Approval Process: New Undergraduate and Graduate Programs | Inactivation/Termination of a Program, Minor, Concentration or Certificate
New programs approved by ACHE and the UA Board of Trustees are required to complete a Post Implementation report 7 years after implementation. Programs have to report on four conditions: enrollments, program graduates, employment information, and assessment of student learning outcomes. New programs must report an average number of new students per year and an average number of graduates (for the years since students began graduating from the program), and these numbers must meet the program vitality (viability) thresholds set by the state as outlined in the Alabama Administrative Code. The program vitality numbers are listed below. Below is a link for the ACHE Post-Implementation Reporting Guidance.
Existing programs also must meet the program vitality numbers. For existing programs, program vitality is the average number of graduates over the past 5 years.
Program Vitality Numbers
| Degree Level | Number of Graduates per Year | Number of New Students per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Baccalaureate | 7.5 | 9.4 |
| Masters | 3.75 | 4.7 |
| Education Specialist | 3.0 | 3.75 |
| Terminal sub-doctoral degree (ex. MFA) | 3.0 | 3.75 |
| Doctorate | 2.25 | 2.8 |
Additional Conditions: As appropriate to the specific program of study, the Commission may require additional post-implementation conditions, such as the following:
- Programs with discipline-specific accreditation may be required to show progress toward specialized accreditation as a post-implementation condition of approval.
- Programs leading to professional licensure will be required to report steps to be taken to optimize exam pass rates and the licensure pass rate as a post-implementation condition of approval.
- In the case that the proposed program of study is likely to reduce new enrollments or graduates from an existing program of study, such as when an option within an existing program becomes a standalone program, the Commission may require that the existing program continue to maintain vitality in terms of the average annual number of graduates.