Overview
SAIC approves dozens of new courses each year, ensuring the education we offer is always relevant, contemporary, and responsive to the context of the world around us.
The New Course Proposal (NCP) process is designed to support faculty in implementing ambitious pedagogical initiatives while ensuring that each course taught at SAIC (a) is effectively integrated within the relevant curriculum, and (b) clearly communicates its core components and expectations to the target student audience. The NCP process involves faculty, their department Chair, and a review committee. Relevant staff and other institutional resources are included as needed.
Deadline for Proposal Submissions
All New Course Proposals should be digitally submitted as filled PDFs, via email: saic.registrar@saic.edu
Priority Deadline--November 1
It is important that new course proposals be reviewed and approved prior to the completion of the academic schedule for the academic year in which the course will first run. The Priority Deadline provides necessary time for courses to be approved and incorporated into schedule-planning processes.
Note: Courses submitted by the Priority Deadline will receive primary consideration in allocating available incremental funding or other unique resources the proposal may request from the Dean’s Office or other areas of the School.
Secondary Deadline--April 1
The Committee has established a back-up deadline for any Winter and Spring courses that are proposed to run for the next academic year and could not be submitted by of the Priority Deadline. The Secondary Deadline provides an additional window of review time as departments put the finishing touches on the latter half of the coming year’s schedule. Departments will be responsible for working with their Administrative Director to insert approved courses into their planned schedule.
Committee Review Periods:
The New Course Proposal Committee meets regularly to consider proposals in October and March each year. Departments should plan their submissions to coincide with an upcoming review period. Submissions will be reviewed at the next scheduled committee meeting.
Proposals Submitted after Deadlines:
After the relevant deadline, departments may still propose courses for the upcoming academic year if there are extenuating/compelling circumstances prompting them to do so. Proposals submitted after April 1st will be reviewed as necessary by the Dean of Faculty's Cabinet. Dean's Cabinet cannot guarantee that courses submitted after a relevant deadline can be approved. In particular, departments should anticipate that new courses proposed during the pre-registration period for the semester the course is to run are unlikely to be approved. In cases where a course cannot be approved to run as proposed due to timing, the Committee will notify the faculty and department of a future term where the course can be scheduled.
