Proposal Submission Guidelines

Formats and Content of Proposals for Curriculum Changes, Alterations to the Undergraduate or Graduate Record, and Proposals for New Courses

About the CEPC and Its Responsibilities

According to Faculty rules and past practice, all courses that appear in the Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record must be approved by the whole Faculty of Arts and Sciences. This standing committee is charged by the Faculty to review all undergraduate and graduate curricular proposals and course changes for the various programs related to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. By custom, courses may be given on an experimental basis one time. Such a course may thus appear once in the Course Offering Directory - though not in the Record. After this one year grace period, departments are expected to present the course for faculty approval if they wish to continue to offer the course.

All new courses, course changes, and deletions of courses must first go through a departmental review process before submission to this committee. Individual faculty members should not submit any such proposals to this Committee themselves; all proposals must arrive at the Committee with the appropriate departmental endorsement.

Substantive changes to departmental listings in the Record should all be submitted to the CEPCfor faculty approval. The Registrar is not permitted to allow new courses or changes on matters of curriculum or policy to appear in the Record if such changes have not been reviewed and approved by the whole Faculty. The Record is the definitive statement of Faculty policy and thus must accurately reflect decisions taken by the whole faculty in accordance with its by-laws.

Lead Time

This Committee meets monthly, three times a semester, October through April. The CEPC then forwards their recommendations to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for its consideration at its next meeting. Given lead time to prepare agendas, it normally takes six to eight weeks for the whole process to be completed. When the Committee has questions with a department's proposal, the process takes longer. Thus, it is essential that submissions to the Committee be in the format and detail which will allow the committee to be most efficient, consistent and fair in its decisions. Major changes to department curricula should be submitted as early in the academic year as possible.

To get onto the Committee agenda for a given month, proposals should reach the Committee in the required format and number of copies at least one week prior to the CEPC meeting.  Usually, CEPC holds its meetings three weeks before the meetings of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

We ask that departments submit two (2) paper copies of proposals and supporting materials in the formats outlined below for distribution to the whole committee. These copies should be sent to

CEPC
c/o Judy Updike, College Registrar
Garrett Hall  P.O. Box 400133

In addition, for all new courses, CEPC requires the electronic form (item G in the section on PROPOSED NEW COURSES) to be completed.  This form contains the information that will be transmitted to the editor of the Record, and it should be checked for accuracy.

Notification of Committee Recommendations

Departments (Director of Undergraduate Programs) can expect prompt notification via e-mail about the status of their submissions.

Format for Curricular Proposals

All submissions to the Committee should include the following:

1. The letter from the Chair or program director indicating the official nature of the submission; individual faculty members are not to submit proposals directly to CEPC;
2. 2 copies of the submission sent to
       CEPC
       c/o Judy Updike
       Garrett Hall
3. For new courses, the electronic form in item G (below) must be completed.  This is the information that will be transmitted to the editor of the Record.  To add a new graduate seminar or an advanced (800+) graduate course, the electronic form is the ONLY information CEPC usually requires.

New Course Proposals

1. The proposed new Record entry, including course mnemonic and number, credit hours, grading basis, frequency of offering, course title, prerequisites, and brief course description (one or two lines if possible, not to include repetition of the course title). The items in a complete catalog entry are defined in detail on page 70 of the 2006-2007 Undergraduate Record. Good examples of course descriptions in the Undergraduate Record include those for BIOL 404, DRAM 360, ENWR 230, HIEU 321, or PSYC 321, all short and to the point. It is College policy that students may not be removed from a course due to lack of skills or knowledge unless these requirements are identified in the course prerequisites.
2. Expanded course description, including an appended full syllabus listing the probable instructor. For University accreditation purposes students must be "informed of the goals and requirements of each course, the nature of the course content and the methods of evaluation to be employed" (9/27/94 Dean Nelson Memo to Dept. Chairs Re: Undergraduate and Graduate Syllabi).
3. Relationship to other courses within the department. Be as specific as possible:
   1. Does the course overlap with any others within the department?
   2. What is the reason for any specified prerequisites?
   3. Will the new course supersede courses now on the books? If so, will the superseded courses be deleted?
   4. What is the justification for the level and numbering of the course? Please see the course numbering guidelines elsewhere in this document and on page 70 in the Record.
   5. If an undergraduate course is cross-listed with a graduate course, a separate proposal for each course should specify the difference between the work expected of undergraduates and of graduate students. (See the guidelines for dual-level courses in the course numbering guidelines.)
4. Courses of a department automatically qualify for one of the Area Requirements unless specifically exempted. If the proposed course is intended to satisfy other Area Requirements, how does it meet the criteria for those requirements? Have programs involved in those areas provided letters of support or other encouragement for the proposed course?
5. Relationship to other courses within the University. Again, be as specific as you can. This is often a major point in our discussion of a proposal. If the new course might be thought to overlap with courses in other departments or schools, indicate how you have taken the potential overlap into consideration in the design of the course. If there is actual overlap, a supporting memo from the other departments involved would be especially helpful.
6. For whom is the course intended (e.g., majors, non-majors, first-year students only, etc)?
7. For transmitting the course information for future publication in the Record, please complete the on-line add form.  To add a new graduate seminar or an advanced (800+) graduate course, the electronic form is the ONLY information CEPC usually requires.

