SENATE, No. 1265 | 120 credits
SYNOPSIS
Provides that no more than 120 credits will be required for baccalaureate degree awarded by public institution and no more than 60 credits for associate degree.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning associate and baccalaureate degree programs and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

English

Kean Digital Learning Commons

Kean University Kean Digital Learning Commons Evidence Inventory 2021 SENATE, No. 1265 | 120 credits STATE OF NEW JERSEY Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/evidence_inventory Recommended Citation STATE OF NEW JERSEY, "SENATE, No. 1265 | 120 credits" (2021). Evidence Inventory. 415. https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/evidence_inventory/415 This Response or Comment is brought to you for free and open access by Kean Digital Learning Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Evidence Inventory by an authorized administrator of Kean Digital Learning Commons. For more information, please contact learningcommons@kean.edu. 10/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 1/7SENATE, No. 1265STATE OF NEW JERSEY218th LEGISLATURE INTRODUCED JANUARY 25, 2018 10/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 2/710/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 3/7 Sponsored by:Senator  SHIRLEY K. TURNERDistrict 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)Senator  NILSA CRUZ-PEREZDistrict 5 (Camden and Gloucester)Senator  ROBERT W. SINGERDistrict 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)Assemblywoman  MILA M. JASEYDistrict 27 (Essex and Morris)Assemblywoman  NANCY J. PINKINDistrict 18 (Middlesex) Co-Sponsored by:Senator Pou    SYNOPSIS     Provides that no more than 120 credits will be required for baccalaureate degree awardedby public institution and no more than 60 credits for associate degree. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT     As introduced.  10/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 4/710/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 5/7AN ACT concerning associate and baccalaureate degree programs and supplementingchapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.      BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:      1.    a.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any section of law to the contrary and exceptas otherwise provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section, beginning with studentswho initially enroll in a baccalaureate degree program in the fall semester of 2019, thestandard number of credits required for the award of a baccalaureate degree from a four-year public institution of higher education is 120 credit hours.     b.    The standard number of credit hours established pursuant to subsection a. of thissection shall not apply if:     (1)   the degree program is defined as a five-year degree program;     (2)   professional accreditation requires a greater number of credit hours or requirescourse work that cannot be completed in 120 credits; or     (3)   certification requirements result in a need for credit hours in excess of 120.     c.     (1) The Secretary of Higher Education shall establish standards for the purposes ofcomplying with the credit hour limit established by this section for institutions of highereducation that use nontraditional course credit systems.     (2)   Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, a four-year public institution ofhigher education that uses a nontraditional course credit system shall submit a writtenrequest to the secretary for permission to comply with the credit hour limit in accordancewith the standards established by the secretary pursuant to paragraph (1) of thissubsection.  The request shall provide information on why the institution is not able tocomply with the requirements of subsection a. of this section and shall include such otherinformation as the secretary deems necessary.  Within 60 days of the submission of therequest, the secretary shall advise the institution on whether it may meet the credit hourlimit in accordance with the standards established by the secretary.      2.    a.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any section of law to the contrary and exceptas otherwise provided pursuant to subsection b. of this section, beginning with studentswho initially enroll in an associate degree program in the fall semester of 2019, thestandard number of credit hours required for the award of an associate degree from acounty college is 60 credit hours.     b.    The standard number of credit hours established pursuant to subsection a. of thissection shall not apply if:     (1)   the degree program is defined as more than a two-year degree program;     (2)   professional accreditation requires a greater number of credit hours or requirescourse work that cannot be completed in 60 credits; or     (3)   certification requirements result in a need for credit hours in excess of 60.     c.     (1) The Secretary of Higher Education shall establish standards for the purposes ofcomplying with the credit hour limit established by this section for institutions of higherthat use nontraditional course credit systems.     (2)  Within 180 days of the effective date of this act, a county college that uses anontraditional course credit system shall submit a written request to the secretary forpermission to comply with the credit hour limit in accordance with the standards10/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 6/7established by the secretary pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection.  The request shallprovide information on why the county college is not able to comply with the requirementsof subsection a. of this section and shall include such other information as the secretarydeems necessary.  Within 60 days of the submission of the request, the secretary shalladvise the county college on whether it may meet the credit hour limit in accordance withthe standards established by the secretary.      3.    The governing board of a public institution of higher education, in consultationwith the Secretary of Higher Education, may approve exceptions to the credit hourrequirements in addition to those established pursuant to subsection b. of sections 1 and 2of this act.      4.    Within 60 days of the effective date of this act and annually thereafter, thesecretary shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the number of four-year public institutions of highereducation and county colleges that are in compliance with the provisions of this act.         5.    This act shall take effect immediately.  STATEMENT       This bill provides that the standard number of credits required for the award of abaccalaureate degree by a public institution of higher education, beginning with studentswho initially enter the institution in the fall semester of 2019, will be 120 credit hours, andin the case of the award of an associate degree by a county college, 60 credit hours.     The bill stipulates that the standard number of credit hours will not apply if the degreeprogram is defined as a five-year degree program in the case of a four-year institution ormore than a two-year degree program in the case of a county college.  The standardnumber of credit hours also will not apply if professional accreditation requires a greaternumber of credit hours or requires course work that cannot be completed within thosecredit hours, or if certification requirements result in a need for additional credit hours.      The bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education to establish standards for thepurposes of complying with the credit hour limits established by the bill for institutions ofhigher education that use nontraditional course credit systems.  Within 180 days of the bill’seffective date, a four-year public institution or a county college that uses a nontraditionalcourse credit system is required to submit a written request to the secretary for permission tocomply with the credit hour limit in accordance with the standards established by thesecretary.  Within 60 days of the written request, the secretary will advise the institution onwhether the institution may meet the credit hour limit in accordance with those standards.     The bill authorizes the governing board of a public institution, in consultation with thesecretary, to approve additional exceptions to the bill’s standard credit hour requirements.     The bill directs the secretary to submit a report, within 60 days of the bill’s effective dateand annually thereafter, to the Governor and the Legislature on the number of four-yearinstitutions of higher education and county colleges that are in compliance with the bill’sprovisions.10/27/21, 4:34 PM S1265https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S1500/1265_I1.HTM 7/7     The bill is scheduled to take effect immediately upon enactment. 

SENATE, No. 1265 | 120 credits

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SENATE, No. 1265 | 120 credits

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