Submission Process

Proposals for changes to the curriculum need to be approved first at the department level and then submitted to the CHSS Curriculum Committee for further action at the college and university levels.

Coordination with other Units

If your change may have an impact on another unit, you should consult with that unit prior to submitting the change. Undergraduate and Graduate Council require that approval be received for any change affecting another unit.

How to Submit Proposals

The university uses Courseleaf's CIM-Courses module for processing requests for new courses or for changes to existing courses. Requests for new programs or for changes to existing programs should continue to be made on the Program Approval Form and sent to chsscurr@gmu.edu.

Courses

  • To propose a new course or a change to an existing course please use the CIM-Courses module in Courseleaf. If you do not have access email chsscurr@gmu.edu.
  • The basics of using this system can be found here. Please contact Jill Bowen (chsscurr@gmu.edu) for any questions about CIM-Courses.
  • The University Mason Core Committee reviews proposals to meet a Mason Core requirement. Any newly created courses must first receive complete approval through Undergraduate Council before a request for Mason Core designation can be submitted. Submissions for Mason Core are done through CIM-Courses as a request for Specialized Course Designation. Guidelines for submitting a course for approval to meet Mason Core can be found here.
  • Proposals for a course to meet the college non-Western culture requirement are done through CIM-Courses as a request for Specialized Course Designation. An explanation of how the course content meets the non-Western culture interim rules and a syllabus are required.

Academic Programs (degree program, minor, certificate, or concentration)

  • To propose a modification to an existing academic program, please submit the following in a single electronic document in this order:
    1. A brief cover letter describing what is being changed and the justification or reason for the change. A proposal's justification should address the rationale for offering a program in general, projected enrollment/s, and a detailed description of additional resources needed (if any).
    2. A program approval form
      • Fill out the top part of the form including the justification for change. Provide both the current and proposed degree requirements to assist the curriculum committee in its review.
    3. If you wish to edit the catalog description, please include a Word document with track changes.
  • To propose a new concentration (to an existing degree program) please submit the following in a single electronic document in this order:
    1. A memo describing the concentration and the justification or reason for the addition. A proposal's justification should address the rationale for offering the concentration, projected enrollment/s, and the possible need for more resources. Also include a timeline for when students will begin enrolling in the new concentration.
    2. A program approval form
      • Only the department's curriculum coordinator should complete the program approval form.
    3. The revised catalog description of the program, if applicable.
  • To propose a new degree program or certificate, contact the Curriculum, Space, and Technology Manager at chsscurr@gmu.edu to schedule a meeting to discuss the feasibility of the proposal. This process is more complicated because new degrees require additional approval from the Board of Visitors and the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV).