PUBLIC UNIVERSITY REQUESTS FOR APPROVAL OF NEW UNITS OF
INSTRUCTION, RESEARCH, AND PUBLIC SERVICE AND ADMINISTRATION
The Illinois Board of Higher Education has the statutory responsibility for approving new units of
instruction, research, public service, and administration. All programs and units must first have received
approval by the institution's governing board. A unit of instruction is an organized program of study
whose completion results in the formal conferral of a certificate or degree. Units of administration include
colleges, schools, divisions, departments, centers, and institutes that carry out the instruction, research,
and public service work of the university. Formally organized research and public service units are
usually called centers or institutes.
An objectives-based program approval process has been developed. This process shifts the focus in
evaluating whether or not the request meets approval criteria from examining "inputs," such as faculty
and student sufficiency, equipment and library resources, and budget to determining congruence between
the unit's objectives (goals) and the measures of their achievement (outcomes).
A Request for Approval requires a description of program or unit objectives and, in the case of
instruction, student learning objectives. For each objective, the request must also include corresponding
outcome measures--that is, one or more measures the university will use to show that the program or unit
achieved its objective(s) and, for instruction, that students, indeed, attained the knowledge, skills,
behaviors, and/or attitudes (i.e. the learning objectives) proposed. In addition, each request needs to
show how the program or unit will build upon the university's strengths and focus its mission, how the
program or unit will be financially supported, and how the program or unit contributes to achieving
statewide goals. New doctoral program applications submitted will continue to be reviewed by two
outside consultants.
Once a program or unit is approved, the university is required to submit a progress report three years after
implementation, as part of the university's annual results report. The progress report needs to demonstrate
the extent to which the program is achieving each objective defined in the original request for approval.
Programs that are not making progress toward achieving these objectives will be asked to submit an
improvement plan.
Requests for new units will be accepted by the Illinois Board of Higher Education at any time. However,
a request for a new unit that requires new resources for its implementation will only be considered during
the fall budget development process and, thus, must be received no later than September 1st.
For convenience, there are two separate applications: one requesting approval of a new unit of instruction,
which may be offered on and/or off-campus, and the other requesting approval of a new unit of
administration, research, and/or public service.
REQUEST FOR A NEW UNIT OF INSTRUCTION
1. Name of Institution:_________________________________________________
2. Title of Proposed Program :_____________________________________
3. Level of Proposed Unit
__Undergraduate Certificate (1-2 years)
__Undergraduate Certificate (2-4 years)
__Associate
__Baccalaureate
__Post-baccalaureate Certificate
__Master's
__Post-master's Certificate
__First Professional
__First Professional Certificate
__Doctorate
__Department
4.
CIP Code (6-digits)______
5.
Proposed Date for Enrollment of First Class:___________________________
6.
Location Offered1: On-Campus ___
Off-Campus2: Region Number (s)_______________ or Statewide___
Purpose: Objectives, Mission, and Priorities
7. Student Learning Objectives
What are students expected to know and be able to do at program completion? For example, to what
extent are students expected to:
 Achieve high academic standards (writing, problem-solving, statistical analysis and/or
use of technology) in a way appropriate to the major field.
 Understand the principles, modes of inquiry, and content of the discipline.
 Apply knowledge and demonstrate interpersonal skills appropriate to future career roles,
including practicum or work experience in a field of study.
 Demonstrate attitudes and behaviors, such as ethical awareness, cultural sensitivity, and
appreciation for diversity.
8.
Program Contributions
What is the purpose (objectives) of the proposed program?
1
Institutions may request approval to offer a program simultaneously on and off-campus, including statewide.
However, program objectives and outcomes should be developed that address all of the locations and modes of
delivery for which the institution is seeking approval (excluding programs offered strictly over the internet).
Under the new definition for “location,” “on-campus” approval extends to the total region in which the main
campus is located. Approval of off-campus programs is extended to all community college districts within the
regional consortium requested. Programs currently approved off-campus will automatically be approved
throughout the region of the original approval. New off-campus programs to be offered outside of the
institution's region will require approval.
2
A Notice of Intent is required for each new off-campus program proposal and may be emailed to the Board
of Higher Education prior to submission of the full proposal. Notices of Intent will be published on the Board
of Higher Education web site (www.ibhe.state.il.us.) monthly on the first Tuesday. The deadline for
receiving notices is the preceding Friday. The Notice of Intent should be a one-page description of the degree
program to be offered at the off-campus location. A sample Notice of Intent is attached. The notice should be
in MS Word format and should include an email address of the contact person.
What specific objectives and measurable contributions will the program make to the university's
goals, objectives, and priorities, such as:
 Serving a distinct population of students
 Meeting regional needs
 Increasing the number of graduates in a high demand or emerging field of study
 Achieving specialized accreditation
 Supporting other programs at the institution
 Matching the program and curriculum to occupational demand
 Meeting the needs of business, employers, or society
What specific and measurable contribution will the program make to statewide goals and priorities?
