Cal Poly follows the CSU Board of Trustee policies regarding criteria for new degree programs. The campus Academic Plan shall represent the collective opinion of campus constituencies about which desired new programs best serve the long-term interests and development of the campus as a whole and which programs most contribute to advancement toward the campus's goals.

CSU Trustee Policies

CSU Criteria

Academic Master Plan

Resources

Need for the Program

Who Reviews?

When?

New Master's Degree Programs

Off-Campus Programs and Sites

CSU Board of Trustee Policies:

* Curricula are to reflect the needs of students and of the state.

* The foundation program for all campuses in the system consists of the liberal arts and sciences, business administration and teaching.

* Programs in applied fields and professions other than those above are to be allocated within the system on the basis of: (1) needs of the state; (2) needs of the campus service area; and (3) identification of employment opportunities.

* "All universities cannot be all things to all people." Curricula in the applied fields and professions are therefore to be located in a systemwide pattern which will achieve an equitable and educationally sound distribution of programs throughout the state. While all universities may wish to offer the same programs, the trustees exercise great selectivity in the final approval of new curricula. Specialized, high cost programs are to be allocated on the basis of review and study of the individual subject area.

* Degree programs are to be broadly based and of high academic quality.

* New bachelor's degrees should be as enduring as possible in content and title.

* Unnecessary proliferation of degrees and terminology is to be avoided.

* Formal program reviews of existing curricula are to be conducted by each campus.

CSU Criteria for Degree Program Proposals

The traditional criteria for reviewing the academic master plans are listed below. They generally center around need, demand, and the ability to establish programs of high quality. These considerations will continue to pertain, along with considerations about the appropriateness of new curricula to campus missions.

Academic Master Plan

The Academic Master Plan should be more than a list of new programs. It should represent the collective opinion of campus constituencies about which desired new programs best serve the long-term interests and development of the campus as a whole and which most contribute to advancement toward the campus' goals.

* Are the existing faculty sufficient to initiate and sustain all of the programs offered and projected (new faculty positions may not necessarily accompany total campus enrollment growth)? If not, does the campus plan to reassign faculty positions from existing programs or to reduce the number of programs?

* Is there a campus commitment to devoting resources (space, facilities, equipment, library) to the development of new programs rather than to existing programs?

* Resource investments/reallocations in support of new programs should be sufficient to demonstrate the campus' commitment to the success of those programs. It is rare that a coherent degree major can be designed by merely "repackaging" existing courses in an effort to reduce costs. If new programs cannot be well supported, the campus should seriously consider whether they should be initiated at all.

* Does the program fit with the campus' and college's Academic Master Plan?

* Does this program fill an unmet need in terms of student demand or statewide or regional manpower needs? If not, is there a compelling rationale for the program?

* Is the new program the most efficient way of meeting the need identified, or are there other alternatives?

* Are expectations about student enrollment realistic when compared with experience at other campuses?

* Do programs exist on the campus or at nearby campuses from which the projected program would draw students? If so, have plans been made for the resulting enrollment declines in existing programs?

* If the program is one that will prepare students for a specific occupation or profession, are there current surpluses of individuals in the region or in the state so trained? If so, are there indications that the need will increase? If surpluses are expected to persist, what is the rationale for investing campus and state resources?

* If the program is one that is designed to provide professional upgrading of individuals who are already employed, are there openings at the higher professional levels?

* Will failure to implement this program require the campus to alter other plans? Is the program needed to complement other programs in an instructional area?

    Department Curriculum Committee (if applicable)
    Department Chair/Head
    College Curriculum Committee
    College Dean
    Academic Senate Curriculum Committee
    Academic Senate
    Vice Provost for Academic Programs
    Provost
    President
    CSU Board of Trustees
    CSU Chancellor's Office
    California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC)

When?

Proposals for new degree programs undergo extensive review at multiple levels and approval usually takes two to four years. Once the President has received final approval from the Chancellor's Office, the new program can usually become effective the next term (no need to wait for the printed catalog).

* New master's degree programs should be projected only when the sponsoring department is well established and has achieved a level of quality that has been affirmed by a program review or, in subjects for which national accreditation is available, by a visiting team.

* Attention should be given to the impact the proposed master's degree will have upon the corresponding bachelor's degree and other instructional activities of the department.

* The program should fit with the campus' and college's Academic Master Plan.

* For proposed graduate degree programs, a minimum of five full-time faculty members with the terminal professional degree should be on the program staff.

* New master's degree programs should be initiated only if (1) they have the enrollment potential to support the offering of at least four graduate-level courses each year; (2) there is evidence of the proposing department's capacity to support the level of research required for a graduate program; and (3) sufficient graduate-level coursework can be offered to permit a student's program to include 70% graduate-level coursework.