Core Curriculum

About the Core Curriculum

A live record of approved Core Curriculum courses can be found at core.tamu.edu.

The Texas Core Curriculum provides a transferable block of courses that reflect what are often referred to as general education requirements. Core Curriculum requirements provide a broad, introductory knowledge base to ensure students are well rounded and equipped with the skills needed to succeed in their college and career endeavors as well as to become productive citizens. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) always conceived of the Core as meeting the requirements of the Texas Legislature as well as the University’s accrediting agency’s general education requirements.

The Core Curriculum Council (CCC) is responsible for recommending courses to the Faculty Senate to be included in the Core Curriculum. Courses must apply for Core Curriculum inclusion and participate in the ongoing assessment and recertification process in order to maintain this designation. For additional information about the CCC, please visit the Faculty Senate website.

Course Application

Courses wishing to apply for a Core Curriculum designation may initiate the request in the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS). In order to meet the THECB expectations for general education, the Core Curriculum Council (CCC) will evaluate the proposed Core Curriculum courses with respect to the following criteria:

Core courses, with rare exceptions, are intended to be lower division courses. Based on the guidelines set forth by the THECB, 100- and 200-level courses are best suited to meet introductory general education requirements.
The content of the course should be considered general knowledge within the proposed Foundational Component Area.
The course should not be a "skills course." A skills course is defined as courses that focus on the attainment of defined skills such as competence in foreign languages or in musical or artistic performance.
The course should not have a curricular prerequisite (exception: sequence courses such as mathematics or science courses).

Recertification

Core Curriculum Recertification is the process by which the Faculty Senate's Core Curriculum Council (CCC) reviews core courses for inclusion in the core based on a variety of characteristics including: appropriateness of the course for the Foundational Component Area (FCA) and enrollment as well as explanations of how students are informed of the core objectives, how the course fosters student development of the core objectives, and how each mandatory core objective is evaluated in the context of the course.

In addition to recertification every four years, courses in the core curriculum must meet the following requirements:

The course must be offered annually.
At least 30 students per year must enroll in the course (official course census).
At least 10% of those students must use the course to meet their core requirement in the course’s FCA.
The course must demonstrate that it continues to meet the state required teaching objectives of the course’s FCA.
The course must generate artifacts (student work) that demonstrate that students are engaging with the core objectives of the curriculum. The assignments that generate these artifacts may be summative or formative but must not be optional.

Students should be aware that a course is in the core curriculum and should understand how assignments correspond to the core objectives. Additionally, the relevant core objectives must be included in a core course's syllabus.

Recertification is a two year process, with all core courses rotating through as members of four cohorts, Cohorts A, B, C, and D. Newly approved core courses will be assigned a cohort based on their initial approval year. These cohorts are reviewed annually and updated to add newly approved courses and remove any courses no longer designated as core courses.

The table below shows the academic years cohorts will begin their two-year recertification process.

Cohort A	Cohort B	Cohort C	Cohort D
AY19-20	AY20-21	AY21-22	AY22-23
AY23-24	AY24-25	AY25-26	AY26-27

During the first year of recertification, courses collect evidence of student learning demonstrating the required core learning objectives and submit to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Evaluation (OIEE) for assessment using the Core Curriculum Assessment rubrics. During the second year of recertification, courses complete the curricular review requirements defined by the CCC.

Year 1

During Year 1, each section of the course offered during the long semesters (fall and spring) will submit student-produced work (artifacts) demonstrating the Core Objectives aligned with their respective FCA being assessed during that academic year to OIEE. OIEE will notify instructors of record of their upcoming assessment and recertification submission expectations. Submissions will be assessed using the Core Curriculum Council approved rubrics.

The Core Curriculum Objectives are assessed on a three-year assessment schedule rotation as shown below:

Rotation 1 (AYs 19-20, 22-23, 25-26)	Rotation 2 (AYs 20-21, 23-24, 26-27)	Rotation 3 (AYs 21-22, 24-25, 27-28)
Visual Communication Oral Communication Teamwork	Critical Thinking Social Responsibility	Written Communication Personal Responsibility Empirical & Quantitative Skills

More information about OIEE's assessment can be found at assessment.tamu.edu/core. Questions can be directed to assessment@tamu.edu.

Assessment Reports

Year 2

During Year 2, proposers submit course materials that describe how they are addressing all the core objectives required for a course's FCA. As part of this process, they are asked to reflect on the assessment results as it relates to the course and ways they can contribute to improving the results within the course.

Instructors should use results of Core Curriculum Assessment to drive improvements in teaching and learning. Assessment results will be shared with the Core Curriculum Council and made available online for instructors of core courses. These stakeholders should review the assessment results at the FCA level and (where appropriate or provided) campus and course level for each component of the rubric and identify areas for instructional and/or curricular improvement. The results of this analysis, and actions taken, should be submitted as part of the recertification forms described below.

The CARS form will ask proposers to address how the course fits its FCA, how students are informed about the core objectives addressed by that FCA, and how student learning is advanced and assessed for each objective in the FCA. Proposers will also be asked to address what changes they plan to make on how the course addresses core objectives based on the review of assessment results.

NOTE: If the course is a multi-section course taught by different instructors, the proposer will be asked to address how the core objectives are coordinated and met across course sections. If the course is taught at more than one campus (College Station, Galveston, Qatar), one campus will take the lead completing the CARS form and collecting supplemental forms from alternate campus sites and attaching those to the CARS form.

CARS Form–Curricular Approval Request System (submission portal).
Lead Campus Recertification Form–For proposers from the main (or only) campus where a course is offered.
Alternate Campus Recertification Form–For proposers from alternate campuses where a course is offered–mainly Galveston and Qatar.

Foundational Component Areas

Core courses by Foundational Component Area are listed in the University Catalog. The table below maps out the core objectives to their associated FCA.

Core Learning Objectives

FCA	Communication: Written, Oral, & Visual	Critical Thinking	Empirical & Quantitative Skills	Personal Responsibility	Social Responsibility	Teamwork
American History	✔	✔		✔	✔
Communication	✔	✔		✔		✔
Creative Arts	✔	✔			✔	✔
Government/Political Science	✔	✔		✔	✔
Language, Philosophy, & Culture	✔	✔		✔	✔
Life & Physical Sciences	✔	✔	✔			✔
Mathematics	✔	✔	✔
Social & Behavioral Sciences	✔	✔	✔		✔

✔ = Core objective should be explicitly covered and assessed in every course with this FCA designation.

American History (AH)

Courses in this category focus on the consideration of past events and ideas relative to the United States, with the option of including Texas History for a portion of this component area. Courses involve the interaction among individuals, communities, states, the nation, and the world, considering how these interactions have contributed to the development of the United States and its global role.

The core objectives required to be covered in American History courses are Critical Thinking, Communication, Personal Responsibility, and Social Responsibility.

Communication (C)

Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

The core objectives required to be covered in Communication courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, Personal Responsibility, and Teamwork.

NOTE: While they are similarly named, the Communication FCA is different from the core objective.

Creative Arts (CA)

Courses in this category focus on the appreciation and analysis of creative artifacts and works of the human imagination. Courses involve the synthesis and interpretation of artistic expression and enable critical, creative, and innovative communication about works of art.

The core objectives required to be covered in Creative Arts courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, Social Responsibility, and Teamwork.

Government/Political Science (GPS)

Courses in this category focus on consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas. Courses involve the analysis of governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations.

The core objectives required to be covered in Government/Political Science courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, Personal Responsibility, and Social Responsibility.

Language, Philosophy, & Culture (LPC)

Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects of culture express and affect human experience. Courses involve the exploration of ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures.

The core objectives required to be covered in Language, Philosophy, & Culture courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, Personal Responsibility, and Social Responsibility.

Life & Physical Sciences (LPS)

Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena using the scientific method. Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.

The core objectives required to be covered in Life & Physical Sciences courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, Empirical & Quantitative Skills, and Teamwork.

Mathematics (M)

Courses in this category focus on quantitative literacy in logic, patterns, and relationships. Courses involve the understanding of key mathematical concepts and the application of appropriate quantitative tools to everyday experiences.

The core objectives required to be covered in Mathematics courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, and Empirical & Quantitative Skills.

Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS)

Courses in this category focus on the application of empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the understanding of what makes us human. Courses involve the exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, and culture.

The core objectives required to be covered in Social & Behavioral Sciences courses are Communication, Critical Thinking, Empirical & Quantitative Skills, and Social Responsibility.

