The Office of the Provost welcomes proposals from Colleges and Departments interested in developing new online degree programs (must be approved before proposal submission, see below), or developing additional courses to complete programs that are already underway.  Courses may be delivered in hybrid or online format.

The standard for review will be proposals which identify the gaps to be filled to complete an online or hybrid degree, show a need and market to be served, and offer a plan for sustainability and projected growth in the online environment.

Submissions must be made by the Department Chair, with a letter of support from the College Dean. Courses in the proposed degree program must be designed for either hybrid or online delivery.

Any approvals for new courses, and approvals for changes of delivery format, must go through the usual course approval process. There is no paperwork that needs to be completed to begin offering an existing course as an online or hybrid course.

As a part of the funding agreement, an Instructional Designer (ID) may be assigned to each project to provide support in development of courses. If your college has an ID staff, then the department can designate an Instructional Designer in their college. The ID will assure that each course meets the standards of compliance as set forth by SACS and the THECB, and assist the department in meeting the standards of their traditional course offerings. University support will be provided to faculty to help guarantee excellence in format and delivery.

The Office of the Provost will consider proposals up to $100,000, with awards based upon merit and funding availability.  

Each proposal will be reviewed for:

1. Realistic timelines for completion.
2. Program sustainability.
3. Marketability of the program. Proposals should include data associated with online and hybrid offerings from other universities.
4. Commitment from the department and college to recruit and mentor students enrolled in the program, and provide a clearly defined schedule of course offerings.
5. Budget clarity.
6. Accessibility plan to address how to deliver materials to students with disabilities who may or may not request CSD accommodations. 
7. Impact on enrollment and potential student success.

All questions should be directed to Dr. Teresa Acosta, Director FDIS (tyacosta@uh.edu; 832-842-2142). 

Proposal Submission Process:

For the submission form (red button at the top of this page), please complete the fields and upload the required attachments.

 Proposal Document:

• A summary statement for the proposed online program.
• An outline of the curriculum and description of the plan for development and implementation of the program. This information should include the number of courses being developed, and the number of courses in the proposed program that are already offered online or in hybrid format by the department. Accessibility of course materials for students with disabilities should also be addressed.
• A clear and realistic development and launch timeline.
• The market demand of this program, and data related to similar programs at other universities.
• A description of how the department plans to identify and market to potential students.
• A listing of faculty and staff who will develop, design, and deliver the courses in the program, and the qualifications of those individuals.

Budget:

• The budget should include a thorough justification for proposed expenditures. 
• Fringe benefits should be included for the salaries.
• Food and beverages will not be approved.

 Dean's Support Letter:

• This should be a signed letter from the Office of the Dean of the College acknowledging the submission and support of the program. Please allow time for securing this letter since we cannot review the proposal without the Dean's approval.