Preparing New Undergraduate Degree or Major Program Proposals
4220.1 Policy
An officially designated major program at Wright State University is a structured and coherent primary concentration of study. It allows undergraduates to develop a specialized, in-depth field of study as part of their educational experience at the university. A major program may provide in-depth disciplinary study as part of a balanced bachelor's program, preparation for graduate study, or pre-professional, professional, or job-oriented training. All undergraduates must complete the requirements for one major program in order to earn a bachelor's degree from the university. A degree is a recognition or award for completion of a prescribed course of study in an institution of higher education designated by the customary titles of associate, bachelor, master, specialist or doctor.
Degrees and majors are designed by academic departments or program units. Most major programs will lay out a single, prescribed course of study. Departments, however may choose to offer multiple pathways within a major program. Some departments may offer more than one degree or major; however, each major must bear the name of a recognized field within the discipline. Interdisciplinary majors can be co-sponsored by two or more departments or units. All new degree programs must follow Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and Board of Trustees credit hour requirements. Although needs of individual programs vary considerably, the number of hours required in a major program should not fall below one fourth or exceed one half of the hours required for graduation. Some professional programs may be an exception to this guideline. All aspects of the major program are administered by the designated department or unit.
The approval process is initiated through submission of a request using the university curriculum workflow system. A formal proposal for a new degree or major program must be reviewed by the appropriate department curriculum committee, department chair, college or school curriculum committee, college or school faculty if required by that unit, and dean; the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee; the Faculty Senate; the Provost; and the Board of Trustees.
Proposals for new major programs must be submitted to the ODHE for final review and approval, using the appropriate forms found at these links:
