Program requirements and courses should be revisited on a regular basis to ensure they’re still meeting the needs of students, program learning objectives, current faculty resources, accreditation requirements, as well as the needs of employers, industry, and organizations where our students may go as graduates.
All programs of study are to be approved by the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Excellence after a review by the Graduate Division (GD). Typically, the review by GD is to ensure the program of study is aligned with current degree requirements as well as any policies and procedures related to graduate degrees/GCERTs. We also check to ensure that the requirements are clearly indicated for all required courses, including core courses. Depending on the modifications being proposed, we also check to ensure any tracks included as part of the program (degree/GCERT) are also considered in the modification and if coursework from other departments or colleges are involved that consultation with those units has also occurred.
For major changes to the program of study, these may include, but are not limited to a complete revision of the program’s requirements (e.g., new core courses, additional categories to select from, overall change in requirements, etc), additional required credits, which increases the total number of credits required for the degree, an additional track or concentration to the degree, or including coursework outside of one’s department and/or college. A review by the Program committee of the Graduate Council is undertaken for all major changes proposed to a program of study.
Minor changes include, but are not limited to adding/removing elective choices, unless those involve another department or college, reducing or switching courses considered core requirements, re-naming categories of required coursework, or clarifying the information regarding required coursework so that it is clearer for students and others.
When considering whether modifications to one’s program of study are major or minor, the following factors should be considered: If the answer is yes, to many of these questions below, it is mostly like a major modification.
- Does the proposed revision to a program of study compete against any currently offered degree program, GCERT. or program track?
- Do the proposed modifications change the nature of the degree/GCERT? (e.g., focus may be perceived outside of or more interdisciplinary than the current degree/GCERT title)
- Are new tracks, concentration, areas of emphasis, being proposed?
- If new courses are being proposed, UHM-1 forms should be submitted in the same term as the proposal.
- Are new courses or modified courses being proposed to be added as program requirements?
- Are they to be considered as core requirements?
- Are these courses increasing the number of credits required for the degree/GCERT?
- Are courses from another unit being proposed in the modification?
If modifications you’re proposing are not a clear cut yes or no to the questions above, please contact us at graddiv@hawaii.edu or call 956.7541 to ask.
The Graduate Council meets approximately once a month, during the academic year. Materials for review by the Program committee are sent at least two weeks prior to a scheduled meeting.