»Undergraduate Curriculum Handbook

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

New major program proposals are due by September 15th.

Click here for a new program process chart.

The approval of new undergraduate degree is a comprehensive process requiring extensive documentation, appropriate consultation with university departments and offices, recommendations regarding approval within academic units, including curriculum committee, program/department faculty and dean; and careful scrutiny and recommendations by the Undergraduate Academic Council, Long Range Planning Council, concurrence by the Senate Executive Board, recommendation regarding approval by the Faculty Senate and approval by the Provost and the Board of Trustees. All consultations, recommendations for approvals and approvals are to be submitted through Curriculog. 

Detailed guidelines for the program proposal can be found here.

Appendix I requires departments to complete a Projected Five-Year Budget form. Click here to access the template.

Proposed new undergraduate and graduate degrees might require submission of a substantive change proposal to Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Academic units considering a proposal for a new undergraduate or graduate degree program must consult with the Director of Accreditation & Accreditation about WASC’s substantive change policies and procedures before submitting a new program proposal. WASC requires much of the same information that is required for Chapman’s new degree program proposal process (which is modeled on WASC’s New Degree Program Proposal), but additional information may be required.

WASC’s template for Substantive Change: New Degree Program Proposal (Assoc, Bach, Masters) can be found on the WASC website. Click here for access to the WASC template for Substantive Change.

Note: if the program being proposed is a New Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Program, please consult that section of the program approval process below, as Integrated programs are not required to follow the full new degree approval process.

Academic requirements for degree programs are provided in the undergraduate academic catalog, which should be consulted in designing any new academic degree program. The schedule for submitting a new degree proposal is included under the section, "A Note on Dates & Deadlines" below.

A proposed new undergraduate graduate degree programs will be evaluated on the basis of four criteria:

• The demonstrated need or demand for the proposed new degree or major
• Its compatibility with the university’s mission and the academic strategic plan
• The academic quality of the proposed degree program and plans for assessment
• The cost of the degree or major and use of institutional resources

Proposals for new undergraduate degree programs generally originate from the academic unit that will offer the new degree program. Proposals also may originate from other academic units or administrators, but all such programs require the support of program faculty, when such faculty are in place and will be providing the program. Academic units and other originators should engage in extensive preparation and consultation with relevant university offices and officers. Please see recommended timeline in the process chart above.

Consultation should occur with the following during the proposal process:

• Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success and faculty chair of the Undergraduate Academic Council to ensure that academic policies are being followed in degree design
• Office of Strategic Marketing and Communication for information on marketing potential of new degree program (addressed in Executive Summary, Appendix A, I)
• Assistant Provost for Operations and Finance regarding budget (addressed in Appendices C-I)
• Director of Accreditation and Assessment regarding accreditation and assessment (determination of whether or not substantive change filing with WASC is required and addressed in Appendices A and B)
• Vice President for Enrollment Management regarding projected enrollments and financial aid/scholarships (addressed in Appendices A and H)
• Office of Admission regarding recruitment and enrollments (addressed in Appendices A, H, and I)
• Library Liaison or Subject Specialist regarding information resources (addressed in Appendix D)
• Vice President for IS&T regarding computing and technology needs (addressed in Appendix E)
• Office of the EVP/COO (if new proposal is a new international or joint program with another school) Note that any such program requires a substantive change application to WASC and should follow the WASC Substantive Change: New Degree Program process
• Office of Legal Affairs (if new proposal is a new international or joint program with another school) Note that any such program requires a substantive change application to WASC and should the WASC Substantive Change: New Degree Program process
• Office of International Student Services (if program wishes to recruit international students)

Each office listed above must provide documentation that the consultation occurred, and such documentation should be filed in the appropriate Appendix folder in Curriculog. 

After consulting with the offices listed above, the academic unit proposing the new program should document approvals and recommendations from the following: 

• Representative of program/department faculty
• Academic unit curriculum committee
• Dean

Each party listed above has the opportunity submit a position memorandum to their recommendation on approval. These memoranda are to be filed in Curriculog. 

Subsequent recommendation on approval is required from the Undergraduate Academic Council, and the Long Range Planning Council. These approvals will be documented in Curriculog.

Any council may request feedback from the program/department and/or academic unit involved in the proposal process prior to submitting its own recommendations.

Following its review, each council presents the final proposal to the Senate Executive Board.

The Senate Executive Board will then submit, with their own recommendation, all information to the Faculty Senate. Faculty Senate members will be provided access to Curriculog for their review.

Upon vote of the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate President will forward the recommendation for approval or denial to the Provost and notify all prior parties of the decision.

Once the recommendation for approval or denial by the Faculty Senate is received by the Provost and if the Provost recommends the new degree program for approval, he/she will arrange for review of the proposal by the following:

• Academic Committee of the Board of Trustees
• Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees
• Full Board of Trustees

While certain steps in the curriculum proposal process for new academic programs may be undertaken simultaneously, curriculum proposals for new academic programs will not be presented to the relevant Board of Trustees committees or the full Board of Trustees until all required previous steps have been taken, consultations verified and recommendations for approval or denial are made.

The Board of Trustees provides final approval on all new degree programs.

Board of Trustees New Program Proposal Presentation:

Academic units submitting new program proposals that are recommended by approval by the Senate the Provost are advised to prepare a presentation (e.g., using PowerPoint) for the Board of Trustees that summarizes the following points:

• The name and type of proposed degree.
• The academic unit and/or program/department offering the degree
• A rationale for offering the program or degree, including the projected demand/enrollments and the planning process that went into the development of the new degree.
• A description of how the degree fits into the missions and strategic plans of the university, and/or the academic unit and/or the program/department
• A brief description of the degree, including its curriculum, faculty and required resources.
• A summary of how the degree compares with existing relevant degrees at Chapman University or at competing universities.
• Plans/timelines for implementation and for meeting any accreditation requirements.
• A summary of the five-year budget, including projected enrollments, revenues and expenditures. The budget must be reviewed by the Long Range Planning Council, the Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and the Provost.

On occasion, program head may inform the Board of Trustees of degree proposals that they have in development, prior to receiving Undergraduate Academic Council, Long Range Planning Council, Senate Executive Board or Senate approval. Presenters must be clear, however, about the status of each degree proposal when making their presentations. That is, only proposals that have received recommendations for approval from the Faculty Senate and the Provost should be presented to the Board of Trustees for a vote.

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

New minor program proposals are due by September 15th.

A minor can originate with faculty members or administrators and recommendations on approval are provided by the appropriate program faculty, academic unit curriculum committee, and Dean. The minor is reviewed by the Undergraduate Academic Council. The UAC informs the Senate Executive Board (SEB) of their recommendation, and the SEB may choose to submit the minor to the full faculty senate for review and recommendation. Final approval of a new minor rests with the Provost.

New undergraduate minors are filed in Curriculog to document consultations and recommendations for approval. Click here to access the Curriculog system.

Process for submission of new minors

The Dean of the school or college in which a new undergraduate minor program is being proposed should meet with the Provost before the proposal is begun. The Provost can give guidance on the timing of the new undergraduate minor program proposal, its fit with the current strategic plan, and is able to discuss potential resources needed and available.

Consultation should occur with the following, prior to submission of the proposal, as appropriate:

• Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success and faculty chair of the Undergraduate Academic Council to ensure that academic policies are being followed in degree design
• Director of Accreditation & Assessment regarding accreditation and assessment requirements
• Vice President for Enrollment Management

Recommendations for approval are required by the following:

• Representative of program/department faculty
• Academic unit curriculum committee
• Dean

Any party listed above may submit a memorandum in support or nonsupport of the minor.

Interdisciplinary minors follow the same procedures given above. In addition, an interdisciplinary proposal must receive recommendations for approval from:

• Program/department faculty of programs/departments sponsoring the minor,
• Curriculum committee(s) of academic units sponsoring the minor
• Dean(s) of academic units sponsoring the minor
• Add additional forms for signatures as needed.

The Undergraduate Academic Council presents new minors recommended for approval to the Senate Executive Board, which then determines if there is a need for the proposed minor to be sent to Faculty Senate for review and recommendation on approval. This is rarely required, but is an option for faculty senate.

