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Undergraduate University Core Curriculum
Texas Statute (TEC 61.821-61.831) requires that each public institution of higher education establish and incorporate a 42 semester credit hour core curriculum within the course requirements for all undergraduate degree programs. The Core Curriculum is defined by the State of Texas as "the curriculum in the liberal arts, humanities, sciences, and political, social, and cultural history that all undergraduates of an institution of higher education are required to complete before receiving an academic undergraduate degree. Core Curriculum provisions apply to institutions of higher education that offer academic undergraduate degree programs".
Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning.
Core Objectives
- Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information
- Communication Skills (COM) - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
- Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS) - manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
- Teamwork (TW) - ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
- Social Responsibility(SR) - intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
- Personal Responsibility (PR) - ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making
Foundational Component Areas
There are nine Foundational Component Areas (FCA), including one Component Area Option (CAO). The CAO may provide options for students to choose additional courses from the other FCA. Each FCA has a component description as definition, a set number of Semester Credit Hours (SCH) required for completion of a component, and specified core objectives requirements. The nine FCA are:
- Communication (6 SCH)
- Mathematics (3 SCH)
- Life and Physical Sciences (6 SCH)
- Language, Philosophy and Culture (3 SCH)
- Creative Arts (3 SCH)
- American History (6 SCH)
- Government/Political Science (6 SCH)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 SCH)
- The Component Area Option (6 SCH)
The Texas A&M University-Texarkana Core Curriculum requirements are listed below. These requirements must be met by every student entering A&M-Texarkana on or after the fall 2014 semester. Students entering earlier will be guided by the core curriculum in the catalog upon which they entered the university. Individual degree programs may require that specific courses from the core curriculum be used to satisfy degree requirements. Please visit with an academic and/or faculty advisor to determine the right course(s) to take that pertain to your degree. Students transferring course credit to satisfy the Core Curriculum should refer to the Texas Common Course Numbering System.
Core-Complete Status for Undergraduate Students
The university shall accept as core complete students who complete the approved core curriculum at any Texas public institution of higher education prior to enrollment at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
The requirements to meet this status are as follows:
- The official transcript on file within the student’s initial semester of enrollment must indicate “Core Complete” by the deadline indicated for that semester. Core complete status is not retroactive. Unofficial transcripts or verbal confirmation from the student will not meet this requirement
| Fall | October 1st |
| Spring | March 1st |
| Summer I | June 1st |
| Summer II | July 1st |
- The university cannot accept core-complete status from schools outside of Texas. Although other states may have an approved statewide core curriculum, the university cannot grant core-complete status in Texas based upon core status from an out-of-state institution.
- The university cannot accept core-complete status from private institutions of higher education in the state of Texas. This rule only applies to students whom Texas public institutions of higher education indicate are core complete.
- Having an Associate’s degree does not confirm a core-complete status. A student may have earned an Associate’s degree from a Texas public institution of higher education and NOT be core complete. An example of this instance is an Applied Associate’s degree. These students have the degree but have not completed an approved core.
The university will not require students who are legitimately core complete at the required time indicated above to complete ANY additional core-curriculum requirements at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. The university will require students who are not core complete to complete all approved core for Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Once they have completed the required A&M-Texarkana core, the university will indicate that they are core complete on any official transcript the university produces and that status will transfer to any other public institution of higher education in Texas.
Core-Curriculum Substitutions
The university does not allow core-curriculum substitutions after a student has enrolled at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
History and Government Requirements
State statute requires all state-supported higher-education institutions to include six SCH of U.S. History and six SCH of U.S. and Texas Government in the undergraduate curriculum. However, the student may substitute 3 SCH of Texas History for 3 SCH of U.S. History. State requirements do not allow other substitutions for these requirements.
