Checklist for New or Significant Changes to Academic Program Proposals
(Certificates, Degrees, Dual Degrees, Emphases, Minors)
Please review this information and then contact Katrina Green (katrina.green@utah.edu), for discussion, access and assistance.
- Pre-Submission Considerations
- Basic Verifications
- Description/Content
- Outcomes/Assessment
- Resources
- Online Modality
- For significant changes or discontinuation to a program
- Is the proposed program the best option for students? (What is your target student population, what is the end goal/purpose, why proposing?)
- Does the program duplicate an existing offering on campus?
- Can the program name be confused with another degree offered by the University? Does the name communicate the purpose of the program accurately to students?
- Is there a well-documented need for the program (i.e. market analysis, national trends and employment outlook – CIP code: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/default.aspx?y=55, letters of endorsement by industry, student surveys, documentation of inquiries)?
- How does the program fit with the UU mission?
- Is the program administratively based in an academic division which is approved to offer academic programs?
- Has the curriculum been developed and led by faculty members? What is the vote by program faculty?
- Is the proposal approved/endorsed by all relevant Dean(s)?
- Reference Part 6: Academics of https://regulations.utah.edu/info/policyList.php#academic and USHE R401 https://public.powerdms.com/Uta7295/tree/documents/2028740
- Are there well-defined admissions criteria (background, coursework, etc.)?
- Check credit hour requirements –
- BA/BS, BA/BS with emphases require 122 credit hours minimum.
- Certificates require a minimum of 15 credit hours, maximum of 29 credit hours.
- Standalone graduate certificates (students admitted as non-matriculated graduate students) are not eligible for federal financial aid (may affect projected student enrollment and funding).
- Standalone certificates are not available at the undergraduate level.
- Students who took a graduate certificate as a non-matriculated graduate student may count up to 15 graduate credit hours of the certificate towards a subsequent MS or PhD degree.
- Master’s require 30 credit hours minimum.
- PhD require 3 full years with a minimum of 14 thesis hours and 24 residency hours.
- Dual/Concurrent Degree Rules
- No double counting of courses between dual degrees (except for certificate hours).
- Must meet minimum credit hours for each degree independently –
- g. BS + MS: 122 + 30 = 152 hours minimum
- g. MS + MS: 30 + 30 = 60 hours minimum
- Must have an exit path which dovetails to a single degree if the student decides against completion of both degrees.
- Curriculum: list of courses, clearly identify required/elective/core/emphases
- Consider if you want to specify courses needed or credits required.
- Will new courses be needed for the program?
- 4-year degree plans are required.
- Curriculum progresses from introductory to advanced levels (account for transfer students).
- Graduation standards.
- Must have a written list of expected learning outcomes.
- Must have a written plan for outcomes assessment –
- Quantitative and qualitative
- Direct and indirect measures
- Formative and summative
- Course learning outcomes link to program learning outcomes.
- Program learning outcomes link to institutional learning outcomes.
- Does the degree name accurately reflect the curriculum and expected learning outcomes?
- Are all resources necessary for the program in place (support structures, faculty,
staff, advisement, library and information resources): Agreements and endorsements
for courses and resources necessary both inside and outside department.
- Faculty –
- Number of full-time and part-time faculty dedicated to program clearly identified
- Plans for faculty hires included as enrollment grows
- Faculty workload expectations
- Budget
- Does the budget cover the 1st three years of the program?
- Can the Program income cover unfunded costs for projected number of students?
- Includes areas such as; marketing, IT, library student support services, etc.
- Marketing plan
- Enrollment projections for 1st three years
- Faculty –
- Fully online programs need to be developed/coordinated with UOnline to meet State Authorization Requirements (SARA).
- How are students qualified and prepared for the online program?
- Plan for online program includes institutional requirements, program requirements, prerequisites and electives.
- How will culture be developed and sustained in the online environment?
- Any additional faculty or budget considerations needed?
- Setting up any out-of-state learning experiences with appropriate approvals.
- For a discontinuation or change of program, or change in administrative structure, make sure existing students are accommodated with a completion plan, or transitioning to a new program.
- Adding or changing a transcriptable emphasis to an existing degree requires a full degree proposal.