Proposing New Graduate Programs - CG

Proposing New Graduate Programs - CG

The section below provides guidance on how to develop curricular proposals for new graduate programs.  These are:

  1. Combined undergraduate/graduate programs
  2. Dual Master’s/Professional Doctorate and PhD Graduate Programs
  3. Combined Professional and Graduate Programs
  4. PhD or MS degree programs

We strongly recommend using these guidelines to develop new curricular proposals for new Graduate Programs to promote an efficient review and implementation process. 

New Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Program

The purpose of combined programs is to give outstanding undergraduate students an opportunity to pursue two degrees simultaneously thereby reducing the time required to complete both sets of degree requirements. Students in combined Bachelor’s and Master’s programs are enrolled concurrently in the Graduate School and an undergraduate college or school.  The Graduate School Handbook (Section 8.1) provides information about combined programs.

In addition to the general proposal template, curricular proposals for new combined undergraduate and graduate programs should include the following in the relevant sections:

Curricular information

  1. Provide the following Bachelor’s Degree Information:
    1. College
    2. Department
    3. Title of Bachelor’s Degree
    4. Name of Primary Contact
    5. Email of Primary Contact
  2. Provide the following Master’s Degree Information:
    1. College
    2. Department
    3. Title of Master’s Degree
    4. Master’s Degree Option (Thesis, Non-Thesis, or Course Based)
    5. Name of Primary Contact
    6. Email of Primary Contact
  3. Provide the following Combined Program Information:
    1. Bachelor’s Degree Minimum Credit Hours (before double counting)
    2. Master’s Degree Minimum Credit Hours (before double counting)
    3. Credit Hours with double counting toward the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree
      1. maximum double counting is 9 credit hours
    4. Unique combined program credit hours ((Bachelor’s Degree Minimum Credit hours + Master’s Degree Minimum Credit hours) – Credit Hours with double counting toward the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree)

Program Implementation

  1. Describe how the program will ensure that students meet the expected baccalaureate program outcomes before the baccalaureate degree is awarded?
  2. Describe how the success of the combined program will be monitored?
  3. Describe the options available for students who wish to leave the combined program with a bachelor’s degree before finishing the graduate level work.

New Dual Master’s/Professional Doctorate and PhD Graduate Program

A dual degree program is the concurrent pursuit of a Master’s degree and any other graduate degree (Master’s, PhD, or a Professional Doctorate). Dual program proposals must include currently existing degree programs only. 

If one of the dual programs is a new degree program, please reference the guidelines for proposing new degrees in these guidelines. In such circumstances, a new dual degree proposal may be submitted after successful approval of the new program.

Any students that participate in a dual Master’s/Professional Doctorate and PhD Graduate Program are enrolled concurrently in the Graduate School and in a Professional school. The dual program does not apply to students pursuing a master’s and a PhD in the same graduate program. Students cannot pursue two PhD programs concurrently at Ohio State. 

In addition to the general proposal template, curricular proposals for new dual Master’s/Professional Doctorate and PhD Graduate Program should include the following in the relevant sections:

Introductory material

  1. A description of the admission process and criteria (see Graduate School Handbook, Section 8.2 and/or online information about Applying for a Dual Degree).
  2. A description of how students will be assigned advisors and the role of the advisor. 

