3.1 PROGRAMS
3.1.4 Procedures for Processing Academic Programs and Changes
[US: 11/14/88; 10/11/99; 5/7/2012]
The faculties of educational units or graduate programs initiate proposals for new academic programs and for changes in existing academic programs. Such proposals shall be processed as provided in SR 3.1.3.
Dual credit programs proposed by an educational unit faculty in partnership with a high school or school district shall (a) comply with policies established by the Council on Postsecondary Education for these programs, (b) contain a specific provision that the UK educational unit Faculty approve both the educational site and each individual high school instructor, and (c) provide for the classification of enrolled high school students as non-degree-seeking UK students.
3.1.4.1 Definitions
3.1.4.1.1 Initiation of proposals
The faculties of educational units or graduate programs initiate proposals for new academic programs and for changes in existing academic programs. Such proposals shall be processed as provided in SR 3.1.3. Proposals for significant reduction to or closure of academic programs shall also include the considerations prescribed in SR 3.3. [US: 4/23/2018]
3.1.4.1.2 Changes
Changes to an academic program include changes to:
- the requirements for admission,
- the specific courses, the number of credit hours, or other requirements, for a certificate, degree, or the Honors program credential,
- a major, minor, area, core, or track within an undergraduate degree,
- a core or concentration within a master’s degree (either a research /scholarship master’s degree or a professional master’s degree) [US:3/19/2018],
- a core or specialization within a doctoral degree (either a research/scholarship doctorate, a professional practice doctoral degree, or an advanced practice doctorate),
- change in mode of delivery (e.g., to a distance learning or correspondence format), because it may be that the nature of the educational material is such that it cannot be delivered in distance learning form without being a substantive change in content,
- the title of a certificate, degree, major, minor, area, core, track, concentration or specialization,
- changes in probation and suspension procedures and policies [SREC: 1/30/2018]
The establishment of a joint degree offering with another institution is considered as an academic program change for the purposes of SR 3.1.3.
Programs or curricula leading to academic credentials other than a degree, certificate, badge, or the Honors College program curriculum (SR 3.1.3.1.2; SR 3.3.3; SR 5.5.2.2.2.5), are not subject to SR 3.1.3, but are under the educational policies of the respective college faculty or its Senate-approved equivalent (SR 1.1.2.4; SR 1.4.1, para. 1).
3.1.4.1.3 Significant changes
Significant changes to the academic content of a program (GR IV.C.2) are defined as those that the College Faculty, Undergraduate Council, Graduate Council, Health Care Colleges Council, or Senate Council Office determines involve one or more of the following: [US: 4/23/2018]
- changes to academic content of the program (GR IV.C.2) that carry a significant impact (e.g., curricula) on the home unit or another educational unit; or
- significant impact on the character or the purpose of the program (e.g., addition of a track, concentration, or specialization in a degree program).
A degree program change meeting the criteria of “minor program change” (SR 3.1.4.3.4) is exempt from the above definition. [US: 4/23/2018]
The Honors College curriculum is treated as an academic program within the meaning of this significant change procedures rule. [US: 4/23/2018]
3.1.4.2 Forms to be Used
Senate Council-approved forms and other mechanisms to initiate proposals for new undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees, and for undergraduate, graduate or first professional certificates, and for badges, and for the Honors College program credential, or to initiate changes to these academic programs, are available at https://universitysenate.uky.edu/user/login?destination=/forms and shall be used to initiate proposals under SR 3.1.3.
3.1.4.3 Procedures to be Used
3.1.4.3.1 Approval by the educational unit faculty
[US: 5/7/2012]
The Faculty of the originating educational unit makes the decision whether to approve proposals for new academic programs or changes to academic programs (including changes to dual degree programs) (GR VII.E.1-5). For UK Core, the “Faculty” within the meaning of this rule is the body identified by the University Senate to perform the educational policy-making functions of the respective program. For graduate programs, “the Faculty” is the voting graduate faculty of that program (SR 3.1.4.3.1.2). [US: 5/7/2012; 5/6/2019; 4/10/2023]
In a manner prescribed by the College Faculty Rules, the chair/director shall forward to the College Faculty a proposal arising under SR 3.1.4. The chair/director’s transmittal attests thereby that the proposal has been approved in accordance with the Rules of the Faculty of the originating unit. The chair(s)/director(s) may include separate opinion(s) on the academic merits or on the administrative feasibility of the proposal.
* If a program was originally approved for face to face delivery, and the dean later wants it to be delivered in part as ‘face to face’ and in part as distance learning, then the College Faculty has the role, and not the dean, to determine and approve as to whether the academic content of the program lends itself to delivery in part by distance learning. [SREC: 3/9/2012]
* This rule does not have the intent or effect of prohibiting any college from seeking and utilizing the opinion of any willing academic council of the Senate before the proposal is submitted to the first officially required academic council of review. [SREC: 8/21/2014]
Dual degree programs are simultaneously considered for approval by the respective unit faculties pursuant to the above procedures. One of the department chair(s)/director(s) shall forward the approved proposal to the College Faculty, or, in the case of dual degree programs that cross colleges, to each College Faculty.
For every badge there must be a faculty body to act as the department faculty, either a traditional educational unit within a college, or a faculty body approved by the Senate. The faculty body is responsible for the program/course content, learning objectives, etc. and for taking the educational policy actions in the role of a department faculty. In the cases of a faculty body approved by the Senate, the “dean” is the individual appointed by the Provost, with the concurrence of the Senate, to act in the prescribed manners.
3.1.4.3.1.1 Undergraduate and professional certificates or degrees
In cases of proposals concerning undergraduate or professional certificates or degrees, or the Honors College program credential, the respective College Faculty makes the decision whether to approve the proposal, in a manner pursuant to its College Rules (GR VII.E.3). The dean, or their designee, shall forward an approved proposal to the appropriate academic council of the Senate (SR 3.1.4.3.2), attesting thereby that the proposal has been approved in accordance with the College Faculty Rules. The dean may include a separate opinion on the academic merits of the proposal (GR VII.F.2.a).
The dean shall include a statement of administrative feasibility for new certificate and degree programs and for certificate and degree programs with a significant change. [US: 4/23/2018]
For degree programs and certificates that report to an office outside of a college, the Office of the Provost shall provide a statement of administrative feasibility for new degree programs, for degree programs with a significant change, or concerning for new certificates or certificates with a significant change. [US: 4/23/2018]
Dual degree programs are simultaneously considered for approval by the respective college faculties pursuant to the above procedures. The respective deans may include separate opinions on the academic merits or the administrative feasibility of the proposal. One of the deans, or their designee shall forward a single dual degree proposal to the appropriate academic council of the Senate.
3.1.4.3.1.2 Graduate certificates or degrees
In the case of proposals for graduate certificates or degrees, a proposal approved by the Faculty of the graduate program shall be forwarded by the Director of Graduate Studies to the dean of the college that contains the home educational unit of the graduate program. If so prescribed by the College Rules, the proposal may be reviewed by, and advisory opinion added by, faculty committees/councils of that college and by the dean of that college. The dean shall include a statement of administrative feasibility for new certificate and degree programs or for certificate and degree programs with a significant change. [US: 4/23/2018]
For graduate degree programs and certificates that report to an office outside of a college, the Office of the Provost shall provide a statement of administrative feasibility for new degree programs, for degree programs with a significant change, or concerning for new certificates or certificates with a significant change. [US: 4/23/2018]
The Director of Graduate Studies, or their designee, shall then forward the proposal to the Dean of the Graduate School. If the proposal is for new graduate program and is arising from faculty in an educational unit that does not already home a graduate program, then the dean of the college containing that educational unit shall perform the administrative processing roles prescribed in this paragraph for the Director of Graduate Studies.
3.1.4.3.1.3 UK Core program
Changes in the UK Core Program need approval of only the Senate’s designated UK Core Education Committee prior to submission to the Senate Council and do not need the approval of any other college or academic council. Courses offered as a part of UK Core are processed through regular procedures under SR 3.2.4. [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.1.4 Badges
[US: 12/12/2022]
For every badge, the college faculty body (or responsible faculty Senate-approved faculty body if initiated outside of a college) reviews the badge proposal and either recommends approval or makes the final decision to stop the proposal. For badges homed outside a college, the review by an academic council will serve as the college-level faculty body review.
Proposals for badges are submitted to the Senate Council office (not directly to an academic council), for routing to the most appropriate academic council(s).
3.1.4.3.1.5 University Scholars Program (USP)
Graduate program faculty have the authority to accept students into their graduate programs from undergraduate programs within the same or related field through the University Scholars Program (USP). Upon submission of a request by the graduate program faculty and approval by the Graduate Council, the Graduate School shall implement USP admissions into the graduate program, in accordance with the requirements outlined in SR 3.1.1.1.7, SR 4.2.2.2.6, and SR 5.2.2. The Graduate School shall maintain a list of programs accepting students through USPs and update it annually. [US: 4/10/2023]
3.1.4.3.2 Approval by Academic Council
[US: 10/11/99; SREC: 6/8/2006; US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.2.1 Jurisdiction.
