Program Inventory

All new degree program proposals will require both internal and external approval/review as defined by Curricular Processes 11.99.99.M0.01. Depending on the proposal type, the internal process may take at least one month at each level. The external approval timeline varies depending on the external due dates and deadlines so please take this into consideration when proposing the implementation date for your proposed new program.

• Board of Regents Agenda Items Deadline

Please be sure to:

• Include the approved/signed New Program Planning Memo for new degrees.
  • New Program Planning Memo – Undergraduate Template
  • New Program Planning Memo – Graduate Template
• Include letters of support with your proposal if/as requested.
• Resolve any concerns about your proposed program (within or outside your college) before submitting for review/approval.
• Coordinate with the Office of the Provost, Academic Affairs (Dr. Alicia Dorsey) on the development of the New Degree Proposal Form (THECB document).
• Attach the New Degree Proposal Form (provided by the Office of the Provost) in WORD format.

Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

• New Degree Proposal Form: Bachelor’s or Master’s Programs
• Degree Evaluation Template (UG Programs Only)

Doctoral Degree Programs

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

• New Degree Proposal Form: Doctoral or Professional Programs

A minor is a concentration of courses that focus on a single area or an interdisciplinary perspective developed by the department or program that offers the minor. The department or program offering the minor is responsible for setting enrollment limits and deciding which courses are used to meet the minor. Coursework consists of 15-18 hours with a minimum of 6 in residence at the 300-400 level. (Texas A&M University Student Rule 14.16).

Reference the Instructions for New Program Proposals for an Undergraduate Minor document before starting a new minor request proposal via CARS. Ensure that information from the document is included in the CARS proposal.

Approved Minors

University Approved Minors

Certificate Program Procedures

• Texas A&M Certificate Program Procedures
• Certificate Tracking and Awarding

Approved Certificate Programs

• Approved Certificate Programs

Request for New Certificates

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

• New Program Request Form for Academic Certificate Programs - Complete and submit

Reference the Preparing Distance Education Proposal section if you intend on submitting a new certificate program for distance education.

Departments requesting a new interdisciplinary degree program should submit the documents required for the new degree program indicated above.

Resources

• Creation and Review for Interdisciplinary Programs - 03.02.99.MO.01

The University Studies degree is an innovative interdisciplinary degree with an area of concentration and two minors.

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

University Studies Proposed Area of Concentration Form (PDF | Word)

Degree Evaluation Template (Word)

Departments requesting the combination of existing degree programs which allow students the opportunity to receive two degrees at the same time must submit a proposal through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS).

Undergraduate Combination Programs:

• Combination programs must be a minimum of 150 hours.
• Even though the undergraduate and graduate programs are combined, students must satisfy the required hours of both programs. Hours in excess of 150 hours can be used to double count courses. For example, an undergraduate program with 120 hours and a graduate program with 48 hours can use up to 18 hours to double count.
• The proposal for the undergraduate degree and graduate degree program requirements must show the plan of study grid/table (ex., First Year-Fall, Spring, Second Year-Fall, Spring,etc.) for both programs which should identify the courses that will be double counted.
• Departments prepare and submit the combination proposal through the curricular approval process. The proposal must be approved by both the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (undergraduate program) and Graduate and Professional Council (graduate program) because this affects both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Graduate and Professional Combination Programs:

• Guidelines for the Establishment of Combined Graduate and Professional Practice Doctoral Degree Programs (PDF).

The proposed degrees are existing TAMU degrees, therefore, require internal approval only.

Documents to Submit

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

• Degree Evaluation Template (UG Program) (Word)

Approved Combination Programs

• Approved Combination Programs

Texas A&M University offers distance education (DE) degree and certificate programs. Visit our distance.tamu.edu website to learn more about distance education at Texas A&M University.

Students who are not enrolled in an approved distance education program cannot take more than 50% of their required courses online. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) rules that no more than 50% of courses can be taken online if the program is not approved to be offered online as a distance education program.

Please reference the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) for the new definitions regarding 100% online versus hybrid.

Degree Programs

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

• Bachelor’s/Master’s and Doctoral degree programs seeking approval for distance education must complete one of the following Online Delivery Proposals:
  • Electronic-to-Individual
  • Electronic-to-Group
• Other documentation will be completed in coordination and consultation with Dr. Alicia Dorsey after proposal is submitted in CARS.

Resources

• Texas Administrative Code (TAC)
  • Approval of Distance Education for Public Institutions
• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
  • Principles of Good Practice for Distance Education
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs

Departments requesting changes to their program requirements (degrees, minors, certificates) must submit a proposal.

Documents to Submit

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

• Copy of the current degree evaluation with edits (from Howdy)*
  • In Howdy, you can use DEGEVAL (in all caps) for the student ID
  • If you are creating a new concentration, use an existing degree evaluation with edits or use the Degree Evaluation Template.
  • Letters of support (as needed)
  • If degree program hours are increasing or decreasing, reference the “Program Hours Changes” information under Program Changes.

*NOTE: The degree evaluation edits and catalog edits must match. If they do not match, please make the appropriate changes to the proposed curriculum before submitting changes through CARS for approval. Master's and Doctoral programs will not have degree evaluation edits.

Includes program title changes, CIP code changes, overall program hour changes.

CARS Proposal Rationale

Program Title and CIP Code Changes
Departments requesting a program title/CIP code change must:

1. Provide a rationale/justification for the proposed change, focusing on how the proposed title/CIP Code change more closely aligns with the curricular requirements and identified program objectives/outcomes than the currently assigned title/CIP Code;
   1. CIP code changes should include at least one of the following rationales: curricular change, faculty/faculty expertise changes, accreditation changes, or other completing academic reasons.
   2. Curricular changes that warrant a CIP code change would typically include more than 50% of the discipline-specific curriculum, though a new degree program request should be considered. If the request includes a change to a STEM CIP code from a non-STEM CIP code, curricular changes in learning outcomes (such as emphasis on the scientific method, quantitative research, etc.) would likely be present.
2. Describe how students will benefit from the proposed change;
3. Describe how the program overall will benefit from the proposed change;
4. Indicate how the program title change will impact current students.
   
   

Program Hour Changes
Departments requesting overall program hour changes for a degree program must address in the rationale:

1. How will this increase benefit the students and strengthen their preparation and competitiveness in the workforce?
2. Is the proposed length comparable with similar programs in the state/US (if significantly longer, then this might decrease the appeal of the program to potential students)?
3. How will this impact students currently enrolled in the program?

Documents to Submit

Documents to submit through the Curricular Approval Request System (CARS):

Depending on the circumstance, additional documentation may be required.

Resources

SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy - Refer to page 21 of the Substantive Change for SACSCOC Accredited Institutions document on this webpage.

The curriculum proposal will be added to Howdy after it has received full approval. Departments have the opportunity to review a program’s degree evaluation one time per year for accuracy. If updates are needed, departments can submit a Request for Corrections to Degree/Certificate Evaluations when they are made available. The revision period only applies to undergraduate, first professional and all certificate programs. Curricular Services aims to have all revision requests processed by the first summer new student conference.

2026-2027 Catalog Edition (202631)