Developing New Academic Programs and Formal Tracks Under the Aegis of the Graduate School

(Approved by the Graduate School Executive Committee 5/26/98. Revised 11/28/00)

This document sets forth policies pertaining to the development of new academic programs or formal program tracks under the aegis of the Graduate School. A proposal to reinstitute a previously discontinued program or to substantially restructure or modify an existing program constitutes a new program proposal under this policy. Part I identifies the types of program that may be proposed. More detail about specific types of programs can be obtained from relevant policy documents prepared by the Graduate School. Part II contains general principles and specific requirements for applying for a new program or track.

Initial drafts of academic program proposals must be received in the Graduate School by the end of the second week of the semester in which Policy and Review Council consideration is planned. Complete, final versions of proposals for new programs must be received by the Graduate School at least three weeks prior to the meeting(s) of the appropriate Policy and Review Council(s). Early submission will ensure that the proposals receive careful administrative review and written recommendations prior to Council consideration. Because many technical details which proposals need to address may be unfamiliar to those who are preparing a new proposal, it is strongly recommended that sufficient time for administrative review be planned so as to avoid possible Council rejection or deferral to a later meeting.

PART I. Types of post baccalaureate programs under the aegis of the Graduate School

• A. Disciplinary graduate degree programs oriented toward research, scholarship and artistic expression (e.g., MA, MS, MFA and PhD). Any Department, School or College may propose new disciplinary masters or doctoral programs.
• B. Interdisciplinary programs. As used herein, "interdisciplinary" means a coherent integration of two or more distinct disciplines. There are two types of interdisciplinary program:
  • 1. Major: students may pursue a masters or doctoral degree within the program.
  • 2. Free-standing minor: students from other programs may pursue a minor within the program in conjunction with their disciplinary major.
• C. Professional masters degree programs. Professional masters degrees are increasingly in demand both by employers and by prospective students. They are distinguished from traditional, research-oriented masters programs primarily by focussing on knowledge and skills needed for applied problem-solving rather than on general theory and research.
• D. Post baccalaureate certificate programs. A post baccalaureate certificate program offers an opportunity to pursue a shorter program within the Graduate School. Many such programs exist within the University that are not Graduate School programs. However, often students who complete a certificate program find that they would like to continue their graduate education. To maximize flexibility in pursuing further graduate work, it may be desirable for some post baccalaureate certificate programs to be under the aegis of the Graduate School. It may also be desirable to allow some or all of the work for the certificate to apply to completion of a graduate degree.
• E. Distinct tracks within existing degree programs. Program tracks are formally designated, distinct content areas within a single, broader program, referred to herein as an "umbrella program." Program tracks are recorded on the transcript, whereas informal emphasis areas (or informal concentrations, or specializations) are not. For an elaboration of some of the differences between formal tracks and informal emphases, see p. 8, Part III. Specific Considerations.
  

PART II. General principles and criteria for proposing new academic programs or formal tracks.

