(1)As used in this section:
(1)(a) "Accredited institution" means an institution that:
(1)(a)(i) offers a competency-based postsecondary general education course online or in person; and
(1)(a)(ii) is accredited by an organization that the United States Department of Education recognizes.
(1)(b) "Articulation agreement" means an agreement between the board and a provider that allows a student to transfer credit awarded by the provider for a general education course to any institution of higher education.
(1)(c) "Competency-based" means a system where a student advances to higher levels of learning when the student demonstrates competency of concepts and skills regardless of time, place, or pace.
(1)(d) "Competency-based general education provider" or "provider" means a private postseconda
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(1) As used in this section:
(1)(a) "Accredited institution" means an institution that:
(1)(a)(i) offers a competency-based postsecondary general education course online or in person; and
(1)(a)(ii) is accredited by an organization that the United States Department of Education recognizes.
(1)(b) "Articulation agreement" means an agreement between the board and a provider that allows a student to transfer credit awarded by the provider for a general education course to any institution of higher education.
(1)(c) "Competency-based" means a system where a student advances to higher levels of learning when the student demonstrates competency of concepts and skills regardless of time, place, or pace.
(1)(d) "Competency-based general education provider" or "provider" means a private postsecondary educational institution that:
(1)(d)(i) offers a postsecondary competency-based general education course online or in person;
(1)(d)(ii) awards academic credit; and
(1)(d)(iii) does not award degrees, including associates degrees or baccalaureate degrees.
(1)(e) "Credit for prior learning" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53H-3-702.
(2) The board shall:
(2)(a) facilitate articulation and the seamless transfer of courses, programs, and credit for prior learning within the Utah System of Higher Education;
(2)(b) provide for the efficient and effective progression and transfer of students within the Utah System of Higher Education;
(2)(c) avoid the unnecessary duplication of courses;
(2)(d) communicate ways in which a student may earn credit for prior learning; and
(2)(e) allow a student to proceed toward the student's educational objectives as rapidly as the student's circumstances permit.
(3) The board shall develop, coordinate, and maintain a transfer and articulation system that:
(3)(a) maintains a course numbering system that assigns common numbers to specified courses of similar level with similar curricular content, rigor, and standards;
(3)(b) allows a student to track courses that transfer among institutions of higher education;
(3)(c) allows a student to transfer courses from a provider with which the board has an articulation agreement to any institution of higher education;
(3)(d) allows a student to transfer competency-based general education courses from an accredited institution to an institution of higher education;
(3)(e) improves program planning;
(3)(f) increases communication and coordination between institutions of higher education;
(3)(g) facilitates student acceleration and the transfer of students and credits between institutions of higher education; and
(3)(h) if the system includes a software or data tool:
(3)(h)(i) provides predictive analysis that models probabilities of student success; and
(3)(h)(ii) develops tailored strategies to best support students.
(4) (4)(a) The board shall identify general education courses in the humanities, social sciences, arts, physical sciences, and life sciences with uniform prefixes and common course numbers.
(4)(b) A degree-granting institution shall annually identify institution courses that satisfy requirements of courses described in Subsection (4)(a).
(4)(c) A degree-granting institution shall accept a course described in Subsection (3)(c), (3)(d), or (4)(a) toward filling specific area requirements for general education or lower division courses that transfer to baccalaureate majors.
(5) (5)(a) The board shall:
(5)(a)(i) identify technical education programs with common names, descriptions, lengths, and objectives; and
(5)(a)(ii) within technical education programs, common course names, descriptions, length, and objectives allowing for customization of electives to meet regional industry demand.
(5)(b) The commissioner shall appoint committees of faculty members from technical education committees to recommend aligned programs and courses that will satisfy graduation requirements.
(6) (6)(a) The board shall identify common prerequisite courses and course substitutions for degree programs across degree-granting institutions.
(6)(b) The commissioner shall appoint committees of faculty members from the degree-granting institutions to recommend appropriate courses of similar content and numbering that will satisfy requirements for lower division courses that transfer to baccalaureate majors.
(6)(c) A degree-granting institution shall annually identify institution courses that satisfy requirements of courses described in Subsection (6)(a).
(6)(d) A degree-granting institution shall accept a course described in Subsection (3)(c), (3)(d), or (6)(a) toward filling graduation requirements.
(7) (7)(a) (7)(a)(i) The board shall seek proposals from providers to enter into articulation agreements.
(7)(a)(ii) A proposal described in Subsection (7)(a)(i) shall include the general education courses that the provider intends to include in an articulation agreement.
(7)(b) The board shall:
(7)(b)(i) evaluate each general education course included in a proposal described in Subsection (7)(a) to determine whether the course is equally rigorous and includes the same subject matter as the equivalent course offered by any institution of higher education; and
(7)(b)(ii) if the board determines that a course included in a provider's proposal is equally rigorous and includes the same subject matter as the equivalent course offered by any institution of higher education, enter into an articulation agreement with the provider.
(8) The board shall establish policies to administer the policies and requirements described in this section.
(9) The board shall include information demonstrating that institutions of higher education are complying with the provisions of this section and the policies established in accordance with Subsection (8) in the annual report described in Section 53H-1-203.