Core Curriculum Policy

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has developed the Texas Core Curriculum comprised of 42 semester credit hours distributed across eight foundational component areas: communications; mathematics; life and physical sciences; language, philosophy and culture; creative arts; American history; government; social and behavioral sciences; and a component area option. These foundational component areas are then mapped to the core competencies of:

• Critical thinking skills - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information,
• Communication skills - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication,
• Empirical and quantitative skills - manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions,
• Teamwork - ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal,
• Social responsibility - intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities,
• Personal responsibility - ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making.

Students who will be receiving a baccalaureate degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) must successfully complete the Texas Core Curriculum Requirements prior to enrollment. The core curriculum consists of 42 semester credit hours from the nine foundational component areas. Students are required to complete these courses at another institution and transfer them into UTMB. If a student’s transcript from another Texas public college or university indicates that the student has completed that institution’s core curriculum, no additional core curriculum requirements are imposed. If a student has not completed the core requirement at another Texas institution prior to entering UTMB, UTMB will accept academic credits from another Texas public college or university for the core curriculum courses successfully completed with grades of "C" or better. UTMB may accept academic coursework from private or out of state academic institutions to satisfy the core curriculum requirement based on UTMB policies for acceptance of transfer credit.

The table below lists core curriculum requirements for UTMB. Courses from Texas institutions that may be accepted by UTMB to fulfill core requirements, can be found on the Texas General Education Core Curriculum WebCenter.

Components & Requirements of the Core Curriculum