GUIDELINES
Submission of New Degree Programs
PHASE I: Preliminary Proposal Development for New Degree Programs
Proposals for new degree programs require review and approval at various levels: on campus, at the
Chancellor’s Office, and by the CSU Board of Trustees. The following summarizes the steps for
development, submission, review and approval, and implementation of a new degree program.
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The idea for a new program may originate at any level; however, it is customary for programs to
begin at the department level. Before its consideration beyond the department level, the college
dean must inform the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs in writing of the intent to
develop the program.
Ordinarily, a program development advisory committee will be formed to assist in gathering the
information required by the various review bodies on and off campus.
The Chancellor’s Office has authorized three alternatives for establishing a new degree program:
a. Traditional Process: It takes approximately one year for a new degree program to be
approved for inclusion on the CSU Academic Plan and to enter Phase II of the campus and
system curricular review processes.
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Preliminary proposals (Phase I) for new degree programs must be submitted to the Office
of Academic Affairs early in the spring term if they are to be considered for inclusion on
the CSU Academic Plan the following January. The Board of Trustees will consider
preliminary proposals at the March meeting only.
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Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs and staff will review the proposal and place
it on the agenda of the Academic Senate and other appropriate review bodies (e.g. UCC,
USLOAC) for review and recommendation to the President. The President will make the
final decision regarding whether or not to request that the new degree program be
submitted for inclusion on the CSU Academic Plan.
b. Fast-Track Process: A fast track proposal may omit Phase I and moves directly to Phase II
only if the program proposed meets the following criteria for “fast track”:
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It can be offered at a high level of quality by the campus within the campus’s existing
resource base, or there is a demonstrated capacity to fund the program on a self-support
basis;
It is not subject to specialized accreditation by an agency that is a member of the
Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, or it is currently offered as an
option or concentration that is already recognized and accredited by an appropriate
specialized accrediting agency;
It can be adequately housed without a major capital outlay project;
It is consistent with all existing state and federal law and trustee policy;
It is a bachelor’s or master’s degree program;
The program has been subject to a thorough campus review and approval process.
The approved program proposal must be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office by the first
Monday in January or the second Monday in June. If Chancellor’s Office staff sees no major
issues they will put the proposal on the Board of Trustees’ agenda either for March (for
January submissions) or July (for June submissions).
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c. Pilot Programs Process: A pilot program proposal may omit Phase I and moves directly to
Phase II only if the program proposed meets the same criteria listed for the fast track process.
However, a pilot program is authorized to operate for five years; during the fifth year the
program must submit full proposal for the new degree including an assessment of the success
of the pilot program.
The Trustees have authorized a limited number of pilot programs (2) that a campus may
establish without prior approval of the Chancellor’s Office. Prior to implementing a pilot
program, the campus must notify the Chancellor’s Office, which will formally acknowledge
the program, and assign a HEGIS code. The catalog copy describing the pilot program
should accompany the notification.
PHASE II: Completed Program Proposal for New Degree Programs
It generally takes at least a year for a curricular proposal for a new degree program to be reviewed
through on and off campus review processes after completing Phase I.
After the Board of Trustees has approved inclusion of the new program on the CSU Academic Plan, the
originating unit completes the program proposal using Appendix A for new degree programs and then
follows the Process for Curriculum Proposals.
Submission of New Programs – Options, Concentrations, Minors, Certificates and
Credentials
New programs, whether they require off-campus approval or need only campus approval, are submitted
according to the procedures for submitting proposals as developed by the Chancellor’s Office. (See
Appendix B for new options, concentrations, minors, certificates and credentials.)
Credential proposals are submitted both in the format requested by the California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CCTC) and in Appendix B. New or modified credential or subject matter preparation
programs are sent through the curriculum process prior to CCTC approval.
Executive Order 602 (Appendix C) delegates authority to the president of the university to approve the
implementation of some options, concentrations, emphases, and minors. All new proposed options,
concentrations, special emphases, minors, certificates and credentials must be responsive to the guidelines
in Appendix B.
All curriculum proposals for new programs must follow the curriculum review process.
Substantive Change Proposals
All academic programs that change modality in offering (such as online or off campus programs) are
submitted as Substantive Change Proposals through the on-campus curriculum review process.
Additionally, Substantive Change proposals approved through the on-campus curriculum review process
require additional approval by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Off-Campus
and Substantive Change Committee.
WASC information regarding Substantive Change proposals is available at:
http://www.wascsenior.org/resources/subchange.
Substantive Change forms are available from the Office of Academic Programs. The WASC Substantive
Change Manual is available at
http://www.wascsenior.org/findit/files/forms/2010_Substantive_Change_Manual.pdf.
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