Please note: New Themed Inquiry proposals are due by September 15th.

A Themed Inquiry (TI) can originate with full-time faculty members or administrators and recommendations on approval are provided by the appropriate program faculty, academic unit curriculum committee, and Dean. The TI is reviewed by the GE Committee, which makes the final decision.   

All TI proposals must include the following information:   

• Name of the TI  
• Term of first instruction  
• Description / focus of the TI  
• Rationale for creating the TI 

List of courses that will be included (only existing courses will be accepted). If a proposed TI includes courses from different academic units, please provide approvals from those respective departments.  

Name of faculty member responsible for management of the TI  

The information above must be submitted via email to: ge@chapman.edu.   

Recommendations for approval are required by the academic unit curriculum committee. Activation date will be for the following catalog year. 

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

New integrated program proposals are due by September 15th.

An integrated program combines both undergraduate and graduate education by allowing the undergraduate student to be conditionally admitted into the graduate program while still completing all undergraduate degree requirements. The application process, prerequisites, GPA and graduate program requirements are as specified for each graduate program, however, a GPA minimum of 3.0 is required for acceptance into an integrated program, even in cases in which a Master’s program considers lower GPA requirements for non-Integrated students. Student’s will receive conditional admission to the graduate program, pending completion of their bachelor’s degree as stipulated in the graduate catalog.

While still enrolled as undergraduates, students may take and share up to 15 credits, although some programs may permit less than 15 credits (please consult the degree section of the catalog for the number of credits that can be shared by specific degree program combination). Please note the following regarding policies for undergraduate students enrolling in graduate courses:

• Undergraduate students are required to have a minimum 3.000 GPA to enroll in graduate level courses. 
• Undergraduate students must have either already earned 90 credits or be enrolled in and anticipate having earned 90 credits before the first day of the graduate course(s) in which they wish to enroll. 
• Graduate courses shared with undergraduate degree requirements will only appear on the undergraduate transcript. 

Students complete the remaining credit hours of graduate coursework beginning the term after receiving the undergraduate degree.

At minimum, 15 credits must be earned at the graduate, post-baccalaureate level. The minimum number of combined undergraduate and graduate credits required for any integrated bachelors/masters program is 135 total credits. 

Integrated programs should stipulate the specific 500-level graduate courses that lend themselves to including advanced undergraduate students, and which will be the least affected by having undergraduate students enrolled in them. In some programs this may be just one course, in others there may be a list of several courses from which a student can choose. The list of the approved 500-level courses that students may (or must) take after 90 credits of undergraduate coursework must be communicated to the Office of the Registrar.

Integrated programs should identify any particular undergraduate courses offered in Chapman University programs that satisfy prerequisites for entrance into the graduate courses, so that interested undergraduate students can be advised of this and can plan to take these courses in preparation for taking the graduate courses identified as appropriate for advanced undergraduates who have crossed the 90-credit threshold.

Approval Process for Integrated Programs

Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Programs require approval by both the UAC and GAC and must be submitted to both for approval. This requires submitting separate proposals in Curriculog for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Note that the Graduate Catalog contains a detailed description of the Integrated Program and the Undergraduate Catalog will contain a shortened summary of the integrated program, with a link to the graduate catalog description. 

If an Integrated Program is being proposed as part of a New Degree Program that process falls under the New Degree Program Proposal process. Such proposals may be submitted along with the new degree program. The approval process for the Integrated Program, requiring both Graduate and Undergraduate Academic Councils review and approval, may begin in fall, and “provisional approval” if given, will be provided pending the final result of the New Degree Program approval process by the Board of Trustees.

Recommendations on approval of integrated programs are required from the following:

• Graduate and undergraduate program/department faculty representative (both program/department faculty if programs/departments differ)
• Academic unit curriculum committee chair (both academic unit curriculum committees if academic units differ)
• Dean (both academic unit deans if academic units differ)

Information in the proposals required are the following:

• Catalog description for the Integrated Program to be included in the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs. The Undergraduate catalog copy should be brief, and refer to the Graduate catalog copy, which provides a fuller description of the program, the list of approved graduate courses that can be taken, and the application process.
• List the specific approved graduate courses that students must take in the program to be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar. 
• The maximum limit of graduate credits listed in an Integrated Program that may be taken by an undergraduate student and counted towards both graduate and undergraduate degree completion. The limit is 15 credits, but it may be less. 
• List of any undergraduate courses offered in Chapman University programs that satisfy prerequisites for entrance into the graduate courses.

Both Graduate and Undergraduate Academic Councils review and give final approval to new integrated undergraduate/graduate programs.

Programs/departments offering such programs must coordinate with the Office of the University Registrar, since that office has to give the program a code to track the student’s progress and allow for the double counting of credits. 

Programs/departments should also provide information on these programs to the Office of Enrollment Management and Admissions Office in order for these programs to be included in admissions materials and planning.

Please note: New certificate for academic credit proposals are due by September 15th. Click here to access the form to create a new certificate program for academic credit.

A certificate program that enrolls students for academic credit can originate with faculty members or administrators and must be reviewed and a recommendation on approval provided by the appropriate academic unit curriculum committee, the program/unit faculty and dean of the unit. The proposal for the certificate is then submitted to the Undergraduate Academic Council, accompanied by position memos from the program/department faculty, the academic unit curriculum committee (required), and the Dean (optional). 

Timely consultation and consequent supporting documentation will ensure that the curriculum proposal is reviewed expeditiously. Consultation should occur with the following, as appropriate:

• Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education to ensure that academic policies are being followed in certificate design
• Vice Provost of Operations and Finance
• Director of Accreditation and Assessment regarding accreditation and assessment issues specific to certificates

Review for recommendation on the proposal is required by the following:

• Representative of program/department faculty
• Academic unit curriculum committee
• Dean
• Undergraduate Academic Council
•  The final decision on approval is given by the Provost.

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

New emphasis or area of study proposals are due by November 15th.

A new emphasis, area of study, specialization or credential may be added to an existing degree program. (Note that specializations and credentials only apply to graduate programs.) An emphasis, area of study, specialization, or credential can originate with faculty members or administrators and must be reviewed and a recommendation on approval provided by the appropriate academic unit curriculum committee, the department/program faculty, and dean.

Addition of a new emphasis or area of study in an undergraduate program is done through the program revision process and is considered to be a “complex” revision. The process is managed through Curriculog. Click here to access the Curriculog system.

Policy regarding undergraduate emphasis or area of study: If an undergraduate program has a major with more than one emphasis or area of study, there should be a common core of courses totaling no less than 12 credits. Chapman does not distinguish between terms “emphasis” and “area of study” at the undergraduate level in structure of degree, however, an “emphasis” is listed on a student’s undergraduate transcript, while an area of study is not.

A self-designed minor is possible for a student who wishes to explore complex questions that draw from more than one traditional discipline or cross disciplinary boundaries in terms of content, theory, methodology and practice. In a self-designed minor, it is expected that the student will analyze and synthesize information from multiple perspectives to construct new forms of knowledge and/or creative expression. 

A self-designed minor should reflect a program of study that cannot be replicated through any of the University's existing minors or by any major/minor combination that is offered. A self-designed minor is not meant to provide for academic studies that current faculty and curricular offerings cannot support. If a minor is not offered in the particular area of study of the self-designed minor at Chapman, a statement must be provided by the chair, unit director or associate dean of the academic unit as appropriate stating that the self-designed minor program can be supported by the academic unit.

The program of study must be coherent and characterized by intellectual breadth, research, scholarship, and creativity. Like other minors, a self-designed minor must provide curricular depth and a clear pedagogical through-line. It should include the following:

• a set of foundational courses dependent upon the subject of the minor
• advanced courses that give coherence and depth to the minor; and
• an upper division course, individual study or internship that provides the opportunity to synthesize and integrate the learning in the minor

The self-designed minor must rely primarily on courses offered at Chapman. No more than two courses may be used from another institution, whether domestic or international (including study abroad).

