Faculty members are encouraged to develop new courses. Faculty members desiring to submit such courses should first discuss the matter within their departments and secure departmental approval. Course approval forms are available online.
Proposals of new Foundations courses are evaluated by the Foundations Curriculum Committee which ultimately makes a recommendation to the Faculty for its action. Forms for submission are available from the Registrar. All other courses require approval by the department.
The course category, “099 – Selected Topics,” offers departments and individual professors an appropriate avenue for experimentation in both substance and method before offering a new course among the regular course listings. “099” courses are normally open to all students. Prerequisites and other limitations may be set by the professor, who may also determine the degree of informality, contact hours, and other components of the course. Courses numbered “099” do not routinely carry credit value in satisfying general or major degree requirements.
It is expected that existing courses will be modified continuously to reflect current materials, established pedagogical practices, and modified expectations for student performance. Such changes do not need approval by the Faculty. However, substantial modifications in the objectives, content, and method of instruction in a Foundations course should be reviewed by the department and submitted for review by the Foundations Curriculum Committee. Such modifications are tantamount to designing a new course.