Guidelines for Degree Actions
Spring 2013
Introduction
The degree action approval processes described in this document reflect the official internal
governance policies of Virginia Tech, as well as external approval policies of the State Council
of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC). This guide was created to assist faculty,
administrators, and staff in their efforts to create and/or change existing degree programs in ways
that ensure compliance with both internal and external regulations, promoting high integrity and
excellence in Virginia Tech’s educational mission.
Various types of degree actions and their associated processes are explained in the sections
below, all of which require some level of review and approval. These include new degree
preparation, spin-off degrees, changes to existing degrees (e.g., new degree names), and degree
discontinuances. Moreover, issues that may emerge within new and existing degree programs
are discussed, including the delivery of curricular content via distance learning, changes in
administrative oversight, and programs jointly offered with other institutions.
Faculty, administrators, and staff involved in new degree actions are required to secure
preapproval either from the Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School or the Vice
President and Dean of the Division of Undergraduate Education. Additional guidance and
information is available through the Office of Degree Development and Support
(http://www.odm.vt.edu) and other important sources (see Appendix A for names and contact
information). Collectively, our goal is to ensure and maintain the exceptional quality of all
academic programs and opportunities at Virginia Tech.
How long does the review and approval process take?
The timeline from initiation to final approval for a degree action is dependent on its nature:
 For new degree programs and degree discontinuances, you should plan on final approval
from the Board of Visitors (BOV) taking approximately 12 to 14 months from pre-approval.
For example, a new degree proposal that is preapproved in Spring 2013 could be ready for
review and approval by the BOV in Spring 2014.
 Once BOV approval for a degree action is secured, the proposal is forwarded to SCHEV for
approval (if required) or notification. If SCHEV approval is required, this step can take up to
9 months (for new degree proposals) or 6 months (for spinoff degree proposals). The
degree action is not official until SCHEV approval has been secured.
 The above timeline for doctoral-level programs should be slightly extended given that an
onsite evaluation by an external review team is required by SCHEV. No external review is
required for masters-level degree proposals.
 In addition to SCHEV approval (if required), some degree actions will also involve review
and approval by SACS-COC (i.e., if the degree action is considered a substantive change),
extending the timeline for ultimate approval. Although the degree proposal that is forwarded
to SCHEV is typically of a similar format required by SACS-COC, it is in the best interests
of the university to begin the approval process at SACS-COC after which time that the
proposal is deemed likely for approval by SCHEV (rather than in tandem), given that a
failure to receive approval from SCHEV precludes the relevance of approval from SACSCOC.
Steps in degree action governance
The general steps in Virginia Tech’s internal governance process for degree actions are
schematized in Appendix B. A more detailed description of the various steps in the process is
provided below. Given that not all degree actions require the same extent of review and
approval, various kinds of degree actions are listed with each of the following steps:
Step I: PREAPPROVAL (new degrees; revised degrees; discontinued degrees; certificates;
majors/minors; options/tracks/concentrations):
Pre-approval must be secured for all degree actions, whether new or a modification to an existing
degree program (see http://www.odm.vt.edu for the preapproval application that must be
submitted to the Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School or Vice President and Dean of
the Division of Undergraduate Education in order to initiate a degree action). Preapproval also
requires that the appropriate administrative official (vice president) consult with the Academic
Affairs Council in determining the relevance and timing of the degree action for the university.
Step II: DEPARTMENT/COLLEGE REVIEW (new degrees; revised degrees;
discontinued degrees; certificates; majors/minors; options/tracks/concentrations):
After pre-approval is granted, the VT Degree Proposal (see http://www.odm.vt.edu) document
and the SCHEV Degree Proposal (see http://www.odm.vt.edu) begin development. The VT
Degree Proposal must be presented and approved by the curriculum committees at both the
department-level (if applicable) and the college-level. If the degree action requires the creation of
new courses, these must be approved in advance of the degree at any given step in the
governance process. If the degree action will impact course enrollments in other departments,
the primary author(s) must secure written permission from the department heads/chairs of those
departments so affected (email correspondence is acceptable). During this time, the faculty
responsible for preparing the documentation should go to the website of the Office of Degree
Development and Support (http://www.odm.vt.edu; see also Appendix A) for guidance as to
materials needing preparation for governance and SCHEV submission.
Step III: UNIVERSITY REVIEW (new degrees; revised degrees; discontinued degrees;
certificates; majors/minors; options/tracks/concentrations):
After receiving approval from the college curriculum committee, the VT Degree Proposal is
entered by the staff member who assists the college curriculum committee into HokieCAPS, an
internal digital tracking system that allows the proposal to be viewed by representatives at
appropriate levels of governance. The first review is open to the faculty and administrators of
the university, via notification that the proposal is now open for 15-day review. During this
period, interested others may make comments, raise concerns, or pose additional questions to the
authors of the proposal (on HokieCAPS). The authors are then free to respond to these issues
until the end of the 15-day review period.
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Step IV: UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM COMMITTEES (new degrees; revised degrees;
discontinued degrees; certificates; majors/minors; options/tracks/concentrations):
The next step of governance is a review and approval of the VT Degree Proposal by either the
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) or Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC), as
appropriate. These committees are composed of faculty and staff representatives from all
colleges at the university.
Step V: UNIVERSITY COMMISSIONS (new degrees; revised degrees; discontinued
degrees; certificates; majors/minors; options/tracks/concentrations):
The next step of governance is a review of the VT Degree Proposal and its official resolution by
the members of either the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies (CUSP) or the
Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies (CGSP). The charge of both CUSP and CGSP is
to study, formulate, and recommend to University Council policies and procedures concerning
on- and off-campus academic program matters, such as: degree requirements, curricula, courses,
advising, and library resources. Each commission will consider the degree action proposal for
two readings: the first for discussion, and the second for continued discussion (if necessary) and
vote.
Step VI: UNIVERSITY COUNCIL (new degrees; revised degrees; discontinued degrees;
certificates):
NOTE: Prior to being considered for approval by University Council, the VT Degree Proposal
must be approved for advancement by either the
Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School or the Vice President and Dean of the Division
of Undergraduate Education (see required signatures on the Preapproval Application).
The next step of governance is a review of the VT Degree Proposal and official resolution by the
members of the University Council. The charge of University Council is to assist the President
of the University in formulating and implementing university policy in a manner which attempts
to ensure that Virginia Tech always strives effectively to provide an environment conducive to
the pursuit of learning, teaching, scholarship, research, and service, and to anticipate and meet
the educational needs of society in general and the Commonwealth and nation in particular.
University Council will consider the VT Degree Proposal for two readings: the first for
discussion, and the second for continued discussion (if necessary) and vote.
Step VII: BOARD OF VISITORS (new degrees; revised degrees; discontinued degrees;
certificates):
The final step of internal governance is a review of the VT Degree Proposal and official
resolution by the Board of Visitors (BOV; see http://www.bov.vt.edu/). The first review takes
place within the Academic Affairs subcommittee of the BOV
(http://www.bov.vt.edu/committees/committees.html). A formal presentation of the proposal is
provided to the members of the Academic Affairs subcommittee, followed by open discussion
and a vote. Next, the VT Degree Proposal and official resolution are considered by the full BOV
for approval. Submission of these materials to the BOV requires coordination with the Office of
the President and staff members responsible for composing the BOV meeting agenda.
Step VIII: EXTERNAL REVIEW (new degrees; revised degrees; discontinued degrees;
certificates):
After BOV approval, the SCHEV Degree Proposal is officially submitted to SCHEV via the
Office of Degree Development and Support. The degree proposal is reviewed by staff at
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SCHEV, followed by submission and review by the SCHEV Academic Affairs Committee and
then Full Council. Notification to or submission for approval by SACS-COC depends on
whether the program reflects a substantive change to existing approvals (see
http://www.odm.vt.edu for this form).
Specific Types of Degree Actions
New Degree
The term “new degree” refers to a curriculum leading to the award of a degree that includes
content in a discipline(s) or field(s) not currently offered by the institution. New degrees
typically reflect faculty and administrators’ awareness of emerging domains of knowledge,
innovations in technologies/pedagogy, and energizing collaborations both within and across
disciplines. In all situations, new degree programs require preapproval. The success of a
proposal for a new degree depends strongly on its justification, relevance of its curriculum to its
mission, relevance to Virginia Tech’s mission and active strategic planning, and its ability to
secure necessary resources (either new or existing) for its operation. Although most new degree
programs will involve the creation of some new courses with respect to its core training, new
degrees are allowed to share up to 25% of core courses (excluding the CLE) with an existing
degree program. However, the new degree must be assigned a unique CIP code at the degree
level being proposed.
