The Graduate Curriculum Committee reviews and approves proposals for new courses and programs, and for changes to existing courses and programs. It also oversees the multidisciplinary PhD and recommends general policy changes related to courses and curriculum to the Graduate Faculty Committee.
Meeting Schedule – 2025-2026
Meetings are held Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams
| Date | Proposals Due * |
|---|---|
| August 27, 2025 | Committee Orientation Only |
| September 10, 2025 | August 20, 2025 |
| October 1, 2025 | September 10, 2025 |
| November 5, 2025 | October 15, 2025 |
| December 3, 2025 | November 12, 2025 |
| February 4, 2026 | January 14, 2026 |
| March 4, 2026 | February 11, 2026 |
| April 1, 2026 | March 11, 2026 |
| April 22, 2026 | April 1, 2026 |
| May 6, 2026 | 2025-2026 Academic Semester Wrap Up Meeting |
Agendas
Minutes
Syllabus Requirements for Courses Offering Graduate Credit
If specific information is not available at the time the syllabus is submitted for review, a placeholder field should still be present.
Based primarily on the following UWM faculty documents, the GCC requires each syllabus submitted for review to contain the elements specified in the table below.
- Uniform Syllabus Policy (Faculty Doc. 1895R6) (PDF)
- Requirements for Graduate Credit in Graduate Level Courses and Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Level Courses (Faculty Doc. 3196R1/GFC Doc. 916) (PDF)
- UWM Credit Hour Policy (Faculty Doc. 2838) (PDF)
- Final Examinations Policy (SAAP 1-9) (PDF)
Requirements for All Syllabi
Class Information
Class Information consists of a description of a class and other essential information.
| Requirement | Relevant Document |
|---|---|
| The following information is required for all classes: Course title and number. Class meeting times and location(s). Instructors’ and teaching assistants’ names. Instructors’ and teaching assistants’ e-mail addresses and/or phone numbers. Short description of course objectives that may include the catalog description. Required and recommended readings, with full citations. | FD 1895R6 (PDF) |
| Grading policies, including the weight given to each graded component. | FD 3196R1 / GFC 916 (PDF) |
| A chronology of topics, including approximate due dates and exam dates, including the final examination date and time. | SAAP 1-9 (PDF) |
| Specific information on the investment of time by the average student necessary to achieve the learning goals of the course in accordance with the campus credit-hour policy. | FD 2838 (PDF) |
| The following information is required for classes where it is applicable: Section number of class. Instructors’ and teaching assistants’ preferred names-in-use. Source of each reading, if not a textbook to be purchased at the bookstore. Special out-of-class requirements (computers, software, field trips, etc.). Attendance requirements. Saftey policies, with reference to risk management issues when appropriate. Assignment policies (late penalties, scope, size, etc.). The following information is recommended: Prerequisites. Special skills required of students beyond the formal prerequisites. Additional information on grading (scales, expectations, etc.). Specific due date for assignments. Examination dates. Make-up and incomplete policies (Refer to B. Departmental Policies below). Instructors’ and teaching assistants’ pronouns-in-use. Use of non-binary nouns and pronouns for students (e.g. “they,” “them,” “their”) throughout syllabus. | FD 1895R6 (PDF) |
SAAP = Selected Academic & Administrative Policy
GFC = Graduate Faculty Committee Document
Departmental Policies
Each syllabus should contain links (or the URL addresses) for the following kinds of policies unique to the culture and practice of the department:
- Courses for which final examination are not mandatory. and
- Any other standing policies that can affect the conduct of a course (attendance, incompletes, safety, fees, etc.). Department may wish to provide their faculty a sample syllabus or even a template syllabus for lecture and lab courses to ensure that information crucial to conduct of classes they offer is consistent. Faculty and instructors should be provided all syllabus guidelines prior to each semester.
University Policies
Each syllabus will provide a link to university syllabus link policies.
Additional Requirements
Undergraduate Courses
Per Faculty Document 3196R1 (GFC 916) (PDF)
Coursework assigned exclusively to graduate students that accounts for at least a third of their grade. (This can be reflected in different qualitative expectations in completing assignments that are similar to those given to undergraduates. The specific expectations must be stated in the syllabus.) Examples of appropriate learning opportunities for graduate students include: Weekly or bi-weekly meetings with graduates students outside of scheduled class time. Holding regularly scheduled Web-based discussions among the graduate students. Requiring graduate students to critically analyze current literature in the field. Having graduate students lead class discussions or give a presentation. Having graduate students complete a more complicated or sophisticated design or laboratory project. Writing a substantial research paper.
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.
Online/Hybrid Courses
- Clear statement that the course is online or blended. If blended/hybrid, state which aspects are online, and which are face-to-face.
- Specification of course interactions:
- Between the instructor and students (e.g., email, CANVAS discussion, phone, Skype, voiceover slides, etc.).
- Between students, for any asynchronous or synchronous discussions (e.g., CANVAS, Skype, social media site, etc.).
- Between the students and the course content (e.g., CANVAS discussion, UWM or external Websites, etc.).
- Minimum technical requirements, e.g., computer configuration, any necessary hardware or software.
- Listing or description of the necessary computer skills for success in the course.
- Contact information for technical help:
Variable Topics Courses
Include complete information for one subtitle as outlined above, and identify (list) two other potential subtitles.
Group Activities
If groups are used for activities, a description of how individuals and/or groups will be assessed.