New Academic Program Development

All new academic program offerings at SU must undergo an initial review and approval by the Provost before curriculum is submitted to internal and external governing bodies.

Programs Requiring Initial Review

New academic programs
New areas of concentration
Conversions of existing foci, tracks, or concentrations into stand-alone programs
Certificates

Substantial Changes

Substantial modifications to an existing program also require internal and external approval. Refer to Step 2 of the Internal Review and the External Review section for details on the process.

Faculty Involvement

Curriculum falls under the purview of the faculty. Preliminary discussions around program development should begin at the faculty level. The review and approval process at the school and departmental levels may vary; however, once consensus is reached, it is the responsibility of the department leadership, in coordination with the dean, to submit the required paperwork to the Office of Academic Affairs for review.

Timeline at a Glance

First term offering: Fall semester (graduate programs may begin in a summer term).
Lead time: All internal approvals must be completed at least one year in advance.
When to start: It is recommended that the initial review take place during the spring semester before beginning the internal curriculum approvals.
Estimated durations:
- The initial review process can take between 2-8 weeks.
- Internal and external review can take 14-29 weeks.

Internal Process

Step 1: Initial Review
The Program Review Questionnaire will be used to review academic program offerings as well as to determine if further market analysis is needed. The questionnaire consists of three key areas: Purpose and Rationale, Strategic Fit, and Preliminary Market Indicators.

Submit Program Review Questionnaire
- What to Submit: Program Review Questionnaire with a proposed curriculum outline
- How: Use the Program Evaluation Questionnaire in Curriculog. To access the form login to Curriculog using your SU username and password. The form will be located under the Others tab after selecting +New Proposal from the main menu.
- Outcomes:
  - Approved; No market analysis needed → proceed to Step 2 and External Step 1
  - Full market analysis required → allow 6–8 weeks
  - Data cut required → allow 4–6 weeks
Step 2: Internal Curriculum Approval (via Curriculog)
- Timing: Must occur during the program submission window: June 1 – November 15
- Process: Program proposals are routed through Curriculog and must be approved by the relevant University Curriculum Committee no later than the final December meeting.
You may begin External Review Step 1 as the internal proposal moves through the workflow.
For more information regarding the university's internal approval process, visit the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee or Graduate Curriculum Committee webpages.

External Review

Step 1: Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI)
For undergraduate programs: A Letter of Intent (LOI) is required by USM for new program offerings and stand-alone certificates. It is a brief explanation of the proposed program that will be disseminated to schools within the USM only.
- Submit To: Office of Academic Affairs
- How: Via email to jeellis@salisbury.edu
- What: Letter of Intent for New Undergraduate Programs
- Timing: May be submitted any time after the Provost’s initial approval and while internal review proceeds, but at least three weeks before submission of the program proposal to MHEC.
For graduate programs: A Letter of Intent (LOI) is required by both MHEC and USM for new program offerings and stand-alone certificates. It is an explanation of the proposed program. USM will disseminate the LOI only to schools within the USM system. MHEC will review the LOI and provide feedback, but it will not disseminate it to other Maryland institutions.
- Submit To: Office of Academic Affairs
- How: Via email to jeellis@salisbury.edu
- What: Letter of Intent for Graduate Programs
- Timing: May be submitted any time after the Provost’s initial approval and while internal review proceeds. Must be submitted to USM first for the three-week comment period and then submitted to MHEC on the 1st and 15th of each month.
Step 2: MHEC and USM Program Proposals
A full New Program Proposal must be submitted to both the University System of Maryland and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Proposals are needed for the following types of program offerings:
- New Academic Programs
- New Area of Concentration
- Substantial Modifications to a program
- Stand-alone certificate
Use the following MHEC Program Proposal outline to complete your proposal.
- Submit To: Office of Academic Affairs
- How: Via email to jeellis@salisbury.edu
- Timing: Draft proposal are due to the Provost Office by March 1. The Provost Office will submit the completed proposal during the submission windows.*
*MHEC Submission Dates: 1st and 15th of the month
USM Submission Windows: 8/1-8/15; 9/1-9/15; 10/15-11/3; 12/15-1/2; 3/1-3/16; 4/15-5/1
Step 3: Review & Presentation

USM’s Education Policy & Student Life and Safety (EPSLS) committee reviews and votes on academic proposal during the academic year prior to the Board of Regents action. The dean, department lead, and Provost are responsible for presenting at EPSLS. Below is a guide to presenting to the committee.

Use this guide to help prepare your presentation.

The EPSLS meets on: 9/4/2025; 10/17/2025; 12/3/2025; 1/29/2026; 4/8/2026; 6/2/2026

External Submission Notification

Full external approval can take up to 60 days. Academic Affairs will notify the appropriate stakeholders when proposals are approved, including expected timelines and next steps.

Terms and Definitions

Area of Concentration
A defined subset of courses within an existing program. A concentration is defined by the addition of 24 or more credits beyond the core requirement for an undergraduate program, 12 or more credits at the graduate level, and 18 or more credits at the doctoral level.

Curriculog
Platform used for internal curriculum approval.

Data Cut
Targeted external data (enrollment, completions, cost, etc.) used for decision support.

EPSLS
Education Policy & Student Life and Safety, a USM committee that recommends academic actions to the Board of Regents.

LOI (Letter of Intent)
A brief notice to USM and MHEC signaling intent to propose a new offering.

Market Analysis
An external labor market and competitor scan to validate demand.

MHEC (Maryland Higher Education Commission)
State agency that approves new programs and substantial modifications.

New Academic Program
A degree or certificate not currently offered by SU.

Stand-Alone Certificate
A certificate not embedded within a degree program. It includes courses from two or more disciplines or requires the creation of new courses.

Substantial Modification
Material changes in a current offering, either by adding an area of concentration or by changing the core academic requirements by 50% or more.

USM (University System of Maryland)
The governing public higher education system in Maryland.

Need Help?

For questions regarding guidelines or policies, or for assistance navigating the approval process, contact Jennifer Ellis, Academic Portfolio & Curriculum Administrator jeellis@salisbury.edu, in Academic Affairs