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Graduate Degree Programs

The procedures for new graduate degree program development involve two major steps incorporating contact with SUNY System Administration. An initial concept document, the Letter of Intent, is developed and considered on-campus and, upon support, is transmitted to SUNY System Administration and all other SUNY graduate degree granting units for potential comment. When a Letter of Intent is approved by SUNY, the campus proceeds to develop a Full Program Proposal for consideration. During the development process for the Full Program Proposal, an external review and report is required. The external review report is considered advisory to the campus, SUNY System Administration and the NYS Education Department. Content requirements and off-campus transmittal procedures for both the Letter of Intent and the Full Program Proposal are prescribed by SUNY and detailed in the SUNY System document Guidelines for the Submission of Graduate Academic Program Proposals.
 

Step-by-step procedures – Approvals implied at all steps

  1. Concept for a new program is vetted with the Dean and Provost.
  2. Upon approval and funding authorization by the Provost, a Letter of Intent (LOI) is prepared according to SUNY Guidelines using Form 1B at SUNY Forms for Academic Program Planning, along with a University at Albany Campus Impact Form (CIF). These documents are directed from the originating department or committee to the school or college dean.
  3. The school/college dean endorses the LOI and CIF and transmits it to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will examine the LOI and CIF for completeness and, if so, forward the documents to the University Planning and Policy Council (UPPC). 
  4. The UPPC shall consider the LOI and CIF in regard to (a) harmony with campus mission and (b) resource implications.
  5. Upon approval by UPPC and continuing administrative support, the LOI is prepared for transmittal by the Graduate School and transmitted by the UAlbany Provost or President to the SUNY System Provost, for distribution to all SUNY graduate degree granting campuses for comment and System Administration consideration thereafter.
  6. SUNY notice of LOI approval will be sent to the campus President. The President’s staff will forward such notice of authorization to develop a Full Program Proposal to the Provost. The Provost’s Office will notify the Graduate Dean who will, in turn, notify the school/college dean and initiating department of authorization to proceed.
  7. The initiating department or committee shall develop the Full Program Proposal accordingly to SUNY Guidelines using Form 2B at SUNY Forms for Academic Program Planning and forward such to the school/college dean for consideration.
  8. The initiating department or committee shall identify a roster of potential external reviewers, typically external to the State, and advance this roster to the Graduate Dean for vetting with staff at SUNY System Administration and, for doctoral programs, with the State Education Department.
  9. Upon notice of agreement regarding potential external program reviewers from SUNY, the Graduate Dean, working in conjunction with proponents from the initiating department, shall arrange for a site visit by an external review team. The Full Program Proposal draft will be sent by the Graduate Dean to the reviewers in advance of the site visit, along with the template for the preparation of an external review report, as detailed in the SUNY Guidelines.
  10. The initiating department will host the site visit. Financial underwriting for the site visit should be worked out with the school or college dean. Following the site visit, the reviewers shall forward an External Review Report to the Graduate Dean, who will share it with the initiating department and dean, asking that it be appended to the proposal.
  11. The initiating department and dean shall craft a Response to the External Review Report and append the Response to the Full Program Proposal.
  12. The Full Program Proposal with External Review Report and Response shall be sent to the Graduate Dean for transmittal to the Graduate Academic Council (GAC) for consideration of its academic plan.
  13. The GAC and UPPC (based on its prior review of the LOI) shall introduce a bill to the University Senate for the establishment of the new graduate program.
  14. Upon Senate approval, the bill will be forwarded to the Provost and President for final campus consideration.
  15. Upon Presidential approval the Graduate Dean’s Office shall prepare correspondence to the SUNY System Provost for transmittal of the Proposal by the President or UAlbany Provost.
  16. The SUNY Provost will forward the Proposal to the NYS Education Department (SED) for consideration, final approval and registration. SED review may involve notice to other institutions in the State, affording them opportunity to comment.
  17. SED will notify the SUNY Provost upon final approval and registration. The SUNY Provost will, in turn, notify the campus President. The President’s Office will forward the approval notice to the campus Provost who will, in turn, direct it to the Graduate Dean for implementation purposes. The Graduate School will notify the school/college dean, the initiating department, and all appropriate administrative units for program activation purposes.