Academic Program Development and Modification
For your convenience, a comprehensive listing of all policies related to curricular development is provided below. These policies will assist with the development and modification of courses, programs and academic units while providing an outline of the approval process.
2:001 Curricular Development and Modification Approval
1:027 General Education Requirements and Degree Requirements
2:011 Constitution of the University Curriculum Committee
For a complete listing of all Academic Policies please visit:
Establishing new academic programs is an essential component of university growth. By analyzing the demands of community and industry, Austin Peay State University is able to determine the best areas for program development.
This area will explain the process of the new program approval. It is recommended to attend a Program Development Workshop for indepth training on the creation of new programs and all steps needed for approval.
Steps for New Program Development
- Academic Intake Form - synopsis of the intent of the program to determine University need and if the program will be a substantive change.
- Letter of Notification - concept paper outlining the need for the program internally and externally as well as a construct idea for program requirements
- New Academic Program Proposal - finalized information on what the program will look like, internal and external need for the program, and assessment.
Forms
Graduate New Academic Program Proposal
Undergraduate New Academic Program Proposal
Approval Process
- Academic Affairs Curriculum Coordinator (reviewer only)
- Department Curriculum Coordinator
- Department Chair
- College Curriculum Committee Chair
- College Dean
- Council for Teacher Education, if applicable
- Graduate Academic Council Chair, if applicable
- Senior Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (reviewer only)
- University Curriculum Committee
- Provost/SVP for Academic Affairs
- University President
- APSU Board of Trustees
- THEC
- SACSCOC (if applicable)
*Please note the approval process varies by step. g Tutorial Videos
Curriculog Tutorial Videos
The majority of program modifications as well as the creation of new concentrations and minors do not require THEC approval prior to implementation. Degree designation changes as well as converting a concentration to a stand alone major will require THEC approval prior to implementation. (See APSU Policy 2:001 and THEC Policy A1.1). A brief description of the two types of academic program modifications, internal approval only and Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) approval needed, follows:
The most commong types of Program Modifications:
- Curricular updates with the addition and removal of courses
- New concentrations
- Name Changes
- New Minors
- Termination of concentration or minor
THEC is notified of the appropriate Progam Modifications three times a year:
- January 15
- May 15
- August 15
Forms
Undergraduate Program Modification
Approval Process
- Academic Affairs Curriculum Coordinator (reviewer only)
- Department Curriculum Coordinator
- Department Chair
- College Curriculum Committee Chair
- College Dean
- Council for Teacher Education, if applicable
- Graduate Academic Council Chair, if applicable
- Senior Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (reviewer only)
- University Curriculum Committee
- Provost/SVP for Academic Affairs
- University President (if applicable)
- THEC (if applicable)
Curriculog Tutorial Videos
This process while creating a "new" program, does not require a Letter of Notification. Since this program already exists, the required infromation is completed on the appropriate Curriculog forms and then information is compiled into a PDF document and submitted to THEC for review and approval.
The steps for a program elevation are:
- Academic Intake Form - this ensure the university feels the program will be viable on its own and will not create nor leave low producing programs
- The Elevations of Concentration Curriculog form
- Elevation document for THEC approval (compiled by the Curriculum Coordinator)
Forms
Graduate Elevation of Concentration
Undergraduate Elevation of Concentration
Approval Process
- Academic Affairs Curriculum Coordinator (reviewer only)
- Department Curriculum Coordinator
- Department Chair
- College Curriculum Committee Chair
- College Dean
- Council for Teacher Education, if applicable
- Graduate Academic Council Chair, if applicable
- Senior Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (reviewer only)
- University Curriculum Committee
- Provost/SVP for Academic Affairs
- University President
- APSU Board of Trustees
- THEC
- SACSCOC (if applicable)
Curriculog Tutorial Videos
Certificates are a stand-alone credit bearing program which may be created at the graduate or the undergraduate level. Certificates requiring 24 credit hours or less will not require THEC approval, while certificates requiring greater than 24 credit hours will necessitate the new program approval process.
Forms
Academic Program Intake
New Graduate Certificate 24 Credit Hours or Less Form
New Graduate Certificate 24 Credit Hours or Less Form
Approval Process
- Academic Affairs Curriculum Coordinator (reviewer only)
- Department Curriculum Coordinator
- Department Chair
- College Curriculum Committee Chair
- College Dean
- Council for Teacher Education, if applicable
- Graduate Academic Council Chair, if applicable
- Senior Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (reviewer only)
- University Curriculum Committee
- Provost/SVP for Academic Affairs
- University President
Curriculog Tutorial Videos
The below listing of course guidelines is neither exhaustive nor inclusive. If your courses are part of an accredited program, your guidelines may differ depending on the standards required by your program accrediting body.
Courses at the undergraduate and graduate level should not utilize the same course name within the same discipline. APSU suggests utilizing “Advanced” or “Graduate” in the name of 5000 or higher courses.
Coursework is considered to contain beginner knowledge and require no additional skills to enroll and complete the course requirements. These 1000 level courses should provide the foundational knowledge for, in some cases, 2000 and, in most cases, 3000 level courses. Within the 1000 level courses, unique prerequisites are sometimes required to provide sequential learning (e.g. a student satisfactorily completes BIOL 1110 then he/she enrolls in BIOL 1120). These 1000 level courses will tend to require students to demonstrate the lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning (e.g. remember and understand).
- Recall common discipline specific terminology
- Recall basic concepts and issues in discipline
- Exhibit proficiency in discipline specific writing skills
- Explain basic understanding of discipline specific ideas and/or concepts
Considered to contain beginner knowledge and require no additional skills to enroll, but aligned to one aspect of a much bigger curriculum (i.e. Anatomy & Physiology and American History) and/or aligned to a more specific career path (i/e/ Nursing and Medical Laboratory Science). These 2000 level courses will tend to require students to demonstrate the lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning (e.g. remember and understand).
