AU Curriculum Handbook: Section Three
SECTION ONE:
Overview of Curriculum Development
Curriculum Defined
Overview of Development Process
Proposal Submission
Who to Contact For Help
SECTION TWO:
Antioch University Curriculum Change Process
Purpose of the Academic Change Approval Process
Guiding Principles of the Academic Change Approval Process
Curriculum Change Timelines
Curriculum Change Process Levels
Expedited Review
Internal Review
External Review
Certificate Programs
SECTION THREE:
Curriculum Details
Curriculum Policies
Antioch University Curriculum Elements
Proposal Details
SECTION THREE:
Curriculum Details
This section contains more details on the curriculum process, including policies, curriculum elements, and proposal details.
Curriculum Policies
This section contains a link to each Antioch University policy related to curriculum, along with a brief description of the policy contents.
These are summaries of the curriculum-related policies. These are found on AURA (Antioch University Repository & Archive), under section 5.000 Academic Policies. Each title is a link, and includes a brief description, as well as the text from the purpose or introduction section of the current version of the policy. More policies may be accessed on AURA under THIS link.
5.201 Curriculum Standards
This policy defines academic degrees, certificates, and their subsets (major, minor, concentration, specialization, etc. It includes definitions for both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Purpose: Curriculum standards address issues that assure quality and consistency with Antioch’s mission and purpose, pedagogical practices, and academic standards in courses and programs, including the designations of lower and upper division and undergraduate and graduate level learning, credit unit assignments, and expectations for various in-class, online, hybrid learning, and other delivery options.
5.203 Program Length and Credit Hours
This policy defines minimum numbers of credit for degrees and certificates. It also defines how much student work is required for a credit, including face-to-face and online delivery models.
Purpose: The purpose of the Program Length and Credit Hour Policy is to inform faculty and staff that every academic program within Antioch University is required to meet certain minimum program length standards and that every academic unit is required to determine credit hours in a similar fashion, consistent with the federal definition of credit hour.
5.207 Academic Change Approval
This policy explains the broad process for all types of changes to academic programs. It outlines three categories of change: those requiring 1) University Notice, 2) University Review, and 3) University/External Approval.
NOTE: This policy was developed with language reflecting a campus-based university structure and will be updated once the schools-based structure has been finalized.
Purpose: University academic policies as well as Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and state and federal regulations require that the University establish and follow internal and external review and approval processes to assure adequate oversight of institutional operations. The purpose of this process is to assure efficiency, compliance, communication, and coordination across the University and to assure compliance with external governmental and HLC regulations.
5.209 Academic Program Approval
This policy outlines new program proposal development guidelines, with explanation of the role of the curriculum committees and UAC. It lays out general timelines and steps.
Purpose: The development of new degrees, degree programs, degree program concentrations, and academic certificates constitutes a major initiative in the academic direction for Antioch University. As a consequence, the process of approving new degree programs as well as substantive changes to existing programs must be deliberate and broadly consultative to assure cohesiveness of the University’s overall academic portfolio.
The goal of this policy and process is to ensure thoughtful consideration and necessary University oversight, as well as institutional nimbleness and responsiveness to regional, national, and international needs. Therefore, the process from concept to approval for a new degree, degree program, degree program concentration or academic certificate has clearly delineated and time-bound steps, as outlined in this policy.
NOTE: This policy was developed with language reflecting a campus-based university structure and will be updated once the schools-based structure has been finalized.
5.215 Program Discontinuation and Teach-out
This policy gives guidelines for when a program suspends teaching a particular offering, including a teach-out plan or collaborations with other institutions.
Purpose: It is common over the course of time that higher education institutions temporarily or permanently suspend concentrations or programs, and/or shutter departments and stop offering degrees. This policy indicates the Antioch University process and ensuing external processes that must be followed in each case.
Antioch University Curriculum Elements
This section explains how Antioch University designs and modifies curriculum offerings for students.
