DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES: BACCALAUREATE DEGREES

The Coordinating Board may authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs as provided by Education Chapter 130, Subchapter L. Offering a baccalaureate degree program under Chapter 130, Subchapter L, does not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public junior college.

Each public junior college seeking to offer a baccalaureate degree program must comply with the requirements and limitations specified in Chapter 130, Subchapter L, except for Education Code 130.307(4). A public junior college is not required to establish articulation agreements for the supporting Associate of Applied Science degree program(s) but must secure a teach-out agreement with a Texas public institution of higher education that offers a similar baccalaureate program.

A public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree program must meet all applicable accreditation requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). A public junior college that has attained accreditation by SACSCOC is authorized to change accreditors to any accrediting agency approved by the Coordinating Board under 19 Administrative Code Chapter 4, Subchapter J. [See GK]

Degree programs offered under Education Code Chapter 130, Subchapter L, are subject to the continuing approval of the Coordinating Board.

Education Code 130.302, .306(c); 19 TAC 2.87(c)-(d)

Definitions

Applied

Baccalaureate

Degree Program

An “applied baccalaureate degree program” builds on an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree [see EFBA], combined with enough additional core curriculum courses and upper-level college courses to meet the minimum semester credit hour requirements for a bachelor's degree. The degree program is designed to grow

professional management skills of the learner and meet the demand for leadership of highly technical professionals in the workplace. May be called a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science (BAAS), bachelor of applied technology (BAT), or bachelor of applied science (BAS). 19 TAC 2.3(6)

Pilot Institution

“Pilot institution” refers to public junior colleges initially authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees through the pilot initiative established by SB 286 (78R - 2003). Specifically, the four pilot institutions are Midland College, South Texas College, Brazosport College, and Tyler Junior College. 19 TAC 2.3(23)

Former Pilot

Program Participants

The Coordinating Board shall authorize baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of applied science, applied technology, and nursing at each public junior college that previously participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree programs. Education Code 130.303(a)

Applied Science

The Coordinating Board may authorize baccalaureate degree programs at a public junior college in the fields of applied science, including a degree program in applied science with an emphasis in early childhood education, applied technology, or nursing, that have a demonstrated workforce need. Education Code 130.303(b),

19 TAC 2.87(a)

Dental Hygiene

The Coordinating Board shall authorize baccalaureate degree programs in the field of dental hygiene at a public junior college that offers a degree program in that field, has a main campus located in the county seat of a county with a population greater than 200,000, and includes territory in at least six public school districts located in two counties. Education Code 130.304

Financial

Requirements

A public junior college may offer a baccalaureate degree program only if its junior college district:

1. Had a taxable property valuation amount of not less than $6 billion in the preceding year; and

2. Received a positive assessment of the overall financial health of the district as reported by the Coordinating Board.

Education Code 130.307(b)

Navarro College

The requirement of item 1, above, does not apply to a public junior college for the purpose of offering a baccalaureate degree program in nursing if its junior college district:0.

1. Has a taxable property valuation amount of not less than $4 billion in the preceding year; and

2. Does not have a four-year institution of higher education located in a county in which the district is located.

Education Code 130.307(b-1)

Criteria

All Programs

In determining whether a public junior college may offer baccalaureate degree programs and what degree programs may be offered, the Coordinating Board shall:

1. Apply the same criteria and standards the Coordinating Board uses to approve baccalaureate degree programs at general

academic teaching institutions and medical and dental units; and

2. Consider the following factors:

a. The workforce need for the degree programs in the region served by the junior college;

b. How those degree programs would complement the other programs and course offerings of the junior college and whether the associate degree program offered by the junior college in the same field has been successful;

c. Whether those degree programs would unnecessarily duplicate the degree programs offered by other institutions of higher education; and

d. The ability of the junior college to support the degree programs with student enrollment and the adequacy of the junior college's facilities, faculty, administration, libraries, and other resources.

The Coordinating Board may not authorize a public junior college to offer a baccalaureate degree in a field if articulation agreements with general academic teaching institutions or medical and dental units are sufficient to meet the needs of that field.

