Curriculum Guide For Department Chairs

Please review the information below as curriculum is added or modified throughout the academic year.

The Office of Academic Planning and Program Development oversees curriculum.

There are two components to department curriculum: (1) Changing undergraduate and graduate curriculum (2) changing the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.

For questions recording curriculum changes, start with the Associate Dean in your college who oversees curriculum.

Curriculum Changes

Curriculum changes involving changing course numbers, titles and descriptions, new courses, and course deletions must all go through the university curriculum process. Changing program credit hours must also go through the university curriculum process. Establishing new programs (majors, minors, certificates) must also go through the university curriculum process. Changes to program structure (e.g., program core courses, number of electives) do not need to go through the university curriculum process.

Curriculum Change Approval Pathway (excluding new programs)

College Curriculum Committee → University Curriculum Committee → Academic Affairs Council → TSUS Board of Regents

Each college has an Associate Dean or representative that oversees the college curriculum review process. This is your point person for curriculum related questions.

Timeline

Curriculum changes can be submitted at any time. However, there are deadlines for curriculum changes to be approved to get into the catalog. For curriculum changes to be incorporated into the next academic year catalog, they need to be submitted to the college curriculum committee by May. For example, for new courses to be in the 2023-2024 catalog, they need to be submitted to the college curriculum by May 2022.

Forms

All forms can be accessed at: https://www.shsu.edu/dept/academic-planning-and-program-development/curriculum/curriculum-forms.html

  • Course Deletion/Change Form (Change course number, name or delete a course)
  • New Course Addition Form
  • Writing Enhancement Supplement
  • Online Program Request Form (for an existing course or a new course to be offered online)

New Programs

Potential new programs need to first undergo an Educational Program Analytics assessment. The Educational Program Analytics team will assess competing programs and market potential. Information on the Educational Program Analytics process can be found at the Program Analytics Website. To initiate an assessment, complete this form.

New program approval processes vary by type of program. If the program is a bachelor or master’s program in engineering or has an estimated cost of more than $2 million in the first five years of operation, the approval process must go through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Doctoral programs also need to go through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the board requires a one-year notification prior to the submission of the proposal.

New Program Approval Pathway

Education Program Analytics (i.e., SHSU’s OAPA) → Department Curriculum Committee → College Curriculum Committee → University Curriculum Committee → Academic Affairs Council → TSUS Board of Regents → Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (if applicable)

Forms

All forms can be accessed at: https://www.shsu.edu/dept/academic-planning-and-program-development/curriculum/curriculum-forms.html

  • New Minor
  • New Certificate Program
  • New Degree Program
    • New Degree Program (engineering program or cost over $2 million in first five years of operation)
  • New Doctoral Program
  • New Online Doctoral Program

Catalog

The undergraduate and graduate catalogs are updated once a year in the first part of the fall semester. For example, in fall 2022, the 2023-2024 catalog updates will be made. Typically, department Chairs have one month to make catalog revisions.

The following changes will need to first go through the curriculum approval process before they can be made in the catalog: Changes in course information, addition of new courses, and the deletion of courses.

Catalog Changes Pathway

Program Coordinator (if applicable) → Chair → SAM Center → Associate Dean → Academic Planning and Analysis

Catalog Changes are made using a software program entitled CourseLeaf. Prior to using CourseLeaf for the first time, reach out to the Office of Academic Planning and Analysis for training.

Helpful Tips

  • Check the workflow (the order of the approval process) to ensure it is going to the correct people in the correct order. The workflow can be viewed in the CourseLeaf program. Email Office of Academic Planning and Analysis to make changes.
  • Changes to course descriptions (editorial and do not entail changes in course content) and changes to pre-requisites cannot be done through CourseLeaf. To make such changes, use the Course Prerequisite and Description Update Request form.
  • Changes to faculty listing cannot be made. If changes are necessary, you need to reach out to Office of Academic Planning and Analysis.
  • Final curriculum approvals that occur in the fall or early winter can usually be added to the catalog. To do this, you will need to coordinate with the Office of Academic Planning and Analysis.
  • Minor edits (e.g., typo) can usually be made to the catalog in the spring. Substantial changes (e.g., program content) cannot be made.
  • Please note there is only one opportunity a year to make modifications.
  • Please note a best practice would be to save the pdf’s prior to submission.

Scheduling

Scheduling is the responsibility of the department Chair. When applicable, department chairs may work with their program coordinators in building the schedule.

Schedules are built twice a year. The fall and summer schedule are built during the fall semester. For example, summer and fall 2023 are built during fall 2022. The spring schedule is built in early summer. For example, spring 2023 is built in summer 2022.

*Please see the Master Calendar for additional information.

Best practices include:

  • Having a department scheduling policy.
  • Using enrollment data to build schedules.