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Subcommittee on Graduate Course and Curriculum (GCC)

Formerly Graduate Curriculum Committee

GCC responsibilities include review and approval of graduate credit course proposals. See the complete Definition and Duties below.

The GCC also maintains the requirements for new undergraduate and graduate level courses.

Fall 2009 Meeting Schedule

Date	Time	Location	Proposals Due
Thursday, Oct. 1	9:30-11:00 a.m.	Mitchell 245	September 17
Thursday, Nov. 5	9:30-11:00 a.m.	Mitchell 245	October 22
Thursday, Dec. 3	9:30-11:00 a.m.	Mitchell 245	November 19

Proposals for course and program additions, changes, and deletions which are subject to action by the Graduate Course and Curriculum Subcommittee must arrive in Mitchell 243 with appropriate department and school/college approvals by the above dates.

Agendas and Minutes

Download archived meeting agendas and minutes.

--Download Agendas-- October 1 May 4 April 6 March 2 February 2 December 18 November 6 May 9 April 11 March 7 February 8 December 20 December 6 October 31 October 4 December 12 November 27 September 25 May 15 April 13 February 27 January 30 December 19 November 28 September 26 May 19 April 21 February 17 January 20 November 19 October 22 September 24 May 20 April 29 March 29 February 19 February 02 December 19 November 21 October 24 September 19

--Download Minutes-- May 14 April 23 March 26 February 26 January 25 December 12 November 27 October 24 September 25 May 15 April 13 February 27 January 30 December 19 November 28 September 26 May 19 April 21 February 17 January 20 November 19 October 22 September 24 May 20 April 29 March 29 February 19 February 02 December 19 November 21 October 24 September 19

2009-10 Roster

Name	College, School, or Department	Term Expiration
Arredondo, Patricia (ex officio)	Graduate School	--
Brondino, Michael, Chair	Social Work	2010
Ferreira, César (Fall only)	Spanish & Portuguese	2010
Gordon, Michael	History	2011
Koch, Kathleen (ex officio)	Graduate School	--
Raicu, Valerica	Physics	2012
Rodger, Gillian	Music	2012
Schwartz, Mark	Geography	2010
Wasley, Jim (Spring only)	Architecture	2010
Ying, Lei (Leslie)	Electrical Engineering	2010

Definition & Duties

The Graduate Course and Curriculum Subcommittee (GCC) has the responsibility for reviewing and approving graduate credit course proposals initiated by department or other academic units, as delegated by the Graduate Faculty Committee. It also reviews and makes recommendations regarding new graduate program proposals and program modifications to the Graduate Faculty Committee, and has the authority to bring GCC policy decisions before the Graduate Faculty Committee for discussion and action. It has the authority to identify issues affecting graduate education to be brought to the Graduate Faculty Committee for resolution, action, or advisement. It also has authority over the Multidisciplinary Committee-Directed PhD program.

The GCC reviews recommendations for modification of Graduate School regulations and requirements for student admission, continuation, graduation, Graduate Faculty credentialing, and similar issues forwarded by departments or other Graduate Faculty Committee subcommittees. It acts in an advisory capacity to the Graduate Faculty Committee, providing consultation and information on issues relating to Graduate School regulations and requirements; and it has the authority to bring motions before the Graduate Faculty Committee for discussion and action.

Membership

Four members of the Graduate Faculty Committee (GFC) appointed by the chairperson of the GFC, subject to approval by the Committee and three members of the UWM graduate faculty elected by the graduate faculty. Members of the subcommittee should reflect the range of disciplinary competencies in the University and represent the several schools and colleges insofar as the size of the subcommittee allows. The appointments each year include one graduate student, and two members appointed each year for three-year terms in order to maintain a staggered terms sequence. The chairperson of the subcommittee must be a member of the GFC and is appointed for a three-year term whenever possible to assure the continuity achieved by the staggered terms of the members of the subcommittee. The Dean of the Graduate School, or designee, serves as an ex officio member.

