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 (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. 
      1. Indirect Measures, including: Number of applications to the program, Quality of the applicant pool (cGPA, diversity), Admissions to the program (% admitted, % matriculated), Student surveys (program satisfaction during enrollment), Student evaluations of instruction (Course satisfaction), Retention rates, Graduation rates, Cumulative student GPAs, Time-to-Certificate, Exit surveys at graduation, Alumni surveys (applicable employment, use of certificate). 
      2. Direct Measures, including: Specific student evaluations to assess attainment of each specialized program association (SPA) competency, e.g., proportion of students exceeding and meeting expectations associated with each of the SPAs (this can be collected as a set of numbers that can be compared over years of the program to measure student success and make targeted changes to increase it), cumulative course performance.

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 outstanding 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. 
    1. Indirect Measures, including: Number of applications to the program, Quality of the applicant pool (cGPA, diversity), Admissions to the program (% admitted, % matriculated), Student surveys (program satisfaction during enrollment), Student evaluations of instruction (Course satisfaction), Retention rates, Graduation rates, Cumulative student GPAs, Time-to-Certificate, Exit surveys at graduation, Alumni surveys (applicable employment, use of certificate). 
    2. Direct Measures, including: Specific student evaluations to assess attainment of each specialized program association (SPA) competency, e.g., proportion of students exceeding and meeting expectations associated with each of the SPAs (this can be collected as a set of numbers that can be compared over years of the program to measure student success and make targeted changes to increase it), cumulative course performance.

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. Additionally, please contact the Graduate School at Grad-SchoolCurriculum@osu.edu for the CCGS Proposal Template and the ODHE Fiscal Impact Statement).  Adherence to these documents facilitates approval at the State level.

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

Introductory Material

  1. If proposing to develop a separate new master’s degree program from a currently offered and previously approved doctoral program, the narrative should address the following: 
    1. Explain whether the program will be advertised for new students to be recruited to the program, or whether it is only for doctoral students who are not continuing or planning to defend their dissertation. 
    2. Explain if new students will (or will not) be recruited directly into the new master’s program. 
    3. Explain the retention rates of the program and how often the program anticipates that existing doctoral students will seek the master’s degree because they are not continuing or planning to defend their dissertation. 
  2. Basic characteristics of the proposed educational program as indicated below
    1. The full name of the proposed program and designation, rationale for that designation, definition of the focus of the program, and a brief description of its disciplinary purpose and significance. 
    2. Total minimum semester hours required for completion of the program. 
    3. Normal or typical length of time for students to complete the program. 
    4. Proposed initial date for the implementation of the program. 
    5. Primary target audience for the program (e.g., full-time, part-time, traditional college age, working adults, transfer students, military personnel).
  3. State whether the degree will be offered in person, or if it will be offered 50% or more as a distance program (online or blended). 
  4. Explain whether students will begin and matriculate through the degree as a cohort or self-paced. 
  5. 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. 
  6. Special efforts to enroll and retain underrepresented groups in the given discipline:
    1. Plan to ensure recruitment, retention, and graduation of groups underrepresented within the discipline. 
    2. Provide as a background a general assessment of: (a) Institutional and departmental profiles of total enrollment and graduate student enrollment of underrepresented groups within the discipline, and (b) Compare underrepresented groups degree recipients from the department and university at all levels to national norms. Supply data by group where available. 
  7. For entry level graduate degree programs, the narrative should address the following questions: 
    1. How is the program distinctly different, both conceptually and qualitatively, from undergraduate degree programs in the same or related discipline? 
    2. How does the program emphasize the theoretical basis of the discipline as expressed in the methods of inquiry and ways of knowing in the discipline? 
    3. How does the program place emphasis on professional decision making and teach the use of critical analysis in problem solving? 
    4. How is the program designed to educate students broadly so that they understand the major issues and concerns in the discipline or professional area? 
    5. How does the program curriculum offer what students need to know for competence at the expected level of professional expertise? 
    6. What plans have been made to address standards and guidelines for professional accreditation, if applicable?
  8. For research graduate degree programs such as the Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), the proposal narrative must explain how the degree program involves preparation to carry out significant research and to discover new knowledge, regardless of whether the particular field of learning is pure or applied. 
  9. For professional graduate degree programs such as Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Social Work (MSW) or Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), the narrative must address the following questions:
    1. What admission criteria, in addition to the traditionally required transcripts, standardized test scores, letter of recommendation, and personal statements of purpose, are relevant to assess the potential for academic and professional success of prospective students? Will there be special consideration of student experience and extant practice skills within the admission process? If so, please elaborate. 
    2. Is field/clinical experience subsumed within the academic experience? If so, how does that experience relate to the academic and professional success of prospective students? Will there be special consideration of student experience and extant practical skills within the admission process? If so, please elaborate. 
    3. Are the faculty qualifications associated with the professional graduate degree program appropriate for such faculty? Provide the qualifications for such faculty. 
    4. How does accreditation by the appropriate professional organization relate to the academic curriculum and experience outlined in the program plan? Describe the specific aspects of the program plan, if any, that are necessary to achieve professional accreditation. Is completion of the degree program required for professional accreditation in the field? 
    5. How are theory and practice integrated within the curriculum? 
    6. What is the national credit hour norm for this degree program in your field? How was this norm derived? Is the number of credit hours required for graduation influenced by mandated professional experiences? If so, how? 
    7. Describe the required culminating academic experience and how it will contribute to the enhancement of the student’s professional preparation.

