New Academic Review & Approval
In order to maintain and elevate the status of Howard University as a premier academic institution, it is essential that programs offered at Howard University are of the highest academic quality and provide contemporary and exceptional educational experiences to our students. Innovation for new degree, certificate, and other programs arises in response to the emergence of new disciplines or changes in existing disciplines, and they help realize the potential for new interdisciplinary movements in and across our schools.
The Office of Academic Innovation and Strategic Initiatives in collaboration with the Program Innovation Review Committee (PIRC) will work as partners to support the development of new and cutting-edge programs that will strengthen the university’s overall academic program portfolio, facilitate the utilization of best practices in the development of new program offerings, and ensure effective alignment of resources with University initiatives and priorities.
All new program proposals should be:
- Aligned with the strategic priorities
- Interdisciplinary
- Innovative in focus
- Sustainable
- Addresses a strategic Howard University academic need for on-campus and online educational experiences
New Timeline for New Academic Program Proposals
Beginning Fall 2025, the Office of the Provost will implement a new academic program proposal timeline, establishing a formalized proposal review calendar.
Letters of Intent (LOIs) will be due at the beginning of September.
The Provost will announce which LOIs are approved to advance to the formal proposal stage by mid-October.
Formal Proposals will be due by mid-November to ensure timely review by the Academic Excellence Committee Board of Trustees Meeting in March.
Click to view the timeline for new academic programs.
The Letter of Intent (LOI) is the first step of the formal proposal process and outlines the purpose, demand, and the expected resources needed to deliver the proposed new program. The LOI and the formal proposal will undergo a comprehensive review process, starting with college deans, department chairs, and the Office of Academic Innovation and Strategic Initiatives, before it is submitted to the Office of the Provost and the Program Innovation and Review Committee (PIRC) for their review.
Next Steps: Please review and complete all sections of the proposal form using the submission link below. We have also provided a video to walk-through the submission process. All proposers will be able to monitor and receive updates as their proposal advances through each phase of the review and approval process.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation prior to your submission, please reach out to the Office of Academic Innovation and Strategic Initiatives at oai@howard.edu.
Information About the Review and Approval Process
What is an Academic Program?
Academic Programs are broadly defined as educational offerings provided to any population using institutional resources (including faculty, websites, brand, space, etc.). Two other categories are (1) substantive changes to existing Academic Programs and (2) Grants, MOUs, or contracts with third parties impacting or soliciting the development or operations of Academic Programs.
Each of the following qualifies as “Academic Programs” and falls under the scope of these guidelines.
| New Program or Change | Type | Focus |
| Degree | Bachelors Doctorate | Masters Specialist |
| Certificate | Certificate Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study | Post-Bac Certificate Post-Graduate Certificat |
| Expanded Campus Learning | Athletics Conferences Continuing Education Executive Education Bridge Year Licensure | Lifelong Learning Open Enrollment Pre-College Pre-K-9 Programs Workforce Training Workshops |
| Off-Campus Programs | Affiliations Exchanges Faculty-Led Trips | Short-Term Study Abroad |
| Other Academic Programs | Centers Consulting Fellowships Volunteer Residency | Internship Post-Doc Research (Program) Clinic |
| Substantive Change | Curricular Refresh Intensive Timeline Online Adaptation Structural Refresh | New Major New Minor New Track/Concentration |
Submission of Letter of Intent
Ideas for new programs require review and approval from the Department Chair, School Curriculum Committee, Executive Committee, and School/College Dean. It is strongly recommended that each of these stakeholders are included in developing ideas for the proposed program by submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) to establish a new academic program.
Consultation with OAI and PIRC
Upon receipt of the Letter of Intent to establish a new academic program, the Office of Academic Innovation and PIRC will review the LOI and meet with the proposer to help them develop the idea, ascertain its appropriateness to Howard’s mission, conduct marketing research, have strong educational and intellectual foundations, have the potential to be financially sustainable or profitable, and do not duplicate other university programming. The proposers may need to revise their Letter of Intent based on this feedback.
Proposed New Program Strategy Meeting with PIRC
The PIRC will convene with faculty proposers to evaluate the Letters of Intent. The PIRC will recommend to the Office of the Provost which Letters of Intent to be invited for formal proposals. Once a Letter of Intent is chosen, the Office of the Provost will announce the final decisions and notify faculty proposers who will proceed to complete and submit a formal proposal.
Submission of Formal Proposal
When given the approval by the Office of the Provost, proposers should proceed to create a formal proposal in Coursedog. The PIRC will review with the proposer the specifications for the type of proposal they will be developing and provide guidance and support on the consultations, market research analysis, financial information, program evaluation, and teach-out plans.
Types of Proposal Approvals for New Programs
It is anticipated that the submission of new program proposals will enable evidence-based decisions related to program development, continuation or discontinuance, and that support strategic planning within academic units and the university at large. All such proposed programs must have been through a process of deliberation by faculty and approval of the school or college dean and governing body when they come to the PIRC for consideration.
Here are the various levels of approvals throughout the review process.
- All proposed new certificate and degree programs recommended by the PIRC must be reviewed and receive the approvals of the Office of Academic Innovation and Strategic Initiatives, the Provost and Chief Academic Officer, the President and Board of Trustee members.
- Approval from the Provost and VP Finance is considered to be conferred upon the receipt by the PIRC and all school-level participants of an email indicating approval. Note that the Provost and the VP Finance will not review the proposal until the Letter of Support and Proposal is received.
- Approval from the Board of Trustees Academic Excellence Committee is considered to be conferred upon the Office of Academic Innovation and Strategic Initiatives, upon notification of the school/college deans or, in the case of university-wide programs, the appropriate faculty director, following a positive trustee vote.
Implementation of New Programs
It is estimated that most programs will take approximately 9-10 months from submission of Letter of Intent to Establish Academic Program to final approval and approximately 24 months until the first cohort matriculates from the program.
Academic Review for New Programs
The Evaluation Plan Section of the Proposal will establish review timelines for the program for academic, business, and, in some cases, legal or other administrative functions. The PIRC will work with relevant functional areas to ensure reviews are completed on the stated timelines. Results will be reviewed with the Deans.
The next academic review process is scheduled for 3 years after the approval and implementation of a new program. Evaluation tools for the 3-year review process will be posted on the website of the Office of the Provost.