Summary of Request and Rationale

This is the best way to quickly indicate to UCC, the Registar’s office, and all those who are part of the approval process what new course, program, or changes to existing courses or programs are being proposed. There are some standard items to focus on in the summary of request.

For new courses and programs

Indicate why this course or program is needed, how it fits into the existing curriculum in your department, why it is important for students to have the opportunity to enroll in the class or program. Since there is no rationale in the master syllabus anymore, this is also the opportunity to indicate the reason for proposing the new course or program. Workforce statistics, feedback from a one-time course, reactions to Assessment data are all material that could be included in this section. Overall, this should be answer any questions about why the proposal is being put through.

For changes in number, title, prefix, prerequisites, description, objectives, etc.

This is best stated in this format:

  • Old Prerequisites: COMP 100
  • New Prerequisites: COMP 100 and COMP 200

  • Old Title: Biology I
  • New Title: Human Biology

After the change has been stated clearly, a paragraph can follow that goes into more detail as to why the changes are being made.

After all the summary of request items are completed, the Assessment Memo can go immediately after on the same page as the summary of request and rationale. Note that the new guidelines only require the Assessment memo for new and revised programs. It is not needed for new or revised courses anymore.

Assessment memo

  1. What data informed the decision-making to propose this new course or course revision?
  2. A copy of the program-level curriculum map highlighting where this new course or revision fits into the map.
  3. How does the new course or course revision fit into the program's assessment plan?  

There is more information on writing the Assessment memo here.

Curriculum Map

This document can be added to the very end of the proposal packet. It shows where the new course fits into the existing department assessment plan. This is key information in making sure the department is revising the curriculum map as new courses are added to the department.