Core Curriculum

Core Curriculum: State law requires that all Texas A&M University-Victoria students complete a general education Core Curriculum of 42 semester credit hours that serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. A&M-Victoria’s 42-hour core curriculum is based on a series of basic intellectual competencies–reading, writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking, and computer literacy-that are essential to the learning process in any discipline. The University’s Core Curriculum requirements are described in the sections that follow. These requirements must be met by every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree program at Texas A&M University-Victoria, regardless of their major.

General Core Curriculum guidelines:

1. A course taken for core credit cannot be counted in the hours applied to the major (no “double dipping”). If a course in a student’s major field is also approved for core credit, the student must elect to take the course either for core credit or for credit toward the major, provided the department of the student’s major approves.
2. No upper-division course shall be approved to fulfill a foundational component area requirement in the core curriculum, unless the course is on the institution’s list of core curriculum courses approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
3. A core class cannot be taken for more than one core area. This includes courses that are cross-listed in two or more departments and are approved for two or more areas of the core.
4. A minimum of 42 hours are required for the core.
5. In accordance with the Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter S, Texas A&M University-Victoria’s Core Curriculum consists of 42 semester credit hours of coursework. If a student successfully completes the entire core curriculum at another public institution of higher education in Texas, that block of courses may be transferred to any other public institution of higher education in Texas and must be substituted for the receiving institution’s core curriculum. Students will 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 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a larger core curriculum at that institution.

Students who have completed a portion of the Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education may use that coursework to satisfy A&M-Victoria Core Curriculum requirements if:

• the course is designated as meeting a Core Curriculum requirement at the institution, and
• the course fits within the Texas A&M University-Victoria Core Curriculum.

For transfer purposes, the designated Texas Common Course Numbering (TCCN) System courses will be accepted in transfer in lieu of these courses. Students should consult with an academic advisor to determine the sequence of courses in the Core Curriculum and the major.

1. If a student does not complete all of the Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education before matriculating at A&M-Victoria, the student will receive credit for the portion completed and then may be required to complete additional courses from the A&M-Victoria Core Curriculum. Note: Some degree programs require completion of core courses (e.g., speech and computer literacy/proficiency) even if the student is certified as core complete by way of transfer from a Texas public institution of higher education. See individual degree program descriptions in this catalog for more information.
2. Except as described in #5, substitutions for core courses are not permitted.
3. If a class counts as a core at another Texas public institution, A&M-Victoria must accept that class for the area of the core for which it was taken.
4. Courses from private or out-of-state institutions must be evaluated for core credit based on their teaching and testing of the approved core educational objectives. Requests for evaluation of potential core courses should be sent to the student’s academic college. Courses must meet A&M-Victoria’s approved core educational objectives and may require review by faculty in that particular discipline. Additional documentation such as official transcript(s) and/or course syllabi may be required.
5. Any student concurrently enrolled at more than one institution of higher education must follow the core curriculum of the institution in which they are classified as a degree-seeking student. Accordingly, all undergraduate degree-seeking students at A&M-Victoria must meet the core curriculum requirements set for by A&M-Victoria to be considered core complete.

*Per Texas Administrative Code Rule 4.25, A&M-Victoria does not accept core courses with a grade of ‘D’ for students in nursing programs, even if the student transfers in with a “core complete” designation.

Core Curriculum Component Areas

Texas A&M University-Victoria Core Curriculum