Graduate Programs

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Proposal Forms for graduate courses and new programs may be found on the Curriculum Committee site.

The formal definition of a credit hour may be found here. Please consult it when proposing a course with a nonstandard meeting schedule and address it within your proposal.

1. Discussions regarding curriculum and program proposals will involve the Department Chair, Program Director, and school/department faculty as appropriate.
2. Development of curriculum and program proposals will involve the respective Dean of the school or college, the Department Chair and/or the Program Director as appropriate; and designated faculty.

3. Curriculum and program proposals will be considered by a designated school- or division-based committee. The Department Chair, Program Director, or principal advocate, with support and documentation provided by the department faculty and the Dean of the school or college, will attend meetings when the proposal is discussed.
4. The designated school- or division-based committee may vary (in name and composition) according to the organizational structure and size of the school, division, or department that originates the proposal. However, the committee structure and process must comply with any applicable requirements of accrediting agencies. Some examples of current models are shown below:

• Love School of Business: The school-based curriculum committee is designated to review and approve graduate curriculum and program proposals. For proposals originating from a department, approval of the department faculty is required before review by the school-based curriculum committee.
• School of Education: The Teacher Education Committee is designated to review and approve graduate curriculum and program proposals. Secondary approval by the school-based curriculum committee is not required for graduate program proposals.

5. For interdisciplinary proposals involving more than one school or division, a faculty-based committee or task force will be designated for creating the proposal. The principal advocate for the proposal fulfills the role of Department Chair in this process, and that advocate’s academic Dean represents the administration as the proposal moves forward for consideration.

6. On approval by the school- or division-based committee, curriculum and program proposals will be forwarded to the Graduate Council for consideration. Copies of the proposal must be sent to the Dean and the Chair of Graduate Council 14 days before the next scheduled meeting of the Graduate Council. The respective academic Dean, and the Department Chair, Program Director, or principal advocate will be invited to the Graduate Council meeting during which time proposals from their college, school, department, or division will be discussed. The advocates may participate in these discussions.
7. On approval by the Graduate Council, curriculum proposals will be submitted by the sponsoring department to the Office of the Registrar and can be revised only to reflect catalog copy. The Provost’s designee on the Graduate Council serves as a liaison to the University Curriculum Committee and can recommend a subsequent review by the University Curriculum Committee in cases where a proposal may significantly impact the undergraduate program or curriculum.

8. On approval by the Graduate Council, new program proposals will be forwarded to the University Curriculum Committee for consideration.

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This section refers to the proposal of graduate programs that result in a new degree, previously not offered by the University that require significant financial resources, and/or that require a substantive change prospectus for Southern Association for Colleges and Schools. Units unsure of whether the curricular process below applies to their proposal should consult with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs who will make this determination.

Graduate program proposals must be consistent with the Graduate Mission of the University and the graduate program vision.

Graduate program proposals should originate from department-wide action or from administration in consultation with school/college and departmental leadership.

New graduate program proposals should include:

• A feasibility study demonstrating the viability of the proposed program addressing enrollment demands and market area, staffing, facilities, library and other resources, budget projections, and impact on undergraduate programs
• A statement justifying the program as related to the graduate mission statement
• A listing of the degree(s) offered and an outline of degree requirements

Proposals for new graduate programs should be submitted to the following groups for approval in the order listed below:

• Curriculum Committee (School or Division-Based)
• Graduate Council
• Curriculum Committee (University)
• The faculty

The proposal, if approved, should then be submitted to the President for consideration by the Board of Trustees.

If the Board approves the new graduate program, then a complete curriculum prospectus should be developed. This includes:

• A listing of the degree(s) offered and the associated degree requirements
• A syllabus for each course that includes catalog number, title, description and semester hours credit
• A statement regarding anticipated sequencing of course offerings for the program and staffing implications

The curriculum prospectus should then be submitted to the same groups as in Phase 1 for approval in the order listed below:

• Curriculum Committee (School or Division-Based)
• Graduate Council
• Curriculum Committee (University)
• The faculty

If approved, the prospectus should then be submitted to the President for consideration by the Board of Trustees.