Program Proposal

New Program Proposals Program Revisions Minor Proposals Combined and Double Degree Programs

SUNY and SED Information

  • - Please review this document before submitting any new program announcements, new program proposals, revisions of existing programs, or requests for discontinuance or deactivation.

New Program Proposals

  1. Fill out a new undergraduate or graduate program proposal form in MC Curriculum.* 
  2. After all forms are submitted, they will be reviewed by Undergraduate Education (UE) and/or the Graduate School (GS). 
  3. The Academic Business Plan will be reviewed and must be approved before moving foward.
  4. Faculty Senate approval of the proposed new program: please see the Faculty Senate Bylaws for more details on the Senate approval process for new degree program
  5. UE or GS finalizes the Program Announcement or Letter of Intent prepared by the department/school and transmits it to the SUNY System.
  6. SUNY System sends the Program Announcement or Letter of Intent statewide for comments. SUNY System's guidelines for submitting a new program indicate that the proposing campus will receive feedback from other campuses and the System within approximately 30 days of the proposal's circulation.
  7. Programs will go through an external review and must address any concerns presented by the approved reviewers. Programs will list at least five possible reviewers in the proposal form (the reviewers must not share a close personal or professional relationship with the department or faculty). The external reviewers must be approved by UE and/or GS, and SUNY.
  8. Review and final revision of the Program Proposal by the school/department in conjunction with UE or GS. The Program Proposal must address any concerns raised by other SUNY campuses or SUNY System. 
    1. Please note that the completed Program Proposal must be accompanied by reports from at least two SUNY-approved external evaluators, which campuses select in consultation with the SUNY Provost's Office, and an institutional response to those reports. 
    2. Degree proposals may undergo revision between the time they are initially developed and approved internally on campus and when submitted to SUNY System in response to recommendations from external reviewers. The UE or GS will submit the final version of the degree proposal to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee at least two weeks before planned submission to System Administration. The FSEC reviews the final proposal and may seek additional endorsement by the full Faculty Senate if substantive changes have been made to the initial proposal approved by the Senate.
  9. If the SUNY System approves the proposed degree program, it will be sent to the State Education Department for approval. Either SUNY or NYSED may raise revisions or questions. UE and/or GS will send any revisions. 
  10. The State Education Department must approve and register new degree programs before they may be advertised or students may be admitted.  Our system will notify important stakeholders of approvals, including OIR, Student Records, OGRA, etc. 
  11. Before admissions, the Academic Guide page must be published.

*Note: additional forms or information might be needed for specific programs such as education or nursing.

Program Revisions

  1. Fill out the revised program proposal form on MC Curriculum.
  2. After all forms are submitted, they will be reviewed by Undergraduate Education (UE) or the Graduate School (GS). 
  3. Faculty Senate approval of the proposed new program: please see the Faculty Senate Bylaws for more details on the Senate approval process for new degree programs.
  4. UE or GS will organize and send the required forms to SUNY for review.
  5. If the SUNY System approves the proposed degree program, it will be sent to the State Education Department for approval. Either SUNY or NYSED may raise revisions or questions. UE and/or GS will send any revisions. 
  6. NYSED needs to approve and register the changes before we can offer the updated curriculum.
  7. NYSED needs to approve and register the changes before we can offer the updated curriculum.  Our system will notify important stakeholders of approvals, including OIR, Student Records, OGRA, etc. 
  8. You must update the Academic Guide before students can be enrolled in the revised program curriculum.

Minor Proposals

  1. Fill out the minor program proposal form on MC Curriculum.
  2. Department approval of the proposed new minor.
  3. School/college approval of the proposed new minor.
  4. Undergraduate Education reviews the curricular plan for the proposed new/revised minor.
  5. The Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education must sign off on the proposal for approval.

  6. Academic Guide must be updated before admission into the new minor or revised curriculum. 

Combined and Double Degree Programs

  1. Completion of the Combined Degree Program or Double Degree Program Form on MC Curriculum .
  2. Review by the Graduate School (GS) to ensure that all University policies have been met.
  3. Approval by the University-wide Program Review Committee;
  4. Reporting of the new program to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee;
    Listing on the Graduate School and program websites.
  5. You must update the Academic Guide before students can be enrolled in the revised program curriculum.

Please note this is only for programs that do not lead to licesnure. All professional/licensure degree programs must go through traditional program revision and are subject to SUNY and NYSED approval.

For more information regarding combined/4+1 or double degree programs, see the Graduate School Manual.