| 1 | 1 | | 86R6769 KJE-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: White H.B. No. 1759 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the core curriculum at public institutions of higher |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | education. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 61.821(1), Education Code, is amended to |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | (1) "Core curriculum" means the basic curriculum in |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | liberal arts, humanities, and sciences and political, social, and |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | cultural history that all undergraduate students of an institution |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | of higher education are expected to know and are required to |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | complete before receiving an academic undergraduate degree. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 2. Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | follows: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | shall: |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (1) consist only of courses that: |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (A) are listed in: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (i) the common course numbering system |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | approved by the board; and |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (ii) the board's manual of general academic |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | transfer courses that may be offered for state funding by public |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | junior colleges, public state colleges, and public technical |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | institutes; or |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (B) are the equivalent of courses described by |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Paragraph (A), as determined by the board; and |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (2) be consistent with [the common course numbering |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | system approved by the board and with] the statement, |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | recommendations, and rules issued by the board. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (b-1) An institution may have a core curriculum of other |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | than 42 semester credit hours only if approved by the board. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. Section 130.0104(b), Education Code, is amended |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | to read as follows: |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (b) A multidisciplinary studies associate degree program |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | established at a junior college under this section must require a |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | student to successfully complete: |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (1) the junior college's core curriculum adopted under |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | Section 61.822 [61.822(b)]; and |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | (2) after completion of the core curriculum under |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | Subdivision (1), the courses selected by the student in the |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | student's degree plan completed under Subsection (c). |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 4. Sections 61.821 and 61.822, Education Code, as |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2020-2021 academic |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | year. |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
|---|