Functions

1. Subject to policy decisions by the Graduate Faculty Committee, the Subcommittee exercises authority delegated by the Committee in the form of exclusive review and approval jurisdiction over graduate credit course proposals initiated by departments or other academic units.
2. The GCC establishes procedures and criteria for the review and approval of graduate course proposals, including additions, modifications, and deletions. See Course Action Request Manual for further information.
3. The Subcommittee may make policy recommendations to the GFC concerning graduate education on its own initiative, at the direction of the Committee, or on request of the administration of the Graduate School.
4. The GCC reviews program modifications and new program requests and makes recommendations to the Graduate Faculty Committee.
5. Multidisciplinary Committee-Directed PhD Program. The Graduate Course and Curriculum Subcommittee reviews and makes recommendations to the GFC regarding applications for this program. The Subcommittee is to make the best judgment possible on the academic merit of the proposed multidisciplinary program. The GCC and the Dean of the Graduate School must satisfy themselves that the proposed program cannot be carried out within an established doctoral program. The GCC must further approve the membership of the student's supervisory committee, guided by considerations of the committee members' expertise in proposed areas of study and their commitment to the student's program.
6. At least biennially, the Graduate Course and Curriculum Subcommittee prepares a detailed procedure manual. All procedures followed by the GCC and approved by the Graduate Faculty Committee are included in this manual. A copy is available from the Graduate School.
7. The GCC reviews and recommends to the GFC course proposals from departments not offering graduate degree programs: proposals from departments whose graduate course offerings will not total more than 14 credits will be referred directly to the Graduate Course and Curriculum Subcommittee. Proposals for courses in existing sequences of more than 14 credits must be accompanied by a justification explaining the need for extensive graduate course offerings in the absence of an approved graduate program. Proposals involving such sequences will be reviewed by the Graduate Faculty Committee, Campus Administration and the Regents.
8. The GCC makes an annual report to the Graduate Faculty Committee. Special reports may be made at the direction of the Committee or on the initiative of the subcommittee.

(Faculty Document 2563 3/15/07)

Requirements for New Undergraduate and Graduate Level Courses

Source: Graduate Faculty Committee Document No. 916

Approved March 31, 2003

U/G course proposals must include differential requirements and their associated grading schemes for graduate and undergraduate students. (Separate syllabi for graduate and undergraduate students are recommended.)

U/G Course Proposal Form

G-only Course Proposal Form

Examples of appropriate learning opportunities for graduate students in such courses include:

• Meeting with graduate students outside of the scheduled class time
• Holding Web-based discussions among the graduate students
• Requiring graduate students to critically analyze current literature in the field
• Having graduate students lead a discussion or give a presentation
• Having graduate students complete a more complicated or sophisticated design or laboratory project
• Writing a substantial research paper

For graduate students in U/G courses, approximately 1/3 of the grade shall be based on requirements that differ from those of undergraduates.

Rationale

Courses offered for credit to both undergraduate and graduate students must be structured in ways that provide appropriate learning opportunities for both groups. Graduate students should be asked to complete course requirements that are consistent with the goals of graduate education in their chosen fields (e.g. mastery of knowledge, creative scholarship, research competence). Simply assigning different weights to the same set of requirements for undergraduate and graduate students, or requiring more pages for a paper are generally insufficient on their own as bases of differentiation.

Required Elements for New Undergraduate/Graduate (U/G) or Graduate-level-only (G) Course Proposals

New U/G and G course proposals must be accompanied by the following materials:

1. A course outline including information about
   • Content: Course description, brief list of topics to be covered, and major readings to be assigned
   • Types of skills and/or knowledge that students are expected to acquire
   • Context: explanation of the department's reasons for adding the course, how the course will fit into its curriculum, and where applicable, other curricular changes associated with the introduction of this course.
   • Requirements: exams, papers, projects, etc.
   • Grading formula
   • Format: lecture, discussion, lab, other teaching methods and learning experiences. For distance learning and hybrid courses, document how student-to-instructor, student-to-content, and student-to-student interactions will take place.
   • Variable topics courses should include complete information for one subtitle as outlined above, and two other potential subtitles should be identified.
2. A brief curriculum vita for the initial instructor providing evidence that he or she has the necessary scholarly credentials to teach the course. Those who teach combined U/G courses should be members of the graduate faculty.