College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Course Proposal Form Preparation Guide
The Course Proposal
Form currently in use can generate a great deal of confusion resulting in
numerous submissions being returned for additional information and
clarification. This practice in turn
results in unnecessary delay, miscommunication, and frustration. The form is being revised into an online and
more user-friendly version. In the meantime, we recommend the following
practices be observed with the current form.
Please help us communicate this information to those members of your
programs and departments who are writing course proposals.
General: please ensure
that all areas are carefully completed, and all information is current. Please
also feel free to consult with one of the members of the committee for
clarification. Tthe Course Proposal Form
may be obtained from Laura Williams in the Office of the Dean (lwilliams@csustan.edu, 667.3130). Please submit the original and six (6)
copies to the Office of the Dean, L175.
Area 1. “Proposed
Effective” means the Catalog year and term the proposed addition or change
would take effect. If the term of
initial offering of the proposal will be different (say, in Spring of an
off-catalog year), please indicate so. Please also note that “New” means a
brand-new course; all other changes, including name changes, course number,
content, etc., as well as format changes, are “Modifications”.
Area 2. “Segment
Units” is only used for courses offered with multiple formats (Lecture with Lab
or Activity, for example). If your
course has multiple formats, please indicate the workload distinction in
“Segment Units”, and also designate the “Graded Units” distinction as well
(these numbers may not be the same).
“Class Size” is
divided into “Optimum” and “Maximum.”
Please note that Banner uses only the “Maximum” to assign classroom
space.
“Proposed C/S#” means
the Course Classification Number. You
can obtain a complete listing of these designations from the Dean’s office or
the Office of Academic Programs. Please
enter the C/S # appropriate for your course.
Area 3. “Abbreviated
Course Title” means the title as it will appear in the Schedule of
Classes. The Schedule of Classes has a
maximum of 30 characters (including spaces) available; this is your opportunity
to abbreviate your course name in the most useful fashion. “Full Course Title” is the official course
title, as listed in the Course Catalog.
Area 4. Your course
may satisfy General Education and/or Liberal Studies requirements. If so, please indicate the appropriate
designation (area letter and section number) in the space provided. Please also note that the GE subcommittee has
separate requirements for approving courses for satisfaction of GE credit. Summarize how the course meets each of the
selected GE criteria on a separate sheet. Similarly, please be aware that
Writing Proficiency courses, and courses in Graduate Studies and Liberal
Studies, have supplemental criteria.
Area 5. Changes in
Units: please mark ONLY as appropriate.
Area 6. Proposed
Catalog Description. PLEASE note that
this is the exact copy as it will appear in the Course Catalog. Please proofread carefully to ensure the
elimination of mechanical, grammatical, and other miscues. Please also note that the target limit for
length is 30 words.
Area 7. Please
summarize proposed changes only as necessary.
Area 8.
Justification: This area is applicable for BOTH New courses and
Modifications. Please ensure that the
justifications are understandable to reviewers outside your discipline.
Area 9. Please note
that “…full description including the following” means all items must be
accounted for within the proposal and /or its attachments. Short descriptions of each of these items
follow. This area may not be necessary
for minor accounting changes.
NOTE: a fully
elaborated syllabus may not be available or even appropriate; however, the
supporting information listed above must be readily identifiable in your
proposal and/or attachments.
Area 10.
“Bibliography” means the scholarly work defining the field, NOT the course
material. In other words, the range of
work (which need not be exhaustive) serving as background for your development
of the course.
Area 11. Faculty
available, qualified, and willing to teach it.
Area 12. Resources
required. Please complete carefully and
completely, and attach supporting information as necessary.
Area 13. Consultation. If you suspect your course may impinge upon, overlap with, or be of substantial interest to the work of another discipline or another faculty member, please arrange for consultation with that faculty/department. Please attach consultation results (even if as brief as an emailed note) to the proposal form. Please also note item “c” and provide program modification information as appropriate.
Area 14. Please
acquire signatures from the Curriculum Committee of your program or department
(if any), as well as the Chair or Director (who may sign for the Curriculum
Committee in the absence of same).
Please ensure that any subsequent alterations or emendations are
counter-signed, and please refrain from re-using old forms.
Thank you for your
help in expediting and clarifying this process.
For further information, please contact any member of the Curriculum
Committee, or Laura Williams, Office of the Dean, x3130, lwilliams@csustan.edu.
Chau-Pu Chiang, Scott Davis (chair), Betsy Eudey, Stephen
Routh, Jason Winfree, Laura Williams (Dean’s designee).
:scd 11/1/06