PROPOSING NEW PROGRAMS
New Master's or Doctoral Degree Program
All new degree programs must go through the campus review process before they are forwarded to the Chancellor's Office for additional review (see the Checklist for Implementing New Graduate Program (Word document)). Proposed programs may not recruit students, be put into the catalog, or be advertised as a new program, until the Chancellor's Office has notified the President that the program has been approved. The Chancellor's Office has provided a template that must be used in proposing new joint doctorates and master's degrees. Click on the link below and choose the appropriate template.
- Master's program proposal template (MSWord document from CSU Chancellor's Office).
- Doctoral program proposal:
- CSU Ed.D. Programs (CSU Chancellor's Office Web page)
- UC-CSU Joint Doctoral Programs (UC Office of the President Web page)
- Joint Doctorates with Independent Institutions (PDF document from the CSU Chancellor's Office)
- The University Budget Analysis (Word document) required by the University Budget Committee of the Academic Senate,
- complete catalog copy with catalog curriculum forms for all curriculum changes (Please note: New courses will require the "New Grad Course Proposal" form, available on Informed Filler®, with course syllabi attached.)
- the means for students in the proposed program to meet the Graduate Writing Requirement with complete written guidelines including the appeal process,
- a Student Outcomes Assessment Plan (SOAP) for the new degree program using the template found at the Office of Institutional Research Web site), and
- the department policy for selection of faculty to be part of the graduate consultative group for the program, and for determining who can teach graduate courses.
The information in the CSU template and the above information must come through campus review as one document.
The following documents are designed to aid the department in gathering appropriate information to complete the proposal and support the need for the program. Use of these documents is optional.
- Evidence of Need (Word document)
- Sample Interest Surveys (Word document)
- Capacity to Offer Graduate Education (Word document)
Options (Concentrations and Emphases follow the same guidelines as Options)
An Option, Concentration, or Emphasis must undergo the campus review process and be approved by the campus President prior to implementation. Please note that only an Option will appear on the student's diploma; a Concentration or Emphasis does not.
Follow the Guidelines provided at this link: Procedures for a new Option, Concentration, or Emphasis (Word document).
The following documents are designed to aid the department in gathering appropriate information to complete the proposal and support the need for the program. Use of these documents is optional.
- Evidence of Need (MSWord document)
- Sample Interest Surveys (MSWord document)
- Capacity to Offer Graduate Education (MSWord document)
Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS)
After the campus review process, the President has the authority to approve Certificates of Advanced Study. New CAS proposals are prepared following the guidelines found in the Certificates of Advanced Study Programs - Policy and Procedures. See CAS Policy and Procedures (MSWord document).
The following documents are designed to aid the department in gathering appropriate information to complete the proposal and support the need for the certificate program. Use of these documents is optional.
- Capacity to Offer Graduate Education (MSWord document)
- Evidence of Need (MSWord document)
- Sample Surveys for CAS (MSWord document)
For further assistance with the above processes, please contact the Division of Graduate Studies.
