New Degree Programs
University of Hawai‘i Executive Policy E5.201, "Approval of New Academic Programs and Review of Provisional Academic Programs," governs the approval process for new academic programs. The process begins with the submittal and approval of an “Authorization to Plan (ATP).” An ATP is a request to plan a new academic program, made at the beginning of the formal planning process, before resources are committed to program planning.
Upon approval of the ATP, programs have one year to prepare and submit a formal proposal for the approval of the new academic program. Proposals must follow guidelines provided in Appendix B of E5.201. The review process for new Mānoa programs includes the following steps:
- Departmental review which assures program coherence, pedagogy, content, learning outcomes, faculty support, and quality of delivery.
- Review by appropriate unit’s program and curriculum committee and dean.
- Review by the Graduate Division (for graduate programs only).
- Review by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (OVCAA). The OVCAA coordinates the final review process. Prior to recommending approval to the Chancellor and the Board of Regents, the OVCAA will transmit the proposal for review to the Mānoa Faculty Senate. After successful review by the OVCAA, the Graduate Division (as appropriate), and the Mānoa Faculty Senate, new program proposals are submitted to the Chancellor and the Board of Regents for approval.
Proposals for new programs, at least 50% of which will be delivered via distance technologies or off-campus, must also undergo review according to the “Process of Institutional Review for Substantive Change—Distance Delivered Program, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.”