NCAA's New Core-Course Legislation

The NCAA has recently made significant updates to its core-course legislation for student-athletes seeking eligibility to play collegiate sports at the Division I and II levels. These changes, set to take effect on August 1, 2024, reflect a modernization of the NCAA's approach to high school courses, particularly in how they evaluate traditional and non-traditional educational formats. With the rise of online learning and flexible course delivery models, the NCAA aims to align its core-course requirements with current secondary education practices, ensuring student-athletes have a clear and consistent path to eligibility.

What This Means for Students:

For students, the changes to NCAA core-course legislation mean that starting in August 2024, there will no longer be separate requirements or reviews for non-traditional courses like online or credit recovery programs. All core courses, whether traditional or non-traditional, will be treated the same.

This update simplifies the eligibility process by removing the distinction between course types, so students can focus on meeting core-course requirements without worrying about different rules for non-traditional courses. However, it's still essential that the courses are properly listed and aligned with high school curriculum standards to ensure they count toward NCAA eligibility.

Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Courses:

In the context of NCAA core-course legislation:

• Traditional Course: This refers to a course that is typically delivered in a standard classroom setting, where students and teachers interact in person. These courses follow a conventional schedule, such as a semester or year-long format, and are assessed through standard methods like exams, quizzes, and assignments.

• Non-Traditional Course: This includes courses that are delivered outside of the standard classroom environment, often in formats such as:

  • Online courses: Courses that are taken over the internet without the requirement for in-person attendance.

  • Credit recovery programs: Programs designed to help students who failed a course to recover the lost credits, often with a more flexible structure.

  • Independent study or correspondence courses: Courses that allow students to work at their own pace, often without direct or frequent teacher interaction.

Previously, the NCAA required a separate review process for non-traditional courses to ensure they met specific standards for eligibility, but this distinction will no longer apply starting in August 2024, with the changes in the legislation.