Procedures for the review of the graduate
curriculum, including the curricular content of new programs, approval of new
courses, and the modification of existing courses and program curricula are
described below. Petitions for changes in curricula are available from the
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
General Guideline
- The term curricular program is defined as the specific course
requirements for any master's or certificate program to be applied toward
some degree or certificate- granting program offered by the University.
Any change in these requirements is interpreted as a modification of a
curricular program. Changes in the total number of credit hours required
to complete a degree program or in the number of credit hours required to
complete a particular degree, changes in the title of the degree or
certificate, and additions and deletions of any required courses will be
interpreted as modifications of a curricular program. Changing the timing
of specified courses (say from fall semester to spring semester or from
first year to second year) is not considered a modification requiring
approval.
- A petition is required to introduce any new graduate course or to
modify or delete any existing graduate course. Changes in the number of
credit hours, in course titles, in the distribution of contact hours
between lecture and laboratory, in the course content or description, or
in prerequisites will be interpreted as modifications of a course.
- To be published in the semester schedule, all petitions for new
courses and/or curricular programs should be submitted to the chair of the
Graduate Council according to the following schedule: February 15 for
courses to be offered during the fall term, September 15 for courses to be
offered the following spring and summer terms.
- Petitions are to be prepared in accordance with petition formats
available in the Office of Graduate Studies. All petitions must meet the
following criteria:
- Approval by the departmental chairperson and graduate program
director. A department is defined for this purpose as an academic
discipline.
- Approval by the graduate curricular committee, if one exists.
- Approval by the dean, or in the case of interdisciplinary courses,
by the deans of all affected schools.
- The Graduate Council will review all petitions for curriculum changes
and, when necessary, make recommendations to the vice president for
Academic Affairs.
- The Director of Graduate Studies will publish in University Notes the
Graduate Council's meeting time and place at least one week prior to
meeting.
- All curriculum changes at the University are effective on August 15
each year.
Procedures for Introducing a New Curricular Graduate
Program (back to top)
Petition for New Graduate Program Word Version PDF Version
- The proposal is initiated or prepared at the department or school
level as appropriate. A department is defined for this purpose as an
academic discipline. Authorization to develop new programs is the
responsibility of the Academic Planning Council. The University of
Southern Indiana Board of Trustees reviews and approves such programs in
light of the Higher Education Services Plan. New program request petitions
are then submitted to the appropriate state agencies. If the new program
is not related to a present department or school, the program may be
initiated and prepared through the Office of the Vice President for
Academic Affairs. It shall be prepared by the school requesting the
change.
- The original of the petition must be submitted to the director of
Graduate Studies for review by the Graduate Council.
- In evaluating petitions, the Graduate Council may extend invitations
to concerned faculty members to attend Council sessions and may request
additional information which it considers necessary. After initial
evaluation by the Graduate Council, a description and the rationale for
the program will be published in University Notes. The faculty will be
given ten instructional days from the time of publication in which to
present to the Graduate Council written support or objection to the
proposal. If objections have been received and cannot be resolved through
discussion by the concerned parties, the Graduate Council will consider
the petition again.
- Following its evaluation, the Graduate Council will submit the
recommendation to the Academic Planning Council. Upon approval by the
Academic Planning Council, the petition will be forwarded to the Faculty
Senate for review. Their recommendation will be submitted to the
president.
- Notice of final administrative approval will be published by the vice
president for Academic Affairs in University Notes.
- When final state approval to implement a new curricular program is
received, all new courses for the program must be approved following the
procedures for initiating new graduate courses.
Procedures for Initiating New Graduate Courses (back to top)
Petition for New Graduate Course Word Version PDF Version
- Approval for initiating new courses is secured through the use of a
Petition for a New and Modified Graduate Course Word Version. Each new
course proposed must be listed on a separate petition. The proposal is to
be prepared as a petition with the members of the program and approved by
the department chair, the graduate program director, and the dean of the
school that will have the primary evaluation responsibility for the
course. A department is defined for this purpose as an academic
discipline. The petition must be approved by the graduate curricular
committee, if one exists for the program. To be counted toward a second
degree program, the petition must also be recommended by the graduate
program director and the dean of the school of that program.
- The dean will submit the petition to the director of Graduate Studies
for review by the Graduate Council.
- In evaluating petitions, the Graduate Council may extend invitations
to concerned faculty members to attend Council sessions and may request
additional information which it considers necessary.
- Upon approval by the Graduate Council, such petitions will be
forwarded to the vice president for Academic Affairs.
- Notice of final administrative approval will be published by the vice
president for Academic Affairs in University Notes.
Procedures for Modifying and/or Deleting Graduate
Courses or Programs (back to top)
Petition for New and Modified and Deleted Graduate Course Word Version PDF Version
- Approval for modifications and deletions of existing courses and
programs is secured through the use of a Petition for New and Modified
Graduate Course Each course or program to be modified or deleted must be
listed on a separate petition. The proposal is to be prepared as a
petition with the members of the program and must be approved by the
department chair, the graduate program director, and the dean of the
school that will have the primary evaluation responsibility for the course
or program. A department is defined for this purpose as an academic
discipline. The petition must be approved by the graduate curricular
committee, if one exists for the program. To be counted toward a second
degree program, the petition must also be recommended by the graduate
program director and the dean of the school of that program.
