Propose an Independent Doctoral Program
Proposal Template
There are many things to consider when proposing a new independent doctoral program. The CSU offers a number of resources to consider when developing a new doctoral program, including a planning guide. Further instructions about independent doctoral programs will be provided from the Chancellor's Office in the near future.
In addition, the College of Graduate Studies has developed a template containing sets of questions to help faculty who are interested in proposing a new program better understand the requirements.
If you are an interested SDSU faculty member, please work with your chair/director as they will need to complete the Google form.
Process for Approval
After working with faculty, chairs/directors, and the academic college that will house the proposed program, program sponsors must submit a “New Proposal Intent” form. The CSU Board of Trustees must approve new program intentions before any program is approved. While it is possible for a program to be reviewed by the Board of Trustees before, after, or concurrent with the campus shared governance process, the program cannot be launched and will not be approved by the Chancellor’s Office without Board of Trustees approval.
Proposals approved to move forward must go through SDSU’s shared governance process. This process is outlined on SDSU’s Curriculum Guide. We suggest also reviewing the process for New Graduate Degree Proposals as well as the Graduate Curriculum Committee’s Curriculog Proposal Checklist for further guidance. In addition to approval through SDSU’s shared governance process, new degree programs must be approved by the Board of Trustees (as noted earlier), WSCUC, the CSU Chancellor’s Office, and the UC before it is launched.
Prior to submission of the preliminary proposal via the Google Form, the following pieces of information will be needed:
- Overview of the program
- Letters of support (workforce) and Academic dean(s)
- Workforce data
- Information on possible duplicative programs in the UCs
- Program and student support
- Identification of core faculty for the program
The CSU Office of the Chancellor is currently developing the documentation for the steps needed to submit new degree proposals for independent doctoral programs. Thus, additional information regarding the approval timeline will be provided by the Chancellor’s Office at a later date.