Establishing External Dual Degrees
Effective April 2, 2018
The following procedure is based on the recommendations of the Substantive Change Review Team and has been reviewed by the University Courses and Curriculum Committee, the Graduate School and the Vice Chancellor and Dean of Academic and Student Affairs. The procedure will enable the university to effectively review and approve new external dual degrees and notify all interested parties, including SACSCOC and the UNC System Office.
Process for Establishing an External Dual Degree
Establishment of an external dual degree agreement must follow the instructions below. This process ensures compliance with all NC State, SACSCOC and UNC System policies and requirements related to external dual degree collaborations.
The process has four primary steps:
- Program notifies university-level curriculum coordinator prior to formal planning.
- Collaborative partners complete the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Dual Degree Partnership.
- The proposal moves forward through the campus routing identified on the External Dual Degree Routing form.
- Upon completion of campus routing, the completed documents are sent to the Provost’s Office for final approval.
External Dual Degree Programs are defined by the following criteria:
- Involve an agreement between two institutions, each offering a corresponding degree.
- Students are admitted to both institutions and to both degree programs.
- Students complete requirements for an existing degree at NC State.
- Each institution awards its own degree so that students are eligible to receive two degrees.
- For graduate programs, 50% of the credits must be taken at NC State; for undergraduate programs, 25% of credits must be taken at NC State.
- Credit is transferred to NC State from the partner institution and counts toward NC State’s degree requirements.
Note: While such programs offer the advantage that some coursework may count for each degree, the requirements for each of the two degrees must be substantially equivalent to the requirements for a student taking only one of the degrees.
Instructions for Proposing an External Dual Degree
- Prior to formal planning for dual degree collaboration, contact the university-level curricula coordinator in the Graduate School or in the Office of Undergraduate Courses and Curricula to discuss the required documentation and review timeline.
- The designated university-level contact will log the proposed degree and notify the Provost’s Office. The Office of Global Engagement should also be notified if the partner institution is outside of the United States.
- Begin formal planning and complete the MOA and other required documentation in collaboration with the partner institution.
- Have the proposing department head(s), college curriculum committee(s) and dean(s) review the completed documentation and note the date of review on the routing form.
- Send the routing form and two copies of required documentation to the Graduate School or the Office of Undergraduate Courses and Curricula, as appropriate, for campus routing, review and signatures on the MOA, as noted on the routing form.
- Upon completion of the previous campus routing and review, the Graduate School or the Office of Undergraduate Courses and Curricula will return the required documentation to the program contact to have the partner institution sign the final MOA.
- After the final MOA has been signed by the partner institution, send the required documentation to the Office of Instructional Programs for final campus routing and review and the Provost’s signature on the MOA.
- The Office of the Provost will notify the program contact when the program has received final approval.
Note: No advertising or recruiting associated with the collaborative program should occur until the dual degree agreement is approved and the UNC System Office and SACSCOC are notified. During the routing process, the Substantive Change review team will review the proposed MOA and determine if a SACSCOC notification or SACSCOC notification and approval are required. If SACSOC notification and approval are needed, the proposal must be submitted to SACSCOC (including a fully signed MOA) by July 1 for programs beginning on or after January 1 or submitted by January 1 for Programs beginning on or after July 1. There is no exception to this requirement.
Required Documentation for Proposing an External Dual Degree
- Completed Memorandum of Agreement for Dual Degree Partnership.
- If applicable, a SACSCOC Prospectus will need to be completed. The program contact will be notified by NC State’s SACSCOC liaison or Substantive Change Review Team if a prospectus is required and to coordinate the documentation needed.
- External Dual Degree Routing Form.
Periodic Review of External Dual Degree Agreements
Unless the agreement specifies a date, all external dual degree agreements will be reviewed within five years of the date of implementation and every five years thereafter.
The Graduate School, the Office of Undergraduate Courses and Curricula, and the Office of Global Engagement, as appropriate, will assist with tracking these agreements to coordinate the review process. For student registration and tracking, each program will have a subplan code and program type of dual degree in SIS.
The Office of the Provost will notify the program director when a review is required and set a due date for the materials listed in the External Dual Degree Program Review Rubric. Upon receipt of the review document, a meeting with representatives from the dual degree program, Graduate School or Division of Academic and Student Affairs (as appropriate), the appropriate college dean(s) or associate dean(s), the Substantive Change Review Team, the Office of Global Engagement, and the Office of General Counsel will be scheduled.
Whether or not a new MOA is required for renewal will be at the discretion of the Office of the Provost.
Related Documents or Information
- SACSCOC Policy and Procedures on Joint and Dual Academic Programs [pdf]
- Routing Form and Memorandum of Agreement for External Dual Degree Partnership [docx]
- External Dual Degree Program Review Rubric [docx] or [pdf]
- SACSCOC Substantive Change Prospectus (see Appendix B, page 26) [pdf]
If you have questions about this SOP or the proposal submission and review process, please contact Senior Vice Provost for Instructional Programs Helen Chen (helen.chen@ncsu.edu).