Fields of Study

What is a Field of Study?

A Field of Study (FOS) is a set of courses that fulfills lower-division (freshman and sophomore) requirements for bachelor's degrees in majors that correspond to the Field of Study.

This means that once you successfully complete the set of courses in your chosen Field of Study, those courses will transfer and apply to a corresponding bachelor's-level degree at a Texas college or university.

All Texas public colleges and universities are required to accept Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved field of study curricula.

If a student transfers with an incomplete FOS, each completed FOS course transfers and applies to the degree program. The institution may require the student to complete additional lower-division courses.

A complete FOS consists of the following elements:

Discipline-relevant Texas Core Curriculum courses
Up to 12 semester credit hours of Discipline Foundation Courses
At least 6 semester credit hours of Directed Electives, which will be submitted by the relevant faculty of each general academic institution and shared through the THECB website

Fields of Study are not degrees or certificates

A Field of Study is indicated only on an official TCC transcript. You do not receive a diploma for a Field of Study.

When you earn a Field of Study, you are not eligible to participate in commencement unless you will be awarded an associate degree or certificate of completion during the same academic year.

Fields of Study

You should consult with a career advisor about transferring to a specific college or university.

Updated October 13, 2025