- Identify, discuss and list discipline specific terminology
- Identify skills necessary to solve discipline specific programs
- Identify discipline specific research
Considered to contain more advanced knowledge and requires successful completion of prerequisite course work prior to enrollment. These 3000 level courses should provide advanced course content that prepares students for 4000 level courses. These 3000 level courses will require students to demonstrate the lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning (e.g. remember and describe) and include mid-level levels of Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning (e.g. apply).
- Apply acquired skills within discipline to solve problems
- Develop proficiency of skills/techniques within discipline
- Identify and interpret discipline specific research
Considered to contain content that can only be manageable by those that have successfully completed 3000 level courses and/or very specific 2000 level courses. These 4000 level courses are considered terminal courses of knowledge for the undergraduate degree that contain course content derived from a hybrid of primary and secondary research databases/repositories. In addition to lower and mid-level Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning, these 4000 level courses will require students to demonstrate analysis and evaluation.
- Develop and enhance course knowledge and competencies in discipline
- Analyze and develop discipline specific opinions about research
- Demonstrate proficiency in discipline specific concepts
- Demonstrate an understanding of different fields of study by comparing/contrasting skills or topics across disciplines
- Develop an understanding of the applications and limitations for the discipline's theories and or practices
- Develop specific abilities that will promote success in a particular field or professional practice upon graduation
Contains Master's level courses and is considered manageable by those who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree within a relevant field of study and have earned appropriate grades within relevant undergraduate courses or for undergraduate students who have excelled within the discipline and therefore, enroll in graduate level courses while still an undergraduate student. For 5000 level courses, unique admission requirements tend to exceed undergraduate admission standards (i.e. elevated GPA and/or additional assessment scores and documentation). In addition to lower and mid-level Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning, these 5000 level courses will require students to demonstrate analysis and evaluation. It is expected that a few 5000 level courses within a graduate program will require students to create an original work to be evaluated by faculty.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the literature of the discipline
- Develop discipline specific research questions and/or hypotheses
- Propose alternative methods and/or research designs
- Defend opinions/ideas related to research
- Engage in research and or appropriate professional practice and training experience
Contains Master's level courses and is considered manageable by those who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree within a relevant field of study and have earned appropriate grades within relevant undergraduate courses. For 6000 level courses, unique admission requirements tend to exceed undergraduate admission standards (i.e. elevated GPA and/or additional assessment scores and documentation). In addition to lower and mid-level Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning, these 6000 level courses will require students to demonstrate analysis and evaluation. It is expected that a few 6000 level courses within a graduate program will require students to create an original work to be evaluated by faculty.
- Demonstrate Knowledge of the literature of the discipline
- Engage in Field Study or Research activity
- Work independently to analyze and evaluate discipline specific theses or research projects
- Compare and Contrast field of study ideology
Contains Doctoral level courses that have prerequisite requirements stemming from 6000 level courses and/or very specific 5000 level courses. These 7000 level courses are designed to prepare doctoral students for the terminal 8000 level courses which require the highest level of applied knowledge. 7000 level courses contain course content derived from the most immediate, primary research databases/ repositories and students will engage in activities requiring the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning. Evaluation of learning within these courses require instructors to have earned the highest level of education preparedness (e.g., in most instances, doctoral work plus post-doctoral work and/or other relevant experiences).
- Advanced application of discipline specific knowledge
- Develop individual research interest
- Analyze and evaluate previous research to develop a unique research interest that would contribute to discipline
- Develop full plan of study for research completion
- Develop knowledge of technical applications in the field
Contains Doctoral level courses that have prerequisite requirements stemming from 7000 level courses and/or very specific 6000 level courses. These 8000 level courses are considered terminal courses of knowledge that contain course content derived from the most immediate, primary research databases/repositories and students will engage in activities requiring the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning. Evaluation of learning within these courses require instructors to have earned the highest level of education preparedness (e.g., in most instances, doctoral work plus post-doctoral work and/or other relevant experiences).
- Practical application of all previously completed coursework
- Defense of proposed research utilizing all elements of field research processes
- Ability to comprehensively explain all elements of research or study with terminology and methodology consistent with the area of study
- Completion of study at a level ready for publishing
The forms contained on this page are forms that may be utilized as attachments to your academic proposal. All proposals should have either a New Program Sheet or a Curriculum Side by Side to establish and update the curricular requirements. The Program Finder template should be completed for all new programs so a page may be created online to assist with new student recruitment.
- Please click HERE to obtain the latest version of the THEC Financial Projections Form.
Instructions:
Graduate Forms:
- New Program Form
- Side-by-side document (Example of a 2 year course plan)
- Graduate Sample Plan Template (Example of a Graduate sample plan)
Undergraduate Forms:
- New Program Form
- Side-By-Side document (Example of a Side-by-Side Comparison)
- 4 year sample plan template (Example of a 4 year sample plan)
- 2 year sample plan template (Example of a 2 year sample plan)
- Minor Side by Side document
- New Minor Form
Program Finder
During the 2024-25 academic year, degree and certificate programs will begin a new multi-year IE planning process. As a result, the usual deadlines are not in effect for degree and certificate programs in 2024-2025. The information below outlines the three-year plan for this new assessment process for degree and certificate programs as well as guidance on multi-year assessment plans, aligning student learning outcomes, and utilizing Watermark Planning and Self-Study.
Please note that all new programs will require the submission of the Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Plan. For comprehensive information regarding this process, please visit the below website: