Curriculum Guidelines and Help

• See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page for available course numbers. A course prefix and number combination cannot be reused for seven years after the last time the course had enrollment.

• See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page for a list of programs using courses in each department (by course prefix).

• Select Request for a: Course (non-FYS) to propose new non-FYS course or First Year Seminar to propose a new FYS topic
  For General Education, also see Gen Ed – New courses on this page
• Select Type of Request: New (course, program, or temporary course)
• Select Are you seeking: Permanent Approval
  
• Select and complete the attributes that apply to your proposed course, Only these identified changes will be processed. Rationale/attachment statements cannot be entered into the catalog system.
• (non-FYS only) See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page to select an available number for your proposed course
  • See the iv. New temporary course section for details on “Using the same number for a temporary and permanent course”.
• (non-FYS only) For new (permanent) course proposals, a syllabus is required.
  • For slash (400/500 or 600/700) level courses, your syllabus must clearly articulate the differing requirements for graduate credit.
  • Your syllabus must include course goals.
• For new (permanent) course proposals, course goals and a course goal ULO alignment are required
  • For new course proposals, alignment of at least one course goal with a primary ULO is required
  • For new course proposals, your course goals are required on the form as well as in the syllabus.
  • See the office of Academic Effectiveness for additional help.

Routing

• Select Request for a: Course (non-FYS)
• Select Type of Request: New (course, program, or temporary course)
• Select Are you seeking: Temporary Approval
  
• Select and complete the attributes that apply to your proposed course. Only these identified changes will be processed. Rationale/attachment statements cannot be entered into the catalog system.
• (non-FYS only) See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page to select an available number for your proposed course
  • Using the same number for a temporary and permanent course
    • Option 1: Concurrent applications
      You may apply for a permanent course, and then also use this same number for a temporary offering of a new permanent course prior to official activation. Be sure to mention the concurrent applications on both course proposal.
    • Option 2: Permanent application for existing temporary course
      If you have used a course number for a temporary course, but have not yet applied for a permanent course, you may use the same course number for a permanent version of that exact same course. Be sure to explain this carefully in your course proposal. The number used for the temporary course (T course) will not show on the available course number list (it is being used for the temporary course), but a long as you are permanently applying for the exact same course, the number may be reused.
• For new (temporary) course proposals, a syllabus is required.
  • For slash (400/500 or 600/700) level courses, your syllabus must clearly articulate the differing requirements for graduate credit.
  • Your syllabus must include course goals.
• For new (temporary) course proposals, course goals and a course goal ULO alignment are required
  • For new course proposals, alignment of at least one course goal with a primary ULO is required
  • For new course proposals, your course goals are required on the form as well as in the syllabus.
  • See the office of Academic Effectiveness for additional help.
• You may offer a temporary course for up to three terms before permanent approval must be in place.
• A temporary course that has been offered three terms cannot be taught again until it is permanently approved via a new permanent course proposal.
• A temporary course proposal cannot be used to modify an existing course.
• A temporary course proposal cannot be used to include a new course in the General Education program.

Routing

• If your department/division wishes to use a new course prefix, check with the Registrar first. Adding new course prefixes can be complicated at many levels, including catalog use, transcript recognition, and potential conflicts with established norms.
• Once the Registrar has cleared the use of a new course prefix, simply type the new prefix by hand in the eform under the prefix field. Once courses of this prefix are officially in the catalog, the new prefix will show in the course prefix drop down menu.

Modifying (changing) a course in the current catalog is defined as a request for a course change that:

• Adds to General Education
• Changes the General Education Category
• Changes the Corequisites
• Changes the Course goals
• Changes the Credit hours
• Change the Default grading
• Changes the Description (moderate change only, this is the catalog text for the course)
• Modifies repeat for credit
• Changes the Number (the existing number will no longer be available and may not be offered once an approved modification is activated. See 7. Proposal activation timing under Deadlines and Timing).
• Changes the Prefix (the existing prefix will no longer be available and may not be offered once an approved modification is activated. See 7. Proposal activation timing under Deadlines and Timing).Changes the Prerequisites
• Changes the RP grade eligibility
• Removes from General Education
• Changes the Title (moderate change only)
• Select Request for a: Course (non-FYS) to propose a change to an existing course
  For General Education, also see Gen Ed – Modifying existing courses on this page
• Select Type of Request: Modify Existing
• Select and complete the attributes that apply to your proposed course changes. Only these identified changes will be processed. Rationale/attachment statements cannot be entered into the catalog system.

Routing

Bulk Course Change (non-Gen Ed approved courses only)*

• Bulk course changes may be used to drop or modify several courses at one time as part of an overall housekeeping change. Be sure to review the Required corresponding program change details on this page.
• Select Request for a: Bulk Course Change
• Individually explain each change in the Summary/Rationale portion of the request.
• Use the “Add new item” button to add a row to the Bulk Change table for each course on the “Bulk Change” screen.
  • Note: It is easier for your many reviewers if like changes are grouped together, with multiple bulk change proposals used for large groups of changes. E.g. One bulk change for dropped courses, and a second bulk change for credit changes.
• The bulk change tables can be used to make the following types of requests:
  • Credits changes as part of a whole program credit change (e.g. 3 to 4 credits). Otherwise a separate proposal stating the differences prompting the changes in credit for the specific course needs to be submitted.
  • Description changes (sequences only) as part of a split of simple changes to a sequence of courses.
  • Dropping courses
  • Number changes as part of a whole program change
  • Prefix changes as part of a whole program change
  • Prerequisite changes
  • Title changes

*Non-Gen Ed approved courses only – Modifications to approved Gen Ed courses must be entered as individual proposals. Note the curriculum eform says “Bulk Course Change (non-Gen Ed approved courses only)”.

Routing

• Select Request for a: Course (non-FYS)
• Select Type of Request: Drop Existing
• If the course you wish to drop is listed as a required course in a program, the drop course request must be accompanied by a corresponding program change for all affected programs.
  • See Required corresponding program change on this page.
• If the course you wish to drop is listed as an elective (only) in a program, the drop course request does not need to be accompanied by a corresponding program change.
  • See Consultation with others on this page.
• See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page for a list of programs using your courses.

Routing

• New (non-FYS) course proposals that include a request for inclusion in our General Education program are reviewed by both the Curriculum Committee and the General Education Committee.
• New FYS course proposals are only reviewed by the General Education Committee.
• See the General Education program (wou.edu/gened) for information required for General Education proposals.
• A new (non-FYS) course may be recommended for inclusion in the catalog by the Curriculum Committee, regardless of whether it is, or is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee.
• A temporary course proposal cannot be used to include a new course in the General Education program

Routing

See 6. Modifying an existing course for general information.

Modifying an existing General Education course may go to the General Education Committee (GEC) alone, or may go to the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (CC) both. Course modifications that change programs are most likely to go to both committees, simultaneously, for review.

Routing to GEC only

• Adds to General Education
• Changes the General Education Category
• Changes the Corequisites
• Changes the Description (moderate change only, this is the catalog text for the course)
• Changes the Prerequisites
• Change the Default grading
• Changes the RP grade eligibility
• Modifies repeat for credit
• Removes from General Education
• Changes the Title (moderate change only)

Routing to CC & GEC simultaneously

• Changes the Credit hours
• Changes the Number
• Changes the Prefix
• Dropping a General Education course

• Select: Request for a: Course Goals Only
• Course Goals changes are not evaluated by any curriculum evaluation committee.
• Use this link to look up course goals.
• See the office of Academic Effectiveness for additional help.

Routing

• You may choose to cross-list courses in different departments (e.g. ANTH/CJ 322) or cross-list and cross-offer 400/500 or 600/700 courses at the same time (same instructor, same room, same time, e.g. MTH 492/592).
• In all cases, the courses are listed separately in the catalog and require individual curriculum proposals for new or modified cross-listed courses.
• For cross-offered courses at different levels (same room, same time), note that graduate courses require grading criteria that distinguish the course as a graduate level course (as compared to the cross-offered undergraduate course).
• Cross-listed or cross offered course curriculum proposal process
  • Each course requires an individual curriculum proposal for proposing new (permanent or temporary) or for modifying or dropping existing courses.
  • Undergraduate course proposals go to the Curriculum Committee.
  • Graduate course proposals go to the Graduate Studies Committee.
  • For 500-level courses, note, per the Course Numbering System (W-1) in the catalog, courses numbered 500-599 are graduate courses with undergraduate equivalents. If you propose a new (permanent or temporary) 500-level course, you must also propose a new 400-level undergraduate equivalent course. Similarly, if you modify or drop either cross-listed 400/500 course, you must modify or drop both courses.
• Tip: Enter one proposal and then use “duplicate” (by the VIEW button in your course portal menu) to make a copy, then adjust for the other course.
• Cross-offering courses (scheduling)
  • To cross-offer courses, notify the Registrar that the courses need to be cross-offered.
  • The cross-offered notation can be done when the year-long scheduling worksheet or the term scheduling worksheet is submitted to the Registrar.
  • If noting cross-listing is missed during the scheduling worksheet time-frame, a Class Schedule Change Sheet can be used to notify the Registrar of the cross-offering.

