CSUN-GSC
Documentation Needed for Curricular Changes
Graduate Studies Committee (GSC)
Procedures to Gain Approval of Significant Curricular Changes in Graduate Programs
Overall reminder: All CSUN curriculum proposals (downloadable from the GSC web site)
must indicate the name of the appropriate department chair and associate dean under the Record
of Consultation. Also, approval and consultation dates should be inserted BEFORE proposals
are submitted for review by either the AD curriculum committee or to the GSC. Thanks.
Proposing New Degree Programs:
Associate Deans should submit CSUN’s New Program Proposal form and the
Chancellor’s Office Program Proposal Template to the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) for
consideration. If the GSC approves the proposal for a new degree program, then the Associate
Deans should electronically submit the final version of both documents, along with four hard
copies of the Chancellor’s Office Template, to the Office of Graduate Studies. Graduate Studies
will in turn submit a cover letter and the hard and electronic copies of the Program Proposal
Template to the Chancellor’s Office. If the Chancellor’s Office determines that the proposal is
sufficient, it will submit the proposal to a CSU wide committee of faculty reviewers. If, after
this, the Chancellor’s Office approves the new degree, then the Chancellor’s Office will inform
the Office of Graduate Studies and that office will in turn inform the GSC and the relevant
Associate Dean(s) and faculty.
The document entitled, “Program Proposal Template and Tips 2014” includes the
required form for the proposal of new degrees and can be found at the CSU’s Academic
Programs and Policy web site: http://www.calstate.edu/app/program_dev.shtml
This document also contains very helpful tips regarding the Chancellor’s Office expectations for
curriculum proposals. As you would expect, the Chancellor’s Office considers WASC
guidelines regarding curriculum. So another resource to help in the construction of new graduate
curricula is the WASC Handbook of Accreditation (Standard 2), which can be found at:
http://www.wascsenior.org/resources/handbook-accreditation-2013
A proposed new degree program cannot admit students or be advertised until the
Chancellor’s Office has formally approved the new program. The Office of Graduate Studies
will obtain a new program code for new degree programs only after formal approval has been
received from the Chancellor’s Office.
Converting Pilot Programs to Regular Program Status:
Pilot degree programs are approved by the Chancellor’s Office for a fixed number of
years (e.g., 5 years). At the end of that time, no more students can be admitted into the pilot
program. Pilot programs can only “live on” if they are converted to regular status programs.
To convert a pilot program to regular program status, Associate Deans should submit a
Pilot Conversion Proposal (template available immediately below) to the GSC.
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/Pilot_Conversion.pdf
Proposal authors should consult the “Program Proposal Template and Tips 2014”
document on the CSU Academic Programs and Policy web site for helpful hints regarding
Chancellor’s Office expectations for proposals:
http://www.calstate.edu/app/program_dev.shtml
If the GSC approves the conversion proposal, then Associate Deans should submit the
final version of the proposal (2 hard copies and 1 electronic copy) to the Graduate Studies
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Office. The Graduate Studies Office will write a cover letter and will forward the conversion
proposal document to the Chancellor’s Office (CO). Once the Chancellor’s Office makes its
decision regarding the proposal, then the CO will notify the Graduate Studies Office, which will
in turn notify the GSC and the relevant Associate Deans(s) and faculty. Pilot programs that are
in the process of being converted to regular status programs cannot admit students or be
advertised until after the Chancellor’s Office has formally approved the conversion.
Adding A New Option to an Existing Degree Program:
The Chancellor’s Office requires notification of all new degree options. The CO can and
does reject notifications when found to be unsatisfactory. To add an option (CSUN’s name for
subprograms that appear on diplomas) to an existing graduate degree, Associate Deans should
submit two documents to the GSC: (1) CSUN’s New Program Proposal form and (2) a
Notification Memo ultimately intended for the Chancellor’s Office. If the GSC approves the new
option, the Office of Graduate Studies will forward the electronic version of the Notification
Memo to the Chancellor’s Office.
The Notification Memo should be written on CSUN letterhead and signed by the relevant
academic Associate Dean. If the proposed option is to be offered through self-support, then the
Associate Dean of Tseng College should also sign. This Notification Memo should contain quite
a bit of information including, but not limited to: the exact name of the proposed new option, the
exact name of the home degree and any other options within that degree, the degree program
codes, a comprehensive list of the elective and required course requirements (including course
number, title, and units) and the culminating experience requirements for the proposed option as
well as for any other options in the home degree. The Notification Memo must also include
justification for the new option, a discussion of the relevant resource implications, a statement of
the modality and support (state or self support) through which the option will be offered and
finally any other information noted in the pdf immediately below.
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/adding_concentrations.pdf
If the Chancellor’s Office approves the proposed new option, it will inform the Office of
Graduate Studies which will in turn inform the relevant Associate Dean(s), faculty and the GSC.
A new option cannot admit students or be advertised until the Chancellor’s Office has formally
approved the new option. The Office of Graduate Studies will only obtain any new codes
needed a new option only formal approval has been received from the Chancellor’s Office.
Elevating an Option to a Full Degree Program:
A graduate program may want to expand a successful option into a stand-alone degree.
To elevate an option to a full degree, Associate Deans should submit CSUN’s New Program
Proposal and the Chancellor’s Office Implementation Proposal to the GSC. Relevant
information and the Implementation Proposal template can be found at:
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/Option_Elevation.pdf
Authors of these proposals are strongly encouraged to seek out the “tips” document on
the CSU Academic Programs and Policy web page (link above) for a description of the CO’s
expectations for proposals. If the GSC approves the elevation of an option to a full degree
program, then Associate Deans should forward a final version of the Implementation Proposal to
the Office of Graduate Studies. The Office of Graduate Studies will forward that document,
along with a cover letter, to the Chancellor’s Office. If the Chancellor’s Office approves full
degree status, then it will inform the Office of Graduate Studies which will, in turn, inform the
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relevant Associate Dean(s), faculty and the GSC. Only after formal approval has been received
will the Office of Graduate Studies obtain a new program code for the new degree. A new
degree cannot admit students or be advertised until the Chancellor’s Office has approved the
elevation proposal.
Offering an Existing State-Support Program (Degree or Option) through Self-Support or
an Existing Self-Support Program through State-Support:
Graduate programs may wish to change the support system for a program in several
possible ways; for example, to offer an existing state-support program through both state-support
and self-support or to move an existing self-support program to state-support. Please note that
“supplanting” is a significant concern in the CSU and thus moving an existing program out of
state-support and into self-support should be considered cautiously. Interested parties should
read CSU Executive Order (EO) 1099 before setting pen to paper.
To add a self-support program to an existing state-support program, Associate Deans
should submit a CSUN Program Modification form and an extended Notification Memo to the
GSC. The link immediately below outlines the information that should appear in the Notification
Memo.
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/Adding_Self_Support_to_State-SupportFinal.pdf
To convert a self-support program to state-support, Associate Deans should similarly
submit a CSUN Program Modification proposal and a Notification Memo to the GSC. However,
in this case, the link below should be used to direct the contents of the Notification Memo:
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/ss_to_state_conversion.pdf.
If the GSC approves the proposed change, then the Associate Dean should submit final,
electronic versions of the approved Program Modification proposal and Notification Memo to the
Office of Graduate Studies. This office will create a cover letter and submit the Notification
Memo to the Chancellor’s Office. The Chancellor’s Office will notify Graduate Studies of its
decision, and Graduate Studies will communicate that decision to the GSC and to the relevant
Associate Dean(s) and faculty. An option or degree to be offered via a new support structure
cannot admit students or be advertised until the Chancellor’s Office has formally approved the
proposed change. As needed, Graduate Studies will obtain any necessary program codes after the
Chancellor’s Office has officially approved the change in support.
Discontinuation of a Degree or Option:
A graduate program may want to close an option or a degree. To that end, Associate
Deans should submit a CSUN Program Modification Proposal and a Notification Memo to the
GSC. Information on the Chancellor’s Office expectations for program discontinuation can be
found at:
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/Program_Discontinuation.pdf
The Notification Memo should be written on CSUN letterhead and signed by the relevant
academic Associate Dean(s). If the program/option has been offered through self-support, then
the Associate Dean of Tseng College should also sign. The memo should contain: The exact
name of the program/option to be closed, the desired date of discontinuation, justification for
discontinuation, the number of students remaining in the program, a game plan for helping
remaining students to complete their degree and a timeline for so doing, justification for closure.
If option/degree closure proposal is approved by the GSC, then the Notification Memo will be
forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office by the Office of Graduate Studies. If the Chancellor’s
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Office approves the discontinuation, then it will notify the Office of Graduate Studies and that
office will in turn notify the GSC and the relevant Associate Dean(s) and faculty. No program or
option can be officially closed until the Chancellor’s office formally approves the notification.
Summary of Documents involved in Significant Changes in Graduate Curricula
Desired
Outcome
Create a new
degree
program
Convert a pilot
program to a
regular
program
Add a new
option to an
existing
degree
Elevate an
existing option
to its own
degree
To add a self
support
version to an
existing state
support
program
To move a self
support
program to
state support
Close a
degree or
option
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Required
Documents
Relevant Web Sites
CSUN’s New
Program Proposal
form
Chancellor’s Office
Program Proposal
Template
Chancellor’s Office
Pilot Conversion
Proposal
http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/gsc-curriculum-forms
CSUN’s New
Program Proposal
form
Notification memo
http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/gsc-curriculum-forms
CSUN’s New
Program Proposal
form
Chancellor’s Office
Implementation
Proposal
CSUN’s Program
Modification Proposal
form
Notification memo
http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/gsc-curriculum-forms
CSUN’s Program
Modification Proposal
form
Notification memo
http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/gsc-curriculum-forms
CSUN’s Program
Modification Proposal
form
Notification memo
http://www.calstate.edu/app/program_dev.shtml
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/Pilot_Conversion.pdf
http://www.calstate.edu/app/program_dev.shtml
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/adding_concentrations.pdf
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/Option_Elevation.pdf
http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/gsc-curriculum-forms
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/Adding_Self_Support_to_StateSupportFinal.pdf
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/ss_to_state_convers
ion.pdf.
http://www.csun.edu/research-graduate-studies/gsc-curriculum-forms
http://www.calstate.edu/app/documents/program_modification/Program_Discontinu
ation.pdf
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