Cross-Level Listing of Graduate and Undergraduate Courses

Cross-level listing occurs when an undergraduate and graduate course are offered at the same time, with the same instructor, and in the same physical or online space. While the classroom experience is shared between the undergraduate and graduate students, the actual courses are expected to have content, learning outcomes, and assessment measures that are both separate and distinct.

In general, the cross-level listing of undergraduate and graduate courses should be rare and require compelling, academically defensible rationales for combining students of such different academic levels. Graduate-level work must demonstrably involve a greater degree of analysis, synthesis, rigor, critical thought and independence than undergraduate-level work. This means graduate level courses should not be cross-listed on the official course schedule with an undergraduate course unless and until instructor-specific, differentiated syllabi have been vetted and approved by The Graduate School. Approval is necessary for compliance with the expectations of UNF's institutional accreditor which requires that an institution be able to clearly demonstrate that its "post-baccalaureate professional degree programs, master's and doctoral degree programs, are progressively more advanced in academic content than its undergraduate programs." Approvals are valid for three years at which time updated instructor-specific, differentiated syllabi may be submitted to The Graduate School for review. Program specific accrediting requirements should be governed by the appropriate department.

For this purpose, the following guidelines should be observed:

1. Acceptable configurations of such courses include only 4000/5000 and 4000/6000 cross-listings. Undergraduate courses at the 3000 level or below should not be co-listed with a graduate course.

    

2. Each course must have a separate syllabus. Specific student learning outcomes are to be provided for each course clearly indicating the greater degree of analysis, synthesis, rigor, critical thought, and independence required for the graduate course.

    

3. The expectations of graduate students must be commensurate with the level of the graduate course and exceed the expectations of the academic content of the undergraduate course. Graduate students are to do more difficult work, not just more work, than undergraduate students.

    

4. Course titles should be similar but do not need to be identical.

Courses that do not meet the above qualifications for cross-level listing may not be taught together in the same time and/or space. Approved courses are based on submitted content only and do not apply if course details such as assigned instructor, title/topic or level changes occur. Courses that vary by term such as Special Topics require unique approvals for each topic offered. Exemptions to this policy must be approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Courses will not be formally scheduled until approved.

View the University's current official policy on cross-level listing of courses.