After preapproval for a new degree is secured, key faculty are asked to begin the process of
creating a full, SCHEV-friendly degree proposal for review by appropriate representatives of
internal governance (Steps II through IV above). Next, the VT Degree Proposal accompanies a
resolution through final internal approval by the BOV. In the final step, the SCHEV degree
proposal is officially sent to Richmond for review and approval (SCHEV requires a 9-month
interval between receipt of a request for a new degree and its intended initiation date). However,
in consultation with the Office of Degree Development and Support, draft versions of the full
degree proposal may be sent to SCHEV staff for review and feedback before the final proposal is
officially submitted; this is helpful in addressing concerns with the proposal in advance of its
formal submission to SCHEV for approval.
Here are other topics of importance in designing a new degree program:
 Degree Name: A short descriptive title accurately capturing the essential nature of the
curricular training associated with a particular degree. For example, “Ph.D. Mechanical
Engineering” or “B.S. Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences” are degree names appearing in
Virginia Tech’s official degree inventory
(http://www.schev.edu/students/DegreeInventory.asp) and appear on the student’s diploma
and transcript. Once a degree is approved, any change in degree title must be approved
through internal governance at Virginia Tech and SCHEV.

CIP Code: Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is to provide a taxonomic scheme
supporting the accurate tracking, assessment, and reporting of fields of study and program
completions across the nation. Originally developed by the U.S. Department of Education's
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 1980, the most recent CIP revision can be
found at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/. All approved degree programs and certificates
must have assigned CIP codes. Moreover, CIP codes can be reassigned to one degree name
at different degree designations (see definition below). However, a CIP code cannot be
reassigned to a second degree at the same degree designation.
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
Degree Designation: The level at which any given degree curriculum is delivered to its
students (e.g., Bachelor of Science; Master of Arts). According to SCHEV, a bachelor-level
degree must be designed such that 25% of the credits (minus the CLE) form a core
curriculum of instruction. A master’s degree must be designed such that 50% of the required
credits form a core curriculum of instruction. A doctoral degree must be designed such that
25% of the required credits form a core curriculum of instruction.

Major/Minor: Refers to organized, structured curricula approved through internal
governance as standing for some area of specialization with respect to a discipline of study
(see Virginia Tech majors and minors at http://www.admiss.vt.edu/majors/). Often, the name
of a degree program (e.g., B.S. Psychology) and the major (major in Psychology) are aligned
with each other. However, it is important to note that a single degree program can
encompass more than one major (e.g., B.S. Business is obtained by both majors in Finance
and majors in Marketing). Thus, degrees and majors are not necessarily one and the same;
degree names appear on diplomas and transcripts, whereas declared majors/minors appear on
transcripts. Although majors/minors can appear on official proposals for new degrees that
are reviewed by SCHEV, they do not in and of themselves require approval outside of the
university.

Track/Option/Concentration: Areas of curricular emphasis within degree programs and
majors, available only to students in the degree program or major (i.e.,
tracks/options/concentrations are not available to others outside of the degree program itself).
Tracks, options, and concentrations appear on official university transcripts, and require
internal review and approval. Although these areas of emphasis can appear on official
proposals for new degrees that are reviewed by SCHEV, they do not in and of themselves
require approval outside of the university.
Spinoff Degree
Refers to a curriculum that expands an existing degree program into a standalone degree at the
same degree level. However, the spinoff degree does not change the original degree’s essential
character, integrity, or objectives. The spinoff degree must share the first two digits of the
original degree’s CIP code, and at least 75% of the original core courses. The spinoff degree
must require minimal to no new faculty for its operation and must be funded through reallocation
of existing resources or through private funds. Final approval for a spinoff degree is granted by
SCHEV staff (i.e., the proposal does not require full council approval at SCHEV). However, for
the purposes of internal review and approval at Virginia Tech, spin-off degrees are considered
the same as new degrees.
