Skip to main content
WVU Home

Program Proposals

Process

All program proposals, including new courses must be submitted through CIMS at: futurecatalog.wvu.edu/programadmin/

Follow these directions for using CIMS. For access, use your WVU Login credentials, typed in all lowercase.

The WVU Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee handles only undergraduate program proposals. Graduate program proposals are handled by the Graduate Council.

WVU has a policy related to creating, changing, and terminating degree programs, majors, minors, areas of emphasis, certificate programs, and teaching specializations. Read more about the changing program policy

Degree Programs and Majors

New degree programs must be approved by the Board of Governors after being passed by the faculty senate. New majors within existing degree programs do not require BoG approval. See the policy related to creating, changing, and terminating degree programs and majors posted.

Majors and degree program proposals must be preceded by an Intent to Plan, which contains the following information:

  • Program title. Limited to 60 characters.
  • Primary subject: The Primary Subject selected will determine the roles used in workflow at the department and college level. Example: by selecting ENGL, the English Department Curriculum Committee and ENGL Chair will be added to the workflow.
  • College/School.
  • Level: Graduate, Undergraduate, Professional.
  • Degree designation: If this is a major associated with an existing degree, select the degree. Otherwise select “New Degree Program."
  • Educational goals and objectives.
    • This includes student learning outcomes.
      • Student learning outcomes should be clear, measurable, appropriate in number, and appropriate to the degree level. For help writing strong learning outcomes, see the Curriculum Committee's guide as well as the Teaching and Learning Commons' site.
  • Alignment with mission: the relationship of the goals, objectives, and outcomes to the mission of the University.
  • Brief content description
  • Commitment to assessment : a statement assuring high quality standards will be maintained, including assessment of student learning and student outcomes.
  • Partnership agreements: Indicate whether any other departments within WVU (either at Morgantown, Keyser, or Beckley) will deliver required coursework and include plans that secure partnership agreements with those units.
  • Program necessity: provide market analysis or other research that demonstrates a regional need for the program or major.
    • What other institutions in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia and Maryland offer similar programs?
    • What is the projected enrollment for the first five years of the new program or major?
  • Resources: Address any and all additional resourc es (faculty, space, financial) needed.
    • For example, if there are transitional monies and/or donated start-up fund connected to the new program or major, indicate how those resources will be replaced once they are depleted.
  • Modality: Indicate what portion, if any, of the program will be delivered through distance learning.

Minors

A new minor may be proposed. Visit the Guidance for minors page for more information.

The proposal form requires the following information:

  • Program title. Limited to 60 characters.
  • Primary subject: The Primary Subject selected will determine the roles used in workflow at the department and college level. Example: by selecting ENGL, the English Department Curriculum Committee and ENGL Chair will be added to the workflow.
  • College/School.
  • Level: Graduate, Undergraduate, Professional.
  • The educational goals and objectives.
  • Additional resources (faculty, space, financial) needed.*
  • Evidence of need for the minor.
  • Intended population the minor will serve.
  • Anticipated outcomes of the minor.
  • Plan to assess the outcomes of the minor
  • Does a similar minor exist? (Yes or No).
  • Does the proposed curriculum include course prerequisites or course requirements taught by another academic unit? (Yes or No)
  • Describe the pattern of course availability during the academic year for all required courses and prerequisites.
  • Format curric ulum offered: 100% on campus, 100% online with no physical presence required, greater than 50% online, less than 50% online. Note: Homeland Security requires that a minimum of 90% of any program enrolling students on a study visa must be available in face-to-face instruction, requiring physical presence of the international student.
  • Requirements and Catalog Information: Include all curriculum requirements in the course list, including minimum grade and minimum GPA requirements (if any).

Areas of Emphasis

A new area of emphasis may be proposed. Read the policy related to creating, changing, and terminating areas of emphasis.

The proposal form requires the following information:

  • Program title. Limited to 60 characters.
  • Primary subject: The Primary Subject selected will determine the roles used in workflow at the department and college level. Example: by selecting ENGL, the English Department Curriculum Committee and ENGL Chair will be added to the workflow.
  • College/School.
  • Level: Graduate, Undergraduate, Professional.
  • Associated Major.
  • The educational goals and objectives.
  • Additional resources (faculty, space, financial) needed.
  • Rationale for the Area of Emphasis, including student demand and projected enrollments.*
  • Does the proposed curriculum include course prerequisites or course requirements taught by another academic unit? (Yes or No)
  • Describe the pattern of course availability during the academic year for all required courses and prerequisites.
  • Format curriculum offered: 100% on campus, 100% online with no physical presence required, greater than 50% online, less than 50% online. Note: Homeland Security requires that a minimum of 90% of any program enrolling students on a study visa must be available in face-to-face instruction, requiring physical presence of the international student.
  • Requirements and Catalog Information: Include all curriculum requirements in the course list, including minimum grade and minimum GPA requirements (if any).

Program Changes and Deactivations

Programs may be changed or deactivated. To do this, login to the futures catalog and then find the program that you would like to change and then click “Edit Program” or “Deactivate Program."