Undergraduate Curriculum Guide

Table of Contents

Purpose of the Guide

The information contained herein is a guide for individuals and departments initiating new undergraduate programs/majors or proposing alterations to programs already in existence at Montclair State University. Should you need information about graduate curriculum procedures, please see the Graduate Curriculum Guide.

All curricular proposals are submitted for review at several levels so that the scope, breadth, and depth of the changes can be examined from various important perspectives. Please note: The forms required and signatures for approval (routing forms) differ according to the nature and extent of curricular proposals. The process can be fraught with unnecessary delays when documentation is inaccurate or incomplete, when required forms and/or signatures are missing, or when submission timelines are not followed. Please carefully review any or all of the instructions affecting a particular action.

This website is intended to be an instructive and useful tool which will be continually revised as the University’s curricular procedures evolve. Please consult the site frequently as new updates will be made to reflect the most current policies in effect.

The information below describes the policies and procedures related to establishing, revising, and discontinuing undergraduate courses and programs, and information about the internal and external review processes.

Key Dates for New Program Submissions

All new degree program submissions require an extensive off-campus approval process. Because of this, proposers are strongly encouraged to have preliminary conversations with their respective Dean and submit the New Degree Program Concept Approval Form as soon as possible.

While new program approvals have more flexibility than program alterations in terms of approval dates, proposers are encouraged to have their new undergraduate program approved no later than the November 1st UUCC Meeting to potentially be in effect for the following academic year. NOTE: Receipt of proposals by this date does not guarantee that a NEW degree program will be in effect by the following academic year. Therefore, earlier submissions are strongly encouraged.

The New Degree Program Review and Approval Calendar for AY 2019-2020 (Undergraduate) provides an overview of the Timeline for New Program Approvals.

Key Dates for Program Alterations

Program alterations take effect in the fall semester of an academic year. To allow ample time for final approval and programming, all undergraduate program alterations must be approved at the November meeting of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee in order to be effective the following academic year.

UUCC Meeting/Submission Dates (file attached)

E.g., for AY 19-20, all program alterations seeking a Fall 2020 implementation date must be approved by the UUCC no later than November 1, 2019.

Steps for Approval of New Degree Programs

New degree programs go through both an on-campus and off-campus (State) approval process. The following is a brief overview of both processes.

On Campus

1. Faculty with ideas for new programs should have a conceptual meeting with their dean to discuss
2. Complete New Program Concept Approval form
3. Receipt of Conceptual Approval triggers request for Market Study
4. Meet with Provost’s Office Staff (Joanne Cote Bonanno/Barbara Ritola) to discuss overall process/timeline
5. Prepare Program Announcement according to State Guidelines
6. Engage consultant for on-campus visit/review of program according to State Guidelines
7. Prepare response to Consultant as part of program approval packet to be sent to the State
8. Prepare and submit new program budget worksheet to Provost Office (Nicola Sullivan)
9. AFTER the consultant’s response is complete, THEN the program should begin its journey through the respective school/college curriculum committees
10. Obtain approval at all internal school/college levels up to and including the Dean
11. The Dean’s Office forwards the new proposal for review/approval by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UUCC)
12. Following UUCC approval, the program is approved by the Provost
13. Program is placed on the agenda for the appropriate Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting for approval.

Off-Campus

1. Following BOT approval, the program is sent to all NJ Higher Education institutions for 30-day review and comment period
2. Following the comment period, the program is submitted to the Academic Issues Committee (AIC) Subcommittee of the NJ Presidents’ Council for review
3. The AIC recommends programs to the NJ Presidents’ Council (NJPC) for final approval
4. Approval by NJPC is the final step in the process, and the program is registered on the NJ Inventory of Academic Programs
5. Once a program achieves NJPC approval it may be advertised as fully and officially approved

Curricular Action Forms

Tips for Successful Program Proposals

• Plan ahead and be aware of key submission dates
• Proofread
• Define all acronyms
• Be mindful that reviewers from outside the program’s discipline will read the proposal
• Follow the guidelines and examples for developing an Assessment Plan
• Secure all necessary signatures, especially for those courses that are considered collateral

Contact Us

General questions regarding the curriculum development and review process can be directed to the appropriate associate dean in each college/school. Specific inquiries can be addressed to:

Joanne Cote-Bonanno, Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Assessment, Academic Affairs

External review process, accreditation, certification

Wanda Diaz, Assistant Provost for Administration, Finance and Facilities, Academic Affairs

Barbara Ritola, Associate Director, Curriculum and Accreditation

External review process, Academic Issues Committee, NJ Presidents’ Council

Irina Koroleva, Assistant Director of Assessment, Academic Affairs

Assessment plans

James Dyer, Chair, University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

David Hood, General Education

TBD, Director of Administration

Budget worksheet