Resources and FAQs

New Program Development Orientation

Academic Planning and Program Development requires a New Program Development Orientation for any individual or team proposing a new degree program. Proposing a new degree program at 91做厙 involves various stages of development and review, so the  orientation has been designed to equip any proposer with the tools and knowledge necessary to succeed throughout the process. These orientations are customized for each proposal and will be scheduled once an is submitted.

Additional Links

New Academic Program Flowchart
New Academic Program Development Timeline
New Certificate/Minor Flow Chart
New Certificate/Minor Development Timeline



Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: How long will it take to get fully through the new academic degree program process?

    A: The academic program proposal process is a two-stage process: Stage I Need and Financial Analysis and Stage II Content and Quality. Approximate time to complete each stage varies depending on number of simultaneous submissions, internal college review processes, quality of submission or number of drafts needing revisions, etc.

    Stage I Need and Financial Analysis is highly dependent on the number of revisions needed to the submission. Multiple drafts and time to make revisions highly impact the time to complete this stage. The workload of the program initiator and review/approvers (i.e., academic dean, and provost) is also a factor, which is why drafting stage 2-3 while awaiting approval is recommended. Getting a head-start on following stages will save a significant amount of time—Although, you cannot acquire approvals/signatures on a stage before the previous stage has been fully approved.

    Approx. time to complete: 8-16 Weeks

    Stage II Content and Quality is largely dependent on the workload of the program initiator, and the Department, College, University Curriculum Committee’s curriculum review schedules.

    Approx. time to complete: 6-8 Weeks


    In addition, the program is reviewed and approved by the Academic Affairs Council (AAC) and the Board of Regents (BOR) as well as undergoes a required 30-day commenting period after to submission to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

    Note, below timetable regarding target UCC submission deadlines.

    Submission to UCC AAC Review Board Meeting THECB 30-Day Comment Period THECB Review

    June/July

    September

    November

    December

    January

    Sept./Oct

    December

    February

    March

    April

    Nov./Jan./Feb.

    March

    May

    June

    July

    March/April/May

    June

    August

    September

    October

    Note: The University Curriculum Committee does not review curriculum during the months of August or December.

  • Q: I am looking into program development, where do I start?

    A: No worries, the Analytics Team can look into program analytics to help identify potential areas for development, which may include the competitive landscape, State of Texas and National Workforce, in-demand skills, and more.  The Analytics Team help tailor the research to your needs. Complete the to get started.

  • Q: How should I cite data from the Program Analytics Report?

    A: Data from the Program Analytics Report should be cited from the original source. Therefore, please, cite data according to the source provided (i.e., Lightcast, [insert Year]).

  • Q: How thorough is the Stage 1 review in new program development?

    A: The Program Development Coordinator conducts a thorough review of all submissions. This initial review is a first line of defense to catch inaccuracies, trouble areas, mechanical errors, and more. The intent is for each proposal to be as close to perfect as possible. To learn the specific areas being reviewed, please, reference the Stage 1 Review Checklist.

  • Q: Where do I find the right form?

    A: Example forms can be viewed under New Curriculum; however, the Analytics Team pre-populates each form individually to assist you with the process by creating a unique form tailored to your specific program. Therefore, the appropriate form (pre-populated) will be sent after processing your request submitted via the .

  • Q: Why is the New Program Development Orientation Mandatory?

    A: The New Program Development Orientation provides an opportunity for the Program Development Coordinator and the Analytics Team to review the data specific to your proposal, to outline the entire new program development process, and to answer any questions and to address any concerns.  The orientation is mandatory to ensure that program initiators are fully aware of the process, timelines, and expectations of proposal development, as well as are on the right track to achieve the targeted program implementation.

  • Q: Where does the Analytics Team pull their data from, and how can I get access?

    A: The Analysis team primarily uses an aggregate data system called (previously known as Emsi Burning Glass). While this system is not accessible across campus, several of our secondary data sources are at your disposal. Please, reference the list below:

  • ) (located on MySam under the Faculty tab)

For more information, contact programdev@shsu.edu.