Curricular material

  1. Provide the following Master’s/Professional Doctorate/PhD Degree Information:
    1. College
    2. Department
    3. Master’s/Professional Doctorate/PhD Degree
    4. If Master’s Degree, List Option (Thesis, Non-Thesis, or Course Based)
    5. Name of Primary Contact
    6. Email of Primary Contact
  2. Provide the following Master’s/Professional Doctorate Degree Information:
    1. College
    2. Department
    3. Master’s/Professional Doctorate Degree
    4. If Master’s Degree, List Option (Thesis, Non-Thesis, or Course Based)
    5. Name of Primary Contact
    6. Email of Primary Contact
  3. Provide the following Dual Degree Program Information:
    1. Master’s/Professional Doctorate/PhD Degree Minimum Credit Hours (before double counting)
    2. Master’s/Professional Doctorate Degree Minimum Credit Hours (before double counting)
    3. Credit Hours with double counting toward the dual degree program
  4. A minimum of 50 percent of the hours counted toward the credit hour requirement for each degree must be unique to that degree and cannot be used for dual credit. The Graduate Studies Committee of either program may establish a minimum higher than 50 percent.
  5. Provide a detailing of the Master’s/Professional Doctorate/PhD degree only, the Master’s/Professional Doctorate degree only, and the overlapping credits only. Each of these should include all course prefixes, numbers, and titles used by the University Registrar. Additionally, identify any course that is offered as In Person (P, 0-24% Online), Hybrid (H, 25-74% Online), Distance Enhanced (DH, 75%-99% Online) or Distance Learning (DL, 100% Online). It is recommended these are presented as tables with corresponding titles and headers. 

Program Implementation

  1. Include a statement of whether learning goals, program objectives, and/or the assessment plan will change for the dual degree program or each degree program.
    1. If there are no changes for the dual degree program or each degree program, please state in the proposal.
    2. If there are changes, the plan should be focused on the program rather than the level of individual students or courses. The subcommittee recommends contacting the Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning (DITL) for assistance with developing an assessment program. 

New Combined Professional and Graduate Program

Students in combined programs are enrolled concurrently in the Graduate School and in a professional college or school. The purpose of combined programs is to give qualifying students an opportunity to pursue, simultaneously, two degrees in different colleges or schools by reducing the amount of time required to complete both sets of degree requirements. 

In addition to the general proposal template, curricular proposals for new combined professional and graduate programs should include the following in the relevant sections:

Introductory Material

  1. A description of the admission process and criteria (see Graduate School Handbook, Section 8.1.4 and/or information about Applying for a Combined Degree).
  2. A description of how students will be assigned advisors and the role of the advisor. 

Curricular Material

  1. Provide the following Professional Degree Information:
    1. College
    2. Department
    3. Professional Degree
    4. Name of Primary Contact
    5. Email of Primary Contact
  2. Provide the following Graduate Degree Information:
    1. College
    2. Department
    3. Graduate Degree
    4. If Master’s Degree, List Option (Thesis, Non-Thesis, or Course Based)
    5. Name of Primary Contact
    6. Email of Primary Contact
  3. Provide the following Combined Degree Program Information:
    1. Professional Degree Minimum Credit Hours (before double counting)
    2. Graduate Degree Minimum Credit Hours (before double counting)
    3. Credit Hours with double counting toward the combined degree program
      1. For a professional/master’s combined program, then a minimum of 50% of the credits for a master’s program must be unique to the master’s degree only. For example:
      2. If a master’s program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, then at least 15 credit hours must be unique to graduate coursework completed toward fulfillment of the master’s degree.
      3. For a professional/doctoral combined program, then a maximum of 15 credit hours taken in the professional program can be applied toward fulfillment of the 80 credit hours required for the doctoral degree.
  4. Provide a detailing of the Master’s/Professional Doctorate/PhD degree only, the Master’s/Professional Doctorate degree only, and the overlapping credits only. Each of these should include all course prefixes, numbers, and titles used by the University Registrar. Additionally, identify any course that is offered as In Person (P, 0-24% Online), Hybrid (H, 25-74% Online), Distance Enhanced (DH, 75%-99% Online) or Distance Learning (DL, 100% Online). It is recommended these are presented as tables with corresponding titles and headers. 

Program Implementation

  1. Attach the existing (or revised) learning goals and assessment plans for each degree program. The assessment plan should be focused at the program rather than at the level of individual students or courses. The subcommittee recommends contacting the Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning (DITL) for assistance with developing an assessment program. 

New Degree Program

If you are proposing a new Master’s or PhD degree program, please be sure to review the Ohio Department of Higher Education considerations section of these guidelines as there are additional requirements. 

Important Note as of AU 2025:  ODHE is revising requirements for New Degree Programs. If proposing a New Degree program, please reach out to the Graduate School directly at: grad-schoolcurriculum@osu.edu to receive the most up-to-date requirements for New Degree Programs.