Revision to an Existing Degree
Often, an active degree program at Virginia Tech grows and changes over time as it keeps pace
with new course offerings and other types of improvements in its structure and function. In
contrast, other degree programs lose functionality over time and/or in response to the formation
of new degree programs, and may require discontinuation. Such changes may warrant the need
to request a change in a degree name, merge two degree programs into one, eliminate a degree
program, or change the CIP code under which the degree is categorized (this is especially the
case as the national CIP taxonomy is updated in ways that better reflect emerging disciplines and
fields). All revisions to existing degrees must first secure preapproval, but do not follow the
template for new degree requests. Rather, requests to revise degree programs are to be prepared
Guidelines for Degree Actions
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according to SCHEV policy including specific cover sheets and supplemental justifications as
relevant to the type of change being proposed.
Collaborative Dual/Joint Degrees
The term collaborative serves as the umbrella term for programs through which Virginia Tech
works with institutional partners to provide education opportunities including but not exclusively
undergraduate/graduate coursework, graduate certificates, and undergraduate/graduate degrees.
Dual (i.e., double) and joint degrees are specific types of collaborations with unique definitions;
the term “collaborative” degree is not appropriate to use alone (i.e., it is not recognized as a
degree type). Importantly, the terms “dual” and “joint” are not interchangeable (see definitions
below and Appendix C for direct comparisons).
In all situations, proposed collaborations (whether dual or joint) require preapproval. In most if
not all cases, a MOU and MOA will be developed and signed by appropriate administrative
offices prior to implementation. The Office of Outreach and International Affairs has oversight
responsibility for international collaborations and works closely with the Division for
Undergraduate Education and the Graduate School on these initiatives. For collaborations within
the United States, proposals need to follow appropriate governance procedures.
Collaborations at the graduate level can include student and faculty exchanges, research, transfer
of graduate credit, and more, but the graduate degree offered by Virginia Tech remains
unchanged and VT maintains the sole responsibility for administering a Virginia Tech degree.
Joint Degree is defined as one degree with one set of requirements and only one dissertation or
thesis, and consists of a single diploma with the names of the partner universities. One example
is the School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (SBES), which is a joint venture between
Wake Forest University and Virginia Tech. Approval for this type of degree takes
approximately two years and begins with the submission for pre-approval on the Institutional
Plan for Graduate Degrees. Approvals by the academic unit(s), the College(s), the Curriculum
Committees at both the college and university levels, the Commission on Graduate Studies &
Policies (CGSP), University Council, the Board of Visitors, SCHEV, and SACS are required.
Dual Degree is defined as two separate degrees from two universities. The student must
complete two sets of degree requirements and complete two distinct dissertations or theses;
however, part of the required coursework can be transferred between the universities. Approval
to offer a dual degree involves college level approvals and submission to the Graduate School for
review by CGSP. If the degrees already exists and the integrity and autonomy of each degree is
maintained, no further internal review is currently needed. Current SACS policy requires
substantive change procedures. If the dual degrees are new, then the full approval process is
needed.
Graduate Certificate Program
Virginia Tech approves graduate certificates for the successful completion of focused graduate
coursework, typically complementing a broader area of study or training, updating needed
professional skills, and/or securing coursework for credentialing. Graduate certificates usually
involve between 9 and 24 credit hours and are indicated on the graduate student’s transcript. All
graduate certificates must be reported to SCHEV and appear on the official degree inventory for
the institution.