The self-designed minor must meet the same requirements that apply to existing minors:

• The minor must be in a discipline outside of the student's major. For interdisciplinary minors, the discipline of the minor will be considered as the subject area or areas in which the most courses are required.
• For students with an interdisciplinary major, the designated discipline is the subject in which the greatest number of upper-division credits are required in the major.
• A minimum of 21 credits, 12 of which may not be duplicated by the major or any other minor. Such duplication includes a review of possible elective choices that may be taken in that major or minor.
• A minimum of 12 upper-division credits. A lower-division course accepted as a substitution or equivalent to an upper-division course does not count toward this requirement.
• A minimum of six upper-division credits completed in residence.
• A 2.000 cumulative GPA and 2.000 GPA for all upper-division coursework.

The self-designed minor is not intended to allow students to simply "redesign" existing minors to suit their personal preferences in courses or schedules. Accordingly, a self-designed minor must not contain more than 40 percent of the requirements of an existing minor, and it may not include more than 2 courses or up to 8 credits, whichever is less, not offered by Chapman University.

Approval is required by the following:

• a faculty advisor
• a sponsoring department, or departments in the case of interdisciplinary minors, and
• the Faculty General Education Committee

In order to demonstrate intentionality and appropriate planning in the design process of the self-designed minor, the application for approval:

• must be filed by the appropriate deadlines
• may not be filed until a student has completed a full semester at Chapman
• should be filed before the student has completed no more than 50% of the courses in the self-designed minor and
• must be filed before the student has earned 75 completed credits

Students must be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of filing to be eligible to apply for a self-designed minor.

Self-designed minor applications are due no later than the end of week 8 of each full semester to receive approval to begin the following semester. Applications received after that date will not be approved until the following semester. Students are advised that it may take up to 3-4 weeks for review and approval, and no approvals are given over the summer.

Click here to access the self-designed minor form which includes detailed guidelines and a timetable for submission.

Self-designed minors are submitted to the Office of the University Registrar and are reviewed for approval by the General Education Committee.

These guidelines are subject to change by the General Education Committee and/or the Undergraduate Academic Council.

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

Revisions to existing programs are due by November 15th.

Program revisions are two distinct types: 

1. Complex revisions, which include:
   1. greater than 25% of coursework in the program since the last WASC review
   2. structure of the degree (new areas of study or emphases, revision of core structure)
   3. new modality of program (e.g., distance education, defined as 50% or more of a program’s total units occur via distance education; competency-based programs, defined as 50% or more of the degree program awarded based on the assessment of student competencies)
   4. over 25% of a program’s learning objectives, clinical experiences, and/or general education requirements for the program; any other significant changes that may have implications for accreditation
2. Simple revisions, which include:
   1. changes to the program description
   2. changes to the program name
   3. changes to the program's CIP code
   4. changes to the program's catalog information for the following academic year, or
   5. less than 25% of the program coursework 

If there are questions as to whether a revision is simple or complex, click here to email the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success.

Complex revisions that WASC determines require full substantive change review may require additional documentation and a campus visit. In such cases, those proposals may take a year to complete, and will require Faculty Senate and Board of Trustees (BOT) approval.

All reviews are approved by:

• Program/department faculty,
• School or College curriculum committee,
• Relevant Dean,
• Director of Accreditation and Assessment,
• Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success (the Vice Provost will determine whether the proposal must go to the Vice President for Enrollment Management or other relevant offices), and
• In the case of complex revisions only, the UAC

During the proposal approval process the recommendations on approval may include memoranda stating the reasoning and the vote tally from a committee. 

Since most approvers are not experts in the fields whose programs they are considering, care must be taken to communicate to those outside the field the nature and importance of any proposed changes.

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

Proposals to change departmental subject codes must be submitted as complex revisions via Curriculog and take at least 18 months before activation. These proposals are due by November 15th.

Departments should only consider changes to subject codes if it is absolutely necessary. The work required to complete such changes is intense and involves several offices around campus (e.g., Registrar, IS&T, IRADS, Business Office, Financial Aid, Admissions). These types of changes also require reprogramming of reports and queries, budgets, faculty contracts and payroll, student degree audits, national data reporting, etc.; in addition, these changes impact our ability to compare longitudinal data. 

Click here to see a list of all active subject codes.

Click here to see a list of all inactive subject codes. 

Steps involved in this process:

1. Department decides to change course codes. 
2. By March 15: Department works with Associate Registrar for Catalog and Degree Audit to review existing codes and propose possible new codes. 
3. By April 1: Department submits proposal to College Curriculum Committee & Dean. 
4. By June 1: Department notifies offices of intention to change codes: Vice Provost (UG or GR), Vice Provost for Academic Administration, Academic Financial Operations, Registrar, HR/Payroll, etc.
5. By August 1: Department submits course modification forms in Curriculog. Each course in the impacted program must have a separate form for each course in the new subject code.
6. By August 1: Each course in the impacted program labeled under the old subject code should each be deactivated using the course inactivation proposal form.
7. By Nov. 15: Department submits a complex program revision form in Curriculog, ensuring that all major/minor/prerequisite requirements that need to be updated are included. Activation date will be the following catalog year. 

The closure of a program does not happen often. It is recommended that a program/department or academic unit work closely with the appropriate Vice Provost's office to ensure that all steps are followed and documented. 

WASC Policy for Program Closure Teach-out Plans

In the event of program discontinuance, Chapman adheres to the WASC policy for program closures. The home department must make best efforts to ensure that all matriculated students have a pathway to graduation. Click here for details and templates on the WASC Teach-Out Plans and Agreements Guide.

Closure of an Existing Degree Program

The closure of an existing degree program is a serious matter that requires careful deliberation, informed by the alignment of resource allocations with the Chapman Strategic Plan’s stated goals and aims and those of the university as a whole.

Closure may be prompted by:

• the program review process
• a change in University or academic unit goals and operations
• an issue tied to accreditation
• a significant change in enrollment or enrollment prospects
• a significant change in the program/department faculty needed to provide the program, or
• another situation that may arise.

In some cases, the decision to recommend program closure is a unanimous decision on the part of the provost, dean and program/department unit faculty. In other situations, the decision may be of concern to some, if not all, parties affected by the closure, and/or members of the university at large, and there may not be a unanimous decision on the closure from all parties concerned.

In addition, it is important to recognize that a pending decision to close a program creates potential problems for current applicants. A decision to halt applications or suspend admissions should be taken in consultation with the:

• Provost
• Office of Admissions
• Director of Accreditation and Assessment
• Program/department faculty
• Dean

Such consultation should happen immediately upon consideration of program closure so that appropriate action can be taken as quickly as possible to provide the least disruption to the current program applicants and students.

At all times throughout the closure process, the information regarding the Proposal to Close Program and all comments made should be available to those parties engaged in the decision-making process. The process should be clear, efficient, and allow for faculty consultation.

There are two pathways for program closure:

• Alternative 1 is the pathway if there is full agreement on a recommendation to close a program by the parties in the academic unit involved and the provost. Click here for details on Alternative Process 1
• Alternative 2 provides a pathway if there are concerns or disagreements about the recommendation to close the program by parties in the academic unit and/or others in the University. Click here for details on Alternative Process 2

Both processes allow faculty consultation, but in situations in which there is full agreement on the recommendation, the proposal may not need to go through the entire process prior to the full faculty senate review.

Click here for a brief description of the program closure process.

Click here for a detailed description of the program closure process.

The Provost has final authority to decide to approve or not approve the program closure.

Upon determination by the Provost to close or not to close a program, notification of the decision is sent by the Office of the Provost to:

• President, Faculty Senate
• Dean, academic unit curriculum committee and program/department faculty
• Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education or Graduate Education
• Director of Accreditation & Assessment, who will notify WASC on closure
• Office of Enrollment Management Services and Admissions Office
• Enrollment Services/Registrar (on closure only)
• Strategic Marketing & Communication (on closure only)
• EVP/COO (on closure only)
• Legal Affairs (on closure only)
• Board of Trustees (on closure only)

Process following approval of closure

An official notice must be sent to all active an inactive students. The notice must include the following: 

• Details of the program closure.
• A timeline for the closure, and that we have not accepted any students for fall and are no longer accepting applications for future terms.
• A timeline and a specific course plan to help students complete their program in a timely way – what courses will be offered in which terms so that the students can appropriately plan for the completion of their degrees.
• Notice to offer advising sessions to any student who has questions or concerns about their ability to finish within the provided timeframe with the assurance that the program is going to do our best to help every student finish.
• In the event that a student cannot finish within that time frame, the program will do its best to help them finish at another program/institution.
• The tuition and fees and pricing structure for the remaining terms.
• An official notice of program closure to all faculty and staff in the program.
• An update the program website with program closure information.

