P-2 Curricular Program Prospectus submission form. For assistance see the CIM site.

P-1 proposals are the basis of Administrative and University Faculty Senate curricular approval and are used to add undergraduate academic programs or change the name of existing programs (including majors, options within majors, IUGs, and minors). P-1 proposals are submitted by academic units to the Senate Committee on Curricular Affairs through their dean (University Park) or the Office of the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses.

Administrative approval is required when colleges or campuses propose new majors, options, IUGs, and minors or propose to change the name of existing programs.

Implementation of P-1 proposals may occur the first semester following approval. Students must receive timely notification and will be subject to the requirements in effect at the time of most recent entrance into the program. Students should consult with the head of a program or program committee or their representative to resolve difficulties caused by the curricular change.

P-1 Review and Approval Process

The process for developing new undergraduate degrees/majors, options, IUGs, and minors should begin in the academic unit and adhere to the processes required by that unit. Once unit approval is obtained, the steps listed below must be taken. Program approval times may vary based on unit requirements, consultation, and committee meeting schedules; therefore, these steps should be initiated at least one year in advance of the desired delivery date for the new program.

• Preliminary college and disciplinary consultation and consultation between appropriate campus chancellor(s) and the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses
• Submission of prospectus to ACUE by College/Campus Associate Dean
• ACUE prospectus deliberation and written response to submitting college/campus
• College/Campus (or colleges and campuses) development of formal proposal, including appropriate consultation, data collection, and research
• Submission of P-1 proposal by College Dean (University Park) or the Vice President of Commonwealth Campuses to University Faculty Senate
• Senate Curricular Affairs Committee review
• Senate Curriculum Report invites university-wide comment (30 day period)
• Senate P-1 transmittal to Office of Undergraduate Education for review and approval
• Provost review of Office of Undergraduate Education action
• Office of Undergraduate Education memo to Board of Trustees informing of program implementation
• Office of Undergraduate Education memo to implement distributed to appropriate offices
• Implementation the following semester or later

P-1 Proposal Elements for new programs or options:

All new P-1 programs or option proposals must include the following elements and reflect current, localized data and information relevant to several academic and strategic elements. These include, but are not limited to:

1. A statement of clear, measurable and rigorous program objectives and learning outcomes.
2. Relationship of proposal to university and college mission.
3. Program quality indicators such as:
   1. On-going involvement of a minimum of three or more full-time faculty aligned academically and disciplinarily with the program. These faculty may be located at a single campus, or in the case of shared programs, across multiple campus locations;
   2. Program leadership by senior-level faculty;
   3. Ability to move student program cohorts through in a timely manner;
   4. Availability of a sufficient number of program electives within the discipline and in supporting area of study;
   5. University-wide curricular integrity that includes disciplinary community engagement;
   6. Ability to minimize the need for core course substitutions and explicit rationale for, and justification of, necessary core substitutions.
4. Impact on Penn State college and campus enrollments and flow of students among campuses.
5. Market need and demand documented by current, valid, and reliable evidence.
6. Physical and fiscal resource availability (please include the official University Budget Office costing analysis form as well as other relevant information).
7. Strategic and academic approval and support demonstrated by the signature of the appropriate chancellor and/or dean.
8. Disciplinary community and administrative consultation.