Purpose: To make sure that the proposed course, or changes to the course, meet academic standards and technical requirements.  ASCRC will review forms by assigning members to subcommittees according to academic discipline.

I Summary of Proposed Changes

• Course Number includes abbreviation and level. (i.e. U ENLT 352)  New courses and course number changes must complete Common Course Numbering Review (see below). 
• Course title Please list the complete title, no abbreviations. 
• Identify intent of request- check the appropriate box and details necessary may be included in the space for justification/explanation. See section V for explanation of changes available. If your department has several existing courses with the same change, list the number, title, and short title for each course all on the same form.
• Justification / Explanation – this section must be completed for all proposals. For new courses explain how the course satisfies the criteria for evaluating a new course (see procedure 201.30 http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
  Identify what changes will be made in the department to facilitate offering the course (i.e. course deletion, reorganization, etc.)

II  Syllabus/Assessment Information- Required for a new course, change to the level of a course, or substantial changes to the learning outcomes. Important: please spell out learning goals and learning outcomes clearly in the syllabus. Learning Goals are a list of what students should know, understand, or be able to do at the end of the course, including essential information and knowledge or skills that are relevant to the subject area.  Learning Outcomes are measures of performance or behavior that will indicate, to the teacher and the students, that students understand the material, and what criteria differentiates among different levels of understanding.

III Endorsement/Approvals

• Signatures- The form must have the signature of the individual making the request, the Chair or Director of the Department/Program, the Dean, and the Chair or Director of the other programs that are affected by the proposal.  Other affected departments include any department or program offering courses which are (a) required courses incl. prerequisites or co-requisites, (b) perceived to overlap in content area, (c) cross-listed; or any department or program requiring courses which are being deleted or changed. If the document is being submitted only in electronic form, a scanned version of all signatures must be copied and pasted in the signatory lines in lieu of a paper form with actual signatures.

If the course is proposed by a non- tenurable faculty member then a letter of endorsement from the Department Chair or Director is required.  The endorsement must include a stipulation that the course will be taught with existing resources at least once every three years.  Administrators may make comments that they wish ASCRC or Graduate Council to consider in the space provided.

IV New Course

• Common Course Numbering Review Department chairs must complete this section of the form.  The common course matrix must be referenced to determine whether the learning outcomes are equivalent to those of a course that exists on a different campus.  If an equivalent course exists, the course/campus is noted on the form and the same rubric/number/title should be used.  If there is not an equivalent course, the proposed rubric/number/title must be checked to confirm that it is not currently in use and the new course will be subject to CCN review at the system level and the proposed course number may change due to simultaneous curriculum development in the Montana University System. For all new courses, learning outcomes must be included for review.

Additional requirements for a new course number include the following.  UG courses must have a 400 number.  Course numbers once used cannot be used again for different subject matter for a period of ten (10) years. X90-X99 are reserved numbers, see procedure 201.80 at http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx.

• Short title is limited to 26 characters/spaces or fewer to fit on students transcripts. 
• Exact entry should include course abbreviation (i.e. SPAN, GEOG), level, number, title, credits, repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.
• Graduate increment is the additional work assigned to graduate students.  (See procedure 301.30 at http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
• Co-covened courses – include companion course number, title, and description as well as syllabus (See procedure 301.20 at http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx.)
• Fees- The Board of Regents considers requests for course fees every other year.  Administration & Finance coordinates these requests and must be informed in advance of departments requesting fees or changes to courses with an existing fee.

V Change Course an Existing Course

• Deletion- If other programs are affected explain how issues have been resolved.
• Course Title - Make sure the title is not ambiguous or confusing for students.
• Description- A short and concise summary is best for catalogue purposes.  Try to limit to 20 words or less.
• Prerequisites - List the change to prerequisites.
• Cross-listing (currently under review) courses must have substantial interdisciplinary content, have the same title and number in both departments/programs and approval (signatures) from both. Only the primary department should submit the form.  The courses must have the same level. "Special topics" or variable content courses are not cross listed.
• Credits -should reflect unit standards of department.
• Course number - Changed courses may retain the same course number if the learning outcomes are the same. If the learning outcomes are substantially different, a new number must be assigned and the Common Course Numbering Review for a new course must be completed (see above).
• Level change - Clearly state reasoning and course content being adjusted to suit the proposed level. Attach syllabus.  UG courses must have a 400 number.
• Repeatability- Normally a course can only be taken once.  Exceptions are allowed for variable topics courses (e.g. seminars, independent studies, and thesis). The limit is usually 9-12 credits. 
• Fee- Administration and Finance is provided with a copy of the form if the course has a fee in order to maintain an accurate accounting of courses with fees.  
• Current course information-cut and paste from on-line catalog. (http://www.umt.edu/catalog)
• Exact entry-same as Part I above
• Co-convened courses – include companion course number, title, and description as well as syllabus (See procedure 301.20 at http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx.)
• Graduate increment- If course is changed to UG a syllabus must be provided that includes an appropriate graduate increment.  (See procedure 301.30 at http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx

VI Department Summary List all the proposals submitted by the department (only required if submitting several forms). The summary is a separate document listing the course number, title, and proposed change from Part I above.

VII Copies and Electronic Submission – The approved form may be submitted in one of two ways; Either the paper form with original signatures and a digital copy (attached via email) or an electronic version with PDF copies of signatures in the signatory spaces must be submitted to the Faculty Senate Office (UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu), by the deadline.  The digital copy is posted the he faculty senate website and if paper copy is used, the original is provided to the subcommittee chair.  If changes are required during the course of review a revised form must be submitted. The Registrar's Office prepares catalog copy from the posted forms. 

VIII Form available on the Faculty Senate Website- You are welcome to review the form on the website for accuracy.  It will be indexed under the appropriate review subcommittee (ASCRC review items /Graduate Council review items)   Allow 5 working days past the curriculum deadline for processing.                                       

Updated 5/1/12