ACD 305–13: Establishing New Course Prefixes

To provide guidelines for establishing prefixes for new courses

Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University

Distinctive course prefixes are appropriate to set off the course offerings of one university academic program from others. It is not necessary that the program constitute a formal major or minor, but the prefix should correspond to an element of ASU’s curriculum that is administered by a formal programmatic entity, which might be a department, an interdisciplinary committee, or, under unusual circumstances, a college or other unit. Responsibility for administration of courses that are listed under the prefix must be clearly established—that is, responsibility for scheduling classes, assuring the quality of the coursework, ensuring the submission of grade reports, and maintaining student records.

A request for a new prefix should be submitted in a memo of two pages or less. The request should follow the following outline:

1. Describe the reason for the request. Why, in particular, is it important that a new prefix be established? Why is it necessary that the courses be distinguished from those of other academic units?
2. Describe the curricula with which the courses offered under the new prefix are to be associated.
3. Describe the organizational unit that administers the courses listed under the new prefix.
4. List the courses that will be offered under the new prefix.

The proposal should originate from the organizational unit that will administer the new prefix. It should be approved by appropriate unit and collegiate procedures, and should be signed by the head of the originating unit and by the supervising dean.

If the prefix will be associated with graduate courses, the proposal should be forwarded to the dean of the Division of Graduate Studies, who will review the proposal and send his or her recommendation to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University. If it is anticipated that only undergraduate courses will be offered under the proposed prefix, the proposal may be sent directly to the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University.

The executive vice president and provost of the university will review the proposal and the recommendations of the graduate dean and/or supervising dean. Notice of approval or disapproval will be sent to the originating unit from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University.