ACCJC

Step 1: Submit a substantive change inquiry: https://accjc.org/forms/substantive-change-inquiry-form/

Tip: Email and invoice will be sent to college president once the inquiry is submitted
Application fee is $1,500

Substantive Change Application

Introduction

This section of the manual provides step-by-step instructions for completing the substantive change application. Note, ACCJC Substantive Change Application changed effective summer 2024.

Complete the fields in the template: Title of Award, Date of Inquiry, Anticipated Start Date, Institution Name and Address, ALO and Contact information. See ACCJC Application Template.

Note, institutions should complete the Substantive Change Inquiry Form if they change the title of their degree.

It is the institution’s responsibility to demonstrate the effect of a substantive change on the quality, integrity, capacity, and effectiveness of the total institution. The substantive change process requires evidence of institutional planning, resource commitment to the proposed change, and evidence that following the change, the institution continues to meet the Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards and Commission policies. References to the Accreditation Standards are intended to help provide the institution with a framework for its response, and along with the required documentation, align with federal regulations for accreditation standards[1]. Your thorough responses to the questions below and submission of required documentation will assist ACCJC in making its determination.

Describe how the baccalaureate degree is consistent with the mission of the institution (Standard 1.1). See CCCCO BDP Application:

Cycle 2: Section 22;
Cycle 3: Question 8: Program Quality and Curriculum Design
Cycle 6: Program Quality and Curriculum Design (questions 12 and 13)

Include in your response the rationale and internal approval process for the proposed program (e.g., Curriculum Committee, Academic Senate, Board of Trustees, students, advisory boards, community members, etc.).

Describe how the baccalaureate degree will be integrated into the institution’s regular review of relevant and meaningfully disaggregated data to evaluate its progress and inform plans for improvement and innovation (Standard 1.3).

Does Baccalaureate Degree have a minimum of 120 credits?

Yes

No

Is Baccalaureate Degree more than 120 credits?

Yes

No

If yes, provide justification for additional credits.

Include in your response the student learning outcomes for the baccalaureate degree.

Include program sheet for the college catalog

Consider including requirements:

A combination of lower division and upper division coursework totaling a minimum of 120 semester or 180 quarter units that are applicable to a baccalaureate degree as defined within
these guidelines.

Completion of the CSU (California State University) General Education Breadth or
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum pattern.
Completion of a minimum of 40 semester or 60 quarter units of upper division courses, including a minimum of nine semester or 14 quarter units of upper division general education.
The general education requirements are integrated and distributed to both lower and upper division courses.

Program Requirements:

Include lower division, upper division major requirements, and upper division general education

See CCCCO BDP Application:

Cycle 2: Section 22;
Cycle 3: Question 8: Program Quality and Curriculum Design
Cycle 6: Program Quality and Curriculum Design (questions 12 and 13)

Describe the upper-level general education requirements for the baccalaureate degree (Standard 2.3).

Standard I: Mission, Academic Quality and Institutional Effectiveness and Integrity

Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Support Services

Standard III: Resources

Standard IV: Leadership and Governance

SDCCD Shelly L. Hess Dean Instructional Services and Victor DeVore Dean Student Services