Operating Policy and Procedure
HSC OP: 60.11, Development, Revision, or Termination of Academic Programs and Units
PURPOSE: The purpose of this Health Sciences Center Operating Policy and Procedure (HSC OP) is to outline the procedure for initiating, developing, and implementing new certificate and degree programs and units; implementing significant curricular or administrative changes to existing academic programs and units; and terminating existing certificate and degree programs and units.
REVIEW: This HSC OP will be reviewed by June 1 of every even-numbered year (ENY) by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Integrated Learning, Assistant Provost for Accreditation and Assessment, Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee, and Academics Council.
POLICY/PROCEDURE:
1. Governing Authority
As a component institution of the Texas Tech University System (TTU System), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is governed by the Board of Regents of the TTU System.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has degree-granting authority for all institutions of higher education in the state of Texas. As such, the THECB has authorized TTUHSC to award degrees and certificates at the baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and professional levels.
TTUHSC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is an institutional accrediting body that seeks to ensure its member institutions' overall quality and effectiveness. In addition, specialized or programmatic accrediting bodies accredit individual academic programs and/or schools at TTUHSC.
Each of the aforementioned governing bodies has different requirements for initiating, developing, and implementing new certificate and degree programs and units; implementing significant curricular or administrative changes to existing academic programs and units; and terminating existing certificate and degree programs and units. Each entity often requires formal notifications and/or approvals.
2. This HSC OP applies to the following possible changes to academic programs at TTUHSC. Please reference HSC OP 60.04, Substantive Change Reporting, for more information on SACSCOC substantive change requirements (see list of related OPs at the bottom of this document).
a. Development of New Academic Programs and Units:
i. Certificate Programs
ii. Degree Programs:
1. Bachelor’s
2. Master’s
3. Doctoral
4. Professional
b. Modifications to Existing Academic Programs and Units:
i. Significant Curricular and/or Assessment Change(s)
1. Program Content
2. Program Length (e.g., increase or decrease of total semester credit hours required)
3. Competency-based Education
4. Method of Delivery (e.g., distance education)
ii. Administrative Change(s)
1. Dual or Joint Academic Award
2. Off-campus Instructional Site/Additional Location
3. Student Enrollment Limitation (e.g., enrollment caps set by the program, school, THECB, or programmatic accreditor)
4. New Pathway, Concentration, Specialization, and/or Track
5. Change in name to department, certificate, degree program, and/or school
6. Change in CIP code
7. Program Closure (e.g., closure of pathways, tracks, specializations, concentrations, dual/joint agreements, and modalities)
3. Overview
In general, the following steps will be taken for each proposed change (NOTE: these steps are not necessarily in chronological order due to compliance needs at the programmatic, state, and regional levels. These steps are likely to take place in parallel):
a. Initial discussions at the program, department, and school levels per established school policies, including identification of the notification/approval process for programmatic accreditors, if applicable;
b. Preliminary discussions at the institutional level, including appropriate Provost Leadership Team representatives. School accreditation liaisons are required to contact the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Integrated Learning prior to pursuing school-level approval;
c. Development of appropriate planning documents at the program, department, and/or school level (e.g., business plan, assessment plan, and alignment with institution’s mission and strategic plan);
d. Discussions with leaders of other institution-wide departments that the proposal may impact (e.g., Digital Learning Committee, Information Technology, Interprofessional Education, Simulation, Student Business Services, TTUHSC Libraries, and TTUHSC Student Affairs), as guided by appropriate representatives from the Provost Leadership Team;
e. Presentation of a formal proposal to the Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee with vote and/or at committee discretion, may be moved forward for review and approval by TTUHSC Provost and Academics Council and additional TTUHSC councils as needed;
f. Notification to the TTUHSC President as needed;
g. Notification and/or approval by the Board of Regents, if applicable;
h. Notification and/or approval by the THECB, if applicable;
i. Notification and/or approval by SACSCOC, if applicable;
j. Implementation of the proposed change.
Related TTUHSC OPs for review
• 60.04 (Substantive Change Reporting)
• 60.05 (Definition and Calculation of Credit Hours)
• 60.12 (Distance Education)
• 77.07 (Credit by Examination)
• 77.17 (Core and Transfer Compliance Policy)