Prerequisite
A prerequisite course is a course that needs to be completed prior to enrolling in the next course.

Example
MTH 251, Calculus I is a prerequisite for MTH 252, Calculus II
MTH 251 must be taken before MTH 252.
Prerequisite (for MTH 252): MTH 251

Prerequisite (may be taken concurrently)
You may choose to allow students to take a prerequisite course prior to, or at the same time (concurrently). In this case, add (may be taken concurrently) to the prerequisite field in the curriculum portal.

Example
IS 240 Information Management I
Prerequisite: CS 133 or CS 134 or CS 161 (may be taken concurrently)

Corequisite
A co-requisite is a course that students must register for at the same time as another course. Both courses that have a corequisite should list the other as a corequisite.

Example
BI 211 is a corequisite for BI 211L and BI 211L is a corequisite for BI 211.
BI 211 and BI 211L must be taken together.
Corequisite (for BI 211): BI 211L
Corequisite (for BI 211L): BI 211

• If you are proposing a new course or course modification that may affect other areas, please check in with the department head or program director in that area and collaborate about the proposed additions and changes.
• This includes consulting with the General Education director for changes to courses currently included in the General Education program.
• Make a note of who you worked with, when you worked with them, and the result; you will need this information to complete your curriculum proposal. The curriculum form includes:

Programs affected/consulted (required)
Please include the name(s) of those contacted, with the date(s) and the result(s) of the consultation/collaboration.

• • For course changes, the Registrar will search for impacted areas and bring those to the attention of the Curriculum Evaluation Committees, but it is best to identify impacted areas yourself early in the process.
  • See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page for a list of programs using your courses.
  • Please also consider other possible impacts that are not in the course usage sheets. For example, course use in program-to-program agreements, MTM or CTM, and other agreements your program has on or off campus.

• Many course changes require a corresponding program change (during the same catalog cycle) and / or a consultation with other areas (see Consultation with others on this page).
• Program change NOT required
  • Change in course: Description
  • Change in course: Prerequisites
  • Change in course: Title
  • Approved changes from this list will be populated throughout the catalog, including in any program listings of the course when the catalog is updated. No program change is required for such course changes.
  • Please be sure to alert other areas that use the course so they can adjust their internal advising materials and best serve our students.
• Program change required (corresponding program change proposals trigger updates of other systems)
  • Change in course: Credits
  • Dropping a course
  • Change in course: Number
  • Change in course: Prefix
  • These course changes require that corresponding program change(s) are submitted concurrently with the course change(s). Program changes are required because credit changes and dropping a course frequently change the credit count on programs, and credit changes, dropping courses, number changes, and prefix changes will change both the catalog and any internal division and department specific web-postings, brochures, documents, etc. about that program.
  • See Linking to a program proposal on this page regarding entering program change requests prior to course change requests in such cases.
  • See the Registrar’s Course Number Availability & Usage page for a list of programs using your courses.

• For course proposals associated with a program proposal:
  • Enter the program request first, before the associated course requests
  • When entering the course request, select Yes for Is this course associated with a program request that has also been submitted? and then select the program(s) in the Please select the program(s) menu.
• Please monitor the progress of both your course and linked program proposals. Both must be approved in order for the changes to take effect in a program change.

• New to curriculum proposals? Check in with your division curriculum chair or other senior members in your area to review the basic ideas behind curriculum proposal requests.
• For all proposals, be sure to check in with other areas if there is any possibility of your proposal impacting their program. Record the specific results of this collaboration, including the name of key faculty collaborators under “Programs affected/consulted”. Proposals without this information are more likely to take longer to process and to require full Faculty Senate review.
• Review comparators in the course catalog for component and presentation ideas.
• For course proposals associated with a program proposal, enter the program request before entering the associated course requests, and then select the program request from the associated program proposal menu.
• For a new course that you wish to run the same year you are proposing the course, you must also submit a temporary course request.
• Use the duplicate e-form function (see Duplicating a curriculum proposal under Proposal submission) to quickly submit a second similar proposal, or concurrent permanent and temporary course proposals.
• Honors courses are courses that satisfies an Honors curriculum requirement other than Honors Colloquium. See the course catalog and the Honors program for more information.
• If you wish to modify a course to a new number or prefix, but wish to keep the old number and prefix, it is best to simply create a new course with a new number and / or prefix and drop the existing course once you are done offering it.

• See 7. Proposal activation timing on the VI. Deadlines and timing page,  and scroll down to Activating a prerequisite reduction for student access.