M E M O R A N D U M
TO: Deans, Academic Deans, Department Chairs, and Program Directors
FROM: Vice Provost Terri E. Givens
DATE: March 20, 2008
SUBJECT: Approval Process for Exceptions to 120-Semester-Hour Rule
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board staff will begin in the fall of 2008 to review institutions that require more than 120 semester credit hours for a bachelor’s degree in a specific field. The basis for the review is section 61.0515 of the Texas Education Code: “To earn a baccalaureate degree, a student may not be required by a general academic teaching institution to complete more than the minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or its successor unless the institution determines that there is a compelling academic reason for requiring completion of additional semester credit hours for the degree.” SACS’ principles of accreditation set 120 hours as the minimum required for the bachelor’s degree.
To prepare the University for the THECB review, the provost’s office is implementing an approval process for degree programs that are not in compliance with the “120-hour rule.” A list of these programs is attached. Each department chair and program director is expected either to bring the degree program into compliance or to offer justification as to why the program exceeds 120 hours. Appropriate justifications include accreditation issues, professional certification requirements, graduate school admission requirements, and comparisons with peer institutions. After the dean of the college approves the justification, he or she will submit an electronic copy to my assistant, Kevin Carney (kcarney@mail.utexas.edu), for my review and approval. The deadline for submission is September 1, 2008.
If the department or program prefers to reduce the number of required hours to 120, effective fall 2008, the dean must submit a catalog change proposal to the Office of the General Faculty by March 31. The proposal will be submitted to the Committee on Undergraduate Degree Program Review and the Faculty Council for “no-protest” approval.
List of degrees that require more than 120 hours
