Question & AnswerQ&A (DECS ORDER NO. 3)
The policy aims to liberalize the regulatory framework governing tertiary educational institutions to allow greater flexibility, innovation, and relevance in curricular offerings, and to enable promising students to complete their bachelor's degrees in a shorter period of time.
The new minimum requirement is 126 units, allowing students to graduate within three school years through overloads and/or summer courses if qualified.
Yes, exceptions apply if the prescribed professional subjects or components for a particular course, especially those required for board examinations, make it impossible to meet the 126 units requirement.
The minimum general education requirement is 63 units distributed across English (18 units), Filipino (6 units), Mathematics (9 units), Natural Sciences (6 units), Social Sciences (15 units), and general education electives (9 units).
No, Physical Education and military training units shall not be counted for compliance with the minimum general education requirement.
Individual institutions determine the specific subjects, which may vary for different courses of study, but are suggested to include necessary introductory courses and mandatory topics by law.
Mandatory topics include Rizal, land reform, taxation, and drug prevention, and they must be covered within the general education component or elsewhere in the curriculum.
The minimum requirement for a major field is 24 units.
The minimum professional component requirement is 18 units, applicable to courses that have a professional component; liberal arts courses may not require this.
The new minimum requirements became effective starting with the school year 1993-94.
Yes, institutions are free to set minimum requirements greater than those set forth in the order.
Institutions must submit their revised curricular requirements to the appropriate Regional Offices for record purposes before the opening of classes in June 1993.
Yes, subjects credited for general education may also be credited towards major or professional field requirements.
All previous DECS issuances or provisions inconsistent with this order are revoked.
Institutions may adopt all, some, or none of the new minimum requirements, phase out or modify their present requirements gradually, or develop new requirements entirely.