Graduate Course
Propose a new graduate course or change(s) to an existing graduate course
Proposals are reviewed to ensure coherence in course offerings at three levels: the department, the college, and the university. The process, the key contact person(s), and the time required for each stage are described below. The proposal of a new graduate course and the proposal of change(s) to a graduate course follow the same process.
The Process:
The process begins when a faculty member completes the one form and, in the case of a new course, the one form resources supplement, gathers the necessary additional materials, and submits the proposal for review. (For assistance, see the directions on the form, the line by line directions to the form, and the guidance on creating a strong graduate course syllabus, or 'outline', in the menu to the left.) The review stages vary slightly by department; some require a vote by the entire department or by a curriculum committee, but all CLA departments require the approval of the relevant graduate program director and the approval of the department chair.
The Contact Person(s)
The graduate program director and the department chair are the key contact persons for questions about this stage. Note: cross-listing a course requires the approval of each listed department.
The Schedule:
This stage of approval requires different amounts of time in different departments, because the approval process varies. Most departments hold faculty meetings, with an agenda set by the chair or an executive committee at a prior meeting, on a monthly basis during the Fall and Spring terms, so if approval of the entire department is needed, a review can take 1-2 months.
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Collegiate Review
The Process:
Review of graduate course offerings in the College of Liberal Arts is performed by the CLA Senate and confirmed by the CLA Dean. The process begins when an editable electronic word file (in Word) of the proposal and necessary materials such as syllabus an/or rationals are emailed by the department chair to the CLA.Senate@umb.edu . Some departments expect the faculty member originating the proposal to take this step; in others, the chair submits all approved proposals on a monthly basis. In either case, the Senate Moderator communicates with the faculty originator (named in the first box on the form) concerning any necessary changes spotted during review by the Senate Executive Committee (hereafter SEC). The Senate Moderator and SEC review all submissions, before adding the proposal to the Senate agenda for consideration by senators from every CLA department. Senators typically receive the agenda and materials for review one week prior to the meeting, and each department’s senator notifies the faculty of their department when their proposals will be reviewed. The Senate meetings are open, and the faculty members whose proposals are under review may attend, but typically questions about the proposal are addressed by the relevant department’s senator. Each senator notifies the faculty originator(s) of his/her department of any needed changes and/or the proposal's approval. The CLA Dean attends Senate meetings, so the Dean’s approval is typically given very shortly after Senate approval, although the Dean may contact the faculty originator about changes before confirming collegiate approval.
The Contact Person(s)
The department’s senator and the Senate Moderator are the key contact persons for questions about this stage. Since the CLA Dean's Office circulates Senate materials, s/he is also an important contact.
The Schedule:
The CLA Senate meets on a monthly basis during the Fall and Spring terms, so a review can take 1-2 months. Typically, a proposal submitted to the Senate Moderator on the day of a Senate meeting appears on the agenda of the Senate in the following month. The process may take longer if the SEC or the Senate needs to recommend significant changes before approval, or if an unusual amount of proposals are received in any given month.
The Process:
To ensure that graduate course offerings are consistent across the university, proposals approved by the CLA are reviewed by the Faculty Council and its Graduate Studies Committee (hereafter GSC) and the Provost’s Office. The process begins when the CLA’s Assistant Dean of Personnel and Scheduling sends the approved proposal, as an editable word file and in paper form with signatures, to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies may contact the faculty originator with questions before logging the editable version of the proposal into the GSC database, which is accessible to all GSC members, the graduate dean, and the Registrar. Once a proposal is in the database, the GSC chair assigns the proposal to two readers and the proposal appears on the agenda for the next GSC meeting. If the proposal is not approved by the GSC, a member of the GSC contacts the faculty proposal about necessary changes. Proposals approved by the GSC are sent to the Faculty Council (hereafter FC), to be added to the FC agenda. If the FC approves the proposal, and the approval is confirmed by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Provost, the fully approved course/course change is sent to the Registrar to be entered into the WISER system, so it can be scheduled. The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies receives notice of the full approval and notifies the faculty originator.
The Contact Person(s)
The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies is the key contact for this stage. The CLA Dean's Office passes on Senate materials to the Associate Dean and is therefore also an important contact.
The Schedule:
Both the Graduate Studies Committee and the Faculty Council meet on a monthly basis during the Fall and Spring terms, so a review can take 2-4 months, depending on the timing of meetings. Typically, a proposal reaches the FC agenda in the month following submission to the GSC, although the process may take longer if the GSC or FC needs to recommend significant changes before approval, or if an unusual amount of proposals are received in any given month.