Per the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Lower Division Course Guide Manual, students are required to complete six hours of Government which must include Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the States, with special emphasis on Texas. The acceptable combinations are:
- PSCI 2301 and PSCI 2302, or
- PSCI 2305 and PSCI 2306, or
- GOVT 2305 and GOVT 2306, or
- PSCI 2301 and GOVT 2305 , or
- PSCI 2301 and GOVT 2306
Language Requirement for Bachelor of Arts Degrees
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree requires two years of the same foreign language (12 SCH) as part of the general-education requirements.Two years of study in the same foreign language in high school may substitute for the first year (6 SCH) of the same language at the university level.Students may not complete all bachelor’s degrees as a BA.See the degree program listing for the programs that allow the BA option.
2024-2025 Core Curriculum
The courses listed below have been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as the 2024-2025 Core Curriculum (General Education) for Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
Communication (010)- 6 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select six semester credit hours from the following: | ||
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| COMM 1307 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| or SPCH 1315 | Public Speaking | |
| or COMM 1311 | Introduction to Communication Studies | |
| NOTE: English 1301 requires a minimum grade of 'C'; and is a prerequisite for ENGL 1302, which is required for the Component Area Option of the core. | ||
Mathematics (020)- 3 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| College Algebra (see notes) | ||
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences I | ||
| Contemporary Mathematics I | ||
| Elementary Statistical Methods | ||
| Pre-Calculus (see notes) | ||
| Calculus I (see notes) | ||
| Notes: MATH 2413 required for majors in Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering. MATH 1314 is required for majors in Kinesiology, Psychology, EC-6 education, Kinesiology EC-12 and Biology 7-12 Composite Science education. MATH 2412 is required for majors in Biology 7-12 Life Science. | ||
Life and Physical Science (030)- 6 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select six semester credit hours from the following: | 6 | |
| Biology for Science Majors I (see notes) | ||
| Biology for Science Majors II (see notes) | ||
| Biology for Non-Science Majors I | ||
| Biology for Non-Science Majors II | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I (see notes) | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II (see notes) | ||
| Environmental Biology | ||
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I (see notes) | ||
| General Chemistry II (see notes) | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| College Physics II | ||
| Physical Science I | ||
| Physical Science II | ||
| University Physics I (see notes) | ||
| University Physics II (see notes) | ||
| Notes: BIOL 1306 & BIOL 1307 are required for majors in Biology, Chemistry, Chemistry 7-12 & Kinesiology. CHEM 1311 & CHEM 1312 are also required for Chemistry & Biology majors. PHYS 2325 & PHYS 2326 are required for Electrical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering majors. CHEM 1307 is also required for EE majors. BIOL 2401 & BIOL 2402 are required for Kinesiology, Kinesiology EC-12 and Nursing majors. | ||
Language, Philosophy and Culture (040)- 3 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| United States Hispanic Culture and Civilization | ||
| World Civilization I (see notes) | ||
| World Civilization II (see notes) | ||
| Introduction to the Humanities I | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| The Human Experience | ||
| Introduction to American Film History | ||
| Philosophy and Ethics of Science and Technology (see notes) | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Intermediate Spanish I | ||
| Intermediate Spanish II | ||
| Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Notes: HIST 2321 & HIST 2322 are required for History majors. HIST 2321 or HIST 2322 is required for EC-6 majors. PHIL 1350 or HUMA 1301 is required for Computer Science, Biotechnology, Kinesiology and Kinesiology EC-12 majors. | ||
Creative Arts (050)- 3 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Art History II | ||
| Introduction to Theatre | ||
| British Literature (see notes) | ||
| American Literature (see notes) | ||
| World Literature (see notes) | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Notes: ENGL 2321, ENGL 2326 & ENGL 2331 are all required for English majors. | ||
American History (060)- 6 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 1301 | United States History I | 3 |
| HIST 1302 | United States History II | 3 |
