The board must encourage lower-division credit transfer and institutions must adopt a core curriculum of at least 42 semester credit hours, with student credit-transfer rules and limited exceptions.
Sec. 61.822. TRANSFER OF CREDITS; CORE CURRICULUM. (a) The board shall encourage the transferability of lower division course credit among institutions of higher education. (a-1) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees composed of representatives of institutions of higher education, shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42 semester credit hours, including a statement of the content, component areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. At least a majority of the members of any advisory committee named under this section shall be faculty members of an institution of higher education. An institution shall consult with the faculty of the institution before nominating or recommending a person to the board as the institution's representative on an advisory committee. (b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum shall be consistent with the common course numbering system approved by the board and with the statement, recommendations, and rules issued by the board. An institution may have a core curriculum of other than 42 semester credit hours only if approved by the board. The board by rule may approve a core curriculum of fewer than 42 semester credit hours for an associate degree program if the board determines that the approval would facilitate the award of a degree or transfer of credit consistent with this subchapter. (c) If a student successfully completes the core curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block of courses may be transferred to any other 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 the institution. (d) 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 from 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 further course requirements in the core curriculum of the receiving institution. (e) The governing board of a general academic teaching institution that offers a joint baccalaureate degree program under a contract with a foreign college or university may, in consultation with the foreign college or university, identify and approve courses offered by the foreign college or university that are equivalent to, and may substitute for, courses in the core curriculum of a student enrolled in the joint degree program who is considered to be primarily a student of the general academic teaching institution. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1016, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 1997. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1584, Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 820, Sec. 25, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 539 (S.B. 1051), Sec. 3, eff. June 16, 2007. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1155 (S.B. 215), Sec. 48, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1155 (S.B. 215), Sec. 49, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 165 (S.B. 1887), Sec. 5, eff. May 23, 2023. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 378 (H.B. 8), Sec. 27, eff. September 1, 2023.