Proposal Types

There are several kinds of proposals that can be handled by the committee. The purpose of this page is to provide a high-level overview of the different proposal types, to help you decide what kind to submit.  Please see the Course Proposal or Curriculum Proposal areas of this website for detailed information on how to submit, including links for the appropriate online submission portal. 

New Course Proposal

A new course may be proposed if it is not currently in the catalog.  Before proposing a new course, make sure that a similar course is not already being offered by another academic unit.  If there is any potential overlap with an existing course, it is important to coordinate with the other unit prior to submitting your proposal and obtain a letter of support. Also, if the course has prerequisites offered by another unit, it is important to obtain an agreement with the unit offering the prerequisite.

Course Change

If the desired modifications go beyond the options available for a course alteration, then it is considered a course change. Course changes are generally associated with a change in expected learning outcomes, a non-trivial change in course prerequisites, or a change in credit hours or course repeatability. Often, course changes are accompanied by a change in the course description or title.

Course Deactivation

Existing courses may be deactivated. This removes them from the catalog. Once a number is deactivated, it cannot be used again for at least 3 years.

New Major

A new undergraduate major may be proposed. New graduate programs are handled by the Graduate Council.

Change to Major

An existing undergraduate major may be changed. This generally entails a change in the course requirements for the major.

New Minor

A new minor may be proposed.

Change to Minor

An existing minor may be changed. This generally entails a change in the course requirements for the minor.

New Area of Emphasis

A new undergraduate area of emphasis may be proposed.

Change of Area of Emphasis

An existing undergraduate area of emphasis may be changed. This generally entails a change in the course requirements for the area of emphasis.