The dean, or their designee, shall forward the proposal to the appropriate academic council as provided below. Responsibility for the action on proposals concerning academic programs shall be vested in the appropriate academic council as follows. [US: 5/7/2012]
New professional degrees or changes in professional degree programs in the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law do not require approval by an academic council and are transmitted by the dean of the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law, or their designee, directly to the Senate Council Office.
3.1.4.3.2.1.1 Health Care Colleges Council (HCCC)
Proposals for a certificate, degree, or badge shall be first forwarded to the HCCC if the program involves the students in health care practices.*
* “Health care practices” within the meaning of this rule includes those health care practices that subject students to jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees-approved Health Care Colleges Code of Student Professional Conduct (‘HCC Code’), even if the practices are conducted as part of an undergraduate or graduate academic program (see also HCC Code 1.B, para. 2) [SREC: 12/17/2013].
3.1.4.3.2.1.2 Undergraduate Council
All proposals concerning undergraduate certificate or degree programs, badges, or the Honors College program credential, shall be forwarded to the Undergraduate Council [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.2.1.3 Graduate Council
All proposals concerning graduate certificates, degrees, and badges shall be forwarded to the Graduate Council. [US: 5/7/2012; 3/19/2018]
3.1.4.3.2.2 Action by Academic Council
Within 30 days of initial receipt of the proposal, the academic council(s) will take action on the proposal or notify the college as to the status and reason for delay. The academic council will evaluate the proposal for compliance with rules and regulations, and for its academic merit. When the academic council has acted on a proposal, the chair of the academic council, or their designee, shall forward its evaluation and recommendation to the Senate Council. If the academic council submits a negative recommendation on the proposal, the chair of the academic council shall notify the college at that time. [US: 5/7/2012]
Negative recommendation from academic council will be processed as follows. If the academic council has submitted a negative recommendation on the proposal, the Senate Council shall either
- forward the proposal to the next prescribed regular procedural step, or
- return the proposal to the academic council with particular instructions,
- decide on the academic merits that the proposal is not appropriate for Senate action (see SR 1.3.1.1, item 7) and report the same to Senate at its next meeting. The proposal may be introduced on the Senate floor if its initiator obtains the signature of ten (10) Senators (SR 1.2.3.3).
If the Senate Council decides to proceed with the next prescribed regular procedural step, then the Senate Council Office shall first review the proposal for compliance with current Senate Rules.
3.1.4.3.2.3 Review by Senate Council Office
The Senate Council Office shall review proposals for certificates, degrees, and badges for compliance with current rules and regulations.
3.1.4.3.2.3.1 New Certificates and Degrees
The Senate Council Office shall forward these proposals to the Senate's Academic Programs Committee (SAPC, SR 1.4.2.7) for review. The SAPC shall submit its evaluation and recommendation to the Senate Council.
3.1.4.3.2.3.2 Changes to Existing Certificates and Degrees
Except as otherwise provided in SR 3.1.3.3.3.2.3 and 3.1.3.4.4, the Senate Council Office shall forward these proposals to the Senate Admissions and Academic Standards Committee (SAASC, SR 1.4.2.3) if the proposal has been deemed by the college faculty or an academic council as a significant change concerning
- admission requirements and grading rules,
- standards for granting academic credit,
- probation and suspension procedures,
- degree and graduation requirements, or
- otherwise involve changes deemed significant pursuant to SR 3.1.3.1.3.
The SAASC shall submit its evaluation and recommendation to the Senate Council.
3.1.4.3.2.3.3 Online Delivery for New and Existing Certificates and Degrees
The Senate Council Office shall forward these proposals to the Senate Distance Learning and e-Learning Committee (SCDLeL) if the proposal involves adding online delivery, which is a significant change. The SCDLeL shall submit its evaluation and recommendation to the Senate Council.
3.1.4.3.2.3.4 Badges
The Senate Council office shall review the proposal for compliance with the Senate Rules.
3.1.4.3.3 Final University Approval
[US: 10/11/99; US: 2/10/03; US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.3.1 New certificates and degrees
The Senate Council shall review the proposal received from the SAPC and take appropriate action. If the Senate Council approves the proposal for consideration by the Senate, the Senate Council shall place the proposal on the University Senate agenda for its action.
In the case of new degree-granting academic programs, the Senate shall either (1) approve the proposal and forward it through the University Senate Chair (the President) to the Board of Trustees for final University action, including also a Senate recommendation on the organizational placement of the degree program in a particular home educational unit and college, or (2) shall make the final University decision to disapprove and stop action on that proposal.
In the case of establishment of a new certificate, the Senate shall either (1) make the final University decision to approve the establishment of the certificate, including a recommendation to the Provost on the organizational placement of the certificate in a particular home educational unit and college, or (2) shall make the final decision to disapprove and stop action on that proposal.
