Program and Unit Changes

Below is information to assist with submitting proposals to add, change or delete a program or unit or to change program policies, including procedures, forms and guidelines. Information can also be found at the ADHE Academic Affairs Division website.

Complete the appropriate form(s) and save to your desktop or other desired location. Attach the completed form(s) to your program or unit change request online through CourseLeaf. You must attach your form(s) before submitting your request in CourseLeaf.

In addition to the Letters of Intent and the Letter of Notification referenced below, other forms that may be necessary include:

• Guidelines for Memorandum of Understanding
• Workforce Analysis Request Form

New Degree Programs or Certificates

A new degree program or certificate requires campus approval, as well as approval from the Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

• New Degree Program
  • A new program of instruction, regardless of mode of delivery, that results in a degree is considered a major program change. The program should complement and build upon existing programs and follow accepted higher education structure for the discipline and program level. If the degree program is designed for professional certification or licensure, documentation of appropriate agency/board approval must be submitted.
  • Definitions of degree programs are described in Appendix B of the AHECB Policy 5.11 Approval of New Degree Programs and Units document on the ADHE website.
  • Required documentation:
    • Letter of Intent - 1
    • Proposal – 1 (New Degree Program)
    • Workforce Analysis Request Form (utilize the CIP-SOC Crosswalk as a tool to respond to item 4a.)
    • Tution Costs and Salary Earnings
      1. Expected cost to students to earn the credential
      2. Expected student salary
      3. Expected salary after 5 years

A new certificate program requires campus approval, as well as approval from the Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  Each of these requests requires a Letter of NotificationThese include:

• New Graduate Certificate Program
  • A graduate certificate program consisting of 12-21 semester credit hours of existing graduate courses that reflects a coherent academic accomplishment or meets requirements for professional licensure or certification is considered a major program change.
  • Attach a document that includes the curriculum. The Word document must be in Times New Roman 12 point font with 1 inch margins.
  • Attach a separate document that includes:
    1. Expected cost to students to earn the credential
    2. Expected student salary
    3. Expected salary after 5 years
  • Division of Elementary and Secondary Education approval must be submitted for certificate programs for teacher licensure, endorsement, or certification.

• New Undergraduate Advanced Certificate Program (21-45 hours)
  • An undergraduate advanced certificate (21-45 semester credit hours) is considered a major program change. The certificate curriculum is developed from an approved bachelor’s degree program provided that 75 percent of the coursework is included in the existing degree program.
  • Attach a document that includes the curriculum. The Word document must be in Times New Roman 12 point font with 1 inch margins.
  • Attach a separate document that includes:
    1. Expected cost to students to earn the credential
    2. Expected student salary
    3. Expected salary after 5 years
  • Division of Elementary and Secondary Education approval must be submitted for certificate programs for teacher licensure, endorsement, or certification.

• New Undergraduate Certificate Program of Proficiency (6-21 hours)
  
  • An undergraduate certificate of proficiency consisting of 6-21 semester credit hours is considered a major program change.
  • Attach a document that includes the curriculum. The Word document must be in Times New Roman 12 point font with 1 inch margins.
  • Attach a separate document that includes:
    1. Expected cost to students to earn the credential
    2. Expected student salary
    3. Expected salary after 5 years
  • Division of Elementary and Secondary Education approval must be submitted for certificate programs for teacher licensure, endorsement, or certification.

New Additional Major, Concentration, or Minor

 These curriculum proposals only require campus approval.

• New Additional Major
  • Students fulfilling all requirements for the B.S., B.S.W., B.F.A. and B.M. degrees, including all core requirements and at least one major in these degree programs, may also claim an additional major in a humanistic discipline, social science, or interdisciplinary program associated with a BA degree. Upon completion of all major requirements of the additional discipline, the additional major will be made part of the student’s transcript; however, a B.A. degree is not awarded.

• New Concentration
  • A sub-set of requirements within the discipline-specific (field of study or major) requirements in a program of study leading to a graduate or bachelor’s degree (formerly termed specialization, area, emphasis, track, etc.). Examples are the doctor of philosophy degree with English as the field of study and a concentration in criticism or a bachelor of science in agricultural, food and life sciences with a major in food science and a concentration in food and culinary sciences.
  • The number of new theory courses added to the curriculum cannot exceed 21 semester credit hours (excluding a maximum of 6 semester credit hours of new clinical, practicum or internship courses). A concentration must have a minimum of 9 semester credit hours.

• New Minor
  • The lesser set of discipline-specific (or multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary) requirements in an undergraduate program of study. The minor typically consists of a minimum of 15 hours or more in a designated discipline.

Major Program Changes

Making major changes to an existing program of study requires campus approval, as well as approval from the Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  Each of these requests requires a Letter of Notification.  These include:

• Changing the Title of an Existing Degree Program, Certificate, or Major
  
  • Changes in name only of an existing degree, certificate, or major where the curriculum or emphasis will not be modified.
    
    
• Changing a CIP Code
  
  • Request a CIP Code change for an existing degree program when no changes to program curriculum are needed.

• Deleting a Degree Program or Certificate
  
  • Program deletions will be reported annually to the Coordinating Board.
  • Programs must state the last term new students may be admitted.
  • Programs must also define the last semester students can complete the degree or certificate.

• Reconfiguring an Existing Degree Program or Certificate
  • Reconfiguration of an existing undergraduate or graduate degree program to create a new degree.
  • The "before" and "after" curricula, a list of required core courses, new course descriptions, goals, objectives and student learning outcomes, as well as a justification for the new program must be submitted with the Letter of Notification.
  • If the reconfiguration to a program includes adding a new stand-alone major, the department must also submit a Workforce Analysis-Program Reconfiguration Request form.

• Requesting Approval to Offer an Existing Degree Program or Certificate at an Off-Campus Location
  
  • An existing certificate or degree program in which at least 50 percent of the total credits will be offered at an off-campus location.
  • The department or college proposing the program must submit the Letter of Notification and indicate why they plan to offer the program off-campus.
  • If the program will be offered at an off-campus location in Arkansas, documentation of the discussions with the chief academic and chief executive officers at the institutions in the surrounding area of the proposed off-campus location also must be submitted with the Letter of Notification. If a dispute occurs between the institutions, follow the Off-Campus Instruction Policy (AHECB 5.17).

• Requesting Approval to Offer an Existing Certificate or Degree Program via Distance Technology
  • An existing certificate or degree program in which at least 50 percent of the total credits will be offered through distance technology.
  • The Letter of Notification must indicate why the department or college plans to offer the program through distance technology.
  • Attach a copy of the "before" and "after" curricula to the Letter of Notification.

• Revising Curriculum of an Existing Degree Program or Certificate
  • Modification of more than 15 hours of program requirements.

Minor Program Changes

  Making minor changes to an existing program of study only requires campus approval. These include:

• Making Minor Program Changes
  • Modification of 15 or fewer hours of program requirements.
  • Changing an existing concentration, track, or focused study.
• Deleting a Concentration
  
  • Eliminating a concentration is considered a minor change.
  • Programs must state the last term new students may be admitted.
  • Programs must also define the last semester students can complete the concentration.

Education Program Protocol

If the program of study leads to a degree or certificate awarded by the University of Arkansas, submit the appropriate documentation from the list below via Program Management.

If the program of study leads to educator licensure or endorsement but does not include a degree or certificate awarded by the University of Arkansas, submit the appropriate documentation via Miscellaneous Request Management. 

• For additional information leading to educator licensure or endorsement, visit the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
  
• Appropriate documentation may be found in the Protocol for the Approval of Programs of Study Leading to Educator Licensure in Arkansas:
  • Professional Education Program Proposal Cover Sheet (required for all proposals).
  • Letter of Intent - 1.
  • For a New First-Time Licensure Program, submit the requested documentation from Section A.
  • For a New Educator Licensure Endorsement Program, submit the requested documentation from Section B.
  • For Revisions to an Approved Licensure Program, submit the requested documentation from Section C.
  • For Deletion of an Approved Licensure Program,  submit the requested documentation from Section D.

Miscellaneous Requests

 
Miscellaneous Request Management is only for requests that involve administrative changes, organizational changes, or educator licensure or endorsement changes that have no impact on degree requirements.  These changes may include:

• Changes to Test Credit
  • Examples may include AP, IB, CLEP etc.
  •  These changes only require campus approval.
• Deletion of an Organizational Unit
  • A Letter of Notification must be submitted with the deletion of an organizational unit.
  • An effective date must be included with the reason for proposed action.
  • Submit appropriate course and program changes when applicable.
• Education Protocol Endorsement
  • For  new endorsement programs that do not include a degree or certificate awarded by the University of Arkansas, submit a Cover Sheet and submit the requested documentation from Section B of the Protocol for the Approval of Programs of Study Leading to Educator Licensure in Arkansas.
  • For additional information, visit the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.
• Establishing a New Academic Administrative Unit
  • An academic administrative unit may include a new department, school, or college.
  • The unit would include faculty appointments as well as offer certificates and/or degree programs.
  • A Letter of Intent 2 must be submitted.
  • A second document must accompany the Letter of Intent and include:
    • Description of proposed administrative unit
    • Unit Initiation Date
    • Justification for establishment of new unit
    • Current and proposed organizational chart
    • Unit budget (new administrative costs and funding sources)
    • Institutional (Faculty Senate approval date) and Board of Trustees (meeting date) approval of proposed unit.
•  Establishing an Administrative Unit or Reorganization of Existing Administrative Unit
  • • An administrative unit is a center, division, or institute. The mission and role of the administrative unit must be submitted with the Letter of Notification.
    • Follow the procedures outlined in Academic Policy Series 1622.30 to design the proposal for a center or institute.  This second document must accompany the Letter of Notification.
    • Definitions of academic administrative units are described in Appendix B of the Criteria and Procedures for Preparing Academic Proposals document on the ADHE website.
    • An organizational chart must be submitted with the Letter of Notification ("before" and "after" charts must be included with a reorganization).
• Establishing an Off-Campus Location
  • • New off-campus instruction centers where students can receive a minimum of 50 percent of the credits in a major field of study that are required for an existing certificate or degree from the institution.
    • Instruction may be delivered on-site, through distance technology or correspondence.
    • A Letter of Notification must be submitted that includes the effective date, the address of the new location, and the programs to be offered at that location.
• Title Change of an Existing Organizational Unit
  • • No change in organizational structure.
    • A Letter of Notification that includes the effective date.

New Programs	Minor Program Changes	Inactivating Programs	Shortened Approval Workflow
Required for: Adding a New Minor Adding a New Concentration Adding a New Undergraduate MicroCertificate Adding a New Graduate MicroCertificate Adding a New Policy Adding a New Pre-Code Adding a New Dependent Major	Required for Existing Concentrations, MicroCertificates, Minors, Policies, and Pre-Codes: Changing a CIP Code Changing the Title Making Minor Changes (15 hours or fewer that include courses from another college) Requesting Approval to Offer Online Delivery	Required for: Inactivating an Existing Concentration Inactivating an Existing MicroCertificate Inactivating an Existing Minor Inactivating an Existing Policy Inactivating an Existing Pre- Code	Only Available for Changes that Meet the Following Criteria: Changes Do Not Affect Other Colleges Changes Do Not Modify the Total Required Hours Changes Do Not Add, Modify, or Delete Admission or Degree Requirements Other Than Course Changes Changes Conform to All University (and if relevant, Graduate School Policies)
Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps
College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial
Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level and if b, d, e, or f)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level and if a, b, c, or d)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level and if a, b, d, or e)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)
Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)	Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)	Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)
Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment
Registrar Initial Review	Registrar Initial Review	Registrar Initial Review	Registrar Initial Review
Institutional Research	Institutional Research	Institutional Research	Institutional Research
Department Chair	Department Chair	Department Chair	Department Chair
Department Curriculum Committee (if exists)	Department Curriculum Committee (if exists)	Department Curriculum Committee (if exists)	Department Curriculum Committee (if exists)
College Curriculum Committee (if exists)	College Curriculum Committee (if exists)	College Curriculum Committee (if exists)	College Curriculum Committee (if exists)
College Faculty Committee (if exists)	College Faculty Committee (if exists)	College Faculty Committee (if exists)	College Faculty Committee (if exists)
College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean
			Graduate Dean (if graduate level)
Global Campus	Global Campus	Global Campus	Global Campus
Provost Review	Provost Review	Provost Review
Undergraduate Council (if undergraduate level and if a, b, c, e, f or g)	Undergraduate Council (if undergraduate level and if a, b, c, or d)	Undergraduate Council (if undergraduate level and if a, b, c, d, or e)
Graduate Council (if graduate level and if b, d, e, or f)	Graduate Council (if graduate level and if a, b, c, or d)	Graduate Council (if graduate level and if a, b, d, or e)
Faculty Senate	Faculty Senate	Faculty Senate
Provost Final	Provost Final	Provost Final	Provost Final
Registrar Final	Registrar Final	Registrar Final	Registrar Final
Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)
Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final

New Programs	Major Program Changes	Educator Licensure Programs
Required for: Adding a New Degree Adding a New Additional Major Adding a New Stand-Alone Major from Reconfiguration Adding a New Undergraduate Certificate Adding a New Graduate Certificate	Required for: Changing a CIP Code for Certificate, Degree, or Major Changing Title of Certificate, Degree, or Major Reconfiguring a Degree Requesting Approval to Offer a Certificate or Degree at Off- Campus Location Requesting Approval to Offer a Certificate or Degree Online Revising Curriculum of a Certificate or Degree	Required for: Adding a New Degree Adding a New Certificate Adding a New Concentration Adding a New Minor Revising an Approved Licensure Program Deleting an Approved Licensure Program
Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps
College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial
Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)
Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)	Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)	Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)
Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment
Registrar Initial Review	Registrar Initial Review	Registrar Initial Review
		University Teacher Education Board
Institutional Research	Institutional Research	Institutional Research
Department Chair	Department Chair	Department Chair
Dept Curriculum Committee (if exists)	Dept Curriculum Committee (if exists)	Dept Curriculum Committee (if exists)
College Curriculum Committee (if exists)	College Curriculum Committee (if exists)	College Curriculum Committee (if exists)
College Faculty Committee (if exists)	College Faculty Committee (if exists)	College Faculty Committee (if exists)
College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)
Dean of University Libraries (if a)		Dean of University Libraries (if a)
Global Campus	Global Campus	Global Campus
Provost Review	Provost Review	Provost Review
Undergraduate Council (if undergraduate level and if a, b, c, or d)	Undergraduate Council (if undergraduate level)	Undergraduate Council (if undergraduate level)
Graduate Council (if graduate level and if a, c, or e)	Graduate Council (if graduate level)	Graduate Council (if graduate level and if a, b, c, e, or f)
Faculty Senate	Faculty Senate	Faculty Senate
Provost Final	Provost Final	Provost Final
Provost’s Office—Documentation sent to the System Office	Provost’s Office—Documentation sent to the System Office	Provost’s Office—Documentation sent to the System Office (if a, b, e, or f)
Higher Learning Commission (if a, c, d, or e)	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission (if a, b, e, or f)
Board of Trustees	Board of Trustees	Board of Trustees (if a, b, e, or f)
ADHE Initial (if a)		ADHE Initial (if a)
ADHE Final	ADHE Final	ADHE Final (if a, b, e, or f)
		Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
Provost’s Office—Notification of Approval	Provost’s Office—Notification of Approval	Provost’s Office—Notification of Approval
Registrar Final	Registrar Final	Registrar Final
Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)
Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final

On Campus	Off Campus	Educator Licensure
Required for: Changing Test Credit (AP, IB, CLEP, etc.) Other	Required for: Changing Title of an Existing Organizational Unit Deleting an Organizational Unit Establishing an Academic Administrative Unit Establishing an Administrative Unit (Center or Institute) Establishing an Off-Campus Location Reorganizing an Existing Administrative Unit	Required for: Adding a Non-Certificate/Non-Degree New First-Time Licensure Adding a Non-Certificate/Non-Degree New Endorsement Deleting a Non-Certificate/Non-Degree Endorsement or Licensure Revising a Non-Certificate/Non-Degree Endorsement or Licensure Revising a Certificate/Degree Licensure WITHOUT Academic Program Changes
Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps	Approval Workflow Steps
Registrar Initial	Registrar Initial	Registrar Initial
College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial	College Dean Initial
Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)	Graduate Dean Initial (if graduate level)
Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)	Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)	Provost Initial (resource availability and academic centrality)
Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment	Director of Curriculum Review and Program Assessment
		University Teacher Education Board
Department Chair	Department Chair	Department Chair
College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)	College Dean (other academic deans as applicable)
		COEHP College Dean
	Vice Chancellor for Economic Development
	Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation
		Global Campus
Provost Final	Provost Final	Provost Final
Provost Final Notify	Provost Final Notify	Provost Final Notify
	Provost’s Office—Documentation sent to the System Office
	Higher Learning Commission
	Board of Trustees
	ADHE Final
		Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
	Provost’s Office—Notification of Approval	Provost’s Office—Notification of Approval
Registrar Final	Registrar Final	Registrar Final
Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)	Campus Notification (notification only)
Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final	Catalog Editor Final

Here are some things to be aware of before you get started with the program/unit change request process:

• Faculty and staff with a valid UARK username and password can log in to Program Management to view and submit program/unit change proposals. However, security to approve program changes in a designated role (department chair, dean’s office, etc.) must be authorized by your college or school.
• Although the system automatically determines the appropriate approval process (major or minor), based on the changes requested within the edited form itself, you can preview the potential workflow steps for any given program change before editing by selecting the program from the Program Management page and then clicking on the “Preview Workflow” link.

  

• Program Management allows users to attach supporting documentation, such as Letters of Intent, Letters of Notification, MOUs, etc. In order to save time when submitting proposals, you might want to have those ready as a separate document(s) to facilitate data entry.
• Information needed for the form will include, among other things:
  • Program code and title
  • Method of delivery
  • Program requirements and description
  • Program costs
  • Library resources
  • Instructional facilities
  • Faculty resources
  • Program goals and objectives
  • Learning outcomes
  • Justification for request
• Please review program proposals before submitting them to workflow. Attachments must be added before the proposal is submitted to workflow.
• The following how-to document might be useful to review before submitting a program proposal. You can also contact the Office of the Registrar’s Curriculum Management team, 575-5451, if you have questions about using Program Management.
  • How to Submit a Program/Unit Change Proposal in Program Management

To approve a program/unit proposal, please log in to the approval page.

Instructions for Program Approvers