1. How do I open and fill out the course approval form?

Opening the form in Acrobat Reader should allow you to fill out the form online and print it out. If you have Acrobat Writer, you can save a copy of the form to your own computer. You may also just print out the form and type it. There is no Word version of the form at this time.

2. Tips on filling out the course approval form

• Use the Remarks section to explain what you are requesting, if it isn’t clear. If you need more room, attach a memo. Anything that makes it easier for COCI to understand your request will expedite the course approval process.
• Be consistent. If the course approval form says one thing and the syllabus says another, COCI will notice and follow up. This will delay approval of your course.
• For new courses, and any substantial changes to existing courses, include a complete syllabus that includes a weekly schedule, a reading list, a list of course requirements (e.g., homework, papers,) and the relative weight of each requirement toward the final grade.
• For a new course, fill out every field. Make sure you check the box(es) for the duration of the course, and the instructional format (e.g., 15 weeks - 3 hrs LEC per week). Make sure you check a box for each change you are requesting (e.g. change unit value, change prerequisite, etc.).
• The form has a relatively new field: Estimated Total Number of Required Hours of Student Work Per Week. Senate Regulation 760 states that “the value of a course in units shall be reckoned at the rate of one unit for three hours’ work per week per term on the part of a student, or the equivalent.” If the work hours and unit value do not correspond, the instructor should justify the discrepancy. Fill this out for each term or session (Fall/Spring 15-week; Summer six-week, eight-week, or ten-week) in which the course will be offered.
• For a withdrawal, you can just fill out the course department, number, and title, and mark the withdrawal box. Be sure to indicate the term and year the course was last offered.

3. Do I have to fill out a course approval form?

• You don’t have to fill out a course approval form if you just want to change the term the course is offered (e.g., Spring instead of Fall), the instructor teaching the course, or to correct typos. Instead, send your changes to sumei@berkeley.edu.
• If you want to make the same change to a large number of courses, explain what you want to do in a memo, and list each course to be changed. The department chair or dean’s signature is still required.
• If you want to “prune” a course, just send an email to sumei@berkeley.edu. A pruned course does not show up in the online Catalog, but it is still an active course and can be taught. Pruning is different from withdrawing a course. The only way to “unprune” a course is to teach it.
• If you want to create a Summer version of a course that will be identical to an already approved Fall or Spring term version (identical in title, description, instructional format, and unit value), you do not have to fill out a course approval form. Send an email to Karen Denton at kjed@berkeley.edu. Indicate which course and which session(s) it is to be offered. You must show that the number of total contact hours will be equal to or slightly greater than the total number of contact hours for the regular term.

4. What do I do with the course approval form?

Do not send it to the Academic Senate. Send two copies of the form (only one copy of the supporting material) to Karen Denton, Office of the Registrar, 124 Sproul # 5404. Karen must have the forms at least one month before the end of the term preceding the term in which the course is to be taught. The Classroom Scheduling Office may have earlier deadlines.

5. Then what happens?

Office of the Registrar staff will enter the data into a database. The database record and the paper forms will be forwarded to the Academic Senate. COCI staff will do an initial review and let you know if something is missing or does not conform to regulations and procedures. COCI subcommittees (Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences) meet to review courses. If they have questions or need more information, COCI staff will contact you. If the subcommittee members agree that the course conforms to regulations and procedures, they will recommend it for approval by the full committee. At its next biweekly meeting, COCI will vote to approve the course. After the meeting, COCI staff will approve courses on the COURSE system and a group email notification will be sent. At this point, you can check on COURSE to see if your course has been approved.

6. What if my course still hasn’t been approved, and it’s been a long time?

First look at the list of actions on the COURSE system. This will give you an idea of where the course is in the approval process. Review your email messages and check with others in your department who may have received a message from COCI requesting more information or clarification about the course. If you don’t find anything, feel free to ask COCI staff. There may have been a delay or a miscommunication. COCI staff can let you know the status of the course.

7. How do I change a course number?

If you want to change a course number, you must withdraw the old course. Use separate forms for the withdrawal and for the number change. Course numbers cannot be reused until they have been inactive for at least three years for undergraduate courses and five years for graduate courses.

8. What about 98 and 198 courses (Directed Group Study/Student-Facilitated “DeCal courses”)?

Departments must have a 98 and/or 198 approved by COCI before they can offer group study courses, and the sponsoring department must approve and supervise the content of individual sections of Special Studies courses. For student-facilitated courses, the Special Studies Course Proposal Form, available on the Special Studies website, should be used. One copy of the form, with all fields filled out and all signatures present, with syllabus attached, must be turned in to the Senate. Either the student course facilitator or the department may deliver or mail the form and syllabus, which are due one month before the end of instruction in the preceding semester (or summer).