Online Graduate Degree Development Grant

The Provost and Office of Academic Affairs is offering a grant opportunity to help Colleges and Departments develop new online graduate degree programs, or develop additional courses to complete programs that are already underway.

The standard for review will be proposals which identify the gaps to be filled to complete an online 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. Only one proposal will be accepted from each department. Courses in the proposed degree program must be designed for online delivery, but options can also be provided to allow students to take courses in a traditional delivery format.

Any approvals for new courses, and approvals for changes of delivery format, must go through the usual course approval process. As a part of the funding agreement, an eLearning consultant will be assigned to each project to provide support in development of courses. The consultant 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.

A form on the FDIS website will allow for easy submission of the required information necessary to determine funding.

Our office anticipates awards up to $100,000, with additional funding available in exceptional cases. 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 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. Impact on enrollment and potential student success.

All questions should be directed to Tammy Hoskings, Director FDIS (thoskings@uh.edu; 832-567-5524). Proposals must be submitted by June 30th.

Submission Form:
Department Name:
Department Chair:
Email Address:
Phone:

The proposal document should include the following:

  1. Provide a summary statement for the proposed online program. Outline the curriculum and describe the plan for development and implementation of the online program, including the number of courses being developed and how many courses in the proposed program are already offered online by the department.
  2. Describe a clear and realistic timeline for completion of the program.
  3. Identify the market demand of this program, and provide data related to similar programs at other universities. Define how the department plans to identify potential students, and give the expectations for market demand for the program.
  4. Describe the required faculty support. How will the department identify faculty to develop, design, and deliver the courses in the program.
  5. Attach a statement from the dean indicating the college's support for developing this online program.