Academic Curriculum Processes

The curriculum process at UMass Dartmouth serves two broad purposes: to ensure the quality and consistency of academic programs across the campus and to ensure the university's compliance with state, system, and federal regulations and policies regarding academic standards, student experience, and public records.

In addition to ensuring that academic programs conform to general standards as defined by the university and its accrediting body, the curriculum process works to ensure that these programs are of high quality, sustainable, consistent with the university mission, and serve students well. To help achieve these goals, the curriculum process is guided by three key principles that are derived from the Standards for Accreditation laid out by the New England Commission for Higher Education (NECHE):

The quality and integrity of academic programs and courses and the student experience within them
Coherence and consistency within and across various academic programs
Responsible stewardship of university resources

The page contains information on the role of various bodies in the process, establishes deadlines for curricular proposals and their effective dates, and provides information to faculty on initiating specific types of curricular proposals.

Curricular Proposals and Timelines

Course level proposals and changes may have effective dates for the beginning of semesters across the academic year, but program level changes (certificate, minor, major, program of study) may only have Fall effective dates. All effective dates must be in the future; that is, proposals cannot have retroactive effective dates.

The following deadlines are in effect, although the Provost’s office reserves the right to waive these deadlines if there is a compelling reason. The dates below are dates by which proposals must be received by the Provost’s office for review (approved by all other levels).

Course Level Proposals: New and Revised, Undergraduate and Graduate

October 10^th for Winter and Spring effective terms
March 1^st for Summer and Fall effective terms

Program Level Proposals: Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees, Concentrations, Certificates, and Minors

All Revisions of degree programs, concentrations, certificates, and minors: February 15^th for Fall effective dates. Major revisions may require off-campus notification.
New concentrations, certificates (requiring less than 29 credits), and minors: February 15^th for Fall effective dates.
New Degree programs and certificates requiring more than 29 credits require extensive off-campus approvals; please consult with the Provost’s office for guidance on timing.

UMass Policy Doc T92-012 requires that the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) send an official notification to the UMass President’s Office, who forwards it to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. No marketing, including posting of information on the website, may occur until 60 days from the date of this notification. These actions include all new programs, including concentrations, certificates, minors, majors, and programs of study and major revisions to programs.

How do I initiate a curricular proposal?

All curricular proposals are managed through Curriculum. To initiate a curricular proposal, please go to Curriculum, which is available through your UMassD portal, under the Quick Launch tab, then More Campus Systems. You may also access the landing page on the portal.

Curriculum Processes and Shared Governance

Per the Faculty Senate Bylaws and the Faculty Federation Collective Bargaining Agreement, the curriculum process requires review at several different levels. Issues related to curriculum are the purview of the faculty, so they are centered in this process. However, some administrative input is necessary. Given this, the Provost’s decision about a curriculum proposal is final. Each level of review focuses on a specific set of issues related to course and program development, but they all work together to help assure the quality, integrity, and sustainability of university curricula.

Department/Program Curriculum Committee Review

The process of department/program review is specific to individual departments and programs. Larger departments and programs often have department/program curriculum committees that handle proposals before they are brought to the full department/program for review. Smaller departments/programs may have a curriculum committee of the whole. However this review process is organized, departments/programs are expected to discuss and vote on all proposals before advancing them to the college level. The expectation is that all faculty stakeholders in the originating department/program have been given the opportunity to offer feedback on the proposal. The proposal shall be transmitted to the College only if a majority of the full-time faculty in the department have voted in favor of the proposal; once the proposal reaches the college, it has been endorsed by the department/program in which it originated. Since departments/programs are the primary stakeholders in proposals, this stage of review should be the most involved level of governance. Here, departments/programs should evaluate all elements of the proposal and its place in the department/program curriculum.

College Curriculum Committee (CCC) Review

The overall remit of this level of review is to consider the proposal within the context of the college or school, ensuring that all necessary documentation is included and correct and that the course meets the general standards of the college/school and is appropriate for its department and level. This level also considers how the proposal fits with existing courses, programs, and policies in the college/school to help foster connection between departments and avoid overlap or duplication. Not all proposals require CCC review, but all proposals that originate in a college/school shall be routed through the CCC. The department/program shall indicate in the proposal whether they believe the proposal needs review by the full CCC, but the CCC shall determine whether the proposal requires review by the full CCC. Once the CCC makes its decision, the proposal moves on to the next step in the process, regardless of the outcome of the CCC decision.

