Programs Below the Doctoral Level, Except Professional Licensure-Qualifying and Teacher Certification Programs

NOTICE: THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY REVISED THE SUBMISSION PROCESS. PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY.

Changes to Currently Registered Programs

Those changes to currently registered programs which require approval by the State Eduaction Department are described under Frequently Asked Questions.

Change to a Registered Program (.doc)

If you are adding a distance education format to an existing program, besides New York State approval, you’ll also need authorization from those other states in which enrolled students reside. Please visit the tab above for Non-NY State Authorization and Distance Education.

New Program Proposals

Proposals for new programs below the doctoral level are submitted electronically to the State Education Department (SED). Listed below are links to the forms which will need to be submitted to SED. A hard copy of the proposal and other required forms as indicated below should be sent to the Office of Academic Program Review for review prior to electronic submission. When the proposal is ready for submission to SED, a designated individual in the school's dean's office will receive access to SED's electronic submission portal. See the Program Approval Process for more information.

If the proposed program is on the undergraduate level, Tasks 2 through 10 (where appropriate) must be submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum Advisory Committee. In addition, submissions must include the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan and Undergraduate Program Requirements (see Additional Requirements below). Graduate-level program porposals must be submitted to the Graduate Commission along with the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan and Graduate Program Requirements (see Additional Requirements below).

Program Proposal Forms

• Task 2: Program Format, Program Description and Purpose, Admissions, Academic Support Services, Credit for Experience, and Program Assessment and Improvement (.doc) Task guidance is avaliable here.
• Task 3: Curriculum and Sample Program Schedule  (.doc) Task guidance is available here. According to State Education Department Regulations, a master's degree must require either a comprehensive examination, appropriate special project, or thesis. The proposal should describe how this requirement is met.
  
• Task 4: Faculty (.doc) Task guidance is avaliable here.
• Task 5: Financial Resources and Instructional Facilities (.doc) Task guidance is avaliable here. 
• Task 6: Library Resources (.doc) Task guidance here.
• Task 7: External Review of Graduate and Other Degree Programs (.doc) Task guidance is avaliable here. 
• Task 8: Response to External Review of Program (.doc) 
• Task 9: Transfer to Baccalaureate Programs (.doc) Task guidance is avaliable here. 
• Task 10: Distance Education Programs (.doc) Task guidance is avaliable here. If you are proposing a program which will be offered online, you must also visit the Non-NY State Authorization and Distance Education tab (above) for additional information and requirements concerning approvals necessary to enroll students resident in other states.

External Review

An external review of the proposed program is required if the program is a graduate-level program, its subject matter represents a new or emerging field, or if an external review is requested by the Department.The new program proposal must include the submission of:

1. a copy of the original, signed evaluation of the program by a recognized expert in the field who has been approved in advance by the State Education Department.
2. a copy of the email received from the institution’s Department liaison, providing advanced approval of the external evaluator.
3. the institution’s response to the evaluation, including how the proposal was modified in response to the reviewer's comments.
   

It is expected that the proposed external reviewer is a recognized expert in the field of the program, as demonstrated by appropriate educational credentials, professional experience and academic teaching and/or administrative experience in similar programs. The proposed reviewer must not have a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest with the institution or program review.

Approval of an external reviewer must be obtained before the review is conducted. Please provide the Office of Academic Program Review with the names and CVs or biographies of proposed reviewers, usually three, and a brief description of the program via email as early as possible in the planning process to avoid delay.

Additional Requirements

The following information should be provided to the Office of Academic Program Review separately from the above program proposal documents. Please submit two copies. In addition, items #2 and 3 should be submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum Advisory Committee when the program proposal is submitted to the UCAC.

1. Projected Revenue Related to the Proposed Program
2. Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan: For information on requirements for assessment plans and sample templates, please visit the Academic Assessment and Reporting site. Your Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan should be submitted to the Office of Academic Assessment by email to Diana Karafin at the same time as your program proposal is submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum Advisory Committee or to the Graduate Commission. The proposal submission to either of those groups should also include your assessment plan. If you have questions about outcomes assessment visit this website.
3. Undergraduate Program Requirements
4. Graduate Program Requirements

If you are proposing a program which will involve marketing and/or advertising, non-classroom experiences (clinical experiences, field work, internships, etc.), or proctoring in a state other than New York, you must also visit the Non-NY State Authorization and Distance Education tab for additional information and requirements concerning approvals necessary from other states.