- Minor modifications of existing courses are not required to be
submitted on petitions. The procedure for minor modifications is
described in section b. below. Minor modifications include such things
as changes in course title, course number in which the course level
remains the same, prefix if the proposed prefix has been officially
approved for use, course description, and prerequisite where the change
is necessary because of a change in the title or number of the
prerequisite course.
- Requests for approval of minor modifications are submitted to the
director of Graduate Studies by the dean of the school requesting the
modification. The request may be made in the form of a memorandum from
the dean. A memorandum requesting approval of minor modifications may
include modifications to two or more courses. For each approval
requested, the memorandum should state the type of modification
proposed, the reason for the modification, and both the existing and
proposed course description. Upon receipt of such a request the director
of Graduate Studies will consult with the vice president for Academic
Affairs. Their agreement will constitute approval of the modification(s)
and the vice president for Academic Affairs
will publish a notice of this approval in University Notes.
- The dean will submit the petition to the director of Graduate Studies
for review by the Graduate Council.
- In evaluating petitions, the Graduate Council may extend invitations
to concerned faculty members to attend Council sessions and may request
additional information which it considers necessary.
- Upon approval by the Graduate Council, such petitions will be
forwarded to the vice president for Academic Affairs.
- Notice of final administrative approval will be published by the vice
president for Academic Affairs in University Notes.
Procedure for Pending Courses
(back to top)
In the event a new course petition
has been submitted to the Graduate Council in the correct manner and by the
established deadline, but has not yet received final approval before the
final class schedule for the following semester is due, the following
procedure will be followed:
- Upon request by the vice president for Academic Affairs, the director
of Graduate Studies shall certify those courses which are pending in the
approval process, but which have not yet been completely approved.
- The vice president for Academic Affairs may list the courses in the
following semester's schedule with a special designator of P (for
pending). The P designation may be used only one time for a course.
Experimental and Special Graduate Courses (back to top)
Proposal for an experimental or special graduate course Word Version PDF Version
In
maintaining an up-to-date curriculum, it is sometimes necessary to
introduce non-traditional and special credit courses on an experimental
basis. These include courses of a topical or contemporary nature, the
content of which may have widespread but only short-term appeal (for
example, courses developed for the Bicentennial). Also included are
courses which may require initial experimentation and development before
inclusion as a regular part of the curriculum. The Office of the Vice
President for Academic Affairs serves as the administrative vehicle for
experimental and special courses. Approval of experimental and special
graduate courses is by a committee including the vice president for
Academic Affairs, the dean of the school involved, and the director of
Graduate Studies. For courses which logically do not fall under any of the
established schools, the director of Graduate Studies will serve as school
dean. Procedural steps to be followed in approving an experimental or
special graduate course include the following:
- The proposal for an experimental or special graduate course is
presented as a petition to the dean or the department chair with
responsibility for the discipline or disciplines involved in the course.
The petition format is the same as for introducing new courses as a
regular part of the curriculum.
- If the dean approves of the course, the dean will assign a new or
unused course number. The course number is to be followed by the letter
"X" to signify a special or experimental course. If the course is
offered a second time, the course number is to be followed by an "XX".
- The dean will present the petition to the director of Graduate
Studies and the vice president for Academic Affairs for approval.
Approved courses will be announced in University Notes.
- Approval for continuation of experimental or special courses may be
granted for one consecutive academic semester only.
- After completion of the course and review of the evaluation results,
the dean, vice president for Academic Affairs, and director of Graduate
Studies may recommend inclusion of the course in the formal curriculum,
in which case the dean will collect the petition, all documents related
to the course, and results of the evaluation for review. The dean will
submit the material to the graduate curricular committee or department
for formal approval according to the normal procedure.
Course Removal/Irregularly Offered Course Policy (back to top)
Courses that appear in the Bulletin but are not offered within
four calendar years will either be removed or designated irregularly
offered in subsequent issues of the Bulletin by action of the vice
president for Academic Affairs in consultation with deans. Once removed,
courses must be introduced via the curricular procedures for the addition
of new courses. The first four year period commences Fall, 1988.
Course Numbering System (back to top)
The following information should be kept in mind when assigning
course numbers. Course numbers between 001 and 099 are available for
credit but do not apply to the 124 hours required for graduation. Such
courses are typically of a developmental nature. Generally, the following
numbers are used for courses at the 100 level and above:
| Course Number |
Level |
| 100 - 199 |
Freshman |
| 200 - 299 |
Sophomore |
| 300 - 399 |
Junior |
| 400 - 499 |
Senior |
| 500 - 599 |
Graduate |
| 600 - 699 |
Graduate Only |
Assignment of these numbers should not be construed as an
indication that the course is restricted to members of the particular year
noted. Additional notation is required to restrict a course if that is
deemed advisable and appropriate. Courses bearing the catalog number 500 or
above carry graduate credit. Courses numbered in the 500 series usually have
400 counterparts which are open to undergraduate students. Five specific
courses numbered 501 in the School of Business do not have 400 counterparts
and do not count toward the M.B.A. degree. Courses numbered in the 600
series and above are open only to graduate students.
Course numbers ending in either a 0 or 99 indicate that the
class can be repeated for credit up to the maximum hours specified.
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