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Proposing a Graduate Minor, GIS, or Certificate

Proposing a Graduate Minor, GIS, or Certificate
  1. Graduate minors
  2. Graduate interdisciplinary specializations
  3. Graduate certificates

New Graduate Minor

A graduate minor involves one program outside a student’s major graduate program. A graduate minor requires a minimum of 10 hours of graduate-level course work in at least three courses. Twenty hours of graduate level courses is the maximum allowance for graduate minors. The student must receive a grade of “B” or better or “S” in each course comprising the graduate minor. The completed graduate minor will appear on the student’s transcript after the student has completed the transcript designation form available through  GRADFORMS.

In addition to the general proposal template, curricular proposals for new graduate minors should include the following in the relevant sections:

New Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization

A Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization (GIS) involves two or more graduate programs outside the student’s major graduate program. A GIS requires a minimum of 10 hours of graduate-level course work in at least three courses. Twenty hours of graduate-level courses is the maximum allowance for a GIS. Nine hours taken for the GIS must be completed outside of the student’s home program in at least three courses. The student must receive a grade of “B” or better or “S” in each course comprising the GIS. The completed GIS will appear on the student’s transcript after the student has completed the transcript designation form available through GRADFORMS.

In addition to the general proposal template, curricular proposals for new graduate specializations should include the following in the relevant sections:

Introductory material

  1. A narrative rationale for the new specialization, including anticipated benefits for participants.
  2. A statement addressing any administrative needs, additional staff etc. and how this will be arranged.
  3. Provide information about specialization courses or other requirements
    1. If the proposal is for a new specialization, explain in the narrative and in a table how requirements for the proposed specialization relate to the existing degree program. Distinguish between core course or other requirements for the degree program vs. courses or other requirements for the specialization.
    2. Provide all course numbers, listed with the precise prefixes and numbers as used by the Registrar’s Office.
    3. It is recommended these are presented as tables with corresponding titles and headers.
    4. Include a copy of the advising sheet a student will use.

New Graduate Certificate

Certificate programs provide students an opportunity to demonstrate competence in a coherent curriculum or area of specialization. Certificates often supplement previous advanced degrees or further professional preparation. Certificates may also serve as an entry point to additional advanced graduate study. Graduate certificates can be free-standing programs (3a); students are directly admitted into these certificate programs. Students may also be simultaneously enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program (3b). A certificate must be at least 12 credit hours and should be at least four courses. To view a listing of certificates types and characteristics visit the registrar's website. 

In addition to the general proposal template, curricular proposals for new graduate certificates should include the following in the relevant sections:

Introductory material

  1. The narrative rationale for the Graduate Certificate should include:
    1. State whether the certificate will be offered in person, or if it will be offered 50% or more as a distance program (online or blended). Please note any program that is 50% or more online requires an MOU with OSOnline.
    2. Explain whether students will begin and matriculate through the certificate as a cohort or self-paced.
    3. Indicate whether the program will limit enrollment to a given number of students and whether it will be possible for domestic and international students to enroll in the program. 

Curricular information

  1. Specification of the type of certificate (e.g. 3a or 3b).
    1. If the program is developed in conjunction with another degree or certificate program, provide detail on how the programs will relate to one another (e.g., curriculum overlap with another program, advising arrangements)
    2. Indicate the number of allowable overlapping credits a student may take or, if none, specify this information as well. The program may designate all credits as overlapping or set a limit on the number of credits allowed as overlapping.
swift.23@osu.edu

New International Cooperative Degree Program

New International Cooperative Degree Program

New International Cooperative Degree Program

Please note: As of June 1, 2025, this process has been updated in collaboration with the Office of International Affairs. 

The purpose of an international cooperative degree program is to give outstanding students an opportunity to pursue, simultaneously, a graduate degree at Ohio State and at a partner international university. The ability to gain an international experience in graduate education provides access to new information and perspectives, innovative concepts and methods, emerging research technologies and unique populations and environments not typically available at a single institution and country. 

