Annual Curriculum Cycle and Deadlines

Overview

This outlines the annual curriculum review cycle and deadlines for curriculum changes. The relevant submission deadlines are intended implementation in the subsequent Fall semester. All curriculum proposals must be submitted through Coursedog, the university’s official curriculum management and approval system.

Annual Curriculum Cycle Steps

  1. Curriculum Assessment
    • Faculty analyze curriculum, transfer pathways, and articulation agreements for updates;
    • Faculty consult stakeholders and determine changes needed;
  2. Proposal Development and Submission
    • Faculty develop and submit curriculum proposals into Coursedog;
    • Consult with the Curriculum Coordinator as needed;
  3. Review, Consult, Recommend, and Approve Proposals
    • Departments, College, and University curriculum committees review curriculum proposals and make recommendations;
    • Assessment Office and SCSU Online review curriculum proposals as needed;
    • Provost Designee reviews proposals and makes decisions;
    • MinnState, HLC, or other external organizations review proposals as needed;
  4. Records and Catalog Updates
    • ISRS and DARS records are updated;
    • Catalog records are updated;
  5. Communication and Implementation
    • Notifications sent to constituents (i.e. department chairs, admissions, advisors, staff);
    • Web pages that include curriculum information are updated;
    • Marketing and recruitment materials are updated and published;

Curriculum Deadlines

November 1st - Deadline for Curriculum Proposal Submissions

November 1st is the deadline to submit all course and program curriculum changes for Fall implementation. If November 1st falls on a weekend or holiday, submissions will be accepted through the next business day.

Proposals submitted after the deadline will be accepted; however, they may not complete the review and approval process in time for implementation for Fall semester. In these cases, updates may be approved but not implemented until the next semester or cycle. Early submissions are strongly encouraged.

February 1st - Deadline for Course Decisions

The fall schedule is publicly released in February. As such, review and approval of new courses and changes must be completed by February 1st. If department, faculty committee, dean, and provost recommendations are not completed by this operational deadline, implementation may be delayed until the next semester or cycle. 

May 1st - Deadline for Program Decisions

The spring semester, and faculty contractual obligations, end for the academic year around May 1st. As such, review and approval of new programs and changes must be completed by May 1st. If department, faculty committee, dean, and provost recommendations are not completed by this operational deadline, implementation may be delayed until the next semester or cycle. Once curriculum changes are approved in concept, further administrative processing (MinnState, HLC, Records, Catalog) can continue during the summer.

Important Notes

Curriculum proposals requiring external approval (e.g., Minnesota State, accreditation, licensure, or federal reporting) may require additional review time, especially for new programs. Both conceptual approval and full administrative implementation must be completed before program advertising and student recruitment can begin. Especially for graduate programs, recruitment usually begins at least 6 months ahead of program launch. 

Faculty are encouraged to consult with the Curriculum Coordinator early in the proposal development process in order to allow appropriate time to process curriculum approvals and allow sufficient time for student recruitment.

Important Dates

1st Day of Fall Semester - Current and Future Catalog Published in Catalog

Curriculum updates effective for fall term will be appear live in the current academic year catalog on the first day of fall semester. Curriculum that has been approved for the following year can be viewed by navigating to the future academic year catalog.

Course Schedule and Student Registration Schedule

Please see the Course Production Schedule for dates when the course schedule is viewable by students as well as the date when course registration opens.

Type of Curriculum Changes

The following curriculum changes must be submitted through Coursedog:

Programs

  • New or revised academic programs
  • Changes to program title, credit requirements, CIP code, delivery mode, or campus location require MinnState and HLC approval
  • Changes to program description or learning outcomes
  • Creation, suspension, or revision of concentrations
  • Changes to program requirements and degree maps
  • Five-year accelerated bachelor's-to-master's programs
  • Double majors, second majors, and dual-degree graduate programs
  • Accreditation-required program changes
  • Licensure-required program changes

Courses

  • New or revised courses
  • Course renumbering or prefix changes
  • Liberal Education Program (LEP) goal area
  • Dropping courses from the catalog

Curriculum Support Services

If you have questions about the curriculum review process, or need assistance preparing or submitting curriculum proposals in Coursedog, please contact curriculum@stcloudstate.edu.

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