Comprehensive Curriculum Management Strategies for Academic Excellence

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Explore the latest advances in curricular tools and initiatives for transparent degree requirements, universal understanding, and improved curricular consistency. Learn how to evaluate departmental programs, communicate Provost curricular initiatives, and enhance knowledge and usage of University curriculum resources for better decision-making and efficiency.

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CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT Jenn Tilford

OVERVIEW Advances in curricular tools: DegreeWorks, Major Maps, Bulletin (new vendor) Foundation Statement (Handout pg. 1): Transparent degree requirements create universal understanding and consistency in advising and across curricular sources, promote a culture of student responsibility, and support University initiatives for curricular cohesion.

LEARNING OUTCOMES Participants will be able to: Understand, locate, and use policies that guide course and curriculum approval Understand and use universal academic terminology Evaluate departmental programs Communicate Provost curricular initiatives

OBJECTIVES Consistency among University sources of curricular information. Reduction of students graduating with degree hours in excess. Increased knowledge and usage of University curriculum resources (Bulletin, Major Maps, DegreeWorks, Academic Programs website, Curriculum Services Website, and UAC Training Modules). Fewer curriculum proposals returned due to inaccuracies or missing information. Fewer proposals missing the December Faculty Senate meeting for approval for the next Bulletin year.

OBJECTIVES (CONTINUED) Mutual understanding of universal academic terminology. Understanding of how Bulletin information and department input (course substitutions or rules and exceptions) affect DegreeWorks accuracy. Increased DegreeWorks functionality due to more transparency in degree requirements. Increased usage of DegreeWorks among departments.

TWO PARTS 1. Curriculum 2. Curriculum Approval Process

CURRICULUM 1. Policies 2. Universal Academic Terminology 3. Program Design 4. Prerequisites and Restrictions 5. Critical Courses 6. Sharing Rules

POLICIES (SEE HANDOUT) ACAF 2.00 Creation and Revision of Academic Programs ACAF 2.02 Establishment and Notification of Academic Administrative Units ACAF 2.03 Creation and Revision of Academic Courses ACAF 3.00 Assessment of Student Learning ACAF 3.50 Academic Bulletins and Planning Calendar https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/provost/policiesa ndprocedures/universitypolicies/policymanual.php

UNIVERSAL ACADEMIC TERMINOLOGY Program of Study 1. Carolina Core (required) 2. College Requirements: required of majors within the college 3. Program Requirements: required for the specific program, but not major courses Supporting Courses Cognate Minor Electives 4. Major Requirements (required) Major Courses Major Electives Concentration Thesis/Dissertation/Capstone

PROGRAM DESIGN No requirements should be assumed. There should be a finite range of hours for each degree component, including electives. Degree requirements should equal the total number of degree hours needed for graduation. All course options should be listed on the Bulletin (unless they are a range or open to all courses of a certain designator and level). Each degree requirement should only be listed in one location in the Program of Study.

PROGRAM DESIGN (CONTINUED) Include progression requirements in each program Bulletin listing. Prescribed requirements: specified courses to fulfill a degree requirement Integrative course: all programs/concentrations must have at least one approved Carolina Core Integrative course that is required (not just an option) (E.g. 2019 Physics) Courses that are included in major hours may not be used to fulfill any other requirement in the Program of Study (E.g. 2016 Classics-Latin Teaching Certification)

PROGRAM DESIGN (CONTINUED) Courses should not be listed under the major requirements, if they are not included in the major hours. (E.g. 2016 Art History) Major GPA should not include courses that are not included in the major hours. (E.g. 2016 Chemical Engineering) Elective hours are usually dependent upon how students fulfill other degree requirements. Concentrations Specialty within the major Do not get separate listings in the Bulletin (E.g. 2018 Music, BM) There may be multiple concentrations within a program, but there is one base program and changes to that program will affect all concentrations, unless the change is to the concentration itself.

