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Institutional Effectiveness

Administrative Approvals for Academic Programs, Centers, and Institutes

If you are considering starting a new program/center/institute or modify/close an existing one, we highly encourage you to contact us here to discuss your proposal prior to beginning the process.

Depending on the extent, modifications to academic degree programs, certificates, centers, and institutes may require approvals and review processes within and outside Clemson University before going into effect, including:

  • Approval from your Department Chair or School Director.
  • Review to ensure compliance with Faculty Manual.
  • Approval from Dean. At this stage, you must have a draft proposal with the curriculum map (and proposed changes) along possible changes to resources required.
  • Curriculum Committee approval. Graduate and undergraduate curriculum committee approvals at Clemson are facilitated in Curriculog.
  • Board of Trustees (BOT) approval.
  • Approval from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE).
  • Approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

All proposals must obtain all required internal approvals (primarily, curriculum committee and the BOT) prior to being submitted to CHE and/or SACSCOC. Completing the questionnaire linked below will trigger the necessary BOT and CHE processes required to receive approvals:

Questionnaire to Begin the BOT and External Processes

Please note: The questionnaire will be closed from June 1-June 30 for annual maintenance.

This form must be submitted at least 3 months before these changes are presented to the BoT at a scheduled meeting. However, it should be submitted as soon as possible, as the BOT's agenda for approvals and modifications can fill up as early as 6 months in advance. Please note the Curriculum Committee process runs tangentially, but is separate, and must be started in Curriculog. Exceptions to this chain of approvals are possible depending on the nature and details of the academic program proposal.

New Degree Programs

All new degree program proposals will require a market analysis produced by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness before being considered for approval by the Provost. At the current time, a market analysis can be requested by completing this questionnaire.

Please review the questions to prepare for your request. A market analysis can take up to 4 months to produce, so please plan accordingly.

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Applicable Policies, Procedures, and Resources

Policies and Procedures

Policy on Substantive Change Assessment of Academic Programs

Information Guide

If you are at the beginning stages of the approval or modification process, we now offer several resources to help you. First, we have an Information Guide (PDF). This guide provides a broad overview of the processes and stakeholders you will be working with to get your proposal approved.

Academic Program Approval Process Wizard

If you are curious about the specific approvals that might be required, please try our Academic Program Approval Process Wizard. By answering a handful of questions, you'll have an idea as to what level of approvals may be required by the Board of Trustees, Commission on Higher Education and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Finally, you are always welcome to set up a meeting with Rob Essaf (ressaf@clemson.edu) to discuss any type of proposal you are considering.

Commission on Higher Education (CHE) Policy and Location

CHE's Policies and Procedures for New Academic Programs, Program Modifications, Program Notifications, Program Terminations and New Centers is applicable to these processes. Included on the CHE site is an Inventory of Academic Programs, Policies and Procedures that guide new program development and program modifications, meeting and events dates, and times and links to their agendas.

When attending meetings at the agency’s new location, parking is available at meters on the street or in the city parking lot on Lady Street directly adjacent to the new office location. Please note that the entrance to the city parking lot is not the same entrance to the below-ground parking for the NBSC building itself. There is no public parking available in the NBSC building. The entrance to the city lot is the one closest to Assembly Street.

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
1122 Lady Street, Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

All proposals undergoing these processes are reviewed to determine if they constitute a substantive change. SACSCOC defines substantive change as “a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution. Substantive change includes high-impact, high-risk changes and changes that can impact the quality of educational programs and services.

You may find information about SACSCOC's policies and procedures, including the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy.