New Program Proposals

From proposal to implementation, academic programs need to be innovative, prioritize student success, meet workforce needs and stand out as unique and financially sustainable. The provost and vice provost for curriculum and assessment unite with faculty and staff to develop and implement these programs.

New programs must also be approved by the relevant academic unit(s), according to each unit’s governance structure. The provost must approve any new program proposal, which may then also require the approval of the University of Missouri System Office of Academic Affairs, the Missouri Department of Higher Education, the Higher Learning Commission and/or the U.S. Department of Education before being added to the 海角论坛 academic catalog.

Proposal Development Sessions

To initiate a new program, certificate, emphasis or minor proposal, email the Curriculum and Assessment team. Once initiated, and approval from the dean to explore a new proposal is received, plan to attend bi-weekly meetings with the Curriculum and Assessment team until the proposal is complete.

New proposal ideas can come from faculty, administrators, community partners and others. However, all proposals must be sponsored by an academic unit and must designate a primary contact person. This individual, along with any others essential to the proposal’s success, will be expected to participate in the bi-weekly meetings as the proposal is developed, reviewed and finalized.

Note: New certificates, emphases and minors do not require approval from the Board of Curators. Once approved by the provost, proposals are reviewed at the system level and then submitted to the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) for final approval. The combined review and approval process at both the system and state levels typically takes about three months from the date of submission.

Note: Modification of a current program to full online delivery should be completed through the program modification process in CourseLeaf.

Preliminary proposal

Before the first meeting, the academic unit should complete the Preliminary Program Proposal, Preliminary Certificate Proposal or the Preliminary Emphasis/Minor Proposal. Once a minimum of four bi-weekly meetings are scheduled, the Curriculum and Assessment team will provide access to proposal templates and supporting materials in a shared Box folder.

The initial meeting will focus on reviewing the preliminary proposal with the academic unit. Subsequent meetings will guide the academic unit through the New Degree Program Full Proposal development process for new academic programs.

All the work undertaken in preparing the preliminary proposal is intentionally focused on aligning with the expectations and standards required for the provost's review. Our goal is to ensure that the preliminary proposal is as strong and compelling as possible at an early stage to maximize the likelihood of a successful outcome. The submission of a preliminary proposal does not guarantee approval.

Session one — preliminary proposal

Topic: Basic program information, delivery mode, brief program description and rationale, student population and preparation, student enrollment and completion, resources needed, and program curriculum and learning outcomes (see Appendix B).

Session two

Topic: Course rotation schedule and capacity, demand analysis, similar programs, program quality assurance and accreditation, financial projections and program viability (see Appendix C).

Session three

Topic: Recruitment strategy and timeline, plans for specialized accreditation, licensure disclosure (if necessary), and finalize pro forma with Finance and Administration Office.

Session four — full proposal draft

Topic: Support of academic unit(s) and dean(s), finalized draft of program added in CourseLeaf for unit review and approval, and initial feedback from UM System.

Proposal Templates

New Program Proposal Milestones

The steps below are specific to the system-level and MDHEWD review of new degree programs. For a basic timeline of the system-level degree approval process, read the Timeline for Review by Board of Curators (PDF).

  • Obtain full 海角论坛 campus support approval (unit dean, SGS/UCC, provost).
  • Full proposal submission for initial UM System Academic Affairs Review.
    • Proposals may be submitted after this date. The amount of time required for the full proposal review stage is dependent upon several factors, including the quality of the first submission and the number of modifications needed as well as the number of proposals currently under review by the Office of Academic Affairs.
  • System-wide campus reviews
    • Proposals are sent to the other three universities, which have 20 days to submit comments. These comments may require additional modifications to be made by the proposing campus.
  • System-wide reviews conclude.
  • Final version of proposal to Academic Affairs submitted.
  • Board Office receives final version of proposal.
  • Dean/proposal lead present at Board of Curators' meeting.
  • MDHEWD authorization. Includes 3-month timeline for state-wide feedback. Submission for HLC notification. If necessary, state licensure and NC-SARA authorization.
  • Publication to catalog in designated year.