Course Approval Process

The proposal for a new common core course is subject to an elaborated process of approval, which applies to all common core course proposals, regardless of what the teaching unit is, or which common core area they are listed under.

It will firstly be reviewed and approved by the Committee on Undergraduate Core Education (CUCE) as a common core course; and then be considered by the Committee on Undergraduate Studies (CUS) for approval as an undergraduate course. Common core courses cannot be offered without the approval of CUS as an undergraduate course.

The course offering school submits the course proposal to the UCE Team of the Office of Academic Quality and Undergraduate Studies, after it is endorsed by the course offering school and concurrences from all schools are cleared. Studio art course proposals are subject to additional review by the Arts Curriculum Panel of the Division of Humanities before they are endorsed by the Division and the School.

The UCE Team then forwards the course to the relevant course review panel (CRP) for a close review. Courses that are proposed to be listed under more than one common core area will be reviewed by all relevant CRPs concerned.

The CRP undertakes in-depth review of the course proposal to ensure that its course design and content meet the general criteria for common core courses and are in line with the learning outcomes stated for the respective area. Comments from the CRP, if any, are communicated to the course offering school for consideration of revising the proposal.

Upon recommendation of the CRP, the course proposal will be submitted to the CUCE for approval as a common core course. After that, the course will be submitted to the CUS for approval as an undergraduate course.

The course approval process is summarized in the diagram below.