University Accreditation will guide you through the steps to close a degree program or certificate. Closing a degree program will require SACSCOC approval and THECB approval prior to the closure. However, closing a graduate certificate program may only need to be reported to the THECB depending on how many semester credit hours are in the certificate program.
When closing a degree program, SACSCOC must approve the closure prior to the last date of admission of students and prior to implementation.
SACSCOC will review the program's teach-out plan. The written teach-out plan must provide equitable treatment of students and must also include the following information:
- Date of closure when new students will no longer be admitted
- An explanation of how students, faculty and staff will be informed of the closure
- Explanation of how students will be helped to complete their programs with minimal disruption
- Indication as to whether the teach-out plan will incur additional charges/expenses to the students, and how students will be notified
- Signed copies of teach-out agreements with other institutions
- Description of how faculty and staff will be redeployed assisted in finding new employment