Guidelines for publishing curriculum content

By Kidd, Denise
2 min

Introduction

Purpose

The purpose of this guidance is to advise on where curriculum content should and should not be published. Consistency in publishing curriculum content makes degree requirements clear to students, faculty, staff, community members. Redundancy in publishing curriculum content across multiple media increases the likelihood of inconsistencies for which the university is liable.

Scope

The scope of this guidance is to cover content that should only be in the academic catalog rather than other media. Other media may be mentioned only as a contrast to the catalog. Other media include but are not limited to handbooks, printed media, electronic content, and online content.

This guidance covers curriculum content, which includes but is not limited to degree requirements, major requirements, course descriptions, degree plans, and academic policy affecting completion of degree requirements. Outside of the scope are admissions, internships, study abroad, school- and department-specific student resources, attendance policies, student organizations, and student affairs.

Audience

The intended audience for these guidelines are staff, faculty, and approved third parties who manage curriculum content in any media.

Academic catalog content guidelines

Audience

The academic catalog is the primary resource for curriculum content which serves students, faculty, staff, administrators, prospective students, community members, higher education colleagues, and accreditors.

Content types

Content that should be limited to the catalog only includes:

Degree and major requirements

  • Minimum number of credits required

  • Required courses

  • Choices for electives

Degree plans

  • Course rotation indicating when each course is offered

  • Recommended plan for courses that should be taken each semester

Course descriptions

  • Course number, title, and credits (include maximum hours where appropriate)

  • Pre-requisite or co-requisite coursework

  • Description of course content

Related content