Office of Academic Planning and Assessment

Academic Planning and Assessment

Curricular Procedures & Policies

Please also see these related links for policies and guidelines:OSU Online Catalog, Faculty Handbook, General University Policies, Office of the Registrar, Graduate School

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Academic Advising

The undergraduate student advising policy is as follows:

The advising frequency will be set at a minimum of once per academic year and on a more frequent basis when warranted to provide the student with a compelling learning experience.
Implementation of this policy is to be monitored by the deans of the respective college.

Approval & revisions: Recommended by the Undergraduate Education Council Approved by the Provost 10/2/97

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Admissions and Retention Standards Set by Departments and/or Colleges

The university has admission and retention standards that apply to all undergraduates. The following policy pertains to any additional admission and retention standards proposed by colleges and departments.

Proposals for the addition of admission/retention standards to existing major or college requirements require a Category II Proposals. Admission/retention standards that are part of a proposal for a new instructional program are included in the Category I Proposal for the new program.

The use of admission/retention standards are most appropriate when based upon demonstrated curricular need. Ideally, lack of resources for a program should be addressed through regular budgetary procedures. However if admission/retention standards must be used to control the size of a program, only changes to admission standards will be approved. Any retention standards beyond those for the entire university must be justified based solely upon demonstrated academic and curricular necessity.

Category II proposals to change admissions or retentions standards should be clearly justified through specific reference to the following criteria for evaluating curricular or academic necessity:

A program that is a professional program which leads directly to employment. Often, professional programs must have specialized criteria.
A program that is accredited by an external professional accrediting organization with accreditation standards that bear upon the proposed admission/retention requirements.
Practices or internships that involve responsibilities that require exceptional competence or level of performance.
Demonstrated surplus of graduates relative to the demand for graduates.
Demonstrated need for a high level of performance required to successfully complete a certain program or certain courses. The Curriculum Council would routinely approve the requirement that students complete a course in the major with a passing grade of C or better. If a grade of greater than C is required, approval would be based upon the above criteria.

Any proposed admission/retention standards must discuss mechanisms designed to alert and assist students who are having difficulty or who need to change to another major.

Courses taken at a community college or other four year institution must be treated the same as equivalent courses at OSU. It is not the policy of the university to discriminate against students who transfer equivalent courses to OSU.

If proposed admission/retention standards deviate from procedures for the computation of GPAs and the policies on the use of repeated courses adopted by the Faculty Senate, the deviation must not work to the disadvantage of students.

The opportunities for students to petition for exceptions must be clearly stated.

Retention standards must allow for a period of probation during which students who do not meet criteria for retention but who come close may attempt to improve their performance to that level necessary for them to remain in the program.

Approval & revisions: January 1991 Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Advertising - Timing of Advertisement for New Programs Pending Approval

The guiding policy for advertising new academic programs which are still undergoing the review and approval process is that the content in the media should be literally accurate and not capable of being misinterpreted.

Proposed academic programs in the approval process may be advertised as "pending OSU and OUS approval" when the final version of the proposal has been submitted to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate for review. Proposed programs may be advertised as "pending OUS approval" when the proposal has been approved by OSU, and has been submitted to the OUS Chancellor's Office for review.

Approval & revisions: Curriculum Council 4/15/04 Additional Information: Curriculum Council minutes 4/15/04

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Articulation: ATLAS Implementation Policies-June 2007

The following policies are not meant to address pre-requisite requirements. Prerequisites require offering course department approval, and none of these proposals are intended to change any policy related to prerequisites.

Mismatched Credit Hours - Oregon State University will articulate transfer courses based on equivalency of transfer course content, level, and credit in comparison to an OSU course. If the transfer course differs in credit hours to the articulated equivalent course at OSU by one credit, the equivalency to clear the course content and/or requirement will be granted.
Example: A transfer course taken at an accredited transfer institution for 3 credits is articulated as equivalent to an OSU course offered at 4 credits, the equivalent OSU course content and course requirement will be approved, but will clear the requirement as earned at 3 credits.
Second example: A transfer course taken at an accredited transfer institution for 4 credits is articulated as equivalent to an OSU course offered at 3 credits, the equivalent OSU course content and course requirement will be approved, and will clear the requirement as earned at 3 credits. The student will also earn an additional hour of credit shown as a course number of LDT or UDT (Lower or Upper Division Transfer).
Timeline - work will begin immediately, and a projected timeline for completion is being developed.

Major Specific Articulation - Colleges or major programs may substitute a transfer course for a different major or college degree course requirement.
Example: MTH 243 at Oregon community colleges is generally articulated as ST 201 at OSU, but the College of Business and College of Engineering want to substitute MTH 243 from community colleges for OSU's MTH 245. This would be accomplished by putting an attribute on the articulated course that allows CAPP to clear the degree requirement in those specific colleges.
Note: This does not make the course equivalent in all respects, nor does it satisfy a prerequisite, which requires offering course departmental approval. Degree requirements which are satisfied, but which do not also satisfy prerequisite requirements should always be shown as a course number of LDT or UDT (Lower or Upper Division Transfer). Prerequisite clearance for transfer courses is a separate decision that is controlled by the department offering the courses.
Timeline - the projected completion date is October 1, 2007.

Series Classes - When a set of courses offered at a community college does not have a one to one equivalence to individual courses at OSU, but the set of courses does have an equivalence to a set of courses offered at OSU, the courses should have attributes added in the articulation tables which allow the degree audit system to utilize set equivalencies and clear the graduation requirements for the set of courses.
Example: Chemeketa students can take up to 18 different combinations of classes to clear the BI 211, 212, 213 series. These courses are not articulated as equivalent to BI 211, 212, 213 in our system. Attributes can be added to the Chemeketa courses which will allow CAPP processing to clear the BI 211, 212 and 213 series from degree requirements.
Timeline - the projected completion date is October 1, 2007.

Classes with Labs - When the transfer institution offers courses that have lab components and the individual courses are not directly equivalent to OSU courses, but the combined courses do equate to an individual course at OSU, the courses should have attributes added in the articulation tables which allow the degree audit system to utilize the combined equivalency to clear the degree requirements for the course requirement.
Example: If a school taught a 3-credit biology lecture course and a 1-credit biology lab as two distinct courses, the articulation table would not show an individual one to one equivalence with any OSU course, but an attribute could be attached to the courses to clear the degree requirement for an OSU course with lab.
Timeline - the projected completion date is October 1, 2007.

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B.A./B.S. Requirements

Colleges decide whether to offer the B.A., the B.S., or both, and departments within the college may choose to offer just the B.A., just the B.S., or both. If both the B.A. and the B.S. are offered, there should be distinct requirements for each (departments may implement or elaborate on college-level requirements).

All students receiving a B.A. degree shall have foreign language proficiency certified by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures as equivalent to that attained at the end of the second-year course in the language. Colleges offering the B.S. should consider the appropriateness of a language requirement as one of their requirements for the B.S. degree.

The B.A. degree is conferred for broad and liberal education in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and sciences.

College B.A. degree requirements shall provide a breadth of preparation in the humanities, arts, social sciences, and sciences that is significantly greater than that which is required of all undergraduates through the Baccalaureate Core.
Departmental requirements distinguishing the B.A. from the B.S. are optional; when both are proposed, departmental B.A. requirements will promote broader preparation within the major and among related fields.

The B.S. degree is conferred for focused curricula that emphasize scientific ways of knowing and quantitative approaches to understanding in the sciences and the social sciences and for curricula in professional fields.

College B.S. degree requirements shall provide a depth of preparation in scientific and quantitative approaches to understanding that is significantly greater than that which is required of all undergraduates through the Baccalaureate Core.
Departmental requirements distinguishing the B.S. from the B.A. are optional; when both are proposed, departmental B.S. requirements will promote focused curricula that emphasize scientific and quantitative approaches to understanding.

When a college proposes to offer both a B.S. and a B.A., the requirements for the degrees shall place comparable demands upon the time and effort of students.

