A.     Procedures

The Office of the Chancellor shall, in consultation with State System Universities, establish and review criteria for the initiation or change of credit-based academic programs.

1. The University shall submit a notification of intent, containing summary information on the proposed academic program, to Academic and Student Affairs at the time the possibility is introduced in internal planning documents, or first reviewed by an appropriate committee within the University. The Office of Academic and Student Affairs shall communicate approval or disapproval of the intent. While all criteria in section B. will be considered, appropriateness to mission and need shall be the key variables determining approval or disapproval. When an intent is disapproved, institutions may appeal the decision by writing to the chancellor within ten business days after receiving the decision. When approval is given, academic and student affairs staff shall assist in program development and assessment throughout the planning and review process. A schedule will be developed by the Office of Academic and Student Affairs to accommodate policy implementation.

2. Each program proposal shall emanate from an institutional program approval process, which assures appropriate faculty, administrative, and trustee review. The proposal must address completely the criteria in section B.

3. Academic program proposals shall be subject to action by, or notice to, the Board of Governors or chancellor, as follows:

a. Board of Governors' Action
    New major program—Full proposal covering criteria in section B. of the administrative procedure required.

b. Office of the Chancellor Action
    New minor program when no major exists—Full proposal covering criteria in section B. of the administrative procedure required.

    New certificate program when no major or minor exists—Full proposal covering criteria in section C. of the administrative procedure required.

    New degree designation—Letter containing rationale and supporting materials required.

c. Office of the Chancellor Notification
    New minor when major exists, certificate when major or minor exists, track, concentration, focus, option, specialization, emphasis, or equivalent—Letter required.

    Other program changes in the academic data file, including program name or title changes, termination, or moratorium—Letter required.

B.     Criteria for Approval of all New Programs Except Certificate Programs when no Major or Minor Exists

The Office of Academic and Student Affairs in the Office of the Chancellor shall develop procedures to ensure that proposals address the following areas:

1. Appropriateness to Mission

The proposed academic program must be appropriate to the State System mission and to the University mission.

2. Need

The proposal shall include, depending upon type of program, sufficient information relative to the intellectual value, student demand, regional and national market demand for program completers, as appropriate, and value to such things as student breadth, faculty vitality, and community enhancement.

3. Academic Integrity

The proposal shall include sufficient information to demonstrate the adequacy and appropriateness of the proposed curriculum, standards, instructional staffing, and other resources. For graduate programs, and for certain undergraduate programs where the university lacks sufficient experience or involvement, the University and Office of Academic and Student Affairs shall cooperate in identifying an appropriate consulting individual or team to assist in evaluating and enhancing the proposal.

4. Coordination with Other Programs

For purposes of possible resources sharing, student transfer, or articulation, and avoidance of unnecessary duplication, the proposal shall report communication with other appropriate departments at the University; other Universities; business and industry, when appropriate; and with other institutions.

5. Assessment and Accreditation

The proposal shall include information on the plan for continuing assessment of student learning outcomes and periodic institutional, professional, and regional accreditation reviews, as well as plans to seek specialized accreditation, if appropriate.

6. Resources Sufficiency

The program proposal shall detail the need and availability of such resources necessary to support the program during the initial and subsequent four years. This statement shall include a description of the internal reallocation process by which such resources are assured:

a. Staff—Faculty and support
b. Learning resources—books, periodicals, films, cassettes, compact disks, etc.
c. Facilities or facility modifications
d. Other

7. Impact on Educational Opportunity

The proposal shall include appropriate information regarding probable impact of the new program on goals for enhancing both educational opportunity and assurance of civil rights.
 

C. Criteria for Approval of Credit-Based Certificate Program when no Major or Minor Exists
The Office of Academic and Student Affairs, in the Office of the Chancellor, shall adopt appropriate forms and develop an expedited process in conformance with local curriculum processes that ensures that Universities may respond quickly to emerging needs for credit-based certificate programs when no major exists at the University. Proposals shall be abbreviated and shall briefly treat the following program characteristics:

1. Appropriateness to Mission

The proposal shall address the appropriateness of the credit-based certificate program to the State System mission and to the University mission.

2. Need

The proposal shall include information on need for the program as well as demand.

3. Academic Integrity

The proposal shall include information on the proposed curriculum and instructional staffing.

4. Resources Sufficiency

The proposal shall delineate the need for, and availability of, resources to support the program during the initial and subsequent two years.


 

	PA State System of Higher Education Board of Governors
	POLICY 1990-06-A ACADEMIC DEGREES See Also:             Adopted: October 18, 1990                              Amended: July 18, 1991 and April 11, 2002

A.     Purpose

To establish broad educational policy for the respective councils of trustees, administrations, and faculties of the universities of the State System of Higher Education governing criteria and definitions for earned academic degrees. (The policy does not address professional certification standards or definitions, except as they may coincide with degrees.)

