Format for New Program Proposals

I. Mission Statement

The mission statement is between 500 and 800 words long and summarizes the aims of the program. This mission should satisfy student desires for their own development, entry requirements for graduate schools (if undergraduate), for employment (if graduate) and the gaining of broad life skills. It should, of course, be consistent with the University’s overall mission as expressed on the University website.

II. Program Objectives

The program objectives set forth the purposes of the program with greater specificity than the mission. These objectives are in turn met through your coursework. For a 12-course major there should be at least as many objectives as courses (12); and no more than twice the number of courses (24). These should be stated from the students’ perspective, stating what students will be able to know or do at the conclusion of the program.

III. Entry Requirements

Include here any entry requirements prior to acceptance in the program. If the program is an undergraduate major, the department should state what general education courses need to be taken before students are allowed to enter the major (e.g., what level of math or writing requirements must be met). If a graduate program, what kind of undergraduate training and quality of preparation will you require.

IV. Graduation Requirements

State here the requirements for graduation as they will be listed in the bulletin, including number of credits and specific courses required. Include here course numbers for existing courses and brief course descriptions for courses not offered before on campus.

V. Course Sequence and Curriculum Comparison

Please provide the one or two-year sequence of courses to be offered in the program, including both required and elective coursework. Provide also three curriculum comparisons from other similar undergraduate or graduate programs. We expect any new programs to do extensive research on competitive programs elsewhere.

VI. Assessment Plan

This section provides an outline of the assessment plan for the program, including what overall measures will be used to assess student learning and growth for completion of the program (major projects, exams, or papers toward the end of the program), as well as measures to evaluate program success (e.g., alumni surveys, faculty publications, student employment

v9.14 1 history, etc.). Is there any kind of capstone course or experience for the program? If so, explain how this course will be run; if not, explain how program completion will be determined.

VII. Fulfilling Institutional Learning Goals

In addition to preparing a student for a particular employment field, the program should develop one or more of the University’s Institutional Learning Goals. Please express here which of these goals are relevant and how they will be developed in your students.

VIII. Resources

State here the faculty, staff, equipment, and facilities resources that will be used to support the program, including faculty teaching loads, estimated staff FTE, estimated library budget, new equipment, and laboratory and classroom space required. Distinguish between full-time faculty who have already agreed to teach in the program, adjunct faculty who have committed to teach in the program, and those still to be recruited. Include credentials of faculty.

IX. Marketing

Does the department have any data indicating that there would be a market for this program? Relevant here are enrollment trends in national statistics about students applying for, or enrolled in, similar programs; surveys of current MUM students; surveys of graduates or other potential students. Graduate programs must also present here a plan (including a line item in their budget) for marketing the program.

X. Budget (business plan)

You can work with relevant staff in the University (e.g., the Chief Administrative Officer) to develop a three-year business plan that shows how the program will be funded at start-up and to profitability. Make explicit your assumptions about student tuition revenues, enrollment numbers, and needed staff and faculty support in your plan. Also, make sure to include the appropriate planning time for developing the courses and training new faculty.

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