Program Modification Form
I Summary of Proposed Changes
School of Business Administration
Department/program
WPA requirement for all SoBA majors
Summary
II Endorsements and Approvals
Please obtain the Program Chair/Director’s approval and Dean’s approval.
Please type / print name Signature
Requestor:
Phone:
Program Chair/Director:
Date
Belva L. Jones
x-5155
Department Dean
Other affected Programs:
(Use additional sheet if
needed)
III Type of Program Modification
(e.g. adding a writing course required of all majors.) Please X check the appropriate box.
Major
Minor
Option
Teaching major/minor
Other
Please
X
All students must attempt the Writing Proficiency
describe
Assessment (WPA) prior to being admitted to upper-
division business courses.
IV Catalog Language
If you are proposing a change to an existing program or
major, please cut and paste the requirements as they
appear in the current catalog below.
www.umt.edu/catalog 
1.
Admission to the Major - In the semester
when students will have completed at least 60
cumulative credits and all requirements listed
under number 1 above with grades of C (2.0) or
better, students must apply for admission to
one of the following business majors:
accounting, finance, international business,
management, management information
systems, or marketing. (Students pursuing a
major in international business must pair it
with one of the other five business majors.)
NOTE: In order to take 300 and 400 level
courses in business, students must achieve
junior standing in a business major. Junior
standing in a business major is defined as
admission to a business major after meeting
the above requirements.
Please provide the proposed copy as you wish
it to appear in the catalog. 
1.
Admission to the Major - In the
semester when students will have
completed at least 60 cumulative
credits and all requirements listed
under number 1 above with grades of C
(2.0) or better, students must apply for
admission to one of the following
business majors: accounting, finance,
international business, management,
management information systems, or
marketing. (Students pursuing a major
in international business must pair it
with one of the other five business
majors.) All students must attempt
the Writing Proficiency Assessment
(WPA) prior to being admitted to
upper-division business courses.
NOTE: In order to take 300 and 400
level courses in business, students
must achieve junior standing in a
business major. Junior standing in a
business major is defined as admission
to a business major after meeting the
above requirements.
Please explain/justify the new proposal or change. 
Over a period of at least seven years, SoBA students have scored lower than the rest of campus on the
WPA. Other independent assessments indicate that SoBA students generally lack the writing skills
necessary for their success in a competitive market place. SoBA is currently instituting a writing
improvement project, involving a number of “writing across the curriculum” initiatives. This change
would be part of that project.
Many of our students have waited until their last semester to take the WPA. We want them to take it
earlier in their programs of study and closer to when they take their writing courses. The change
reinforces the university requirement that students take the WPA after 45 credit hours but no later than 70
credit hours.
What other programs are affected by your proposal?
Obtain signatures as requested above.
V Copies and Electronic Submission
Once approved, the original, a paper copy and an electronic file are submitted to the Faculty Senate
Office, UH 221 (camie.foos@mso.umt.edu).
VI Department Summary Required if several proposals are submitted. In a separate document
list program title and proposed change of all proposals.