Graduate Degree Proposal Review

Timeline for review

Proposers of a new degree program must have their proposal submitted to the Graduate Council by October 1 of the academic year prior to the one in which they wish to matriculate students, but are strongly encouraged to submit by early September. Starting in 2017, the deadline will be on the second Monday of September. To meet this deadline, proposers should submit their proposal to Graduate Division by July 1 at the latest. Graduate Division will work with proposers to ensure that the proposal includes the required information and that the appropriate approvals have been given. Once this is done, Graduate Division will forward the proposal to the GC. 

The GC will identify a subcommittee to review the proposal prior to consideration by the full committee. After the initial discussion by the GC, the GC chair will follow up with proposers if members have questions and provide a deadline for receipt of a response so that the GC can continue discussion at its next meeting. It usually takes the GC one to two meetings to approve a proposal. It is possible, though, that it could take longer. It is also important to note that neither the GC nor other Senate committees meet during the winter break or summer.

Once the GC endorses the proposal, it will be forwarded to the Divisional Council (DIVCO) for final review by the Berkeley Division. DIVCO will send the proposal to the Committee on Budget and Interdepartmental Relations (BIR) and the Committee on Educational Policy (CEP) for comment.* DIVCO then considers the proposal, along with the comments from the GC, BIR, and CEP. DIVCO may have additional questions for proposers. It usually takes DIVCO one to two months to approve a proposal (this includes consultation with BIR and CEP).

Once DIVCO approves the proposal, it will be forwarded to the vice provost for the faculty (VPF) for final campus review. Once the VPF approves the proposal, it will be forwarded to the Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs, the systemwide counterpart to the GC, for review.

Degree proposals in which 50% or more of the program is delivered in an online format will need to go through substantive change review by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) after campus review is completed.

Please contact Senate Associate Director Sumei Quiggle  if you have questions about the Senate review process.

Proposal Status

The table below summarizes the status of graduate degree proposals submitted to the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate during the current academic year.

* Note: the Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs requires that the Committee on Academic Planning and Resource Allocation (CAPRA) review self-supporting degree proposals. CAPRA review will occur concurrently with Graduate Council review.

  • GC: Graduate Council

  • BIR: Budget and Interdepartmental Relations

  • CEP: Committee on Educational Policy

  • DIVCO: Divisional Council

Name of Proposal

Submitted 
to GC 

First GC meeting discussion

Forwarded to BIR and CEP

First DIVCO meeting discussion

(Name)

Information about the campus review process

Other Resources

Questions? Contact Associate Director Sumei Quiggle.