Curriculum CommitteeNew Majors/Minors and Changes to Majors/Minors
On this page there are forms and deadlines for applying for Curriculum Committee approval for new majors and minors or for changes in disciplinary (or interdisciplinary) majors or minors.
Department/Program Preparation
Curricular changes involving a substantive (not editorial) change in a major or minor require the approval of the Curriculum Committee. The impetus for modifying the requirements for a major or minor typically arise from department or interdisciplinary program discussions and strategic planning. Such discussions often arise from a variety of factors including national norms, disciplinary norms, accreditation requirements for continued good standing, internal and external assessments, and other factors attributable to strengthening majors and minors. Before proposing changes to majors/minors to the Curriculum Committee, it is expected that the department or interdisciplinary program will have substantial discussions and gather data relevant to the proposed changes.
Size of Majors
When reviewing and recommending major changes, the Curriculum Committee shall apply the following criteria to any proposal for a new or revised majors or minors.
- The Curriculum Committee will not recommend any proposed major change to the Faculty that would include a major requirement of 12 course equivalents or 48 credits hours. (Exceptions may be made if the change is needed due to external licensing requirements for accredited programs.) All majors must require a WRITL or WRITD course.
- Majors do not need to count in their 48 credits:
- MCS 118/119 or MCS 121 or MCS 142.
- The first two semesters of non-English languages commonly offered in high schools, specifically Spanish 101 and 102 and French 101 and 102.
- Two-course sequneces that provide the same content as a regularly offered one-semester course in cases in which the one-semester course is the option designed for the majority of students.
- Majors do not need to count in their 48 credits:
- The Curriculum Committee will not recommend any proposed minor change to the Faculty that would include a minor requirement of more than 6 course equivalents or 6 credits hours.
Forms and Deadlines
The committee will consider proposals for non-resource requiring new majors and/or minors and changes to existing majors and/or minors on a rolling basis.
New or Revised Major or Minor Proposal Form
Pre-proposal Form for new or revised majors/minors/programs that require significant institutional resources
The approval of new or revised majors/minors/programs can induce important overlap amongst the duties of the Senate, the Provost Office, and the Curriculum Committee, since the Faculty Senate serves as the long-range academic planning body of the faculty, the Provost Office allocates resources to the academic program, and the Curriculum Committee reviews the curricular integrity of courses/programs. The pre-proposal form here should be used in instances where additional institutional resources (e.g. start up costs, staffing costs, course implementation costs) are required to initiate and sustain a new or revised major/minor/program. The pre-proposal will be reviewed by the Provost Office for financial analysis and by the Faculty Senate for mission centrality. The Senate and Provost Office will each (independently) provide a recommendation that will be shared with the proposers of said program, and with the Curriculum Committee if a complete major/minor/program proposal is developed for their consideration. The deadline for pre-proposals is January 15.