Sec. 61.823.  FIELD OF STUDY CURRICULUM.  (a)  The board, with the assistance of advisory committees composed of representatives of institutions of higher education, shall develop field of study curricula.  Each advisory committee shall be equitably composed of representatives of institutions of higher education.  Each university system or institution of higher education which offers a degree program for which a field of study curriculum is proposed shall be offered participation on the advisory committee for that particular field of study.  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.
(a-1)  The board by rule may authorize a general academic teaching institution to adopt, for each field of study curriculum developed by the board for which the institution offers a degree program, a set of courses specific to that field of study, for a total of at least six semester credit hours or the equivalent, that must be completed as part of the field of study curriculum for that institution.  Each general academic teaching institution that adopts a set of courses for a field of study curriculum under this subsection shall post on the institution's Internet website in a manner easily accessible to students the set of courses with the associated course numbers under the common course numbering system.
(b)  If a student successfully completes a field of study curriculum developed by the board, that block of courses may be transferred to a general academic teaching institution and, subject to completion of the set of courses adopted by the institution for that field of study under Subsection (a-1), must be substituted for that institution's lower division requirements for the degree program for the field of study into which the student transfers, and the student shall receive full academic credit toward the degree program for the block of courses transferred.
(c)  A student who transfers from one institution of higher education to another without completing the field of study 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 field of study curriculum of the sending institution.  Following receipt of credit for these courses, the student may be required to satisfy further course requirements in the field of study curriculum of the receiving institution.
(d)  In developing field of study curricula, the board shall pursue a management strategy that maximizes efficiency, including a management strategy that provides for the decentralization of advisory committees to enable concurrent development of curricula for different fields of study.
(e)  The board, with the assistance of an appropriate advisory committee, shall periodically review each field of study curriculum to ensure alignment with student interest and academic and industry needs.
(f)  Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1083, Sec. 25(21), eff. June 17, 2011.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1016, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 1997.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1584, Sec. 3, eff. June 19, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 841, Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2001.
Amended by: 
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1083 (S.B. 1179), Sec. 25(21), eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 320 (H.B. 2628), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 165 (S.B. 1887), Sec. 6, eff. May 23, 2023.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 378 (H.B. 8), Sec. 28, eff. June 9, 2023.