New Degree Program Approval Steps

1. For new degree programs and new certificates, proposers must alert the Office of Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (UK’s liaison with the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE)) about the intent to offer a new degree or certificate.

2. A new degree program is reviewed by the faculty of the proposer’s department.
   
    
3. Upon approval, the department will submit the new degree program proposal to the college faculty for review. This is often done through a group of faculty organized through the dean’s office such as a faculty council or Educational Policy & Curriculum committee.
   
    
4. After approval at the college level, a new program proposal then goes to the appropriate Senate academic council(s).
   
   1. Proposals for undergraduate degrees are reviewed by the Undergraduate Council (UC).
   2. Proposals for graduate degrees are reviewed by the Graduate Council (GC).
   3. Proposals for professional degrees in the professional health care colleges are reviewed by the Health Care Colleges Council (HCCC).Health care colleges have the option of sending undergraduate and graduate program proposals to the HCCC, but are not required to do so unless the course includes direct patient contact and/or care.
   4. Proposals for law-related degrees are sent directly from the College of Law Faculty Council to the Senate Council Office.
      
       
5. The academic council will send approved program proposals to the Senate Council office for staff to check that the degree program complies with the Senate Rules and is ready for the next step in the review process.
   
    
6. After review in the Senate Council office, the proposal will be sent to the Senate's Academic Programs Committee (SAPC) for review.
   
    
7. When the SAPC has finished its review, the proposal will be placed on a Senate Council agenda for review during an open meeting of the Senate Council.
   
    
8. Upon Senate Council approval, the proposal will then be placed on a University Senate agenda for review during an open meeting of the Senate.
   
    
9. After approval by the Senate, the approval process for a new degree program continues to the Board of Trustees, which has final University approval authority for new programs. The Board does not meet monthly, so there may be a short delay between Senate approval and Board review/approval.
   
    
10. After approval by the Senate, the approval process for a new degree program continues to Kentucky's Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), which has final state approval authority for new degree programs.
    
     
11. The approval process for a new degree is complete after approval by the CPE - no further review is necessary.