• A. General Principles
  Most of these principles pertain to the establishment of new programs only. Those which also apply to the establishment of formal tracks are so noted.
  • 1. New programs must address new areas of knowledge and/or potential employment opportunities that stimulate their development. New formal tracks should be established only in umbrella programs of such breadth that students typically focus on a distinct subset of the overall program's content.
  • 2. New programs or formal tracks must not significantly duplicate existing programs at the University. It is the obligation of faculty proposing new programs to identify any existing programs with which there might be duplication or overlap, and to obtain written assurance from each of those existing programs that the proposed new program does not pose problematic duplication or overlap. This principle applies also in the case of proposals to change the name of a graduate program, whether or not accompanied by substantial program modification.
  • 3. New programs must occupy a unique niche within the University. A rationale for the program at the University of Minnesota is essential.
  • 4. Objective evidence of strong student demand and adequate student placement opportunities is essential. Demand and placement should relate directly to projected enrollment and graduation levels of the proposed program.
  • 5. New programs must demonstrate either that there is no significant competition for the proposed program from other institutions in the region, or that there is demand beyond the capacity of current competition sufficient to ensure projected enrollment levels. If similar regional programs exist, an assessment of the anticipated quality of the proposed program relative to the quality of existing programs is essential.
  • 6. Written commitment to participate by a sufficient number of faculty to assure viability of the proposed program or formal track is essential. For interdisciplinary programs, sufficient faculty from all participant disciplines must provide written commitment to contribute to the program.
  • 7. Written endorsement by the relevant collegiate dean or deans, consistent with the review and approval process of the college, is essential.
  • 8. Written evidence of sufficient budgetary support is essential. Assurance of support may be from within the University (i.e., College guarantee) and/or from sources outside the University (e.g., corporate commitment to support employees in the program).
  • 9. Where appropriate, written endorsement should be obtained from businesses, agencies, etc., which can provide opportunities for research or practical internships for enrolled students in the program or formal track.
  • 10. Specific program goals for recruitment, enrollment and time to degree or certificate completion must be provided, with an estimated timeline for achieving those goals.
  • 11. All new programs will undergo internal review at the end of the second year of operation. This initial review will involve a meeting with program faculty, College and Graduate School deans. A self study document will not be required, but program faculty must provide data regarding the success to date of the program, including:
    • 1) student applications and admissions
    • 2) new and total student enrollments
    • 3) student GPAs and credits completed
    • 4) student attrition
    • 5) courses taken
    • 6) degree programs filed
    • 7) faculty involvement in teaching courses, advising and service on
      examination committees
    • 8) research or creative activity fostered
    • 9) any special events held
    • 10) written examinations taken (if relevant)
    • 11) students graduated
    • 12) placement of graduates
    • 13) student satisfaction
  • 12. All new programs will have a five year "sunset" clause. A formal, external review of the program will occur during the fifth year to determine whether program goals have been reasonably met and the program should be continued. Review criteria should be appropriate to the nature of the specific program. Enrollments will be suspended after the fifth year unless the College(s) and Graduate School concur that the program is both academically and fiscally viable and contributes adequately to the overall missions of the College, Graduate School and University. All proposals for new programs must include an exit strategy for assuring program completion by enrolled students in the event the program is discontinued based on this initial review. If a program is continued beyond the "sunset" of five years, subsequent reviews will be initiated by the Graduate School in conjunction with the appropriate college(s). Regular reviews will involve external review teams, and will be scheduled at regular intervals of approximately seven years. If a program is formally discontinued, currently enrolled students will be allowed to complete their work within a reasonable time frame.
    It is realized that degree completion and placement may not be possible within the first two years for many programs. Upon request, the Graduate School can provide the data specified in items 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 and 11.
• B. Specific requirements for proposing new programs. All new program proposals must contain the following information so that the relevant Policy and Review Council(s) and the Executive Committee of the Graduate School can adequately assess the potential of the proposed program. Proposals for establishing formal tracks do not require as complete documentation. All proposals must include a completed University of Minnesota Board of Regents New Academic Program Proposal Summary: Educational Planning and Policy Committee form.
  • 1. Focus and Rationale. The specific academic focus of a proposed program and the rationale for offering it must demonstrate that the program will initiate or uniquely reconfigure an area of knowledge and/or professional training not currently available at the University of Minnesota. The rationale for proposed formal tracks must demonstrate that distinct concentrations within a larger umbrella program exist and that formal recognition of them is important for both educational and potential employment goals.
    • a. For proposals for new degree programs, free-standing minors, and postbaccalaureate certificate programs, the rationale should demonstrate that the new program will constitute more than an emphasis or a trackwithin an existing program.
    • b. For formal track proposals, the rationale should demonstrate that the separate tracks have a common core in the umbrella program while providing complete, distinct program areas within that umbrella program.
    • c. If a proposed new program or track is to replace an existing program or track, that should be made evident in the proposal. A proposal to discontinue the replaced program or track must be submitted to the relevant Policy and Review Council(s) at the same meeting as the new proposal. The proposal to discontinue must specify how students currently enrolled in that program will be advised regarding completion of the program or changing enrollment to a different program within a specified time interval.
      
      
  • 2. Need. Documentation of need for a proposed program or formal track involves, where possible, some form of market analysis demonstrating each of the following.
    • a. Strong student interest and prospective enrollment. At full operation, a viable graduate program should have a minimum of 20 students enrolled, although appropriate arguments regarding the quality of the educational experience for smaller numbers of students will be considered. It is not sufficient to claim that "many students have expressed interest" in such a program or that the content of the program is the latest "hot" topic. Letters of interest from prospective students, logs of telephone inquiries, surveys of prospective students and of employers who would encourage employees to enroll can all document interest. Data from sources such as professional associations or the Council of Graduate Schools can help document national or international interest. It is essential that sufficient interest exist beyond an initial cohort that it is reasonable to expect sustained or growing enrollments in the future. Experience suggests that about half of those who express interest in a potential program will actually apply, and not all applicants will be admitted under program and Graduate School standards. Of those admitted, perhaps half will enroll and attend. Therefore the pool of interested students should be at least four times the anticipated enrollment level.
    • b. Sufficient employment opportunities for graduates of the program. As with student interest, it is not sufficient to claim that "there are numerous positions awaiting graduates of the program." Documentation of employment opportunities may include, for example, letters from potential employers or demonstration of local, regional, national or international market growth relevant to the program. It will be particularly helpful to include data, where available, regarding unemployment of graduates with comparable preparation compared to unemployment of those without comparable preparation. Such data are often available from national sources.
    • c. Sufficient faculty enthusiasm for and commitment to participate in the proposed program must be demonstrated. For departmentally based programs, a record of departmental vote in favor of the program is sufficient. For interdisciplinary programs, a letter of commitment and an abbreviated curriculum vitae must be provided for each listed faculty member. If it is anticipated that faculty will be added in the near future, the proposal should be as specific as possible about what faculty will be added at what time. If new faculty lines are anticipated, documentation of collegiate support for those faculty lines is essential. Although the minimum number of faculty participants will vary according to content and anticipated enrollments, fewer than four faculty will not be considered sufficient for initiating a new program. Fewer faculty may be sufficient for a new track, but adequate rationale must be provided.
    • d. Where appropriate, demonstration of more general societal benefit from the proposed program will help place the program in the context of the broader Graduate School and University missions.
      
  • 3. Lack of duplication. The content of a proposed program or formal track must not significantly overlap with existing University of Minnesota program offerings. Letters from deans, heads or chairs of units which offer potentially comparable degrees or courses must accompany the proposal, providing assurances that the proposed program or formal track does not constitute significant competition or overlap with those existing offerings.
  • 4. Budgetary and Administrative support. For new programs, letters of commitment of administrative and, where relevant, non-University support for at least the first three years of the program must accompany the proposal. The following types of support must be demonstrated where relevant.
    
    • a. College support in terms of faculty lines, space, special facilities and operations budget. When no new resources are required, there must be written assurance from the relevant college(s) that existing resources will continue and are deemed adequate for the proposed program without jeopardizing current programs. College support is relevant to all proposals. To facilitate the correct attribution of tuition revenue generated by a program, proposals must also include specific information about the collegiate unit(s) to which tuition revenue should be allocated.
    • b. Student support. Adequate support for potential students in the program must be provided. For professional programs, that may be in the form of assurances from employers that they will pay for their employees' participation. If RA or TA funding is anticipated from research or training grants, department, school or college commitments, documentation of those commitments is essential.
    • c. Other University support in terms of library support and related learning resources or information technology. The proposal must include evidence of consultation with the library or other relevant support units and written assurance of their readiness to support the teaching and research missions of the new program.
    • d. Non-University support in terms of endowments, grants, internship agreements or other arrangements. If such resources are important to the viability of the program, written assurance that they will be provided must accompany the proposal.
    • e. In general, the Graduate School has no funds to support new programs. For interdisciplinary programs, if Graduate School support will be important to the viability of the program, written evidence of advance commitment from the Graduate School is essential.
      Proposals for new formal tracks must either demonstrate no need for additional support or must provide the information in items a through d above.
  • 5. Probable competition from other institutions. All local, regional and national programs that are similar to the proposed program or formal track must be identified. To the extent possible, enrollments in and graduations from those programs should be provided. If there are large numbers of such programs throughout the country, then only local and regional programs need be cited along with an approximate count of the number nationally. Any important differences between the proposed program or formal track and current competitive programs should be made explicit in the proposal.
• C. Necessary parts of a new program proposal.
  • 1. title
  • 2. degree objective(s), e.g., MA, MS, PhD
  • 3. for masters degrees, whether Plan A, Plan B, both or coursework only
  • 4. departmental and collegiate home, if appropriate
  • 5. geographic location
  • 6. degree requirements
    • a. total credit hours
    • b. required courses
    • c. concentrations or formal tracks, where appropriate
    • d. optional courses
    • e. thesis credits, where appropriate
    • f. specific requirements for supporting program, related field or minor options
    • g. specification of examinations, papers, thesis, internship and/or practicum
      where relevant, responsible research conduct/professional ethics requirement
    • h. examining committee composition, where relevant
    • i. sample student programs for each proposed degree objective or plan
    • j. requirements for students who major in other programs to obtain a minor in
      the propose program, where relevant
  • 7. anticipated timing for completing successive stages of the program
    • a. selecting an advisor
    • b. filing degree program with the Graduate School
    • c. for certificates and Plan B masters degrees:
      • 1) completing required papers or capstone experience
      • 2) taking final written and/or oral examination
        for Plan A masters:
      • 1) filing thesis proposal
      • 2) taking final oral examination
        for doctoral programs:
      • 1) passing preliminary examination (written and oral)
      • 2) filing thesis title, where relevant
      • 3) final oral defense of thesis
  • 8. faculty and staff
    • a. how the program's DGS will be selected
    • b. faculty
      • 1) a complete list of all faculty, with letters of commitment and
        abbreviated curriculum vitae
      • 2) criteria for appointment and continuation on the graduate
        faculty of the program
      • 3) how often the faculty or a representative governing group of the faculty
        will meet regarding program governance
      • 4) if new faculty lines are anticipated, documentation of support for those lines
    • c. support staff needed and documentation of necessary budgetary commitment
  • 9. student procedures
    • a. recruitment
    • b. admission requirements, numbers and process for deciding admissions
    • c. financial support
    • d. advising
    • e. diversity
  • 10. timing issues
    • a. what term and year the program will first be offered
    • b. schedule for submission to relevant Policy and Review Council(s), the
    • Graduate School Executive Committee and the Board of Regents
    • c. anticipated growth over initial years
    • d. timeline for becoming fully operational
    • e. first review (at end of two years)
    • f. exit strategy

