New Policies

This page contains new policies that have been approved by the Undergraduate Studies Committee, the Graduate Studies Committee, University Faculty Council, and the Office of Academic Affairs during the current academic year. These policies will be published in the next academic year’s undergraduate or graduate bulletin.

Incubator Programs (Graduate)

Incubator programs are new state-of-the-art degree programs. They combine more than one discipline in their composition (see below). They are developed with best practices in mind so that students have multiple options, including changing majors to another discipline that the incubator program allows them to experience and gain credits toward. If an initially offered incubator program is not permanently adopted by the faculty, students will be able to complete their studies in the original program or change majors.

Incubator Programs contain the core of two current majors being offered for the purpose of maintaining existing courses and keeping the development of new courses to an absolute minimum. This would include the core of the curriculum and maintain a ‘module’ of free electives. There will be multiple points of curricular integration, inclusive to early stages in the program by design, but will also occur at different stages of the program. Some courses will act as points of intersection between the disciplines, inclusive of practicum, experience-based, research, and entrepreneurial approaches. To help meet our learning objectives and intended contribution to a multidisciplinary program, no more than two courses may count for both disciplines in the combined major’s program.

The (temporary programs under the) incubator maintains faculty and administrative oversight, simplifying the process of offering new programs. It follows the CIM process for “Not Significant” changes, even as new programs will need to be properly reported to our accrediting bodies:

A norm of 32 credits.
Setting up modules consisting of the following: discipline topic one; discipline topic two; and free electives may be considered as a structure.
A question will arise of what balance to strike. The incubator approach will instruct us as an institution on the right ‘formula’ for student success.
All new programs will undergo appropriate regulatory processes, including required accreditation review and submission, both on initial approval, and if they sunset without transitioning out of the incubator to regular status, upon decommissioning.
Program proposed, developed (including a minimal outline of an assessment program, with a specific designated assessment coordinator responsible for annual reports), and approved within the academic unit with academic dean approval.
Proposed, discussed, and approved at appropriate studies committee.
Proposed, discussed, and approved by the UFC.
Accepted by the provost and president.

Incubator Programs (Undergraduate)

A norm of 126 credits for undergraduate students and increasing the number of free electives at the same time should be a high priority.
Setting up modules consisting of the following: the core curriculum; major topic one; major topic two; and free electives may be considered as a structure.
A question will arise of what balance to strike. Modules of 30 credits each would substantially reduce the major topics and may (potentially) slightly reduce the core curriculum, but boost free electives.
All new programs will undergo appropriate regulatory processes, including required accreditation review and submission, both on initial approval, and if they sunset without transitioning out of the incubator to regular status, upon decommissioning.
Program proposed, developed (including a minimal outline of an assessment program, with a specific designated assessment coordinator/s responsible for annual reports), and approved within the academic unit with academic dean approval.
Proposed, discussed, and approved at appropriate studies committee.
Proposed, discussed, and approved by the UFC.
Accepted by the provost and president.

Transferring from Another Program (Graduate)

A degree-seeking student planning to transfer from one degree program to another should discuss the matter with academic advisers in both programs.

A student seeking to change majors within the same academic unit may submit an eForm for Graduate Degree Works request, which seeks approval by the academic adviser, academic unit head, and the Office of Academic Affairs. A change of degree may only be requested for an equivalent or lower degree (e.g., Ph.D. to M.S., M.Eng. or M.A.S.; M.S. to M.S., M.Eng. or M.A.S.; M.Eng. to M.Eng.; and M.A.S. to M.A.S.).

However, a student admitted to a co-terminal program must seek a new admission, for any change of degree combination, whether for a predefined paired co-terminal program or for an unpaired co-terminal program selection (see the paragraph below for admission application details).

A student seeking admission to a different academic unit’s program is required to submit an application for admission to the desired degree program and academic unit/department online at the graduate admission website (www.iit.edu/admissions-aid/apply). The student will be notified once the decision is made by the Office of Graduate Admission.

Updates to MS-SENS Program

The Master of Science in Sensor Science and Technology has updated the course subject code for certain courses from CHEM to SENS. CHEM 545 and 546 are now SENS 545 and 546, respectively.

Administrative policies with regard to dual credit classes

Before being put into effect any proposal to develop dual credit classes, that is high school credit simultaneous to Illinois Tech academic credit, an interested party shall provide the required information (dual credit contact at the high school, instructor names and credentials, class designations at both the high school and Illinois Tech, high school address and zone) as well as anticipated start dates to both the VPAA and the ALO to manage compliance.

All dual credit instructors will be screened for proper credentials. This must be done in a process compatible with our normal required faculty credential review (i.e. in hiring). The high school dual credit contact will be responsible for identifying and providing recommended instructors, as well as providing the necessary credentials. The internal review will be administered out of the provost office, though the VPAA.

Separately we will implement an orientation package and deliver it to any new instructors and the dual credit contact our dual credit policies, as well as relevant Illinois Tech instructional policies and workflow (e.g. grading, academic honesty, student interactions including Title IX etc). This could be done by an orientation seminar or meeting, supplemented by verified delivery of policy documents, and delivered in a fashion compatible with the normal faculty / TA orientation process.

