Course Policies and Guidelines

Edit an Existing Course

Edits to existing courses are developed by faculty and submitted for approval through the Curriculum Management system. See basic instructions and business process guides on using the system.

Early in the course proposal process, you should consult your department head and college curriculum chairs.

Outside of a catalog review cycle, the only edits that may be proposed to a course are:

• adding a crosslisting or
• making the prerequisite less restrictive in order to support student enrollment, or
• making a change to the modality (i.e., method(s) of delivery) of the course (proposal is required only of more than 25% of the course’s contact hours are being replaced with technology)

Propose a Course for General Education

To propose a course to meet a General Education requirement, follow the process for submitting new course proposals in the Curriculum Management system. Be sure to address the educational objectives and criteria for the relevant GE area.

Propose a Course for the United States Cultural Pluralism Requirement

To propose a course to meet the United States Cultural Pluralism (USCP) requirement, follow the process for submitting new course proposals in the Curriculum Management system. Be sure to address each of the criteria for USCP.

Propose a Course to be Taught Online

Online Teaching and Learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. It is the use of a computer-enabled environment in which students acquire skills and knowledge employing any form of electronic media content delivered on any type of platform.

Guidelines set forth in the Online Teaching and Learning Resolution was established to serve to standardize the course proposal process for all modalities (e.g., methods of delivery) while at the same time ensuring accountability and rigor in the offering of online education.

Courses may be proposed to utilize one or more modality, and instructional activities may be characterized as Synchronous (activities where both instructor and students are engaging in activities at the same time), or Asynchronous (activities where the instructor and/or some or all students engage in activities that are not necessarily occurring simultaneously). Cal Poly uses the following CSU Academic Senate approved course modality definitions to describe methods of in-person and online instruction:

• In-Person Face-to-Face Course, Traditional (FT) - Instruction occurs in person with student(s) and faculty present in the same location and time. Note. In-Person does not prohibit or limit technology-mediated instruction and may include a range of technological and online enhancements (e.g., integration of a learning management system to post the syllabus and assignments, flipped design with lecture material online to enhance active learning in the classroom, etc.). However, scheduled in-person face-to- face class sessions are not normally replaced with online activities.
• In-Person/Synchronous, Hybrid Course (HY) – A course is offered through a combination of in-person and synchronous instruction. To be considered In-Person/Synchronous hybrid, a course will meet synchronously online for roughly 25%-75% of class sessions. Note. Instruction using a blend of traditional and online methods. For this hybrid modality, at least 25% of the course activities take place online.
• In-Person/Asynchronous, Hybrid Course (HY) – A course is offered through a combination of in-person and asynchronous instruction. To be considered In-Person/Asynchronous hybrid, a course will meet asynchronously online for roughly 25%-75% of class sessions. Note. Instruction using a blend of traditional and online methods. For this hybrid modality, at least 25% of the course activities take place online.
• In-Person/Asynchronous, Local Course Online (LO) - Instruction occurs over the internet asynchronously. Scheduled face-to-face meetings MAY be required for orientation and student evaluation. Note. “Student evaluation” refers mainly to student assessments such as midterm and final exams but may also include course/instructor evaluations. For the Local Course Online modality, in-person face-to-face meetings do not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the course activities.
• Synchronous, Face-to-Face Course Online (FO) - Instruction occurs synchronously, with students and faculty present via technology at the same time (e.g., television, tele-conference, video-conference, or chat). Note. Instruction is conducted solely online in the Face-to-Face Online modality without any in-person meetings for orientation, exams, etc. In addition, 100% of the course activities take place online. The difference between Face-to-Face Online and Remote Course Online is the synchronous delivery method and the need for scheduling of set meeting times.
• Asynchronous, Remote Course Online (RO) - Instruction occurs over the Internet asynchronously. Students do not need to be on campus for any portion of coursework. Note. Instruction is conducted with students and instructors working at separate times and in different physical locations. For the RO modality, 100% of the course activities take place online. The difference between RO and FO is the asynchronous delivery method without the need for scheduling of any set meeting times.
• Synchronous/Asynchronous Hybrid, Face-to-Face Course (FO) - A course is offered through a combination of Synchronous and Asynchronous instruction. Note. Instruction is conducted solely online through a combination of Face-to-Face Online and Remote Course Online modalities without any in-person meetings for orientation, exams, etc. In addition, 100% of the course activities take place online. This method will have a portion of the instruction with a scheduled set meeting time.