Credits used to meet requirements distinct to the B.A. and B.S. may also be used, if otherwise appropriate, to meet departmental, college, and university requirements.

Colleges, departments, and academic units formulate additional requirements that are consistent with those of the B.A. and B.S. requirements of the university. Changes to the requirements for existing B.A. and B.S. programs require a Category II proposal.

Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Baccalaureate Core (Bac Core)

The Bac Core is Oregon State University's general education requirement, emphasizing writing, creative thinking, cultural diversity, the arts, science, literature, life-long fitness, and global awareness. A current list of approved Bac Core courses can be found in the OSU Catalog.

To add or remove Bac Core status from a course, submit a Category II proposal.

Additional Information: Baccalaureate Core Courses (OSU Catalog); Baccalaureate Core Criteria and Rationale; Baccalaureate Core Committee of the Faculty Senate; Category II Proposals

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Blanket Numbered Courses

Reserved number courses such as 401/501/601, which have been assigned for specific courses that may be taken for more than one term. Credit is granted according to the amount of work done.

401 Research

402 Independent Study

403 Thesis

404 Writing and Conference

405 Reading and Conference

406 Special Problems; Projects

407 Seminar

408 Workshop

409 Practicum

410 Work Experience, Internship (12 credit limit)

Additional Information: Course Numbering Guidelines

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Catalog Changes Permitted During Proofing

The following changes to existing courses may be made by units during the catalog proofing process or any other time of year without the need for a Category II Proposal:

Correct typos in a course title
Correct typos or make minor edits to a course description
Add a blanket or special topics course (399, 499, 599, 699, 401-410, 501-510, 601-610) if the department offers the appropriate program

The following changes to majors, minors, options, certificates are also permitted during the catalog proofing process:

Add or delete courses from a list of electives, provided the change does not increase or decrease the required number of credits for the program. Note: Adding or deleting a required course in the major does necessitate a Category II proposal.
Correct course titles, numbers or credits that have changed.

Any editing that changes the meaning or content of the course or changes degree requirements must be submitted for approval as a Category II Proposal.

Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Certificates - Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate

An undergraduate certificate is defined in the OSU Catalog as “a specified interdisciplinary program of study leading to an official certificate and notation on the transcript.” An undergraduate certificate requires a minimum of 27 credits.

A certificate program is distinguished from a departmental minor in that the courses are from more than one department rather than from a single department. It is distinguished from an option in that the certificate program is separate from but complementary to a specific major degree program rather than providing an alternative series of courses within the framework of a single degree program.

At the baccalaureate level, the certificate program must be taken in conjunction with a formal degree program at the university. A student not completing a certificate program by the time of conferral of the baccalaureate degree, but who does so at a later time, can receive a subsequent certificate through the Alumni College with the permission of the certificate program director/committee (see Academic Regulation #27).

A post-baccalaureate certificate is defined in the OSU Catalog as "a specified program of study of undergraduate courses leading to an official certificate and notation on the transcript." A completed baccalaureate degree program is required. A post-baccalaureate certificate program requires a minimum of 27 credits.

Proposals to establish a new undergraduate or post-baccalaureate certificate follow the OUS Outline for New Certificates and are approved via the Category I approval process.

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate Meeting #317 April 1975; Revisions: January 11, 1983; August 6, 1986; April 2004 Additional Information: OUS Outline for New Certificates; Category I Proposals; Academic Regulation #27

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Certificates - Graduate

A graduate certificate is defined in the OSU Catalog as "a structured progression of graduate-level courses that constitute a coherent body of study with a specific defined focus within a single discipline or a logical combination of disciplines. It is designed for students who have completed a baccalaureate degree and are in pursuit of advanced-level learning." A graduate certificate requires a minimum of 18 graduate credits, and may include a final project, portfolio, or report for integration of the sequence of course materials. Up to 8 quarter credits may be transferred toward an 18-credit graduate certificate.

A designated graduate certificate program coordinator oversees each individual program. The program coordinator is responsible for all aspects of administration of the program—applicant screening, admissions recommendations, and annual reporting to the graduate school. Annual reports will briefly summarize program status and provide statistics on enrollment and student progress. The Graduate School is responsible for certification of program completion.

Students must be admitted to the university, either into a graduate degree program or into a graduate certificate program. This requires that the student hold a four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Individual certificate programs may specify additional requirements, including minimally acceptable grade point averages. Students may be reclassified as "advanced degree students" by following the procedure listed in the Graduate Student Information section of the OSU Catalog. Credit earned at OSU prior to admission to the certificate program may be applied toward a certificate as transfer credit, per current graduate credit transfer policy.

Courses and certificates completed will be transcripted by the university registrar as a part of the student's permanent university record. The certificate is awarded when all course material is satisfactorily completed and a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 has been attained for all courses to be used toward the certificate. Award of a separate document suitable for framing will be at the discretion of (and will be the responsibility of) the unit administering the program.

Credits earned in fulfillment of a certificate program may be applied to a graduate degree program at OSU, so long as they meet the appropriate standards for use in the degree and the criteria for transfer credit as defined in the Graduate Student Information section of the OSU Catalog. Courses completed for a degree program may likewise be applied toward a certificate program. Courses completed no more than 7 years prior to the certificate award date may be used to satisfy requirements.

Proposals to establish a new undergraduate certificate follow the OUS Outline for New Certificates and are approved via the Category I approval process.

Approval & Revisions: 6/12/01 Graduate Council Additional Information: OUS Outline for New Certificates; Category I Proposals

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Certificates - Non-Credit

Non-credit certificates authenticate a learning experience that does not involve university credits that could be part of a degree. Non-credit certificates do not appear on a transcript. Non-credit certificates are of two overlapping kinds: those that testify merely to participation and those that are professional in nature.

Non-credit certificates must be reviewed in a process parallel to the Category I process, unless excluded by OUS.

Non-credit certificates may require 800-level courses, as long as these are properly identified as "in-service" or courses aimed at practicing professional skills with no academic assessment or credit that would lead to a university degree. Requests for new 800-level courses must be submitted as Category II proposals.

Non-credit certificates are not transcript-visible, but will be reviewed in a process similar to a Category II proposal if they require any credit courses (XX 001-899) or have other official OSU visibility.

Approval & Revisions: Curriculum Council 2/19/04 Additional Information: OUS Outline for New Certificates; Category I Proposals; Category II Proposals; Curriculum Council minutes 2/19/04

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CIP Code - Classification of Instructional Program

The Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code is a national classification system for all majors, minors, options, and courses. CIP codes are visible in Banner and are used for reporting and budgeting purposes.

It is necessary to include a CIP code on Category I proposals for new programs. The Office of Academic Programs will assign the CIP code at the draft review meeting for new program proposals (see instructions for submitting a Category I proposal).

Additional Information: Category I Proposals

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Class Meeting Times

Departments should follow the official class meeting time schedule to the extent possible when scheduling classes. In addition to helping students arrange their course schedules to best accommodate their required and desired courses, this policy also allows the university to use campus classroom space in the most efficient manner. Classes that do not conform to these guidelines will be given low priority in making room assignments.

Approval & Revisions: Recommended by the Undergraduate Education Council Approved by the Provost, Winter 1997 Additional Information: Official Class Meeting Time Policy (Office of the Registrar)

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Course Description

For catalog purposes, course descriptions should indicate the course emphasis, should not exceed four lines of catalog type (about 25-50 words), and should not include material that does not clarify course content (e.g., "see Schedule of Classes" or "fulfills Baccalaureate Core requirement"). The phrase "This course…" should not precede the description. The description might indicate "need not be taken in sequence" or "may be repeated for credit" if such is the case. Sequential courses may use the same description.

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Course Designators

See List of Course Designators. To propose a new course designator, submit a Category II proposal.

Approval & Revisions: Revised 8/22/02 Additional Information: List of Course Designators; Category II Proposals

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Course Title

For catalog purposes, the title of a course should indicate the content of the course without attempting to summarize the contents, should not contain more than 60 characters, and should not include colons, semicolons, dashes, etc. Within reasonable limits, titles should be consistent with academic practices in the disciplines. Courses with sequential numbers and closely related subject matter may carry the same general title, with the description indicating differences in content.

