Academic Programs

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Curriculum Update Calendar

Each semester's curriculum update calendar applies to curriculum changes intended to go into effect that semester.

View the program proposal timeline for an estimated representation of the time and effort that individuals or groups proposing new degree programs, minors or certificates should anticipate before, during and after submitting their request.

Fall Deadlines
Courses
  • Priority approval: Nov. 11 (preceding calendar year)

  • Final approval: Jan. 15 (same calendar year)

Spring Deadlines
Courses
  • Priority approval: July 1 (preceding calendar year)

  • Final approval: Oct. 1 (preceding calendar year)

Summer Deadlines
Courses
  • Priority approval: Sept. 1 (preceding calendar year)

  • Final approval: Dec. 1 (preceding calendar year)

Propose a New Program, Plan or Certificate

 

The new program approval process has several steps and points of review. Some proposed programs may require approval from external entities (e.g., the Board of Regents, the CO Department of Higher Education, the Higher Learning Commission) before they can be offered.

Before you begin, make sure that you have consulted with your dean's office and have reviewed the resources at right including the program proposal guidelines and process as well as the program proposal timeline and financial planning guidelines.

Majors, Minors & Certificates

This step is required if you're proposing a new major, minor or certificate.

The program intent proposal form allows multiple stakeholders to review the proposed elements of the program at a high level and provide early feedback to utilize in crafting a full proposal.

If you're proposing a certificate program, review the certificate guidance prior to submitting your intent form:

  Certificate Proposal Policy & Procedures 

In your submission, you'll need to include an initial draft budget proposal and supporting documentation related to the new program's anticipated student and industry demand, university resources, budget and tuition model.

Submitted forms are first reviewed and approved by your dean, then by the Office of Academic Affairs. If your program intent form is approved, you'll be notified by email and may continue to step 2 when you're ready.

Once your intent stage form is approved, use the new program proposal form to craft a full academic program proposal with detailed information.

The new program proposal form will populate information from your intent form. Any changes to that information may delay the review process and require submission of a new intent form.

Once your proposal is approved, the submitted information will carry forward into multiple CU Boulder systems, including Campus Solutions, the CU Boulder catalog and the degree audit system. 

Existing Departments

If your program is part of an existing department, submit a catalog page workflow for the content on your program's "Overview" tab.

  Submit a New Reviewer Workflow 

New Departments

If your program is in a new department, you'll need to submit content for a department-level catalog page, as well:

  Submit a New Reviewer Workflow 
  Submit Department Information & Header Image 
  Submit a New Faculty List  

Micro-Credentials

Subplans, Dual Degrees & BAM Programs

Use the new program proposal form to craft a full academic program proposal with detailed information.

If you're proposing a BAM or dual degree program, review the related guidance:

See Step 3, above, under Majors, Minors & Certificates. 

Edit an Existing Program, Plan or Certificate

All programs revisions are now managed through our curriculum inventory management system (CIM), which is fully integrated with the CU Boulder catalog.

To ensure inclusion in the published catalog, be sure to submit all program revisions with sufficient time for them to receive all necessary approvals before the Feb. 15 catalog revision deadline. 

Please note that degree audits are updated every March based on the information in the upcoming academic year's CU Boulder catalog.

For catalog resources, upcoming deadlines and more, visit our catalog production page.

Revising or Inactivating a Program, Plan or Certificate

If the revision requires changes to or inactivation of the plan or subplan code, major association(s) or title, email academicrequests@colorado.edu.

​To revise an existing program, plan or certificate:

  1. Log in to CourseLeaf.
    1. Go to the .
    2. If prompted, log in using your IdentiKey username and password.
  2. Find the program.
    1. On the "Program Management" page, enter your program's field of study surrounded by asterisks (e.g., *history*, *journalism*, *electrical engineering*) and click "Search."
    2. All programs for that field of study will appear in the search results. Click on the program you wish to revise.
    3. Below the search results, a preview window will appear with details for the selected program.
  3. Edit the program.
    1. Click the green "Edit Program" button at the top of the preview window.
    2. In the pop-up window, complete all required (outlined in red) and applicable fields.
 
  • Save often. This form does time out, so click "Save Draft" (bottom of form) at least once per hour to avoid losing your work.
  • Help icons: Hover over or click on the icons for additional information about the form field.
  • Change type: Select the most appropriate description of the quantity of changes you're requesting.
  • Anticipated effective catalog year: This menu lists available terms only.
  • Subplans and options section: Click the green plus symbol ("Click to add a new row") to add a new subplan or option to the table.
  • Required courses and credits: This section will appear verbatim in the CU Boulder catalog. For style and formatting guidance, see the curriculum & catalog style guide.
  • Plan(s) of study: This section will appear verbatim in the CU Boulder catalog. For style and formatting guidance, see the curriculum & catalog style guide.
  • Program learning outcomes: Click the green plus symbol ("Click to add a new row") to add a new learning outcome to the table.
  • Support documentation upload control: If desired, click "Attach File" and follow the prompts to upload supporting documentation.
  1. When you're done editing, click the appropriate button to cancel, save or submit the form.
    • Cancel (red button): Discard your changes and return to the previous window.
    • Save Draft (white button): Save your changes as a draft so you can return to the form at a later time. This does not submit your proposed changes for review. You can save the form without completing all the required fields.​
    • Submit for Approval (green button): Submit your changes for review and approval.
To revise additional programs, return to course inventory management. To log out, close your browser window.

To inactivate a program, plan or certificate:

  1. Log in to CourseLeaf.
    1. Go to the .
    2. If prompted, log in using your IdentiKey username and password.
  2. Find the program.
    1. On the "Program Management" page, enter your program's field of study surrounded by asterisks (e.g., *history*, *journalism*, *electrical engineering*) and click "Search."
    2. All programs for that field of study will appear in the search results. Click on the program you wish to revise.
    3. Below the search results, a preview window will appear with details for the selected program.
  3. Inactivate the program.
    1. Click the red "Inactivate" button at the top of the preview window.
    2. Select the inactivation term from the drop-down menu, then enter the reason for inactivating the program.
    3. Click "Submit for Approval."
To inactivate additional programs, return to course inventory management. To log out, close your browser window.

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