UT Health Science Center:
COHP101 Curriculum Committee – Academic Policy
No./Title: Curriculum Committee | Resp. Office: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Approval Body: College Council | Effective Date: January 2019 |
Category: Academic | Last Review: January 2019 | Next Review: January 2022 |
Contact: Hassan A. Aziz Academic Affairs | 901.448.3164 | |
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Introduction
Higher Education curriculum is a composite of teaching and learning experiences designed to lead to well-articulated student learning outcomes (SLOs). The academic programs at the College of Health Professions (COHP) at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has the responsibility to design, administer, and deliver a rigorous and coherent curriculum to equip its diverse student population with the capability to become productive citizens who continuously contribute to a global and rapidly changing society. Curriculum review facilitates curriculum development and approval, ensures alignment between the designed, delivered, and assessed curriculum, and evaluates the effectiveness of the curriculum.
Purpose
Curriculum approval is a collaborative process with faculty and academic administration designed to ensure that all courses and programs are based upon fields of study appropriate to higher education, aligned with college and university mission and strategic goals, consistent with institutional standards of quality, and in compliance with institutional and programs’ accreditation standards.
The policy establishes standards and procedures for proposing and approving changes in the curriculum of an academic program. The main purpose is to ensure and facilitate the continuous improvement of academic programs, to maintain and enhance the quality of the program curriculum, and to affect the results and findings of the Learning Outcomes Assessment Process in the continuous improvement of the programs.
Program Learning Outcomes Assessment
The Assessment process is a continuous process that occurs throughout the academic year and across multiple years. The is was designed to help build a culture of quality assurance through self- evaluation, further engage faculty and staff in the continuous evaluation and improvement of programs, promote informed change, develop and implement effective continuous improvement
plans, and evaluate the impact of implement. The Learning Outcome Assessment Process adopted at COHP is based on the Six Sigma DMAIC Methodology. The DMAIC methodology includes five phases: Define; Measure; Analyze; Improve; and Control. The “Define” phase includes a “Defining and Planning” phase while the “Measure” phase is further refined into two phases namely the “Measuring” Phase and “The Data Collection and Reporting” Phase. The “Control and Feedback” is a continuous activity, this it is a loop rather than a phase.
Program/Department Curriculum Committee
Each program/department must establish a curriculum committee or an equivalent that will be responsible for managing the curricula of the department/program. The responsibility for the content, quality, delivery, and effectiveness of the curriculum lies upon the faculty with administrative approval. Composition of the program/department Curriculum Committee is determined per the bylaws of the department, if available. Minutes of all meetings must be completed and maintained within the program/department.
College Curriculum Committee
Composition of the College Curriculum Committee is determined as per the bylaws of the college. The Chair of the College Curriculum Committee is a faculty member whereas the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs serves as ex-officio. The committee members will serve three-year terms. All members of the committee are eligible for re-election. The committee meets at least two (2) times per semester. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed within the semester. When an issue related to one of the programs is discussed, a representative from that program Curriculum Committee and the Head of the Department may be invited. Agendas will be distributed to all members in advance of each meeting. Minutes of all meetings must be completed and maintained within the college.
Curriculum Review and Approval Process
The curriculum review and approval process must follow a well-defined sequence of actions between the initiation of a change and its final approval at the university level. The process supports two different procedures for addressing the different types of curriculum changes:
Substantive Change: Any significant alteration to an existing program, or addition of a new academic program; including but not limited to changing the total number of credit hours offered. These changes must be approved by THEC and/or SACS.
Course Change/Non-Substantive Change: Changes to an existing course, addition of a new course, or change in the mode of course delivery (i.e. online, face to face, blended)
Program/department Curriculum Committee:
When reviewing a new course/program or revising an existing course/program, the program/department curriculum committee should:
- review and make recommendations on all curriculum enhancement submissions
- coordinate curriculum enhancements, or new program development, based on identified needs
- develop and maintain a curriculum map of course learning outcomes
- ensure the appropriateness of course prerequisites based on a curriculum map
- coordinate the collection and analysis of program learning outcome assessment
The committee Chair is responsible for forwarding the COHP Curriculum Committee Form (appendix A) with all supporting documents to the Department Head. If approved, the curriculum change form and supporting documents are forwarded to the chair of the College Curriculum Committee.
College Curriculum Committee:
In reviewing curriculum proposals from departments, the college Curriculum Committee should:
- review and make recommendations on all curriculum enhancement submissions
- validate identified needs of submitted curriculum enhancements, or new program development
- maintain study plans and curriculum map of course learning outcomes for each program
- Review the annual program learning outcome assessment report
Proposals not approved at the college level are sent back to the program/department and no further action is taken with reference to the proposal. If approved at the college level, the proposal and the request for curriculum revision is forwarded by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to the next administrative level.
Dean’s office
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is responsible for maintaining academic quality in the College. The Associate Dean must review the documentation to ensure accuracy and completeness of the proposal and compliance with accreditation standards. The Dean’s Office must also consider how curricular revisions respond to the strategic plans of the college and must weigh curricular proposals considering the resources available to support the suggested modifications.
APPROVAL HISTORY
Effective: January 2019
Approved: January 1, 2019, COHP College Council
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