THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
CAROLINA OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
The Board of Governors of the University of North
Carolina has the responsibility to "determine the
functions, educational activities, and academic programs
of the constituent institutions" [G.S. 116-11(3)].
Therefore, in response to the changing environment for
higher education, the board approved the following
revised procedures for academic program development at
its October 13, 2000 meeting. These new procedures,
effective this date, supersede previous procedures,
including those described in Administrative Memorandum
106 and all editions of the Academic Program Development
Procedures manual published prior to 2000.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR PLANNING AND
ESTABLISHING NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
A. PROGRAM DEFINITIONS
1. Degree Programs
Academic degree programs in the 16 constituent
institutions of the University of North Carolina are
offered at the following levels:
Bachelor's degrees, usually requiring four years of
study beyond high school;
Master's degrees, usually requiring one or two
years of study beyond the bachelor's degree;
First Professional degrees in law, education,
dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine
(J.D., Ed.D., D.D.S., M.D., Pharm.D., and D.V.M.), for
which the bachelor's degree and sometimes the master's
degree are prerequisites and usually requiring three
or four years of study beyond the bachelor's
degree;
Doctoral degrees (Ph.D., D.M.A., and Dr.P.H.), for
which the bachelor's degree and sometimes the master's
degree are prerequisites and usually requiring three
or four years of study beyond the bachelor's or
master's degree.
2. Degree Program Classification
The University of North Carolina uses the
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)* to
classify its programs in the UNC Academic Program
Inventory (API). The CIP classifies all university
degree programs into 52 major discipline divisions.
Currently UNC constituent institutions offer programs
in 30 of these discipline divisions. These are:
01. Agricultural Business and
Production
02. Agricultural Sciences
03.
Conservation and Renewable Natural
Resources
04. Architecture and Related
Programs
05. Area, Ethnic and Cultural
Studies
09. Communications
11. Computer
and Information Sciences
13. Education
14.
Engineering
15. Engineering-Related
Technologies
16. Foreign Languages and
Literatures
19. Home Economics
22. Law and
Legal Studies
23. English Language and
Literature/Letters
24. Liberal Arts and
Sciences, General Studies and Humanities |
25. Library Science
26.
Biological Sciences/Life Sciences
27.
Mathematics
30. Multi/Interdisciplinary
Studies
31. Parks, Recreation, Leisure and
Fitness Studies
38. Philosophy and Religion
39. Theological Studies (Religious/Sacred
Music only)
40. Physical Sciences
42.
Psychology
43. Protective Services
44.
Public Administration and Services
45. Social
Sciences and History
50. Visual and
Performing Arts
51. Health Professions and
Related Sciences
52. Business Management and
Administrative Services |
Discipline divisions are divided further into discipline specialties, which
for the most part are represented by four-digit CIP
codes. For example, the discipline division
Engineering (14) consists of such discipline
specialties as agricultural engineering (14.03),
architectural engineering (14.04), chemical
engineering (14.07), civil engineering (14.08), etc.,
while the discipline division Physical Sciences (40)
includes such discipline specialties as astronomy
(40.02), chemistry (40.05), geological sciences
(40.06), and physics (40.08). In a few cases,
discipline specialties are indicated by six-digit CIP
codes rather than at the four-digit level since the
descriptions of areas are so dissimilar as to
constitute different discipline specialties. These
situations are found in the following codes and
constitute an exception to the four-digit rule of
thumb:
05. Area, Ethnic and Cultural
Studies
05.01 Area Studies (05.0101 African
Studies; 05.0102 American Studies; 05.0103 Asian
Studies; etc.)
05.02 Ethnic and Cultural Studies
(05.0201 Afro-American Studies; 05.0202 American
Indian Studies;
05.0207 Women's Studies; etc.)
13. Education
13.12 General Teacher
Education (13.1201 Adult and Continuing Teacher
Education; 13.1202 Elementary Teacher Education;
13.1203 Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Teacher
Education; 13.1204 Pre-Elementary/Early
Childhood/Kindergarten Teacher Education;
etc.)
13.13 Teacher Education, Specific Academic
and Vocational Programs (13.1301 Agricultural Teacher
Education; 13.1302 Art Teacher Education; etc.)
26. Biological Sciences/Life
Sciences
26.06 Miscellaneous Biological
Specializations (26.0601 Anatomy; 26.0603 Ecology;
26.0607 Marine/Aquatic Biology; 26.0609 Nutritional
Sciences; etc.)
26.07 Zoology (26.0701 Zoology;
26.0702 Entomology; 26.0704 Pathology; 26.0705
Pharmacology; 26.0706 Physiology; etc.)
40. Physical Sciences
40.07 Miscellaneous
Physical Sciences (40.0701 Metallurgy; 40.0702
Oceanography; 40.0703 Earth and Planetary Sciences;
40.0799 Miscellaneous Physical Sciences, Other)
51. Health Professions and Related
Sciences
51.23 Rehabilitation/Therapeutic
Services (51.2301 Art Therapy; 51.2302 Dance Therapy;
51.2303 Hypnotherapy; 51.2304 Movement Therapy; etc.)
3. Degree Programs
Discipline specialties (represented by the
four-digit CIP codes) are the categories from which
UNC degree programs are delineated (represented by the
six-digit CIP codes). Each 6-digit CIP code
distinguishes a single instructional program at the
degree level specified by the institution. For
example, the discipline division of Visual and
Performing Arts is coded at the 50 level. The 4-digit
sub-categories, the discipline specialties, include
Dance (50.03), Dramatic/Theater Arts and Stagecraft
(50.05), and Music (50.09). Within the 4-digit
grouping of Dramatic/Theater Arts and Stagecraft
(50.05), there are six instructional programs:
Drama/Theater Arts, General (50.0501), Technical
Theater/Theater Design and Stagecraft (50.0502),
Acting and Directing (50.0503), Playwriting and
Screenwriting (50.0504), Drama/Theater Literature,
History and Criticism (50.0505), and Dramatic/Theater
Arts and Stagecraft, Other (50.0599).
Definitions
Within the University's program inventory, the
following definitions are provided for instructional
program planning:
The thirty discipline
divisions in the current UNC Academic
Program Inventory (API) are the broad areas of study
in which all University degree programs are
classified. The discipline divisions are specified
in the UNC API at the two-digit CIP code level.
The discipline
specialties delineate further the
discipline divisions and describe more specifically
the areas of study from which the degree programs
are categorized. Except in the cases cited
previously, the discipline specialties are
represented in the UNC API at the four-digit CIP
code level.
A degree program
is a program of study in a discipline specialty that
leads to a degree in that distinct specialty area at
a particular level of instruction. All degree
programs are categorized individually in the
University's academic program inventory at the
six-digit CIP code level. As a general rule, in
order to be considered for degree program status, a
course of study should require at least 27 semester
hours in the proposed program area at the
undergraduate level; at least half the number of
hours required for the degree at the master's level;
and at least 21 hours in the proposed program area
at the doctoral level. Anything less than this
within an existing degree program should be
designated a concentration, a decision that can be
made at the campus level.
Although in general a discipline specialty is
represented by a four-digit CIP, the level of
disaggregation in some of the CIP codes (as
exemplified above with Area Studies, Education,
Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Health
Professions and Related Sciences) is such that chief
academic officers are urged to consult with the
appropriate staff person in the Division of Academic
Affairs before submitting any request for a new degree
program if there are any questions about its
classification or categorization.
4. Certificate of Advanced Study
Programs (C.A.S.)
In addition to degree programs, some of the
constituent institutions offer specific courses of
study for professional licensure in education which
are not associated with the conferral of a particular
degree. These programs usually require one year of
study beyond the master's degree and provide a higher
level of licensure for public school teachers and
administrators. The basic licensure requirements for
public school teachers and administrators are defined
by the State Board of Education.** It is the policy of
the Board of Governors to use the designation
"Certificate of Advanced Study" with respect to all
sixth-year programs established for public school
personnel and to authorize no Ed.S. (Specialist in
Education) degree programs beyond those now in
existence.
5. Other Certificates
In addition to the
C.A.S., some of the constituent
institutions offer other "certificates" that combine
specific degree-credit courses at the graduate or
undergraduate level to provide professional
development for practitioners.
6. Teacher Licensure Areas
(T.L.A.)
Constituent institutions with teacher education
programs approved by the State Board of Education may
offer specific course clusters in approved teacher
licensure areas which meet licensure requirements of
the State Board of Education but do not lead to the
conferral of a particular degree or a Certificate of
Advanced Study. These may be at the entry level or
advanced level of teacher licensure. When an
institution receives authorization to offer a T.L.A.
from the State Board of Education, the Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs should be notified. A
current inventory of teacher licensure programs
approved by the State Board of Education is available
from the North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction.
B. ACADEMIC PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
REQUIRING AUTHORIZATION OR ACTION BEYOND THE CAMPUS
LEVEL
The chancellors of the constituent institutions shall
communicate to the Senior Vice President*** of the
University their intentions or requests with respect to
instructional program development for the following:
C. PROCEDURES FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT OR
MODIFICATION
1. Campus Program Development
Procedures
Each institution must have a clearly defined
process for campus review and approval of proposals to
plan and, once planning is completed, a process for
approving requests to establish new academic degree
programs. The appropriate campus committees and
authorities must approve any notification or request
to plan or establish a new degree program before
submitting it to the Division of Academic Affairs at
the Office of the President (OP).
2. Planning New Undergraduate,
Master's, and C.A.S. Programs
Institutions wishing to plan new degree programs at
the undergraduate or master's level or Certificates of
Advanced Study (C.A.S.) must send a notification of
intent to plan to the Division of Academic Affairs
(OP). Such notification may be sent at any time, but
at least six months prior to the proposed date of
establishment, using the form developed for this
purpose.
Appendix A:
Notification of Intent to Plan a New Baccalaureate,
Master's, or C.A.S. Program
To assist institutions preparing to plan new
programs, Academic Affairs staff will make available a
link to the CIP taxonomy, an up-to-date Academic
Program Inventory for UNC institutions, and a 10-year
history of enrollment of majors and degrees awarded by
program and institution within the UNC system.
Institutions planning a new degree program will be
expected to contact other institutions awarding the
proposed degree during the planning process regarding
their experience with program productivity
(applicants, majors, job market, placement, etc.).
Upon receipt of the notification of intent to plan,
Academic Affairs will 1) acknowledge receipt of the
notification; 2) provide any additional information
not yet posted regarding location of similar programs;
and 3) add this program-planning activity to a list
that will be maintained by Academic Affairs and made
accessible to all UNC institutions. All UNC
institutions will be expected to consult this list
periodically to remain informed about programs being
planned by other UNC institutions.
Following notification of intent to plan, the
institution will have one year to complete planning
and submit a request to establish the proposed
program. If planning is not completed within the year,
the campus may, under special circumstances, request a
one-year extension. If the institution fails to
complete the program plan within its allotted time, it
must wait three years before resubmitting notification
of intent to plan that program.
The program planning activity is intended as an
opportunity for an institution to make the case for
need and demand and for its ability to offer a quality
program. This activity, by itself, does not guarantee
that program authorization will be granted.
3. Planning New Doctoral and First
Professional Degree Programs
Institutions wishing to plan new degree programs at
the doctoral or first professional level must seek
authorization to plan the program, using the
appropriate form (Appendix B). Campus requests must be
the result of comprehensive strategic planning. The
formal request to plan must indicate how the proposed
program fits into the institution's comprehensive
strategic plan and address issues such as need,
demand, potential duplication, readiness of the
institution to offer the program, and potential costs.
Requests for authorization to plan may be submitted
annually by a fixed date established by the Senior
Vice President for Academic Affairs.
UNC chief academic officers and graduate deans, at
their periodic meetings with the Senior Vice
President, will be invited to discuss issues such as
need and demand, opportunities for collaboration, etc.
with respect to graduate education. The Senior Vice
President, after appropriate consultation with the
Graduate Council, will present recommendations
regarding authorization to plan doctoral and first
professional programs to the Committee on Educational
Planning, Policies, and Programs for approval.
Authorization to plan a new degree program does not
in any way constitute a commitment on the part of the
Committee on Educational Planning, Policies, and
Programs or the Board of Governors to approve a
subsequent request to establish the program. Planning
authorization signifies that the committee finds merit
in the general proposition, that there may be
sufficient need for the program, and that the
suggested program is consistent with the assigned
mission of the institution. Such authorization
constitutes clearance for the institution to document
and further justify the need and demand for the
proposed program. Following authorization to plan, an
institution will have two years to complete its
planning and submit a request to establish the
proposed program.
If the request to establish is not completed within
this period, the campus may request a one-year
extension. If the institution fails to submit a
proposal within its allotted time, it must wait three
years before resubmitting a request to plan that
program. Similarly, if the request to plan is denied,
the institution may not resubmit this request for
three years.
4. Planning New Degree
Programs-Notification of the Committee on Educational
Planning, Policies, and Programs and the Commission on
Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools
The Board of Governors' Committee on Educational
Planning, Policies, and Programs will receive
semi-annual reports, prepared by Academic Affairs, on
the status of undergraduate and graduate programs
being planned.
The General Substantive Change Policy for
Accredited Institutions of the Commission on Colleges
(COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS) requires that the Commission receive
prior notification one year in advance if an
institution is planning to introduce a degree program
at a more advanced level than previously authorized
(e.g., a master's level institution planning its first
degree program at the doctoral level). An institution
may not initiate a degree program at a more advanced
level without prior approval from SACS. When an
institution receives authorization to plan a new
degree program at a more advanced level than those
previously authorized, a copy of the Office of the
President's letter of authorization is sent to SACS
and the chancellor of the institution is reminded to
notify SACS. SACS may request additional information.
The Commission on Colleges also requires prior
notification and prior approval if an institution is
adding a degree at the same level for which the
institution is already accredited and the new program
will result in a "significant modification in the
nature and scope of the institution." The following
procedures have been adopted to facilitate compliance
with these policies and procedures.****
The UNC Academic Program Inventory (API) classifies
all university degree programs into 30 major
discipline divisions (see page 1). Each campus also
has an inventory of authorized programs listed by
discipline division and degree program title. Planning
a program in a different discipline division than
those currently authorized is interpreted as a
potential substantive change. When an institution
begins to plan a program in a new discipline division,
a copy of the letter of authorization (if the program
is at the doctoral or first professional level) is
sent to SACS, and the chancellor of the institution
must also notify SACS of the potential substantive
change. If SACS interprets this as a significant
modification, it may request additional information.
The institution should inform the Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs of any communications
from SACS regarding the substantive change policy as
it relates to the planning of new programs, especially
if it is determined that a program in a new discipline
division constitutes a significant modification in the
nature and scope of the institution.
5. Establishing New Degree
Programs
Requests for authorization to establish a new
degree program (Appendix C) may be submitted at any
time after "notification of intent to plan" has been
submitted for undergraduate and master's programs and
after planning authorization has been granted for
doctoral and first professional programs.
In general it is expected that funding to support
new degree programs will be provided through a
combination of internal reallocations, enrollment
increase funds, and external grants. Where appropriate
(i.e., in cases where there is convincing evidence of
potential for program success if initial support is
provided) and when central funds are available,
start-up funds will be provided, generally for no more
than three years, with the expectation that the
program will ultimately be self-sustaining and the
start-up funds will be returned and recycled for the
use of other UNC programs. In cases where the
allocation of start-up funds is appropriate but they
are not immediately available, recommendation of
approval of the program may be delayed until such
funds are available.
Following review and (where appropriate)
consideration by the Graduate Council, the Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs will recommend approval
of the program to the Committee on Educational
Planning, Policies, and Programs and (through it) to
the Board of Governors. In general, reviews will be
completed within three to six months. Actual time will
depend upon the quality of the proposal and the extent
to which the proposal may need to be revised and
resubmitted.
If the new program is at a more advanced level than
those previously authorized for the institution, a
copy of the Office of the President's letter of
authorization will be sent to SACS, and the chancellor
of the institution will also be reminded to notify
SACS and to take the necessary measures to comply with
its policies. If the new program is in a new
discipline division and SACS has previously determined
(upon being notified of authorization to plan) that
this constitutes a significant modification in the
nature and scope of the institution, a copy of the
Office of the President's letter of authorization will
be sent to SACS, and the chancellor of the institution
will also be reminded to notify SACS and to take the
necessary measures to comply with SACS policies.
After an institution receives authorization to
establish a new degree program, it must submit two
progress reports to the Senior Vice President. The
first such report will cover the first one to two
years of implementation, and the second report will
cover the first three to four years of operation of
the program. Both reports will include information on
the extent to which an institution has met projected
enrollments and degrees conferred and, if start-up
funds were provided, will report on the readiness of
the program to continue once start-up funds are
discontinued (generally, at the end of the third
year). These reports will be submitted as a part of
the institution's biennial long-range planning
submission.
Requests for authorization to establish a new
degree program that would be properly classified with
the same six-digit CIP code as a currently authorized
program at the same level, provided it will require no
additional resources, may be made at any time by
letter from the chancellor to the Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs. (This category of
program is comparable to what was formerly called a
"track." To avoid the confusion that prevailed in the
past over this designation, that term will no longer
be used. However, programs with the characteristics of
a track [e.g., a common "core" of courses shared with
the other program in that CIP code, but with
sufficient differentiation to justify separate degree
status] may be authorized by the Senior Vice
President.) A copy of the curriculum of the current
degree program should be submitted along with the
curriculum of the proposed new degree program. It
should be consistent with the guidelines for the
number of semester hours in the program area (Section
A.3). The format for requesting authorization to
establish a new degree program in the same area as a
previously authorized degree program is included in
Appendix D. The Senior Vice President will respond to
these requests after seeking such advice as may be
necessary.
6. Establishing Certificates of
Advanced Study (C.A.S.) and Other Certificates
Authorization to establish new Certificates of
Advanced Study is delegated to the chancellor, who
should notify the Senior Vice President for Academic
Affairs when the program has been approved by the
State Board of Education and the date of program
implementation established.
The chancellor should also
notify the Senior Vice President when other
certificates (e.g., the combination of specific
degree-credit courses to provide professional
development for practitioners) are established,
providing the title of the certificate and the title
and level of courses included in the certificate. This
will enable the Office of the President to maintain a
complete inventory of certificates that are offered by
individual campuses.
7. Changing the Name or Degree Title
of an Existing Degree Program
Requests to change the name or title of an existing
degree program, accompanied by an explanation of the
reason for the proposed change, may be submitted to
the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at any
time.
8. Discontinuing Academic Degree
Programs
Requests for authorization to discontinue a degree
program may be made by letter from the chancellor to
the Senior Vice President at any time, giving the
effective date of discontinuation and explaining the
reason for the request. The Senior Vice President will
request the concurrence of the Committee on
Educational Planning, Policies, and Programs and
(through it) the approval of the Board of Governors.
Students enrolled in discontinued degree programs must
be allowed to complete their courses of study within a
reasonable period of time. Notice of discontinuation
of C.A.S. programs or other certificates may be
submitted to the Senior Vice President for Academic
Affairs at any time.
* Robert L. Morgan, E. Stephen Hunt, and Judith M.
Carpenter (1990). Classification of Instructional
Programs. Washington: National Center for Education
Statistics.
** North Carolina Department of Public Instruction,
Division of Teacher Education (Raleigh, NC, September
1993). Standards for the Approval of Teacher Education
Institutions and Programs in North Carolina.
*** Throughout this document, the Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs, acting with a
delegation of authority from the President, is named
as the University official who will make ultimate
decisions or, where appropriate, recommendations to
the Committee on Educational Planning, Policies, and
Programs.
**** Refer to the most recent editions of the
Criteria for Accreditation manual and the most
recently adopted "General Substantive Change
Policy…for the Commission on Colleges" (revised
December 1999) of the Commission on Colleges of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Hereinafter, the manuals are cited as SACS Criteria
and COC Substantive Change.
