Field of Study: Communication

A Field of Study (FOS) is a selection of lower-division courses that are guaranteed by state law to transfer and apply to a degree program. If a student takes all the courses in an FOS and then transfers to another Texas public institution of higher education, the FOS is guaranteed to transfer as a block and be applied to the appropriate major. If a student has completed the FOS, the Texas common core curriculum, and any university or college courses required of all students regardless of major, then the student is finished with all the lower-division courses for the degree program at any Texas public institution. If a student transfer with an incomplete FOS, then each completed FOS course is guaranteed to transfer and apply to the degree program, although the institution many require additional lower-division courses.

Please note that a Field of Study is not a major.  Completing a major requires the completion of at least 40 credit hours of coursework, representing a coherent body of knowledge in a discipline.  A Field of Study, rather, is a collection of lower division courses guaranteed to transfer and apply to a degree at another institution, where the major will be declared.

Additional Resources:

1. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

2. Texas Administrative Code: Field of Study Curricula