Petition for Change in Nomenclature for a Degree Program
Name and address of institution requesting this change:Name, title, email address, and phone number of person completing this petition:
The ATS Commission on Accrediting’s (“Commission”)Educational Standard (section ES.1.1.3) states: “Schools shall follow the recommended nomenclature for all Board-approved degree programs. In cases where governmental licensing, charter requirements, or institutional federation agreements preclude use of recommended nomenclature, the Board will consider alternate degree nomenclature . . .”
In light of this Educational Standard and in light of the fact that the Commission approves all degree programs and lists those degrees by name in its official records, any school that desires to change the name of an already-approved degree program must petition for approval.The petition need only address the following threequestions.The school is reminded that it is also responsible for updating and/or seeking authorization from any other agencies (e.g., state/provincial/regional/federal) for this kind of change, if such updating or authorization is required from any other agencies.
1.What is the current name of the degree program, and what new name is being proposed, including which Degree Program Standard is involved?Current name of degree program:
New name of degree program:
Degree Program Standard involved (e.g., A, B, C, etc.)1:
2.Why is this name change being proposed?3.Will this name change involve any other minor changes?[1]
If yes, please describe those changes, such as rewording of some student learning outcomes, minor course title changes, and so forth.
Approval of any petition for change is effective with the date specified in the official action. Such approval expects the change will be implemented within a year of that approval date. If the change cannot be implemented within that time frame, the school must submit a satisfactory explanation for the delay and a modified time line for implementation. Absent implementation of the change or granting a request for additional time, the approval will expire one year after the initial grant date. In such cases, the school would need to submit a new petition seeking permission to implement the change after that one-year period. In addition, any contingency attached to an approved petition must be satisfied before the change can be implemented, typically within a year, unless the school provides a satisfactory explanation for the delay and additional time is granted.
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[1] If the changes are not minor but substantive or alter how this program would be classified under the Degree Program Standards (see ES.1.2, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5), then the school must petition for a new or revised degree program (see Appendix 3 of the Board Policy Manual for guidelines on petitioning for change). If there are any questions or concerns, please consult with the school’s ATS Commission staff liaison for clarification.