Academic Program Development

Creating a new course, modifying, or discontinuing an existing course does not require SCHEV review and approval.  Faculty may want to contact the SCHEV Liaison when making changes to the common core curriculum to assure the changes do not change the nature and focus of the degree program. 

Please complete and submit the new course curriculum request form, the course modification curriculum request form or the course deactivation curriculum request form to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee at ucc@vsu.edu or Graduate Curriculum Committee at gcc@vsu.edu.

A minor is an optional, secondary field of study for a degree-seeking undergraduate student that complements a bachelor’s degree.  No student may declare a major and a minor in the same discipline.  A minor is a structured plan of study requiring a minimum of 15-18 credit hours, at least nine of the credits in a minor must be in 300-level or higher courses, unless a greater number is specified. A minor should require significant additional coursework beyond what is already required for a related major.  The minor appears on the official transcript.  Students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in designated course work in order to earn the minor.

• Students must obtain approval from the academic advisor and department chair.
• Students must complete and submit the Minor Request Form with all required signatures to the Registrar’s office for processing.
• Only declared minors will appear on the official transcript.

Please complete and submit the New Minor Curriculum Request form to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee at ucc@vsu.edu.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison early in the program development process to ensure the proposed academic degree program meets SCHEV and SACSCOC requirements. The process for initiating a new degree program may take approximately 18-24 months. All new degree programs require a program announcement submitted to SCHEV by March 1 or September 1, with full proposals submitted 60 days after the program announcement. When deadlines are missed, program proposals may be moved to the next approval cycle.

Please contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate a new degree program proposal.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison for guidance in developing a proposal to establish a new certificate program. Please refer to the SCHEV Certificate Definitions for the requirements and categories of certificate programs.   Proposals for new certificate programs may be submitted to SCHEV only during three submission cycles: Spring, Summer, and Fall. When deadlines are missed, program proposals may be moved to the next approval cycle.

Please contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate a new certificate program proposal.

Modifications to an existing degree program that require SCHEV approval include:

• Altering program requirements in a way that results in a fundamental change to the curriculum, purpose, focus or identity of the program as approved by SCHEV or that alters SCHEV’s common core requirements (Academic Program Approval Policy, page 5).
• Adding or removing a delivery format (e.g., adding fully online delivery) to an existing degree or certificate program.
• Increasing or decreasing the total credit hours by more than three (3) credits from what was originally approved by Council. In the case of a bachelor degree, any change to more than 124 credits will require SCHEV approval. 
• Changing the licensure-qualifying status of a degree program as approved by SCHEV, i.e., adding or removing a licensure-qualifying option.

SCHEV approval is NOT required to change a required course, or add, modify, discontinue concentrations within a degree program; however, institutional review and approval ending with the Office of the Provost is required. Please complete and submit the curriculum request form to add a concentration to an existing degree program.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate the SCHEV proposal process. ​

Modifications to an existing certificate program that require SCHEV approval include:

• Altering program requirements in a way that results in a fundamental change to the curriculum, purpose, focus or identity of the program as approved by SCHEV.
• Adding or removing a delivery format (e.g., adding fully online delivery) to an existing degree or certificate program.
• Increasing or decreasing the total credit hours by more than three (3) credits from what was originally approved by Council. Please refer to the SCHEV Certificate Definitions  for minimum and maximum credits hours by type of certificate. 

Changing a required course for a degree or certificate program does not require SCHEV approval, however, institutional review and approval ending with the Office of the Provost is required.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate the SCHEV proposal process.

Discontinuance of all degree and certificate programs must include a teach-out plan.  A discontinuance of a degree program must have approval from VSU Board of Visitors (BOV). A discontinuance of a certificate program does not require approval by the VSU Board of Visitors. Notifications of intent to discontinue degree or certificate programs must be approved by SCHEV prior to the program closure or ceasing student enrollment, particularly programs in critical shortage areas.

Proposals to discontinue a degree or certificate program may be submitted to SCHEV only during three submission cycles: Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate the SCHEV proposal process.

Organizational changes (i.e., adding, removing, or renaming academic units at or above the department level) must be approved by SCHEV. 

Proposals to request organizational changes may be submitted to SCHEV only during three submission cycles: Spring, Summer, and Fall. For implementation in a Fall semester, proposals for organizational changes must be submitted to SCHEV during the Spring cycle.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate the SCHEV proposal process.

Establishing an off-campus instructional site at location geographically apart from VSU's main campus and where instruction is delivered requires approval from SCHEV and SACSCOC.  Please note that public four-year institutions may offer instruction at the following Higher Education Centers around the Commonwealth:

• New College Institute
• Roanoke Higher Education Center
• Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center
• Southern Virginia Higher Education Center
• Virginia Beach Higher Education Center
  • Old Dominion University
  • Norfolk State University

Proposals to request this type of organizational changes may be submitted to SCHEV only during three submission cycles: Spring, Summer, and Fall. For implementation in a Fall semester, proposals for organizational changes must be submitted to SCHEV during the Spring cycle.

Academic units should contact the SCHEV Liaison to initiate the SCHEV proposal process.