University Curriculum Committee (UCC) Review

The overall remit of this level of review is to consider the proposal within the context of the university, ensuring that all necessary documentation is included and correct and that the course meets the general standards of the university and is appropriate for its department and level. This level also considers how the proposal fits with existing courses, programs, and policies in the university and across colleges/schools to help foster connection between departments and avoid overlap or duplication. The department/program shall indicate in the proposal whether they believe the proposal needs review by the full UCC, but the UCC shall determine whether the proposal requires review by the full UCC. Once the UCC makes its decision, the proposal moves on to the next step in the process, regardless of the outcome of the UCC decision. If the decision of the Dean and the CCC differs on any curricular proposal, the UCC serves as the appeal body.

Administrative Review (Dean’s Office, Provost’s Office, and Registrar/OIRA)

Curriculum governance is the purview of the faculty, so the previous levels of review by faculty shall be given strong consideration for ensuring the integrity of the curriculum and the quality of student experience. However, administrative review is necessary to consider proposals in relation to larger institutional concerns, including implementation constraints, the sustainability and viability of programs, and the student experience. As such, administrators evaluate proposals through logistical and institutional frameworks. Broadly speaking, they consider:

Coordination across units (looking for points of overlap and/or connection across departments and colleges)
Enrollment and Financial viability and sustainability
Issues pertaining to the availability of appropriate facilities
Logistical structures for implementation
Barriers to student success and degree completion
Compliance with NECHE and other accreditation requirements
Preparation for off-campus curriculum governance processes, if relevant

When a department/program disagrees with a decision made during the curricular process, they may appeal that decision, following the guidelines established in the CBA and bylaws. The Office of the Provost is the final campus decision maker for all curricular matters; decisions by the Provost may not be appealed.

Course Level Changes

New course proposals must be fully approved through the curricular process. Changes to any aspect of a course must be approved via the curricular process as outlined below. Once fully approved, course level changes will automatically be made in COIN and the catalog. Please see the academic curriculum guidelines for more detail about the information required for course level changes.

New Courses

A New Course Proposal is required, which asks for specific information about the course that will be put into COIN/PeopleSoft. The proposal must include a standard course syllabus, which explicitly demonstrates that the course and out of class work meets the federally mandated course credit hour requirement:

A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks [includes exam week] for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practicum, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

The credit hour policy applies to all courses at all levels (graduate, professional, and undergraduate) that award academic credit. This expectation of contact time inside the classroom and student effort outside the classroom is the same in all formats of a course whether it be fully online, a hybrid of face-to-face contact with some content delivered by electronic means, or one delivered in person.

Courses that have less structured classroom schedules, such as research seminars, independent studies, internships, practicum, studio work, or any other academic work leading to the award of credit hours, at a minimum, should clearly state learning objectives and expected outcomes and workload expectations that meet the standards set forth above. Academic units are responsible for ensuring that credit hours are awarded only for work that meets the requirements outlined in this policy.

Course Revisions

This includes all changes to a course including but not limited to changes in number, title, description, pre-requisites, credits, etc. If a department/program is making the same change to multiple courses (for example, adding the same pre-requisite to multiple courses), they may use the undergraduate or graduate multi-course revision process in Curriculum. This process may only be used if the change to be made is the same for all courses listed.

Course revisions may have impacts beyond the department or program in which the course is housed, particularly if they fulfill University Studies requirements, serve as program requirements, or are pre-requisites for other courses. When revising a course, the department or program should consult with others who may be affected.

All course revisions require multiple levels of authorization prior to being established. These recommendation/approval levels include faculty, the Dean, and the Provost. Any change in a course’s credit hours must meet the federally mandated course credit hour requirement:

One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks [includes exam week] for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practicum, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Course Suspensions and Reactivation

All courses that have not been taught for four academic years will automatically be suspended, per Academic Affairs guidelines on course cancellations. Departments/programs may elect to suspend a course sooner than this timeline. Proposals to suspend a course follow a streamlined process of review, requiring the department/program, Dean and Provost to approve.

Program Level Changes

This encompasses all changes to programs, including concentrations, minors, certificates, and majors/programs of study, at the graduate and undergraduate level. Changes to listings of courses that fulfill certain requirements in a program (for instance, additions to or deletions from lists of courses that fulfill concentration, minor, or major requirements) are considered program changes and require approval via the Curricular process.

Program level changes may only have future fall effective dates in order to ensure the integrity of the catalog. Once fully approved, the Registrar’s office will update the degree audit in COIN. However, it is the department/program’s responsibility to ensure that program level changes are made in the catalog during the annual catalog revision process.

In accordance with UMass Policy Doc T92-012, certain curricular actions require that the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment send an official notification to the UMass President’s Office, who forwards it to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. No marketing, including posting of information on the website, may occur until 60 days from the date of this notification. These actions include substantial degree revisions (including degree title changes) and degree suspensions/discontinuations.

