SCHOOL POLICY

This policy establishes requirements for School-level review and approval of new programs and for major modifications of existing curricula. Nothing in this policy supersedes applicable University-wide policies, statutory requirements established by external governmental authorities, or standards set by private agencies involved in institutional or programmatic accreditation.

The School administration, faculty(ies) of the sponsoring program(s) and department(s), Committee on Course and Curriculum Review (CCCR) and Executive Council have responsibility for this policy.

New Programs

All proposed new University-awarded certificate and degree programs must undergo School- level review and approval by the SHP administration, faculty(ies) of the sponsoring program(s) and department(s), and the SHP Executive Council before submitting to the University and applicable State governing bodies for final approval.

School-level review begins with the development of a concept document generated by the sponsoring program(s) and department(s), that summarizes the plans for the new program. The concept document consists of the following elements:

1. Program Goals and Objectives
2. Student Learning Outcomes
3. Relationship to Institutional & School Strategic Plan
4. Need for Program
5. Enrollment
6. Program Resources
7. Degree Requirements
8. Admissions Requirements
9. Transferability of Credits
10. Potential for Duplication/Opportunities for Collaboration
11. Faculty CVs
12. Library and Computer Resources, Facilities and Equipment
13. References

The concept document must be approved first by the SHP Management Council (MC) to review the program for financial solvency. After approval from MC, the document is reviewed by the Committee on Course and Curriculum Review (CCCR) which focuses on curriculum design, program requirements, goals, objectives, and continuity and sequence of courses. Course duplication, as well as the potential for collaboration will also be considered. If queries arise, CCCR will submit questions to the program for a response. Both CCCR’s written comments and the program’s response(s), are submitted to Executive Council (EC) for review. Following CCCR approval, Executive Council reviews the overall proposal in terms of its relatedness to the SHP strategic plan. Based on the recommendations of CCCR, EC may approve the concept document or return it to the proposing department and program for recommended modifications. Final approval by EC signifies that the concept document is ready to be reviewed by the Chancellor.

Following School and Chancellor approval, the document is forwarded to the Office of Institutional Review and Academic Planning (OIRAP), along with the CVs of potential consultants. OIRAP will hire a consultant to review the document. The department will address any queries and then forward the revised concept document and consultant’s report back to OIRAP. OIRAP will then prepare the document for University approvals (approvals by the Senior VP for Academic Affair, Presidents Cabinet and Board of Governors). After university approval, the concept document, which is now called the Program Announcement (PA), is circulated among all other institutions of higher learning in the state for thirty days. Comments are collected and sent along with the PA to the New Jersey Presidents Counsel Academic Issues Committee (NJPC AIC) for state approval.

New University Certificate Approval Process

A stand-alone certificate requires school wide agreement as outlined above under “New Programs”. Following chancellor’s level approval, the proposal is sent to OIRAP who will forward to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, followed by the Rutgers Board of Governors, and then finally to NJPC AIC as an information item only. No consultant is needed for certificate approval. However, certificates must meet Federal Gainful Employment Requirements.

Review of Major Modification to Existing Curricula

Existing approved curricula proposed for major modifications must undergo School-level review as outlined under New Programs. Major modifications include (1) changes in program level (e.g., BS to MS), (2) a substantial change in the total credits required for graduation(>3 credits), (3) creation of a new track, and/or (4) a significant change in program goals and objectives that requires multiple concurrent course revisions. If the program is listed in the state inventory, notification must be sent to NJPC AIC outlining the rationale for the proposed changes with a clear delineation between the old and new curriculum.

Detailed procedures for new program development or any major curricular changes can be found in the Program Development Manual located in the faculty forum. Programs should consult with the Office of Education prior to initiating the process.