New course proposals and course modifications shall specify the mode (e.g. lecture, or laboratory) and modality, which establishes the expected contact hours or their equivalent.

In courses with modalities that include online instruction (FO, LO, RO, and HY), direct faculty instruction takes the place of classroom time, and a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of direct instruction (e.g., text-based learning modules, asynchronous screencast lectures, lecture transcripts, recorded podcasts, assigned videos, faculty-mediated asynchronous or synchronous discussions, quizzes/exams, etc.). The equivalent for out-of-class work is very similar to that provided in the FT modality (e.g., assigned reading, homework problems, non-faculty mediated discussion board posts, individual/group projects, papers, service-learning, etc.). Proposals for online courses should address these credit-hour requirements, assuring that the courses in their proposed modes and modalities will entail the equivalent hours of instruction or out-of-class work.

Cal Poly faculty have the collective and exclusive responsibility for determining the pedagogies, instructional methods, and best practices most appropriate for their instructional modules, courses, and academic programs (pursuant to administrative assurance of resources).

At the department and program level, faculty with expertise in their respective disciplines are empowered to make decisions regarding the curriculum and present such decisions to the college and university levels for further review and approval. These decisions include those regarding the appropriate mode and modality for instruction.

It should be noted that courses and their accompanying modes and modalities are approved at the university level, not the faculty who propose and/or teach the courses. Departments should carefully consider those who are assigned to teach any course but particularly those within the online modalities due to the specialized skills required.

The Online Teaching and Learning proposal functionality has been added to our online Curriculum Management system. We have worked with the vendor to integrate this into the online forms to edit an existing course or propose a new course.

Additionally, faculty who are assigned to teach and/or develop courses with online modalities (FO, RO, LO, and HY) are strongly encouraged to either have prior online pedagogical experience and/or engage in appropriate training. We recommend that faculty consult with Cal Poly’s Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) and the California State University’s (CSU) Quality Assurance Program (including the 7 associated “Core 24” objectives) for the latest in professional development related to online education (applies to both initial and ongoing development of online modalities).

This policy "AS-896-20 Resolution on Online Teaching and Learning" was adopted by the Academic Senate May 19, 2020 and supersedes "AS-750-12 Resolution on eLearning Policy".

Courses Approved for Online Delivery

See a list of courses currently approved for online delivery.

Propose a Topic for a Topics Course

Courses that are taught with different topics or subtitles are referred to as "Topic Courses”. These are not to be confused with “Selected Topics Courses”. Example of a Topic Course: ENGL 439 Significant British Authors (4 units) repeatable to 12 units with different subtitle (e.g., "Jane Austen," "Victorian Poets," "Blake," "Hardy.")

“Topics Courses” allow closely related course content to reside under one generic "umbrella” title, sharing the same learning outcomes and assessment methodologies. Topics Courses are shown in the catalog with generic "umbrella" titles but are offered under specific topics in the Class Schedule. Topics courses are usually repeatable with a different topic.

Each college determines its own internal review process for Topics Courses. Please check with your dean's office. Note: the College of Liberal Arts requires dean’s approval.

For topic approval and scheduling by the Office of the Registrar, either department chair/head or associate dean (depending on the process of the College) submits the topic to Daniel Parsons, the Associate Registrar.

Topics approved at least one month prior to the start of registration for a term can become valid that term.