EPC Curriculum Instructions for CAS Chairs (September 2012) Please submit ALL material electronically to Judy Motley, Assistant to the Dean (motley@american.edu, x- 2447). All proposal materials are due electronically to the Office of the Dean by the 15 th of each month. This deadline will be strictly enforced to give the committee time to review proposals before each meeting. Major programmatic changes should be submitted by November of the year before they intend to become effective, at the latest. Please number the pages, especially if the submission is large. Combine all documents into one, clearly arranged PDF file. Please place a letter of rationale at the beginning of your materials briefly describing the changes and why they are being proposed. Please note that new procedures came into effect in late 2011 for the handling of proposals dealing with new courses, new certificates and degree programs and changes to courses or programs that are considered major changes (see below). Also see the file CASEPCGuidelines in the information section on the CAS EPC Curriculum Blackboard site for a summary of these new procedures. 1. DOCUMENTS Before submitting your proposal, please consult the relevant sections of the new Academic Regulations (2012). The new regulations can be found online at: http://www.american.edu/provost/registrar/regulations/academicreg.cfm 2. NEW DEGREE PROGRAM PROPOSALS AND SUBSTANTIAL REVISIONS TO EXISTING PROGRAMS If a change to your program affects other departments or programs either in the College of Arts and Sciences or in the university, then the change is considered major and must be put up for a comprehensive university review as described in the new guidelines outlined in the accompanying document on Bb CASEPCGuidelines. A signed letter of support for the proposed changes or new program must be provided from the deans, program directors or chairs of affected colleges, programs or departments it saves time if these are present when the proposal is presented to the CAS EPC curriculum committee. Master Program Form Also required is a copy of the pages of the current catalog (e.g., pages 65-175) that will be affected by the new program or substantial changes. Please indicate where the deletions and
EPC Curriculum Instructions for Chairs 2 insertions are on a scanned document. Handwritten scribbles will not be acceptable for the Registrar to try to decipher. Timing Provided all requirements have been met, this process normally takes at least one full semester after the Provost and EPC have approved the program proposal and delivered it to s office. Proposals should be submitted by November in order to make it through the system in time to make the catalog. Programs are not official until they appear in the University Catalog. Please note that most changes are voted on to take effect during the following academic year (the following Fall) although some minor course changes approved in the Fall have been permitted to go into effect sooner (the following spring). (see CASEPCGuidelines on the CAS EPC Curriculum Blackboard site) Pre- approval from Deans office Pre- approval from Provosts office Circulation to university community Vice Provost Joint Committee on Curriculum and Academic Programs (JCCAP) or equivalent Provost Board of Trustees via University President (for new degree proposals only). Note that the timing for this step is determined by the Board of Trustees own agenda scheduling. 3. MINOR CHANGES TO AN EXISTING PROGRAM If a change to your program affects other departments or programs either in the College of Arts and Sciences or in the university, then the change is considered major and must go through the comprehensive review process. Otherwise the change is considered minor. 1) Fill out Master Program Form Fill out the top of the form Check box Minor Change in an Existing Program Get signature from the teaching unit administrator 2) Attach a letter of rationale describing what you are changing and why 3) Photocopy the pages of the current catalog (e.g., pages 65-175) that will be affected by the changes. Please indicate where the deletions and insertions are on a scanned document. Handwritten scribbles will not be acceptable for the Registrar to try to decipher. The proposal should (1) provide a brief explanation for the change, (2) verify departmental approval of the change, and (3) specify clearly the changes to be made in the catalog.
EPC Curriculum Instructions for Chairs 3 4. TERMINATION OF A PROGRAM This action must be put up for review via circulation to the university community as described in the new guidelines outlined in the accompanying document on Bb CASEPCGuidelines. Prior approval of the Provost and Dean is required. Master Program Form 5. NEW COURSES This action must be put up for review via circulation to the university community as described in the new guidelines outlined in the accompanying document on Bb CASEPCGuidelines. Prior approval of the Provost and Dean is required. 1) Fill out a Master Course Form, Sections A and D a. Be sure to answer every question in Section A b. The course description should be reasonably close to 50 words and should adhere to the catalog style c. The registrar will automatically add the prerequisites and frequency to the course description d. Add signature to Section D 2) Fill out New Course Proposal Form 3) Fill out New Course Syllabus Form a. The EPC Curriculum Committee is especially interested in seeing clear learning outcomes in Section C, Objectives b. If you have an actual syllabus for the course, the EPC Curriculum Committee will find it helpful, otherwise include an example syllabus. 1. Courses using non- recurring topics numbers (- - - -.x96.xxx) are experimental and may only be offered twice. No paperwork is required to offer courses while they have an x96 number. If a unit intends to make the course a regular part of its curriculum, it must get the proposal approved at least one semester before the course will be offered for the third time. 2. An aggregate of course proposals may constitute a program change requiring approvals listed under Section B. Programs.
EPC Curriculum Instructions for Chairs 4 3. A double- numbered (cross- listed) course (a 400/600 course, for example) requires a second New Course Syllabus Form specifying the differences between the undergraduate- and graduate- level work and evaluation standards. (See the new Academic Regulations, which requires that separate requirements be clearly stated in the course syllabi. ) 4. The difference between 500- level and 600- level courses is a difference in audience. 500- level courses are open to graduate students and to advanced undergraduates, while 600- level courses are open only to graduate students. Graduate Certificate programs must ensure that 40% of their courses are above the 500- level. (see CASEPCGuidelines on the CAS EPC Curriculum Blackboard site) Pre- approval from Deans office Pre- approval from Provosts office Circulation to university community Vice Provost Joint Committee on Curriculum and Academic Programs (JCCAP) or equivalent Provost Board of Trustees via University President (for new degree proposals only). Note that the timing for this step is determined by the Board of Trustees own agenda scheduling. 6. MINOR CHANGES IN AN EXISTING COURSE What counts as a minor change: Change of title Change of credit hours Change of course number Change of prerequisites Change of course description Change of frequency of offering Master Course Form Existing course number goes in Section B Enter only the changes to be made in Section A If either the Dean or the Registrar judges that a revised course description differs substantially from the existing description, the department will be asked to retire the existing course and submit a new course proposal.
EPC Curriculum Instructions for Chairs 5 7. TERMINATION OF AN EXISTING COURSE Master Course Form (Fill out Section C) The Registrar will notify the department when a course has not been offered for three consecutive academic years. If the course is not offered in the following, fourth year, it will be automatically terminated by the Registrar, unless an exception is requested directly from the. 8. EPC REVIEW OF PROGRAMS The Provost will designate programs to be reviewed annually.