1. Our institution (or a college/program at our institution) specifies particular courses that must be taken to fulfill some of the NM common core requirements. Can we require that transfer students who have completed that core component at another institution take the specific courses that we require if they have not done so?
2. Our institution allows some variations in the description of courses and/or the number of credits per course for some areas of the core (for example, a fine arts studio course might be used for Area V, or fewer than 3 credits of public speaking might be accepted). Are we satisfying the intent of the common core?
3. Our institution allows students to complete common core requirements using AP and CLEP credits. If a student transfers to an institution that does not allow use of those credits to fulfill common core requirements, will the student have to re-take those components? We allow students to take common core requirements on a Credit/No-Credit basis. If a student transfers to an institution that does not allow this option to fulfill common core requirements, will the student have to re-take those components?
4. Our institution has general education requirements that exceed the NM common core requirements. Can we require that transfer students who have completed the core at another institution also complete our additional requirements?
5. Our institution requires a grade of C or better for all courses used to fulfill common core requirements. If a core component with a grade lower than C meets requirements at a transfer student’s original institution, must we accept that component as completed?

If the course is a college or program requirement that provides a foundation for further study, then it is considered a prerequisite course and students who choose that program of study must take the specified course(s). If, however, the specified course functions only as general education and is not required by a particular program of study, a student who has completed that core component following the guidelines of the original institution cannot be required to take a different course to satisfy the same common core component at the transfer institution.

When the competency statements are developed for each area of the common core, institutions will have better guidelines to determine whether the courses they specify for each area are adequate to fulfill the intent of that area. Institutions’ right to develop curricula that reflect their specific mission and resources is recognized. Assuming the total of at least 35 credits is maintained in the common core, minor variations in the area requirements are tolerated. Transferring students must understand that if they have not completed an area of the common core at their originating institution, they will be required to take the coursework specified by the receiving institution for that area.

In both cases, if a student has satisfied the common core requirements of the originating institution then that component must be accepted as satisfying the common core requirement by the institution to which the student transfers. However, if a college or program requires a particular course as a prerequisite and has stipulated that Credit/No-Credit, AP, or CLEP credits are not acceptable, then the student would be required to repeat that course if necessary to achieve the required standard.

Yes. Students cannot be required to take courses specified by one institution to replace courses in that area that they have already completed at another institution (unless the course is a college or program prerequisite—see below) but they must achieve any additional general education competencies that an institution requires of all its graduates.

Yes. If a student has achieved the requirements of the originating institution (or has been granted an exception to the requirements by the originating institution) then that component must be accepted as completed by the institution to which the student transfers. However, if a college or program requires a particular course as a prerequisite and has stipulated a minimum grade, then the student would be required to repeat the course if necessary to achieve that minimum. Also, if an institution, college, or program has established a minimum GPA for admission, then a student could be required to repeat common core components (and/or other coursework) in order to achieve that GPA.