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The course should be a 1000- or 2000-level course. Requests for higher-level courses are strongly discouraged and must be accompanied by a justification that explains why a lower-level course cannot be substituted for the upper-level one. The course must be designed for any student to take as part of his or her general university education (as opposed to courses designed primarily for a major or specialization). Please note that the THECB strongly discourages the inclusion of upper-level courses in the core.

The course must not have any prerequisites unless there is a clear sequence of courses in the component area such as MATH 1300 and Math 2300 or CHEM 1307 and CHEM 1308. In the case of sequenced courses, both courses must be submitted together and approved concurrently. The prerequisite relationship must be stated clearly (i.e., course A must be completed before a student may enroll in course B).

Click on the How to Propose a Course menu item at the top of this screen for detailed information including sample and template syllabi.

Find courses already in the Multicultural area: 

Any changes to a Core Curriculum or Multicultural course (including course numbers, titles, content, catalog description) must be reviewed by the Core Curriculum Committee. Click on How to Change or Delete an Existing Core or Multicultural Course for detailed procedures.

Click here to see the full "Principles of Good Practice"

INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT AND COMMITMENT

Students and Student Services

1. Advertising, recruiting, and admissions materials clearly and accurately represent the distance learning course and the services available. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
2. The institution has admission/acceptance criteria in place to assess the extent to which a student has the background, knowledge and technical skills required to undertake the course or program. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
3. Course announcements and electronic catalog entries provide appropriate and accurate information for distance learning courses such as course goals (student learning outcomes), academic requirements, academic calendar, and faculty. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
4. Students should be provided with clear, complete, and timely information on the course requirements, nature of faculty/student interaction, assumptions about technological competence and skills, technical equipment requirements, availability of academic support services and financial aid resources, and costs and payment policies. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
5. The institution provides good web-based information to students about the nature of the distance learning environment and assists them in determining if they possess the skills important to succeed in distance learning. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
6. Students enrolled in distance education courses are able to use the technology employed, have the equipment necessary to succeed, and are provided assistance in the technical environment. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC, QM)
   1. The institution provides a distance learning orientation program; (C-RAC, SC)
   2. Students in distance learning programs have ready access to technology support, preferably 24/7 support; (C-RAC, SC)
   3. Students using distance learning demonstrate proficiency in the use of electronic forms of learning resources. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
7. Students have adequate access to the range of services appropriate to support the course offered through distance education. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
   1. Students in distance learning courses have adequate access to student services, including financial aid, course registration, and career and placement counseling; (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
   2. The institution provides support services to students in formats appropriate to the delivery of the distance learning course. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
8. Enrolled students have reasonable and adequate access to the range of student services and student rights appropriate to support their learning. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
   1. Student complaint processes are clearly defined and can be used electronically; (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
   2. Students in distance programs have an adequate procedure for resolving their complaints, and the institution follows its policies and procedures. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
9. Students are provided with reasonable and cost-effective ways to participate in the institution's system of student authentication. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
10. Documented procedures assure that security of personal information is protected in the conduct of assessments and evaluations and in the dissemination of results. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)

Library and Learning Resources

1. Students have access to and can effectively use appropriate library and learning resources. (SACSCOC, C-RAC, SC, QM)
2. Students using distance learning have adequate access to learning resources, including library, information resources, laboratories, equipment appropriate to academic courses or programs. (SACSCOC, C-RAC, SC, QM)

Faculty Support

1. The institution provides faculty support services and training specifically related to teaching via distance learning modalities. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
2. The institution provides adequate equipment, software, and communications access to faculty to support interaction with students, institutions, and other faculty. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
3. Policies for faculty evaluation include appropriate recognition of teaching and scholarly activities related to courses offered via distance. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)

Resources for Learning

1. The institution ensures that appropriate learning resources are available to students. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC, QM)
2. The institution evaluates the adequacy of and the cost to students for access to learning resources. (C-RAC)

