Completing a degree is an important goal for students. Therefore, House Bill 3025 of the 82nd Texas Legislative Session seeks to improve student’s timely completion of a degree by requiring students enrolled in an associate or bachelor’s degree program at a public institution of higher education to file a degree plan (Program of Study) no later than the end of the second regular semester or term immediately following the semester or term in which the student earned a cumulative total of 45 or more semester credit hours. The credit hours earned for the purpose of filing a degree plan include transfer courses, international baccalaureate courses, dual credit courses, and any other course for which the institution has awarded the student college course credit, including course credit awarded by examination.

Students who enter higher education with 45 or more semester credit hours in their first semester must file a degree plan no later than the student’s second regular semester or term at the institution. Students who have not filed a degree plan by the required deadline may not receive a transcript.