Click here to access the form to close a minor, area of study, or certificate for academic credit.

If a minor, graduate emphasis or area of study, graduate specialization, graduate credential, or certificate for academic credit has had no students for three years or more, the program/department faculty must make a case for its continuation or the Undergraduate Academic Council may recommend its elimination in the program review process.

The Faculty Senate recommends to all academic units and programs/departments that they drop from the catalog any emphases, areas of study, or other programs in which required courses have not been offered and taught with the minimum enrollment requirement within the last four years as established by the Provost. A course or courses selected from a larger list are not considered required.

The closure of a Certificate for Academic Credit program must be reported to WASC. Please notify the Director of Accreditation & Assessment of a certificate program closure to ensure that all required steps are taken and reports are made.

The Process in Brief

A proposal to terminate a Minor; Area of Study, or Certificate for Academic Credit may originate with an academic unit, dean, the Provost, or the UAC.

A rationale for the proposed closure is reviewed and a recommendation on approval is made by the:

• Written response sent to the academic unit curriculum committee.
• Academic unit curriculum committee. Written response sent to the program/department faculty.
• Program/department faculty.

Each party listed above may provide a position memorandum on their decision.

The academic unit must notify the Director of Accreditation & Assessment of any closure of a Minor; Area of Study, or Certificate for Academic Credit.

Note that the closure of an undergraduate emphasis or areas of study should use the complex revision process.  

Proposals, with optional written responses from the various recommending parties, is sent to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, who forwards it to the Chair of UAC.

UAC reviews and approves or denies proposal.

The Process in Detail

A proposal to terminate an existing minor, area of study, or certificate for academic credit must be vetted by the program/department faculty and academic curriculum committee, in consultation with the dean and other appropriate administrators and submitted to the program/department faculty for approval. An academic unit or program/department that proposes to close an existing minor, or certificate for academic credit must get the approval of the program/department faculty, academic unit curriculum committee and the dean and must notify the Vice President for Enrollment Management and the Director of Accreditation & Assessment of the proposed change.

The proposal for closing a minor; area of study, specialization or credential; or academic certificate must be submitted to the appropriate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success, accompanied by the Closing a Minor, Area of Study or Certificate for Academic Credit Program Form. The forms document the recommendations on approval made by the program/department faculty, the academic unit curriculum committee and the dean. Each of these parties may attach a position memo to the proposal form. The signatories for a proposal originating from the academic unit must include the date of the faculty meeting at which the proposal was approved. The Vice Provost will forward all elements of the proposal to the Undergraduate Academic Council as appropriate.

A proposal to close a minor, area of study, or certificate should present a written proposal with the reasons for closing it, the impact on the academic unit and program/department. The proposal must include a description of the impact on other academic units and program/departments and address:

• Any other programs with requirements that are cross-listed with the program whose termination is being proposed.
• Any other programs with required courses that will be deleted by the closure of the program.

The proposal must also include a plan for teaching out the program. The teach-out policy must address:

• Information and process that will be put in place to notify students of the changes in the minor, area of study, or certificate.
• The process by which students will complete their program under the catalogs in which it was offered.
• The ability to ensure that the program can be completed—who is responsible for ensuring the offering of courses needed to complete program?
• If a new program is being offered in its place, whether or not students can bridge from old to new program without penalty, and how is this achieved.

The proposal information above should be provided with the appropriate form and signatures required.

A proposal to terminate a Themed Inquiry may originate with an academic unit or dean and only requires an email indicating the TI closure. Emails should be sent from the faculty coordinator of the TI to the GE Committee. Click here to email the GE Committee. Emails should include a rationale for closing the TI. Once a TI is closed, the faculty coordinator must: 

• Notify all departments with courses that were approved for the TI.
• Notify all students who are currently enrolled in the TI detailing the teach-out process and alternative options for the students.

The closure of Themed Inquiries must adhere to the deadline for complex revisions; therefore, all closure notifications must be submitted by November 15th and will no longer accept new declarations beyond January 1st.

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

If a department wishes for a new course to appear in the following year's catalog, course proposals are due by November 15th. Any course submitted after November 15th will be added to later catalog years. 

New Course Proposal forms may be submitted at any time during the academic year. After all approvals are received, new courses are entered into the course master by the Office of the Registrar and then they become active. Once active, a course may be offered. 

The approval of New Course Proposal forms is the responsibility of the faculty of each respective academic unit. A faculty member develops a course and inputs the required information into a New Course Proposal form online in Curriculog. (The form input may be done by an administrative assistant.)

New course workflow approvals in Curriculog are as follows:

• The Originator
• Academic unit’s designated approver
• Associate Registrar for Catalog and Degree Audit
• Vice Provost for Undergraduate or Graduate Education
• Vice Provost for Operations and Finance
• Associate Registrar for Catalog and Degree Audit

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

If a department wishes for a new course to appear in the following year's catalog, course proposals are due by November 15th. Any course submitted after November 15th will be added to later catalog years. 

Click here for UAC & GAC policies regarding cross-listed courses.

The Undergraduate Academic Council generally discourages cross-listing courses, but academic units may seek approval for cross-listing under certain circumstances. Specifically, the Undergraduate Academic Council supports cross-listing interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary courses across academic units/departments, providing that the criteria listed below are met.

Cross-listed courses must include the appropriate rigor, expectations, content and methodologies for their respective levels of credit and discipline(s). The Curriculum Committee of a particular college or school may be charged with determining the appropriateness of cross-listing courses by subject area(s), but the Undergraduate Academic Council retains the authority to approve or deny their recommendation.

Courses should not be cross-listed for the sole purpose of increasing potential enrollments.

Faculty or administrators wishing to cross-list courses can submit the request through Curriculog. Click here to access the Curriculog system. When doing so, please complete the cross-listed course form as an attachment in the system.

Interdisciplinary cross-listed courses must have the same course description, learning outcomes, and other appropriate information, and faculty need to make required changes on course proposal forms and submit in Curriculog to align the criteria of cross-listed courses.

Cross-listed courses are subject to approval by the Undergraduate Academic Council, which may choose to delegate approval authority to the appropriate Vice Provost.

If approved for cross-listing, a course must use the same course number in each of the academic units in which they are listed. For example, "REL 350 (same as HIST”350)" under Religion and “HIST 350 (same as REL 350)” under History. Students who have enrolled in a course under one academic unit/department code may not change the offering academic unit/department name credit after the course has been completed.

Cross-listed courses are considered equivalent. Students should not be repeating the same cross-listed course simply because it is listed in another discipline. Note that cross-listed topics courses are distinguished by their topic designation.

If two courses are cross-listed, the enrollments are allocated to the home department/academic unit. For example, PCST 257:  Model United Nations is cross-listed with POSC 257. The enrollments count in the Peace Studies program because it is the home department/academic unit, regardless of who is teaching the course and regardless of whether the students are enrolled under PCST or POSC. The revenues are allocated to the department/academic unit of the faculty member teaching the course. The home department is designated in the initial request for cross-listing.

A note on cross-listing and interdisciplinary programs (e.g., majors, minors, emphases, specializations, credentials, certificates, etc.):  A program that includes courses from more than one department/academic unit should list all of the approved courses (by subject code of the academic unit offering the course) under the program’s catalog description and with the Office of the University Registrar’s degree audit program. Programs should only cross-list individual courses that are themselves inherently inter- or multidisciplinary, not the entire array of courses within the program. For example, if a given program includes coursework from biology, psychology, chemistry and sociology, then each course should retain its appropriate departmental/academic unit course designation and not be cross-listed with other departments/academic units. 

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

The General Education Committee must review all courses requesting a general education (GE) course designation. Unless a department has approval from the GE Committee, experimental courses are not eligile for GE designations.

