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High School Curriculum Required For Admission
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No high school curriculum can assure that a given student will acquire desired learning outcomes; however, the absence of certain components greatly increases the likelihood that the student will not acquire those outcomes and reduces the likelihood that the student will enjoy maximum benefits of a college experience.
The justification for colleges' recommending or requiring specific high school units for admission is to reduce the likelihood that a student will be unprepared for effective work in college and to increase maximum benefits a student may enjoy.
Effective the fall semester 1989, among the units required for graduation, the following specific high school units must be included in the minimum admissions requirements at all Tennessee State Board of Regents universities and colleges.
Students who do not take one or more of these required courses, where they are available, may not be eligible for admission to the university.
English (4 units required):
Units in this category must address reading and literature, writing, speaking and listening, and principles concerning the English language.
Extensive experience in reading and writing should characterize all courses.
Visual and/or performing arts (1 unit required):
Units in this category should include a survey of the arts (visual arts, theater, music, and dance) or active participation in one or more of the
arts.
Mathematics (3 units required):
Units in this category must include algebra I, algebra II, and geometry or an advanced course with geometry as a major component.
Students are recommended to take a fourth unit in computing, advanced mathematics, or statistics.
All college freshmen will benefit by having studied mathematics as seniors.
Natural and physical sciences (2 units required):
Units in this category must include mathematical skills, fundamental concepts, and some laboratory and field work.
At least one unit must address detailed knowledge in the more traditional fields of biology, chemistry, or physics and must include a laboratory.
Social studies (2 units required):
For students graduating prior to spring 1993, the units in this category may include: history, government, geography, economics, sociology, psychology, or anthropology.
For students graduating in the spring 1993 or thereafter, these units must come from the following: modern history, ancient history, world history, world geography, or European history.
One unit in American history is also required.
Foreign language (2 units required):
Two units in a single foreign language are required in this category.
These stipulated high school units are not intended to specify what the total high school curriculum should be.
Secondary schools seek to meet the needs of various student clienteles, one of which is the college-bound student.
The stipulations are, on the other hand, an attempt to make a strategic application of academic competencies.
They reflect the bridge from specific desired learning outcomes to a list of required college admission criteria.
That list is composed of high school units presumed most likely to result in the required learning outcomes.
For the sake of clarity, one unit constitutes one year of high school study of a given
subject.
Applicants with subject deficiencies may, with proper institutional approvals, be admitted to the university; however, the deficiencies must be removed during the first 64 semester hours (30 semester hours for transfer students) of college enrollment.
College-level courses taken to remove unit deficiencies must be completed with a grade of C or better and will be used for elective credit only.
Different requirements may be specified for certain groups of applicants: adult students (i.e., students separated from high school graduation by three or more years), GED students who are not high school graduates, and international students.
Transfer and re-entry students may be required to remove any deficiencies before regular admission.
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