3.5.3 Undergraduate Program Requirements

The institution publishes requirements for its undergraduate programs, including its general education components. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs. (See Commission policy “The Quality and Integrity of Undergraduate Degrees.”)

JUDGMENT: Compliant

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Southwest Texas Junior College publishes requirements for every undergraduate program, including the general education requirement, in the SWTJC Catalog. The Catalog is available online at swtjc.edu under the prominently displayed “About SWTJC” tab, in PDF (printable) format. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree and certificate programs.

To be awarded the Associate of Arts, the Associate of Arts Teaching, or the Associate of Science degree, a student is required to complete 60 semester credit hours, 42 hours of which are chosen from the College’s General Education Core Curriculum. SWTJC policy EFAA (Legal) includes the Legislative and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board definitions, policies, and guidelines that were used to shape the College’s General Education Core Curriculum. By State statute and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Policy, a student completing the 42-hour Core curriculum at a Texas public institution of higher education can transfer the entire block of courses to any other Texas public college or university toward fulfillment of its Core requirements. To complete transfer degree requirements at SWTJC, the student completes 18 semester hours of electives, which are chosen with the assistance of an academic advisor and tied to the student’s interests and transfer intent.

SWTJC adheres to standards provided under the authority of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and described in Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Rule 9.183 and in TAC Rule 9.73 for the development of its degree programs.

The table below summarizes the degree programs offered at SWTJC and the required number of semester hours for each. Each degree title links to the SWTJC Catalog description.

Associate Degrees	Total Semester Hours
Associate of Arts	60
Associate of Science	60
Associate of Arts – Teaching	60
Associate of Applied Science in Administrative Information Technology	60
Associate of Applied Science in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology	60
Associate of Applied Science in Automotive Body Repair Technology	60
Associate of Applied Science in Automotive Technology	60
Associate of Applied Science in Child Development	60
Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems	60
Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice	60
Associate of Applied Science in Diesel Technology	60
Associate of Applied Science in Management	60
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology	60
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (ADN)	60
Associate of Applied Science in Wildlife Management	60

In addition to the program guidelines cited above from Texas Legislative and Higher Education Coordinating Board policy and rules, specific standards and practices regarding course requirements and credit are based on the THECB Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) and Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM). These documents provide, respectively, the academic and workforce courses Texas two-year colleges are authorized to offer. Each course listing includes allowable semester credit hour award and basic college-level course outcomes. SWTJC develops all Technical courses and programs according to the Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education (GIPWE). This document, provided by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, describes State guidelines, including program elements, general institutional and personnel requirements, the new program approval process, and components of program revision applications.

The SWTJC Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs conducts an annual review of the SWTJC Catalog (in March) to ensure that programs and courses are accurately represented and conform to accepted standards of educational practice.

Evidence