Academic units have primary responsibility for determining the University's undergraduate course inventory and the modification of courses in the inventory. Upon review, the University Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee normally approves recommendations for proposing the modification of existing courses in the inventory. However, proposals to modify existing courses may potentially affect other academic units or more generally raise academic concerns, including possible concerns regarding degree requirements and the program of course requirements as would typically be listed in the undergraduate catalog. The following process is intended to facilitate appropriate levels of communication between academic units and the university wide review of undergraduate courses, programs, and degree requirements. In addition, proposals for modifying existing courses must meet general university guidelines, such as appropriate level of course offering and academic rigor, course prerequisites, and, when applicable, general education requirements and writing across the curriculum requirements.

A formal proposal for modifying an existing course must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate department and college or school curriculum committee, the college or school faculty if required by that unit, the University Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee, and the Faculty Senate.

Proposals for modifying existing courses carrying both undergraduate credit and graduate credit must be submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee following the procedures contained herein and to the Graduate Council following the procedures established by that Council.
 

Course Numbering System

0-99 Precollege-level courses.
100-499 Lower division courses intended for undergraduate credit only. The first digit indicates the general level of the course: 1 for a first-year course, 2 for a second-year course, 3 for a third-year course, 4 for a fourth-year course. Courses in this category that are acceptable for graduate credit carry alternate numbers in which the first digit only is changed to a 5 or 6 according to the definitions below.
500-599  Courses that carry graduate credit only in major field different from that of the department offering of the course. Most such courses will be alternate designations of courses normally numbered 300-499.
600-699  Courses that carry graduate credit in any major field and have alternate designations in which the first digit is a 4 when taken for undergraduate credit.
700-799  Courses intended for graduate credit only.

The following establishes the procedures and guidelines for proposals to modify existing courses in the University's inventory of undergraduate courses:

Submit a Course Modification Request Form

As specified on the Course Modification Form, include a reason for request when modifying "Grading" or "General Education credit (courses)." 

In cases where the course modification is significant (e.g., an increase in credit hours, substantial changes in course content, etc.), it is recommended that for purposes of review and comparison the existing Course Syllabus and a new Course Syllabus be submitted. The new Course Syllabus to be submitted should be based on the following guidelines*:

I. Course Information

Course Title
Course Number
Course Meeting Times

II. Course Materials (specify required and recommended)

Textbooks
Articles, Readings, etc.
Computing and/or Internet Resources
Other

III. Course Objectives
IV. Course Prerequisites
V. Method of Instruction
VI.  Evaluation and Policy

Tests (numerical points or percentage)
Quizzes (numerical points or percentage)
In-Class Writing (numerical points or percentage)
Out-of-Class Writing , Papers, or Research (numerical points or percentage)
Individual Projects or Group Projects (numerical points or percentage)
Attendance Policy (numerical points or percentage)

VII. Grading Policy

Final course letter grade earned in relation to evaluation and policy.
When applicable, final Writing Intensive grade earned in relation to writing requirements (for Writing Across the Curriculum courses in General Education and in the Major)

VIII. Assignments and Course Outline

Textbook, Journal Articles, Internet Resources, etc.
Organized by topic and date or week of meeting times.

IX. Other Information

Office of Disability Services (guidelines to accommodate students)
For General Education Program Courses: General Education Goals in general and specifically how the course is part of the program. 
For Writing Across the Curriculum Courses: WAC Goals in general and specifically how the course is part of the program.

* Some courses may differ significantly from traditional offerings or may be more loosely structured and, therefore, not be appropriate to this guideline. In such cases, a course syllabus format suitable to that course should be developed and submitted.

An original and eighteen copies of the Course Modification Request Form and, in applicable cases, a course syllabus attached to each Form should be submitted through the dean's office of the department's college or school to the Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee. At the same time, the dean's office should provide copies to all other deans of colleges and schools to be made available for additional review by curriculum committees, departments, and faculty and to the Office of the Provost, and other university offices as deemed necessary by the Office of the Provost and the Council of Deans.

A flowchart of the curriculum and academic policy review process for modifying existing courses is contained in the following (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader):