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New Major Degree Program Phases

Phase 1 - Request to Plan

The purpose of the Request to Plan (RTP) is to determine which degree programs UNF will explore for implementation over the period covered by the university strategic plan and the university accountability plan.

When an academic unit(s) decides to pursue a new degree program, the academic unit must notify the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) to initiate the RTP process. The RTP provides information about the proposed degree program such as program goals, need and demand for the program, how the program fits within the academic units’ strategic plan, and resources that might be necessary for successful implementation. Upon completion, the academic unit submits the RTP to the Director for Academic Programs and Accreditation in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE).

After review by the OIE, the proposal is submitted to the Provosts’ Leadership Team. Upon approval, the proposal is presented to the academic deans for consideration. Upon approval of the academic deans and in accordance with Board of Governors regulation 8.004, the RTP is presented to the State University System (SUS) Council of Academic Vice Presidents - Academic Coordination Group (CAVP-ACG) for review.

If no substantive concerns are raised by the CAVP-ACG, the proposed program is included in the academic program coordination section of the university accountability plan and the academic unit is granted permission to develop a new degree proposal. If substantive concerns are raised, the issues will be discussed by the Provosts’ Leadership Team prior to moving forward with Phase II.

When an academic unit receives permission to develop a new degree proposal, the degree program is included in UNF’s master plan. The degree proposal must be completed within a three-year period. Proposed degree programs, for which no proposal is submitted for consideration within the three-year period, will be removed from UNF’s master plan unless justification for extending a program’s inclusion on the master plan is approved by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Phase 2 - Proposal Development

To ensure that new academic programs within the Florida State University System are of the highest quality and are aligned with the Florida Board of Governors and university strategic plans, a standardized format for proposals is required – BOG Request to Offer a New Degree Program.

Baccalaureate program proposals must be congruent with a number of Board of Governors regulations.

  • If limited access is required, an official limited access request in accordance with Board Regulation 8.013 must be included as an appendix in the proposal. This action will delay the implementation of the program because Board of Governors approval is required.
  • Proposed curriculum must adhere to statewide common prerequisite for similar degree programs within the SUS. A request for an exception to the approved statewide common prerequisites must be approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee in accordance with Board of Governors Regulation 8.010.
  • Program length must be 120 semester hours. Pursuant to Board of Governors Regulation 8.014, a request for an exception to the 120 maximum program length must be approved by the Board of Governors.

To complete phase two, the academic unit submits the completed Request to Offer (RTO) to the Director for Academic Programs and Accreditation in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE). Upon completion of the OIE review, the RTO is submitted to the Provosts’ Leadership Team to initiate the approval process for phase two. The Provost will ask the dean sponsoring the program to discuss the merits of the proposal along with budget implications with the Provosts’ Leadership Team and the academic deans. Once approved by the Provosts’ Leadership Team and the academic deans, the proposal authors are notified that they may initiate the next phase.

Phase 3 & 4 – Faculty & Administrative Governance Processes

Faculty Governance

The academic unit will submit the proposal to the Academic Program Committee (APC) for review and approval. Upon approval, the proposal will be added to the Faculty Association agenda for a vote. If the Faculty Association approves the proposal, the proposal is provided to the provost for consideration. The provost will discuss the proposal with the president as appropriate.

Administrative Governance

If the president approves the degree proposal, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness will submit the proposal to the Academic and Student Affairs Committee (ASAC) of the Board of Trustees. If the ASAC approves the proposal, the item will be added to the consent agenda for approval by the full Board of Trustees. If the degree proposal is for a doctorate program, then it must also receive approval by the Florida Board of Governors.

After the Board of Trustees approves the proposal, UNF will submit the proposal to the Florida Board of Governors. The Board of Governors staff will review the proposal to assure compliance with Board regulations. Upon resolution of any outstanding issues regarding the program, Board staff will add the program to the SUS Academic Degree Program Inventory.

When applicable, the last step for final approval is the submission of a SACSCOC substantive change prospectus. If substantive change is not required, then the program is ready to begin the implementation phase.

Phase 5 – Degree Program Implementation

To implement a program, the academic unit must follow the APC guidelines for implementation of new programs. This normally entails the academic unit submitting a request to the APC for review and approval. The forms are first submitted to the academic units’ curriculum committee and then forwarded through the process outlined on the Faculty Association web site.