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New Program Toolkit

Toolkit for New Program Development

Below you will find materials and administrative resources available to faculty to support the identification and development of a proposal for a new undergraduate degree. (Similar materials for new graduate degrees coming soon!)

For questions or access to the support outlined below, please contact Laura Martin, Assistant EVC/Provost, at lmartin@ucmerced.edu, with a copy to Naoko Kada, Coordinator for Academic Program Development, nkada@ucmerced.edu.

Please discuss your plans with your school dean before contacting us.

Undergraduate Proposal - Template and Example Proposal

 

 

Proposal Template

 

A word document providing, in template form, the proposal requirements outlined by Undergraduate Council in its policy for the Review and Approval of Undergraduate Degree Programs.

Italicized text in sections 1.1-1.3 and 1.7 provide example responses from an approved proposal. Comments embedded in the document direct readers to relevant campus support.

Example Proposal

An example of a well-reviewed proposal, including review correspondence. Provided with permission from Professor Sarah Kurtz, the lead author.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal Components - Data and Guidance

For support for gathering data and development of the following specific proposal components, contact Laura Martin, lmartin@ucmerced.edu, with a copy to Nako Kada, nkada@ucmerced.edu.

  • Job market projections

  • Projected student enrollment

  • Program assessment plan, associated program learning outcomes, and learning outcome - curriculum alignment

Administrative Support - Proposal Development

For administrative support for proposal development, ccontact Laura Martin, lmartin@ucmerced.edu, with a copy to Naoko Kada, nkada@ucmerced.edu.

Our intent is to provide guidance on and support for any aspect of the proposal development process, as needed. Examples of the support we can provide follow.

  • Research on example programs

  • Content development

  • Assisting with drafting, reviewing, and editing

  • Guidance on the proposal development process and associated campus timelines

  • Connections to campus resources including transfer pathway guidance

  • Project management support: work plans, meeting agenda, tracking action items, organizing consultations, support for drafting emails, etc.

General Proposal Approval Process & Timeline

This diagram outlines the key steps of the proposal approval process and timeline for a new undergraduate major, with a focus on launching a new major in fall 2025.
 
For fall 2026 and later, the stages will remain the same, although the due date for submitting the proposal to Undergraduate Council (UGC) will change slightly with the year.
 
UGC's annual calendar is available on UGC's website under the heading Calendars of Academic Programs and Courses.