New Degree Program Forms

Effective in Fall 2018, the School Dean must submit a pre-planning program notification memo for a new academic proposed program at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels to the Provost with a rationale before faculty begins preparing the new degree proposal. When the pre-planning program notification memo is submitted, a meeting will be scheduled between the School Dean and the Provost to discuss the new degree proposal. Upon receiving pre-approval from the Provost’s Office, faculty may proceed to prepare the degree program proposal.

Prior to beginning any new degree program proposal at UT Dallas, faculty may wish to have a consultation meeting with the Assistant Provost for Policy and Program Coordination, Serenity Rose King. The Assistant Provost reviews the proposal before it is routed through the governance process, and a consultation meeting expedites the review process.

Faculty should download the appropriate Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) forms for new degree program proposals at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels. Each proposal will include a section on how the proposed program will align with the state’s 60x30TX Strategic Plan for Higher Education, specifically students’ marketable skills that will be attained.

Faculty may also find the Texas Legislative Budget Board’s formula funding weighting matrix as shown in section 26 helpful for the budget section within the THECB forms. The Assistant Provost will assist faculty with the budget section.

Student learning outcomes must be included in these proposals. For additional assistance, contact Dr. Gloria Shenoy, Director of the Office of Assessment.

After securing approval from the Provost and, as needed, the President, the Assistant Provost for Policy and Program Coordination will route the proposals to the Council for Undergraduate Education or to Graduate Council as appropriate to begin the internal governance approval process prior to the external review and approval process. The Assistant Provost works closely with The University of Texas System (UT System) Office of Academic Affairs in submitting new degree program proposals as outlined in the UT System and THECB websites.

• New Doctoral Programs

  THECB Proposal for a New Doctoral Program (Updated 2.1.18 Form)

  Upon receiving the pre-approval from the Provost’s Office, the Assistant Provost for Policy and Program Coordination will guide faculty with all the necessary steps to offer a doctoral program. The Assistant Provost for Policy and Program Coordination will send a Planning Notification letter to UT System, UT System Board of Regents, and THECB, stating UT Dallas’ intention to offer the proposed doctoral program before the full proposal is routed through the UT Dallas governance process.

  The Planning Notification letter should include the title, degree designation, CIP code of the program, the anticipated date of submission of the proposal, and a brief description of the program. After submitting the Planning Notification letter, UT Dallas’ leadership may be requested to address the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting, to describe how the potential program would contribute to the state’s higher education efficiency and effectiveness, while avoiding costly duplication in program offerings, faculties, and physical plants.

  Upon preliminary approval from UT System, UT System Board of Regents, and THECB, the doctoral program proposal form must be routed through the Provost's Office, the Graduate Council, Committee on Educational Policy, and the Academic Council/Senate for approval before it can be sent to UT System. When UT System receives the proposal, the staff reviews it at the staff level. UT System then sends the proposal to the THECB for their review at their staff level. THECB then schedules an on-site visit comprised of three external reviewers. After the site visit, the external committee provides the institution, UT System, and THECB with its report. The institution responds to the external committee's report within the original proposal and resubmits to UT System. Upon receipt of the revised proposal, UT System reviews it at the staff level again and, if it is approved, places it on the agenda for approval by the full Board of Regents. If approved by the Board of Regents, the proposal is routed to THECB for approval at the full board level. The approval process can take a year or more for new doctoral programs. Institutions should refer to the Texas Public Institutions of Higher Education Characteristics Doctoral Programs (AQW Revised 3.14.2017 Form) for completing the new doctoral program proposal.

  NOTE: If a new doctoral program is self-funded, use the same form as indicated and make references in both the overview and the budget sections that the program is self-funded.

