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Process for Review and Approval of New Courses

Multidisciplinary review and approval of all courses by CCRC are important components of the Institute's culture. The intent is to use a review process that is as simple as possible yet thorough enough to ensure that course proposals are realistic and of appropriately high quality. The process seeks to foster active participation by representatives of a number of different disciplines in developing new courses. The process also serves to prevent redundancy in course offerings.

 

I. Originating Course Proposals

Suggestions for new courses may come from several sources:

    1. Individuals on the Institute faculty may propose courses they wish to develop,
    2. A Program Committee or ad hoc interdisciplinary task force may identify a topic for which it feels a course is needed and seek a faculty member or members to develop a proposal for it,
    3. The Course and Curriculum Review Committee (CCRC) itself may identify a topic for which it feels a conjoint course is needed and seek a faculty member or members, or appoint an interdisciplinary planning group to develop a proposal for it.


II. The Review Process

All course proposals will be forwarded to the CCRC for initial screening and classification as interdisciplinary (HP), interprofessional (DNH/HRS/NH/PH/OH), or program-specific (CD/DNP/DNS/NP/NS/OT/PA/PT/RS).

    1. Interprofessional Courses (HP): If a course is designed to be of equal value to all students and is not profession-specific, the proposal is sent directly to the CCRC for review and approval. It is brought before the Institute Faculty for final approval.
    2. Multidisciplinary Courses (DNH/HRS/NH/PH/OH): If a course is required or designed primarily for students from a specific program, but can be elected by other interdisciplinary students, the proposal is sent to the specific Program Committee for review and approval before being reviewed by the CCRC. It is brought before the Institute Faculty for final approval.
    3. Program-specific Courses (CD/DNP/DNS/NP/NS/OT/PA/PT/RS): If a course is required or designed solely for students from a specific program, the proposal is screened and classified by the CCRC and sent to the appropriate Program Committee with a request for review, comments, and approval, and thus will not be reviewed by the CCRC. However, the Program faculty or the primary instructor will be responsible for reviewing other Institute course offerings to ensure NO major duplication of content and for submitting the results of this review to the CCRC in writing prior to the Program Faculty vote. 


III.  Format of New Course Proposals

Proposals for new courses are submitted in writing to CCRC.  The following materials must be included:

    1. Course Approval Form
    2. Course Proposal Form or detailed course syllabus including  the specified information
    3. Course Justification Form - describing the rationale for the development of this course  

IV. Time Frame for Course Proposals

Proposals for new courses must be received by the CCRC with adequate time for review, implementation of recommended changes, and Institute faculty approval, if appropriate, before the term in which it is anticipated that the new course will be offered. New course proposals must be submitted to the CCRC by the following dates:

    1. March 1 for fall semester
    2. June 1 for spring semester
    3. December 1 for summer semester

V.  Action of the Course and Curriculum Review Committee

The CCRC will perform the initial screening and classification of all courses as interprofessional (HP), multidisciplinary (DNH/HRS/NH/PH/OH), or program-specific (CD/DNP/DNS/NP/NS/OT/PA/PT/RS). Following the review of new interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary courses, the CCRC may vote to:

    1. recommend to the Institute faculty that the course be approved as described
    2. request further information, additions, or changes in the courses as described, and schedule a second review at a later date, or
    3. not approve the course.

All decisions made by CCRC are communicated to the faculty member or group submitting the course proposal. 

VI. Filing and Scheduling

Following the faculty vote for approval of a new interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary course(s), the Chair of the CCRC will notify the Registrar’s Office in the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) that the course has been accepted. This notification will be written and include a signed, complete "Course Approval Form" and the "Course Proposal." The Chair of the CCRC will also notify in writing the faculty member or group who submitted the course proposal. All interprofessional (HP) and multidisciplinary (DNH/HRS/NH/PH/OH) course outlines that have been approved by the Institute Faculty are to be filed in OSA. All program faculty approved program specific (CD/DNP/DNS/NP/NS/OT/PA/PT/RS) course outlines are to be filed in the respective program offices. Faculty must work with their respective program chair to determine scheduling of courses.

VII. Late submissions to CCRC

    1. In the case where faculty agree (are hired) to develop and teach a "new" course after the deadline for submission of course proposals, the CCRC should be notified by the person responsible for assigning the faculty to the course. The faculty member teaching the "new" course is expected to submit a course proposal to the CCRC during the semester in which the course is first taught.
    2. For circumstances other than those outlined above in Section 7 a, if a course proposal is submitted after the deadline for the submission of course proposals, the CCRC will notify the faculty submitting the proposal, OSA, and the appropriate Program Director, Department Chair or Dean that the course cannot be offered in the subsequent semester.