Sam Houston State University (SHSU) publishes requirements for its undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate professional programs, as applicable, and the requirements for these degrees conform to commonly accepted standards and practices.
Publication of Degree Program Requirements
SHSU defines and publishes requirements for its undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate professional programs through the SHSU academic catalogs. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs. General requirements for SHSU undergraduate and graduate programs are published in the “Degree Requirements and Academic Guidelines” section of the undergraduate [1] and graduate [2] catalogs, and degree program requirements are also published in their respective sections of the catalogs [3] [4]. Additionally, for graduate programs, the Office of Graduate Studies publishes a Graduate Student Orientation Guide [5], detailing the broad-based academic requirements for graduate study, and the Thesis and Dissertation Manual [6] on its website. Many programs also provide a supplemental graduate student handbook that is specific to department requirements.
A detailed listing of all University courses, along with a brief description of each course, is provided within each degree program listing in the academic catalogs. To provide students with a clear and consistent presentation of degree requirements, the degree plans published in the undergraduate catalog conform to a common structure to include both a listing of course requirements and a recommended 4-year sequence of course enrollments. Example degree plan presentations are provided [7] [8] [9]. For graduate programs, all degree requirements are presented in a common list structure. Example degree plan presentations are provided [10] [11] [12].
Within the degree requirement lists, each course number links to a pop-up message containing the course description, credit hours, pre-requisites, and schedule of offering [13]. In addition to the academic catalog, SHSU publishes degree requirements in the degree audit system DegreeWorks. The DegreeWorks system provides SHSU students, faculty, and staff access to degree requirements and individual student progress toward satisfying those requirements. DegreeWorks provides a listing of all requirements for the student’s intended degree (courses, hours, grade-points, etc.) and provides a visual indication of the completion of each. A sample DegreeWorks plan is provided [14].
Commonly Accepted Standards and Practices
SHSU ensures that the requirements for its undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate professional programs conform to commonly accepted standards and practices through rigorous approval processes, program accreditation compliance, and ongoing curriculum review and evaluation.
New Program Approval
The content of a proposed program is created by the departmental faculty and subsequently reviewed by the appropriate departmental curriculum committee, the appropriate college curriculum committee and dean, and the University Curriculum Committee prior to submission to the Academic Affairs Council, the Provost, the President, the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System (TSUS), and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). Any proposal for a new program is submitted using the THECB’s Proposal for a New Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree Program [15] or Proposal for a New Doctoral Program [16]. The proposals for new programs include, but are not limited to, an extensive description of the program, courses, accreditation requirements, admissions standards, curriculum, assessment, faculty, and resources. Sample new degree program requests recently submitted by SHSU to the THECB for review and approval are provided [17] [18] [19]. The THECB’s approval ensures the use of commonly accepted standards and practices for each reviewed degree program. The THECB, in its review, demands that the curriculum be up-to-date and consistent with current academic theory [20]. In some cases, degree requirements are further defined by external state certification agencies or national associations from whom specific programs require approval. For example, the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies programs in the College of Education are required to address specific standards in their degree requirements for the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation [21]. A full listing of externally accredited programs is provided later in this narrative.
All SHSU degree programs have been designed in accordance with THECB rules and regulations found within Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 5, Subchapter C, Sections 5.45 and 5.46 [20] [22]. These rules stipulate that that degree requirements be up-to-date and consistent with current educational theory, comparable to similar degrees in the state, and that requirements meet, where applicable, state and national accreditation, licensure, or certification standards. The approval process through the THECB ensures that all approved programs conform to commonly accepted standards and practices.
Undergraduate Core Curriculum
As a member of TSUS and as a state-supported public institution of higher learning, SHSU is bound by the rules of the THECB. Consistent with these rules, SHSU has identified an undergraduate general education core curriculum that complies with the standards put forth in THECB’s Rule 4.28 [23].
The Core Curriculum section of the undergraduate catalog contains the requirements of the core curriculum [24]. The published standards follow the guidelines mandated by the THECB and represent standard practice for such academic programs.
The core curriculum at SHSU contains 42 semester credit hours, encompassing nine component areas [24]. Each component area has a minimum credit hour requirement and a set of specific courses that may be used to satisfy the requirement. The core curriculum requirements are broken down as follows:
| Component Area I | Communication | 6 Hours |
| Component Area II | Mathematics | 3 Hours |
| Component Area III | Life and Physical Science | 8 Hours |
| Component Area IV | Language, Philosophy, and Culture | 3 Hours |
| Component Area V | Creative Arts | 3 Hours |
| Component Area VI | U.S. History | 6 Hours |
| Component Area VII | Political Science/Government | 6 Hours |
| Component Area VIII | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 Hours |
| Component Area IX | Component Area Option | 4 Hours |
| Total Hours Required to Complete Core Requirements | 42 Hours* | |
The Core Curriculum within the State of Texas, and accordingly at SHSU, is designed to ensure the following:
. . . students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning.
SHSU’s core curriculum is developed and approved through the same curriculum processes as described for degree programs above and culminates with final approval by the THECB in a rigorous review of the courses fit within the purpose and objectives of the Texas Core Curriculum [25].
SHSU follows the guidelines established by the THECB in the selection of core course distribution across areas of study and further, obtains approval from the same regulatory body for all degrees offered at the undergraduate level. The adherence to the THECB requirements and approval by the THECB for established degrees ensures that SHSU’s general education requirements conform to the same accepted collegiate standards and practices as all public institutions of higher education in the State of Texas.
In addition to the standards for review and approval, all undergraduate degree programs at SHSU have designated United States Department of Education Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes, a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study, in accordance with THECB policies [26]. The CIP code for each program is reviewed by the THECB along with the request for degree. As part of their review, the THECB will ensure alignment between program outcomes and the designated CIP. Through the review and adherence to CIP classification definitions, SHSU’s undergraduate programs are aligned with undergraduate programs throughout Texas and the United States.
Program Accreditation
Additionally, some programs’ adherences to accepted collegiate standards and practices are certified by external accrediting agencies. These programs and their corresponding accrediting agencies are published online in SHSU’s undergraduate and graduate catalogs and are listed below [27] [28].
Curricular Review
To maintain appropriate degree content and requirements, all defined and published requirements undergo periodic review through the annual catalog revision process and the annual assessment of student learning process.
The academic sections of the undergraduate and graduate catalogs are forwarded to the respective departments (program coordinators and chairs) for initial review and curricular revisions. Catalog content and revisions are subsequently reviewed and approved by an associate dean, the academic dean, and the office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Assessment. Changes are also made between cycles for accreditation requirements or legislative actions. The review cycle provides an opportunity for faculty to review the degree requirements and procedures for each degree program in their respective departments.
Part of the effort to ensure that program requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs is accomplished through regular, systematic assessment. As detailed in Standard 8.2.a, each program must identify goals, objectives, indicators, and criteria used to assess student learning. These attributes, along with the associated findings, actions, and plans for continuous improvement, are used to maintain and improve program quality in relation to accepted professional standards. Further, in accordance with THECB rules found in Texas Administrative Code, Rule 5.52, Review of Existing Degree Programs [29], all graduate programs at SHSU are reviewed at least once every seven years [30]. The self-studies report on the outcomes of each review, including the evaluation of the external reviewers and the actions that the institution has taken or will take to improve the program [31].