PART III. Specific Considerations

• Some interdisciplinary programs are eligible for modest support from the Graduate School. However, because such funds are severely limited, interdisciplinary programs must provide strong evidence of 'need' as well as a lack of sufficient collegiate support. Because collegiate support will be required for all future program proposals, Graduate School support for new programs will be the exception rather than the rule.
• For new professional programs whose clientele is likely to have completed graduate level coursework elsewhere, criteria for transfer of prior credit must be addressed commensurate with established Graduate School policies. If the professional program will grant a terminal degree, criteria for use of credit earned toward regular graduate degree programs must be addressed commensurate with Graduate School policies. Admissions standards may recognize professional experience in addition to the Graduate School standard of an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent.
• For post baccalaureate certificates that can contribute to graduate degrees, the proposal must address the relationship between the content of the certificate program and the graduate degree(s). Criteria for use of credit earned toward regular graduate degree programs must be addressed commensurate with established Graduate School policies. See Graduate School Policy Governing Post Baccalaureate Certificate Programs (1998).
• For formal tracks, students may choose courses satisfying the related field or supporting program requirement from other tracks within the umbrella program. However, a minor cannot be selected from other tracks within the umbrella program. At the option of the program faculty, students may initially enroll in the umbrella program without designating a particular track, and may subsequently select a track in that program without being charged a change of status fee. Beyond a student's initial track selection, a change in track will incur a change of status fee. Proposals for tracks must specify whether the "no track" initial enrollment option will be made available to applicants. See Graduate School Guidelines for the Formal Identification of Tracks within Degree Programs (1997; revised 2000).
• The circumstances under which a formal track should be proposed rather than an informal emphasis may not always be clear, in view of the natural ebb and flow of disciplinary content. Graduate programs often introduce new courses, or even a new body of coursework, as fields evolve. The following distinctions are thus provided to aid those who are developing proposals to add new content areas to existing graduate degree programs.

A formal track is appropriate if the proposed content area: involves admission and/or completion requirements that differ from those already in place for the program; prepares students for careers different from the planned careers of students already in the program; will substantially enhance students’ job placement success if clearly recorded on the transcript; represents a substantial augmentation to the body of knowledge encompassed by the current program; requires the addition of faculty whose qualifications and expertise are not reflected among present members of the program faculty; and/or will be subject to accreditation review where none exists for the program currently. Examples of formal tracks include an accredited track in genetic counseling within a cellular and developmental biology graduate program that is itself not subject to accreditation; a track in recreation, park, and leisure studies within an education graduate program; and a special education track within an educational psychology graduate program.

An informal emphasis is appropriate if the content area: shares the same admission and/or completion requirements already in place for the program; prepares students for careers similar to those sought by students enrolled in the current program; is commonly associated with the discipline as it is taught elsewhere; does not require the addition of a significant number of new faculty with expertise not reflected among the program’s present faculty; and/or will not involve a separate accreditation review in a program that is not subject to an accreditation requirement. Examples include an emphasis in American history within a history graduate program, an emphasis in Greek and Roman art and archaeology within an art history graduate program, and an emphasis in sculpture within an art program.

Formal tracks require approval by the Board of Regents subsequent to Policy and Review Council and Graduate School Executive Committee recommendation. Informal emphases are not subject to review and approval through the Graduate School governance process and do not require a proposal to the Graduate School.