In the case of Senate disapproval of a proposal, the Senate Council Office shall notify the college dean that forwarded the proposal. [US: 5/7/2012]
When a new certificate or degree has received final University approval, the Senate Council office shall notify the Provost, Registrar and other appropriate entities.
3.1.4.3.3.2 Changes to existing certificates and degrees
3.1.4.3.3.2.1 Substantive changes as per SACSCOC
Program changes that the Office of Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness has administratively noted in proposal documentation to be “substantive changes” per SACSCOC (AR 1:5), but which do not otherwise meet the definition for significant change (SR 3.1.3.1.3), shall be processed by the Senate in a manner to meet any special accreditation requirements that become prescribed in AR 1:5 (GR IV.C.1). [US: 4/23/2018]
3.1.4.3.3.2.2 Significant reduction
Significant reduction in an academic program or educational unit, including suspension of admissions to a program, significant reduction to a program, or closure of a program, within the meaning of SR 3.3 shall be processed within the University Senate as prescribed by SR 3.3. [US: 4/23/2018]
3.1.4.3.3.3 Use of Senate Courses in Professional Residency/Fellowship
If the curriculum of a professional residency or fellowship program is planned to require 18 or more credit bearing hours of Senate-approved courses this information shall be provided to the Senate Council for reporting to the Council of Postsecondary Education. [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.3.3.1 Other Changes
A proposal submitted by an academic council to the Senate Council office that has not been identified as a significant change by one of the lower levels of review or Senate Council Office (SR 3.1.3.1.3), or that does not meet the definition of a minor program change (SR 3.1.3.3.4), shall proceed directly to 10-day post (SR 3.1.3.3.3.2.4)unless the Senate Council decides to place the proposal on the University Senate agenda for Senate action. The Senate shall take final University action to either (1) approve the proposal, or (2) disapprove and stop action on that proposal. The Senate Council office shall circulate reports of these decisions to the Provost, Registrar and other appropriate entities. [US: 4/23/2018]
3.1.4.3.3.3.2 Ten-Day Posting
The Senate Council Office shall post proposals to change an existing certificate, degree, or badge on the corresponding Senate website for ten business days, thereby providing University-wide notice. [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.3.3.3 Objections
During the 10-day posting period, any University Faculty member can raise an objection to a posted proposal through a member of the University Senate. If a Senator raises an objection in writing to the Senate Council and the objection is not resolved, then the Senator may have the issue placed on the agenda of the next regular Senate Council meeting by having five Senators submit an objection to the Senate Council Office. If the Senate Council deems the objection has merit, then it will place the item on the Senate agenda. The Senate shall be informed about the nature of the objection by information included with the proposal packet. Formal action by the University Senate on the proposal is final Senate action. The Senate Council shall circulate reports of these decisions to the Provost, Registrar and other appropriate entities. [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.3.3.4 Final approval
If no objection is raised to the Senate Council Office within ten business days of the posting, then the proposal is approved as the final Senate action. The Senate Council Office will report approvals to the Provost, Registrar and other appropriate entities. [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.3.4 Changes to the structure of UK Core.
In the case of proposals involving significant changes in the nature of UK Core, if the Senate Council approves the proposed changes, the Senate Council shall put the proposal on the Senate agenda for action. [US: 5/7/2012]
3.1.4.3.4 Exception for minor program changes
[US: 10/9/2017]
3.1.4.3.4.1 Procedure
If a proposed program change meets the criteria of a minor program change, below, then the dean of the college shall forward the program change form directly to the Chair of the Senate Council for approval. If the Chair of the Senate Council concurs that the proposed change meets the criteria for a minor program change and approves it, the Chair of the Senate Council shall notify the Registrar's Office and the dean of the college originating the proposal. If the Chair of the Senate Council believes the change does not meet the criteria for a minor program change or does not approve the change, the Chair of the Senate Council shall disapprove and stop the proposal.
3.1.4.3.4.2 Definition
A request may be considered a minor program change if it meets one (or more) of the criteria below and it does not result in a change to the total credit hours required for the degree program and there is no need to change the descriptive, narrative Undergraduate Catalog language for the program.
- Updating a course prefix due to the home educational unit having received Senate approval to change that particular course prefix.
- Substituting one course for a comparable course with no change in credit hours if: the home educational unit offering the course is no longer offering the course; or the home educational unit is changing a sequence of courses; or the course is replacing a course the home educational unit intends to drop.
- Changing a list of electives, only when: the courses are all offered by the home educational unit offering the degree program; and there is no net decrease in the number of elective courses available in the list; and there is no net decrease in the number of elective credit hours available in the list.