Curricular material

  1. A detailing of the proposed curriculum, with all course numbers listed with the precise prefixes, numbers, and titles as used by the University Registrar. It is recommended these are presented as tables with corresponding titles and headers.
    1. Include the requirements students must fulfill to complete the program successfully (including specific courses, course options, and any other requirements)? 
    2. Identify any course that will be In Person (P, 0-24% Online), Hybrid (H, 25-74% Online), Distance Enhanced (DH, 75%-99% Online) or Distance Learning (DL, 100% Online).
    3. Identify courses that exist versus those that have or will be proposed. 
    4. Describe any specialization(s) intended to appear on the student transcript. 
  2. Include information about the required culminating, or integrated learning, assessment for the degree (e.g., thesis, non-thesis exam, capstone project, candidacy exam, dissertation, etc.).

Program Implementation

  1. Describe institutional planning for the program including:
    1. What are the physical facilities and equipment and staff needed to support the program? Indicate the impact that the proposed program will have on the physical resources and laboratories that currently accommodate existing programs and services or identify new laboratory and preceptor needs. If new staffing is needed to support these facilities or if new staff are needed for the program, please discuss. 
    2. What is the evidence that a market for the new program exists? How has estimated program demand been factor into realistic enrollment projections? How has this evidence been used in planning and budgeting processes to develop a quality program that can be sustained? 
      1. Provide evidence of need for the new degree program, including the opportunities for employment of graduates. Examples of potential metrics of program need include:
        1. Student interest and demand – Potential enrollment; Ability to maintain the critical mass of students. 
        2. Institutional need – Plan for overall development of graduate programs at the proposing institution.
        3. Societal demand – Intellectual development; Advancement of the discipline; Employment opportunities. 
        4. Scope – Local, regional, and national needs; International need.
    3. Statewide alternatives for the degree
  2. Programs available in other OH institutions and how they may differ from the program being proposed; 
  3. Appropriateness of specific locale for the program; and 
  4. Opportunities for inter-institutional collaboration.
  5. Anticipated growth of the program:
  6. E.g., if the program request is approved, what future growth do you anticipate (e.g., in the next six months, three years) and how do you plan to manage this growth?
  7. Institutional staffing, faculty, and student support
    1. How many and what types of faculty (full-time and part-time) will be employed in the program? Why is the number and type of faculty sufficient to support the program? How many, if any, new faculty will be hired for the program? 
    2. What are the administrative arrangements for the proposed program: department and school or college involved? 
    3. In addition to the 2-page CV of the program’s faculty, please complete the faculty matrix provided in the CCGS Proposal Template and embed it in the Proposal. 
  8. Learning goals and an assessment plan for all program objectives. The 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. 

Supplementary Material

  1. Completed Fiscal Impact Statement Form
  2. Completed CCGS Proposal Template