New concentrations require approval at all levels of the university as well as approval by the Commission on Higher Education (CHE).

Creating a New Concentration

Adding an undergraduate concentration of greater than 18 credit hours or a graduate concentration of greater than 12 credit hours is considered to be a Program Modification by the Commission on Higher Education (CHE).

1. New concentrations require the electronic submission of a New Program proposal in the Academic Program Proposal System (APPS).
2. The proposing department or unit must also submit a completed CHE Program Modification Form [docx] to the Office of Academic Programs. Please refer to the CHE Timeline for Program Modifications for important dates and deadlines.

Approval Process

Required approvals as outlined below may take up to one year for full review. New concentrations may only be marketed and assigned a code by the University Registrar after CHE approval has been received by the Provost’s Office.

Approval levels:

1. Academic Unit Head
2. College or school representative
3. C &C / Faculty Senate or Graduate Council
4. BOT (AE&SE and Full BOT)
5. CHE (ACAP)

Approvals at the department, college, and faculty governance levels are handled by the APPS system.  The C & C Committee, Faculty Senate, Graduate Council and CHE may request program representation at meetings to address questions or concerns.

Additional Approvals
Concentrations that impact other units may require additional approvals.

Interdisciplinary program proposals should include letters of concurrence from all involved units.

Any program related to P-12 educator preparation requires a letter of endorsement from the Dean of the College of Education. Educator-preparation concentrations require additional approvals by the State Department of Education. 

New concentrations require approval at all levels of the university as well as notification to the Commission on Higher Education (CHE).

Creating a New Concentration

New concentrations require the electronic submission of a Program Change proposal in the Academic Program Proposal System (APPS).

1. The proposing department or unit must also submit a completed CHE Program Modification Form [docx] to the Office of Academic Programs if not first concentration assigned to program. If first concentration to a program submit a completed CHE Notification of Change Form to Office of Academic Programs.  Please refer to the CHE Timeline for Program Modifications for important dates and deadlines.

Approval Process

Required approvals as outlined below may take up to one year for full review. New concentrations may only be marketed and assigned a code by the University Registrar after CHE approval has been received by the Provost’s Office.

Approval levels:

1. Department / Unit
2. College or school academic affairs officials
3. C & C / Faculty Senate or Graduate Council
4. CHE Modification Form or CHE Notification of Change (NOC) Form (NOC form for first concentration to a program only) 
5. BOT (AE&SE and Full BOT)
6. CHE (ACAP)

Approvals at the department, college, and faculty governance levels are handled by the APPS system.  The C & C Committee, Faculty Senate and Graduate Council may request program representation at meetings to address questions or concerns.

Additional Approvals
Concentrations that impact other units may require additional approvals.

Interdisciplinary program proposals should include letters of concurrence from all involved units.

Any program related to P-12 educator preparation requires a letter of endorsement from the Dean of the College of Education. Educator-preparation concentrations require additional approvals by the State Department of Education.

Creating more than one concentration requires approval at all levels of the university as well as approval of  the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and may require notification to the Southern Association of Colleges and School Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). CHE requires a Program Modification Form be submitted.

Approval levels:

1. Academic Unit Head
2. College/School Representative
3. C & C / Faculty Senate or Graduate Council
4. CHE (ACAP)
5. May require SACSCOC Notification (Submitted by the Office of Academic Programs)

Initiating a concentration modification requires the electronic submission of a Change to an Existing Program proposal in the Academic Program Proposal System (APPS).

Approval Process

Required approvals as outlined below may take up to one year.

Approval levels:

1. Academic Unit Head
2. College/School Representative
3. C & C / Faculty Senate or Graduate Council
4. CHE (NOC) (Submitted by the Office of Academic Programs)

Additional Approvals

Any revision related to a P-12 educator preparation program requires a letter of endorsement from the Dean of the College of Education. Interdisciplinary program revisions should include letters of concurrence from the units involved.

Terminating a concentration requires the electronic submission of a Terminate a Program proposal in the Academic Program Proposal System (APPS).

Approval Process

Required approvals as outlined below may take up to six months for full review. Concentration terminations may only be implemented after CHE acknowledgement has been received by the Provost's Office.

Approval levels:

1. Department / Unit
2. College or school academic affairs officials
3. C & C / Faculty Senate or Graduate Council
4. CHE Notification (Submitted by the Office of Academic Programs)

Approvals at the department, college, and faculty governance levels are handled by the APPS system.  The C & C Committee, Faculty Senate or Graduate Council may request program representation at meetings to address questions or concerns.