Office of the Provost

Graduate Major Proposals

This guidance describes the steps required to launch a Graduate Major proposal originating from Purdue West Lafayette for University approvals. Please see Purdue Fort Wayne or Purdue Northwest guidance for proposals originating from these campuses, or reach out to campus contacts.

A Graduate Major proposal may be hosted under a master’s or doctoral degree program. New major proposals must comply with the Graduate School major policy. The Graduate School includes a policy on the differentiate needed for majors. Typically, majors share the identical Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code as their host degree program. Lists of existing majors can be found on the Office of the Registrar Active Curriculum Reports website.

Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis once they enter the workflow. Time to complete indicates the typical completion timeframe from proposal launch to completion in workflow. Some proposals may complete faster, while others may need more time based on when they are launched. Please see Key Planning Considerations below.

New Graduate Major

Time to Complete: 90-120 days (15-30 days of this are estimated to complete external review and approval steps)

New majors require full review by the Graduate Council and often require approval by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) depending on their alignment with the existing host degree program. Greater variance from the host degree generally means more review. Preview requirements in Curriculog or use this printable checklist.

  • Complete home college steps and have approval to advance your proposal from your Department Head.
  • If the major will be offered at Indianapolis, please see Purdue University in Indianapolis steps to ensure timely review.
  • Complete the New Major proposal in Curriculog.
  • The default for new majors is to align with the host degree (e.g. modality, CIP, credit hours). If this is not the case, Custom Consultation is recommended before proceeding as external approvals may be required. The following require external approval by ICHE and/or the Higher Learning Commission (HLC):
    • Adding a modality not currently part of the host degree program
    • Selecting a new CIP
    • Different credits hours to complete the major than current degree
    • Changes in location

Key Planning Considerations

  • The Graduate Council generally meets seven times per year (September – November and January – April). The proposal must arrive at the Graduate Council step in workflow at least two weeks before the scheduled Council meeting to be considered for the agenda.
  • The ICHE  Academic Affairs & Quality Committee meets monthly, except in December.
  • Following state approvals, new programs are screened by the HLC to determine if any additional approvals may be required (uncommon).

Tips

  • A distinct CIP from the host degree undergoes strict scrutiny. A strong curricular rationale is required. If an alternative CIP is sought, here are resources:
Existing Graduate Major

Time to Complete: 45 days (15-30 days of this are estimated to complete external review and approval steps)

Actions to existing graduate majors include revisions, suspension, or expiration. Guidance for suspend/expire (PDF) or adding online to an existing program are available. The Graduate School conducts the review.

The following require external approval by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) and/or Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to the host degree program:

  • Changes to modality
  • Change in location
  • Change to CIP
  • Change in credit hours
  • Name change
  • Curricular changes of 25% or more to the existing program
  • Suspension
  • Expiration

Key Planning Considerations

  • The ICHE  Academic Affairs & Quality Committee meets monthly, except in December.
  • Following state approvals, changes to existing programs may be screened by the HLC to determine if any additional approvals are required (uncommon).

Tips

  • Suspension is designed to “turn off the valve” for admissions so that a college can begin the teach out process. Suspended programs may be reinstated.
  • Expiration should be used only once all students eligible for teach out have completed the program. Expired programs cannot be reinstated.

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