CAH’S GUIDE TO COMPLETING COURSE ACTION REQUEST
& SPECIAL TOPICS FORMS
FILLING OUT THE FORMS:
Completing a CAR:
1. Select your course option (located in the top-right corner of the CAR): Course Addition, Course
Revision, Course Deletion.
2. Complete the contact information.
3. Enter course information:
a. Include course prefix and number. For new courses, use 3XXX or 4XXX for the course
number; the state will assign the permanent number after approval. Use the following only as
needed:
i. ENC 3XXXC: “C” indicates a lab/lecture “combination”
ii. ENC 3XXXL: “L” indicates “lab component”
iii. ENC 3XXXH: “H” indicates “honors”
b. Enter course title only for new course proposals or to change the title on an existing course.
c. Credit hours: indicate credit and contact hours. For example:
i. 3(3,0) indicates a 3-credit hour course with 3 hours in class and no additional laboratory
or field-work hours.
ii. 3(2,4) indicates a 3-credit hour course with 2 hours in class and 4 additional laboratory
or field-work hours.
4. Course abbreviations: fill this out only for new-course proposals. Spaces count.
5. Complete the prerequisite (PR) and/or co-requisite (CR) information: all upper-level courses must
have a prerequisite listed. Review your other courses to make sure that you are consistent in setting
them up: e.g. “Grade of C (2.0) or better in ENC 1102 or CI.”
6. Course descriptions: There is a 25-word limit, so aim for clarity and concision. Eliminate terms like
“This course,” “Students will,” or “An introduction to.”
7. Indicate whether the new/revised course will be offered in the next three terms; this is especially
important for new courses so that, when approved, a Special Topics course can be scheduled.
8. Indicate if any new/revised Materials & Supply Fees will be associated with the course (remember to
complete an M&S Fee if you select “yes” for this option).
9. Course Repeatability: indicate the number of times that the course can be repeated for credit.
10. Complete the course grading information, source of students, and estimated enrollment.
11. Attach correspondence regarding possible course content overlap with other units around campus.
Be proactive in anticipating conflicts. If no duplication or conflict exists, indicate this on your form.
12. Provide rationale for course addition or revision. Departments should also be prepared to send a
representative to the College and/or University meetings in case those committees have questions
about the course.
13. Indicate term of offering: consult with your department chair, advisors, and/or course schedulers (as
necessary) so that you can make sure the terms you select are feasible with regard to program needs
and other curricular requirements.
14. If you are deleting a course, make sure to provide rationale; be specific and, particularly if you are
deleting a required course, explain the impact on students. Note: no syllabus is needed for a course
deletion.
15. Department Chairs should mark the “approved” column, sign, and date the form before forwarding to
CAH. Electronic copies of forms (including syllabi) should go to CAHCurriculum@ucf.edu; hard copies
should be forwarded to Trisha Farmer in CAH.
A note on syllabi: Syllabi must include a course description, course objectives, assigned texts, and tentative
schedule & assignments. If a course is repeatable for credit, the syllabus should indicate changes for each
iteration.
SPECIAL TOPICS:
Special Topics forms follow the same conventions as Course Action Requests, except in the case of Honors
courses. Honors interdisciplinary seminars must move through the process together and forms & syllabi
should be identical (excepting signatures and course prefixes).
1. Include “Hon” at the beginning of the course title: e.g. “Hon Lights, Camera, Accíon.”
2. Include “With Honors Content” at the end of the course description.
3. Prerequisites: Should indicate “Consent of Honors.”
See also the CAR/ST Form Submission Checklist.