George Mason University

All proposals for new or revised curriculum should be submitted through the Curriculum Coordinator(s) designated by the department or program. The proposal should consist of the relevant CHSS Course or Program Proposal Form as a cover document with all the supporting required documents attached. Listed below are guidelines and forms to help guide you through the process of submitting various curriculum proposals.

Curriculum Committee

The CHSS Curriculum Committee reviews and approves additions, changes, and deletions for courses and programs within the College. They will be reviewing proposals for curriculum changes regularly throughout the academic year.

Curriculum Proposals
View and download all proposals under review for curriculum change.

Curriculum Proposal Tracking Sheet (updated 4/14/08)
The curriculum proposal tracking sheet is a list of all proposals their status in the review process.

Course Approval

For approval of new courses, changes in existing courses, and deletions of courses, please complete the CHSS Course Proposal Form and attach the relevant required documents for review and approval.

Program Approval

For approval of new programs of study, changes in existing programs, and deletions of programs, please complete the CHSS Program Proposal Form and attach the relevant required documents for review and approval.

Timeline

If you would like your curriculum change included in the 2009-2010 Catalog, please note the following important deadlines:

October 30, 2008

November 15, 2008

Submission and Approval Process

1. Send all documents as listed in the CHSS Course Proposal Form or the CHSS Program Proposal Form in one word document by e-mail attachment to Marylou Holly, Academic Coordinator at chsscurr@gmu.edu. If you are sending multiple proposals, each proposal should have its own word document.
   • Documents (use as needed)
     • Course approval form -- Undergraduate or Graduate
     • Catalog Copy Form -- Course or Program
     • General Education course approval form and instructions
     • Graduate Council New Program Coordination and Approval form
     • Graduate Council Modified/Deleted Program Coordination and Approval form
     • SHE Program Proposal and Form
2. Send a paper copy with all required signatures to Marylou Holly, Academic Coordinator, at MSN 3A3. Remember to keep a copy for your records. Please note: The department signature should be that of the Chair (for departments), the Director (for programs), or the Associate Dean (for New Century College).
3. Once proposal has been completed and received by the dean's office, it will be posted for CHSS Curriculum Committee review. The committee may have further questions regarding the proposal or recommend the proposal for approval.
4. After receiving CHSS Curriculum Committee approval, the next steps are:

• For undergraduate courses, the proposal is sent to the Registrar's Office.
• For graduate courses, the proposal is sent to the university-wide Graduate Council for review and approval. Approved courses are sent to the Registrar from the Graduate Council.
• For modified undergraduate and/or graduate programs, the approved modification is added to the next catalog revision. Notification or approval of other bodies is not necessary for most modifications. If you have any questions, contact the Academic Coordinator.
• For new undergraduate and/or graduate programs (following Graduate Council approval), the proposal is sent to George Mason's Board of Visitors and the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SHE) for final approval. Once the proposal has received all approvals, the codes are established by the Registrar's Office. New degrees must appear in the catalog before they can begin to be offered.

Additional Resources

Guidelines

• Graduate Council Approval of New Degree Programs Policies and Procedures
• Definition of Degree Components
• Academic minors, College of Arts and Sciences
• Guidelines for Honors within undergraduate majors 12/1/97
• Non-western Culture: Interim Rules 11/20/95
• Catalog Description Guidelines, September 2006

Forms

• CHSS Course Proposal Form
• CHSS Program Proposal Form
• Course Catalog Copy Form
• Program Catalog Copy Form
• GMU Undergraduate Course Approval Form
• General Education course approval form and instructions
• Graduate Council Course Approval Form
• Graduate Council New Program Coordination and Approval form 
• Graduate Council Modified/Deleted Program Coordination and Approval form
• SHE Program Proposal and Form

If you have any questions about making changes and/or additions to the curriculum or seek clarification on this process, please contact CHSScurr@gmu.edu or Marylou Holly, the Academic Coordinator at (703) 993-8721.