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Development of New Academic Programs

New Academic Programs are sometimes needed to adequately respond to changes in academic disciplines, student demand, societal need, institutional context or to prepare students for new and emerging fields. Proposals for new academic programs offered by the University are reviewed to ensure program quality and identify actions needed for improvement through curriculum review processes of the University's system of shared governance. Furthermore, the Office of the Provost conducts a fiscal analysis to determine their sustainability and impact on other programs. Some new program proposals may involve review by external agencies such as the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the U.S. Department of Education, or the Higher Learning Commission.

The Office of the Provost facilitates academic program changes in several ways. The office reviews implications of proposed changes to ensure that changes subsequently reviewed through the curricular review processes are financially feasible and sustainable. The office works with program faculty to obtain required approvals from external agencies and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. The office also helps guide change initiators through the extensive review process. Review of proposals for new sequences, minors, certificates, and programs is typically more complex than revisions to existing programs. Program administrators or faculty members considering program changes are encouraged to contact the Associate Provost early in their planning to discuss their proposal and the applicable review process.

This page provides information about the processes involved with the development and approvals of new academic programs. Processes for revising existing programs can be found at the Curriculum Operating Procedures page. Processes for developing online delivery of existing programs can be found on the Alternative Delivery Programs subtab.

Timeline

The figure below presents a timeline of the different stages of development and approval of new academic programs. This is intended to allow new program initiators to plan backwards from the intended start date of the new program, and estimate how long the development and approval of the new program may take.

New Program Development Timeline

The specific supporting documents and approvals depend on the type of program being proposed. This will also impact the timeline for approval of the proposal. The tables below present the approvals and supporting documentation required for these different curricular options.

Undergraduate

Approving Bodies Minor Sequence Program Elevating a sequence to a degree program
Department/School Curriculum Committee yes yes yes yes
Chairperson/Director yes yes yes yes
College Curriculum Committee yes yes yes yes
Dean yes yes yes yes
University Curriculum Committee yes yes yes yes
Graduate Curriculum Committee no no no no
Council for Teacher Education maybe maybe maybe maybe
Council on General Education maybe maybe maybe maybe
Academic Senate yes yes yes yes
Provost yes yes yes yes
President/Board of Trustees no no yes yes
IBHE staff no no no yes
IBHE Board no no yes no
HLC no no maybe maybe
Documentation for External Bodies        
Annual Listing of Changes yes yes yes yes
Notice of Intent (NOI) to IBHE no no yes no
Reasonable and Moderate Extension (RME) to IBHE no no no yes
New program proposal to IBHE no no yes no
HLC notification no no yes yes

Notes:

  • New major programs must be approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (including those that are being elevated from an existing sequence).
  • New minors and sequences receive final approval at the Academic Senate level.
  • Council for Teacher Education review applies only to teacher education programs.
  • Council on General Education review applies only to interdisciplinary programs.
  • Provost approval of undergraduate and graduate programs occurs through approval of the Financial Implication Form (FIF) and following Academic Senate approval.
  • HLC approval of a new program may be needed if the proposed program represents a significant departure from the university mission and profile. There is a pre-screening process that is used to determine whether a full notification is required. HLC notification (and the pre-screening) are submitted by the Provost's Office.

Graduate

Approving Bodies Sequence Program Elevating a sequence to a degree program
 		Certificate with related degree program Certificate without related degree program
Department/School Curriculum Committee yes yes yes yes yes
Chairperson/Director yes yes yes yes yes
College Curriculum Committee yes yes yes yes yes
Dean yes yes yes yes yes
University Curriculum Committee no no no no no
Graduate Curriculum Committee yes yes yes yes yes
Council for Teacher Education maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe
Council on General Education maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe
Academic Senate yes yes yes yes yes
Provost yes yes yes yes yes
President/Board of Trustees no yes yes no yes
IBHE staff no no yes no no
IBHE Board no yes no no yes
HLC no maybe maybe maybe maybe
Documentation for External Bodies          
Annual Listing of Changes yes yes yes yes yes
Notice of Intent (NOI) to IBHE no yes no no yes
Reasonable and Moderate Extension (RME) to IBHE no no yes no no
New program proposal to IBHE no yes no no yes
HLC notification no yes yes yes yes

Notes:

  • New graduate programs must be approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (including those that are being elevated from an existing sequence).
  • New Graduate certificate programs that are affiliated with a graduate degree receive final approval at the Academic Senate level. New graduate certificate programs that are NOT affiliated with a graduate degree must be approved by IBHE.
  • Council for Teacher Education review applies only to teacher education programs.
  • Council on General Education review applies only to interdisciplinary programs.
  • Provost approval of undergraduate and graduate programs occurs through approval of the Financial Implication Form (FIF) and following Academic Senate approval.
  • HLC approval of a new program may be needed if the proposed program represents a significant departure from the university mission and profile, there is a pre-screening process that is used to determine whether a full notification is required. HLC notification (and the pre-screening) are submitted by the Provost's Office.

 

First Steps

Developing the initial idea for the new program – Typically the initial ideas for a new program are initiated at the faculty/unit level. When thinking through a new program, it is important to consider existing demand and what need this program would fullfill. In addition, consider what new resources would be required (courses, faculty, facilities)? What other changes might be needed (e.g., deletion of anything? Reorganizations?).

There are a number of other features of the new program that should be considered during this early stage. Some of these include:

Submit a Screening Form . This form will give the Provost's Office an early notification of the coming proposal, which will allow staff to bring together the relevant parties for an early meeting to go through processes, provide resources, and answer questions. 

Early meeting with the Office of the Provost . Once the general idea for the new program has been discussed at the unit level, program administrators or faculty members considering program changes are encouraged to contact the Associate Provost early the planning process to discuss the proposal and the applicable review process. The purpose of this meeting is to give the Office of the Provost a “heads-up” and a chance to let the unit know what the road ahead will entail. Topics that may be discussed include:

    • Discuss potential for an EAB feasibility study - In some cases Illinois State asks EAB (an educational consulting firm) to evaluate the market demand for a new program to help understand the proposed program and audience. The feasibility study may provide information regarding regional employer demand levels, projected relevant employment, and competitive saturation.
    • Discuss potential CIP codes that best fit the program.
      • What are CIP Codes? - The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) provides a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity. 
        • Used for identifying comparator programs - What are other institutions doing? Is there a need? What niche would our program be serving?
        • Seach other nationally programs by CIP code using NCES College Navigator
      • Comprehensive list of CIP codes, titles and definitions | CIP FAQs
      • Crosswalk between CIP codes and SOC codes (Standard Occupational Classification) - links CIP codes with specific occupations that are codified in the Federal and State employment demand statistics used as part of the demand/needs analyses.
      • STEM designated CIP codes (download the list) - The Department of Homeland Security maintains a complete list of fields that fall within the regulatory definition of “STEM field” that qualifies certain degrees to fulfill the extension requirement. The Department of Education’s Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) taxonomy system serves as the basis for the STEM OPT extension.
    • Depending on the type of new academic program being developed, additional approvals may be needed beyond Illinois State’s curricular committees
      • Board of Trustees (typically meet 4 times each year; Feb, May, July, Oct)
      • Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - if the new program is teacher education related
      • Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE): full board (new program proposal, typically meeting 5 times each year; January, March, June, August, November), versus staff review (RME)
    • Discuss what information will be needed to create the webpages and other supporting infrastructure needed to launch the program - Even though this does not happen until the program is approved, providing this information early will speed up the development and implementation of the supporting infrastructure. It is strongly recommended that initiators complete the short Formstack survey to initiate the collection of the required information.
    • For proposals that will need full IBHE board approval, programs should begin considering how the new program aligns with IBHE's strategic plan, A Thriving Illinois as the application will include several questions related to equity, sustainability, and growth.
    • New programs, sequences, and certificates will require the completion and approval of the Financial Implications Form (FIF) which is discussed in the next section.

Financial Implications Form (FIF)

Purpose: To complete the curriculuar approval process, proposed new undergraduate and graduate programs must include information concerning what financial resources are needed to begin and sustain the program . A “program” can be a degree, a sequence within a degree, a minor, or a certificate. This completed form is to be approved by the Department/School Curriculum Committee chair, department chair/school director, college dean, and Provost prior to submission of the proposal to the College Curriculum Committee. This form is to be used for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Portions of the FIF will be used in the proposals submitted to IBHE. The Financial Implication Form is now available in the online Kuali workflow system. Drafts and submitted forms can be tracked within the Kuali system.

The FIF includes the following subsections: A brief description of the proposed program, enrollment projections, budget rationale, and resource requirements.

Curriculum proposal and curriculum forms

The unit develops course and program proposals and submits them to ISU’s curriculum forms for review by shared governance curricular bodies. Once the electronic proposal is submitted to the system, it will be electronically routed to obtain the approval signatures from the Department/School Curriculum Committee Chair, Department Chair or School Director, College Curriculum Committee Chair, and College Dean. If the program requires approval from Council for Teacher Education (CTE; for teacher education programs) or Council on General Education (CGE; for interdisciplinary programs), after the College Dean approves the proposal, it will be automatically routed as appropriate to CTE or CGE. After the College Curriculum Committee and College Dean (and if required CTE or CGE) have approved the program proposal, it will be automatically routed to the University Curriculum Committee Secretary for circulation and consideration by the University Curriculum Committee or Graduate Curriculum Committee.

    • Note: If the program proposal is to be associated with a course proposal (a course added to a program as required or as an elective), the online program proposal must be started before the online course proposal(s) in order for the system to associate them.

For Minors, sequences, and graduate certificates with a related degree a memo of approval is circulated with approval date and effective date (more about the difference between these later).

For new programs (including those being elevated from an existing sequence) and graduate certificates not related to an existing degree program, additional approval processes are required. Note, communications with the approving entities regarding these additional approval processes are coordinated through the Office of the Provost.

 

Additional Approvals

Illinois State University's Board of Trustees (BoT) – The approval of the Board of Trustees is required prior to the establishment of any new unit of instruction which is submitted to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for approval. These items include new degree programs, certificates of advanced study, professional development sequences, centers, institutes, departments, schools, divisions, campuses, off-campus programs, and international programs. The Board of Trustees typically have four meetings per year (Feb., May, July, Oct.). (Illinois State's governing document)

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) - If the program is part of teacher education, then an additional ISBE (SEPLB) proposal may be required. It is generally advisable to receive approval from ISBE prior to submitting an IBHE proposal (either RME or full new program proposal). Proposal initiators may want to consult with the Lauby Teacher Education Center for advice regarding state teacher education requirements.

Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) - Once proposals have been approved through Illinois State's internal approving bodies, those that require IBHE approval will be further developed in conjunction with the Office of the Provost. Submissions to IBHE are made by the Office of the Provost (not directly by faculty, units, or colleges).

    • New program proposal - New programs (and certificates that are not related to an existing program) require full board IBHE approval. The Board typically meets 5 times annually.  Normally submissions should be received about 4-6 months prior to the board date. New program proposals are prepared by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with the unit and submitted by the Office of the Provost to IBHE.
      • Notice of Intent (NOI) for IBHE – an NOI for the new program is submitted by the Office of the Provost. NOIs are required of all institutions seeking operating or degree granting authority in Illinois. These notices are posted online and open for public comment for a period of 30 days from the date of submission.
      • IBHE new program proposal template
      • Tips and FAQs for new program proposals - coming soon
    • Reasonable and Moderate Extension (RME) – There are specific guidelines that allow for an IBHE staff member review rather than a full IBHE board review. The most common of these are if the program is being elevated from an existing sequence to a degree program. RMEs are prepared by the Office of the Provost in coordination with the unit. Once submitted to IBHE, their staff member reviews the proposals and determines whether or not the proposal should be approved.

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) - Our institutional accreditor tracks substantive changes. These may include new programs and certificate. The Office of the Provost will submit a screening form to HLC to determine whether a substantive change proposal is required for a new program (new sequences do not require screening).

Undergraduate Approving Bodies

  Minor Sequence Program Elevating a sequence to a degree program
Documentation for External Bodies        
Annual Listing of Changes yes yes yes yes
Notice of Intent (NOI) to IBHE no no yes no
Reasonable and Moderate Extension (RME) to IBHE no no no yes
New program proposal to IBHE no no yes no
HLC notification1 no no yes yes

1 HLC approval of a new program may be needed if the proposed program represents a significant departure from the university mission and profile.

Graduate Approving Bodies

  Sequence Program Elevating a sequence to a degree program Certificate with related degree program Certificate without related degree program
Documentation for External Bodies          
Annual Listing of Changes yes yes yes yes yes
Notice of Intent (NOI) no yes no no yes
Reasonable and Moderate Extension (RME) to IBHE no no yes1 no no
New program proposal to IBHE no yes1 no no yes2
HLC notification3 no yes yes yes yes

Notes:

1 New graduate programs must be approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (including those that are being elevated from an existing sequence).

2 New Graduate certificate programs that are affiliated with a graduate degree receive final approval at the Academic Senate level. New graduate certificate programs that are NOT affiliated with a graduate degree must be approved by IBHE.

3 HLC approval of a new program may be needed if the proposed program represents a significant departure from the university mission and profile.

 

Approval date and Effective date

Once all of the appropriate approvals have been obtained, a memo is distributed to the initiators and a variety of entities at ISU stating the approval date as well as the effective date . The approval date is the date on which the program was approved by IBHE. The effective date for all new programs (and revisions) are catalog year based. Catalog years begin on the first day of summer session (see the academic calendar website). The curriculum information and the sample plan of study will be live on the first day of the catalog year for which the program is approved.

Typically, the time between the approval date and the effective date will include the development of the structures that allow the implementation of the program.  These include building the program in Campus Solutions, in the Admissions systems (SLATE), and University Web pages.

    • To facilitate the development of web based supports for the new programs, units should complete this form once a program proposal is submitted to the curriculum forms system. This will provide web services with the appropriate contact information for questions regarding web content for the new program.

 

2023-07-26T11:52:26.74741225-07:00 2023