Changes to an Existing Program

(Used to change an existing degree, minor, or certificate program, including changes of instruction type, credits, and the dissolution of programs)

Approval Flow: Program > Department > AAC > Faculty Assembly* > BU’s Provost’s Office and either the Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies (UAPP) Committee or the Graduate Academic Programs and Policies (GAPP) Committee (depending on proposal)

*The AAC will seek approval of the Faculty Assembly for all program dissolutions. Smaller, less significant changes will not require Faculty Assembly approval.

1. Proposer completes all required Change to an Existing Program Forms that are accessible through the Provost’s Curriculum Portal. These forms include the following:

  • Academic Component
  • Budget
    A proposer should make an appointment with BU Wheelock’s Executive Director of Operations if assistance is needed with completing the budget form.     Changes to graduate programs require the budget form, while changes to undergraduate programs require a budget statement that can be submitted as a Word document, because undergraduate programs at BU are centralized. Consider costs associated with new or part-time faculty, field supervision, converting courses to online, increased enrollment over time, and other expenses.
  • Degree Advice
  • Global Activity Component (Submit only if the proposal has a global component); 
  • Distance Education Component (Submit only if the proposal has an online component)
  • Cognate Letters
    Required if the proposed change has an impact on other courses or programs within or outside of the College; a cognate letter from a dean supporting the change of program or from another BU school or college in support of the change will strengthen the proposal. These are also important to obtain if the proposal is a dissolution that has an impact on another program within or outside of the College (such as a dual degree program that has had low or no enrollment over time). 
  • Syllabi (If the revision includes the addition of new courses or the substitution of new courses for existing ones, please submit the completed syllabi at the same time the full proposal is submitted so that AAC can consider the complete revision.  This will expedite the review and approval process and allow Wheelock to submit materials to the Provost curriculum portal immediately following an AAC approval).

2. Proposer submits all required forms above to the Program Director for review by program faculty. If approved by the program,

3. Program Director submits materials to the Department Chair for review by department faculty. If revisions are needed, revisions should be made promptly and resubmitted for review. If approved by the department,

4. Department Chair submits all required forms as Word documents to the Academic Affairs Committee, at buwedaac@bu.edu.  Attach and label documents carefully to an email.  Please do not send a link to a Google drive of unlabeled documents.  The Provost’s portal does not accept links to Google drives at this time, and it takes twice as long to download and relabel documents.  Please note that the materials must be submitted one week before the AAC’s posted meeting dates. If revisions are needed, revisions should be made promptly and resubmitted for review. If approved by the AAC,

5. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs uploads materials to the University’s Curriculum Portal for Provost Office Review. The materials will be reviewed by the University’s Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies (UAPP) Committee or the Graduate Academic Programs and Policies (GAPP) Committee, depending on the level of the proposal and by both for combined degree proposals. Please note that the faculty fellow assigned to UAPP or GAPP may reach out to the proposer to seek additional information or revision. Faculty Fellows prepare materials for university review. Passage of your proposal by the College’s AAC does not guarantee university approval.

6. Proposer, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, or both will be asked to attend a hearing of the UAPP or GAPP Committee. The proposer will be asked to provide a brief overview of the proposal and to answer any questions or address any concerns the University Committee may have related to the proposal.

7. If the proposal is approved, the University will notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will notify the proposer, Department Chair, AAC Chair, and the Director of Data & Enrollment Management so that the change can be implemented in BU’s registration systems and in the Bulletin.