New Courses
Steps for Submitting New Course Proposals to College Curriculum Committee
For an overview of the On-Line Curricular Approval Process, see below. The directions immediately below apply specifically to the proposal of new courses in CLAS.
- Complete the on-line UCC1 form (approval.ufl.edu) DO NOT do an electronic approval of this form until the department curriculum committee has reviewed the complete package.
- Other departments must be consulted if there appears to be any overlap of instruction or interest for possible crossover. Consultation results and contact information from those departments must be included on the Course Approval Checklist Form
- Seek approval from the departmental curriculum review committee (include UCC1, syllabus, Course Overview, and Course Approval Checklist with outside consultation results), see Departmental Review Guidelines
- Once the department curriculum committee has approved the new course proposal and all comments from consultations have been received, the Chair/director can approve the on-line UCC1, with the appropriate attachments (Course Approval Checklist and syllabus), and forward to the College Curriculum Committee
On-Line Curricular Approval Process
The on-line web tool introduced last Spring for curricular approval is now fully functional. The new Approval System not only helps departments track additions and changes to their undergraduate and graduate curricula, but also proposals for new degrees and majors and the removal of outdated ones.
All requests must be submitted electronically where they will be tracked from the originator all the way through the university’s administrative bodies.
Access requires a Gatorlink account, and anyone with a Gatorlink account may submit a request or review the status of a request.
To begin submitting a proposal, go to http://approval.ufl.edu and chose either the link for New Degree Program or graduate/undergraduate curriculum. Instructions are provided on the submission page for each type of request.
After filling out the request, additional documents may be attached with the request being submitted. Persons with approval authority can made and explain one of the following decisions:
- Approve – moves the request forward to the next higher level.
- Deny – stops the process, no further action can occur.
- Recycle – returns request to last approver or submitter.
- Tabled – holds the request at that level in process.
- Transferred – sends request to another unit at same level for review.
Departmental Review Guidelines for New Course Submissions
Departmental Review
Before course proposals are sent to the CCC, they must be reviewed and approved by the chair or director of the relevant department or program, in conjunction with that unit’s curriculum committee or equivalent. By submitting the proposal you indicate that such a review has taken place and that the proposed course fits into the overall curriculum in an appropriate fashion. Such a review must include an examination of a complete syllabus for the course as well as a consideration of the number of credit hours assigned. To ensure that the credit hours are commensurate with the work required. The following guidelines may be used.
Credit hour guidelines: One semester credit hour is earned for fifteen 50-minute sessions of classroom instruction, with a normal expectation of two hours of outside study for each class session. Typically, a three-semester credit hour course meets for three 50-minute sessions per week for fifteen weeks, for a total of 45 sessions (with six hours per week of outside study or preparation by the student). For courses in which student activities is supervised as a group (e.g., lab, field trip, practicum, workshop, viewing of film or other media), a semester credit hour is awarded for the equivalent of fifteen periods of such activity, where each activity period is 150 minutes or more in duration with little or no outside preparation by the student is expected. Where such activity involves substantial outside preparation by the student, the equivalent of fifteen periods of 100 minutes duration each will earn one semester credit hour.
Sample/typical Syllabus: In examining the syllabus for the proposed course, it should be kept in mind that UF has a general policy regarding all syllabi, requiring that they contain the following (see http://www.ir.ufl.edu/fac_handbook/syllabi.htm):
- Course title, professor’s contact information, office location, telephone number, and TA contact information if applicable
- Office hours for the professor (and TA if applicable) during which the students may meet with the professor
- Course objectives and/or goals
- A topical outline (at least tentative) of subjects to be covered
- Methods by which students will be evaluated and their grade determined
- Policy related to class attendance
- Policy related to make-up exams and other work
- Policy regarding academic integrity
- Statement related to accommodations for students with disabilities such as: “Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.”
- Required and recommended textbooks
Gordon Rule or General Education Status, contact Associate Provost W. Andrew McCollough, Chair of the General Education Committee, 392-1202. (Forms at: www.aa.ufl.edu/gened). Please remember when applying for GenEd or Gordon Rule the GenEd Committee requires all supporting documentation including a complete course syllabi.
It is to be stressed that students often see syllabi as contractual in nature, and faculty are strongly encouraged to include sufficiently clear policies regarding the methods of determining grades so as to deter later confusion and controversy over those grades. Instructional faculty are expected to post their course syllabi to a student accessible website and submit copies of course syllabi to the departmental office to document compliance with this policy. The department/program should develop a uniform system for collecting and maintaining these syllabi and ensure compliance. A copy of this syllabus must accompany the course proposal at the time it is submitted to the CCC.
Consultation
If there are any departments, programs or centers at UF with which this course might overlap in a substantial way, you must consult with the chair or director of those units to determine whether there are objections or recommendations. Please provide them with a complete sample syllabus. Summarize the responses and provide the name(s) and contact information of the person(s) consulted on the CLAS Course Approval Checklist, under section B, Consultation.
Further Information
- If there is anything out of the ordinary regarding the proposed pre-requisites or co-requisites for this course, explain those under section C of the CLAS Course Approval Checklist. Keep in mind that a suitable pre-requisite may encompass a range of courses (e.g., “any 300-level or higher course with such a prefix”) and that one option is to require either a certain course or permission of the instructor.
- If you wish to provide further information on the design or intent of proposed course, you should provide that information under section C of the CLAS Course Approval Checklist also. This may include information regarding the typical class size you anticipate for this course, how often it is likely to be offered, whether it is to be typically accompanied by a lab, if it will likely be cross-listed, or anything about ordinary class routine that may bear explaining. If more information is needed regarding the role of the course in the program, beyond what is described on the Course Overview Form, such as interest shown by students, similar courses and its distinctness from them, you should include that here also.
