Curriculum Approval Process

Step 1. First, determine what type of curriculum change you need if you are not sure contact Dr. Hefner-Babb 

Step 2

Fill out the appropriate document(s) to initiate the approval process and submit them to the Office of Accreditation and Assessment for review. The documents will be returned to the Department Chair. 

Step 3

The Department Chair reviews and approves document(s) then forwards to the appropriate College Curriculum Council for review.

Step 4

The College Curriculum Council reviews and approves documents(s) then forwards to the Dean.

Step 5

The Dean reviews and approves document(s) then returns the documents to the Office of Accreditation and Assessment (storey@lamar.edu).

Step 6 

The Program Proposal or Course Proposal smartsheet will be updated.

Step 7

Dr. Hefner-Babb will review and 1) approve the documents or 2) contact the department with any questions or comments. Once approved the documents will be returned to either Carly or Aida to add to the appropriate University Curriculum Council Agenda.

Step 8

The appropriate University Curriculum Council reviews and approves the document(s) then forwards to the Associate Provost.

Step 9

The Associate Provost reviews and approves the document(s).

Step 10

Depending on the type of request the document(s) will be either forwarded to the Texas State University System (TSUS) Board of Regents for review and approval or they will be forwarded to the Registrar's office.

a. If document(s) need to be submitted to the TSUS Board of Regents they will stay in the Associate Provost's office until the next TSUS Board of Regent's Meeting. (Meetings are held quarterly in February, May, August and November). 

b. If document(s) do not need to be submitted to the TSUS Board of Regents they will be forwarded to the Registrar's office 

Step 11

The TSUS Board of Regents reviews and approves the documents. The Provost or Associate Provost notifies the SACSCOC Liaison after the meeting about the approved items.

Step 12

The SACSCOC Liaison reviews the TSUS agenda items to determine what items need to be forwarded to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for review and approval.

a. If items need to be submitted to the THECB they are held by the SACSCOC Liaison until the THECB notifies the Provost and the THECB Liaison of the item's approval.

Some items require 50 mile radius notification BEFORE document(s) can be submitted to the THECB.

The THECB staff reviews items year round and the board makes decisions on a monthly basis.

b. If document(s) do not need to be submitted to the THECB they will be forwarded to the Registrar's office.

Step 13

Depending upon the nature of the request some items might require a notification or prospectus to be submitted to SACSCOC for substantive change review.

a. If the document(s) need to be submitted to SACSCOC they will stay with the SACSCOC Liaison until approval is received.

b. If document(s) do not need to be submitted to SACSCOC they will be forwarded to the Registrar's office.

Step 14

All new programs and online offerings will be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid for addition to the approved programs inventory. Note: a program is not eligible for financial aid if this step is not completed.

Step 15

When all approvals are received the program will be added by the Registrar's Office.

To add a new course to the LU inventory

Form: Course Addition Form

Syllabus: Sample Syllabus using the Concourse template

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Registrar

Exception: If the course will be taught at the 4000/5000/6000 levels the graduate section(s) will need to meet the requirements for academic rigor (SACSCOC Standard 9.6)

Proposing stacked 4000/5000/6000 courses for the curriculum?

Form: Course Addition Form for both courses

Syllabus: Sample Syllabus using the Concourse template for both courses

Approvals: Department, College, Undergraduate Curriculum Council and Graduate Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Registrar

Exception: If the course will be taught at the 4000/5000/6000 levels the graduate section(s) will need to meet the requirements for academic rigor (SACSCOC Standard 9.6) for the course title, course description, learning outcomes and research,

To change or modify an existing course in the LU inventory

Form: Course Change Form

Syllabus: Sample Syllabus using the Concourse template

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Registrar

Exception: If the course will be taught at the 4000/5000/6000 levels the graduate section(s) will need to meet the requirements for academic rigor (SACSCOC Standard 9.6)

To delete a course in the LU inventory

Form: Course Deletion Form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Registrar

To add a new degree to the LU inventory

Forms:

• Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment
• THECB New Degree Form
• Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, 50 mile radius notification letter, THECB, SACSCOC, Financial Aid, Registrar
• Syllabus for any new courses in the degree program.

To modify an existing degree plan in the LU inventory

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment

Syllabus: Syllabus for any new courses in the degree program.

THECB form for Existing Program Changes:

• Semester Credit Hour Change Form
• Degree Title Change Request Form 
• CIP Change Request Form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, SACSCOC (if over 25% new content)

To consolidate degree programs in the LU inventory

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment 

THECB Form for Consolidation of Degree Programs

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, SACSCOC (teach out plan), Office of Financial Aid, Registrar

To delete a degree from the LU inventory:

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, Program Deletion Form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, SACSCOC (teach out plan), Office of Financial Aid, Registrar

To add a new undergraduate certificate degree to the LU inventory that is less than 20 SCH: 

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Financial Aid, Registrar

Undergraduate Certificate (21-36 SCH) Upper Division Courses only

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB New Certificate Form, 50 mile radius notification letter

Approvals: Department, College, Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, 50 mile radius letter, THECB, Financial Aid, Registrar

To add a new graduate certificate degree to the LU inventory that is less than 16 SCH: 

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB New Certificate Form (link)

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Registrar

Graduate Certificate (16-29 SCH) 

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB New Certificate Form (link), 50 mile radius notification letter

Approvals: Department, College, Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, 50 mile radius letter, THECB, Financial Aid, Registrar

To modify an existing certificate program in the LU inventory:

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB Academic Program Modification form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB (if needed), Registrar

To delete an existing certificate program in the LU inventory:

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, Program Deletion form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB (if necessary), Financial Aid, Registrar

To add a new minor to the LU inventory

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, Registrar

To modify or delete a minor from the LU inventory

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, Program modification or deletion form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, Registrar

To add a new degree concentration to the LU inventory

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB New Program form (partial);

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB (for distance inventory BBA only), Registrar 

To modify or delete a degree concentration in the LU inventory

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, Program Change form or Program deletion form

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB (for distance inventory only), Registrar

To add a new administrative department to the LU organization structure

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and  Assessment, THECB Administrative Change form, memo to Provost/President requesting change

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, Provost, President, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, Registrar

To change the existing name of an administrative department in the LU organization structure

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB Administrative Change form, memo to Provost/President requesting change

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, Provost, President, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, Registrar

To move an existing degree to a different department in the LU organization structure

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB Administrative Change form, memo to Provost/President requesting change

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, Provost, President, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, Registrar

To change the mode of delivery of a course from F2F to hybrid or online

Forms: THECB Distance Inventory Form, Memo requesting change of modality.

Approvals: Department Chair, Dean of College, Curriculum Councils, Registrar

To change the mode of delivery of a degree program from F2F to hybrid or online

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, THECB Distance Education Inventory, notification / prospectus to SACSCOC 

Approvals: Department, College and Curriculum Council, Associate Provost for Digital Learning, TSUS Board of Regents, THECB, SACSCOC notification/prospectus, Financial aid, Registrar

To create a Fast Track (4+1 or 3+2) degree program:

Forms: Initial Planning Authority to Office of Accreditation and Assessment, Fast Track degree form

Approvals: Department, College, Undergraduate Curriculum Council, Graduate Council, TSUS Board of Regents, Registrar