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Home   >  About   >  Offices   >  Provost's Office   >  Guidelines & Policies   >  Academic Program Changes

Academic Program Changes

Guidelines & Policies

  • Drake University Statement of Principles
  • Academic Program Changes

Creating a New Academic Program or Modifying an Existing Program

The Academic Program Change process facilitates conversations between academic departments or programs and relevant administrative staff.  These conversations help to identify and respond proactively to applicable university policies, procedures, and standards; state, federal, and international laws; and promote protections (e.g., intellectual property) for program faculty, students, and administrative staff. Operationalizing new academic programs or changes to existing programs may involve the efforts of more than a dozen academic and administrative offices.

Timeline

Program changes will be effective at the start of the next academic year. All changes must be approved by May 1 for implementation in the next academic year. Please note: 

  • Changes that require BOT approval (Column C), must be approved no later than the April BOT meeting. Proposals must be submitted to the Provost prior to a BOT meeting to be included on the agenda.  
  • Course changes (Column A) for the Summer and Fall terms must be submitted by March 1, prior to the publication of those schedules for registration.

Program changes will be reviewed on a cycle, with proposals due on September 1, December 1, and March 1. This cycle will assist with streamlining the review process, consolidating communication, and aligning review with any Board of Trustees approval.  

Column A Column B Column C
Course and Curricular Revisions Expansion or Contraction of Academic Programs New or Discontinued Academic Programs
(College/School Curricular Process/Approval) (Program Change Process and Provost Approval) (Program Change Process and BOT Approval)

Course Changes:

  • New courses
  • Discontinuing courses
  • Updates to course descriptions, restrictions, prerequisites, corequisites, etc.
  • Instructional delivery method

New:

  • Degree track
  • Minor
  • Concentration
  • Endorsement
  • Accelerated, dual degree, or partnership programs (i.e., 3+2, dual degree, etc.)
  • Program location

New degree program:

  • Certificate
  • Associate
  • Bachelor
  • Graduate/Professional

 Curriculum Changes:

  • Adjustments to curricular requirements
  • Changes in course sequencing
  • Changes to program-specific requirements

Changes:

  • Name changes to existing programs
  • Program location or modality

Discontinuations:

  • Degree programs
  • Certificate program
 

 Discontinuations:

  • Degree track
  • Minor
  • Concentration
  • Endorsement
  • Accelerated, dual degree, or partnership programs (i.e., 3+2, dual degree, etc.)
  • Program Location
 

 

Academic Program Change Process - Step-by-step guide

Financial Feasibility Analysis Template

Qualtrics Form: Preview

Qualtrics Form: Ready to Submit

New Program Three-year Review Form

Helpful Visuals

Flow Chart: Program Change Process Overview

Academic Program Change Checklist

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