EFB(LEGAL) - CURRICULUM DESIGN: DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES

Degree-Seeking Students

A student who is concurrently enrolled at more than one institution of higher education may be classified as a degree-seeking student at only one institution.

If a student maintains continuous enrollment from a spring semester to the subsequent fall semester at an institution at which the student has declared to be seeking a degree, the student remains a degree-seeking student at that institution regardless of the student's enrollment during the intervening summer session(s) at another institution.

19 TAC 4.28(d)(2)–(3)

Recommended Course Sequence

Each institution of higher education, including each college district, must develop at least one recommended course sequence for each undergraduate certificate or degree program offered by the institution. Each course sequence developed by the institution of higher education must:

  1. Identify all required lower-division courses for each certificate or degree program, if applicable;
  2. Include for each course, if applicable:
    1. The Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) course number; and
    2. The course equivalent in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM);
  3. Be designed to enable a full-time student to obtain a certificate or degree, as applicable, within two years for a 60-hour degree or certificate program, four years for a 120-hour degree program, or a comparable time frame, for an approved certificate or degree program that requires credit hours other than those specified in this item; and
  4. Include at least one specific sequence in which courses should be taken to ensure completion of the applicable program within the time frame described by item 3.

Education Code 51.96852(b); 19 TAC 4.362(7)–(8), .363(a)–(b)

Submission to Coordinating Board

Each institution of higher education shall provide to the Coordinating Board a recommended course sequence for each undergraduate certificate and degree program offered by the institution.

The Coordinating Board will provide institutions of higher education a template and instructions for submitting the recommended course sequences of undergraduate certificate and degree programs. Institutions must submit the recommended course sequences of undergraduate certificate and degree programs annually in accordance with the instructions and template and must include the following information, if applicable:

  1. Recommended course sequences must identify all courses required for completion by a student to attain each undergraduate certificate or degree; and
  2. For all courses that an institution includes in a recommended course sequence, the institution must identify the ACGM courses, as appropriate, using the TCCNS course numbers and rubrics.

On an annual basis, institutions shall review course sequences for accuracy and submit any revisions or changes to the Coordinating Board during the designated time period.

Education Code 51.96852(c); 19 TAC 4.364

Publication

Each institution shall publish the recommended course sequences in the institution's course catalog. Each institution shall publish recommended course sequences on the institution's website not later than August 1 of each year.

Education Code 51.96852(c); 19 TAC 4.363(c)

Compensatory Courses

Courses designated as compensatory in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual may not be used to satisfy degree requirements. Such courses may be used as co-requisites or prerequisites for degree courses as determined by local institutions. 19 TAC 9.76

Alternative Methods of Program Mastery for Military Members

The Coordinating Board may approve an institution of higher education recognized by the Coordinating Board to offer a degree in coordination with the Texas Military Department that uses alternative methods of determining mastery of program content, including competency-based education.

To be eligible for a degree approved under this section, a person must:

  1. Have graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;
  2. Satisfy the minimum active military service obligation to the Texas military forces for a degree plan as follows:
    1. For an associate degree, two years of service;
    2. For a baccalaureate degree, four years of service; and
    3. For a graduate degree, six years of service; and
  3. Complete and meet the standards of the degree plan.

Education Code 61.0521(b)–(c)

Low-Producing Degree Programs

The Coordinating Board may review the number of degrees or certificates awarded through a degree or certificate program every four years or more frequently, at the Coordinating Board's discretion. The Coordinating Board shall review each degree or certificate program offered by an institution of higher education at least every ten years after a new program is established using the criteria prescribed by Education Code 61.0512(c). Education Code 61.0512(d)–(e); 19 TAC Ch. 4, Subch. R

Definition

A "low-producing degree program" is a degree program that does not meet the minimum standard for degrees awarded in the program. For career technical certificates, associate, and bachelor's programs, the minimum standard is an average of five degrees awarded per academic year, to total not fewer than 25 degrees awarded for any five-year period.

Completers of career technical certificate programs that are reported under the same CIP code as an existing applied associate's degree program will be counted as completers of the corresponding applied associate's degree program for purposes of determining low-producing status. Academic associate degree programs are not considered to be low producing if they lead to transfer into four-year programs.

19 TAC 4.287(4), 288(c)–(d)

Consequences

The Coordinating Board may not order the consolidation or elimination of any degree or certificate program offered by an institution of higher education. Coordinating Board staff may recommend to the institution's governing board the closure of any non-exempt degree program which has been on the annual list of low-producing programs for three or more consecutive years. If the governing board does not accept the recommendation to close the program, then the university system or, where a system does not exist, the institution, must identify the program recommended for closure on the next legislative appropriations request submitted by the system or institution. If a system or institution is required to identify a degree program on its legislative appropriations request, the system or institution should also develop a plan to allow the degree program to achieve the minimum standard for the degree awarded, or if the standard is not attainable, provide a rationale describing the merits of continuing the degree program. Education Code 61.0512(f); 19 TAC 4.290

College of the Mainland

EFB(LEGAL)-LJC

UPDATE 42

DATE ISSUED: 11/30/2021