Program Changes or Updates

Program Changes or Updates

Program Approvals at a Glance

Note: Required External approvals may take between 6 months up to 2 years for full review. Programs that require external approval cannot advertise or admit students before approval notification from the ADHE.

Faculty approvals: Department/School >> Undergraduate College Curriculum Committee and/or Graduate Curriculum Committee >> College Dean’ Signature

Dean’s Offices Only: Submit items (with the appropriate signatures) to Nathan Holloway in the Provost Office.

Deadline: The deadline for receiving curriculum items is by Noon every Wednesday.

Review Stage: Items are reviewed by appropriate University-level curriculum council(s) during a two-week review process.

Approvals: Approved items are sent to Provost and Chancellor for signatures.

Implementation: Approved items are processed for BANNER/Degree Works >> Online Programs (if applicable) >> Undergraduate Catalog and/or Graduate Catalog

Please Note: Certain matters require additional steps beyond UA Little Rock. These programs require approval by UA System Board of Trustees (BOT) and Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Educator Preparatory programs require external approval from the Arkansas Department of Education in addition to BOT and ADHE. See instructions by viewing the Stages of the Program Change Process below or download and print the complete instructions:

Stage 1: Before You Submit

Step Tasks Resource Download
1 You can consult the Provost Office before submitting a curriculum change that may require external approval. Melvin Beavers, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Continuous Improvement (mebeavers@ualr.edu) or Nathan Holloway, ADHE Liaison (nholloway@ualr.edu)
2 And/or consult with your college’s curriculum representative. Find Your Rep: Undergraduate Council (UGC) | Graduate Council (GC) | Council On Core Curriculum (CORE)
3 [Optional] Complete Preparation Worksheet: Download New or Existing Courses and Existing Programs Worksheet.
4 Review instructions and complete: Program Change Form (PCF)
5A For Internal-only Program Changes including Educator Prep Program Changes include with your PCF:

  • Copy of current Program Degree Listing
  • Copy of proposed Program Degree Listing

Note: Current degree listings can be downloaded from the Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Catalogs.

 Examples of what council members review each Program Change Form and accompanying documents for:

  • Concise and accurate admissions requirements including prerequisites
  • Program requirements for graduation including total hours
  • Second language requirements
  • List of required courses and electives
5B For External Program Changes include with your PCF:

  • Copy of current Program Degree Listing
  • Copy of proposed Program Degree Listing
  • Complete and upload Letter of Notification (LON) -Required by ADHE

Note: Current degree listings can be downloaded from the Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Catalogs.

 Examples of what council members review each Program Change Form and accompanying documents for:

  • Concise and accurate admissions requirements including prerequisites
  • Program requirements for graduation including total hours
  • Second language requirements
  • List of required courses and electives
  
5C For External Educator Prep Program Changes include with your PCF:

Examples of what council members review each Program Change Form and accompanying documents for:

  • Concise and accurate admissions requirements including prerequisites
  • Program requirements for graduation including total hours
  • Second language requirements
  • List of required courses and electives

Stage 2: Department/School-Level Approvals

Please Note: The curriculum approval process may vary by department. The following is an explanation of a typical department-level process.

Step Tasks Resource
1 Prepare your curriculum item (PCF) and bring before your department. Usually department-level curriculum committee and/or chair
2 For Chairs/Directors and/or Committee: Things to Consider when reviewing curriculum items:
  • Has the PCF been properly prepared?
  • Will this change have impact on other programs?
  • Will this program change require a change in courses or additional courses?
  • Has the change/justification been thoroughly explained?
  • Are (permanent) department resources for the program in place?
3 If the item is approved, submit to the College/School Committee for review. The signature of the College/School Committee Chair indicates full review and approval.

Stage 3: College-Level Approvals

Some UA Little Rock colleges have more than one curriculum committee. The most common protocol is an undergraduate curriculum committee and a graduate curriculum committee.

Please Note: Early-entry programs must be reviewed by the college’s undergraduate and graduate committees if applicable.

Step Task Additional Information/Resource
1 For Undergraduate and Early-Entry Programs: Submit to the college-level undergraduate Curriculum Committee for review. The signature of the College/School Committee Chair indicates full review and approval.
2 For Early-Entry Programs: After approval by the college undergraduate curriculum committee, submit the item to the college graduate curriculum committee. The signature of the College/School Committee Chair indicates full review and approval.
3 For Graduate Programs: Submit to the college graduate curriculum committee. The signature of the College/School Committee Chair indicates full review and approval.
4 Submit the approved item to the College Dean for review. The signature of the College Dean indicates full review.

