Faculty Senate Resolution #09-30

Approved by the Faculty Senate:  April 21, 2009

Approved by the Chancellor:  pending   

 

(Please refer to Faculty Senate Resolution #09-05 for additional revisions already incorporated into the text noted below.) 

 

Proposed Additional Revisions to the ECU Faculty Manual, Part V. Academic Information, Section III. Curriculum Development

Revise Part V. Section III. Curriculum Development to read as follows:
(Deletions are noted in strikethrough and additions are noted in bold print):

III.  Academic Program Development
Curriculum and program development is a faculty responsibility. Curriculum and program changes may be initiated, prepared, and presented for review to all relevant ECU campus bodies by voting faculty as defined in ECU Faculty Manual, Appendix L. Development of new academic degree programs and certificates of advanced study is governed by the policies and procedures of the General Administration (GA), specified in Administrative Memorandum 406 and in Administrative Memorandum 407 for Distance Education. Consultation with the ECU Office of Academic Programs is recommended before preparing program development requests.   Instructions on specific procedures and documents for curriculum and program development proposals are available on the office of Academic Programs website.

 

The Academic Program Development Collaborative Team, an advisory body to the Academic Council, collaborates with units to strengthen program proposals and informs the Educational Policies and Planning Committee of its recommendations to the Academic Council and to the dean of the Graduate School concerning graduate programs under consideration. The office of Continuing Studies processes requests to deliver new and existing academic programs through distance education. The chancellor has the final campus authority on academic program decisions.

 

A.  Definitions

1.   Degree Programs
A degree program is a program of study in a discipline specialty that leads to a degree in that distinct specialty area at a particular level of instruction. All degree programs are categorized individually in the University's academic program inventory at the twelve-digit CIP code level. As a general rule, a degree program requires coursework in the discipline specialty of at least 27 semester hours at the undergraduate level and 21 semester hours at the doctoral level. A master’s-level program requires that at least one-half of the total hours be in the program area. Programs with fewer hours are designated a concentration within an existing degree program. Degree programs require the approval of the GA and the Board of Governors (BOG). Minors and concentrations receive final approval at the campus level. 

 

2.   Certificate of Advanced Study Programs (CAS)
These programs usually require one year of study beyond the master's degree and provide a higher level of licensure for public school teachers and administrators. The licensure requirements for public school teachers and administrators are defined by the State Board of Education. It is the policy of the BOG to use the designation certificate of advanced study with respect to all sixth-year programs established for public school personnel and to authorize no EdS (specialist in education) degree programs beyond those now in existence.  All CAS programs are categorized individually in the University's academic program inventory at the twelve-digit CIP code level.

 

3.   Other Certificates
Certificates other than the CAS combine specific degree-credit courses at the graduate or undergraduate level to provide professional development. Certificates do not require UNC GA approval. All certificates are categorized individually in the University's academic program inventory at the twelve-digit CIP code level.

 

4.   Teacher Licensure Areas (TLA)
These are specific course clusters which meet licensure requirements of the State Board of Education but do not lead to the conferral of a particular degree or a certificate of advanced study. These may be at the entry level or advanced level of teacher licensure. When an institution receives authorization from the State Board of Education to offer a TLA, the senior vice president for academic affairs of UNC-GA must be notified. A current inventory of teacher licensure programs approved by the State Board of Education is available from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.


B.  Curriculum Approval Process

Curriculum development includes developing courses and requirements for new academic programs, and developing and revising courses and requirements for existing programs.

 

The following is the order for seeking campus approval for undergraduate curriculum changes (1000-4000-level):

§   Curriculum committee of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Voting faculty of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Academic Standards (if requesting Liberal Arts Foundations Curriculum Credit);

§   Writing Across the Curriculum Committee (if requesting Writing Intensive credit);

§   Communicate with units and programs that may be directly or indirectly affected by the curriculum;

§   Chairperson/director of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Curriculum committee of the college in which the program is/will be housed and TLA proposals to Council on Teacher Education;

§   Dean of the college in which the program is/will be housed;

§   University Curriculum Committee;

§   Faculty Senate;

§   Chancellor

 

The following is the order for seeking campus approval for graduate curriculum changes (5000-level and above):

§   Curriculum committee of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Voting faculty of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Communicate with units and programs that may be directly or indirectly affected by the curriculum;

§   Chairperson/director of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Curriculum committee of the college in which program is/will be housed and TLA proposals to Council on Teacher Education;

§   Dean of the college in which the program is/will be housed;

§   Graduate Curriculum Committee;

§   Graduate School Administrative Board;

§   Chancellor

 

C.  Program Development Approval Process

Program development includes developing new academic degree programs, minors, certificates, and new concentrations within existing degree programs, as well as requesting degree title changes, and moving or discontinuing programs. 