Ohio State units interested in establishing an International Cooperative Graduate Degree Program with an international partner must first establish an overarching International Cooperative Graduate Degree Agreement (ICGDA) with the international partner. This umbrella agreement outlines overall requirements of and conditions pertaining to all such ICGDAs. The signed ICGDA ensures both the Ohio State unit and international partner agree to the overall terms and conditions of such programs. Please be sure to review the International Cooperative Degree Program considerations section of these guidelines as you begin developing your curricular proposals. 

International Cooperative Degree Considerations

International Cooperative Graduate Degree Agreements (ICGDA) involve multiple levels of review. 

  1. Notify the Office of International Affairs of the intent to establish an ICGDA between Ohio State and an international university.
    1. An email may be sent to OIA International Partnerships (Elizabeth Angerman.6) to request that they conduct a Risk Assessment. As a part of the Risk Assessment, OIA will complete a Visual Compliance Restricted Party (VCRP) screening of the proposed international partner. OIA will then request a Restricted Party and Research Compliance Sign-off for ICGDA from the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance. This agreement can be initiated by completing the following Qualtrics Survey.
  2. Draft the ICGDA document.
    1. The ICGDA template includes text that has been approved by the Graduate School and reviewed by the Office of Legal Affairs. The types of ICGDAs are:
      1. Combined bachelor’s/master’s degrees (i.e., 3+2 programs)
      2. Dual degrees (i.e., dual PhD or dual master’s degree)
  3. Develop and submit the appropriate curricular proposal for approval to the appropriate department and college curricular committees.
  4. Upon receiving approval from the appropriate department and college curricular committees, submit the ICGDA documents and the program proposal to OIA.  OIA will distribute the curricular proposal to the Graduate School for subsequent administrative approvals while OIA continues processing necessary documents and obtaining signatures for the ICGDA. 

If you have questions:

For questions related to ICGDA agreements, initiation, obtaining the correct forms, and other international considerations please reach out to the Office of International Affairs:  internationalagreements@osu.edu.

Curriculum specific items remain under the oversight of the Graduate School. For questions related to any curricular items, proposal development, program curricular materials, curricular review processes and timelines etc. please reach out to:  grad-schoolcurriculum@osu.edu. 

Program proposal requirements

In addition to the general proposal template, and supplementary information for the specific program (Combined bachelor’s/master’s degrees, Dual Degree, or PhD), curricular proposals for new International Cooperative Degree Programs should include the following in the relevant sections:

Introductory material

  1. General information about the International Cooperative Graduate Degree program:
    1. A statement of how the cooperative agreement is distinct from existing programs regarding student audience, admission criteria, or program demand.
    2. Details about course transfer, duration of the program, and advising.
    3. Information about how the international cooperative dual degree program may affect recruitment, retention, and matriculation of students in the existing Ohio State program.
    4. Information about the Ohio State degree assessment plan (e.g., statement that the learning goals and assessment plan will not change for the Ohio State degree, or you may include as an attachment the Ohio State degree assessment plan generated by Nuventive.Improve).

Curricular information

  1. A detailing of the proposed dual degree curriculum, which must include the items listed below:
    1. Degree requirements for both degrees.
    2. Precise prefixes, course numbers, and titles of Ohio State courses, as used by the Registrar’s Office.
    3. Identify course modalities (i.e. t In Person (P, 0-24% Online), Hybrid (H, 25-74% Online), Distance Enhanced (DH, 75%-99% Online) or Distance Learning (DL, 100% Online).
    4. Courses that will count towards each degree program.
  • It is recommended these are presented as tables with corresponding titles and headers.

Program implementation

  1. Budget proposal, with estimated number of students for enrollment.

Supplementary Information for Appendices

  1. An advising sheet that students can use to track progress through the dual degree program.
  2. Short form syllabi for all new courses OR courses that will be changing in delivery format or credit hours (if any). Short form syllabi only include the course title, number, credits, prerequisites, a course description, course objectives, and a content topic list. Please note that all new courses must also be submitted in curriculum.osu.edu in their full format.
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