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Course Numbering - Guidelines

000-099 Non-credit courses or credit courses of a remedial, terminal, or semi-professional nature not applicable toward degree requirements.

100-299 Courses on the lower-division level. These must comply with the Commonly Numbered Course List.

300-499 Courses on the upper-division level.

400/500 Courses that may be taken either for upper-division or master's-level graduate credit, with specific course requirements for each.

5XX-level courses

These courses are graduate courses offered primarily in support of master's degree programs, but which are also available for use on doctoral level degree programs. Undergraduates of superior scholastic achievement may be admitted to these courses on the approval of the instructor, and they may apply to reserve these courses for later use on a graduate degree program.

These courses have one or more of the following characteristics: (1) they require upper-division prerequisites in the discipline; (2) they require an extensive theoretical base in the discipline; (3) they increase or re-examine the existing knowledge or database of the discipline; (4) they present core components or important peripheral components of the discipline at an advanced level.

500-599 Master's Level Graduate Courses

501 Research

502 Independent Study

503 Thesis

505 Reading and Conference

506 Special Problems; Projects

507 Seminar

508 Workshop

509 Practicum

510 Work Experience; Internship

6XX-level courses

These are graduate courses offered principally in support of doctoral level instructional programs but are also available for use on master's level degree programs.In addition to exhibiting the characteristics of 5XX-level courses, these courses typically require 5XX-level prerequisites and they build on and increase the information presented in 5XX-level courses.

600-699 Doctoral Level Graduate Courses

601 Research

602 Independent Study

603 Dissertation

605 Reading and Conference

606 Special Projects

607 Seminar

608 Workshop

609 Practicum; Clinical Experience

610 Internship

Courses with limited application toward advanced academic degrees:

700-799 Advanced professional or technical courses which may be applied toward a professional degree (e.g. DVM, PharmD), but not toward an advanced academic degree (e.g. MS, PhD).

800-899 In-service courses aimed at practicing professionals in the discipline. These courses may not be applied toward advanced degrees. They have an in-service or retraining focus, and provide the professionals new ways to examine existing situations or new tools to treat existing problems.

Reserved Numbers

The following numbers have been reserved for specific courses or types of courses:

100-110 Survey or foundation courses in the liberal arts and sciences

200-210 Survey or foundation courses in the liberal arts and sciences

400-410 Blanket numbered courses (see below)

500-510 Blanket numbered courses (see below)

600-610 Blanket numbered courses (see below)

X99 Special Topics courses

Blanket Numbered Courses: (reserved numbers 4xx-6xx level)

Reserved number courses such as 401/501/601, which have been assigned for specific courses that may be taken for more than one term. Credit is granted according to the amount of work done.

401 Research

402 Independent Study

403 Thesis

405 Reading and Conference

406 Special Problems; Projects

407 Seminar

408 Workshop

409 Practicum

410 Work Experience; Internship (12 credit limit)

Sequence Numbering

Courses comprising a sequence are numbered consecutively, for example, HST 101, 102, 103. History of Western Civilization.

Repeat Value

See Repeat for Credit.

X99 - Special Topics Courses

See Special Topics Courses. Approval & Revisions: Revised 3/22/02 Additional Information: OSU Catalog Definitions; Special Topics Courses

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Course Numbering - Commonly Numbered Course List for Lower-Division Transfer Courses

House Bill 2913 directed the Oregon University System and Community Colleges to jointly develop, to the extent possible, a common course numbering system for lower-division transfer courses. The " Commonly Numbered Course List" represents a good faith effort to meet the requirements of the legislation. The list of courses is recommended for use by campuses' faculty and administration as they develop or revise academic programs to better facilitate students transferring from community colleges to public four-year institutions. OSU agreed to this list after review of the list by all affected departments.

The "Commonly Numbered Course List" includes course descriptions in addition to the course numbers and titles. Course numbers and titles should follow the usage in the list. Descriptions may vary.

Additional Information: Commonly Numbered Course List

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Credits - Definition and Guidelines

The OSU Catalog states that “One credit is generally given for three hours per week of work in and out of class. For example, each hour of class lecture is generally expected to require two hours of work out of class.” Thus, one quarter credit represents 30 hours of work.

The following guidelines come from C.J. Quann’s “A Handbook of Policies and Procedures”:

“Academic credit is a measure of the total time commitment required of a typical student in a particular course of study. Total time consists of three components:
(1) time spent in class;
(2) time spent in laboratory, studio, fieldwork, or other scheduled activity;
(3) time devoted to reading, studying, problem solving, writing, or preparation.

One quarter credit is assigned in the following ratio of component hours per week devoted to the course of study: (1) lecture courses—one contact hour for each credit (two hours of outside work implied); (2) laboratory or studio course--at least two contact hours for each credit (one hour of outside preparation implied); (3) independent study—at least three hours of work per week for each credit."

While there may be natural diversity among academic units in administering these standards, they should be carefully considered when assigning credits to new (or existing) courses. For example, one- or two-day workshops, field trips, etc., will not qualify for academic credit unless there are extensive pre- or post-workshop trips or assignments to provide the required 30 hours of work per credit. Also, the extensive outside work required of some laboratory or studio classes should be taken into account in assigning credits.

Approval & Revisions: Curriculum Council 3/13/95 Additional Information: OSU Catalog Definitions

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Credits - Minimum Number of Credits for Degree Types

The minimum number of credits required for each degree type are (quarter credits):

Baccalaureate (B.A./B.S.)—36 credits; 24 of which must be at the upper-division level
Masters (M.A./M.S.)—45 graduate credits, including thesis (6 to 12 credits) or research-in-lieu-of-thesis (3 to 6 credits)
Doctoral (Ph.D.)—no rigid credit requirement; the equivalent of at least three years of full-time graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree (at least 108 graduate credits)
Undergraduate minor—27 credits; 12 of which must be at the upper-division level
Option—21 credits; 15 of which must be at the upper-division level
Undergraduate certificate—27 credits
Post-baccalaureate certificate—27 credits
Graduate certificate—18 credits

Additional Information: OSU Catalog

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Crosslisted Courses

Crosslisting a course is a mechanism to facilitate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary instruction. Crosslisted courses are offered by more than one department and a) contain the same number, title, credits, description, and prerequisites; b) have designators that reflect the departments offering the courses; and c) include a distinctive statement at the end of the description to indicate that the course is crosslisted.

Each participating unit must share in the development and teaching of the course. The Schedule Desk will not schedule different courses at the same time and place unless they are crosslisted.Proposing or changing a crosslisted course requires a Category II proposal.

Proposals for new crosslisted courses must be submitted by each of the departments listing the course, and must include liaison with the other units involved. Changing a crosslisted course can be accomplished with a single proposal, but must also include liaison and will require approval by each of the participating units' department heads/chairs and colleges. Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Delivery of an Existing Program at OSU Cascades

Each OSU department is responsible for the quality and health of its programs that are offered in Bend. In order to make an existing degree or certificate program available at OSU Cascades, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is required.

An MOU entitled "Proposal to Offer an Existing OSU Program at OSU Cascades" shall be created using the guide available from the Office of Academic Programs and Academic Assessment. Approval by the Corvallis-based unit leader and Dean, and the Cascades-based Program Leader, Dean, and the CEO is required. Faculty from both campuses will be informed and given the opportunity to provide input on the proposal.
A library resource review must be attached to the MOU.
The proposal including the library review shall be submitted to the Office of Academic Programs and Academic Assessment who will coordinate the approval process.
The MOU requires approval by the Graduate Council and the Dean of the Graduate School, if the program is a graduate program.
All MOUs require approval by the Curriculum Council.

The review is to ensure:

Strength, viability, consistency of assessment, and quality;
Adequacy of resources;
Consistency with OSU policies and procedures.

Approval & Revisions: Curriculum Council 2/26/04; revised Curriculum Council 6/7/06 Additional Information: Curriculum Council minutes 2/26/04

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Delivery of a Program to a New Location

Delivery of a program to a new location requires a Category I proposal. See instructions for how to submit a Category I proposal.