 

1.  New Degree Programs

Proposals for new academic degrees must include a list of all UNC and private in-state institutions that offer the same or a similar degree. Program planners are expected to contact those institutions regarding their experience with program productivity (applicants, majors, job market, placement, etc.). To facilitate this portion of the planning process, the UNC-GA Division of Academic Affairs provides a link to the UNC Academic Program Inventory and a link to program inventories for other in-state institutions. In addition, proposals must include the Classification of Instructional Programs code under which the proposed program is to be classified. Faculty should allow ample time for review of proposals at all levels.

 

The approval process to plan or establish new undergraduate or graduate degree programs involves three distinct steps:

     

      Step I:  Notification of Intent to Plan (NIP) for bachelor's or master's; Request for Authorization to Plan (RAP) for doctoral

Step II: Program Requirements/Course Approval

Step III: Request for Authorization to Establish (RAE)

 

In Step I, the appropriate planning document (NIP for bachelor's or master's; RAP for doctoral) is submitted in the following order for seeking campus approval:

§         Consultation with Academic Program Development Collaborative Team

  • Curriculum committee of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;
  • Voting faculty of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;
  • Chairperson/director of dept/school in which program is/will be housed;
  • Curriculum committee of the college in which program is/will be
     housed; TLA proposals to Council on Teacher Education;
  • Dean of the college in which the program is/will be housed;
  • University Curriculum Committee and or Graduate Curriculum Committee as appropriate for degree level;
  • Graduate School Administrative Board for master's or doctoral programs
  • Educational Policies and Planning Committee 
  • Faculty Senate and Academic Council;
  • Chancellor

 

In Step II, the approval of new degree requirements and courses is completed as specified above in “Curriculum Approval Process” for undergraduate and graduate programs.

 

In Step III, a request for authorization to establish a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral program is submitted in the following order for seeking campus approval:

 

§         Consultation with Academic Program Development Collaborative Team;

§         Curriculum committee of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§         Voting faculty of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§         Chairperson/director of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§         Curriculum committee of the college in which the program is/will be housed; TLA proposals to Council on Teacher Education;

§         Dean of the college in which the program is/will be housed;

§         University Curriculum Committee and or Graduate Curriculum Committee as appropriate for degree level;

§         External review (master's and doctoral programs only);

§         Graduate School Administrative Board for master's or doctoral programs;   

§         Educational Policies and Planning Committee;

§         Faculty Senate and Academic Council;

§         Chancellor

 

2.  New Minors, Certificates, Concentrations; Degree Title Changes; Teacher Licensure Areas; and Discontinuing Degree Programs

The following is the order for seeking campus approval for undergraduate or graduate minors, certificates, concentrations, degree title changes, teacher licensure areas, and discontinuing a degree program.  (Discontinuing minors, certificates, concentrations, and teacher licensure areas are considered curricular actions.)

▪     Curriculum committee of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

▪     Voting faculty of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§         Chairperson/director of dept/school in which the program is/will be housed;

§         Curriculum committee of the college in which the program is/will be
 housed; TLA proposals to Council on Teacher Education;

§         Dean of the college in which the program is/will be housed;

§         University Curriculum Committee and or Graduate Curriculum Committee as appropriate for degree level;

§         Graduate School Administrative Board for graduate programs;

§         Educational Policies and Planning Committee;

§         Faculty Senate and Academic Council;

§         Chancellor (Once new teacher licensure areas are reported to UNC-GA and approved, the College of Education must report to and receive approval from the North Carolina State Board of Education.)

 

3.  Moving Degree Programs

The following is the order for seeking campus approval for moving a program. 

▪     Curriculum committee of dept/school in which the program is currently and will be housed;

▪     Voting faculty of dept/school in which the program is currently and will be housed;

§         Chairperson/director of dept/school in which program is currently and will be housed;

§         Curriculum committee of the college in which program is currently and will be housed; TLA proposals to Council on Teacher Education;

§         Dean of the college in which the program is currently and will be housed;

§         University Curriculum Committee and or Graduate Curriculum Committee as appropriate for degree level;

§         Graduate School Administrative Board for graduate programs (for graduate);

§         Educational Policies and Planning Committee;

§         Faculty Senate and Academic Council;

§         Chancellor

 

      4.  Process Completion

The proposing academic unit, in collaboration with the office of Academic Programs, prepares the final version of undergraduate and graduate program requests for the chancellor’s consideration. Once the chancellor has made an affirmative decision, the office of Academic Programs submits the new program request and chancellor’s communiqué to UNC GA.

 

(Faculty Senate Resolution #03-29, April 2003)

(Editorially revised Section III.B. October 2003)