The General Degree requirements for all transfer degrees at Del Mar College are prescribed by the core curriculum guidelines set forth by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Texas law requires that each public college and university identify and requires a core curriculum of 42 credits for its degrees designed to transfer. In addition, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has prescribed eight (8) Foundational Component Areas and a Component Area Option, with a specified number of credits for each.
A student who completes 42-hour core curriculum at Del Mar College may transfer the block of courses to any other Texas public college. That college must count it for their core curriculum. Students who do not complete the entire 42-hour core, but complete the requirements for one or more Foundational Component Areas, may transfer those courses and will receive credit for each of the courses transferred. Students should consult with their advisors to ensure that the core curriculum courses they take are correct for their degree plan and for the major at the college or university to which they intend to transfer.
The core curriculum supports the General Education Competencies of Del Mar College as it is structured to develop competencies in critical thinking, communication, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility. The core curriculum is further designed to give students breadth of knowledge in the liberal arts (multidisciplinary studies) and to promote critical thinking skills that are fundamental to higher education.
Through the Texas Core Curriculum, 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.
NOTE: Core courses that have a four digit course number beginning with a number “2” are sophomore-level courses.
Core Curriculum Course Requirements (42 Credit Hours)
Communications Foundational Component Area (6 Credit Hours)
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.
Mathematics Foundational Component Area (3 Credit Hours)
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 experience.
Life and Physical Sciences Foundational Component Area (6 Credit Hours)
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.
BIOL 1308, BIOL 1309, BIOL 1406, BIOL 1407, BIOL 1408, BIOL 1409, BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, CHEM 1405, CHEM 1407, CHEM 1411, CHEM 1412, GEOL 1404, PHYS 1401, PHYS 1402, PHYS 2425, PHYS 2426: lecture + lab
BIOL 2404: specialized, single-semester course, lecture + lab
CHEM 1406: lecture + lab, allied health emphasis
GEOL 1301, GEOL 1303, GEOL 1304, GEOL 1345, PHYS 1303, PHYS 1305: lecture
Language, Philosophy and Culture Foundational Component Area (3 Credit Hours)
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.
Creative Arts Foundational Component Area (3 Credit Hours)
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.
American History Foundational Component Area (6 Credit Hours)
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.
Government/Political Science Foundational Component Area (6 Credit Hours)
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.
| GOVT 2305 | Federal Govt (Constitution & Topics) | 3 |
| GOVT 2306 | Texas Govt (Constitution & Topics) | 3 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences Foundational Component Area (3 Credit Hours)
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.
Component Area Option (6 Credit Hours)
NOTE: At least 3 credits of Component Area Option must be chosen from the 8 Foundational Component Areas. Up to 3 credits may be chosen from Component Area Option list. Courses may count for Foundational Component Area hours or Component Area Option hours, but not both.
Core Objectives. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will prepare for contemporary challenges by developing and demonstrating the following core objectives: