Rule 3344-16-20 | Curricular approval process.
(A) This police governs the curricular approval process at Cleveland state university pursuant to section 3345.457 of the Revised Code. This policy affirms the collaborative role of faculty, academic leadership and the board of trustees in program and curricular review while underscoring the board's authority as the final decision-making body.
(B) This policy applies to all academic programs, curricula, courses, general education requirements, certificate programs and degree programs.
(C) The faculty senate shall oversee the curricular approval process of CSU to seek advice and recommendations from various units and faculty bodies. These recommendations shall be sent to the board of trustees.
(D) Some changes to the university's curriculum may need approval from the Ohio department of higher education (ODHE) and/or the higher learning commissions (HLC). These changes are noted in the appropriate approval processes below. These approvals shall be sough by the university after the board of trustees have approved the change to the curriculum.
(E) All curricular proposals shall be reviewed through appropriate governance bodies and administrative steps prior to submission to the board of trustees. The approval process shall involve specific steps depending on the type of curricular or organizational unit approval, as outlined in this policy.
(F) Approval process for courses in the undergraduate core curriculum. This process pertains to new or modified core curriculum courses, including changes to course title or course description. This process also pertains to deletions of cours in the core curriculum. Courses in the core curriculum cannot be deleted unitl the next catalog is published.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College dean
(4) University curriculum committee
(G) Approval process for courses in the undergraduate curriculum, but not part of the core curriculum. This process pertains to new or modified undergraduate courses that are not part of the core curriculum, including changes in course title or description.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College dean
(H) Approval process for changes in undergraduate pre-requisites that only influence sequencing. The process pertains to changes in pre-requisites that only influence sequencing of a required course (e.g. ENG 101 required for students taking ENG 102).
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College dean
(I) Approval process for changes in undergraduate major. This process pertains to modifications to an existing undergraduate major, including change in credits required (including credits of a required course); course requirements; changes in pre-requisites leading to additional courses; and new, modified or deleted track, specialization or concentration in existing major. A teach-out plan is required for students if a track is deleted. Requirements cannot be added to an active catalog, as it would violate a students' catalog rights.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal will be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to the HLF for approval if more than twenty-five per cent of the progam is changed. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to ODHE for approval if more than fifty per cent of the program is changed.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) University curriculum committee
(6) Faculty senate
(J) Approval process for undergraduate minors. This process pertains to new undergraduate minors or modifications to existing undergraduate minors, including change in credits, name or required courses. Requirements cannot be added to an active catalog, as it would violate a students' catalog rights.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) University curriculum committee
(6) Faculty senate
(K) Approval process for undergraduate majors. This process pertains to new undergraduate majors.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to ODHE and HLC for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) University curriculum committee
(6) Faculty senate
(7) Provost
(8) President
(L) Approval process for new undergraduate articulation agreements. This process pertains to articulation agreements with partner institutions, including community colleges or other universities.
The following governing bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be send for approval to the appropriate governing board of the partner institution.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) University curriculum committee
(6) University admissions and standards committee
(7) Faculty senate
(M) Approval process for courses in the graduate curriculum. This process pertains to new or modified graduate courses, including changes in course title or description.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College dean
(4) Graduate council or college of graduate studies dean
(N) Approval process for changes in graduate program. This process pertains to modifications to an existing graduate program, including change in credits required (incluidng of a required course); course requirements; changes in pre-requisites leading to additional courses; and new, modified or deleted track, specialization or concentration in exising major. A teach-out plan is required for students if a track/program is deleted. Requirements cannot be added to an active catalog, as it would violate a students' catalog rights.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to HLC for approval if more than twenty-five per cent of the program is changed. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to ODHE for approval if more than fifty per cent of the program is changed.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) Graduate council
(6) University curriculum committee
(7) Faculty senate
(O) Approval process for graduate certificate programs. This process pertains to new, modified or deleted graduate certificate programs.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to ODHE for approval if the certificate requires more than twenty hours of coursework. For deleted certificate programs, a teach-out plan is required. Requirements cannot be added to an active catalog, as it would violate a students' catalog rights.
(1) All departments or schools involved
(2) College curriculum committee where the certificate is housed; other colleges shall submit written permission to use their courses to fulfill certificate requirements
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) Graduate council
(6) University curriculum committee
(7) Faculty senate (new or deleted certificates only)
(P) Approval process for new graduate articulation agreements. This process pertains to articulation agreements with partner institutions, including community colleges or other universities.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to the appropriate governing board of the partner institution for approval.
(1) Department or school
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) Graduate council
(6) University curriculum committee
(7) University admissions and standards committee
(8) Faculty senate
(9) Provost
(Q) Approval process for new graduate degree programs. This process pertains to new graduate degree programs.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the review is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall get approval from ODHE and HLC.
(1) All departments or schools involved
(2) College curriculum committee
(3) College faculty
(4) College dean
(5) University curriculum committee
(6) Faculty senate
(7) Provost
(8) President
(R) Approval process for courses in the law school juris doctor and master of law curriculum. This process pertains to new or modified courses, including changes to course title or description. This process also pertains to deletion of courses.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the reveiw is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Law school curriculum committee
(2) Law school dean
(S) Approval process for degree requirements and concentrations in the law school juris doctor and master of law curriculum. This process pertains to new or modified requirements for the juris doctor or master of law degrees, including the elmination of degree requirements, as well as the creation, modification or elimination of concentrations.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the reveiw is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval.
(1) Law school curriculum committee
(2) Law school faculty
(3) Law school dean
(T) Approval process for law school certificate programs. This process pertains to new law school certificate programs, or modifications or elimination of law school certificate programs.
The following governance bodies shall review the proposal in sequence. Once the reveiw is completed at the last step, the proposal shall be sent to the board of trustees for approval. Following approval by the board of trustees, the proposal shall be sent to ODHE for approval if the certificate requires more than twenty-two credit hours of coursework. Fore deleted certificate programs, a teach-out plan is required. Requirements cannot be added to an active catalog, as it would violate a students' catalog rights.
(1) Law school curriculum committee
(2) Law school faculty
(3) Law school dean
(U) Policy review cycle. The provost's office is responsible for this policy. At a minimum, every five years, the provost shall ensure that the policy is reviewed and recommend whether the policy should be reaffirmed without revision, amended or rescinded. The provost may invite the participation of faculty bodies in such a review. Policies may be reviewed on an earlier timeline depending on necessity and change in law or practice.
Last updated April 27, 2026 at 7:42 AM
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