Skip to main content
Jaguar Logo

Provost

Select Language

4.5 Program Development and Curricular Approval Process

Faculty has the primary responsibility for program development and approval. Program development encompasses course development and changes, the creation of new academic programs, certificates, and minors, as well as modifications to existing program and course offerings. Depending on the type of program being created or changed, multiple levels of review and reporting may be necessary, including the UH-System, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Boards, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

In curricular changes of any significance, early communication is critical. Prior to college approval, intended changes shall be communicated to those likely to be affected, including, as appropriate, colleagues at community colleges and other UH System universities. Those who shall be routinely involved or informed in most cases include the following:

  1. Deans of other colleges,
  2. Library, Information Technology, and Office of Admissions and Records, and
  3. Provost.

Faculty involved in the curriculum development/change process through the college administration should contact the Office of the Provost as early in the process as possible to discuss the reporting requirements associated with SACS and external accrediting agencies for different types of changes. Approval at any level shall not be assumed.

4.5.1 Course Development and Changes

Departmental and college faculty must approve all course developments and changes before further review at the university level. New course development should be linked to specific degree programs and aligned with the university’s mission, vision, and long-term goals. Once the need for a new course has been established, a sample course syllabus shall be developed which includes detailed learning goals and an explanation of how the course will be assessed. When creating core courses, the content shall be consistent with the Texas Core Curriculum as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

After approval by the departmental and college faculties, the course syllabus and completed Request for Changes in the Inventory of Courses form is submitted to the Office of the Provost at least one week prior to the Undergraduate Affairs/Graduate Studies Committee meeting for distribution and review by the respective committees. Course changes (for example, changes to pre-requisites or course numbering) follow a similar process.

4.5.2 New Degree Program Development

Although curricular development may go on throughout the year and may be initiated in various ways and for various reasons, the approval process for new programs is considerably more formal and fixed. With new programs, the complete program review/approval process may take 18 months or more. All new programs shall meet the Standards for masters’ and bachelors’ programs established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. New or significantly altered programs and concentrations are not considered approved and cannot be included in the UHV catalog or opened to students until SACSCOC approval is received.

All new programs must be approved by the departmental and college faculties before further review. New program development shall be linked to specific degree programs and aligned with the university’s mission, vision, and long-term goals. Departments shall also consider the needs of any licensing agencies or external accreditation in new program development. Once the need for a new program has been established, a preliminary proposal request shall be developed and submitted to the University of Houston System for review. If approved by UH System, this preliminary proposal shall be expanded to include course syllabi and degree plan, assessment plan, and clearly stated learning objectives.

The completed program proposal should be submitted to the Office of the Provost at least one week prior to the Undergraduate Affairs/Graduate Studies Committee meeting for distribution and review.

After review and approval by the appropriate committee, the program will be forwarded to the Faculty Senate for approval. The same process applies for new minors and certificate programs. Once approved by all university levels, the completed program proposal will be sent to the UHS System Provosts’ Council for approval, then the Board of Regents, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and SACSCOC.

4.5.3 New Core Course

Any new core course proposal must be consistent with the mission, rules and guidelines established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. All potential changes to UHV’s core curriculum must be initially approved by the proposing academic area/division and college curricular change process.

After being approved through the college’s curricular change process, the course must be submitted to the Core Curriculum Committee. Each course submission should provide: 1) a justification for the addition; 2) a statement of feasibility addressing existing resources for offering the course; and 3) an explanation of how the newly proposed course would affect other core courses offered in the proposed course’s foundational component area. Any new course proposal must also be submitted with a completed ‘UHV Core Course Alignment’ form explaining appropriate learning objectives and a plan for assessment. A syllabus and representative assessed learning activities must also be provided as part of the proposal.

The Core Curriculum Committee will examine the proposal for its alignment with Coordinating Board guidelines. The Committee will approve it or send it back to the proposing college for revision. In order for the course to be approved by the Core Curriculum Committee, it must be passed by at least 70% of the committee’s members.

Once new course proposals have been approved by the Core Curriculum Committee, they will then be submitted to the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. Any core course proposals approved by UHV will subsequently be sent to the Coordinating Board for final approval.

All core curricular changes for the ensuing academic year must be submitted to the Core Curriculum Committee by December 1st. Any new core course proposal submitted after December 1st will need to wait until the following academic year to be approved by the Core Curriculum Committee.

4.5.4 SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy

Policy

The policy of University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) is to follow the substantive change procedures of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and to inform SACSCOC of any changes in its programs and activities in accordance with those procedures.

SACSCOC policy complies with federal law and Department of Education requirements. Failure to adhere to the Substantive Change policy may result in UHV losing Title IV funding or being required to return money received for programs related to the unreported substantive change.

Definitions

Substantive Change is defined by SACSCOC as a “significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution. Substantive change includes high-impact, high-risk changes and changes that can impact the quality of educational programs and services.” The substantive change policy includes changes to programs, locations, or other operations as outlined below. These substantive changes must be reported to and receive acknowledgement or approval from SACSCOC prior to implementation of the change.

Notification refers to the formal process outlined by SACSCOC whereby institutions (via the President or Institutional Accreditation Liaison) outline the substantive change, providing the requested information as outlined on the SACSCOC website. Because substantive changes vary in scope, some require “notification,” and some require “approval”; these distinctions are clearly outlined in the SACSCOC guidelines regarding substantive change.

Further guidance can be found in UHV Policy A-47.

4.5.5 Catalog Changes

Once all needed approvals are obtained, the curricular changes must be prepared and submitted for inclusion in the forthcoming university catalog. Minor editorial changes in the catalog may be made by those with responsibility for given sections, but any change in substance must have gone through the approval process described above.

The university catalog is prepared in accordance with instructions provided by the Registrar and Student Records Office to ensure timely and efficient preparation of the online catalog.  The timetable is ordinarily as follows:

  1. Early March: Initial draft (1 of 3 versions) prepared with all received fully approved proposals as well as minor changes.
  2. Late March-Mid April: Final approved proposals submitted for second draft (2 of 2) of catalog to the Registrar.
  3. Early May: Final draft (3 of 3) sent to the campus community for section review.  Emails are sent with each section with a two-week turnaround.
  4. Mid-May: Deadline for revisions from the campus community.
  5. Mid-Late May: Registrar makes updates accordingly.
  6. Late May: Registrar makes the catalog's final version ready for review before publication on the UHV website.
  7. June 1: Publication of Academic Catalog on website.

Approved changes may be implemented before they appear in the catalog.