How to Submit a Proposal
Proposals may be submitted through Modern Campus Curriculum (formerly known as Curriculog). We strongly encourage faculty to work with us during the submission process to ensure that proposals are submitted properly. Please reach out to curric@jmu.edu to schedule a meeting.
Some proposals need additional steps of approval beyond the normal C&I process. Please read the 'Preview' section below to determine if your proposal meets these criteria. You can find more information on the New Programs page.
Faculty can find more resources for submitting curriculum proposals on our Resources page, including video tutorials.
Curriculum proposals undergo the approval process outlined in the flowchart and following description:
Curriculum and Organizational Changes Needing PCC, CAP, BOV and/or SCHEV Approvals
The table below is best viewed at horizontal orientation on your device.
| Proposal Type | Provost Curriculum Conference (PCC) Review | CAP Review | BOV Approval | SCHEV Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New degree program |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
New “major” (within degree programs) |
Yes |
Yes+ |
Yes+ |
No |
|
New concentration (UG) |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
New concentration (Grad) |
Usually |
Usually |
No++ |
No |
|
New minor |
Yes |
No – reported only |
No |
No |
|
New certificate program |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Delete a degree program |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Delete a “major” |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Delete a concentration (UG or Grad) |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Delete a minor |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Delete a certificate program |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Change credit hours for a degree program (if over 124 credits (UG) or changes by more than 3 aggregate credits (Grad) |
Possible (if resource needs or changing focus of program) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Significant change to a degree or certificate program focus/objectives/content |
Possible (if resource needs or changing focus of program) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Addition of a degree designation (e.g., adding a BS to an existing BA) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Discontinuation of a degree designation (e.g., removing a BS from an existing BA/BS degree) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
New academic unit (department, school, college) |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Name change to academic unit (department, school, college) |
Possible |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Name change to a degree or certificate program |
No |
No |
No* |
Yes |
|
CIP Code Change |
No |
No |
No* |
Yes |
|
Establishment or closure of a “partially-exempt”** or “fully-exempt”*** off-site location |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Establishment or closure of a “non-exempt”** off-site location |
Possible |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Establishment or closure of an international off-site location |
Possible |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
+Approval not always required, but presented to the Board
* As long as there are no substantial changes to the program, as determined by Academic Affairs.
** As defined by SCHEV organizational change policies.
++May be presented for informational purposes
Preview Process
Some kinds of proposals need to go through a preview process at the Provost's level through the Provost's Curriculum Conference (PCC). PCC review is the first step in the approval process for all new programs or programs requiring resources. PCC review ensures the proposed program fits JMU's mission, has been well-researched and planned and has resources available for the new program before the proposal can move forward.
Most course proposals and program change proposals do not have to go through the preview process. If course proposals are part of a new program, they should be packaged along with the program proposal.
Proposals that must go through PCC previews include:
- New programs, including majors/degrees programs, minors, certificate programs and some concentrations at the Graduate level
- Program changes that require additional resources
- Significant changes to a current program (may include program deletions)
- Program changes that affect General Education
- Program changes that significantly affect other programs or units across campus
- Any proposal that must go to SCHEV may be required to go through PCC preview
If your proposal fits any of the above criteria, please read the New Programs page and contact Paula Maxwell, the Associate Vice Provost for Curriculum, at maxwelpj@jmu.edu.
Academic Unit Level
Course and program proposals must be reviewed and voted on at the academic unit level of all areas involved in their offering.
- If a course is cross-listed, it must be approved at the academic unit level by all areas involved. For example, the course ACTG/MGT 333 must be approved by the School of Accounting and the Management Program.
- If a course is dual-level, it must be reviewed by both the graduate and undergraduate programs.
- If the course is used by different programs, all units using that course must approve the changes (some exceptions apply).
- Program proposals involving courses housed in other units must be approved by those other units.
The Academic Unit C&I Chair and the Academic Unit Head must approve a course or program proposal before it can move to the college-level review.
Some courses and program proposals require the approval of additional departments at the academic unit level. If a course offering involves the following areas, they must be notified and vote on the proposal before it can proceed:
- General Education
- Honors
- IDLS
- Teacher Education
College Level
Course proposals must be reviewed and voted on by the College Curriculum Committee of all involved areas. If a course is cross-listed, it must be approved at the college level by all colleges with academic units involved in its offering. Program proposals involving courses from other colleges must be approved by all colleges with academic units involved.
The College C&I Chair and the College Dean must approve course and program proposals before they can move to university review.
Graduate School Review
Graduate course proposals are reviewed by the Graduate Council, then the dean of the Graduate School.
University Level
After being approved at the academic unit, the college and, if appropriate, The Graduate School, course and program proposals are available for a university-wide review. Any faculty member can review the proposal during this time. All proposals are available for university review for two weeks.
Final Review
All curriculum proposals are reviewed by the Associate Vice Provost for Curriculum. This is the final step before proposals are entered into PeopleSoft and the undergraduate or graduate catalog.
