Approvals Required for New Courses/Programs

Academic units can propose new courses, programs, certificates, micro-credentials or minors. Academic units can also propose new elements to existing programs, such as new options or concentrations. The table below provides links to instructions for these different types of curricular additions. This information includes the general approvals required and an approximate timeline for the approval process. Once proposals are submitted in Courseleaf, progress through the approval process can be monitored through Courseleaf workflow. Please access relevant deadlines for Alabama Commission on Higher Education submissions here: ACHE Deadlines

Course

Degree Program

Certificate

Micro-credential

Minor

Enter information in Courseleaf

X
*Please review Credit Hour Policies

X

X

X

X

Upload ACHE non-degree certificate form

X

 X

Registrar approval

X

X

X

X

X

SACSCOC Liaison review to determine if ACHE/SACSCOC approvals needed;

X

X

X

X

X

Department Chair 

X

X

X

X

X

College Curriculum Committee 

X

X

X

X

X

Dean

X

X

X

X

X

Council of Academic Deans (COAD)

X

X

X

X

X

Submit to Faculty Digest for 15-day comment period

X

University Curriculum Committee (Undergraduate programs) or Graduate Council (Graduate programs)
(includes comments from 15-day comment period if required)

X

X

X

X

X

Board of Trustees

Approval

X

X

X

 *Board of Trustees notification is not required unless a minor is proposed for which a major does not already exist. In that case, it would be an approval item.

Board of Trustees notification/information item

X

ACHE approval

X

X

X

SACSCOC approval
Depends on % of new content

X

 X X

ACHE notification

X

X

SACSCOC notification
Depends on % of new content

 X X X

SACSCOC Advertising and Student Recruitment

*Please review the UNA Credit Hour Policy prior to submitting a new course proposal.

5.1 Credit Hour Policy: una-faculty-handbook-2024-25-initial-version.08-01-24.pdf

Please note as part of the Credit Hour Policy:

5.1 Zero Credit Hour Policy

Academic departments may offer zero (0) credit courses as part of degree programs to offer students unique experiences outside the traditional classroom environment, provided the work required of students in the course is less than what would be expected in a one (1) credit course. Requests for zero credit courses must be submitted through the established curriculum approval process.

Guidance to Committees Reviewing New Programs/ Courses

Proposals for zero (0) credit courses go through existing curriculum approval processes and should be evaluated in relation to UNA's Credit Hour Policy. Criteria to be considered include:

  • The course has clearly defined student learning outcomes.
  • The course is non-credit bearing and will not be included in the calculation of a student's GPA calculation
  • The course requires minimal faculty supervision and limited use of university resources, such as equipment or library materials.
  • Grading is conducted with minimal assessment.
  • The course grade is reported as Pass/Fail on transcript.

* *

ACADEMIC MATTERS REQUIRING BOT APPROVAL

Approval with Resolutions: New Degree Programs, New Majors, Micro-Credentials, New Schools, New Colleges, College Name Changes, Policies, to include Admissions Policies and Revisions, Strategic Plan, New Minors (if a New Minor is proposed for which we don't already have a major, then it should go to the Board for approval; conversely, if the new minor is in a program for which we already offer the major, then no Board review would be necessary), New Tracks (nursing), Certificates, New Options.