Course Proposal Form (for New Programs)

CURRENT SSU FACULTY:
Please read and fill out the following along with submitting the program proposal forms. If you have questions, please contact Julie Barnes at 664-2600.

NON SSU APPLICANTS:
Please read and fill out the following along with submitting the program proposal forms, omitting the signature page, then email to julie.barnes@sonoma.edu or mail to:

Julie Barnes, Sonoma State University, Extended Education
1801 East Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, California 94928
U.S.A.

The New Program Planning form should be used to secure approval for developing all new programs and courses. Use of this form provides a mechanism whereby departments will do the necessary program planning and receive the appropriate administrative approvals to develop the program before entering the proposal into the Extended Education Program Planning process.


Elements of this process that are critical for a proposal to receive a positive review are emphasized on the form; they include a persuasive rationale for the program, consistency with our mission, a needs analysis and identification of a market for the program, appropriate consultation, a feasible timetable, and a realistic assessment of resource needs.


This adjustment to the New Program & Course Planning Process is an important step. It will insure those involved in the process that the requisite planning has been done, that there has been sufficient communication and consultation among the units, and that the respective Schools will support approval of the resources necessary to launch the New Program or course.


The School of Extended Education Intake Team will review completed New Program & Course Planning Forms on a regular schedule--two occasions each fall and spring semester and once during the summer. This will give departments and Schools several opportunities throughout the year to seek approval to develop a program.

The following dates are in effect for the Dean's Office of School of Extended Educations to receive forms that require approval:

  • February 1
  • April 1
  • August 1
  • October 1
  • December 1

PLANNING STEPS:

The first step in developing a new program and course is to use this brief planning process to obtain approval to develop the program. This initial approval process precedes but does not alter the existing curricular review process at the University. The purpose of this step is to ensure that the administration will be supportive of the program if it is approved.

For the purposes of planning, a "new program" is defined as:

  • Any new certificate or degree program
    -------------OR-------------
  • A new concentration/track that requires additional resources.

To obtain approval for proceeding with program or course development, briefly respond to the five items on the following pages:

(a) Program
(b) Market
(c) Consultation and collaboration
(d) Timetable
(e) Resources

Responses should be as brief as possible while still providing the information requested.
Once this brief document is complete, it should be submitted for review at each of three levels:

  1. First, the department chair;
  2. if approved by the department chair, the document then goes to the dean;
  3. and finally, if approved by the dean, the document is submitted for consideration to the Extended Education Intake Team.

If more than one department is involved in the program, then the chairs and deans of all involved departments must approve the new program before it is submitted to Extended Education.
When all required approvals - chair(s), dean(s), - are obtained on the "Signature Page" (below) a full program proposal may be developed and submitted to the School of Extended Education.

PROGRAM/COURSE

  1. Provide a description of the program or course including objectives and a brief overview of the curriculum (e.g., number of credits, tracks and concentrations, number of new courses to be developed).
  2. Provide the rationale for the program or course and describe its relation to the School of Extended Education.
  3. Describe the delivery method (such as face-to-face classes or fully web-based or hybrid), the course scheduling (such as evening program, week-end
    Program, eight-week courses, etc.), and any unusual delivery features (such as classes to be offered at the airport or at the hospital or at an employer's site).
  4. Describe any accrediting processes associated with this program. Indicate whether it is optional or mandatory and provide, in the "RESOURCES" section, an estimate of its initial and on-going costs.

MARKET

  1. Describe the market for this program or course and explain how you identified this market. Provide evidence that there is both student demand for this program and ample employment opportunities for program graduates.
  2. Give semester-by-semester enrollment projections for the first four years of program implementation. Sufficient detail should be provided to allow one to estimate tuition revenue.
  3. Describe the competitors for this degree. In addition to traditionally delivered programs, include any on-line, regionally accredited providers regardless of whether an on-line program is being proposed.

CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION

  1. Internal: If other SSU departments will be impacted by, or have a vested interest in, the implementation of the program or course, have you discussed the program with them? Very briefly summarize their views.
  2. External: If other agencies will be involved in the development or implementation of this program, what evidence do you have of their commitment to the program?

TIMETABLE

Provide a detailed timetable for program or course implementation. Include timing of advertising, and semester when students will begin.

RESOURCES

  1. Describe and justify the space requirements for the proposed program or course.
  2. Describe the resource needs for the first four years of program implementation to better enable the School of Extended Education to build a budget appropriate to the program or course, include number of faculty and anticipated staff needed to run the program/course along with any and all other resources.

NEW PROGRAM/COURSE PROPOSAL SIGNATURE PAGE

Dean: If you agree that this program should be developed, please sign below and return to the originator of the request.

After all signatures are affixed, copies of the signature page and attached document should be sent to:

    1. the department chair(s),
    2. the dean(s), and
    3. the School of Extended Education.