Curriculum changes at Valley City State University are initiated and approved under the authority of the Constitution of the Faculty Association. Decisions regarding the addition or deletion of degrees and academic programs are made by the university administration, but the Curriculum Committee, a Faculty Association committee, is responsible for each program’s curricular content and for the continued evaluation of the academic requirements of the University.
The Curriculum Committee receives requests for graduate and undergraduate curriculum changes from the department chair or a faculty member with the department chair’s approval. The Committee is responsible for setting a regular hearing schedule for all proposals, which include a brief, written description of requested changes, including a rationale for the request and impact on the department. Either the department chair, or a faculty member with chair’s approval, will attend the scheduled curriculum meeting to present the request.
The Curriculum Committee reviews the proposal through a first and second reading process. If the proposal is approved, the requests are forwarded to Faculty Senate for final approval.
VCSU standards for academic programs and degrees:
Major: 32-42 Credits (all non-education, non-composite majors require a minor)
Composite Major: 52-75 Credits (minor not required)
B.S.Ed. Major: 32-48 Credits (minor not required; professional education sequence required)
Minor: 18-26 Credits (VCSU norm is 21-24 credits)
Certificate: at least 9 credits
Certificate of Completion: less than 9 credits
Concentration: 18-30 credits
Cognate: 12-17 credits
Bachelor’s Degree: 120 credits including at least 30 upper level credits
The ten credit gap between a major and composite major is intentional to allow students to fit in their minor and allow students to explore other courses.
Exemptions to this policy must be approved by Curriculum, using the Curriculum Policy Exemption Form (AA-55).
Table to guide curricular changes:
| Proposal | Notes | Curriculum | Senate | Academic Affairs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
New academic program (major, minor, certificate) or degree |
Initiated by VPAA to move to NDUS approval process |
N* |
N |
A |
Program Termination |
|
N |
N |
A |
New Course |
Initiated by Department Chair |
A** |
A |
N |
Course, program, or degree change |
|
A |
A |
N |
* N = notify A = approve
**If a change involves courses within the General Education program, need Gen Ed approval before Curriculum approval
Sponsored by: Curriculum Committee
Revised: Fall, 1990
Reviewed: Winter, 1996
Revised: March 2015
Revised: October 2016
Revised: April 2020
Revised June 2022