New Degree Programs

Definitions & Requirements

To explore offering a new degree program, contact the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) to discuss university proposal development and review requirements. The SCHEV compliance team works with OUR to advise and coordinate the SCHEV review process.

SCHEV defines a new degree program as a curriculum leading to the award of a degree that:

Includes content in a discipline or field not currently offered by the institution
Shares fewer than 25% of its courses (excluding general education core) with an existing program
Has a unique CIP code at the degree level being proposed (a list of the university's degree programs is maintained by SCHEV)

New degree programs must:

Consist of at least:
- 120 credit hours (bachelor’s degrees)
- 30 credit hours (master’s degrees)
- 60 credit hours (Education Specialist degrees)
- 90 credit hours (doctoral degrees)
Share a common core of:
- 25% of total credit hours required for the degree, excluding general education core (bachelor’s degrees)
- 50% of total credit hours required for the degree (master’s degrees)
- 25% of total credit hours required for the degree, excluding dissertation (doctoral degrees)

New degree programs may also require review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SASCOC). For guidance on SACSCOC requirements, contact Virginia Tech’s SACSCOC accreditation team.

Review Process & Timeline

It is realistic to expect approximately two years from the start of a new degree proposal’s development to its final SCHEV decision. For estimates on SACSCOC review timelines, contact Virginia Tech’s SACSCOC accreditation team. Generally, degree programs are effective beginning in a fall semester, but there may be exceptions. Approval must be received prior to advertising or marketing a new degree program.

Step	Notes
Proposal development	The SCHEV proposal document for a new degree program should be completed prior to submission to the 15-day review process; proposal development typically lasts 6-12 months, depending on proposal complexity
Academic governance review: Institutional Planning Committee Department Committee 15-day review (period in which the university community can access proposals and provide comments) College Committee President’s Office Board of Visitors	Contact OUR for more information
Review by SCHEV	SCHEV accepts new degree program proposals for review twice a year; contact us for more information
Review by SACSCOC	Process dependent on the nature of the proposal; contact Virginia Tech’s SACSCOC accreditation team for more information