Programs seeking long-term changes to course or program modality effective Fall 2023 will need to follow campus governance-approved curricular processes, including campus and, if needed, system-level approvals, as well as WSCUC Substantive Change review.
Please review the following information to determine which processes will need to be initiated. These processes should be started as soon as possible for programs seeking a distance-education modality effective for Fall 2023, as it requires Academic Senate, President, and Chancellor’s Office approval. Course modality changes do not require Senate, President, or Chancellor's Office approval.
To change the course modality, launch a Course Modification proposal in Curriculog. The form will be titled "*CURRENT YEAR - Course (Modify)." Example: *2023-24 Course (Modify).
- Import previous course data from the catalog.
- Review the form and ensure all required fields are filled in.
- Validate and Launch proposal.
- Navigate to the modality field and update. Select "Modality" from the checkboxes that track changes.
- Go to "Decisions," and approve the proposal. The proposal will now move on in the workflow.
Approval Workflow for Course Modality Changes
- Originator - the faculty submitting the proposal
- Technical Review - Academic Offices reviews the form
- Student Success and Community Partnership Specialist - CLO and PLO alignment, assessment review.
- Department Curriculum Committee
- Department Chair
- College Curriculum Committee
- Dean
- UEPC (Undergraduate), Graduate Council (Graduate)
- Curriculum Analyst
- Associate Vice Provost of Academic Affairs
For more information on course modalities (including modality definitions), please reference AA/09/AS/23/ATLC - Online and Technology Mediated Courses and Programs.
If the number of course modifications increase the proportion of program hours in online/hybrid modality to 50% or more of the degree program hours, the program will become designated a distance education program (not an online program) as defined by WSCUC and the US Dept. of Education. At the point where programs reach the 50% threshold for online/hybrid hours, WSCUC requires a Substantive Change Review. In this review, WSCUC staff review a program screening form prepared by program faculty (usually the Department Chair/Director) and then submitted by the Office of Accreditation staff to determine whether a substantial departure from the original program has taken place. If the WSCUC staff deems that the change does not require review, the distance education program is approved and added as a distance education program on the Stanislaus State program list in the WSCUC portal and qualifies to receive federal financial aid.
Academic Affairs has developed an intake form to assist with this process, available here.
Erin Littlepage can help with the Substantive Change form submission. The WSCUC review and approval process has recently required at least two months.
More information on Substantive Changes is available on the Accreditation webpage here.
Distance Education Definitions from WSCUC:
“Distance Education delivers instruction to students who are separated from the instructor. It supports regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously, via these technologies:
- The Internet
- One-way or two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband, fiber optic, satellite, or wireless communication devices
- Audio conferencing”
(WASC Substantive Change Manual, July 2017)
If a program requires a WSCUC Substantive Change Review as a distance education program, it also constitutes a program modification.
The program modification approval through the campus committee structure, includes the University Educational Policies Committee (UEPC)/Graduate Council, Academic Senate, President, and the Chancellor’s Office.
Neesha Oliver in the Office of Academic Programs can help with any questions regarding course and program modality changes.
Updated: April 15, 2024