Regulations & Policies

Academic Affairs - Graduate School

I. OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE

This policy establishes the guidelines for cross-level listing Graduate and Undergraduate courses. This is necessary for compliance with the expectations of UNF's regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, whose Comprehensive Standard 9.6 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." Program specific accrediting requirements should be governed by the appropriate academic department.

II. DEFINITIONS

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.

III. STATEMENT OF POLICY

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. Therefore, if it is necessary for an undergraduate and graduate course to be cross-level listed, it is imperative that a clear distinction is made in the student learning outcomes and in the work of the students. In this event, 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 cross-listed with a graduate course.
2. Each course must have a separate syllabus, and 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. Differentiated syllabi will be approved by the appropriate designee as determined by the college and Graduate School review process.
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 cross-listed or taught together at the same time and/or in the same 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 Dean of the Graduate School. Courses will not be formally scheduled until approved.

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