(a) The board may prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at leading American universities and may award those degrees. It is the intent of the legislature that those degrees include bachelor’s, master’s, and doctor’s degrees, and their equivalents.
(b) No department, school, or degree program shall be instituted except with the prior approval of the Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System, or its successor.

(c) Initial programs and departments shall be limited to those which existed in the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies on September 1, 1969. Approval of these programs, their expansion, and initiation of other programs shall be recommended by the board of regents and approved by the coordinating board.