6,000: Procedures for Changes in Courses or Curricula or Academic Units

Revised: August 2011

The 6,000 through 6,099 sections of the Administrative Manual provide information related to and guidelines for the following changes:

  • Courses - addition of new courses, deletion of existing courses, changes in existing courses (changes in course number, title, description, credits, prerequisites, etc.) - Sections 6,010-6,029
  • Curricula - changes in majors, minors, programs, certificates, degrees, etc. - changes in the requirements; changes in the name; additions of new majors, minors, programs, certificates, degrees, etc.; elimination of existing majors, minors, programs, certificates, degrees, etc. - Sections 6,030-6,059
  • Academic Units - changes in departments, colleges, schools - changes in name, re-organizations, additions or deletions of units- Sections 6,060-6,069 (see section 6,516-6,518 for changes in research or outreach centers, institutes, or other units)

Definitions of terms used in the chart on the following page:

  • Certificate - Refer to sections 6,052 and 6,053 below
  • Emphasis - Subdivision of an academic program that includes fewer than 18 credits (12 credits for master's degrees) of sufficiently different coursework from other subdivisions. The emphasis name will not appear on transcripts.
  • Major - Primary subject or field of study
  • Minor - Secondary subject or field of study (refer to section 6,051)
  • Specialization - Subdivision of an academic program that includes 18 or more credits (12 credits for master's degrees) of sufficiently different coursework from other subdivisions. The specialization name will appear on transcripts.

See the chart below for an overview and the individual sections for details.

Courses, Curricula, and Organizational Change Processes
Revised: November 2021
TYPE OF PROPOSAL (Admin. Manual Section) New Program Pre-Proposal Committee Department Courses & Curriculum (C&C) College C&C University C&C Graduate Council Faculty Senate Review NSHE Academic Affairs Council Board of Regents NWCCU ACCRED. BODY
Courses-Additions, Deletions, or Modifications 1 (6,010) No Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No No No  No
Minors, Emphases, Specializations, etc. within a new degree–Changes, New, Deletion (6,000; 6,030 & 6,040) No Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No No No No
Emphases, Specializations, etc - Converted to a major Yes Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No Yes Yes Yes
Degree, Major - New, Deletion, Deactivation (6,040, 6,041, 6,042, & 6,045) Yes Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No Yes Yes Yes
Degree, Major - Reactivation, if the degree or major was placed on hold (deactivated) by the BOR within 5 years No Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No Yes No Yes
Degree, Major - Name change with significant curriculum change Yes Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No Yes Yes Yes
Degree, Major - Cosmetic name change w/no curriculum change (6,040) No Yes Yes Yes If graduate level No Yes No Yes
Certificate-undergraduate of 30 credit hours or more; New or Deletion (6,052, 6,053) Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes
Certificate - undergraduate of at least 9 and less than 30 credit hours that provide preparation necessary to take state, national and/or industry recognized certification or licensing examinations – New or Deletion Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No
Certificates - post-baccalaureate or graduate of any duration - New or Deletion Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes, if 30 or more credits
Department - New, Name Change, Elimination Yes Yes Yes Yes If review requested by Provost Yes No No No
School, College, Institute, Center or Other Organizational Unit - Cosmetic Name Change (6,060) Yes No Yes Yes If review requested by Provost If review requested by Provost Yes No Notify ALO if college or school
School, College, Institute, Center or Other Organizational Unit-New, Deletion, Deactivation OR Name change that is the result of a significant reorganization of existing units, consolidation or change in mission (6,060, 6,065, 6,067) Yes No Yes Yes If review requested by Provost Yes Yes Yes Notify ALO if college or school
Editorial Catalog changes/corrections [6,010(4) & 6,030(3)(d)] No No No No No No No No No

1Note: Effective 07/01/04, new undergraduate courses or deletions of undergraduate courses require the NSHE Common Course Numbering form.