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Appendix A
Support Resources for Degree Actions
FUNCTION
CONTACT INFORMATION
Preapproval for
graduate degree actions
Dr. Karen DePauw
VP and Dean, Graduate School
(540) 231-5645; depauw@vt.edu
Preapproval for
undergraduate degree
actions
Graduate degree actions
Dr. Daniel Wubah
VP and Dean, Division of Undergraduate Education
(540) 231-4167; wubah@vt.edu
Undergraduate degree
actions and SCHEV
approval process
Dr. Rosemary Blieszner
Associate Dean of the Graduate School
(540) 231-5645; rmb@vt.edu
Dr. Robin Panneton
Director, Office of Degree Development and Support
(540) 231-9770; panneton@vt.edu
SACS approval
process;
Enrollment projections
Dr. Kristen Bush
Assistant Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness
(540) 231-1796; khbush@vt.edu
Resource allocation and
budget consultation
Mr. Jeff Early
Assistant Provost for Finance
(540) 231-6905; jearley@vt.edu
Learning outcomes and
assessment
Distance education
Dr. Ray Van Dyke
Director, Office of Academic Assessment and Evaluation
(540) 231-6003; rvandyke@vt.edu
Mr. Peter Macedo
Director, Institute for Distributed and Distance Learning
(540) 231-7327; pmacedo@vt.edu
Financial aid
Dr. Barry Simmons
Director, Scholarships & Financial Aid
(540) 231-5179; simmonsb@vt.edu
International
collaborations
MOA, MOU
Mr. Ian Leuschner
Director, International Support Services
(540) 231-3736; ileuschner@vt.edu
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Appendix B
VT Governance Process
STEP I. Preapproval (required)
Academic Affairs Council (in consultation
with undergraduate or graduate vice
president)
Prepare necessary documents to begin internal review process:
1) draft SCHEV proposal 2) VT degree proposal
Both of these documents flow through Steps II through IV below
Institutional Plan for Undergraduate or
Graduate Degrees
STEP II. Initial Curriculum Approval
Department Curriculum Committee
College Curriculum Committee
STEP III. Campus-wide Evaluation
15-day academic review (post on HokieCAPS);
respond to concerns/comments from university community
STEP IV. University Curriculum Approval
Undergraduate or Graduate Curriculum Committee for review and approval
Prepare resolution; Resolution and VT degree proposal move forward as documents for
approval in governance; draft SCHEV proposal continues to be developed
STEP V. Commissions
Commission on Undergraduate or Graduate Studies and Policies for approval (2 readings);
must submit resolution and VT degree proposal
VT degree proposal is reviewed and the VT degree pre-approval form is signed a second
time by either undergraduate OR graduate vice president before moving on to Step VI
STEP VI. University
University Council for approval (2 readings); must submit resolution and VT degree
proposal
STEP VII. Board of Visitors
Board of Visitors for review and approval;
must submit resolution and final VT degree proposal
STEP VIII. External Review and Approval
State Council of Higher Education for
Virginia (SCHEV) for review and approval;
submit final SCHEV degree proposal or
other SCHEV required paperwork
Guidelines for Degree Actions
Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools – Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) for notification or approval
(as required)
8
Appendix C
Explanation of Dual and Joint Degree Programs
Degree(s)
Received
Approval
Policies
Admissions
Residency
Dissertation
Graduate
Advisory
Committee
Canonical
Example
Special
Arrangements
Dual Degree
Two. A VT degree and a
partner institution degree.
Through Graduate School /
President
VT department / GS policies
(for VT degree);
Partner department / Partner
GS polices (for partner
degree)
Normal admissions from both
VT and partner institution
with coordination between
institutions
Satisfies VT and Partner
institution residency
requirements; some sort of
arrangement between
institutions on time spent at
each institution
Two dissertations written.
The independent work in
each dissertation must be
unique. The dissertation
submitted to each institution
must satisfy that institution’s
degree requirements (e.g.,
approval by the appropriate
graduate advisory
committees).
Two advisory committees,
one for each
dissertation/degree.
Presumably there are external
members on each committee
from the partner institution.
VT (CEE) / Politecnico Di
Milano
Should be some sort of
special arrangements
between institutions.
Guidelines for Degree Actions
Joint Degree
One. A Joint VT/Partner Degree.
Through SCHEV
Joint degree program policies (i.e.,
distinct from any VT and Partner
department policies); GS polices from
VT and Partner, with special
arrangements
Admissions through joint degree
program administration
Satisfies Joint Degree program’s
residency requirement through special
arrangement between VT and Partner
institutions’ GSs.
One dissertation written that satisfies
the joint degree programs
requirements. Accepted by VT and
Partner institution GSs by special
arrangement.
One advisory committee composed of
graduate faculty approved by the joint
degree program. Advisory committee
is accepted by both GSs by special
arrangement.
SBES (VT / Wake Forest)
Extensive special arrangements. The
joint degree program requires its own
degree program administration.
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