Procedure for Adding a New Program to the College Curriculum

The Committee on Curriculum and Teaching (C&T) oversees the college curriculum and is responsible for approval of any new minor, major or certificate programs. Proposals for individual courses within a major do not require approval by C&T; new courses within the Core Curriculum do.

Submitting a New Program

If a new major, minor, concentration, or certificate program at King’s College is to be established, the sponsor of the proposed program must do the following:

1. Prepare a brief proposal which describes (i) the aim of the program; (ii) its relevance to the College’s mission; (iii) its general curricular and assessment requirements; (iv) its connections to current academic programs, both Core and majors; and (v) its potential for success in the marketplace, including the recruitment of students, the hiring of faculty, and the probable success for graduates. Relevant letters of support may also be included.

2. Consult the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and relevant departments. If the proposal is for a post-Bachelor’s degree or certificate program, the Director of Graduate Programs must be consulted, because of relevant procedures required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. If the proposal is for an undergraduate certificate program, the Director of Evening & Weekend Programs must be consulted.

3. Submit the proposal to C&T, if Academic Affairs deems the proposed program viable. Within 4 weeks of receiving the proposal, the Chair of C&T will invite the program sponsors to present and discuss the proposal with the entire committee. C&T may offer recommendations and suggestions.

4. If the preliminary proposal is approved by C&T, continue the development and modification of the program, working with relevant departments and offices.

5. Submit the final proposal to C&T. The final proposal should cover the same areas as the initial document, but be more detailed and explicit in how the program will be implemented and administered. Catalog and course descriptions, master and sample syllabi (which include goals, objectives, assessment criteria, possible textbooks and assignments), and advising procedures should be included. The Chair will schedule an opportunity within 4 weeks of receiving the final document to present and discuss the proposal. C&T may offer recommendations and suggestions.

If C&T gives approval of the final proposal, the Chair of C&T will inform Faculty Council of the approved program at the next scheduled Council meeting. Faculty Council will review the decision of C&T.

If accepted by Faculty Council, the proposal will be submitted to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs who will then present the proposal to the President for the final approval.

If the VPAA authorizes the creation of the new program, Academic Affairs, in conjunction with the program sponsors, will contact relevant offices and departments so that they may implement and integrate the new major, minor, concentration, or certificate program into College publications, materials, and curricula.