The high school dual credit contact will be primarily responsible for ensuring students “demonstrate readiness for college-level work (point E below), as determined by placement procedures consistent with those that would be used with college-level students”, in consultation with Academic Affairs who will communicate this policy and any such placement procedures in the orientation seminars. The registrar’s office in communication with Academic Affairs will ensure that “placement tests or course prerequisites'' are satisfied as part of our normal course registration prerequisite process, addressing point E (below).

The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) Dual Credit Authorization Process

IBHE dual credit compliance form requires us to certify several things:

Confirmation that dual credit has not been offered without prior approval. Thus for any course proposed for dual credit, it must be entered into CIM to confirm that Illinois Tech approvals are completed before offered.
The instructors for these courses are selected, assigned and evaluated by the university. The instructors are selected from individuals with appropriate credentials as required by IBHE, and demonstrated teaching competencies at the college level. For instance, for courses that carry college credit, these qualifications currently include a minimum of a Master's degree or 18 graduate hours in the academic field or discipline in which they are teaching.
The institution provides high school instructors with an orientation in course curriculum, assessment methods, and administrative requirements before high school instructors are permitted to teach dual credit courses. This is similar to orientation(s) for new faculty and TA’s and this may serve this purpose if properly provisioned to directly address the needs of fulfilling the dual credit policy of IBHE.
Students demonstrate readiness for college-level work, as determined by placement procedures consistent with those that would be used with college-level students at the offering institution of higher education.
High school students enrolling in college-level courses satisfy course placement tests or course prerequisites established and administered by the college or university, when applicable, to ensure that they have the same qualifications and preparation as other college students.
Furthermore, we are required to identify for every high school a “dual credit contact” (in addition to specific class instructors), as well as providing other information such as a signed agreement with the high schools, instructors and class information and other simple information (i.e. their address and IBHE zone).

Professional Preparation Degree Policy

IBHE 1030.30.A.ii
Explanation of exceptional circumstances for granting professional preparation degrees
to students who do not have an undergraduate degree
Our standing with the Illinois Board of Higher Education is that Illinois Tech has the existing
ability to grant degrees for professional practice under exceptional circumstances to students
who qualify in the absence of a UG degree. This exception relies on a demonstration of
professional standards in that field. Such demonstration could include without limitation,
standards articulated by accepted disciplinary accreditation bodies or other widely accepted
disciplinary regulatory bodies.
It has yet to be published in our bulletin what these exceptional circumstances are for degrees
for professional practice; see 23 Illinois Administrative Code 1030 (1030.30.A.ii).
The administration will update our Bulletin to reflect this. However, any academic unit that
wishes to make use of this will need to present to the joint governance their proposal and
justification for their proposed exception policy.

Bulletin update for IBHE 1030.30.A.ii
“Under exceptional circumstances, Illinois Tech may admit and grant professional graduate
degrees to students who qualify as per the IBHE regulations and those of the professional
programs accreditors.”

Cross-listed Courses Policy

Same-Level Cross-Listed Courses: A same-level cross-listed course is a course listed by two or more academic units in which the same instruction is given simultaneously to students from each department. It is campus policy that these cross-listed courses' content and requirements are substantially the same, except for differences between levels (see below). This should be made clear by having one single set of Learning objectives (LOs), clearly stated on the syllabus, and an identical set of planned assessments. Best practice for same-level unit cross-listed courses at the same level would be to share the same numerical designation. One academic unit should be designated as the home department and be responsible for content and staffing changes.

In cases where a course is offered by one unit at a 400-level, and by another unit at the 500-level, the Level Cross-Listing rules will apply as needed.

Different-Level Cross-Listed Courses: Cross-listing between academic levels (undergraduate and graduate) may occur if the curricular content is similar. Typically these courses will have a 400-level and a 500-level section. The 400-level (undergraduate) section should be reserved for advanced undergraduate students or beginner graduate students, and the 500-level (graduate) section should be designed for graduate students. The graduate section may deliver, and must assess, at least some material at a more advanced level.

This is formally implemented in the course LOs and assessments. Any courses cross-listed at both undergraduate and graduate levels should:

Clearly list differences in LOs on the syllabi. Graduate LOs should generally be at a somewhat more advanced level.

Please note that not all LOs need to be different. Several might very well be identical, given that the courses have been identified as being similar enough to be cross-listed. However some LOs should be different, and these differences should be clearly stated on the syllabi.

Conduct student assessments in a fashion that is appropriate to, and recognizes these differences in LOs.

Generally this means graduate students will have a somewhat different assessment for at least the LOs that differ. This could mean a different exam, or an exam with some different questions; or an extra or different assignment prompt, or a different grading scheme with additional requirements or requirements at a different level.

The course description published in the bulletin and other promotional materials must make clear the differences between levels, and syllabi should clearly state and differential LOs and student assessment.

Posthumous Degree Policy

Posthumous degrees are awarded to students who have passed away prior to completing their degree, so long as they have met the below conditions. The student must have met the minimum credit-hour residency requirements of their academic program and Illinois Tech, completed 75% of program requirements, and be in good academic standing and conduct standing. A request for a posthumous degree shall be reviewed by the faculty of the relevant program and confirmed by the Office of the Registrar and Academic Affairs.

Exception Policy for MBA Performance-Based Admission Requirements

First presented Oct 5th, 2023

“Any academic unit that wishes to make use of this will need to present to the joint governance their proposal and justification for their proposed exception policy.”

Stuart School of Business is dedicated to advancing students' careers worldwide in technologically oriented private and public sector industries through a combination of rigorous research and relevant education, as reflected in Stuart’s mission statement.

Generally, the Illinois Institute of Technology and Stuart School of Business require applicants to an MBA program to have earned at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college in the United States or a comparable degree from a recognized institution of learning abroad.

However, on very select occasions, Stuart School of Business may admit students to an MBA program who may fall short of meeting this requirement but have demonstrated extraordinary work experience, intellect, or other educational credentials complemented by significant work experience.

Exception Policy:

There are 3 categories for a potential exception:
(i) extraordinary background exemplified by ten years of business-relevant experience
(ii) extraordinary intellect exemplified by demonstrable achievements
(iii) significant other educational credentials complemented by related work experience

Should applicants fall into one of the above 3 categories, they may submit a complete application to Illinois Tech’s Performance-Based Admission process for consideration. 

Applicants under the exception policy will undergo the same rigorous application review as any student. Additionally, applicants must provide a statement detailing why they should be exempted from the standard bachelor’s degree requirement and undergo an interview.

If admitted, applicants will take a set of three predetermined performance-based admissions courses, and upon successful completion of this and other university requirements such as those required for conditional admission (cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, including a grade of B or higher in at least two of the three courses), they will be admitted to the MBA program as a degree-seeking student for the subsequent term as the earliest opportunity or a later term upon approved request. Conditions for admission will be addressed before graduation, with the normal expectation of these being realized prior to the application to graduate.

The credits applicants earn in the three performance-based admissions courses will be applied toward their program of study and count toward their degree. All admitted applicants will have the full program and class experience, as well as access to academic advising and support.

Summary of exhibits and points

i) Explanation of exceptional circumstances for granting professional preparation degrees to students who do not have an undergraduate degree IBHE 1030.30.A.ii

ii) Committee minutes documenting historical practice.

iii) Professional accreditation bodies support.

iv) Exception policy for approval as proposed minor change.

Exhibits and points

i) Explanation of exceptional circumstances for granting professional preparation degrees to students who do not have an undergraduate degree IBHE 1030.30.A.ii

ii) Committee minutes documenting historical practice. Relevant committee minutes

Illinois Tech discussion of granting professional preparation degrees under exceptional circumstances

From January 2021, confirmation that Illinois Tech has been cognizant of professional preparation degrees being grantable in the absence of a UG degree in exceptional circumstances.

“Discussion Item

Students without a UG degree seek graduate-level courses.

Joseph indicated that at this point, this is a discussion exploring whether there are experiences that can be shared regarding allowing graduate degrees without a prior UG degree. Ed indicated in a similar situation, Kent allows students without law degrees into their professional master's degree programs. After a few discussions and comments by the GSC representatives, the issue was left for more discussions in future GSC meetings.”

In the Feb 2021 discussion, it was laid out that this would expressly not be a pathway. The committee emphasized that this is exceptional, and this is evidence of continuity in the Illinois Tech approach in expressing what “exceptional” means and approximately what volume of students this would apply to: e.g., Less than 0.5% as the highest estimate.

Relevant parts of minutes pertaining to this topic

iii) Professional accreditation bodies’ support.

AACSB provided written confirmation in the attached Standard 6, pages 50-51:

“Normally, graduate business degree program admission criteria should include the expectation that applicants have or will earn a bachelor’s degree before admission to the graduate program. The school should be prepared to document how exceptions support quality."

In response to a direct question regarding whether a bachelor's degree is necessary for an accredited MBA, AACSB leadership referenced the above Standard 6 to indicate that it is not and that the performance-based admission route is acceptable for students without a bachelor's degree, provided that through iterative assessments we can document that doing so maintains and/or supports the quality of the program.

Original email communication with AACSB is available here

Standard 6 is found in this document here

iv) Exception policy for approval as proposed minor change.

It is proposed that the approval of these exceptional criteria be considered as a minor change as they pertain to the particulars of an AU’s professional preparation degree programs exception criteria for admissibility and not curricular changes.

Graduate Probation

The G702 Academic Probation Contract is no longer required. Some departments may have additional requirements for graduate students on probation. Students on probation should consult with their academic advisor before registering for classes.

Graduate Course Repeats

Students may repeat up to three distinct courses during an academic career as a graduate student with each course being repeated only once. Both grades will be recorded onto the student's academic transcript, and the grade used in the calculation of the cumulative GPA will be the latest recorded, except when the last recorded grade is W (withdrawn) or AU (audit). Students who enroll in an entirely new program may petition for an additional repeat, if needed.