The core curriculum consists of required courses that all undergraduates take, regardless of major. A faculty review found the current curriculum includes more than 1,000 courses of “inconsistent quality,” the university said.
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University leaders say the curriculum changes are due to a desire to create a more consistent academic foundation rather than a list of requirements for students to check off.
The revised curriculum will focus on writing, math, science, history, government, humanities and the arts. The current core requires 42 credit-hours and 10 component areas, but the proposed new core will require 36 credit hours within three areas: Arts and Humanities (15 credits), Social Science (9 credits), STEM (12 credits). UT also plans to narrow the courses that can fulfill core requirements.
Students will still be able to take a wide variety of specialized courses outside the core curriculum.
UT will introduce the core curriculum changes in stages, with the first new courses expected in fall 2027. All new courses will be fully available at UT Austin by fall 2028.