Approval Process

Approval Process for Courses in the College of LAS

For complete and expeditious consideration of NEW courses by the LAS Courses and Curricula Committee, please submit the following:

1. A completed, signed copy of the Course Outline Form (COF). Also, please submit the COF electronically to Amy Elli (alawrenc@uiuc.edu)
2. A course syllabus. This syllabus should contain the elements outlined in the “Syllabus Recommendations for Gen Ed Courses”
3. For courses to be cross-listed, also submit endorsement letters from the cross-listing department heads stating subject and course number to use for the cross-list.  For departments outside of LAS please obtain department and college approval.
4. Course Fees: To add or revise a course fee, please review the Provost Guidelines on course fees

For suggestions for preparation of the Course Outline Form please consult the Provost guidelines

For complete and expeditious consideration of REVISED courses, please submit the Course Revision Form

LAS C&C meets every two weeks throughout the academic year to review course proposals. The Committee looks at issues such as level of instruction, methods of assessment and evaluation, and possible course overlap. If the Committee has any questions about the course we contact the department for clarification. Normal turn-around time for complete proposals is 30 to 40 days from receipt.

• 100-, 200- and 300-level courses are forwarded by LAS directly to the Office of the Provost.
• 400-and 500-level courses are forwarded from LAS to the Graduate College, where they are reviewed to authorize them for graduate credit. This process is explained on the Graduate College website. Once they are approved by the Graduate College, 400- and 500-level courses are forwarded to the Provost’s Office.

The Office of the Provost is responsible for listing the course in the Course Catalog and the master list for Schedule, and will send final notification of approval via email.

Approval Process for Curricula in the College of LAS

We recommend that departments contact the Dean’s Office prior to submitting proposals for new or revised curricula. The following Guideline Documents will help:

• LAS Science and Letters Curriculum Guidelines for Majors
• LAS Policy Statement Defining Majors and Specialized Curricula
• LAS Guidelines for Minors
• Guidelines for Restriction of Numbers of Majors when necessary for Overenrolled Units
• LAS Guidelines for Awarding Multiple Majors and Minors
• Guidelines for Graduate Minors
• Guidelines for Graduate Concentrations

All curricular proposals must follow the submission guidelines issued by the Office of the Provost. All proposals must be in “Senate Format”. All undergraduate minors must use the Minor Senate Form

A summary sheet comparing the old and new programs and a demonstration of how the program will be implemented by existing faculty within the unit will expedite the review.

Departments should forward draft proposals to the LAS Office for review prior to formal submission. Teaching curricula must be approved by the appropriate Teacher Education Area Committee prior to review by LAS Courses and Curricula. LAS Courses and Curricula evaluates proposals on their academic merits. The LAS Academic Affairs Council receive their recommendations and further evaluate proposals for any fiscal implications. Proposals are then submitted to the LAS Executive Committee for approval.

Teaching curricula must be reviewed by the Council on Teacher Education, and graduate programs must be reviewed by the Graduate College prior to their evaluation by Educational Policy.

Visit the Provost website for an outline of the next levels of review. For most new curricula this would be: 

1. Senate Educational Policy Committee. 
2. University of Illinois Senate.
3. University Senates Conference. 
4. University of Illinois Board of Trustees. 
5. Illinois Board of Higher Education (additional documents required).

For more information on any of these procedures, please contact Ann Mester, Associate Dean, LAS, 294 Lincoln Hall, MC-448, 333-6622; mester@uiuc.edu