New graduate research degree proposals, changes to existing graduate research programs, adding new concentrations to research degrees, or changing a graduate field name all require approval by the General Committee, and in some cases additional approval from NYSED. Proposals undergo a rigorous review examining the quality of the program, competitiveness, attraction to students, and administrative oversight.

Review and approval by the General Committee of the Graduate School is step four in the University Review Process for Research-based Degrees, detailed on the Graduate Program registration page.

General Committee Process Overview and Deadlines

Proposals regarding research degree programs for consideration by the General Committee are due by the 10th of each month. Within three business days, the Graduate School will determine on which month’s agenda the proposal can tentatively be reviewed by the General Committee and will communicate that to the proposer.

During this time, proposers are strongly encouraged to share their proposal drafts with the Graduate School (gcproposals@cornell.edu) for review by leadership, and they will communicate any needed revisions prior to the General Committee meeting. Incomplete or poorly developed proposals may be returned to the proposer for further development. If you have any questions, or have a unique situation, we strongly encourage you to schedule a preliminary meeting with the Graduate School leadership for early review and so we can assess any administrative impacts. Please contact us to schedule a meeting at: gcproposals@cornell.edu.

Once proposals and all support materials are received in their final form, the proposal will be placed on the next available General Committee agenda. Placement on the agenda is dependent upon a number of factors, including complexity of the proposal, the time needed for discussion, the number of other items already on the agenda, and the completeness and quality of the proposal.

Proposal writers attend the General Committee meeting to provide an overview of the proposal and answer questions the Committee may have. The General Committee meets monthly during the academic year.

Proposal Submission Requirements

For all proposals, please follow the instructions in the relevant form to complete your submission (see below), following page limits. Please include a cover page with a one-page table of contents and a completed Graduate Degree Program SUNY or NYSED Form, if applicable (available from the Institutional Research and Planning‘s manager of academic program review). These items are not included in the page limit. Please submit as one PDF document to gcproposals@cornell.edu.

Proposals should be submitted to gcproposals@cornell.edu.

Forms

Please download the appropriate form for the change you are proposing:

1. New Field or Degree Program (PDF)
2. Changes to Degree Program (PDF)
3. Adding or Revising Program Concentrations (PDF)
4. Changing a Field Name (PDF)
5. Creating a Minor Field (PDF)

For any new field inquiries, please request a meeting with Graduate School leadership by contacting gcproposals@cornell.edu.