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

1. The course provides for regular and substantive interaction between faculty and students, students and students, and student and content. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC, QM)
2. Academic standards and student learning for all courses offered at a distance will be the same as those for courses or programs delivered by other means at the institution where the course or program originates. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
3. Qualified faculty provide appropriate oversight of the course or program that is offered electronically. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
4. The faculty assumes primary responsibility for and exercises oversight of distance education, ensuring both the rigor of the course and the quality of instruction. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
5. The technology used is appropriate to the nature and objectives of the courses and expectations concerning the use of such technology are clearly communicated to students. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC, QM)
6. Distance education policies are clear concerning ownership of materials, faculty compensation, copyright issues, and the use of revenue derived from the creation and production of software, telecourses, or other media products. (SACSCOC, C-RAC)
7. Academic support services are appropriate and specifically related to distance education. (SACSCOC, C-RAC, SC, QM)
8. For all courses offered through distance education, the institution employs sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded. (SACSCOC, C-RAC)
9. The institution's policies on academic integrity include explicit references to online learning and are discussed during the orientation for online students. (C-RAC, QM)
10. Approval of online courses and programs follows standard processes used in the college or university. (C-RAC)
11. Online learning courses and programs are evaluated on a periodic basis. (C-RAC)
12. The course objectives show that the institution or program has knowledge of the best uses of online learning in different disciplines and settings. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
13. Courses delivered through online learning are benchmarked against face-to-face courses. (C-RAC)
14. The institution or program has established and enforces a policy on online learning course enrollments to ensure faculty capacity to work appropriately with students. (C-RAC)
15. Curriculum design and the course management system enable active faculty contribution to the learning environment. (C-RAC, QM)
16. Course structures provide schedules and support that are effective in helping online learning students persist and succeed. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC. SC)
17. Accessibility of course content and technologies required for course completion is reviewed and alternative methods for access are identified if necessary. (QM, SC)

FACULTY

1. The institution's faculty have a designated role in the design and implementation of its online learning offerings. (C-RAC)
2. An institution offering distance learning courses/programs ensures that there is a sufficient number of faculty qualified to develop, design, and teach the courses. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
3. The institution has clear criteria for evaluating faculty teaching distance education courses. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
4. Faculty who teach in distance education courses and programs receive appropriate training. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
5. Online learning faculties are carefully selected, appropriately trained, frequently evaluated, and are marked by an acceptable level of turnover. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
6. The institution's training program for online learning faculty is periodic, incorporates tested good practices in online learning pedagogy, and ensures competency with the range of software products used by the institution. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
7. Faculty are proficient and effectively supported in using the course management system. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
8. The office or persons responsible for online learning training programs are clearly identified and have the competencies to accomplish the tasks, including knowledge of the specialized resources and technical support available to support course development and delivery. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
9. Faculty members engaged in online learning share in the mission and goals of the institution and its programs and are provided the opportunities to contribute to the broader activities of the institution. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
10. Students express satisfaction with the quality of the instruction provided by online learning faculty members. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

1. Assessment of student learning follows processes used in onsite courses reflects good practice in assessment methods. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC)
2. Student course evaluations are routinely taken and an analysis of them contributes to strategies for course improvements. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
3. The institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of the academic and support services provided to students in online courses and uses the results for improvement. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
4. The institution documents its successes in implementing changes informed by its programs of assessment and evaluation. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
5. The institution sets appropriate goals for the retention/persistence of students using online learning, assesses its achievement of these goals, and uses the results for improvement. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
6. If faculty roles are distributed, the evaluation strategies ensure effective communication between faculty members who design curriculum, faculty members who interact with students, and faculty members who evaluate student learning. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
7. The institution utilizes examples of student work and student interactions among themselves and with faculty in the assessment of program learning outcomes. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)

FACILITIES AND FINANCES

1. Appropriate equipment and technical expertise required for distance education are available. (C-RAC, QM, SACSCOC, SC)
2. The institution, in making distance education courses a part of its mission, provides adequate funding for faculty, staff, services, and technological infrastructure to support the methodology. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)

ADHERENCE TO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. The institution demonstrates that the student who registers in a distance education course is the same student who participates in and completes the course and receives the credit by verifying the identity of a student who participates in class or coursework by using, at the option of the institution, methods such as (1) a secure login and pass code, (2) proctored examinations, and (3) new or other technologies and practices that are effective in verifying student identification. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
2. The institution demonstrates that it has a written procedure for protecting the privacy of students enrolled in distance education courses. (C-RAC, SACSCOC, SC)
3. The institution demonstrates that it has a written procedure distributed at the time of registration or enrollment that notifies students of any projected additional student charges associated with verification of student identity. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
4. The institution that offers distance education must ensure that it reports accurate headcount enrollment on its annual Institutional Profile submitted to the Commission. (C-RAC, SACSCOC)
5. The institution demonstrates that efforts are made to ensure compliance with federal and state accessibility requirements. (SC)
6. The institution demonstrates that efforts are made to ensure compliance with federal student financial aid requirements. (NASFAA)