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Academic Programs

Contact Information

(209) 667-3203

Mary Stuart Rogers, MSR 360

Division of Academic Affairs

Types of New Degree Program Proposals

Department chairs who plan to submit proposals for new degree major programs are asked to meet with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs one-year prior to the planned date for submitting the proposal to the campus review processes (two years prior to the anticipated implementation date).

New degree program form is also available in Curriculum CMS. 

There are three versions of proposals to submit new degree programs to the Chancellor's Office:

Use the *New Degree Program* form in Curriculum CMS.

You will first submit a projection and the form will later be routed back to you for submission of the detailed proposal. Please work with the Curriculum Specialist in Academic Programs for assistance with submitting the proposal.

Use the *Pilot Degree Program (New) form in Curriculum, the campus curriculum management system. 

Before the planned pilot program may be implemented, the campus must obtain a formal acknowledgment from the Chancellor’s Office. While the traditional proposal package and a full Chancellor’s Office review of the proposed curriculum, demand, and resources are not required, the system office is obligated to confirm that the planned pilot program appears to meet all applicable laws and policies. 

See below for criteria and implementation requirements.

The fast-track process shortens the time to implementation by allowing proposals to be submitted at the same time that the projection is proposed to the Trustees. Fast-track proposals still undergo system-level review, and the fast-track does not move the proposal through an expedited review process. 

Fast-track proposals that meet the criteria that are submitted to the Chancellor's Office, which raise no major issues can be acted on by the Board of Trustees if submitted on: 

  1. 1st Monday in January
  • Potential for full approval in July
  1. 2nd Monday in June
  • Potential for full approval in December

Notification of WASC

After campus and Chancellor's Office approvals of new degree program proposals, the Office of Academic Programs will submit the new degree program to Stanislaus State's accrediting body, WASC Senior College and University's (WSCUC) through their “screening form”. Their review will ensure that the program does not represent a significant departure from the institution’s offerings since the last reaffirmation of accreditation visit. If the program does this, a Substantive Change Review will be required.

Traditional Track

  1. Originator 
  2. Technical Review
  3. Program / Department Curriculum Committee (Projection)
  4. Department Chair (Projection) 
  5. College Curriculum Committee (Projection)
  6. College Dean (Projection)
  7. Office of Professional, Community, and Global Engagement (Projection)
  8. Submit Projection to Board of Trustees (Curriculum Analyst)
  9. Projection Review by Chancellor's Office and Board of Trustees 
  10. Originator (Develop Detailed Proposal)
  11. Technical Review
  12. Program / Department Curriculum Committee (Detailed Proposal)
  13. Department Chair (Detailed Proposal)
  14. College Curriculum Committee (Detailed Projection)
  15. College Dean (Detailed Proposal)
  16. Office of Professional, Community, and Global Engagement (Detailed Proposal)
  17. University Educational Policies Committee (Undergraduate) (Detailed Proposal)
  18. Graduate Council (Graduate) (Detailed Proposal)
  19. Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (Detailed Proposal)
  20. Faculty Budget Advisory Committee (State-Support) (Detailed Proposal)
  21. Senate Executive Committee (Detailed Proposal)
  22. Academic Senate (Detailed Proposal)
  23. Provost's Recommendation (Detailed Proposal)
  24. President (Detailed Proposal)
  25. Submit WSCUC (WASC) Screening Form 
  26. Submit Detailed Proposal to Chancellor's Office (Curriculum Analyst)

Fast Track Programs

In the traditional proposal process, a campus must submit for Trustee approval a proposed degree projection on the campus academic plan; and subsequent to Trustee approval of the projection, the campus may begin developing a degree proposal that will be submitted to the Chancellor’s Office for system-level review and approval. In the traditional process, proposals are to be submitted in the academic year preceding planned implementation.

As adopted by the Board in July 1997, the fast-track process shortens the time to implementation by allowing proposals to be submitted at the same time that the projection is proposed to the Trustees. Fast-track proposals still undergo system-level review, and the fast track does not move the proposal through an expedited review process.

To be proposed via fast-track, a degree program must meet all of the following six criteria:

  1. The proposed program could be offered at a high level of quality by the campus within the campus’s existing resource base, or there is a demonstrated capacity to fund the program on a self-support basis.
  2. The proposed program is not subject to specialized accreditation by an agency that is a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors, or it is currently offered as an option or concentration that is already recognized and accredited by an appropriate specialized accrediting agency.
  3. The proposed program can be adequately housed without a major capital outlay project. Major capital outlay construction projects are those projects whose total cost is $610,000 or more (as adjusted pursuant to Cal. Pub. Cont. Code §§ 10705(a); 10105 and 10108).
  4. It is consistent with all existing state and federal law and Trustee policy.
  5. It is either a bachelor’s or master’s degree program.
  6. The proposed program has been subject to a thorough campus review and approval process.

Two deadlines:

  • The first Monday in January—for July approval
  • The second Monday in June—for December approval

IF the proposal raises no major issues, it can be acted on by the Board of Trustees.

When submitting an update to the campus academic plan, please note any fast-track degree proposals and include a very brief description of the program and a rationale for offering it through the fast-track process.

Pilot Track Programs

 
  1. Originator 
  2. Technical Review
  3. Program / Department Curriculum Committee 
  4. Department Chair 
  5. College Curriculum Committee 
  6. College Dean 
  7. Office of Professional, Community, and Global Engagement 
  8. University. Educational Policies Committee (Undergraduate)
  9. Graduate Council (Graduate)
  10. Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
  11. Faculty Affairs Budget Advisory Committee (FBAC)
  12. Senate Executive Committee
  13. Academic Senate
  14. President 
  15. Student Success and Community Partnership Specialist
  16. Chancellor's Office (Curriculum Analyst)

  1. The pilot program is either a bachelor’s or master’s degree program.
  2. A WSCUC Substantive Change Review Screening determined that no further review is required. The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) requires that the campus Accreditation Liaison Officer submit a Substantive Change Screening Form via the Accreditation Management portal for any proposed degree program. If it is determined that no substantive change review is required, please attach a separate document containing the email response from WSCUC. If the proposed program is subject to WSCUC substantive change review, the campus should submit the proposal as a new degree program rather than a pilot.
  3. The proposed program is not subject to specialized accreditation by an agency that is a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors.
  4. The program is compliant with all existing state and federal laws and Trustee policy.
  5. The proposed program has been subject to a thorough campus review and approval process, and documentation of the approval(s) has been provided.
  6. The proposed program can be offered within the campus’s existing resource base, or there is a demonstrated capacity and support to fund the program on a self-support basis. The proposed program cannot be authorized if it involves a major capital outlay project. (Major capital outlay construction projects are those projects whose total cost is $610,000 or more (as adjusted pursuant to Cal. Pub. Cont. Code § 10705(a); 10105 and 10108).
  7. If a self-support program, a budget must be included showing: 1) the per-unit cost to students, 2) the total cost to complete the program, and 3) a cost recovery budget. 

Upon approval by the President, the Curriculum Specialist will work with the Department, Enrollment Services and the Registrar's Office to finalize campus implementation. 

  1. Prior to implementation, the campus shall (1) notify the Chancellor’s Office of plans to establish the program, (2) provide a program description and list of curricular requirements, and (3) confirm that each of the pilot criteria outlined within this guidance apply to the pilot program. To facilitate this requirement, campuses must submit the Pilot Program Proposal Form. 
  2. The pilot program proposal must be received and acknowledged by the Chancellor’s Office before the program is implemented. Once acknowledged, the campus must update the CSU Degrees Database appropriately.
  3. A campus may implement a pilot program without first proposing it as a projection on the Ten-Year Overview of Planned Programs during the Academic Master Plan submission process. However, the campus must identify the pilot program in the next annual update of the Campus Academic Plan.

 Pilot Operational Policy

  1. A pilot program is authorized to operate for five years.
  2. A campus may not offer more than four pilot programs at a time.
  3. During year four, if a campus decides to convert the pilot program to regular program status, the campus is required to follow the procedure outlined in the Converting Pilot Programs to Regular Program Status policy, found on the Chancellor's Program Development website. Note: to request an extension of a pilot program prior to its end date, the campus must submit a formal memo to degrees@calstate.edu that includes: the purpose for extending the program; the proposed pilot program end term; and a statement acknowledging the extension will not negatively impact other campus pilot proposals.
  4. If no further action is taken by the end of the five years, no new students can be admitted to the pilot program. The campus is obliged to make appropriate arrangements for students already enrolled to complete the program (“teach-out”).

Useful Resources

The following additional documents will assist faculty and administration in developing new degree programs:

  1. Policies and Procedures for New Degree Programs
  2. New Degree Program Proposal Supporting Documentation
  3. Accreditation of New Programs
  4. Degree Designation 
  5. Assessment Plan

Updated: October 21, 2025