GE course request process:

• Submit the course for academic approval (New or change proposal) and wait for it to be completed in Curriculog. Learning outcomes for GE categories requested must be included in the New or Changed course proposal form.
• Once completed in Curriculog, create, and submit an Undergraduate GE Proposal Form (Make sure to import the course from the catalog into the GE form.)
• Select up to three GE categories for approval.
• Attach the course syllabus, which includes all GE required criteria and information.
• Approve the form. The Curriculog workflow will direct the GE Proposal form to the General Education Committee for review.

Undergraduate GE Course Proposal form workflow approvals in Curriculog:

• The Originator
• Academic unit’s designated approver
• GE Committee
• Associate Registrar for Catalog and Degree Audit

The General Education Program website provides General Education program guidelines and General Education category learning outcomes.

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

If a department wishes for a new course to appear in the following year's catalog, course proposals are due by November 15th. Any course submitted after November 15th will be added to later catalog years. 

Courses requesting the Global Citizen designation must be submitted in Curriculog using the Undergraduate Global Citizen Course Proposal Form. Click here to access the Curriculog system. Experimental courses are not eligible for the Global Citizen designation.

These courses address history, literature, schools of thought, philosophies, economics, politics, and international issues arising from individual differences, including protected characteristics, such as sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, race, ethnicity, medical condition, and disability, in order to advance Chapman University’s mission, including through its academic curriculum, to help students learn about the world and issues around them and to lead inquiring, informed, ethical and productive lives as global citizens.

All courses satisfying the requirement must provide discussion and analysis concerning:

• the experience by individuals and groups of discriminatory treatment or impacts, or otherwise different experiences, in the realms of economics, politics, historical events, literature, philosophy, and politics, due to differences among individuals and groups, including protected characteristics, such as religion, national origin, race, ethnicity, medical condition, and disability, within or outside the United States, and the ways this treatment/impacts have been challenged and can still be addressed today.
• different socio-political perspectives that have influenced and emerged from the history, literature, schools of thought, philosophies, economics, politics, and international issues being taught. 

Courses approved for Global Citizen designation must demonstrate two or more of the following student learning outcomes are substantially present:

• Gain an understanding of how individuals and groups have identified, and been separated by, one or more protected characteristics, and how this has impacted their experiences in the realms of economics, politics, historical events, literature, philosophy, and/or politics.
• Describe how cultures, events, and/or individuals or group experiences (including their own) are shaped by the intersections of a variety of protected characteristics such race, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, and/or disability and/or other socially constructed categories of difference.
• Learn about different schools of thought, philosophies, and viewpoints concerning the complex elements of discriminatory treatment or impacts, or otherwise different experiences, in the realms of economics, politics, historical events, literature, philosophy, and politics, on a local, national and/or global scale, such as ethnocentrism, colonialism, slavery, democracy, and imperialism that may result from difference(s) between individuals and groups.
• Identify, analyze, and communicate regarding different viewpoints concerning the above, including the different experiences and biases that inform such viewpoints.
• Learn about how sociocultural factors and access to (or distribution of) resources are informed and impacted by one or more practices within historical, social, cultural, and economic systems.

When submitting the proposal in Curriculog, faculty must include:

• A descriptive title and course description that expresses how the course (a) fits into the Global Citizen category of the curriculum; and (b) will incorporate teaching students a breadth of viewpoints concerning the topic of the course.
• A one-paragraph rationale explaining how one or more of the above bullet points is met, through course texts, class sessions, and assignments.  

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

If a department wishes for course revisions to appear in the following year's catalog, proposals are due by November 15th. Any course revisions submitted after November 15th will be added to later catalog years. 

All changes to existing course criteria (including changes in course description, title, grade option, prerequisites, fees, faculty load, number of credits, course component, etc.) are to be submitted though a Change in Existing Course Proposal form online in Curriculog.

When revising a course, it is crucial to pay attention to the Impact Statement, which is run as part of the Curriculog input process. If a course being revised is used in any other program, it is the responsibility of the program changing the course to notify the other program.

Change course form workflow approvals in Curriculog:

• The Originator
• Academic unit’s designated approver
• Associate Registrar for Catalog and Degree Audit

Please note: All curricular processes are managed through Chapman's Curriculog system (click here to access).

Curriculog opens each year by August 1st. 

If a department wishes to inactivate a course in the following year's catalog, course proposals are due by November 15th. Any course inactivations submitted after November 15th will be added to later catalog years. 

When inactivating a course, it is crucial to pay attention to the Impact Statement, which is run as part of the Curriculog process. If a course being inactivated is used in any other program, it is the responsibility of the program inactivating the course to notify the other program. Deletion of courses that are used in GE Themed Inquiry program(s) should notify the Themed Inquiry coordinator(s). Courses with GE designations that are deleted are automatically sent to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success to update GE information.

After approved, a change of an existing course will be updated in the University catalog, but its criteria will remain on students’ academic records as it was, when it was taken. Previous course forms will remain as a record in Curriculog

Change and Inactive course proposal form workflow approvals in Curriculog are as follows:

• The Originator
• Academic unit’s designated approver
• Associate Registrar for Catalog and Degree Audit

Academic units should monitor their curriculum to avoid a proliferation of courses without regard to their utility. Courses no longer an essential part of the curriculum should be considered for removal. A course should be inactivated for the following reasons:

• The course number has been changed.
• The course will no longer be offered.
• The entire content of the course has changed.
• The course has not been taught for 4 years or more.

Note: Courses that have not been taught for 4 years or more should be made inactive and removed from the subsequent catalog. It is the policy of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success to notify units of courses not taught in the past 4 years, and request that these courses be made inactive, or that a rationale for keeping the course active in the catalog be provided. Even if a rationale for keeping the course in the catalog is made and accepted, a course will not retain its general education designation, if applicable, if it has not been offered in 4 years. It will need to be re-submitted for General Education approval if offered again.

The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) provides a taxonomic scheme that supports the accurate tracking and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity. CIP was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 1980 and revised several times thereafter.

Click here for detailed information on CIP codes at the National Center for Educational Statistics website. Information on the current CIP code for a Chapman academic program can be obtained from the Office of the University Registrar.

The vast majority of CIP titles correspond to academic and occupational instructional programs offered for credit at the postsecondary level. These programs result in recognized completion points and awards, including degrees, certificates, and other formal awards. The CIP also includes other types of instructional programs, such as residency programs in various dental, medical, podiatric, and veterinary specialties that may lead to advanced professional certification; personal improvement and leisure programs; and instructional programs that lead to diplomas and certificates at the secondary level only.

The CIP is the accepted federal government statistical standard on instructional program classifications and is used in a variety of education information surveys and databases, including the coding of degree completions. It is also used by other Department of Education offices, such as the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, and the Office of Special Education, and serves as the standard on instructional programs for other federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Commerce (Bureau of the Census), the Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics), and others. The CIP is used by state agencies, national associations, academic institutions, and employment counseling services for collecting, reporting, and analyzing instructional program data.

The selection of the appropriate CIP code for a new program, or the changing of a CIP code for an existing program must be done in consultation with the Director of Accreditation & Assessment and the Office of the University Registrar. The number must be included in all new program proposals. Changing a CIP code for an existing program also requires consultation with the Director of Accreditation & Assessment and the Office of the University Registrar. A request for changing a CIP Code is considered a program revision and should follow the complex revision process.

The following course numbers are available at the undergraduate level:

• 001–099: Remedial courses and courses not appropriate for college degree credit but designed to meet specific needs of individuals or groups where degree credit is not required. Remedial courses are non–credit courses.
• 100–199: Introductory level courses, most appropriate for first-year- and sophomore-level students. No prerequisites.
• 200–299: Lower division courses, most appropriate for first-year and sophomore level students. Some may have prerequisites. First-year students may be admitted to 200-level courses with prerequisite requirements and/or with their advisor's or instructor’s consent.
• 300–399: Upper division courses for  junior- and senior-level students and to which sophomores may be admitted, provided that they meet the prerequisites and have their advisor's consent. First-year students are admitted with written consent of advisor and instructor.
• 400–499: Upper division courses for  junior- and senior-level students and to which lower division students are not admitted. First-year students and sophomores may not enroll.

Special Courses:

The course numbers listed below are reserved for the accompanying subjects:

• 129/229/329/429: Experimental courses
• 290/490: Independent internship
• 291/491: Student faculty research/creative activity
• 492: Seminar internship
• 199/299/399/499: Individual study
• SA 100/200/300/400: Study abroad courses
• 497/498: Senior seminar, senior project

All Chapman University courses are offered on the basis of credit hours. For all courses, one credit hour of coursework requires 750 minutes of classroom instruction per term and 1500 minutes of assigned coursework beyond classroom instruction. A 3-credit course assumes 2250 minutes of instruction per term plus 4500 minutes of assigned coursework beyond classroom instruction.

Note: Some classes (including lab courses, individually directed courses, nontraditional media-based courses, travel courses, distance education courses) might have additional requirements or may meet together for more than the minimum 750 minutes per credit as outlined above.

Under Review by Senate Executive Board Fall 2025

Please contact Melissa Samaniego, Assistant Director of CETL, with any questions.

Experimental courses may be offered by a department or academic unit. They are designed to offer additional opportunities to explore experimental areas and subjects of special interest. They may be repeated for credit if course content is different. The course title will be Experimental Course, but subtitles vary. Experimental courses are approved for one year. Experimental courses may request GE category approval and that designation, if approved, also will last one year. These courses must be approved as regular courses if they are to be offered beyond a year.

Formation of Curriculum Committees

Each academic unit/department or free-standing program is represented in the unit’s Curriculum Committee. (A “free-standing program” is a degree-conferring unit not housed in an academic unit/department and offering a graduate or undergraduate degree program.) Each Curriculum Committee shall consist of at least three faculty members. Only faculty (including chairs/program directors) may serve as voting members. Deans may not serve on Curriculum Committees. Associate deans may serve as ex-officio members. Members of Curriculum Committees are elected by faculty. The chair of the Curriculum Committee may be chosen by faculty or by those elected to serve on it. The chair should preferably be tenured. In the absence of a governing document from the school or college, each school or college forms curriculum committees that consist of one elected representative from each academic unit/department and free-standing program.

College/School Curriculum Committees

The Undergraduate Academic Council relies heavily on the standing Curriculum Committees of schools and colleges for vetting, peer review and advice on curricular proposals. These Curriculum Committees review and approve new and revised course syllabi, review and recommend proposals for new programs, revisions of existing programs and program closures. The faculty of the unit makes the decision, which is then sent to the Undergraduate Academic Council for approval. All curricular proposals, including those for new programs, new majors, new minors, emphases or certificates, require vetting and recommendation by the appropriate Curriculum Committee to the faculty of the unit. The Undergraduate Academic Council will only consider curricular proposals that have been approved by the faculty of the unit.

First-year Foundations Curriculum Committee

Because First-year Foundations (FFC) is an academic program that does not fall within a specific academic unit or program/department, it has its own curriculum committee, which is not included in the structure of the Faculty Bylaws. The First-year Foundations Curriculum Committee is composed of up to seven First-year Foundations faculty members. The Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success and the Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success serve as an ex-officio members. Membership slots are filled by self-nominations, with individuals named to the committee by vote if the number of nominations exceeds slots available. The committee’s responsibilities are to:

• Advise new FFC faculty on course design and syllabus revision.
• Review new FFC syllabi and makes recommendations for General Education Committee approval.
• Lead curricular efforts to develop FFC as part of the First-Year Program.
• Represent FFC curricular goals in discussions of general education development.
• Consider pedagogical workshops for FFC faculty development and oversees planning of such workshops.
• Explore possibilities for grant support for curricular and pedagogical innovations.

Policies for internships for academic credit are the responsibility of the Undergraduate Academic Council. Internships give students the opportunity to earn academic credit while gaining practical work experience in the field of their choice. Positions are available in various disciplines and are offered year-round. A specific number of hours for each credit earned plus regular contact with an internship faculty advisor are required. Up to three credits per employer, per term may be earned through internship courses and most are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Undergraduate students may accumulate up to 12 internship credits toward a Chapman degree. To register for internships, students must submit a registration form and learning agreement to the Career Development Center. Click here for the Career and Professional Development Center's website. Credit is not awarded retroactively for internships.

Full-time faculty members are paid to serve as advisors for independent internships (290/490). The student must fill out all appropriate forms before starting the independent internship class (students need to contact the Career Development Center). Independent internships are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis with the exception of some undergraduate international internships offered through the Center for Global Education.

Click here to access and complete the Reading & Conference Form.

Reading and conference courses are offered only (1) when the course is not being offered in the current term, (2) when necessary for a student to complete degree requirements. The courses are not offered to resolve scheduling conflicts with other classes nor to enable a student to meet financial aid or other eligibility criteria that are based on enrolled credits.

To enroll in reading and conference courses, students must submit a completed reading and conference form (available from the Office of the University Registrar) with the signatures of their academic advisor, department chair/program director of the course and course instructor.

After receiving approval, the student must submit a copy of the form to the Office of the University Registrar. A minimum of five hours of instruction for each credit is required for reading and conference courses.

Before signing the form for a reading & conference course, please make sure that the student satisfies the minimum requirements for the course, including the prerequisites.

In special cases, a reading and conference course designation may be used when a specific course does not meet the minimum enrollment and the program/department head agrees to offer it on a limited basis as a reading and conference course in order for students to stay on track in completing degree requirements.

The Online Syllabus Database is updated every term to list all courses offered at Chapman. Click here to access the Online Syllabus Database. It consists of the following:

• Syllabus Upload Page (Secure: Available to faculty teaching the course/section and administrative staff given appropriate permission)
• Online Syllabus Database Documentation and Instructions (Also available from Syllabus Upload Page)
• Syllabus View Page (Secure: Available to all faculty, staff and students with Chapman login)

Each term, all syllabi are required to be posted. Syllabi on this site are available for viewing on the Syllabus View Page, and are only available to the Chapman campus community. 

Should syllabi for an instructor in a program/unit not be posted or available through the Online Syllabus Database as required, it is the responsibility of the program/department head to have paper or digital copies on file for use.

Maintaining syllabi each term is required for several purposes, including transfer and articulation of Chapman courses for students who transfer from Chapman or who require information about past courses for graduate school, WASC accreditation processes, and GE certification processes. The syllabi are also provided to the student body at the request of the Student Government Association, which was approved by Faculty Senate.

Syllabi should be posted using no later than the end of the fourth week of classes. Department chairs/academic program heads may ask the academic unit/department assistant to collect and post syllabi or ask faculty to do so themselves.

Academic Unit: College or school

Academic Unit Curriculum Committee: An academic unit curriculum committee operates at the school or college level. An academic unit may have a single curriculum committee, a graduate and an undergraduate curriculum committee, or may be organized by types of programs, such as academic and professional. For purposes of approving program proposals, the academic unit determines the appropriate curriculum committee for each degree program.

Bridge Program: A “bridge program” is not a degree-granting program. It is an agreement between the faculty of an undergraduate major program and a graduate degree program that gives preference for admission to students in the undergraduate major program based on criteria determined by the graduate program. A bridge program does not require approval from either the Graduate or Undergraduate Academic Councils, nor are such programs listed in the Undergraduate or Graduate catalogs as degree programs, although they may be described in the college/school and/or department narrative sections.

Area of Study (Undergraduate): An area of study within an undergraduate major is a portion of the major program that includes a subset of courses in a specific subject area or subfield that is used to complete the major. The area of study designation does not appear on the transcript. 

Certificate for Academic Credit (Undergraduate): A sequence of courses identified in a subject area that leads to a specific skill acquisition. Such a certificate program is approved by appropriate program faculty and undergraduate academic council, in order to be listed on a transcript upon completion.

Degree Program: A sequence of courses and requirements that lead to the awarding of an academic degree. Degrees at Chapman consist of Ph.D., Pharm.D., D.PT., J.D., M.M.S., M.F.A, M.B.A., M.S., M.M., M.A., B.F.A, B.S., B. M., B.A.

