Degree and Program Information
Texas State University offers a full range of programs in applied arts, business administration, education, the fine arts, general studies, health professions, the liberal arts, sciences, and engineering. This section of the catalog gives basic information about the undergraduate degrees, majors, minors, and alternative curricula available at Texas State. Certificate and degree programs are approved in accordance with guidelines provided by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System.
SACSCOC Accreditation
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation is institutional in nature. Although many programs are accredited by other agencies, SACSCOC accredits the university as a whole, not specific degrees or programs.
Texas State University Undergraduate Degree Program Information
All undergraduate degrees conferred by Texas State University are based on the satisfactory completion of the following components:
- Uniform undergraduate degree requirements, which apply to all Texas State undergraduates regardless of their major. These requirements include:
- US 1100 (required for students who enter with fewer than 16 semester credit hours completed after high school graduation),
- Core Curriculum,
- Writing Intensive, and
- Residency.
- College-specific degree requirements, which include:
- Major,
- Minor, if applicable,
- Upper-division hour,
- Free electives, if applicable, and
- Grade-point average requirements.
- Specific degree or program, if applicable.
Special Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree Programs
The following requirements apply to all Bachelor of Arts degree programs.
Minor Requirement
A minor is required and may be selected from any of the Texas State approved minors.
Science Requirement
In addition to completing the mathematics and the life and physical sciences requirements of the general education core curriculum, students must complete one additional science course (3-4 hours) from anthropology (biological anthropology only), biology, chemistry, computer science, geography (physical geography only), geology, mathematics, philosophy (logic only), physics.
Modern Language Requirement
An intermediate level proficiency demonstrated by successful completion of American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish (2310 and 2320) is required. Most students will need to complete 1410 and 1420 as prerequisites before attempting 2310.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following groups: | ||
| Intermediate American Sign Language I and Intermediate American Sign Language II | ||
| Intermediate Arabic I and Intermediate Arabic II | ||
| Intermediate Chinese I and Intermediate Chinese II | ||
| Intermediate French I and Intermediate French II | ||
| Intermediate German I and Intermediate German II | ||
| Intermediate Italian I and Intermediate Italian II | ||
| Intermediate Japanese I and Intermediate Japanese II | ||
| Intermediate Latin I and Intermediate Latin II | ||
| Intermediate Portuguese I and Intermediate Portuguese II | ||
| Intermediate Russian I and Intermediate Russian II | ||
| Intermediate Spanish I and Intermediate Spanish II | ||
English Literature Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| British Literature before 1785 | ||
| British Literature since 1785 | ||
| World Literature before 1600 | ||
| World Literature since 1600 | ||
| US Literature before 1865 | ||
| US Literature since 1865 | ||
Note: Students who earn a "B" or "A" in the first sophomore literature course may choose to take an advanced literature course (3000 or 4000 level) instead of a second sophomore literature course.
Special Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree Programs
A minor is required and may be selected from any of the Texas State approved minors.
Pre-Professional Curricula
Students preparing to study medicine, dentistry, physician assistant, law, pharmacy, physical therapy, or veterinary medicine should consider the following information. Before each registration period, the student should consult with an academic advisor.
Health Careers
Texas State University provides many resources for students interested in attending post-baccalaureate health-related professional programs such as medical, dental, optometry, physician assistant, veterinary or pharmacy schools.
Students will be able to complete undergraduate prerequisite coursework while earning their bachelor's degree in many of the majors offered. Texas State University offers a rich diversity of science, math and non-science courses that will fulfill prerequisite requirements for all professional schools in the country and prepare students to take admissions tests such as the MCAT, DAT, OAT and GRE.
Texas State University has several dedicated pre-health advisors who will meet with students to help them understand and plan for the steps needed to become competitive professional school applicants. The pre-health advisors also host workshops and may provide qualified medical and dental school applicants with committee letters. Additional information about pre-health advising at Texas State University can be found on the website for Pre-Health Advising (http://www.bio.txst.edu/prehealthadvising).
Medical, Dental, Optometry and Physician Assistant
Students seeking admission to medical, dental, optometry and physician assistant programs must complete a variety of undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to gain admissions to these programs. Prerequisite courses change from time to time and may include courses which may not count towards their degree plan. Texas State University has developed a variety of minors to help alleviate this issue. These minors will provide students with coursework that satisfies prerequisite courses for many of their chosen professional programs. In addition, students choosing these minors allow the pre-health advisors to track the number of students who are interested in pursuing these professions. This information is important for pre-health advisors, academic advisors, the admissions office, faculty members seeking grant funding from organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and others on campus. Information about these minors can be found in the Undergraduate Minors section of this catalog.
