New state law limits core classes for college degree

By Bridget Ortigo. Some public college students in Texas could save time and money earning their associate or bachelor degree starting in the fall semester. The state Legislature changed the number of college credit hours in a student’s “core curriculum” from a minimum of 42 hours to a maximum of 42.
“In the past, institutions had the prerogative of requiring more than 42 hours for some core curriculums; now the state has taken that choice away, and 42 is the maximum number of credit hours that can be required for a core curriculum, excluding some health science degrees such as nursing or engineering,” said Rex Peebles, assistant commissioner for workforce academic affairs and research for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. More...