Education Code 130.307(a), (d)

Nursing Programs

In determining whether a public junior college may offer a baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the Coordinating Board shall:

1. Require a public junior college to provide evidence to the Coordinating Board and the Texas Board of Nursing that the

public junior college has secured adequate long-term clinical space;

2. Obtain a letter from each clinical site provider indicating that the clinical site has not refused a similar request from a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit; and

3. Establish that the corresponding associate degree program offered by the public junior college has been successful as indicated by job placement rates and licensing exam scores.

A baccalaureate degree program offered by a public junior college in the field of nursing must:

1. Be a bachelor of science degree program;

2. Meet the standards and criteria the Texas Board of Nursing uses to approve pre-licensure degree programs at general

academic teaching institutions and medical and dental units regardless of whether the program is a pre-licensure or post-

licensure program; and

3. Be accredited by a national nursing accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Education Code 130.308

Application

Before a public junior college may be authorized to offer a baccalaureate degree program, the public junior college must submit a report to the Coordinating Board that includes:

1. A long-term financial plan for receiving accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency;

2. A long-term plan for faculty recruitment that:

a. Indicates the ability to pay the increased salaries of doctoral faculty;

b. Identifies recruitment strategies for new faculty; and

c. Ensures the program would not draw faculty employed by a neighboring institution offering a similar program;

3. Detailed information on the manner of program and course delivery; and

4. Detailed information regarding existing articulation agreements and dual enrollment agreements indicating:

a. That at least three articulation agreements have been established with general academic teaching institutions or medical and dental units, or the reasons why no articulation agreements have been established; and

b. That, with the agreement of the applicable general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit, established articulation agreements are at capacity.

Education Code 130.307(c)

Limitations

A public junior college district may not offer more than five baccalaureate degree programs at any time not-withstanding if accredited as a single institution. Education Code 130.306(a); 19 TAC 2.87(e)

Approval Process

Planning

Notification

Approval Levels

A public junior college, other than a pilot institution, must submit a planning notification to Coordinating Board staff in accordance with 19 Administrative Code 2.41 [see EFB]. 19 TAC 2.84, .86(a)

A public junior college proposal for a new baccalaureate degree is subject to the following levels of approval:

1. If the baccalaureate degree will be the institution's first degree at that level, the new degree proposal will be subject to Coordinating Board approval under 19 Administrative Code 2.4 [see EFB].

2. If the baccalaureate degree is not the institution's first degree at that level, the new degree proposal will be subject to the

following levels of approval:

a. If the proposed degree contains not greater than 50 percent new content, then the proposal will be subject to assistant commissioner approval under Section 2.4.

b. If the proposed degree contains greater than 50 percent new content, then the proposal will be subject to commissioner approval under Section 2.4.

Notwithstanding the provisions above, a pilot institution submitting a proposal for a new baccalaureate degree is subject to assistant commissioner approval under Section 2.4.

19 TAC 2.85

Request

A public junior college must request a new baccalaureate degree program using the form prescribed for public junior colleges available on the Coordinating Board's website.

The rules for administrative completeness set out in 19 Administrative Code Chapter 2, Subchapter A, [see EFB] apply to baccalaureate programs at public junior colleges. Each institution must submit all information and forms required by this section and applicable provisions of Chapter 2, Subchapter A, to be deemed administratively complete, including a nursing program meeting the requirements set out in Education Code 130.308 approval from the Board of Nursing.

Upon receiving a form requesting a new baccalaureate degree program from the institution, or a pilot institution applying to offer an engineering program, the assistant commissioner, commissioner, or Coordinating Board, depending on the required level of approval, shall act on the approval or denial according to the timelines specified in 19 Administrative Code Chapter 2, Subchapter A. If the Coordinating Board does not act to approve or deny the proposal within the specified time frames, the program is considered approved.

For a pilot institution, the assistant commissioner has sixty days from submission of the proposal request materials to complete the review and act to approve or disapprove the proposed program. The assistant commissioner shall approve the program if the baccalaureate degree program is administratively complete, approved by the governing board of the junior college district, and is not an engineering program.

A public junior college applying to offer a Bachelor of Science in nursing must provide a letter from the Board of Nursing demonstrating that the program meets the standards and criteria of the Board of Nursing with its application in order to be deemed administratively complete.

An institution must obtain the type of approval specified in 19 Administrative Code 2.85. Upon approval, Coordinating Board staff will add the new degree program to the institution's official program inventory. The program inventory contains the list of degrees and certificates with official Coordinating Board approval.