B.     Degree Designations

An academic degree is an earned degree. Degree designations used within the State System of Higher Education may include the following:

1. Associate Degrees

Associate degrees indicate that the holder has developed proficiencies sufficient to prepare for upper division collegiate work or to enter directly into a specific occupation. Associate degrees are awarded only for completion of a coherent program of study designed for a specific purpose. They reflect satisfactory achievement of a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit, in two parts--a general education component and an area of concentration or major component.

a. Associate in Arts (A.A.):

An Associate in Arts degree program is designed specifically for transfer into baccalaureate degree programs in the arts, humanities, social or behavioral science fields, or in professional fields based upon these disciplines. The general education component of Associate in Arts degrees comprises at least half of total credits earned.

b. Associate in Science (A.S.):

An Associate in Science degree program is designed primarily for transfer into baccalaureate degree programs in one of the mathematical, biological, or physical sciences, or into one of the professional fields with these disciplines as its base. The general education component for Associate in Science degrees comprises no less than one-third of the curriculum, exclusive of mathematics and science courses.

c. Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.):

An Associate in Applied Science degree program is designed to prepare students for immediate employment or career entry, and usually not for transfer into baccalaureate degree programs. The general education component for Associate in Applied Science degrees includes no less than one fourth of the curriculum. When intended for transfer, the general education component should approximate the A.A. or A.S. requirement.

d. Other Associate Degrees:

Specialized associate degrees may be authorized within certain professions; some are career entry, non-transfer degrees, and others meet A.A. or A.S. criteria and lead to transfer. Examples include the Associate in Science of Nursing (A.S.N.), and Associate in Engineering Technology (A.E.T.).

2. Baccalaureate Degrees

Baccalaureate degrees require 120 semester credit hours unless (1) otherwise required by statute, regulation, or accreditation, and (2) approval by the Board of Governors, upon recommendation of the chancellor. Baccalaureate degrees consist of two principal components, general education and study in depth, which taken together, are designed to prepare the student for a productive career, involved citizenship, and continuous growth:

• general education, consisting of a broad program of study in the liberal arts and sciences, such that at least 40 percent of the total baccalaureate degree requirements are met in the areas of humanities, fine arts, communication, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, and the natural sciences;

• major program, consisting of at least 25 percent of the total program of study in an academic disciplinary or interdisciplinary program.
   

The remainder of the curriculum may consist of course work related to the major, advanced course work in the liberal arts and sciences, or electives, but at least 40 percent of the total baccalaureate degree requirements must consist of upper level, advanced coursework (i.e., courses intended for students beyond the sophomore level).

Note: Definitions of lower level and upper level coursework are institutional, and may or may not be inherent in course numbers. The object is to assure that at least two-fifths of a student's studies occur at the junior/senior level of difficulty. During program review, the program unit is expected to review its curriculum against this general standard.

a. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.):

The Bachelor of Arts degree is the traditional preparatory degree for graduate study and the common degree in the arts and humanities, but used through the liberal arts and sciences. The major program does not exceed one-third of the total degree program; elective course selection is encouraged; and foreign language competency is encouraged and may be required.

Bachelor of Arts degrees emphasize breadth and depth of study, and encourage aesthetic, ethical, and intercultural inquiry.

b. Bachelor of Science (B.S.):

The Bachelor of Science degree serves as preparation for graduate study in mathematics, the natural sciences, and many of the behavioral and social sciences, and as a career entry degree, as well. It generally represents a longer, more structured major program, and more direct orientation toward professional preparation than the Bachelor of Arts degree. Major requirements and related courses may comprise up to one-half of the credits required.

c. Professional Baccalaureate Degrees:

Professional degrees may be approved and granted in certain professional fields, and may reflect standards of professional societies or accrediting agencies as well as those of the university. Though they usually include general education components comparable to those in B.A. or B.S. programs, the component may be specifically adapted to the profession.

Examples include Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), and the Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.).

3. Master's Degrees

Master's degrees represent advanced study beyond the baccalaureate degree, and signify mastery in a discipline or professional field. A master's program requires at least one year of full-time study, or its part-time equivalent, and usually includes three basic components: a common core of courses related to the discipline or field of study; a concentration or specialization in a focused area of the discipline; cognate courses which broaden perspective or mastery, or provide special skills such as statistics or foreign language. Master's degree programs may also be expected to include integrative experiences, such as seminars, practica, internships, and other field work which synthesize theory and practice. Most require a thesis, research project, or comprehensive examination.

Master's degrees in the arts and sciences include:

Master of Arts (M.A.),
Master of Liberal Arts (M.L.A.), and
Master of Science (M.S.).

Professional Master's degrees include:

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.),
Master of Education (M.Ed.), or Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.),
Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.),
Master of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.),
Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.),
Master of Science in Library Science (M.S.L.S.),
Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), and
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.).

4. Doctoral Degrees

The doctorate is the highest academic degree awarded in American higher education and is of two general types: the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Professional Doctorate (e.g., Ed.D. and Psy.D.). Though the primary distinction is that the Ph.D. is a research degree and professional degrees are applied degrees, most doctoral programs include both research and applied studies. The doctoral program usually follows completion of a master's degree, except in some fields where admission after the baccalaureate degree is permitted or encouraged. The common components of a doctoral program include a core of increasingly advanced subject-area studies, culminating in seminars involving research. Research skills necessary for such studies, e.g., foreign languages, statistics, or computing, and/or internships or practica in applied fields should be required. Culminating experiences such as comprehensive examinations and a dissertation are expected.

C.     Implementation