Apr 27, 2024  
Dallas College Catalog 2024-2025 
  
Dallas College Catalog 2024-2025

Core Objectives and Foundational Component Areas


Important: This is the required Core Curriculum for all students attending Dallas College. There are nine (9) Foundational Component Areas (FCA), including one Component Area Option (CAO). Each FCA has a set list of courses and maximum number of Semester Credit Hours (SCH) that must be completed to satisfy specific Core objectives.

The core of learning in college is a set of courses that will provide you with the knowledge, skills and educational experiences you need to succeed in higher education. Those courses - called the Core Curriculum - lead to an associate degree here at Dallas College and transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Core courses are guaranteed to transfer to Texas public colleges and universities.

Core Objectives:

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has identified six (6) Core Objectives for the Texas core curriculum. They are as follows:

  • Critical Thinking Skills (CT) - creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information Communication Skills (COM) - effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication
  • Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS) - manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
  • Teamwork (TW) - ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal
  • Social Responsibility (SR) - intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
  • Personal Responsibility (PR) - ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making

This page includes Coordinating Board (CB) Codes.

Component Areas and CB Codes


Communication (CB010)


Select EACH of the following:

Semester Credit Hours Required: 6


Semester Credit Hours Required: 3-4*


*Note: If a student takes the four (4) credit hour mathematics course; three (3) of those hours will apply towards the mathematics requirement. The remaining one (1) credit hour from that mathematics course will be applied to the general elective requirement and does not count towards the 42-hour Core.

Life and Physical Sciences (CB030)


Select TWO of the following:

Semester Credit Hours Required: 8


NOTE: This requirement cannot be met using the following combinations: BIOL 1406  and BIOL 1408 ; BIOL 1407  and BIOL 1409 ; BIOL 2420  and BIOL 2421 ; CHEM 1405  and CHEM 1411 ; CHEM 1406  and CHEM 1411 ; CHEM 1405  and CHEM 1406 ; CHEM 1406  and CHEM 1407 ; GEOL 1401  and GEOL 1403 ; PHYS 1401  and PHYS 1405 ; PHYS 1401  and PHYS 2425 ; PHYS 1405  and PHYS 2425 .

Language, Philosophy and Culture (CB040)


Select ONE of the following:

Semester Credit Hours Required: 3


Semester Credit Hours Required: 3


American History (CB060)


Select the following:

Government/Political Science (CB070)


Select EACH of the following:

Semester Credit Hours Required: 6


Social and Behavioral Sciences (CB080)


Select ONE of the following:

Semester Credit Hours Required: 3


Component Area Option (CB090)


Select four (4) credit hours from ONE of the following options: