New Graduate Program Development
Review and Approval Process
The typical review timeline for new proposals is a minimum of 12-16 months from proposal submission to University of California Office of the President (UCOP) approval.
Proposal preparation may begin at any time. Faculty are encouraged to follow the suggested timeline below to ensure that proposals are submitted for system-wide review by January 31.
SPRING AND/OR SUMMER
- Preparation & Administrative Review
FALL
- Academic Senate & Leadership Review
WINTER/SPRING
- System-wide Review
Preparation and Administrative Review
(Estimated duration 1 Quarter (3 months))
Phase 1: Preparation
- Interested faculty gauge faculty and administrative/lead dean support and select steering committee.
- Early consultation with the following units is required:
- Graduate Studies: to discuss program proposal requirements and process.
- Budget and Institutional Analysis (BIA)
- Online Self-Supporting Graduate Professional Degree Program (SSGPDP) only: Consultation with Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) for initial market assessment and draft pro-forma.
- Faculty draft preliminary proposal.
- Dean of host academic college, school, or unit reviews and endorses the preliminary proposal by writing a letter of support.
- Preliminary proposal is submitted to Graduate Studies.
- Graduate Studies Vice Provost and Dean informs the Provost Leadership Council (PLC) of the preliminary proposal.
- Approval Step for SSGPDP only: Graduate Professional Online and Self Supporting (GPOSS) Coordinating Committee assess financial viability.
- Online SSGPDP only: Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) provides level II market analysis. CPE also confirms the budget meets expectations for online delivery model and that it matches the proposal.
- Steering committee drafts full proposal.
- Faculty vote on proposal.
- Proposal with appendices is submitted to the Graduate Studies Vice Provost and Dean.
Phase 2: Administrative Review
- Approval Step: Graduate Studies Vice provost and Dean review and approval.
Approval Step: (Estimated duration 1 month)
Budget and Institutional Analysis (BIA) review the budget.
- Graduate Studies Vice Provost and Dean transmits the proposal with appendices to Graduate Council who then initiates the parallel review process for the various Graduate Council/Senate subcommittees.
Academic Senate Review and Leadership Review
(Estimated duration 1 Quarter (3 months))
Phase 3: Academic Senate Review
Note: Most Senate governing bodies do not meet during summer.
- Graduate Council (GC) initiates academic review.
- Subcommittees review proposal:
- GC Educational Policy Committee
- GC Bylaws Subcommittee
- Committee on Planing and Budget
- Library Committee
- Academic Planning and Development (APD) Committee
- The APD committee will review the full proposal, including recommendations from the subcommittees, and make a recommendation to Graduate Council as to whether the proposal should be approved and advanced for final campus approval.
- Approval Step: Graduate Council final vote.
Phase 4: Administrative Review
- Provost Leadership Council (PLC) reviews the proposal and makes recommendation to the Chancellor.
- Approval Step: Chancellor approves and forwards proposal to CCGA, UC Provost, and designated UCOP staff.
System-Wide Review
While the review and approval process typically lasts less than a calendar year, proposers should keep in mind that some cases do take up to one year; the amount of time a proposal takes to be reviewed and approved can vary widely.
CCGA makes every effort to review proposal as quickly as possible. Proposals that are received by January 31 will typically be reviewed in three months. Proposals that are received after January 31 may take a few more months due to the extreme difficulty of getting internal and external reviewers to respond toward the end of term and in the summer months.
Note: Most Senate governing bodies do not meet during summer.
Phase 5: CCGA Review
(Estimated duration 1-3 months)
- CCGA selects a lead reviewer.
- The CCGA lead reviewer evaluates the proposal which may involve:
- obtaining additional information from the proposers;
- collecting external and internal reviewers;
- conducting a site visit.
- CCGA discusses the proposal as a whole. Progress reports are given by the lead reviewer. Other CCGA members may request further reviews, clarification, or information.
- Steps 2 and 3 repeat as necessary.
- The lead reviewer prepares a final report and recommendation. CCGA members vote to approve or return the proposal.
- If proposal is returned: A letter is sent informing the proposing faculty of CCGA's concerns and reasons for returning the proposal. If the campus chooses to revise and resubmit the proposal, the review process repeats.
- CCGA Approval (Estimated duration 1 month): A letter is sent informing the UC Provost of CCGA's decision.
- UC Provost recommends to the President that the proposed program be approved.
- Senate Approval (Estimated duration 1 month):
- If the program establishes a new degree title, the Assembly of the Academic Senate needs to approve the proposed new degree title. Per Senate Bylaw 125.B.7., the Academic Council may do so if the Assembly is not scheduled to meet within 30 days.
- Administrative Approval (Estimated duration 3 weeks): The President approves implementation of the graduate program.
- Designated UCOP staff draft letter to forward UC Provost's recommendation for approval to the President.
- President reviews proposal and campus is notified of President's action.
- If approved, campus may proceed with program implementation.
- WASC
- In some circumstances, a new degree proposal requires approval by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Implementation and Launch
- Graduate Studies notifies proposers and administrative units of program approval.
- Program completes implementation steps such as securing accreditation (if necessary), finalizing instructional design and development, marketing new program to prospective students, etc.
- Application opens to new students.