Additional Information: Category I Proposals; OUS outline for Proposal for Delivery of an Existing Program to a New Location

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Double Degree and Dual Major Writing Intensive Course requirement

The purpose of the Writing Intensive requirement is to ensure that each graduate is prepared to write in the discourse, conventions, and genres of his or her major field.

A student completing requirements for two majors including Double Degrees as well as dual majors (one degree with two majors) may request that one WIC course satisfy the WIC requirement for graduation in both majors.

This opportunity is available if and only if:

1. The discourse, written conventions, and genres of the two majors are closely related,

and

2. The substitution of a WIC course from one major for that in another major is approved in writing by the Chairs or Heads of both departments involved and the approval is placed in the student's academic file.

Students and advisors should be aware that in some cases, the WIC course in a major is an integral part of the degree and substitution may not be appropriate. The final decision rests with the Department Chair or Head.

Approval & Revisions:Baccalaureate Core Committee 5/2/05

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Ecampus - OSU Policy on Electronic Delivery of Instruction

Electronically delivered instruction must be comparable in quality and content to the corresponding campus instruction. In order to ensure this objective, course and program proposals submitted for curriculum approval should demonstrate:

that essential student services and course-related materials (books, journals, computer facilities, laboratories, and other resource material) are accessible at all receiving sites.
that the instruction will provide appropriate amounts and types of interaction between students and instructors
that appropriate methods will be used to assess students' achievement of the learning objectives.
that fair and appropriate staffing policies have been adopted by the delivering unit as it relates to electronically delivered instruction.
that the instruction is making appropriate use of currently available technologies.
that the units proposing the electronically delivered instruction will describe a process for how and when the proposed courses and/or programs will be evaluated.

Electronically delivered courses and distance courses must be so identified within the OSU information database but will not be distinguished from normally delivered course work on a student's transcript.

Approval & Revisions: Curriculum Council 2/20/97 Graduate Council 2/27/97 Additional Information: OSU E-Campus; OUS Distance Education Policy

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Experimental “X” Courses

Experimental “X” courses are designed to be offered temporarily and to permit innovation, experimentation, and development within authorized programs or to take advantage of the talents of visiting faculty. “Special Topics” courses may be offered without review and can be used in place of “X” courses in most instances. A syllabus is not required for an X course Category II proposal.

Experimental courses cannot be taught more than twice in a three-year period. If experience indicates the “X” course should be continued, it should be requested on a permanent basis.

To request a new experimental course, submit a Category II proposal.

Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Expiration of Courses Not Taught Within Three Years

Authorization for permanent courses that are not taught at least once in three consecutive academic years will expire. This policy does not apply to blanket numbered courses and special topics courses. Departments will be informed of the course to be dropped, and they may extend the expiration date if there is a plausible reason, by requesting an extension on the form sent by Academic Affairs.

Any course expired because it has not been taught at least once in three consecutive years will be reinstated automatically upon request to Academic Affairs, if no more than three years have passed since the authorization expired. Any course that has not been taught for six consecutive years will require a “new course” Category II proposal to reinstate it.

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate 10/05/89; Curriculum Council 10/19/95 Additional Information: Curriculum Council minutes #95-6.03; Courses Not Taught - current year documents

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Fees - Implementing or Changing Course Fees

Proposals to request new course fees or modify existing fees must be submitted to the OSU Business Affairs Office. Contact the Business Affairs to obtain the template and annual deadline for course fee requests.

Fees associated with new courses should be included in the Category II proposal for the course, and will be approved when the course is approved.

The Schedule Desk of the Registrar's Office enters fees into Banner to appear in the Schedule of Classes.

Approval & Revisions: Statutory Authority: ORS 351; 7/1/92; Revision 7/1/93; New policy (Office of Budgets and Fiscal Planning) 12/15/03 Additional Information: Fees and Tuition (Online Catalog); Fees & Fee Payment (Office of the Registrar)

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Grading Mode

A course is assumed to be letter graded (A-F) unless otherwise indicated. Students may elect to take a letter graded course on an S/US (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) basis.

In addition to traditional letter grading (A–F), departments are authorized to designate Pass/No Credit (P/N) courses, subject to the following guidelines (Academic Regulation 18):

The principal criterion for choice of grading system is enhancement of the educational experience for the student;
The nature, structure, and/or objectives of a course may suggest that the Pass/No Credit grading system be adopted. It is anticipated that courses graded on this basis will generally fall into one of the following categories: skill-building courses or practicums, courses which stress orientation and awareness rather than academic preparation;
The designation of Pass/No Credit grading for a course will follow the academic college’s recommendation and approval by the Curriculum Council of the Faculty Senate, and in the case of graduate courses, by the Graduate Council of the Faculty Senate.

Changing a course from letter grading to P/N grading requires a Category II proposal. However, no curriculum proposal is required to change a course from P/N to letter grading or to change the grading mode for undergraduate Special Topics (X99) courses and 401-410, 506, 1-cr 507, 510, 601, 606, 1-cr 607, 610, 701-710 and 800-level courses.

Grading mode must be identical for all cross-listings of a course.

Designation of courses for P/N grading must be completed prior to the opening of the term in which the course is offered and normally prior to preparation of the Schedule of Classes. Under normal circumstances, once students have enrolled in current term courses, changes in grading mode for that term will not be made.

With the exception of the blanket numbered and Special Topics courses listed above, courses graded on a P/N credit basis contain the statement, "Graded P/N" as part of the course description in the OSU Catalog. Courses that do not contain that statement are letter graded.

Departments must make the grading mode clear during initial class periods and in course syllabi or other materials.

Additional Information: Academic Regulation 18b; Category II Proposals

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Graduate Degrees - Areas of Concentration

An area of concentration is a subdivision of a major or minor in which a strong graduate program is available. They may be shown on the student's program of study, but they are not listed on the student's transcript. Areas of concentration are listed in the OSU Catalog.

The Graduate School provides departments instructions for adding/dropping areas of concentration for their graduate major and minor offerings in conjunction with the annual production of the Graduate Catalog. In addition to this annual process, departments may change their areas of concentration at any time without having to do a full curriculum proposal (unless the proposed change would constitute a major shift in the thrust of the program, in which case a more comprehensive curriculum proposal may be required). Any new courses would need to be submitted for approval as Category II proposals.

To change an area of concentration, the graduate department or program should submit a memo to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School specifying:

the curriculum and faculty associated with the new area,
how the new area differs from other areas that exist, and
evidence of appropriate liaison with other programs that may be affected.

If approved by the Graduate School, the changes will appear in the OSU Catalog, and students may use the new area on their programs of study.

Approval & Revisions: Graduate Council, June 2000

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Graduate Requirements/Catalog Contract Policy

The following points are to be considered when determining the graduation requirements for a given student.

The printed catalog is the contract with the student.
The University graduation requirements are based on the student's matriculation date.
College and major graduation requirements are based on the date of the major declaration.
Current policy requires a student to reapply after not enrolling at OSU for four consecutive terms; the printed catalog for the resulting readmission/matriculation date will become the catalog of record for graduation requirements.
For Degree Partnership Program students the first term the student registers for courses at OSU will be the matriculation date and will determine the catalog of record for graduation requirements.

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Honors Courses

Courses that may qualify to be Honors courses must be existing courses and then submitted to the Honors College Council for review. Once approved, they are entered into Banner for a 3-year period, after which time they will expire. If the mother course is a Baccalaureate Core course, the Honors portion will be as well. The word "honors" is reserved for the Honors College for use in the title and description of the course.

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Internships

Internships refer to work experiences, both with and without credit, which are part of curricular programs at the university. These work experiences may be referred to as cooperative education, internship, clerkship, externship, field experience, or practicum. The Curriculum Council and the Graduate Council endorse internships as an appropriate learning experience of academic value if properly planned and supervised.

The course numbers 410, 510, and 610 are reserved for internship-type courses. Assigned credit should be commensurate with the academic learning experience, rather than just on-the-job experience.

Graduate-level internships
To encourage educational quality in the use of internships carrying graduate credit, the Graduate Council endorses the following criteria:

The academic unit plays an active and reasonable role in the course. This may be provided through graded seminars, readings, papers, and/or examinations.
A graduate faculty member is assigned to the course and provides a regular and workable supervision procedure.
Appropriate evaluation and graduate procedures are employed.
Credit earned is proportional to academic work involved.

Graduate-level internship courses may be offered on either a graded A-F or P/N basis (see policy on Grading Mode).

To propose a new internship course, submit a Category II proposal.

Proposals for new internships should address issues such as supervision, the content and clarity of contract or other agreement with the student and participating agency (including work description), the maximum number of credit, the relationship of credits to hours of work, the kind of academic performance expected (papers, seminars, reading and conference, examinations, or the like), and the evaluation of the student's performance.

Though brief, the course description should clearly indicate the nature, method of supervision, and evaluation of the work-study experience.

The proposed work experience should not duplicate credit already awarded, either at OSU or at another institution.

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate Meeting #317, 4/10/76 Revised 5/6/85 Additional Information: Category II Proposals; Policy on Grading Mode

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Liaison

Most curricular proposals (Category I and Category II) require liaison with other academic units. The purposes of liaison are:

To gather information and opinions concerning the propriety and quality of the changes being proposed.
To assure that students (including those outside the department) are not adversely affected by curricular changes.
To reduce duplication of curriculum and enhance complementarity of curriculum within the university and with other OUS institutions.

Feedback should be solicited from all campus units whose programs or students could be affected by the proposal and/or whose common subject matter pertains to the subject matter of the proposal (see list of OSU curriculum contacts). Email is an acceptable form of liaison (see sample letter or email of liaison).

It is common to include a statement in the cover memo that if no repsonse is received by a reasonable deadline, the assumption will be that the recipient has no objections.

Copies of liaison letters sent and all replies received should be attached to the proposal when it is submitted. The proposal should also include a memo addressing any concerns which surfaced during the liaison process.

For Category II course proposals, please also include:

A list of courses for which this course/sequence serves as a prerequisite or corequisite.
A list of those courses for which this course serves as a crosslist.
Documentation (e-mails are OK) showing that all participating units agree with the proposal; department chair/head and college-level approvals are required from each.

For Category I program proposals, please include letters of liaison and/or support from other institutions with similar programs.

Additional Information: Format for Letter or Email of Liaison; List of OSU Curriculum Contacts

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Outcomes - Student Learning Outcomes for Courses and Degree Programs

Student learning outcomes are learner-focused statements reflecting what a student will be able to do as a result of an instructional activity. Each outcome statement should start with a measurable action verb that indicates the level of learning, followed by a precise description of the learned behavior, knowledge, or attitude. Bloom's Taxonomy is a useful tool for choosing action verbs that accurately describe a desired level of student learning.

For example, an OSU faculty member will be able to:

Identify an appropriate action verb from Bloom's Taxonomy that describes a particular level of learning.
Describe the desired behavior a student will be able to exhibit upon successful completion of a course.
Assess students' performance for evidence of desired learning.

Slash (4xx/5xx) courses must have differentiated learning outcomes for graduate and undergraduate students (i.e. two separate sets of learning outcomes listed on the syllabus). See Slash (4xx/5xx) courses-Differentiation of Learning Expectations.

All degree and certificate programs should publish student learning outcomes on their website or other program material.

Additional Information: Slash (4xx/5xx) courses-Differentiation of Learning Expectations

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Library - Allocation of Funding to the Library for New Programs (Category I Proposals)

Upon final approval and campus notification of new academic programs (via the Category I proposal process), the Office of Academic Programs will notify the Office of Budget and Fiscal Planning of the amount specified in the Category I proposal (one-time non-recurring or four-year annual transfer). The office of Academic Programs authorizes the Office of Budget and Fiscal Planning to initiate a voucher transfer from the academic unit(s) to the Valley Library.

The Office of Budget and Fiscal Planning will notify the academic unit(s) of the amount that is to be transferred (transfer voucher) to the Valley Library. If it is a recurring amount, the Office of Budget and Fiscal Planning will set up an annual transfer of the specified amount not to exceed four years of fund transfer.

Note: Although new programs may be approved several months before their date of implementation, the fund transfer will occur shortly after Board approval, in order to facilitate the Valley Library's acquisition of monographs and serials required for the new program.

Approval & Revisions: 2/25/04

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Majors

Undergraduate majors

The undergraduate major is an extensive program of study in a designated subject area. Undergraduate majors consist of a minimum of 36 credits, 24 of which must be upper-division courses. A formal aggregate of courses in designated primary subject areas/disciplines in which a student commits to gaining in-depth knowledge, skills, competence, and understanding through a coherent pattern of courses. Undergraduate majors are approved by the State Board of Higher Edcation.

Graduate majors

A graduate major is the area of academic specialization, approved by the State Board of Higher Education, in which the student chooses to qualify for a graduate degree. Upon completion of a graduate degree, the degree awarded and the graduate major are listed on the student's transcript. To create, or change an undergraduate or graduate major or certificate, units must submit a Category I Proposal. An Abbreviated Category I is necessary to do any of the following:

Rename a major
Move responsibility for an academic program
Merge or split an academic unit
Terminate a degree, certificate, or academic unit
Suspend or reactivate a degree, certificate, or academic unit

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate meeting #450, 6/2/88; Revisions: Curriculum Council, 11/12/93; 7/17/02 Additional Information: Category I Proposals

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Minimum Class Size

Departments are authorized to cancel courses with enrollments below the following minimums (by level of instruction):

Lower Division: 16 students (lecture), 12 students (recitation or lab)
Upper Division (not incl. 4XX/5XX "slash" courses): 12 students (lecture), 10 students (recitation or lab)
4XX/5XX, 500, 600, 700, and 800-levels: 8 students (lecture), 6 students (recitation or lab)

These minima do not apply to blanket number courses or to Honors College courses.The minima apply to the total number of students in combined sections taught concurrently; for example, cross-listed courses, a single course being simultaneously delivered to multiple sites, or separate courses or sections taught in the same classroom or laboratory by the same instructor at the same time.Compliance with this policy should ideally be achieved by studying historical enrollments and then making appropriate modifications (e.g. making scheduling decisions based on documented student needs). Every effort should be made to cancel underenrolled classes well before the start of classes; no classes should be canceled under the provisions of this policy after the day following the first meeting of class.Departments should make efforts, as appropriate, to provide advising about alternatives to students in canceled sections. However, in all cases of class cancellation, it will be the responsibility of the Registrar's Office to provide notification of the cancellation to students.The authority to make exceptions to minimum class sizes will rest with the deans; however, deans may choose to delegate such decisions to their department chairs. Colleges may establish minima that are larger than those established for the university by this policy. Grounds for exemptions to minima include, but are not limited to:

The specific course is required for an academic major or minor and its cancellation would impede the timely progress of students toward completion of a degree.
The course provides a valuable opportunity to experiment with the development of course content or pedagogical methods.
The department has good reason to expect that in the last days of registration remaining, the course enrollment will meet or exceed minimum class size.
The course has fees specifically associated with it that are sufficient, at the actual enrollment, to cover the costs of offering the cours

Approval & Revisions: Memo from the Provost 6/28/95

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Minors

Undergraduate minors

An undergraduate minor is a formal aggregate of courses in a designated secondary subject area or discipline distinct from and usually outside the students' degree major, in which knowledge is gained in a coherent pattern of courses. Minors may be offered by an academic unit for its own majors and/or majors from other academic units.

Minors consist of a minimum of 27 designated quarter credits of related course work, at least 12 of which must be at the upper-division level.

For an undergraduate minor to appear on a student's academic transcript, the student must apply to the Registrar's Office at the same time formal application is made for a degree. The Graduation Audit from the Registrar's Office will list the minor as well as the major and degree. This form is sent to the student's dean for certification of the minor at the same time the student is cleared for graduation.

To create, change, or drop an undergraduate minor, departments submit a Category II proposal. Proposals must contain a list of minor courses as they will appear in the OSU Catalog and documented liaison with all departments involved.

Graduate minors

A graduate minor is an academic area that clearly supports the major. It consists of a group of related courses totaling at least 15 credits in a specific topical area. On a master's or doctoral program, a minor may be:

an academic area available only as a minor,
a different major,
the same major with a different area of concentration,
an approved major at another institution in the Oregon University System, or
an integrated minor. An integrated minor consists of a series of cognate courses from two or more areas. These courses must be outside the major area of concentration, with most of the courses being outside the major department. The graduate faculty member representing the integrated minor must be from outside the major department.

Although the courses in a graduate minor may be from more than one academic department, one academic unit/program must be responsible for directing the minor. Necessary facilities and faculty expertise to support the minor must be available. For a graduate minor to appear on a student's official academic record and transcript, the minor must be listed on the student's approved degree program.

To create, change, or drop a graduate minor, departments submit a Category II proposal.

To propose a graduate minor, units without an approved graduate major must include in their proposal:

Identification of the academic unit/program responsible for the minor.
Listing of a sufficient number of approved and related graduate course offerings to support the minor, at least 15 credits. Please list courses as they will appear in the OSU Catalog.
Identification of sufficient faculty expertise and facilities to support the minor.
Liaison with other academic units must be addressed.

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate meeting #450, 6/2/88; Revisions: Curriculum Council, 11/12/93; 7/17/02 Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Modular Courses

A modular course is defined as a part of the main course that can stand alone. The topics are related and when combined with all other parts, become the entire course. Modular courses may not exist without the main course. Some modules may be self-paced. Classes may be offered as faculty lectures, on Web, using CDs, on campus, off campus, or a combination of all of the above with an exam at the end of each module. Modular courses run full term; modules may or may not run full term.

Module course titles will be set up similar to Topics courses using the M/ in the title. An example would be ENVE 532. M/AQUEOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY (the main course), ENVE 532. M/ACID/BASE CHEMISTRY (one of the modules). This will allow the student to have the particular topic of the module printed on the transcript, and will allow the department to keep track of which module a student has completed.

The main course description must include the statement, "Also offered in three 1-credit modules." Departments may list the topics, or they may just use the above statement.As determined by the department, students can receive credit for any module in any order, or the department may require completion of all modules before credit is awarded. Most courses are 3-credit courses offered in three 1-credit modules. Credit may vary, but no combination may exceed the total credits of the main course. Some departments may offer the main course as a 3-credit course and also offer the course in modules, but the student must choose between the modules and the main course.

Other notes:

Modular courses (3 credits) taught for 1 credit in three modules will be limited to a maximum of 3 credits total in Banner, and the main on-campus course is 3 credits with no repeats for credit towards graduation. The repeat value in SCARSE refers to the number of credits for which the course can be repeated and not the number of times. These are marked in Banner.
Courses may be graded A-F or Pass/No Credit as the department requests. If a student takes a module but does not receive a grade until the modular course is completed, a grade must be inserted for the student that reflects that the work is "in progress".
Prerequisites may or may not be required for each module. These are determined by the department.
Registration must take place within the guidelines for every course offered in that particular term. Extension will not be granted because the module does not start until later in the term.
Students may audit modular courses at the same rate as any other audit and may not be charged special fees for auditing.Departments with existing courses, but with no modules, must submit a Category II proposal for a new modular course.

Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Options

Options are for students of a specific major. An option is one of several distinct variants of course aggregations within a major that focus on an area of study designed to provide a student with specialized knowledge, competence, and skills while sharing a minimum core of courses.

Options consist of a minimum of 21 designated quarter credits of related course work, 15 of which must be at the upper-division level.

For an undergraduate option to appear on a student's official academic record and transcript, the student must make application to the Registrar's Office at the same time formal application is made for a degree. The Graduation Audit from the Registrar's Office will list the option as well as the major and degree. This audit is sent to the student's dean for certification of the option at the same time the student is cleared for graduation.

To create, change, or drop an option, departments submit a Category II proposal. Proposals must contain a list of courses as they will appear in the OSU Catalog and documented liaison with all departments involved.

Courses required for an option may not count towards a minor in the same field of study. Students may not take an option and a minor from the same field of study.
Options must be approved by all academic units involved.
Courses may be selected from those offered by the sponsoring unit as well as by other academic units.
Course substitutions must be approved by the dean of the sponsoring college, who must certify that all requirements are fulfilled.

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate Meeting #450, 6/02/88; Curriculum Council, 11/12/93; 7/17/02 Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Overseas Transcripting Policy

This policy is intended to provide flexibility in transcripting course work taken abroad when no exact OSU equivalency can be assigned. When courses taken abroad have a direct equivalency, the new system need not be utilized.

After evaluation by the appropriate OSU college and/or department, credits for foreign study may be recorded as:

OAAA X88 DEPT: Course Title (up to 30 characters) number of credits: O = Overseas Study AAA = three letter foreign study site code (key to codes printed on transcript); X = course level 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.; DEPT = Department designator currently used

OAAA X88 courses will have a range of 1-15 credits to accommodate the recording of courses taken in different academic systems.

Example: A junior level 5-credit course in the History of Japan, assuming that no current course equivalent exists at OSU, taken at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, would be listed as: OWAS 388 HST: History of Japan 5 credits.

Colleges and departments will have the option of designating major/minor credit when courses are approved for credit. The Baccalaureate Core Committee will review requests for approval for Bac Core credit.

The new course designators will appear in Oregon State University Bulletin under International Education.

Approval & Revisions: 3/22/02

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Outcomes - Student Learning Outcomes for Courses and Degree Programs

For example, an OSU faculty member will be able to:

Identify an appropriate action verb from Bloom's Taxonomy that describes a particular level of learning.
Describe the desired behavior a student will be able to exhibit upon successful completion of a course.
Assess students' performance for evidence of desired learning.

All degree and certificate programs should publish student learning outcomes on their website or other program material.

Additional Information: Slash (4xx/5xx) courses-Differentiation of Learning Expectations

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Posthumous Degrees

Undergraduate degrees and certificates may be awarded posthumously in cases where successful completion of the courses for which the student was registered at the time of death would have fulfilled all graduation requirements.

Graduate degrees and certificates may be awarded posthumously in cases when the student would likely have completed the degree or certificate had it not been for the intervention of death. Generally, this means that all requirements would have been completed during the term when death occurred. Completion of degree requirements during the current term must be verified by the signature of the student's graduate advisory committee.

Approval & Revisions: Curriculum Council, 6/14/01; Graduate Council, 5/10/01

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Prerequisites

A prerequisite is a course or instructional program that students are expected to complete as a necessary requirement before they are permitted to enroll in another course or instructional program that is more advanced. Students may attempt a course without having prerequisites if they have obtained the consent of the instructor to do so. If consent is not obtained, then students who have not fulfilled published prerequisites may be disenrolled from the course during the first week of classes.

Prerequisites:

should be limited to specific courses or a realistic definition of specific background (e.g., 6 credits of undergraduate economics or ECON 499);
should not be used to limit or control enrollment;
should not include junior standing or senior standing for 300- or 400-level courses;
should not include the phrase "or consent of instructor," which is always implied. Specify "consent of instructor" only if consent is a requirement;
may include the phrase "Departmental approval required" in order to prevent the course reference number (CRN) from appearing in the Schedule of Classes if there is proper justification. Once the prerequisite includes this phrase, the department retains the "option" to prevent the CRN from appearing in the Schedule of Classes, it is not required on all sections;
may not be more advanced than the course (e.g., a 100-level course may not require a 300-level prerequisite);
may not differ for the 4XX- and 5XX-levels in a dual-listed (4XX/5XX) course;
may not differ for CROSSLISTED courses.

To change a prerequisite, submit a Category II proposal.

Approval & Revisions: 3/22/02 Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Proposals - Changing or Proposing New Academic Units or Degrees (Category I Proposal Instructions)

Category I proposals are used to designate curricular changes that require approval at the state level (Oregon University System or State Board of Higher Education). These changes include creating new degree or certificate programs, creating new colleges or departments, making major changes to existing programs, delivering an existing program at a new location, renaming an academic program or unit, moving responsibility for an academic program from one unit to another, merging or splitting academic units, or terminating/suspending/reactivating an academic program or unit.

See Category I Proposals for instructions on submitting a proposal, a flow chart of the stages of approval, and a database for tracking and viewing current and past proposals.

Additional Information: Category I Proposals

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Proposals - Revising or Proposing New Curriculum (Category II Proposal Instructions)

Category II proposals are used to designate curricular changes that require approval only at the University level. There are two types, Full and Abbreviated. Most changes are Abbreviated Category IIs and include the following: creating new permanent courses, establishing new minors or options, changing existing permanent courses including adding/deleting BCC or WIC status, dropping existing permanent courses, creating experimental "X" courses, changing grading modes, changing requirements for majors, minors, and options, and changing admission or retention standards for an undergraduate major.

When proposals have a University impact that may require a broader review, they are classified as Full Category IIs. Full Category IIs are curricular changes that have significant financial or curricular impact beyond the proposing unit requiring a broader review and approval process. The Director of Academic Programs and Academic Assessment, and the Curriculum Council Chair(s) will jointly decide if a proposal meets the requirements of a Full Category II. Full Category IIs will be reviewed by the full Curriculum Council and may also require additional approval by the Budgets and Fiscal Planning Committee and the Faculty Senate.

See Category II Proposals for instructions on submitting a proposal, a flow chart of the stages of approval, and a database for tracking and viewing current and past proposals.

Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Reorganization of an Academic Program or Unit

An abbreviated Category I proposal is required to reorganize an academic program or unit. Examples include:

Changing the name of an academic unit
Moving responsibility for an academic program from one unit to another
Merging or splitting academic units
Suspending or reactivating an academic program
Terminating an academic program or unit

Approval & Revisions: Faculty Senate 6/6/02 Additional Information: Category I Proposals

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Repeat for Credit

In some cases, students may earn credit for repeating a course with the same course number. The department monitors the repeatability characteristic of the course to avoid abuse of this feature.

Inserting a phrase in the catalog course description stating that the course may be repeated for credit is at the discretion of the department. The department may also identify a specific limit of times the course may be taken for credit. This number will be entered into the "credits" field of the catalog. If no such limit is identified, "99" will be entered as the repeat value, allowing for an almost indefinite capacity for repeating the course for credit.

Additional Information: Course Numbering Guidelines

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Review of Academic Programs - External Review Procedures for Proposed Graduate Programs (Category I Proposals)

Category I proposals for new graduate degrees and certificates which have been approved by the OUS Academic Council must undergo an external review prior to final approval by the State Board of Higher Education. The department or program proposing the new degree bears the cost of the review. The review committee typically consists of three disciplinary peers external to OSU (candidates for the review committee are submitted by the department in the Category I proposal), who review the Category I proposal and all supporting documents, conduct a site visit, and submit a report on the viability of the program. See OUS Guidelines for External Reviews for more details.

Additional Information: OUS Guidelines for External Reviews; Category I Proposals

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Review of Academic Programs - Three- and Five-Year Follow Up Reviews of New Programs (Category I Proposals)

All new degree and certificate programs approved through the Category I proposal process will be reviewed three and five years after inception. Both reviews are initiated by the Office of Academic Programs.

Three-Year Follow Up Reviews

The objective of the three-year review is to ensure the long-term success of the initiative. The review is designed to assess if adequate progress is being made toward the goals of the initiative, whether resources promised have materialized, and whether changes need to be made to the goals and resource commitments of the initiative due to any changes in academic or budget environment.

The review will require a 2 to 3-page report from the unit(s) administering the new program addressing the following questions (the Office of Academic Programs may request additional information or supportive documentation if needed):

What are the primary goals of the initiative and metrics for tracking progress on achieving these goals (per the original Category I proposal)?
What progress has been made in achieving those goals?
Have the resource commitments in the Category I proposal been met? To what degree? If incomplete, why not?
Are there any changes in the academic environment that necessitate a redefinition of goals and metrics? What are those new goals and metrics, and realistic timing to achieve them?

It is expected that the unit(s) will engage their faculty and college administration, as appropriate, in preparing the report.

A conversation will be initiated with appropriate individuals only if the report indicates lack of progress in achieving intended goals and/or if there is a major shift in priorities significantly impacting the initiative. Unless a compelling case can be made for continuation of a program that is not making significant progress, that program would be closed following a timeline that minimizes impact on students.

Five-Year Follow Up Reviews

The unit(s) administering the new program will be asked to submit a 2-3 page report to the Office of Academic Program following the OUS Outline for Five Year Follow Up of New Academic Programs.

Approval & Revisions: Memo from Associate Provost on 2-Yr Follow Up policy, 2/25/04; Revised 10/06 Additional Information: OUS Outline for Five-Year Follow Up Review of New Academic Program

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Review of Academic Programs - Periodic Academic Program Reviews (Undergraduate, Graduate, and Joint)

The faculty is responsible for the quality of instructional programs at Oregon State University. The Curriculum Council and the Graduate Council of the Faculty Senate have oversight responsibility for periodic in-depth reviews of all instructional programs. Implementation of these reviews is coordinated by the Graduate School (for graduate and joint graduate/undergraduate reviews) and by the Office of Academic Programs (for undergraduate reviews).

All academic programs will be reviewed approximately once every 10 years. The reviews follow a standard format, which includes a comprehensive self-study report prepared by the department or program and a site visit by a review team consisting of external disciplinary peers as well as non-disciplinary peers from OSU. A member of the Curriculum Council or the Graduate Council chairs the review committee. A final report on the program is prepared by the review committee, which is discussed with the department or unit and ultimately forwarded to the provost.

For more information, see the guidelines for Undergraduate Academic Program Reviews or contact the Graduate School.

Additional Information: UAPR Guidelines

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Review of Baccalaureate Core Courses

The Baccalaureate Core Committee (BCC) has the responsibility of reviewing, soliciting, and coordinating courses for the Bac Core. Procedures for submitting proposals to the BCC are described in the instructions for Category II Proposals.

Additional Information: Category II Proposals

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Schedule Type

BANNER distinguishes the following schedule types. Category II course proposals require that the schedule type be identified. Courses may include more than one type. If, for example, a course is to have a lecture, separate discussion sections, and/or laboratory sections, all three schedule types should be indicated. No approval is required to change schedule types.

LECTURE - An academic discourse given by an instructor before a group.
DISCUSSION - Those sections associated with a lecture course that are used to facilitate consideration of a question or topic in open and informal debate.
RECITATION - A course requiring a public exhibition of acquired skills and knowledge.
LABORATORY - That part of a course set aside for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study. Lab fee is assessed.
SEMINAR - A course pursued by a small group of students under the direction of an instructor for the purpose of presenting and exchanging ideas or research findings via lectures, reports, and discussions.
INDEPENDENT OR SPECIAL STUDY - A course of organized instruction or research determined solely by a student and his/her instructor.
RESEARCH - A course through which students earn credit for a studious inquiry or examination aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws, and/or the collecting of information about a particular subject.
ACTIVITY - A course or educational procedure designed to stimulate learning via firsthand experience.
EXPERIMENTAL - A course offered for a limited period of time for the purpose of trying out or testing a new procedure, idea, or activity
INTERNSHIP - An experiential course designed to provide on-the-job experience in an academic setting on or off campus, where students can earn academic credit.
CORRESPONDENCE - A course covering a designated unit of instruction via the mail.
TUTORIAL - A course conducted by an instructor for one student or a small number of students to give practical information about a specific subject or discipline.
PRACTICUM - A course designed for the preparation of teachers and clinicians that involves the practical application of previously studied theory under the supervision of a senior instructor.
READING AND CONFERENCE - A course focused on designated subject matter to be read by a student and discussed in conference with an instructor.
EXPERIENTIAL/COOPERATIVE EDUCATION (FIELD TRIPS) - A course relating to, derived from, or providing experience.
PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION - A course requiring a students interaction with a predetermined set of instructions which are presented in a sequence of steps or segments.
THESIS - A course designed to cover the thesis research and writing. Students may register for thesis credit each term.
STUDIO - A course incorporating practical experience where students receive individualized instruction and lectures in a studio setting.
PROJECT - A course with individualized instruction designed for students to complete an independent project of the students design.
TELECOURSE/DISTANCE LEARNING - A course covering a designated unit of instruction conducted via television.
EXTERNSHIP - An experiential course designed to provide on-the-job experience in an academic setting off campus, where students can earn academic credit.
WORKSHOP
WORLD WIDE WEB - A fully-developed course where the dominant medium tool is on the World Wide Web. Students spend a significant amount of time using Web in the areas of content, assessment, and interaction to the degree that the student must participate through the use of Web to complete course requirements. Although courses are not restricted to the OSU campus, some classes may require attending some classes on campus. If some sections of a course are taught as a Web course and other sections are not, then the course description will indicate that section 7xx is a Web course and the section title would begin with WWW/. Courses with all sections on Web will include the WWW/ in the main course title.24.
MODULAR - See guidelines and policies on Modular Courses

