Academic Resources

Program Development and Modification Process

The requirements, processes and procedures for requests to create or modify programs vary according to the request being made.

Approval by the University System of Maryland (USM), the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), and/or the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is required for the following:

1. New Academic Programs
   
2. New Certificate Programs (either New Stand-Alone Certificates or a New Certificate Program Imbedded within An Existing Program)
3. Substantial Modifications of Existing Programs, including offering programs via distance education and off-campus traditional delivery
4. Developing partnership agreements (Domestic/Partnership Agreements and International Programs/Agreements)
5. Providing programming to address specific employer needs via closed-site agreement.
6. Developing agreements to offer courses through exchange & study abroad programs.

Decisions to terminate a program also require internal and external approval. However, these requests do not require the development of program proposals.

If a program is proposing curricular modifications not requiring external approvals such as proposing to change less than 1/3rd of an existing curriculum or is creating or modifying program tracks, no external approvals are required. 

Once the appropriate approvals are achieved at the college and through the University Senate, the Provost's office submits these requests to the appropriate external agencies for approval.

Division of Academic Affairs
Administration Building, Room 311

Phone: 410-704-2557
Fax: 410-704-3129