New Courses

Submit the ***Course - New approval process. View Submit a Proposal in Curriculum for help in initiating the proposal. Attach syllabi using an Accessible Syllabus Template or Concourse Template. 

• Creating new course as an elective in a new or existing program

• Creating new course as a required component of a new or existing program (must also submit (new program proposal or program revision)

• To certify as General Education:

  1. 1. Complete the section "Certify as GE Course".

     2. Attach a course syllabus that demonstrate how the course addresses GE Area Learning Outcomes directly and substantively, refer to page 9 of the General Education Guidelines (2014) [pdf].

     3. Will be routed to General Education Advisory Committee (GEAC) per University Policy F15-13 [pdf].

     4. Courses are re-certified during the Program Planning process (per University Policy S14-5 [pdf] [pdf])

(Visit General Education wepage for more information. Also, view the GE Guidelines Fall 2025 [pdf] document). 

• To add Sub-Topics: EO 1037 has eliminated repeatability from courses unless the student's grade is C- or below (undergraduate). To address the need for repeating some courses, departments should set up courses to be topic-based. Topic-based courses usually have titles such as “Special Topics in…” or “Topics in…”. When a department proposes topic-based courses, they submit a series of topics to be used in scheduling; the scheduled topic then appears on the student’s transcript.

• To Tag as High Impact Practice (HIPs): This tag is at the Peoplesoft course catalog level (instead of course schedule section level), which means all sections must require/include this practice/activity. SJSU High Impact Practice definitions follow the definitions outlined by AACU. HIP tags allow the university to track these types of practice/activities for grants and other reporting opportunities.The following HIP tags are available:

  • • In Class Activity Only: Collaborative Assignments and Projects, Intellectual Experiences, Capstone Courses and Projects, e-Portfolios, First-Year Seminars and Experiences, Learning Communities, Undergraduate Research, Diversity/Global Learning, Writing Intensive.

    • Off-Campus Activity: Internships and Service Learning.

• To Tag as Sustainability: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) further defines sustainability as 17 attainable objectives. The options in the drop down to identify the Primary Justification for Inclusion are the guidelines used to qualify our programs and courses as sustainable. For links with more detailed descriptions, visit sjsu.edu/sustainability/academics.The following tags are available:

  • • Sustainability Focused course title or description must indicate a primary and explicit focus on sustainability. This includes courses with a primary and explicit focus on sustainability, the application of sustainability within a field, or a major sustainability challenge.

    • Sustainability Related course description or syllabus must indicate that the course incorporates a unit/module on sustainability or a sustainability challenge, includes one or more sustainability-focused activities, or integrates sustainability challenges, issues, and concepts throughout the course.

• To add a cross-listing: A single course is offered for registration under two or more departments.  

  • • All information should be the same (e.g. title, description, gen ed designation, grading basis, etc.). Pre/corequisites do not have to be the same. (e.g., COMM 168B and ENVS 168B and METR 168B)

    • Crosslisting can also occur between graduate and undergraduate courses. View the Curriculum Requirements for Developing a Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Course Offering document for guidance. 

• To certify as Graduate GWAR, view the Graduate GWAR Form site for guidance.