Emphasis (Undergraduate): An emphasis within an undergraduate major is a portion of the major program that includes a subset of courses in a specific subject area or subfield that is used to complete the major. Students choose from emphases offered in a major or may need to choose courses from emphases designated within a major. Music is the only subject area that uses both the terms emphasis and area of study. In the music programs, emphasis is the term used for the subfield within a major, e.g. composition or performance, and area of study is the type of instrument being studied, e.g., brass or vocal, etc., within the performance emphasis. For all other majors, the term emphasis and area of study are used interchangeably. An emphasis appears on transcript. 

Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Program: An Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate Program is a program that allows undergraduate students to be conditionally accepted into a graduate degree program while still completing undergraduate requirements. Up to 15 credit credits may be shared between the undergraduate degree program and the specific graduate program. Integrated programs require approval of both Graduate and Undergraduate Academic Councils for new programs, revisions and closures.

Major (Undergraduate): An undergraduate major is a sequence of courses and requirements in a specific subject area that leads to fulfilling a portion of overall undergraduate degree requirements. A major is required to complete all undergraduate degree requirements. The term “undergraduate degree program” incorporates the major requirements specific to the subject area addressed by the major course requirements.

Minor (Undergraduate): An undergraduate minor is a sequence of courses and requirements in a specific subject area that may be used towards fulfilling a portion of overall undergraduate degree requirements. While not required, a minor is one way to fulfill the General Education Program Exploration Focus requirement, which requires completing a secondary area of study in addition to the major. 

Program: An overarching term that refers to undergraduate majors, undergraduate minors, undergraduate emphases, undergraduate areas of study, undergraduate or graduate certificates for academic credit, or undergraduate/graduate integrated programs.

Program/Department: Academic units may be comprised of subunits that form the organizational structure of the academic unit. The reference to program/department is specifically to such subunits that are responsible for academic programs, and may be called divisions, departments, programs, or some combination of such organizational subunits. Each program/department is comprised of full-time faculty, usually organized by a specific academic discipline or group of disciplines, program level or program offering. Each program/department is responsible for one or more degree programs within the academic unit. The organization of faculty into program/department groupings is determined by the academic unit.

Program/Department Faculty: For the purpose of curriculum, program/department faculty are full-time faculty who teach within a program/department within an academic unit.

Program/Department Faculty Representative: The program/department faculty representative represents all faculty in a program/department and has the authority to sign off on program approvals for new programs, revisions or closures on behalf of the program/department faculty responsible for an academic program. The program/department faculty representative is determined by the program/department faculty and may be a faculty member in the program/department, a chair or division head, or an associate dean.

Term: Refers to semester, trimester or interterm. When distinctions need to be made as to type of term, the specific word will be used.

Non-credited programs are not reviewed by faculty councils, faculty senate, or the provost.

Extended education programs that result in non-academic certificates of completion are operated within individual schools and colleges. The Office of Provost supports quality and compliance in extended education programs and courses.

Any school or college that seeks to offer a new extended education course or program must have the course/program reviewed by the Office of the Provost. Please contact the Vice Provost of Operations and Finance, who will provide details on the approval process.

Extended education programs are not listed in the catalog, nor are the courses recorded on a student’s undergraduate or graduate academic transcript.

As non-academic programs, extended education programs do not require review from the Undergraduate Academic Council.

It is the department chair/academic program head’s responsibility to ensure the following:

• all academic unit/department syllabi meet the Chapman syllabus requirements
• syllabi for all sections of the same course are consistent with respect to
  
  • the course/catalog description
  • the course and program learning outcomes
    if applicable, the General Education learning outcomes
• all syllabi are posted to the Online Syllabus System each term

Required Syllabus Content

While the format of the syllabus is not proscribed, all Chapman syllabi must contain at a minimum the following items. Note that required statements in this template reflect university policy and may not be edited without approval from the Office of the Provost.  

• Instructor Name
• Catalog Description: This is the exact wording of the course description in the catalog. Include prerequisites, followed by the description. The last part of the description regarding grading option(s), if a course may be completed, when a course is offered, the course fee if applicable, and number of credits, should also be included. You may also include a separate course description if appropriate, particularly for courses that have a generic catalog description but a unique course topic, for instance, FFC 100 courses. These courses all share the same catalog description, which is to be used on the syllabus, but may also include a course description specific to the topic of the FFC course.
• Course learning outcomes: Course learning outcomes are found in Curriculog for every course. If you do not have them, please contact your chair, program director or other program administrator who can provide them for you. This section should specify the intended learning outcomes of the course. The outcomes are brief statements of student abilities and understandings, and how such abilities and understandings would be demonstrated and evaluated (e.g., written work product, presentations, provisions of care, exams) as a result of the course.
• Program learning outcomes: This section should specify the learning outcomes for the degree program that the course supports and, if not apparent, describe how course outcomes support the program outcomes.
• General Education learning outcomes: If the course is designated to satisfy a GE requirement or requirements it must state the correlating GE learning outcome(s). GE learning outcomes can be found here.
• Content description: This section should provide a fairly comprehensive description of the course content so that another scholar in the same field could readily judge what is being covered. This section should include the following statement to ensure clarity that learning outcomes do not include embracing a single viewpoint of either the faculty instructor or classmates: “Students will be introduced to a diversity of viewpoints, philosophies, methods, or other variables, as applicable, consistent with Chapman’s Commitment to Free Speech and Academic Freedom. Students are encouraged and required to engage with each other appropriately and respectfully in exchanging and discussing ideas and viewpoints and otherwise learning and working together.”
• Attendance Policy: Chapman University recommends as a minimal policy that students who are absent 20 percent of the course should be failed. [Suggested text]: "This course is designed to maximize your learning of the subject matter and advance your skills through a variety of activities. Therefore, our attendance policy is aimed at supporting our educational goals. Excused absences are religious holidays, pre-approved professional activities, injury or illness of student or immediate family member. Verification of these events, as appropriate, will be needed. Notification of anticipated absences must occur as early as possible. There will be no retroactive approval of unexcused absences, absent extraordinary circumstances." 
• Academic Integrity Policy: [Required statement]: "Chapman University is a community of scholars that emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work and academic dishonesty of any kind will be subject to sanction by the instructor/administrator and referral to the university Academic Integrity Committee, which may impose additional sanctions including expulsion. Please review the full description of Chapman University's policy on Academic Integrity."
• Students with Disabilities Policy: [Required statement]: "Students who seek an accommodation of a disability or medication condition to participate in the class must contact the Office of Disability Services and follow the proper notification procedure for informing your professor(s) of any granted accommodations. This notification process must occur more than a week before any accommodation can be utilized. Please contact Disability Services at (714) 516-4520 or DS@chapman.edu if you have questions regarding this process, or for information and to make an appointment to discuss and/or request potential accommodations based on documentation of your disability. The granting of any accommodation will not be retroactive." 
• Anti-Discrimination Policy: [Required statement]: "Chapman University is committed to ensuring equality and valuing diversity, including of backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints. Students and professors are reminded to show respect at all times as outlined in Chapman’s Harassment and Discrimination Policy. Please review the full description of the Harassment and Discrimination Policy. Any violations of this policy should be discussed with the professor, the Dean of Students and/or otherwise reported in accordance with this policy."
• Optional Statements to Include:
• Student Support at Chapman University
  Over the course of the semester, you may experience a range of challenges that interfere with your learning, such as problems with friend, family, and or significant other relationships; substance use; concerns about personal adequacy; feeling overwhelmed; or feeling sad or anxious without knowing why. These mental health concerns or stressful events may diminish your academic performance and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. You can learn more about the resources available through Chapman University’s Student Psychological Counseling Services 
  here: https://www.chapman.edu/students/health-and-safety/psychological-counseling/.
• Fostering a community of care that supports the success of students is essential to the values of Chapman University. Occasionally, you may come across a student whose personal behavior concerns or worries you, either for the student’s well-being or yours. In these instances, you are encouraged to contact the Chapman University Student Concern Intervention Team who can respond to these concerns and offer assistance: https://www.chapman.edu/students/health-and-safety/student-concern/index.aspx. While it is preferred that you include your contact information so this team can follow up with you, you can submit a report anonymously. 24-hour emergency help is also available through Public Safety at 714-997-6763.
• Religious Accommodation at Chapman University
  Consistent with our commitment of creating an academic community that is respectful of and welcoming to persons of all backgrounds, we believe that every reasonable effort should be made to allow members of the university community to fulfill their obligations to the university without jeopardizing the fulfillment of their sincerely held religious obligations. Please review the syllabus early in the semester and consult with your faculty member promptly regarding any possible conflicts with major religious holidays, being as specific as possible regarding when those holidays are scheduled in advance and where those holidays constitute the fulfillment of your sincerely held religious beliefs.
  For more information, please see the Fish Interfaith Center website.
• A Statement on Chapman University’s Values 
  At Chapman University, we strive to make meaningful and lasting connections – with one another and with our broader community and world. We aim to cultivate a welcoming environment, helping every person feel valued and empowered to engage and contribute. Our community members are part of the Chapman Family, where relationships matter – and so do ideas. We strive for a vibrant intellectual community where different perspectives are sought and encouraged freely – to enable new thinking to emerge and interdisciplinary dots to be connected. Through these connections, we advance as individuals, as a campus, and as a society.
• Special requirements for travel courses (if applicable) - Provide the following:
  • Itinerary: destination, length of the trip, sites to be visited and how these visits connect to what is covered in the course
  • Schedule of lectures before, during and after the trip
  • Detailed assignments during the trip
  • What forms of ID or personal expenses may be required for students to participate.

