Changing Curricula
All curriculum changes go through CIM for Programs and may take a few forms.
Click here for video training on editing an existing program.
Please note that “curriculum change – major” or “curriculum change – minor” relates to the level of approval required by the action (off-campus versus on-campus) rather than the content of the alterations or their place on a standing committee agenda. For information on consent agenda designation, see below.
The University Courses and Curricula Committee (UCCC) recommends approval of changes to the Provost’s Designee, who has final approval.
Curriculum Change – Major
A Curriculum Change – Major in determined by actions that must receive approval beyond the Provost’s Designee. Please contact the Office to plan out the timing of these changes to ensure that changes will be able to be implemented while accounting for the 6-12 months that may be required for these approvals.
Change in Program CIP Code
The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) provides a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study and program completion activity; see here for more information.
The UNC System uses the most recent CIP for the classification of all degree programs. (Reference: UNC Policy Manual 400.1.1[R])
Changes from a non-STEM CIP code to a STEM CIP code requires this UNC System Office Form, which will ask you to detail the changes requested and will ask questions regarding the STEM content of the program at the program and course level.
Requests to change a degree program title, non-STEM CIP code, or degree awarded can be accomplished through the campus routing and UNC System API without a standard form. Make changes as relevant in CIM for Programs under “Curriculum Change – Major” and submit to begin routing.
Change in Degree/Program Name
Changing the name or degree title of an existing undergraduate program must make these changes in CIM for Programs, paying special attention to:
- Name and contact information for initiator
- Justification for proposed change
- The explanation for teach-out plan for current students
- Consultations pursued with other programs/departments that may be impacted by this action.
If you change a plan title and leave the SIS code as-is, the current students will graduate under the NEW title, therefore a new code should be created for the new title and the department/college can then move students who want to graduate with the new title to the new code/degree audit.
Requests to change a degree program title can be accomplished through the campus routing and UNC System API without a standard form. Make changes as relevant in CIM for Programs under “Curriculum Change – Major” and submit to begin routing.
Establish New Delivery Mode
Establishing a new delivery mode (whether at a new site or via distance education) for an existing degree program is initiated by the Request to Deliver Form attached to changes to the Mode(s) of Delivery field for the program in CIM Programs. A Financial Worksheet is also required and can be attached in CIM Programs.
More information regarding the regulation for new campuses, branch campuses, and other off-site educational use of facilities represented in addition of site-based delivery is available in UNC Policy Manual 400.1.2[R].
Request to Increase Major Hours
Since 2018, programs have been required to be 120 hours per UNC Policy Manual 400.1.5[R]. At that time and since then, programs have requested and were approved for exceptions to this request.
- Here is a list of programs whose exception requests were approved previously by the BoT.
To offer a plan/subplan over 120 hours, or to increase the hour amount previously approved, programs should submit a Request to Increase Major Hours alongside their curricular revisions. This request will route through the Curriculum Change – Major process in CIM Programs.
See below for examples:
| Example | Does it need to go to BOT? |
|---|---|
| Plan A was approved for 125 hours, and Plan A – Subplan 1 is being created at 120-125 hours. | No |
| Plan A was approved for 125 hours, and Plan A – Subplan 1 is being created at 126 hours. | Yes |
| Plan A was approved for 125 hours, and existing Plan A – Subplan 1 is increasing its hours from 123 to 125 hours. | No |
| Plan A was approved for 125 hours, and existing Plan A – Subplan 1 is increasing its hours from 123 to 126 hours. | Yes |
| Plan A was approved for 125 hours and is decreasing its hours to 124 | No |
| Plan A was approved for 125 hours and is increasing its hours to 126 | Yes |
Curriculum Change – Minor
A Curriculum Change – Minor in determined by actions that do not require approval beyond the Provost’s Designee.
Change Degree Requirements/Term Sequence
Changes to the Degree Requirements or the Term Sequence/Semester Sequence filter into the next-catalog, published at the end of the CAT Publication Cycle annually. They also communicate to Registration and Records changes required to the Degree Audit for manual implementation.
Changes to curricula can only be implemented after all relevant course actions have been approved and implemented in the SIS Catalog. You can bundle course and relevant curricular actions through CIM Courses and CIM Programs in order for them to travel through the same agendas.
See the Useful Things for CIM Programs Users to Know document for tips and best practices for listing requirements in CIM Programs.
A few types of curriculum changes include:
- Adding/Dropping Courses from an Electives List:
- New Degree Key if courses are being dropped from the list but will still be offered
- No Degree Key Change if courses are being dropped and will no longer be offered
- Consultations should be pursued
- Adding/Dropping Required Courses
- New Degree Key: Students in the current key will not be affected by revisions.
- If a new course has been added to the program and has prerequisites, those prerequisites shoudl also factor into the plan requirements and semester sequence for the program.
- Alterations Due to a Course Change
- Course Title and Number: Course title changes affect the semester plan and plan requirements. For plans affected by the change in course title, unless a new degree key is created with an effective date the same or after the effective date of the course change, the old title will still appear on the audit.
- Number changes may also affect requirement groups that seek a certain level of course (300+)
- Semester Offering: Changes to the semester(s) that a course is offered should be reflected in semester plans.
- Creating Anchor Links in Plan Requirements and Term Sequences
- Course Title and Number: Course title changes affect the semester plan and plan requirements. For plans affected by the change in course title, unless a new degree key is created with an effective date the same or after the effective date of the course change, the old title will still appear on the audit.
Change Concentration/Subplan Name
Changes to a concentration/subplan name do not need to be approved beyond the University level.
If you change a concentration/subplan title and leave the SIS code as-is, the current students will graduate under the NEW title, therefore a new code should be created for the new title and the department/college can then move students who want to graduate with the new title to the new code/degree audit.
Change Program Academic Org/Ownership
In order to change ownership for a program, make the alteration to the CIM Programs record in the College/Department field as appropriate. Make sure to include a justification for the change.
Ownership changes go as notification to UCCC.
Consent Agenda Designation in UCCC Agendas
The assignment of curricular actions to the consent agenda or the main body of the agenda is a manual review process initiated by the Office. The Chair may make alterations to these assignments, and UCCC members may always pull an item from the consent agenda for full review by the committee.
Below you will find the general “rule of thumb” for the initial assignments:
| Consent Agenda | Main Body |
|---|---|
| Title Change (Unless Major/Degree) | Title Change (Major/Degree) |
| Adding/Deleting 1-3 courses to Required Courses/Electives List | Updating more than 3 courses on a Required Courses/Electives List |
| Adding/Updating/Deleting 1-3 courses to Semester Sequence | Updating more than 3 courses on the Semester Sequence |
| Above + No Total Hours Change | Change in Total Hours |
Substantive Change
If your curriculum change represents a substantive change to the mission and scope of the University, additional approval may be required from our accreditor (SACSCOC).
Substantive changes are assessed through the Substantive Change Review Team (SCRT) organized by the Office of Assessment and Accreditation within the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and PRovost.
The following checklist is used as a guide when considering whether or not an action constitutes a substantive change.