Types of Proposals

Review the Curricular Review Process [pdf] for the different types of proposals.

New Courses (Permanent)

All new course proposals are submitted in New Courses Curriculog Form (instructions linked). New courses may be developed to serve as electives or required components of programs.

• To make your new course an elective in a new or existing program, clearly indicate where the course fits into the program on the proposal.
• To incorporate your new course as a required component of a new or existing program, you must also submit a new program proposal or program revision.

Subsequently, the proposal is entered into PeopleSoft Course Catalog and the appropriate Online Academic Catalog. 

Modifying Existing Courses

All modifications to existing course proposals are submitted in Modifying Existing Courses Curriculog Form (instructions linked; video tutorial available in instructions). Unless a change in course description and title is so removed from the current description and title that it is truly a new course, you can submit proposals for any changes or modifications to existing courses.

If you are modifying courses in bulk, e.g. changing all course prefixes, prerequisites, etc., contact the Curriculum Analyst to submit a Memo/MOU Proposal instead of submitting a separate proposal for each course.

New Sub-Topics for Courses 

All sub-topics are submitted using a Course Sub-Topics Curriculog Form (instructions linked).

Executive Order 1037 has eliminated repeatability from courses unless the student's grade is C- or below (undergraduate). Some departments have a need for some types of courses to be repeatable as content or focus changes or to increase students' skills (typically music, art, and other performance-based courses). To address the need for repeating some courses, departments should set up courses to be topic-based. Topic-based courses usually have titles such as “Special Topics in…” or “Topics in…”. When a department proposes topic-based courses, they submit a series of topics to be used in scheduling; the scheduled topic then appears on the student’s transcript. Topics are only approved if there is a specific syllabus submitted for each topic via a minor curriculum change request.

Approved topics are then entered into CMS and available for scheduling. Proposers must also coordinate with Academic Scheduling in order to add the topic to the course/section in the schedule of classes.

Experimental Courses (96/196/296/596)

All experimental proposals are submitted in Experimental Courses Curriculog Form (instructions linked). Experimental courses are offered so that a department may offer a new subject matter or to meet time demands. These courses are listed in the Class Schedule, but not in the Online Academic Catalog. 

Experimental courses are only active for one term. A new Experimental Course Proposal must be submitted each term an experimental course is to be offered ( a maximum of three times). To offer the course more than 3 times you must submit it as a New Course (Permanent). 

Inactivating/Reactivating Courses

All course inactivation proposals are submitted in Course Inactivation/Reactivation Curriculog Form (instructions linked).

Course inactivations can be submitted at anytime (previous year), however they will only be made effective for Fall semester (i.e. a Spring 18 submission is effective Fall 19), as they can impact program requirements.

A course reactivation is possible if there are limited adjustments to the course set up. Limited adjustments to title, description and prerequisites are allowable for a course reactivation. Major hanges to course title, description, units, or course classification should be submitted as a Modification to an Existing Course. 

• Cross-Listed Courses

  • To add or remove a cross-listing for an existing course, use the process to Modify an Existing Course (instructions linked). To create a cross-listing for a new course, use the process for New Courses (instructions linked). 

    Cross-listings are rarely approved and must have a justification as to why the course must be cross-listed. The justification must include a compelling reason, such as accreditation or professional requirements, or if the course is truly team-taught. 

    A cross-listed course was originally conceived to be one wherein separate sections would be taught by instructors in different departments. Instead of cross-listing a course, it is possible for one section simply to be listed in two or more departments.

    Cross-listed courses must have the same course number as the home department. The home department controls dependent listings, i.e., a home department may at its discretion discontinue the cross-listing without the concurrence of the dependent department(s). The dependent department should be consulted before a proposal to modify an existing course form is filed to discontinue the cross-listing. A dependent department's listing of the course in the Online Academic Catalog is identical to that of the home department's except for the prefix and reference to the home department in the course description.

    For more information, view the Academic Scheduling Cross-Listed Courses webpage.

• General Education Certification

  • To certify a new or existing course as a General Education (GE) course, submit a proposal for a New Course or to Modify an Existing Course in Curriculog (instructions linked). 

    For more information, view the General Education Course Proposals section and/or refer to page 9 of the General Education Guidelines (2014) [pdf]. 

    Courses certified as General Education courses are re-certified during the Program Planning process (per University Policy S14-5 [pdf]). As part of the department's Program Plan, the following is submitted: (1) A summary of GE involvement over the past program planning cycle and any plans for the next program planning cycle; and (2) copies of sample syllabi for each course with up to two-pages of commentary explaining how the course accomplished its GE learning outcomes, a maximum two page assessment report for each course, and an appendix of all annual course assessments.

• Graduate Writing Requirement (GWAR) Certification

  • To certify a new course to satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR):

    1. review the Criteria for Graduate Courses Satisfying the GWAR
    2. submit the  Graduate GWAR Curriculog Form (instructions linked). 

    Existing courses are recertified during the Program Planning Process using the criteria listed in the GWAR Evaluation Form using the  Graduate GWAR Curriculog Form. 

    For more information about the GWAR Policy, view the College of Graduate Studies Policies page.

• Graduate and Undergraduate Combined Courses

  • Requirements for new combined undergraduate/graduate course offerings include the following:

    1. Have a similar course numbers (i.e. corresponding 100- and 200-level) to represent undergraduate/graduate course offering (assists in tracking; easier for Academic Scheduling to generate a schedule).
    2. Have the same unit, course component, and course classification set up.
    3. Submit one combined Undergraduate/Graduate course proposals through the New Course Curriculog Form (instructions linked). 
    4. Attach two separate graduate and undergraduate course syllabi for review (Review CM EP&R 82-39 [pdf] for more information):
       1. CLOs for the graduate course that demonstrate higher and deeper levels of information than undergraduate CLOs.
       2. Graduate students should have at least one additional assignment which relates back to graduate CLOs.
• High Impact Course (HIP) Tag

  • All HIPs course tagging are proposed in High Impact Course Tag Curriculog Form (instructions linked). 

    This tag is at the Peoplesoft course catalog level (instead of course schedule section level), which means all sections must require/include this practice/activity. SJSU High Impact Practice definitions follow the definitions outlined by AACU. HIP tags allow the university to track these types of practice/activities for grants and other reporting opportunities. The following HIP tags are available:

    In Class Activity Only: First Year Seminars/Experience, Intellectual Experiences, Learning Communities, Writing Intensive, Collaborative Projects/Assignments, Research, Diversity/Global Learning, e-Portfolios, and Capstone/Culminating Experience.

    Off-Campus Activity: Internship and Service Learning. 

• Sustainability Course Tag

  • All Sustainability course tagging are proposed in Sustainability Course Tag Curriculog Form (instructions linked).

    The following tags are available: Sustainability Focused or Sustainability Related.  

    • Sustainability FOCUSED course title or description must indicate a primary and explicit focus on sustainability. This includes courses with a primary and explicit focus on sustainability, the application of sustainability within a field, or a major sustainability challenge.
    • Sustainability RELATED course description or syllabus must indicate that the course incorporates a unit/module on sustainability or a sustainability challenge, includes one or more sustainability-focused activities, or integrates sustainability challenges, issues, and concepts throughout the course.

    The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) further defines sustainability as 17 attainable objectives. The options in the drown down to identify the Primary Justification for Inclusion are the guidelines used to qualify our programs and courses as sustainable. For links with more detailed descriptions, visit sjsu.edu/sustainability/academics.