Course Approval Flowchart: Streamlining Academic Curriculum Decisions

Adding or modifying courses at academic institutions involves multiple stakeholders, committees, and approval layers. Without a clear process, proposals stall, deadlines pass, and faculty frustration builds. A well-designed course approval flowchart brings transparency and efficiency to curriculum governance.

This guide covers the essential elements of course approval workflows for universities, colleges, and training organizations.

Why course approval needs a flowchart

Academic governance is deliberately deliberate. Multiple perspectives ensure curriculum quality. But without documented processes:

Proposals get lost. Faculty submit course proposals that disappear into committee backlogs. No one knows the status.

Timelines slip. A course planned for fall semester misses the catalog deadline because one committee didn't meet.

Requirements vary. Different departments interpret approval requirements differently. Some proposals are over-documented; others lack essential information.

New faculty struggle. Tenure-track faculty need to develop new courses but don't understand the approval maze.

Governance burden grows. Committee members review proposals without clear criteria, spending time on issues that should be resolved earlier.

A flowchart makes the path visible. Faculty know what's required. Committees know their role. Administration can track progress.

Types of course actions

Different actions require different approval paths:

New course proposals

Creating a course that doesn't exist:

New course number assigned
Full documentation required
All governance levels typically involved
Catalog description created

Course modifications

Changing an existing course:

Minor: Title, description, prerequisites—may require limited approval
Major: Credit hours, learning outcomes, delivery mode—fuller review needed

Course deletions

Removing a course from the catalog:

Impact analysis required
Affects programs requiring the course
May require teach-out plan

Experimental/pilot courses

Temporary courses for testing:

Simplified approval path
Limited offering period
Pathway to permanent status

Cross-listed courses

Courses offered under multiple departments:

Coordination between departments
Single course, multiple prefixes
Resource sharing agreements

Core stages of course approval

Proposal development

Faculty prepare the course proposal:

Required elements typically include:

Course title and description
Credit hours and contact hours
Learning outcomes/objectives
Prerequisite requirements
Assessment methods
Required resources (lab, equipment, etc.)
Syllabus or detailed outline
Justification/rationale

Supporting documentation:

Library resource assessment
Similar course comparison
Enrollment projections
Staffing plan
Budget implications

Department review

First level of academic review:

Department curriculum committee:

Reviews academic content
Checks alignment with program goals
Identifies resource implications
Recommends modifications

Department chair/head:

Approves resource commitment
Confirms staffing feasibility
Signs off on proposal

Decision point:

Department review → Approved?
├─ Yes → Forward to college level
├─ Revisions needed → Return to faculty
└─ Rejected → Document reasons, end process

College/School review

Broader academic perspective:

College curriculum committee:

Cross-department impact assessment
Duplication check with other programs
Alignment with college strategic plan
General education fit (if applicable)

Dean review:

Resource allocation approval
Strategic alignment confirmation
Forward recommendation

University/Institution review

Final academic governance:

Undergraduate/Graduate council:

University-wide curriculum consistency
Credit hour policy compliance
Accreditation requirement alignment
General education requirements (if applicable)

Faculty senate/Academic council:

Final faculty governance approval
Major policy considerations
Cross-institutional implications

Administrative processing

After academic approval:

Registrar's office:

Course number assignment
Catalog integration
System setup (SIS entry)
Schedule of classes entry

Other offices (as applicable):

Financial aid (credit hour verification)
Assessment office (outcome mapping)
Accreditation liaison (compliance check)

Board approval (if required)

Some institutions require:

New program approval
Significant resource commitments
Degree requirement changes

Decision points in the workflow

Is this a new course or modification?

Submission received → New course?
├─ Yes → Full proposal path
└─ No → Modification level?
         ├─ Minor → Abbreviated review
         └─ Major → Standard review path

Does this affect general education?

Course review → Gen Ed component?
├─ Yes → Gen Ed committee review → Approve?
│         ├─ Yes → Continue standard path
│         └─ No → Revision required
└─ No → Continue standard path

Are resources available?

Department review → Resources needed?
├─ New faculty line → Provost approval required
├─ New equipment → Capital budget review
├─ New space → Facilities review
└─ Existing resources → Standard path

Does this impact other programs?

College review → Cross-department impact?
├─ Yes → Affected department consultation → Agreement?
│         ├─ Yes → Continue
│         └─ No → Mediation process
└─ No → Continue standard path

Timeline considerations

Course approval has calendar constraints:

Backward planning from offering

If targeting Fall 2026 offering:

Milestone	Deadline
Catalog publication	March 2026
Registrar processing	February 2026
Faculty Senate	January 2026
College committee	November 2025
Department approval	October 2025
Proposal development	September 2025

Build your flowchart with deadline checkpoints.

Meeting schedules

Committees meet on fixed schedules:

Monthly during academic year
May not meet in summer
Submission deadlines before meetings

Missing one meeting can delay approval by a month or more.

Catalog cycles

Most institutions have annual catalog deadlines:

Miss the deadline → wait a full year
Some allow mid-year additions with restrictions

Common approval patterns

Sequential approval

Faculty → Department → College → University → Registrar

Simple but slow. Each level waits for the previous.

Parallel review (where appropriate)

Faculty → Department → ┬→ College curriculum
                       └→ Gen Ed committee (if applicable)
                       ↓
                     Merge and continue

Faster when independent reviews can happen simultaneously.

Expedited path

Faculty → Department chair → Dean → Registrar

For minor modifications or experimental courses. Skips full committee review.

Conditional approval

Committee review → Approve with conditions →
Faculty revision → Chair verification → Continue

Allows progress while addressing minor issues.

Roles and responsibilities

Faculty/Proposer

Develops complete proposal
Responds to revision requests
Presents to committees (if required)
Addresses feedback at each level

Department curriculum committee

First academic review
Content expertise
Program fit assessment
Detailed feedback

Department chair

Resource commitment
Staffing confirmation
Priority among department proposals

College curriculum committee

Cross-department perspective
Duplication prevention
College-wide standards

Dean

Resource allocation authority
Strategic alignment
Forward or return decision

University curriculum committee

Institution-wide perspective
Policy compliance
Accreditation alignment

Registrar

Technical processing
Catalog integration
System configuration

Integration with systems

Curriculum management systems

Modern institutions use software for workflow:

Curriculog, CourseLeaf, Kuali
Automated routing
Status tracking
Document management
Approval workflows

Your flowchart should align with system configuration.

Student information systems

After approval:

Course created in SIS (Banner, PeopleSoft, etc.)
Available for scheduling
Open for registration

Learning management systems

Course shells created:

Syllabus templates
Learning outcome mapping
Assessment integration

Common problems and solutions

Problem: Proposals sit without action

Cause: No tracking, committee overload Solution: Status dashboard, submission deadlines, expedited paths for minor changes

Problem: Repeated revision requests

Cause: Unclear requirements, incomplete proposals Solution: Proposal checklist, pre-submission review, templates

Problem: Committees duplicate effort

Cause: Unclear committee scope Solution: Define each committee's focus in flowchart, standardize forms

Problem: Faculty avoid the process

Cause: Too complex, too slow, uncertain outcome Solution: Simplify for minor changes, provide timeline guarantees, offer support

Problem: Last-minute submissions

Cause: Deadlines unclear, no consequences Solution: Published calendar, no exceptions policy, multi-year planning

Metrics for curriculum governance

Track process performance:

Volume metrics

Proposals submitted per term
Proposals by type (new, modification, deletion)
Proposals by department

Timing metrics

Average time at each approval level
Total cycle time (submission to catalog)
Proposals missing catalog deadline

Quality metrics

Proposals returned for revision
Revision cycles before approval
Proposals rejected (and reasons)

Workload metrics

Proposals per committee
Committee meeting frequency
Member time commitment

Building your course approval flowchart

Curriculum governance processes are often documented in faculty handbooks and committee charters. Use Flowova to create a visual workflow:

Gather governance documents: Faculty handbook, committee charters, catalog policies.
Interview key stakeholders: Department chairs, committee chairs, registrar, faculty who've navigated the process.
Map the happy path: Standard new course from proposal to catalog.
Add decision points: Where does the process branch? What triggers escalation?
Include timelines: Deadline constraints, meeting schedules, catalog cycles.
Validate with governance: Review with curriculum committee chairs. Does the flowchart match practice?
Publish and communicate: Make the flowchart available to faculty. Include on curriculum proposal forms.

The goal is a flowchart that demystifies curriculum governance—helping faculty navigate the process and committees understand their role.

Employee Onboarding Flowchart – Onboarding new staff
Change Management Flowchart – Managing organizational change
Editorial Content Review – Content approval workflows
How to Make a Flowchart – Flowchart basics