CRCS: Submit a Proposal to Change a Course in Curriculum

The Curriculum Review and Consultation System is designed to manage the submission of course and program proposals as well as facilitate the approval process electronically.

This article describes how to create and submit a proposal to change an existing Penn State course.

Access the Curriculum Review and Consultation System

To access the Curriculum Review and Consultation System:

1. Visit the CRCS home page.
2. Click the Log On button.
3. If you are not already logged on to a Penn State service using WebAccess, the WebAccess form will display. Enter your Penn State Access Account user ID (e.g., xyz123) and password.
4. Click the Login button. The Home screen will display.

Submit a Proposal to Change a Course

To submit a proposal to change a course, from the Home screen:

1. In the top left menu, under Proposals, select Create Proposal. The Create Proposal screen will display.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   Select Proposals, then Create Proposal.
2. From the Degree Level drop-down menu, select whether the course you propose to change is Graduate or Undergraduate.
3. From the Proposal Type drop-down menu, select COURSE.
4. From the Action drop-down menu, select CHANGE.
5. From the College with Curricular Responsibility drop-down menu, select the applicable college.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   For Proposal Type, select Course, and for Action, select Change.
6. Click Next. The Course Change Source Course screen will display.
7. From the Course Abbreviation drop-down menu, select the abbreviation of the course to be changed.
8. From the Course Number drop-down menu that subsequently displays, select the course number.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   Select the course abbreviation and number.
9. Click Next. The Proposal Initiator, Submitter and Curricular College Responsibility Form will display.
10. In the Principal Faculty Member(s) section under Name and User ID, enter the faculty member's user ID or name; as you begin to type, a list of suggestions from the Penn State directory will pop up, from which you can select.
    
    NOTE: To edit the name, under Action, click the pencil (edit) icon, make any necessary edit, then click Update.
11. From the College drop-down menu, select the faculty member's college.
12. If more than one person should be indicated as a principal faculty member, to the left under Action, click the Insert button to display a new row. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for that person.
13. In the Form Submitters section, by default, the Name and User ID and College information corresponds with the person who is currently logged on. It is important to mention that this information should always be representative of a faculty member; however, a staff member may complete the online forms on behalf of the faculty member.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Enter the name and college of the principal faculty member and form submitter (if different).
14. Click Next. The Course Designation screen will display.
15. The Course Abbreviation, Course Number, and Course Title will be displayed. If you are proposing any changes to this information, make any necessary edits.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Course abbreviation, number, and title can be edited.
16. Click Next. The Course Location History screen will display.
17. Review the onscreen information. The past four years of historical offerings of the course will be listed.
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Review the onscreen information.
18. Click Next. The Course Information screen will display.
19. Review and make any necessary change to the Abbreviated Title. This must be 18 characters or fewer.
20. Scroll down to the Credits section and review or complete the fields detailing the course for which the change is proposed.
    
    The following information is required:
    
    • Minimum and Maximum Credits
    • Repeatable (yes or no)
    • Total Maximum Credits (this field displays only if "yes" is selected for the Repeatable setting)
    • Effective Semester
    • Effective Year
    • Does This Course Have a Travel Component (yes or no)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Complete the fields detailing any changes to the course.
21. The Learning Attributes drop-down menu allows you to select whether the proposed course is a General Education course. Check boxes indicate applicable Additional Designations. If you propose any changes to these designations, make the necessary selections.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Make any necessary changes to Learning Attributes and Additional Designations.
22. Click Next. The Additional Course Information screen will display.
23. You may find it helpful to click the plus (+) icon next to Icon Legend and Page Help to display an explanation of the icons.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Click the plus (+) icon to display the Icon Legend and Page Help.
24. On this screen, indicate any proposed changes regarding cross-listed, prerequisite, and/or concurrent courses pertaining to the course, as follows.
    
    1. Beneath the applicable Cross-Listed Courses, Prerequisite Courses, or Concurrent Courses subheading, click the book icon to insert a course.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Click the book icon.
    2. In the form that appears, enter the Abbreviation and Number of the course. In the case of a cross-listed course, from the drop-down menu, select the College.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Enter the course abbreviation and number, and for a cross-listed course, indicate the college.
    3. If you are finished inserting courses, select the Save link; if you wish to insert another course, select the Save; Add More link.
    4. If you have inserted more than one prerequisite or concurrent course, from the Connector drop-down menu, select (AND) or (OR), as applicable.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Select the applicable connector.
    5. For multiple prerequisite or concurrent courses, to specify a logical grouping such as "students must take course X AND [course Y OR course Z]," to begin and end a grouping, click the puzzle piece icon to insert a group connector. From the drop-down menu that appears, select Begin Group, End Group, AND, or OR.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Click the puzzle piece icon to insert a group connector.
       