There are several student organizations on campus designed to support and encourage students interested in health careers. These student organizations provide students with leadership and community service opportunities and help students learn more about the healthcare careers they are interested in. Some examples of these student organizations include: Pre-Med/Pre-Dent Society, Pre-Physician Assistant Society, Medical Explorers, Black Health Professionals Organization, American Student Dental Association, Minority Association of Pre-Health Professionals, and Women in Medicine.
Texas State University participates in the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP). The Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) is a special program created by the Texas Legislature to support and encourage highly qualified, economically disadvantaged students pursuing a medical education.
Additional information about JAMP can be found at the program website (https://texasjamp.org/).
Texas State University participates in the Dental Early Acceptance Program (DEAP). DEAP is dual-degree program between the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry and a few select undergraduate universities that allows students to apply credits earned during dental school to college requirements, allowing students to leave Texas State University and enter dental school one year early, yet still allowing students to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a dental degree. This program is intended for students coming straight out of high school with academic excellence and a demonstrated interest in dentistry as a career. Additional information about DEAP can be found at the program website (http://www.uthscsa.edu/academics/dental/programs/deap-program).
Law
Accredited law schools in the United States typically require at least the following from applicants prior to admission:
- a bachelor’s degree,
- a high cumulative grade point average,
- a satisfactory score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT),
- a personal statement,
- a resume, and
- letters of recommendation (preferably from faculty members).
The Student Learning Assistance Center's (SLAC's) prelaw advisor recommends that students considering law school also seek guidance from faculty members on choosing rigorous courses that are reading and writing intensive to prepare academically and on identifying and applying for relevant internships. Faculty and staff members that have attended law school serve as valuable resources from whom students can learn about law school experiences firsthand.
Prelaw students are also urged to meet with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) prelaw advisors in SLAC, the Political Science and/or Criminal Justice Departments to help students create individualized Law School Admission Test (LSAT) preparation plans using SLAC materials; research and select appropriate law schools; and complete personal statements, addenda, and resumes for students' Credential Assembly Service (CAS) files. Prelaw and appointment scheduling information are available at www.txst.edu/slac/prelaw.html and the departments of Political Science and Criminal Justice and Criminology.
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is a professional program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D). Prerequisite coursework required for admission to the professional program may be taken at Texas State. The pharmacy schools in Texas (including Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Tyler Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy, and University of North Texas Health Science Center College of Pharmacy) all require at least two years of prerequisite courses including chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics, English, humanities and social sciences, but the exact courses required vary by school. The Minor in Pre-Pharmacy Studies at Texas State includes coursework that will prepare students to apply to the widest range of pharmacy schools. Students interested in attending pharmacy school are strongly encouraged to add this minor to their degree program. It is imperative that pre-pharmacy students consult with an advisor prior to and during their degree program. For more information contact the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Physical Therapy
The physical therapy profession requires a post-baccalaureate degree to practice; Texas State offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program (www.health.txstate.edu/pt). The Department of Physical Therapy does not require a specific undergraduate degree for application to their program. There are two degrees that include most of the specific course pre-requisites for the DPT program. The College of Health Professions offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. The Department of Health and Human Performance in the College of Education offers the Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science major in Exercise and Sports Science and a concentration in Pre-rehabilitation Sciences. Because the prerequisites among DPT programs vary and students can apply to any DPT program, students should identify specific prerequisites for each program of interest.
Veterinary Medicine
At Texas State, all students must choose a major in one of the 4-year bachelor’s programs. While any major is acceptable, majors in Agriculture, Animal Science, Biology or Chemistry most nearly parallel the courses required in the pre-veterinary program. Department of Agricultural Sciences has a specific major in Animal Science (pre-veterinary concentration) that provides specialized course work and animal experience required for students planning to enter veterinary school (/undergraduate/applied-arts/agriculturalsciences/agriculture-animal-science-preveterinary-concentration/).
Advising for students at Texas State who wish to pursue the pre-professional curriculum in veterinary medicine is available by contacting the pre-veterinary advisor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences at Texas State.
