sending |
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institution. Following receipt of credit for these courses, the |
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student may be required to satisfy further course requirements in |
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the core curriculum of the receiving institution. |
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(e) The governing board of a general academic teaching |
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institution that offers a joint baccalaureate degree program under |
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a contract with a foreign college or university may, in |
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consultation with the foreign college or university, identify and |
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approve courses offered by the foreign college or university that |
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are equivalent to, and may substitute for, courses in the core |
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curriculum of a student enrolled in the joint degree program who is |
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considered to be primarily a student of the general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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