  Approval Process

  Internal Review

  1. School Dean completes and submits the pre-planning program notification memo to the Provost’s Office.
  2. School Dean and the Provost will schedule a meeting to discuss the new degree proposal.
  3. School Dean receives the Provost’s pre-approval to proceed with the new degree proposal.
  4. Provost’s Office prepares the UT System Planning Notification letter of institution’s intention to offer the doctoral program; rationale will be derived from the pre-planning notification memo in step one.
  5. Provost’s Office submits the Planning Notification letter to UT System (who will forward to UT System Board of Regents) of intention to offer the doctoral program.
  6. Institution receives the UT System, UT System Board of Regents, and THECB Planning Notification approval.
  7. Program or school faculty prepare and complete the doctoral program proposal form.
  8. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty^[1]
  9. Endorsement from School Dean
  10. Submit the completed doctoral program proposal form and any other appropriate paperwork, such as letters of support, as needed to the Assistant Provost for Policy and Program Coordination (serenity.king@utdallas.edu) who will review and route the request through the governance approval process.
  11. Graduate Council approval
  12. Committee on Educational Policy approval
  13. Academic Council/Senate approval
  14. Provost’s Office prepares a formal letter for UT System and submits it along with the doctoral proposal form to the President’s Office.
  15. President and Vice President of Budget and Finance and, as needed, Provost, review and sign the doctoral proposal form.
  16. President reviews and signs the formal letter then returns paperwork to Provost’s Office.
  17. Provost’s Office submits paperwork to UT System.

  External Review

  1. UT System Office of Academic Affairs approval
  2. UT System Board of Regents approval
  3. THECB approval
  4. SACSCOC approval per substantive change policy
• New Bachelor's or Master's Programs

  THECB Proposal for a New Bachelor's or Master's Degree Program (Updated 2.21.18 Full Request Form)

  Upon receiving the pre-approval from the Provost’s Office, this form must be completed and routed through the Provost's Office, the Graduate Council or Council for Undergraduate Education, as appropriate, the Committee on Educational Policy, and the Academic Council/Senate for approval before it can be sent to UT System. If the proposed program is an engineering program at any level or if the proposed program in any discipline will cost more than $2 million over the first five years, then the Provost’s Office needs to send a preliminary Planning Notification letter to both UT System and THECB first before submitting the proposal to UT System. At the time it is submitted to UT System, UT Dallas also notifies institutions within a 50-mile radius per the THECB's notification requirements. If there are no objections by area institutions, and if the requested program is not engineering (CIP code 14) or does not exceed $2 million and UT System approves the full proposal, then the System submits to the THECB on our behalf the Certification Form (Updated 4.3.18 version).. If the program is engineering or exceeds $2 million, then the complete proposal is submitted to the THECB. All proposals must comply with the THECB Standards for Bachelor's and Master's Programs (Updated 6.26.2017 version) when submitted to the THECB.

  NOTE: If a new bachelor's or master's program is self-funded, use the same form as indicated and make references in both the overview and the budget sections that the program is self-funded.

  Approval Process

  Internal Review

  1. School Dean completes and submits the pre-planning program notification memo to the Provost’s Office.
  2. School Dean and the Provost will schedule a meeting to discuss the new degree proposal.
  3. School Dean receives the Provost’s pre-approval to proceed with the new degree proposal.
  4. Program and/or school faculty prepare and complete the THECB Proposal for a New Bachelor’s or Master’s Program (Revised 2.21.18 Full Request Form)
  5. Evidence of vote/approval by program and/or school faculty¹
  6. Endorsement from School Dean
  7. Submit the completed THECB Proposal for a New Bachelor's or Master's Degree Program (Updated 2.21.18 Full Request Form) to the Assistant Provost for Policy and Program Coordination (serenity.king@utdallas.edu) who will review and route the request through the governance approval process.
  8. Council for Undergraduate Education or Graduate Council approval or both
  9. Committee on Educational Policy approval
  10. Academic Council/Senate approval
  11. Provost’s Office prepares a formal letter for UT System and submit it along with the proposal and certification forms to the President’s Office.
  12. President and Vice President of Budget and Finance, and as needed, Provost, review and sign the degree proposal form.
  13. President reviews and signs the certification form and the formal letter then returns paperwork to Provost’s Office.
  14. Provost’s Office submits paperwork to UT System.
  15. Upon UT System approval, they forward the request to the THECB.

  External Review

  1. UT System Office of Academic Affairs approval
  2. THECB approval
  3. SACSCOC approval per substantive change policy

1. Pursuant to school's bylaws.