New Programs

All new programs, including concentrations, minors, certificates, and degrees, require review by the UCC, as outlined in the Faculty Senate bylaws and the Faculty Federation Collective Bargaining Agreement. New undergraduate and graduate programs and new certificates with more than 29 credits are required to start the curricular process with a letter of intent to DHE. New programs may only have future effective dates. Faculty proposing new programs are encouraged to seek input from other affected departments along with their Dean, the Provost’s Office, and the Registrar’s office before moving forward with a new program proposal.

In accordance with UMass Policy Doc T92-012, certain curricular actions require that the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment send an official notification to the UMass President’s Office, who forwards it to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. No marketing, including posting of information on the website, may occur until 60 days from the date of this notification. These actions include all new programs, including concentrations, certificates, minors, majors, and programs of study. As such, these external review processes determine the effective date for these programs.

New Concentration

Concentrations are defined as undergraduate or graduate programs of study that build on an existing academic program or academic programs. A concentration is a structured plan of study within a major. The number of credit hours for a concentration varies but is included within the credit hours for the major. The student must formally declare the concentration for it to appear on the transcript of record. In some cases, a student may apply for admission directly to the concentration. The concentration is listed on the transcript, but not on the diploma.

New Minor

A minor is defined as an undergraduate program of study of at least 18 credits that builds from an existing academic program or academic programs. The minimum requirements for a minor are established in the catalog.

A minor must be completed at the time of the degree and will be so noted on the student’s transcript. A student cannot be readmitted to the University to complete only a minor.

New Certificate

A certificate is a coherent set of courses representing a defined body of knowledge and skills. Certificates may represent a subset of the requirements for existing degree programs; may reflect a multidisciplinary perspective drawing coursework from more than one existing program; or may constitute a relatively free-standing area of focus with little formal connection to existing academic programs. Certificates are not designed to replace existing degree programs or minors but may serve as a means of attracting individuals to a formal degree program, and a certificate may be a sought-after credential.

While the courses comprising a certificate may be used as evidence in support of a student’s application for admission to an undergraduate or graduate degree program, completion of the certificate itself is not considered to be a prerequisite and does not guarantee admission to any degree program. Certificates may be offered at the undergraduate or graduate levels.

Certificate programs must be consistent with the academic and outreach missions of the University. When possible, Graduate Certificates should be designed so that there is at least one graduate degree program in which the credits earned while obtaining the Graduate Certificate may apply, provided the admission and transfer requirements are met.

Federal Gainful Employment regulations apply to certificate programs. In order for students in any certificate program to apply for federal financial aid, the following information will be disclosed publicly on an annual basis: Program costs, median debt at completion (more than 10 graduates), number of completers, number of students who completed the program in normal time (more than 10 graduates), and occupation(s) related to the certificate.

Certificate requirements should be no less than 12 credits for undergraduate certificates or 9 credits for graduate certificate programs, and usually not more than 18 credits. A minimum GPA for certificate credit is required.

Any certificate requiring 30 or more credits for completion cannot follow this procedure and must be submitted as a new academic program and requires off-campus approvals.

New Major/Degree Program

Because new majors/degree programs require multiple levels of approval, faculty proposing new programs are strongly encouraged to seek input from other affected departments along with their Dean, the Provost’s Office, and the Registrar’s office before moving forward with a new program proposal. The Provost’s Office will provide guidance on the forms and information requirements for proposing a new degree program along with information about the process and timelines for approval.

In accordance with UMass Policy Doc T92-012, certain curricular actions require that the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment send an official notification to the UMass President’s Office, who forwards it to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. No marketing, including posting of information on the website, may occur until 60 days from the date of this notification. These actions include all new programs, including concentrations, certificates, minors, majors, and programs of study. Additionally, some new offerings may require approval from NECHE. As such, these external review processes determine the effective date for these programs.

Degree Suspension/Discontinuance

When a program is suspended, no new students will be admitted to the program during the program suspension. A suspended program may return to active status within a ten-year period. A plan for current student ‘Teach Out’ is required. Generally speaking, programs are suspended before they are discontinued.

A discontinued program is removed permanently from the PeopleSoft system and the catalog. Once a program has no more enrollments, the program is discontinued. For a discontinued program to return to active status after the 10-year period, the program would need to begin the curricular process for approval of a new degree program.

Suspension/Discontinuance requires multiple levels of authorization prior to implementation. These recommendation/approval levels include faculty, the Dean, and the Provost.

Once fully approved, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) sends an official notification to the UMass President’s Office, who forwards it to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. To initiate a degree program discontinuance or suspension proposal, please go to Curriculum, which is available through your UMassD portal, under the Quick Launch tab, then More Campus Systems. You may also access the landing page on the portal.