Procedure for Creating, Modifying, Deleting Courses & Programs
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- Course Proposals: To create, modify, or inactivate courses, departments should utilize the Course Inventory Management (CIM) system.
- Be sure to include the “what:” and the “why:” behind the action in the “Justification” section.
- If creating a new course, a syllabus is required. Guidance for creating a syllabus can be found on the Center for Teaching & Faculty Excellence’s website.
- Submit the proposal by the submission date specified for the COSCC meeting.
- Program Proposals: To create, modify, or inactivate programs, departments should complete the Program Approval Form in Microsoft Word and submit it to Jennifer Bazaz Gettys. To avoid having the proposal’s vote postponed to a later month, please carefully fill out the form and clearly state the proposal’s “what:” and “why:”.
- Submit the form by the submission date specified for the COSCC meeting.
- For new concentrations and minors, please see “Guidelines for New Concentrations and New Minors” below.
- For a summary of key SCHEV and SACSCOC program requirements, including the percentage of required core courses, click here and here.
- More on the common core requirement (feel free to also reach out to Jennifer Bazaz Gettys):
- Bachelor’s (25% core required): Total credits minus Mason Core credits divided by four.
- Master’s (50% core required): Total credits divided by two (798 and/or 799 can be included in the core if these courses are required for all students in the program).
- Doctoral (25% core required): Total credits minus Dissertation credits (the minimum credits if a range) divided by four.
- Certificates do not have a required core percentage, but the creation of new certificates will require a strong core.
- More on the common core requirement (feel free to also reach out to Jennifer Bazaz Gettys):
- After the approval of the COSCC and review by the college’s assistant dean, “College/School Approval” will be obtained. Undergraduate proposals will then proceed to the Undergraduate Council and graduate proposals proceed to the Graduate Council.
- Course Proposals: To create, modify, or inactivate courses, departments should utilize the Course Inventory Management (CIM) system.
Guidelines for New Concentrations and New Minors
The COSCC requires that new concentration and minor program proposals contain sufficient justification from at least one of the following categories. This information should be placed in the “Reason for the New Program” section of the Program Approval Form.
- Strong student interest based on results of student surveys in which a reasonable number have participated.
- Providing evidence of interest from external entities (e.g., federal agencies or industries that are seeking individuals with a specific knowledge base or skill set).
- Presentation of data from other universities with similar programs that are indicative of their success.
- Obtaining letters of endorsement from other universities with similar programs that have proven successful.
- Specific and relevant reference to the Bureau Labor of Statistics’ “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” which can serve as a strong resource to help justify new programs and contains information regarding typical educational requirements, number of jobs, job outlook, etc.
- Providing evidence of strong recent trends that point to future demand for the proposed program.
- Giving evidence that the new program provides part of the required skill set for future job success (e.g., detailing the routine existence of similar programs in other universities, etc.).
- Providing evidence that the new program fulfills a previously unmet niche and has a strong potential to encourage other universities/entities to follow suit.
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