New Concentration/ Certificate/ Minor/ Track

New Sub-Programs (including concentrations, certificates, minors, options, tracks, and special emphasis) proposals are completed in Curriculog, a paperless curriculum management system.

Curricular Process

1. Originator 

2. Technical Review (Curriculum Coordinator)

3. Department & College Approval 
   Program / Department Curriculum Committee, Department Chair, College Curriculum Committee, and College Dean review and approve the proposal. 

4. Office of Professional, Community, and Global Engagement 

5. University Educational Policies Committee or Graduate Council 
   The proposal will be forwarded to the University Educational Policies Committee (for undergraduate proposals) or the Graduate Council (for graduate proposals) for review and approval.  

6. ​AVP for Academic Affairs
   When the proposal has been reviewed and approved at the committee level, the document is returned to the Office of Academic Programs for review and approval by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.  

7. Faculty Affairs Budget Advisory Committee (FBAC)

8. Senate Executive Committee (SEC)

9. Academic Senate
   After review, the Academic Senate votes on a resolution to approve the new certificate.

10. University President

11. ​Student Success and Community Partnership Specialist - Notification of WASC (Certificates Only)
    After campus approvals of new degree program proposals, the Office of Academic Programs will submit the new certificate 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. 

12. ​The Office of the Chancellor (except Minors)
    The proposal will be forwarded to the Office of the Chancellor for final review to ensure compliance with Executive Order 1071 (EO 1071), requiring subprograms curriculum must constitute less than one half of the units required in the major program.

13. Enrollment Services (Notification Purposes Only)

The proposal for ALL undergraduate programs must include a degree audit form:

Degree Audit Form

Policy Overview 

While the CSU does not have systemwide definitions for options, concentrations, emphases, and special emphases—and definitions will vary by campus—in practice, these are considered “subprograms” that are minimal requirements relative to the major core.  In order to ensure what WASC calls the “meaning, quality, and integrity” of degrees, approved campus degree programs maintain consistent requirements that reflect the approved title and that ensure sufficient opportunities for students to achieve the degree-program’s learning outcomes.  Additional requirements occur within subprograms, including options, concentrations, special emphases, tracks, threads, and so on.  Assessment of student learning outcomes in subprograms is encouraged.  Presidents have the authority to approve the implementation of minors per Executive Order 1071 (EO 1071), which is delegated to the AVP for Academic Affairs at Stanislaus State.  

1. An option, concentration, special emphasis (or similar subprogram) or a minor may be approved under the authority delegated by this executive order only if the requirements comply with CSU policy and applicable law and if adequate faculty, physical facilities, and library holdings sufficient to establish and maintain that subprogram already exist, or where such support can reasonably be expected to become available.
2. To ensure valid reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, an option, concentration, or special emphasis (or similar subprogram) must constitute less than one half of the units required in the major program.
3. There is no requirement to notify the Chancellor’s Office of new, modified or discontinued minors.

Policy Overview for Certificate Programs

Per Executive Order 806, CSU campuses are delegated the authority to establish certificates and certificate programs.  The Stanislaus State campus approved policy and procedure, a certificate template, and a signature approval page for Academic Certificates can be found at the following links:

• Policy and Procedure for Academic Certificates (undergraduate & graduate)
• Policy Governing Special Sessions and Academic Degree Certificate Programs Offered Through UEE

Certificate Programs Not Awarded with Degrees

(e.g. programs not linked with a B.A., M.A., or Ed.D.)

Due to recent Department of Education regulations, gainful employment programs (certificate programs that do not award a BA, MA, Ed.D., or Ph.D.) are subject to additional reporting requirements in order to be accepted by the Department of Education for Title IV eligibility.  These programs also have additional reporting requirements on an annual basis.  In order for these programs to be eligible for Federal Title IV aid, they must first be approved by the Department of Education.  The process does take several months and students cannot be awarded financial aid until approval is received.  We must also inform students that the program has not been approved by the Department to be eligible for federal student aid. 

The following documents must be provided by the program in order to submit the program for evaluation by the Department of Education.  All documents must be received in the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office before Program Participation Agreement is submitted to the Department of Education. 

1. Department Offering Certificate > Office of Academic Programs: The Department offering the certificate program must submit a current valid state license or other authorization as soon as available to the Office of Academic Programs.
2. Office of Academic Programs > Office of Financial Aid: The Office of Academic Programs will submit the approved proposal and above item along with a written notice of intent to offer an educational program.
   • Current letter of accreditation and any attachments
   • Program name and Program CIP Code
   • Date of the first day of class. Include both:
     • The first day the program was or will be offered by the institution, and
     • The day you would like to begin disbursing Title IV funds to students enrolled in the program.

Reporting and Disclosure Requirements

Once the program has been approved there are additional reporting and disclosure requirements for the program.  The following reporting and disclosure requirements are in place for all Gainful Employment programs. Departments must establish a website that includes the following information:

• The name and U.S. Department of Labor's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code of the occupations that the program prepares students to enter, along with links to occupational profiles on the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET Web site or its successor site.
• The on-time graduation rate for students completing the program.
• The tuition and fees the institution charges a student for completing the program within normal time. (Financial Aid)
• The typical costs for books and supplies (unless those costs are included as part of tuition and fees), and the cost of room and board, if applicable. (Financial Aid)
• The job placement rate for students completing the program.
• The median loan debt incurred by students who completed the program (separately by Title IV loans and by other educational debt to include both private educational loans and institutional financing) as provided by the Secretary. (Financial Aid)
• Other information the Secretary provided to the institution about the program.

Sample Websites for Stanislaus State

• Department of English - TESOL Certificate under "Gainful Employment Disclosure"
• Department of Sociology, Gerontology, and Gender Studies - Gerontology Certificate under "Gainful Employment Disclosure"