       In the following example of prerequisite courses, students will need to have taken ENGL 15 and either ENGL 201 or ENGL 263.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Example of designated prerequisite courses with a grouping.
25. Click Next. The Course Outline screen will display.
26. In fields 1 through 3, review and make any necessary changes to:
    
    • A brief outline or overview of the course content
    • A listing of the major topics to be covered with an approximate length of time allotted for their discussion
    • A long course description, up to 400 words. This description will be made available to students through the online Bulletin and Schedule of Courses. It must encompass all course sections at all locations over a period of time and therefore must focus on the common and durable aspects of the course.
    NOTE: You do not need to edit any information that will remain the same.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Review the course outline, listing of major topics, and long course description and edit as necessary.
27. Under item 4, indicate the faculty member(s) responsible for the development of the course. Enter the name or user ID of the person; as you begin to type, a list of suggestions from the Penn State directory will pop up, from which you can select. The person's data from the Penn State directory will appear and can be edited, if necessary.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Enter the faculty member(s) responsible for the development of the course.
28. If more than one faculty member is responsible, click the Add New Faculty Member button and repeat step 27 for that person.
29. Click Next. The Course Justification screen will display.
30. In fields 1 through 8, review and make any necessary changes to:
    
    • Instructional, Educational, and Course Objectives
    • Evaluation Methods
    • Relationship/Linkage of Course to Other Courses
    • Relationship of Course to Major, Option, Minor, or General Education
    • A description of any Special Facilities
    • Frequency of Offering and Enrollment
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Review the course justification fields and edit as necessary.
31. In step 9, Justification for Changing the Course, enter a justification for each change you are proposing making to the course, according to the onscreen guidelines.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
    Enter the justification for each change to the course.
32. If you selected General Education Learning attributes in step 18, you will now need to complete the general education requirements.
    
    1. First, identify the alignment with the general education objectives. You must select 2-3 but no more than 4 objectives.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Select the appropriate objectives.
    2. Next, answer the questions pertaining to how the course will align with the general education requirements.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Answer the questions on how the course will align with general education requirements.
    3. Under General Education Designations, make the appropriate selection from the Course Listing drop-down menu.
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       Select from the Course Listing drop-down menu.
    4. Select either the Domain(s) or Foundations that the course provides.
    5. Click Next.
33. You will now be required to select the criteria for the selected domain or foundation that adheres to and provide evidence on what components of the course will help the students achieve the criteria.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Select the appropriate criteria.
34. If any Additional Designations were selected in step 21, you will now be requested to enter evidence that the course supports the requirements. Each requirement will have its own instructions.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Enter information on the requirements in the text boxes provided.
35. Click Next. If you selected any special category that applies to an undergraduate course on the General Education Designations screen above, the General Education Special Designations screen will display with information fields for those categories you selected.
36. Enter the information in each Requirements field. You can click each subheading to view instructions.
     
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Enter requirements for general education special categories previously indicated.
37. Click Next. If you selected any special category that applies to an undergraduate course on the General Education Designations screen above, the General Education Core Competencies screen will display.
38. Enter information into the fields, following the onscreen instructions.
39. Click Next. The Review By Required Signatories screen will display.
40. Specify the Head of Department, College Representative, and Dean of the College, if not automatically filled in. In the Name or User ID field for each, enter the name or user ID of the person; as you begin to type, a list of suggestions from the Penn State directory will pop up, from which you can select. Then press the Tab key to automatically fill in the Name field.
    
    NOTE: The College Representative and Dean of the College are automatically filled in by the system; however, if there has been a change since the system was populated with this data, you can edit the information.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Specify the Head of Department, College Representative, and Dean of the College.
41. Click Next. The Consultation Request screen will display.
42. You can now send the proposal out for review. There are two different types of review:
    
    • Consultation: Consultation groups may have been created for the college pertaining to the proposed course. Those groups from whom coordination is required by the college are grayed out and cannot be unchecked. To initiate a consultation, check the box for any additional pertinent consultation group besides those already checked, then click the Submit Request For Consultation button.
      
      NOTE: By default, the request will be sent to all members of the group; however, you can optionally deselect the check box next to a name so that person will not receive a request.
      
      NOTE: If the proposal is for an undergraduate course, each party included in the consultation will be given two weeks to respond. A group/individual consultant is assumed to concur if no response is received within that time. No time limit is imposed in the case of a graduate, law, or medical course.
    • Actual approval process: The Send To Your College Proposal Administrator button is only available once all parties included in the consultation have responded to the proposal. (The faculty submitter and any staff person to whom CRCS rights have been granted to initiate the proposal will receive an email when this has been achieved.) Once you click the Send To Your College Proposal Administrator button, you will not be able to further edit the proposal.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Check the box next to the consultation group you wish to review the proposal, then click Submit Request For Consultation. Alternatively, if you are ready, click Send To Your College Proposal Administrator.

NOTE: Once the approval process has started, you will not be able to edit the information in the proposal. The information will be protected until it has been noted that a change is necessary. If you would like to make a change or reset the status of the proposal, you may contact the Faculty Senate at 814-865-5788 and a CRCS administrator will be able to help you. Some email programs may place the automated email into a recipient’s "Junk" folder. If your proposal has not been reviewed by a particular individual you may want to notify them yourself that a review is necessary.