Proposals to Change Existing Courses

1. The old Record entry in its entirety.
2. The proposed new Record entry, including course mnemonic and number, credit hours, frequency of offering, course title, prerequisites, and brief course description.
3. The reasons for the proposed change.
4. In cases of substantial change, i.e., more than a change of title and description, when the change amounts to a change in the substantive content of the course, please follow the guidelines set out in Proposal for New Courses above.
5. In cases of multiple changes, a separate, global list of course mnemonics and titles for inclusion in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences agenda.
6. This information may be submitted electronically by completing the change form.

Proposals For Deleting Courses

1. A list of course numbers and titles.
2. In cases where deletions reflect broader curricular revision, an explanation of rationale; in cases where deletions reflect a change in requirements for the major, please follow guidelines under changes in the major description given below.
3. This information may be submitted electronically by completing the delete form.

The Committee encourages departments and programs to review the Record regularly and to delete courses that are no longer offered.

Changes in the Major Description

1. A brief statement of rationale for changes.
2. A copy of both the current major description as it now appears in the Record and the proposed new description.

Note: In cases of substantial revisions to a major, departments may wish to designate a representative (usually the Director of Undergraduate Programs) to attend the Committee meeting. We have found that this aids communication and speeds the process of approval.

Course Numbering Guidelines

Both the Undergraduate (p. 70) and Graduate Records contain specific "Course Numbering System" guidance in their "How to Read Course Listings" sections. The entire University Community depends on the advising information contained in a course numbering system. The funding and academic accounting processes of the Commonwealth and other agencies depend on students being enrolled in appropriate levels of coursework. To help accomplish these goals, the following provides additional guidance for the numbering of courses in Arts and Sciences.

Course mnemonics and numbers should indicate a number of advising characteristics: the level of general experience or prerequisite preparation expected in a course (ANTH 101 Introduction, ECON 371 for advanced students with the calculus prerequisite); the relation of the course to specific areas of a program (HIEU European history or RELG religion general); the format of the course as a seminar, independent research, or other type of presentation (EVSC 493 Independent study or SOC 897 non-topical research); as well as other information.

To provide these types of advising information and satisfy academic accounting requirements, courses of Arts and Sciences should be numbered according to the following expectations:

100 - 299: Lower Level Undergraduate Courses
These are introductory and survey courses.

300 - 499: Upper Level Undergraduate Courses
These numbers are for advanced undergraduate courses.  They usually have prerequisites or require special permission of the instructor.

500 - 599: Introductory Graduate Courses
Courses appropriate for graduate students beginning study in the academic discipline as well as for advanced undergraduates. Only with special permission from the Department and the Office of the Dean of the College may an undergraduate enroll in courses numbered above 599. Students initiate this request with a form available in Garrett Hall.

600 - 699: Professional Courses
Courses with these numbers are generally reserved for the schools of Medicine and Law.  Exceptions are occasionally made to accommodate other professional offerings, particularly in the field of teacher education.

700 - 899: Graduate Courses Appropriate to Degree
Courses designed for students in Master’s and beginning Doctoral degree programs.

900 - 999: Graduate level courses usually reserved for offerings in doctoral programs, such as readings, research, independent study, and dissertations

Where possible, odd numbers will signify fall semester courses and even numbers will signify spring semester courses. Additionally, the determination of course level is the responsibility of the offering department and/or school.  It is expected that the academic policy committee of each school will assume the necessary monitoring function.

Special Numbering

The numbers 90 - 99 in each hundred series from 100 - 900 (i.e. 291, 493, 897) are designated for special usage as follows:

• 90  Honors Courses
• 91  Capstone Courses
• 92  Capstone Courses
• 93  Independent Study
• 94  Independent Study
• 95  Supervised or Independent Research
• 96  Supervised or Independent Research
• 97  Thesis/Dissertation/Non-Topical Research
• 98  Thesis/Dissertation/Non-Topical Research
• 99  Thesis/Dissertation/Non-Topical Research

Independent Study and Supervised Research courses for undergraduates are topical in nature and generally not repeated; accordingly, they do not receive a continuing Record entry; they may be created with variable credit. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. Because the content of such courses changes each offering, students may retake these courses or higher numbered ones in a sequence.

Undergraduates are not permitted to enroll in courses numbered 600 or greater without permission of the Dean of the School involved. (Page 57, 2003-2004 Undergraduate Record, )

Independent Study courses and Supervised Research for graduate students should be numbered 793, 794 and 795, 796, respectively; they may be created with variable credit. These courses are topical in nature and generally not repeated; accordingly, they do not receive a continuing Record entry. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. Because the content of such courses changes each offering, students may retake these courses.

Dual-level Courses

For various reasons, it may be desirable to present some of the same material in a course, often at the same time, to undergraduate and graduate students. Examples include 400/700 and occasionally 300/700 combinations. Dual level courses numbered with a 500 level will not be encouraged because undergraduates may take 500 level courses by right unless specifically restricted.

For such dual level offerings specific differences in course requirements for each level are expected. To provide clarity in advising, two different course proposals should be developed indicating the expectations for each course in the description. The undergraduate and graduate numbers could be the same. The title of the advanced level should have some indication of the expectations such as "advanced", "with proofs" or "with applications".

Variations on these guidelines will be considered if a clear justification is presented.

Sample New Course Proposal

New Course Proposal - GFPT 303

1. Record Entry:

   GFPT 303 - (3) (Y) Contemporary Political Thought

   Prerequisite: One course in political theory or permission of instructor Study of the course of political theory from the late 19th century through the present. This includes the major critical perspectives on modern politics and culture (existentialism, feminism, post-modernism, “critical theory”) and explores the problems that have preoccupied political theory in this period (alienation, language, individualism and discrimination).

2. Expanded Course Description:

   A Sample Syllabus is attached.

   The class attempts to give students an introduction to the various schools of political thought that have developed in the twentieth century, in Europe, America and, to some extent, the Third World. We pursue this goal through a close examination of the major texts those schools have produced. The authors to be covered include: Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Kafka, Habermas, Gadamer, Rorty, MacKinnon, Malcolm X, Foucault, Arendt, Lyotard and others. Please see the attached syllabus for details.

   The course has been offered experimentally by Prof. Joshua Dienstag, who will continue to offer it every spring. Enrollments are hard to predict, but will probably not exceed 75. Written assignments include a paper of 6-8 pages, a paper of 12-15 pages, and a final exam.

3. Relationship to other courses in the department:

   The proposed courses complement our existing offerings in significant ways. "Contemporary Political Thought" would provide a needed follow-on to our current survey courses in Political Theory: 301 (Ancient and Medieval) and 302 (Modern). These courses cover the history of political thought well but currently do not include any material past the middle-nineteenth century. GFPT 303 would pick up where 302 leaves off (roughly, with Nietzsche) and would provide a survey of the major schools of political thought in the twentieth century.

4. This course will satisfy the Social Science Area Requirement.

5. Relationship to other courses in the University:

   Although some of the authors covered are, of course, examined in other classes, there is no other course in the catalogue with the structure, breadth or purposes of this proposed course.

6. The course is intended primarily for majors in Government and Foreign Affairs but will be open to all.