Curriculum Development

The Warrington College of Business encourages innovative course creation and supports forward-thinking curricular development. Academic Approval is used to track requests for new courses, course changes, and other modifications to the college curriculum (e.g., degrees, majors, minors, concentrations, and more). All actions regarding curriculum items at the University of Florida must be uploaded and submitted using this system.

Faculty or program administrators may create a request in Academic Approval but should consult with the appropriate academic unit head prior to submission. For new degree proposals, please contact Kathryn Pearce after consultation with the academic unit head.

• Academic Approval
• UF Syllabus Policy
• Warrington Syllabus Template
• Warrington Committees
• Graduate Curriculum Committee
• University Curriculum Committee
• University Curriculum Committee Policies
• Start a New Request

The Approval Process: New Courses or Course Modifications

The most common request put forth in the college is to create a new course or modify an existing course. Modifications include changes in course prefix or number, title, credits, or prerequisites. The following is a simplified progression of a request through the necessary steps.

1. New Request
   • A new request is entered with all required documents. For new courses, this includes a syllabus that adheres to the UF Syllabus Policy. A Warrington syllabus template is also available.
   • Submitters should consult with the appropriate academic unit head prior to entering a new request or follow otherwise established department/program guidelines.
2. Department
   • The request routes to the appropriate department for review.
     Follow the guidance of the academic unit head or department staff for approval. Once approved, the request routes to the college.
3. College
   • The Dean’s Office reviews each request. Changes may be requested to follow college and university guidelines. The Dean’s Office may also request external consultation with other colleges or departments.
   • The request routes to the appropriate faculty committee:
     • Undergraduate requests > Undergraduate Committee > Vote by college faculty
     • Graduate requests > PhD, MBA, or Specialized Graduate Program Committees > Vote by graduate faculty
     • Professional (DBA) requests > DBA Committee > Vote by graduate faculty
   • Upon committee approval, the request is considered approved with a majority faculty vote. Any item may be discussed at the next college faculty meeting if requested.
   • Exception: Requests regarding courses or programs in the Fisher School of Accounting, once approved by FSOA, do not need a college-level vote. Instead, they will be approved at the college level by appropriate staff and included as information items in college faculty meetings when appropriate.
   • The Dean’s Office reviews the request for a final time, makes any revisions, and approves to the next level.
4. GCC/UCC
   • Graduate requests route to the Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC) at the Graduate School. The request is reviewed at the next meeting date if the request is submitted by the published deadline. Follow the guidance of the GCC for approval. Once approved, the University Curriculum Committee will be notified and the request will route to its next step.
   • Undergraduate and professional requests route to the University Curriculum Committee (UCC). The request will be reviewed at the next meeting date. Once approved, the request will route to its next step.
5. SCNS
   • Approval is required from the Florida Board of Education, with inclusion of the course in the Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS).
   • If appropriate, SCNS provides a course prefix and number.
6. OUR
   • The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) adds the course to the university curriculum or implements any approved changes, including updating the catalog. The Provost’s office updates degree audits when necessary. For graduate requests, the Graduate School is also notified.
   • Final clarification of course attributes or prerequisites may be sent to the department.
7. Notification to College
   • The college, department, and the person who initiated the request are notified that the request is approved.
   • The request is considered complete.

Deadlines

As this process includes many stakeholders across the university, we encourage submitting most requests at least one year in advance of the intended effective term. Due to their complexity, new degree proposals may follow a longer timeline.

College committees meet at varying intervals during the academic year. To ensure a request can be reviewed prior to the next college faculty meeting, consider the following deadlines:

• Graduate Curriculum Committee meeting dates and submission deadlines
• University Curriculum Committee meeting dates and submission deadlines

Get Started

To initiate a change in college curriculum, consult with the appropriate academic unit head and start a new request in Academic Approval. Follow the prompts to identify the correct path, steps, and required documents.