PROGRAM DESIGN (CONTINUED) Example program: Early Childhood Education, BA Identifies prescribed courses form SCI, GHS, GSS Lists optional for the minor Progression note on internship Issue in Supporting Courses: no course options for a course in culture other than Western European Sociology, BA Prescribed course for GSS Major electives provide specific course designator and level

PREREQUISITES AND RESTRICTIONS Restrictions are conditions that limit the enrollment in certain courses to a select group of students. Restrictions may include: Prerequisites are courses (successfully completed with a minimum grade of D, unless otherwise defined) that identify the skills and knowledge needed before enrollment in certain courses. students of a certain academic standing students of a certain class standing (junior, senior, etc.) (classification/level in Banner) students admitted to a certain college, academic program, degree, minor, or certificate (field of study in Banner) students belonging to a specific student group (Honors, Trio Scholars, etc.) (attribute in Banner) students required to meet with an instructor, director, or obtain department permission. (special/instructor permission in Banner) Should be included in degree requirements hours and never assumed. May or may not be enforced (not recommended) in Banner. Use of the phrase or instructor permission is discouraged, as it promotes student requests for exemptions. Note: Restrictions referring to students who have completed a specific number of credit hours and students with a certain minimum GPA cannot be enforced in Banner.

CRITICAL COURSES: 3 RULES Courses are considered critical (on the major map) when they: 1. Have a deadline for completion 2. Affect time to graduation due to subsequent prerequisites 3. Have prescribed sequencing/timing

SHARING RULES The University has not made any official decisions on rules about sharing. (under review by AADC) Program of Study Rules: No course may fulfill the requirements of multiple components within the Program of Study Sharing rules should always be explicit, as they affect the hours within the Program of Study. (e.g. 2019 Biological Sciences)

PART 2: Curriculum Approval Process

CURRICULUM APPROVAL PROCESS 1. Overview 2. Process 3. Carolina Core Courses 4. Dates to Remember 5. Effective Year 6. Tips

CURRICULUM APPROVAL PROCESS-OVERVIEW The Office of Academic Programs coordinates development, revision, and termination of degree programs and courses. Academic Programs Proposal System (APPS) is the current web-based submission and approval system that facilitates the submission and approval process. CourseLeaf will replace APPS, as well as the current Bulletin (catalog) management software. (tentative spring 2020) Note: Learning Outcomes are not approved through APPS. Contact LaTrice Ratcliff-Small in OIRAA and use the Academic Assessment Plan Composer.

CURRICULUM APPROVAL PROCESS Internal Approvals: 1. Academic Unit Head (Chair) 2. Academic Unit Heads for departments affected by the action (only if needed) 3. Distributed Learning (if new or change DL course) courses only 4. College/School Representative (usually the APL) 5. Undergraduate Dean 6. Instructional Development (if new DL course) courses only 7. Registrar (Banner Validation and Degree Audit) 8. Carolina Core Specialty Team Chair Carolina Core courses only 9. Curricula and Courses Committee 10. Faculty Senate External approvals: 11. Board of Trustees programs only (if needed) 12. CHE programs only (if needed) *CHE only reviews proposals twice per year 13. SACSCOC notification and/or substantive change programs only (if needed) APPS Approval Flow Chart

CAROLINA CORE COURSES Instructions for proposing Foundational and Integrative courses can be found on the Academic Programs website. Suggestions for courses to be approved as foundational Carolina Core are appreciated.

DATES TO REMEMBER Academic Planning Calendar All proposals must reach the Committee on Curricula and Courses 10 days prior to the November meeting in order to make the December Faculty Senate cutoff for curriculum changes. New Bulletin is published February 15th each year. Note: CHE only reviews proposals twice per year

EFFECTIVE YEAR New courses, programs, and concentrations can be effective for the next term after all approvals and notifications. Course, program, and concentration changes or deletions will be effective for the next bulletin year if all approvals are received 10 days prior to the November Curricula and Courses Committee meeting and approved by Faculty Senate.

TIPS Try to include all program changes in one proposal per year. (Confusing if there is one proposal with changes, and then another proposal doesn t include the previous changes) If one program change requires SACS approval though, you may want to do that one change in a separate proposal. Always consult your college APL for program actions. Monitor status of your proposal through the online proposal system to ensure timeliness of approval.

EXPECTATIONS 1. Bulletin is the one source for curricular information. 2. All students have an accurate degree audit. 3. Notify Academic Programs Office (Katie Sites) and Jenn Tilford of changes in department chair.