Program
A program is a set of credit-bearing courses or learning activities. These may lead to a credential, such as a degree or certificate, or may prepare students for an external credential or license. Programs may offer academic credit or non-academic credit for professional development/continuing education.
Program Types
Each program has a “program type” for credit offering
- Degree programs (DEGR program type) are a collection of courses leading to a certificate that Antioch awards.
- Certificate programs (CERT program type) are a collection of courses leading to a certificate that Antioch awards.
- Non-Credential programs (NCRD program type) are not degree, certificate, or credential programs, which include visiting student (non-matric) programs and continuing education programs.
- External Credential programs (XCRD program type) are endorsement and teacher licensure programs that prepare students for external credentials (usually the state). Antioch does not award credentials, and the conferral block is suppressed from the transcript, in accordance with this. (XCRD2 programs have a degree block, since the student earns a master’s but the credential information is suppressed, since that is awarded by an external (state) body, rather than Antioch.)
Degree Block
Once a student confers, or graduates, from a degree or certificate program, the “degree block” prints on the transcript. This block shows all the elements of the program earned by the student. The fields only appear when relevant. For example, if a student has no specialization as part of their program, the “specialization” line is suppressed.
Below are examples of common degree blocks.
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Credential Conferred: Master of Arts
Major: Education
Location: Antioch University Seattle
Graduation Date: 01/01/2018
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Credential Conferred: Bachelor of Arts
Major: Liberal Studies
Location: Antioch University Los Angeles
Graduation Date: 01/01/2018
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Credential Conferred: Doctor of Psychology
Major: Clinical Psychology
Location: Antioch University New England
Graduation Date: 01/01/2018
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Below is an example of all the potential degree block elements.
Credential is the degree or certificate. Major represents the major field of study. Specialization shows the concentration or specialization for the program, or selected by the student. Other Credential represents any embedded certificates or program designations. Location will show the campus that awards the credential. Graduation date lists the conferral date for the student. Comments will display any added on student-specific emphasis, focus, or individualized concentration.
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Credential Conferred: Master of Arts
Major: Education
Specialization: Adult Education
Other Credential: Sustainability Certificate on 01/01/2018
Location: Antioch University LOCATION
Graduation Date: 01/01/2018
Comments: Student Specialization
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Program Code
A program of study is represented in the student information system (Ellucian Colleague) by a program code.
There are a number of levels by which we group programs: academic level, degree, department, etc. The smallest “unit” in the Antioch system is the program code. When developing new programs, it is important to consider how to define the group of students; there may be more than one. Proposers should work with the university registrar’s office to determine the program code structure for the new offering.
A program code is a unique five-part administrative code to designate a group of students taking a specific plan of study. It can designate a large group of students (all PsyD clinical doctoral students at a location) or can be a very small group of students (students in a cohort or specialization of an MAED at a location.)
The five-part code has specific meaning. The first part is the most specific, a concentration or specialization unique to the type of program. The second part is the academic discipline (department) associated with the program. The third part is the type of degree. The fourth part is the location offering the program (LA, SE, SB, NE, AP, AC, AU)* The fifth part of the code is the credit type for the offering: semester, quarter, or annual credits. For example, the code CS.CLNP.MA.LA.Q translates to the Child Studies concentration within the Clinical Psychology discipline in a Master of Arts degree offered at the Los Angeles location on the Quarter credit type.
If faculty need to track a specific subset of students for enrollment and reporting, a new program code may be needed for this purpose, or the goal may be achieved by using a cohort code. Check with the university registrar’s office for more details.
*Please note: AC is the location used in the program code for the undergraduate online program, and AU is the location used in the program code for all other university-wide programs.
Courses
A course is a unit of instruction for a subject of study. It has a defined set of objectives, delivery method, and credit amount, which could be a range. A section of a course, or class, is an offering for a designated term, with a specific instructor, day/time, and student roster.