Objectives

Students develop and practice core objectives in the context of 42 semester credit hours assigned to eight Foundational Component Areas, each made up of a selection of courses that meet the definition provided by the Texas Core Curriculum. Each FCA requires that different core objectives be addressed and assessed within a given course. Critical Thinking and Communication (Written, Oral, and Visual) are required for every core course, regardless of FCA.

Students should be aware that a course is in the core curriculum and should understand how assignments correspond to the core objectives. Courses must also generate artifacts that demonstrate that students are developing and becoming proficient in the associated skill. The assignments that generate these artifacts may be summative or formative but must not be optional. Additionally, the relevant core objectives must be included in a core course's syllabus.

Communication

Communication skills include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication. Written, oral, and visual communication are treated as separate learning outcomes, and each must be covered in all FCAs.

OIEE uses the Written Communication Rubric and Oral Communication Rubric to assess these objectives. Visual Communication is assessed with either the Creation Rubric or Interpretation Rubric.

NOTE: While they are similarly named, the Communication FCA is different from the core objective.

Critical Thinking

Empirical & Quantitative Skills

Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility includes the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making. This objective is more than simply following the Aggie Honor Code, attending class, or avoiding plagiarism. Personal Responsibility must be covered in the following FCAs: American History, Communication, Government/Political Science, and Language, Philosophy & Culture.

OIEE uses the Personal Responsibility Rubric to assess this objective.

Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility includes intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. Social Responsibility must be covered in the following FCAs: American History, Communication, Creative Arts, Government/Political Science, Language, Philosophy & Culture, and Social & Behavioral Sciences.

OIEE uses the Social Responsibility Rubric to assess this objective.

Teamwork

Teamwork includes the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal. Teamwork must be covered in the following Foundational Component Areas: Communication, Creative Arts, and Life & Physical Sciences.

The Teamwork Survey is centrally administered by OIEE. Instructors will receive information about the administration but will not be responsible for collecting the data themselves. Students will be notified of the survey via AEFIS, the platform used to administer the survey.

Instructor Resources

Instructors teaching Core Curriculum courses are expected to address all core objectives associated with their Foundational Component Area (FCA) each time the course is taught. The resources below are intended to support instructors as they teach and assess the core objectives both in the context of their course as well as aid in completing the requirements of the recertification process.

Training & Informational Materials

CCC Checklist
Core Recertification Guidelines
FCAs & Objectives
January 2023 Core Recertification Workshop Slide Deck
Feburary 2024 Core Recertification Workshop Slide Deck

Assignment Checklists

The Assignment Checklists are intended to assist in the design and development of assignments to produce student work which develops and accurately demonstrates students’ knowledge, skills, and abilities on the learning objectives. These checklists are derived directly from the approved core rubrics and are available on OIEE's website.

Course Addendums

Single/Lead campus addendum (to be attached to the course proposal in CARS)
Alternate Campus proposal form

Assessment & Artifact Scores

Assessment
Artifact Scores

FAQs

Where can I find approved Core Curriculum courses?

Where do I go to submit the recertification form?

My course is due for assessment. What do I need to know?

Instructors of record for all courses due for assessment are expected to submit artifacts (student-produced work) specifically demonstrating the core competencies scheduled for assessment. Instructors can submit artifacts (student-produced work) by tagging an assignment in Canvas or file sharing.

For more information, please visit assessment.tamu.edu/core or contact assessment@tamu.edu.

What are the timelines and schedule for the CCC?

The Core Curriculum Council meets every month. Courses will generally be reviewed in the same month that they are submitted. After a course is reviewed by the CCC, it is either submitted to the Faculty Senate (and then the THECB) for final approval, or it is returned to the proposer for revision. Please visit the Faculty Senate website for more information about the Core Curriculum Council.

Cycle D Courses are due for recertification on February 7, 2024.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

If you have questions about the recertification process, CARS, or other questions about Core Curriculum, the CCC can be reached by email at fso-ccc@tamu.edu. You can also contact Jacob Miller, staff liaison for the CCC, at jacobmiller@tamu.edu or at 979.458.1896.

If you have questions about assessment, artifact scoring, and other data, please visit https://assessment.tamu.edu/core or contact OIEE at assessment@tamu.edu or 979.862.2918.