Government/Political Science (070)- 6 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSCI 2305 | U.S. Government and Politics | 3 |
| PSCI 2306 | State and Local Government | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences (080)- 3 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Business | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics (see notes) | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics (see notes) | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| General Psychology (see notes) | ||
| Introduction to Sociology (see notes) | ||
| Notes: ECON 2301 & ECON 2302 are required for majors in Accounting, Business Administration & 7-12th grade Social Studies. ECON 2301 is required for History 4-8 majors. PSYC 2301 is required for Kinesiology, Kinesiology EC-12 and Psychology majors. SOCI 1301 is required for Sociology majors. | ||
Component Area Option (090)- 6 SCH
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Component Area Option A - Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Composition II | ||
or ENGL 2311 | Technical Writing & Communication | |
| Component Area Option B- Select three hours from the following: 2 | 3 | |
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Art History II | ||
| Business Computer Applications | ||
| Biology for Science Majors I Lab 4, (see notes) | ||
| Biology for Science Majors II Lab 4, (see notes) | ||
| Biology for Non-science Majors I Lab 4 | ||
| Biology for Non-science Majors II Lab 4 | ||
| Biology for Science Majors I | ||
| Biology for Science Majors II | ||
| Biology for Non-Science Majors I | ||
| Biology for Non-Science Majors II | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II | ||
| Environmental Biology | ||
| Introduction to Business | ||
| General Chemistry I (Lab) 4, (see notes) | ||
| General Chemistry II (Lab) 4, (see notes) | ||
| General Chemistry for Engineering Students Lab | ||
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
| General Chemistry for Engineering Students | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Introduction to Mass Communication | ||
| Introduction to Communication Studies | ||
| Introduction to Theatre | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Introduction to the Teaching Profession | ||
| Information Literacy | ||
| Popular Music as Literature 5 | ||
| British Literature | ||
| American Literature | ||
| World Literature | ||
| Writing Across the Curriculum | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| United States Hispanic Culture and Civilization | ||
| Cathedrals, Castles, & Monasteries: Medieval Architecture and Engineering 5 | ||
| World Civilization I | ||
| World Civilization II | ||
| Introduction to the Humanities I | ||
| University Foundations 3 | ||
| The Human Experience | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences I | ||
| Contemporary Mathematics I | ||
| Elementary Statistical Methods | ||
| Pre-Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Introduction to American Film History | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Ethics 5 | ||
| Philosophy and Ethics of Science and Technology | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| College Physics I Lab 4 | ||
| College Physics II Lab 4 | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| College Physics II | ||
| Physical Science I (see notes) | ||
| Physical Science II | ||
| University Physics I Lab 4, (see notes) | ||
| University Physics II Lab 4, (see notes) | ||
| University Physics I | ||
| University Physics II | ||
| U.S. Government and Politics | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Intermediate Spanish I | ||
| Intermediate Spanish II | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Introduction to Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Notes: ENGL 1302 requires a minimum grade of 'C'. PHYS 1415 is required for majors in EC-6, Biology 4-8 science, English 4-8 ELAR, History 4-8 Social Studies & Math 4-8. BIOL 1106 & BIOL 1107 are required for majors in Biology, Chemistry & Kinesiology. BIOL 1106 & PHYS 1101 are required for Kinesiology EC-12 majors. CHEM 1111 & CHEM 1112 are required for majors in Chemistry & Biology. PHYS 2125 & PHYS 2126 are required for majors in Computer Science & EE. CHEM 1307 is required for EE majors. BCIS 1305 is recommended for all BBA students. | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Core Curriculum Credits | 42 | |
- 1
Students who have received/have been granted credit for PSCI 2302, GOVT 2305, or GOVT 2306 should register for PSCI 2301.
- 2
Students who satisfactorily complete any course listed in the Foundation Core Areas (categories 010-080 listed above), that is not used to satisfy the FCA requirement in which it is listed, may use the course in the Component Area Option (090).
- 3
Mandatory for FTIC students.
- 4
Indicates 1 hour science labs.
- 5
Indicates 1 hour seminar course.