Degree Audit
The Degree Audit represents all the requirements (course and non-course) for completion of a degree or course of study. This audit is set for a given catalog year, and assigned to the student based on the program code and the start date. Students may elect a later catalog than their start, such as when readmitted to a program after a period of withdrawal from the institution or if degree requirements change during their time in the program and they want to adhere to the new requirements. Formats for the degree audit are typically either requirement-based (noting core courses, concentrations, electives, internships, etc.) or sequence-based (laying out the courses taken each term, within each year). The format for the audit is determined by the best way to communicate the program to students. Often the audit follows the structure of the catalog copy, which is often requirement-based.
Students and their faculty advisers may view the degree audits through the web (access via AUDirect). Plans of study may be customized for a particular student, waiving or substituting courses for those taken as transfer credit or as approved alternatives. Adviser approval is needed to make a substitution or waiver. Program waiver forms/email approvals should be directed to the university registrar or integrated student services office for implementation.
NOTE: The university registrar’s office is working with IT in a simple university-wide substitute/waiver approval form through Workflow. This will work in an integrated way with the AU student database.
Program/Degree Audit Structure
Antioch University has a variety of program offerings. Programs fall into two main types: those that students apply into and those they can change into, after admission. Set up for Antioch programs can follow two different program structures: comprehensive, where all attributes are associated with the program upon admission, or foundational, which is a base program and student add additional elements to complete it.
- A comprehensive program code, which from admission has all the attributes associated and the Degree Audit reflects all necessary requirements, including majors, specializations or concentrations, and any embedded certificates, which must be completed as part of this program option. Each student in the program has the same requirements. Students may not be conferred from an integrated program until all components are completed.
- A foundational program code, with additional attributes added on once the student matriculates. The student admits into a program shell, and the degree audit specifies are portion (concentration, specialization, etc.) that must be selected. Once selected, this program attribute, along with the course requirements, will be updated to the student’s degree audit.
Some students choose to pursue multiple programs or degrees concurrently. In addition to the main program code, additional programs or pieces may be added on to an individual student in the form of either an elected add-on or a dual (second) program code.
- An Elected Add-On is a minor concentration, emphasis area, or focus area added on by student choice. These are not stand-alone programs and must be added on to an existing degree program.
- Dual Active Programs: For additional certificates or other stand-alone credentials, a second code is added with an active status to the specific student’s record.
Most Antioch programs are ones students can apply into and most are comprehensive programs in their set up.
Proposal Details
Course Proposals
Faculty submit proposals for new courses, or changes to an existing course, through the curriculum committee form(s). These are reviewed according to the committee process. The table below illustrates which course information is suggested or determined by faculty who make the submission, and which fields are determined administratively by the university registrar’s office or academic affairs.
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SECTION OFFERINGS: Sections of a course are associated with a specific term and faculty instructor, and may include offering information, such as day, time, and room assignment. Faculty determine the offering information, but it may be subject to classroom availability.
Course Proposal Examples
Exemplars of new course proposals may serve as a guide for new ones. Please see examples from Antioch faculty at this LINK — TBD.
Program Proposals
Proposals for new programs or changes to an existing program are submitted through the curriculum committee form and reviewed according to the committee process. The table below illustrates which program information is suggested or determined by faculty who make the submission, and which fields are determined administratively by the university registrar’s office or academic affairs.
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Program Proposal Examples
Exemplars of program proposals may serve as a guide for new ones. Please see examples from Antioch faculty at this LINK — TBD.
Course Sequence Changes
Faculty submit proposals for changes to an existing course sequence through the curriculum committee form and reviewed according to the committee process. Changes will be made to the degree audit if the program is represented in a sequential format. No changes may be needed to the degree audit if the program is represented in a requirement-based way (arranged by core courses, concentration, elective, internship, etc.)
The examples below illustrate a degree audit course sequence following requirement order or chronological order.
Requirement Type Plan (below)
Course Sequence Change Examples
Exemplars of course sequence change proposals may serve as a guide for new ones. Please see examples from Antioch faculty at this LINK — TBD.