Degree Program Review

This policy requires the campuses to establish procedures for review of all degree programs within an established timetable and states the requirements for annual reports to the Board of Regents.

All Degree programs shall be reviewed at least once every seven years. Each campus shall have policies defining program review procedures. These procedures shall be designed to identify strengths and weaknesses of each degree program and provide constructive options for program improvement.

The ultimate goal of this policy is to promote and maintain high-quality degree programs that are administered efficiently.

A program review schedule may be modified to coincide with a professional accreditation review.

1. On an annual basis, all campuses shall submit to the Vice President for Academic Affairs:
   1. A schedule of degree program reviews to occur in the next seven-year period.
       
   2. A list of degree program reviews completed in the prior academic year.
       
   3. A summary report of each degree program review completed in the prior academic year. The summary report should be approximately three to five pages and shall consist of a narrative and data, as stipulated below.
      1. The narrative shall address:
         1. Accomplishments and evolution of the degree program since the last review.
             
         2. Major challenges and opportunities currently facing the program
             
         3. Goals for the next review period.
             
         4. Other items, as appropriate:
            -  If any changes to program or course fees have been implemented since the last review period or changes to program or course fees will be proposed, provide an explanation.
            -  Additional information to contextualize the program.
      2. The following data shall be reported for each year during the review period:
         1. Headcount (fall term) and full-time equivalent (FY) enrollment in the major.
             
         2. Student credit hours (FY) generated by courses in the major taken by students in the major.
             
         3. Number of degrees awarded (FY).
2. The annual degree program review summary reports submitted by the campuses to the Office of Academic Affairs shall be provided to the president and Board of Regents.

The Board of Regents passed a resolution at its November 1980 meeting requiring the review of all academic programs once every five years where feasible, but at least once every seven years. The resolution also identified the goals for those reviews. The program review requirement was codified in Regent Policy 4.C. In July 2017, Regent Policy 4.C was revised, limiting the program review requirement to degree programs. The new requirement is captured in current Regent Policy 4.B.

Implementation of Regent Policy on Program Review approved March 16, 1989.

Revised:

• March 1, 1996.
• September 1, 1996.
• September 1, 2006.
• July 1, 2010.
• January 1, 2014.
• January 1, 2018.
• April 2, 2018 – non-substantial clarification to Section III.A.3.ii.b.

Program review, accreditation, degree program, program development