Section 2.181 - Academic Programs at Public Universities and Public Health-Related Institutions(a) Each public institution of higher education, in accordance with the requirements of the institution's approved accreditor, shall have a process to review the quality and effectiveness of existing degree programs and for continuous improvement.(b) Board staff shall develop a process for conducting a periodic audit of the quality, productivity, and effectiveness of each existing master's, doctoral, and professional degree program at a public institution of higher education.(c) Board staff will meet the requirements of program review established by Texas Education Code, § 61.0512(e), by reviewing program data reported in the Accountability System for each undergraduate degree offered by a public institution of higher education in Texas.(d) Each public university and public health-related institution shall review each of its master's, doctoral and professional degree programs at least once every ten (10) years. (1) On a schedule to be determined by the Commissioner, each institution shall submit a schedule of review for each graduate program to the Assistant Commissioner with oversight of academic program approval.(2) Each institution shall begin each review of a graduate degree program with a rigorous self-study.(3) As part of the required review process, an institution shall use at least two external reviewers with subject-matter expertise who are employed by institutions of higher education outside of Texas. Each institution shall provide its external reviewers with the materials and products of the self-study and must participate in a site review.(4) Each external reviewer shall be part of a program that is nationally recognized for excellence in the discipline.(5) Each external reviewer shall affirm that they have no conflict of interest related to the Board, the institution, or program under review.(6) Each institution may review a closely-related program, defined as sharing the same four-digit Classification of Instructional Programs code, in a consolidated manner at the discretion of the institution.(7) Each institution shall review a master's and doctoral program in the same discipline simultaneously, using the same self-study materials and reviewers. Each institution may also, at their discretion, review a baccalaureate program in the same discipline as master's and doctoral programs simultaneously.(8) Each institution shall submit a report on the outcomes of each review, including the evaluation of the external reviewers and actions the institution has taken or will take to improve the program, and shall deliver these reports to Board staff no later than 180 days after the reviewers have submitted their findings to the institution.(9) Each institution may submit a review of a master's, doctoral, or professional program performed for reasons of programmatic licensure or accreditation in satisfaction of the review and reporting requirements in this subsection.(e) Board staff shall review all reports submitted for a master's, doctoral, or professional degree program and shall conduct analysis as necessary to ensure high quality. The Commissioner may require an institution to take additional actions to improve its program as a result of Coordinating Board review.19 Tex. Admin. Code § 2.181
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 47, Number 47, November 25, 2022, TexReg 7901, eff. 11/28/2022; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 32, August 9, 2024, TexReg 5958, eff. 8/15/2024