Stage 4: Dean’s Offices Approvals and Submission

Step Tasks Resource
1 College Dean reviews item. The signature of the College Dean indicates full review.
2 Dean’s Office Rep: Submit CCF or PCF (with the appropriate signatures) to the Provost Office for tracking and routing at: To nholloway@ualr.edu in the Provost Office. (For Deans’ Offices Only).

Note: Items without the appropriate signatures will be returned to the item originator.
3 Provost Office: Will notify the originator via email: Email will include additional instructions (if applicable), a copy of their item (with log number) and the date their item will appear on the appropriate council(s) agenda.

Stage 5: University Review and Processing

Please Note: To be considered for review, items must be received in the Provost’s Office by NOON every Wednesday. Please Keep in mind, the Curriculum Managers work to place items that meet the deadline on the UGC or GC agendas for the upcoming week, but there is no guarantee your item will make the agenda immediately after its submission. Other factors can impact the date your item is placed on the agenda.

The originator will be notified via email with additional instructions (if applicable), a copy of their item (with log number) and the date their item will appear on the UGC and/or GC agenda.

Step Task Additional Information/Resource
1 Keep a copy of the “logged” item for future reference. You will be notified via email of meeting dates, time, etc. Undergraduate Council meetings are coordinated by the Provost Office. Graduate Council meetings are coordinated by the Graduate School.
2A For Undergraduate and Early-Entry Programs: Attend the appropriate Undergraduate Council meeting. You will be notified via email by the Provost Office of meeting dates, time, etc. The review is a two-week process. If no issues arise during the first review, the item will go up for a vote during the second review. Note: If the originator or a representative is not in attendance for the first-scheduled review, the item will delayed until the following meeting.
2B For Early-Entry Programs Only: Attend the appropriate Undergraduate Council meeting. Later, attend the appropriate Graduate Council meeting. Approved items are submitted to the Graduate Council for review after UGC approval. The signature of the UGC Chair indicates full review and approval. You will be notified by the Graduate School of meeting dates, time, etc.
 2C For Graduate and Early-Entry Programs: Attend the appropriate Graduate Council meeting. You will be notified via email by the Graduate School (GC) of meeting dates, time, etc. The GC review is a two-week process. If no issues arise during the first review, the item will go up for a vote during the second review. Note: If the originator or a representative is not in attendance at the Curriculum Subcommittee meeting, the item will not be reviewed.

Stage 6A: Implementation: Programs (Internal Review Only)

Step Task Additional Information/Resource
1 UGC and/or GC approves item and indicates approval by signature of the committee chair. Item is sent to the Provost, then the Chancellor for signatures.
2 The Provost Office forwards approved items for implementation to:
  1. Records and Registration for Banner/Degree Works
  2. eLearning for UA Little Rock Online (if applicable)
  3. Academic Editor for Undergraduate Catalog
  4. Graduate School for Graduate Catalog

Stage 6B: Implementation: Programs (External Review Required)

Step Task Additional Information/Resource More Info
1 UGC and/or GC approves item and indicates approval by signature of the committee chair. Item is sent to the Provost, then the Chancellor for signatures.
2 The Provost Office prepares documents for official submission to:
  1. University of Arkansas Board of Trustees
  2. Arkansas Department of Higher Education
2B For Educator Prep Programs Only – The School of Education prepares documents for official submission to:
  1. Arkansas Department of Education
  2. University of Arkansas Board of Trustees
  3. Arkansas Department of Higher Education
3 The Provost Office forwards approved items for implementation to:
  1. Records and Registration for Banner/Degree Works
  2. eLearning for UA Little Rock Online (if applicable)
  3. Academic Editor for Undergraduate Catalog
  4. Graduate School for Graduate Catalog
  5. Office of Marketing and Communications (if applicable for affected programs)

Follow Up: Check Curriculum Item Status

Step Task Additional Information/Resource
1 Check the Status of your item(s): View the UGC Curriculum Tracker or Undergraduate Curriculum OR the GC Curriculum Tracker or Graduate Curriculum.
2 Don’t see your item? Contact Ross Bradley at rabradley@ualr.edu for graduate or law items.