Outcomes3
9. Student Learning Measures
What specific assessment tools or indicators will be used to measure student success in achieving
objectives of the proposed program? These should be specific measures of student achievement,
both qualitative and quantitative, such as:
 Evaluation of capstone experiences, such as senior projects, recitals, exhibits, or portfolios
 Standardized or other comprehensive examinations
 Certification examinations
 Pre-and post-testing (value-added assessment)
How will the program use learning measures to improve student learning?
10. Program Outcomes
What targets have been set to assess the success of the program in achieving its objectives? These
performance measures might include:
 Percent pass rate of graduates on certification examinations
 Graduate enrollment in graduate and/or professional programs or other subsequent education
 Percent of graduates employed in the field
 Career advancement achieved by program graduates
 Graduate and employer satisfaction with the program
 Retention and graduation rates and time-to-degree completion
 Percent of students involved in faculty research or other projects
 Percent of graduate students presenting or publishing papers
What specific indicators of student success will be used to evaluate the program's success at
achieving departmental, university, and statewide goals? How will the department use these
indicators to improve program outcomes?
Curriculum
11.
3
Provide a complete catalog description, including program admission and graduation requirements,
for the proposed program.
By the third year of operation, the institution must provide a progress report on the preliminary achievement of
objectives and outcomes in the institution's annual results report.
Instructional Practices4
12. Describe the strategies to be incorporated in the proposed program that promote student learning,
such as:
 Ensuring that students understand the purposes of the program
 Measuring student learning and academic performance as students move through the program
 Communicating evaluation results to students promptly and providing effective feedback on
performance
 Familiarizing students with the norms and practices of the discipline or profession
 Promoting faculty/student and student/student contact
 Fostering active learning
 Promoting faculty development of teaching and learning
Resources
13.
Complete Table IV-1 to show student demand for the program. Table IV-2 should be completed
(even if no new state funding is requested in the budget year) and should reflect all sources of
funds, both state and non-state and reallocations. A narrative budget statement should be provided
to explain Table IV-2 with the following:
 Projected increments in total resource requirements (line 1) should be explained in terms of
projected staff requirements, equipment and instructional materials, library requirements, and
contractual services for internships, practica, or clinical placements.
 New state resources required (line 6) in the budget year should be explained in terms of
assumptions and factors used to construct line items seven through 11. If resource
requirements in the budget year include non-recurring costs (e.g., one-time equipment
purchases) describe how these resources will be reallocated in subsequent years.
Quality Assurance Processes5
14.
Please briefly describe the department, college, and/or university processes that will demonstrate
the quality of the program and include the following elements.










4
Alignment with regional and statewide needs
Teaching effectiveness and course evaluation
Appropriate curriculum and sequencing of courses
Monitoring of student progress
Faculty qualifications and reward structures
Occupational and student demand for the program
Opportunities for faculty development that encourage quality teaching
Adequacy of support staff, equipment, and other resources
Program review process
Use of assessment results and program reviews to improve the program
This section addresses program review issues that are important for instructional feedback to students and criteria
of educational quality. As the program review process is revised, the instructional practices that the program has
identified will be monitored as part of quality assurance process.
5
Quality assurance processes are those ongoing reviews that maintain program and instructional standards. This
section will be further refined as the academic audit process is developed.
Table IV-1
STUDENT DEMAND PROJECTIONS FOR THE NEW PROGRAM
Budget
Year
2nd
Year
3rd
Year
4th
Year
5th
Year
Number of Program Majors (Fall Headcount)
Annual Full-Time-Equivalent Majors
Annual Credit Hours in EXISTING Courses 1
Annual Credit Hours in NEW Courses 1
Annual Number of Degrees Awarded
1
Include credit hours generated by both majors and non-majors in courses offered by the academic unit directly
responsible for the proposed program.
Table IV-2
TOTAL RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NEW PROGRAM
Budget
Year
1
Total Resource Requirements
2
Resources Available from Federal Sources 1
3
Resources Available from Other Non-State
Sources 1
4
Existing State Resources 2
5
State Resources Available through Internal
Reallocation 3
6
New State Resources Required (Line 1 minus the sum
of lines 2 through 5) 4
2nd
Year
3rd
Year
4th
Year
5th
Year
--
--
--
--
Breakdown of New State Resources Required for
Budget Year:
7
F.T.E. Staff
8
Equipment and Instructional Materials
--
--
--
--
9
Library
--
--
--
--
10
Contractual Services
--
--
--
--
11
Other Support Services 5
--
--
--
--
1
Numbers can be positive or zero only. These lines reflect available funds, not incremental dollars.
2
The amount of existing state resources in a given year is equal to the sum of the previous year's existing state
resources (line 4 plus resources available through internal reallocation (line 5) plus any new state resources required
(line 6). Existing state resources allocated to the program in a given year (line 4) may exceed total requirements
needed to support the program in the following year. In this event, existing state resources should be reduced by
showing a negative dollar amount on line 5 so that the sum of lines 2 through 6 equals line 1.
3
Numbers can be either positive (allocated to the program) or negative (allocated away from the program).
4
This number is the level of funding requested in the referenced year. Dollars reported will be incremental.
5
Other dollars directly assigned to the program. Do not include allocated support services.