19 TAC 2.86(b)-(e)

Revisions

Institutions may request non-substantive revisions to approved baccalaureate degree programs under 19 Administrative Code 2.9 [see EFB]. 19 TAC 2.90

Criteria

All proposed baccalaureate degree programs must meet the criteria set out in this provision, in addition to the general criteria in 19 Administrative Code 2.5 and 2.118 [see EFB]. 19 TAC 2.87(b)

Semester Credit Hours

If the minimum number of semester credit hours required to complete a proposed baccalaureate program exceeds 120, the institution must provide detailed documentation describing the compelling academic reason for the number of required hours, such as programmatic accreditation requirements, statutory requirements, or licensure/certification requirements that cannot be met without exceeding the 120-semester credit hour limit. Coordinating Board staff will review the documentation provided and decide to approve or deny a request to exceed the 120-semester credit hour limit. 19 TAC 2.88

Articulation

Agreement

Each public junior college that offers a baccalaureate degree program must enter into an articulation agreement for the first five years of the program with one or more general academic teaching institutions or medical and dental units to ensure that students enrolled in the degree program have an opportunity to complete the degree if the public junior college ceases to offer the degree program.

The Coordinating Board may require a general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit that offers a comparable baccalaureate degree program to enter into an articulation agreement with the public junior college.

The Coordinating Board shall prescribe procedures to ensure that each public junior college that offers a degree program under Education Code Chapter 130, Subchapter L, informs each student who enrolls in the degree program of the articulation agreement entered into under this section for the student's degree program.

Education Code 130.309

Funding

A degree program created under Education Code Chapter 130, Subchapter L, shall be funded solely by a public junior college's allocation of state appropriations under Education Code Chapter 130 and Chapter 130A, local funds, and private sources.

The Coordinating Board shall weigh contact hours attributable to students enrolled in a junior-level or senior-level course offered under Chapter 130, Subchapter L, used to determine a public junior college's allocation of state appropriations under Chapter 130 and Chapter 130A in the same manner as a lower division course in a corresponding field.

In its recommendations to the legislature relating to state funding for public junior colleges, the Coordinating Board shall recommend that a public junior college that participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree programs receive substantially the same state support for junior-level and senior-level courses in the fields of applied science, applied technology, dental hygiene, and nursing offered under Chapter 130, Subchapter L, as that provided to a general academic teaching institution for substantially similar courses.

Education Code 130.310(a)-(b)

Tuition and Fees

A public junior college may not charge a student enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program tuition and fees in an amount that exceeds the amount of tuition and fees charged by the junior college to a similarly situated student who is enrolled in an associate degree program in a corresponding field. This section does not apply to tuition and fees charged for a baccalaureate degree program in the field of applied science or applied technology previously offered as part of a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree programs.

Education Code 130.310(c)

Report

Each public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree program shall conduct a review of each baccalaureate degree program offered and prepare a biennial report on the operation, quality, and effectiveness of the baccalaureate degree programs in a format specified by the Coordinating Board. A copy of the report shall be delivered to the Coordinating Board by January 1 of each odd numbered year.

The commissioner may require any reporting necessary to determine whether the program remains in compliance with the terms of its program approval, statute, or Coordinating Board rules.

Education Code 130.011; 19 TAC 2.89, .183

Program Phase-Out

An institution may request to phase out a baccalaureate program approved under Approval Process, above, in accordance with 19 Administrative Code, Chapter 2, Subchapter H, [see EFB] using the Program Consolidation or Phase-Out Form on the Coordinating Board's website. 19 TAC 2.91

Study Abroad

For the purpose of providing the opportunity for students to gain proficiency in a foreign language, an institution of higher education, including a college district, that, through any baccalaureate degree program, offers a study abroad component or program in a location where a language other than English is primarily spoken shall provide, in accordance with rules adopted by the Coordinating Board under this section, an option that allows a student enrolled in the study abroad component or program to earn foreign language credit as part of that component or program. The Coordinating Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section, including rules that define the study abroad components or programs to which this section applies and prescribe the manner in which a student may earn foreign language credit as part of a component or program described by this section.

Education Code 51.313(b)-(c)