TRANSFER OF CREDIT FROM LOWER-DIVISION INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.

(a) In this section:

(1) "Articulation agreement" means a formal written agreement between a lower-division institution of higher education and a general academic teaching institution identifying courses offered by the lower-division institution that must be accepted for credit toward specific course requirements at the general academic teaching institution.

(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.

(3) "Lower-division institution of higher education" means a public junior college, public state college, or public technical institute, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003.

(b) Each general academic teaching institution may enter into an articulation agreement with a lower-division institution of higher education for a certificate or degree program for which students transferring from the lower-division institution to the general academic teaching institution receive transfer credit.

(c) An articulation agreement entered into under Subsection (b) on or after September 1, 2019, may use field of study curricula developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 61.823.

(d) A general academic teaching institution may extend an existing articulation agreement entered into under Subsection (b) to another lower-division institution of higher education with respect to the transfer of courses from that lower-division institution of higher education to the general academic teaching institution, on request by that lower-division institution of higher education.

(e) An articulation agreement established under this section may enable a transfer student to receive up to 60 semester credit hours for courses completed at the lower-division institution of higher education.

(f) A general academic teaching institution's participation in an articulation agreement under this section does not affect the institution's admissions policies.