Instructor Details and Specific Course Information

In addition to the required details outlined above, faculty members should include the following. Note that professional accredited programs may have additional sections that are required. Please consult your chair, program director or other program administrator for further information.

• Class Meeting Day(s) & Time(s)
• Classroom
• Office Hours
• Office Location (spell out building name to assist with document accessibility)
• Email Address
• Phone
  

• Required Course Materials - This information should match the advertisement of the course at registration. It must include all materials that student must purchase or possess (e.g. books, software, etc.). All courses should have required materials that are current to the field, except for the use of primary sources. If supplementary or recommended texts are provided, those should be listed in a separate category. Publisher, edition and date of publication should be indicated for each book and appropriate bibliographic citation form should be followed consistently. Required reading must be appropriately challenging for the course level, both in content and amount.

• Instructional Strategies - Instructional strategies used in the course should be specified. These may include lectures, written assignments, oral presentations by students and exercises in critical thinking. Online assignments or tools should be provided in the syllabus. Graduate courses should require students to apply a broader range of learning resources in addition to textbooks such as primary sources, monographs and journals, in research projects/papers, etc.
• Methods of Evaluation - The types of assessment of student performance and their timing throughout the term should be specified. Assessment of student performance, particularly for undergraduate students, should begin early in the term. Assessment should reflect the diversity of modes of student learning. It should include but not be limited to knowledge acquisition, critical analysis, integration and creative synthesis. Written and spoken material should normally be included as an expectation of student work. Written work should be evaluated not only on the basis of content but also structure and style. Courses that do not require regular evaluation, such as in-class examinations, must get Dean approval. Students should be evaluated with enough frequency and in sufficiently challenging formats to enable faculty members to determine accurately the students’ ability to utilize primary sources, to think critically, to integrate disparate information, to write cogently and to apply the course content to new issues and/or questions. Additional Requirements for Graduate Courses: Graduate courses that are cross-listed with undergraduate courses must require additional assignments, such as one or more additional research papers/projects, as well as a comprehensive evaluation process that is based on graduate level performance expectations.
• Dates of Exams and other Requirements - To the extent possible, students should be provided with dates of examinations and other important project due dates. Many faculty provide a weekly calendar showing topics covered by date and all other due dates. It is always a good policy to indicate that such a calendar is subject to change.
• Bibliography - Follow these guidelines if you choose to include a bibliography in your course information document. Faculty members are strongly encouraged to consult with their subject liaison librarian/ university librarian when developing the bibliography. This will ensure that faculty members are familiar not only with all current holdings but also with electronic resources available for major research projects. If this is done before the course is approved, the library is committed to ensure that all necessary information resources are available in time for the course. Based on the nature of the courses as well as relevance, currency and accessibility of the materials, the bibliography for graduate courses should include monographs, journal articles, etc. and other resources in addition to textbook type materials. The bibliography should list current and/or classic research titles for the course topic and study units. Format may vary by discipline (MLA, APA, etc.), but should consistently include author, title, date, publisher and place of publication according to the chosen format.
• Chapman University AI Generative Tools Statement (optional statement) - Please see the Chapman Considerations for Syllabus Policy on the Use of AI Generative Tools website for approaches and sample syllabus statements by permission level. 
• Writing Center Statement (optional statement) - Chapman’s Writing Center serves both undergraduate and graduate students of all majors. Appointments are held online and can be either synchronous or asynchronous. We assist writers in the development of the skills and confidence needed to succeed in their chosen fields by identifying diverse writing needs, demystifying writing processes, and developing scholarship for presentation and publication. The Writing Center fulfills the University’s commitment to nurture intellectual curiosity and ensure holistic development and success for our community’s writers. We promote a welcoming learning environment for all students, regardless of background, writing experience and comfort, and viewpoints. Please find more information or make an appointment at the Writing Center’s website. 
• Weekly/Daily Schedule of Readings & Topics for the Term (Course Outline) - Please include this information here if it will not be posted in the Canvas LMS.
• Additional Recommended Readings 

For new degree programs to be included in the 2027-2028 catalog:

No later than July 31, 2026: 

• Discuss new program with unit Dean. If approved...
• Submit draft proposal to Provost and Assistant Provost for Academic Financial Operations. If approved...
• Submit draft proposal to:
  • Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Student Success
  • Faculty Chair of Undergraduate Academic Council
  • Director of Accreditation & Assessment
  • University Registrar
  • Faculty Chair of Long Range Planning Council
  • Office of International Student Services

After all reviews are completed:

August 1, 2026: Curriculog opens for program submissions

September 15, 2026: Deadline for program submissions in Curriculog

November 5, 2026: Deadline for UAC review and approval

After UAC approval, the proposal goes to the Faculty Senate at the November meeting. If Senate does not require a second reading:

• Early December 2026: Send Senate approved proposal to Provost and Assistant Provost for Academic Financial Operations

If Senate does require a second reading:

• December 2026: Senate second reading and vote

Once a proposal is approved by Senate:

February 2027: Academic Committee review (Board of Trustees)

March 2027: Finance Committee review and full Board of Trustees vote. If approved: 

May 2027: New program begins soft launch; deposited high school admits can change into new major

August 2027: New program appears in catalog; program is available for internal transfers; Admissions recruits for fall 2028 cohort

August 2028: First high school admitted cohort enters

All other course/curricular changes are due in the fall and early spring of the academic year prior to the publication of a new catalog, as listed below.

August 1, 2026 - Submissions may begin for the following:

• new undergraduate minor
• new undergraduate Themed Inquiry
• new integrated program
• new undergraduate certificate for academic credit
• new emphasis or area of study
• all program revisions (simple and complex)
• all changes to departmental subject codes
• all program closures
• new and revised course proposals 

September 15, 2026 - Submission deadline for inclusion in 2027-2028 catalog:

• new undergraduate minor
• new undergraduate Themed Inquiry
• new integrated program
• new undergraduate certificate for academic credit

November 15, 2026 - Submission deadline for inclusion in 2027-2028 catalog

• new emphasis or area of study
• all program revisions (simple and complex)
• all changes to departmental subject codes
• all program closures
• all new and revised course proposals (note: any new courses or course revisions submitted after November 15, 2026 will not be included in the Undergraduate Catalog until the 2028-2029 edition)

Revisions to all academic programs are done through Curriculog. Click here to access the Curriculog system.

For new program proposals, program closures, and cross-listed courses, use forms below. If you have difficulty downloading and saving the forms below to your computer desktop or files please contact Kathleen Shields at kshields@chapman.edu. Please do not make edits directly onto the original forms.

Click here to access the budget template for new undergraduate program proposals (Excel)

Click here to access the new certificate for academic credit form

Click here to access the form for closing an undergraduate major degree program

Click here to access the form for closing a minor, emphasis, area of study or certificate program

Click here to access the cross-listed course form

Click here to access the shared courses approval form