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Slash (4XX/5XX) Courses - Differentiation of Expectations between Undergraduate and Graduate Components of "Slash" Courses

Dual listed courses (4XX/5XX) are offered at both the upper-division and graduate level. Students wanting undergraduate credit register for the 4XX number and those wanting graduate credit register for the 5XX number. Courses bearing dual-listed numbers must provide students who are enrolled for the 500-level credit with education and training that satisfies all of the following conditions. Evidence of the following distinctions must be clearly stated in the syllabus:

The 5XX course must include graduate-level work appropriate to the field (e.g., exams, papers, projects, problem sets, responsibility for lecturing or leading discussions, etc.),
Students enrolled for the 5XX credit must present work that is significantly more rigorous in both depth of study and methodology than students enrolled for the 4XX credit, and
When making qualitative evaluations of students, the instructor must hold students enrolled for the 5XX credit to a standard higher than those enrolled for 4XX credit.

In addition, Category II proposals to create or change slash courses must clearly articulate the graduate level learning outcomes expected of students registered for the 5XX version of the course, as distinct from the outcomes expected of those registered for the 4XX version of the course.

In most cases this distinction should include emphasis on developing skills in analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation for the 500-level credit, as opposed to, or in addition to, acquisition of knowledge, comprehension and application of information, which are more characteristic of undergraduate curricula. The different student learning outcomes should be accompanied by appropriate differences in instructional opportunities and evaluation procedures.

Credits for slash courses should be the same. Departments wanting to add the 500-level to a 400-level course or the 400-level to a 500-level course must submit a Category II Proposal.

Approval & Revisions: Graduate Council, 3/13/03; Curriculum Council, 4/25/02 Additional Information: Curriculum Council minutes 4/25/02; Category II Proposals; Student Learning Outcomes

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Special Topics Courses

Special topics courses (X99), like blanket-numbered courses, may be repeated without limit by students. This is an "automatic" feature for X99 courses. Further, it is implied, but not monitored centrally, that the course content is different each time the student takes the course (unless the student is taking the course over to replace a grade as specified under Academic Regulation 20). Each department monitors the repeatability characteristic of X99 courses to avoid abuse of this feature by repeating the same course over and over again. Inserting a phrase in the course description indicating that the course may be repeated more than once is at the discretion of the department.

Unless there is a specific limit placed on the number of times an X99 course may be taken, special topics courses are encoded with "99" in the credit field of Banner, allowing for indefinite repeatability capacity of that particular topics course.

Special topics courses do not require a Category II proposal. To request a new special topics course, phone the Office of Academic Programs for approval.

Additional Information: Course Numbering Guidelines

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Syllabus - Minimum Requirements

-Course Name
-Course Number
-Course Credits--include number of hours course meets per week/term in lecture, recitation, laboratory, etc.
-Prerequisites, Co-requisites and Enforced Prerequisites
-Course Content--concise outline of topics and/or activities
-Measurable Student Learning Outcomes-- see Student Learning Outcomes for a definition and instructions.
(For 4XX/5XX courses, list appropriate distinctions in outcomes between the 4XX and 5XX versions of the course.)
-Evaluation of Student Performance
-Learning Resources--textbooks, lab manuals, etc…indicate if required or optional
-Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities
"Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Disability Access Services (DAS). Students with accommodations approved through DAS are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through DAS should contact DAS immediately at 737-4098."
-Link to Statement of Expectations for Student Conduct, i.e., cheating policies
http://oregonstate.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm

Approval & Revisions: Curriculum Council 11/12/2005Additional Information: Student Learning Outcomes; Slash (4XX/5XX) Courses;

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Double Degree and Dual Major Writing Intensive Course requirement

The purpose of the Writing Intensive requirement is to ensure that each graduate is prepared to write in the discourse, conventions, and genres of his or her major field.

This opportunity is available if and only if:

1. The discourse, written conventions, and genres of the two majors are closely related,

and

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Office of Academic Planning and Assessment

Academic Planning and Assessment

Curricular Procedures & Policies

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [L] [M] [O] [P] [R] [S][T][W][X]

Academic Advising

Admissions and Retention Standards Set by Departments and/or Colleges

Advertising - Timing of Advertisement for New Programs Pending Approval

Articulation: ATLAS Implementation Policies-June 2007

B.A./B.S. Requirements

Baccalaureate Core (Bac Core)

Blanket Numbered Courses

Catalog Changes Permitted During Proofing

Certificates - Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate

Certificates - Graduate

Certificates - Non-Credit

CIP Code - Classification of Instructional Program

Class Meeting Times

Course Description

Course Designators

Course Title

Course Numbering - Guidelines

Course Numbering - Commonly Numbered Course List for Lower-Division Transfer Courses

Credits - Definition and Guidelines

Credits - Minimum Number of Credits for Degree Types

Crosslisted Courses

Delivery of an Existing Program at OSU Cascades

Delivery of a Program to a New Location

Double Degree and Dual Major Writing Intensive Course requirement

Ecampus - OSU Policy on Electronic Delivery of Instruction

Experimental “X” Courses

Expiration of Courses Not Taught Within Three Years

Fees - Implementing or Changing Course Fees

Grading Mode

Graduate Degrees - Areas of Concentration

Graduate Requirements/Catalog Contract Policy

Honors Courses

Internships

Liaison

Outcomes - Student Learning Outcomes for Courses and Degree Programs

Library - Allocation of Funding to the Library for New Programs (Category I Proposals)

Majors

Undergraduate majors

Graduate majors

Minimum Class Size

Minors

Undergraduate minors

Graduate minors

Modular Courses

Options

Overseas Transcripting Policy

Outcomes - Student Learning Outcomes for Courses and Degree Programs

Posthumous Degrees

Prerequisites

Proposals - Changing or Proposing New Academic Units or Degrees (Category I Proposal Instructions)

Proposals - Revising or Proposing New Curriculum (Category II Proposal Instructions)

Reorganization of an Academic Program or Unit

Repeat for Credit

Review of Academic Programs - External Review Procedures for Proposed Graduate Programs (Category I Proposals)

Review of Academic Programs - Three- and Five-Year Follow Up Reviews of New Programs (Category I Proposals)

Three-Year Follow Up Reviews

Five-Year Follow Up Reviews

Review of Academic Programs - Periodic Academic Program Reviews (Undergraduate, Graduate, and Joint)

Review of Baccalaureate Core Courses

Schedule Type

Slash (4XX/5XX) Courses - Differentiation of Expectations between Undergraduate and Graduate Components of "Slash" Courses

Special Topics Courses

Syllabus - Minimum Requirements

Double Degree and Dual Major Writing Intensive Course requirement

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [L] [M] [O] [P] [R] [S][T]
[W][X]