This section presents a generic proposal template that can be used to write a proposal for any Health Humanities academic degree program at all levels.
Please note that some sections of the template may not be needed depending on the program level and institution (e.g., a minor or baccalaureate certificate may not require a budget or marketing strategy). Your university may have a preferred template or format. Please feel free to use and adapt this template as needed.
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Proposal for a [Degree Program Name]
Date
Contact Persons:
[Insert name and email here]
Table of Contents
- Summary
- Rationale
- Program Learning Objectives and Outcomes
- Curriculum
- Admission procedures and enrollment
- Academic Quality & Assessment
- Advising
- Recruitment/Marketing strategy
- Meeting the Needs of the University Mission
- Program Overlap
- Core and Affiliate Faculty
- Proposed Budget
- Proposed Timeline
- Appendix 1: Letters
- Appendix 2: Minutes and Votes from Curriculum Committees
- Appendix 3: New Course Descriptions
1. Summary
[Title of program]
[Level of program – certificate, major, minor, masters, doctorate]
[Home department]
[CIP code – 51.3204 Medical/Health Humanities]
2. Rationale
[Note: You may find useful information in the HHC Toolkit: Rationale, Publications, and Defining Health Humanities]
3. Program Learning Objectives and Outcomes
[Note: You may find useful information in the HHC Toolkit: Learning Outcomes/Goals/Objectives]
4. Curriculum
[Include required and elective courses, term-by-term map for how a student would complete the program (see sample Table 4.1) as well as admissions procedures and enrollment projections. Note: You may find useful information in the HHC Toolkit: Sample curriculum]
Required courses
Elective courses
Table 4.1 Sample of Course of Study by Term
Admission procedures and enrollment
[If applicable: Requirements for students to enroll—background, degree completion, GPA, letters, essays; dates for application processes. For majors and minors, students may be able to self declare]
5. Academic Quality & Assessment
[List how students will be assessed (grading, projects, portfolio); list minimum grade required to earn degree; list remediation plans and grounds for dismissal based on academic performance]
6. Advising
[Who will provide advising; what services will advisors provide; how often will students meet with advisors]
7. Recruitment/Marketing strategy
[What students will be attracted to your program—backgrounds, career interests, their location; what is your plan to recruit students to your program; what distinguishes this program from similar ones at your school; what career paths might students find after completing your program. Note: You may find useful information in the HHC Toolkit: Marketing Strategy Report, Baccalaureate Program List, and Graduate Program List]
8. Meeting the needs of the University Mission
[How will your program fulfill the stated university mission, goals, or learning objectives? Be specific]
9. Program Overlap
[This section is about internal competition: What other degrees, departments, and programs that already exist might view your proposal as a competitor? Explain why your program is different from them. In addition, It is likely that your proposed curriculum will include courses that are taught or administered by other academic units. Provide a list of those courses. It is always helpful to secure letters of support from the directors of these other programs. See sample support letter in Appendix 1.]
10. Core and Affiliate Faculty
[List core faculty and their roles in the program as well as affiliate faculty (may include people who will teach elective classes, advise students, or are involved with the program in other ways. Indicate what new faculty and administrative staff will be necessary for your program (be sure to include justifications such as “In order to maintain our university faculty:student ratio, our program will require x new full-time, tenure track hires.”]
11. Proposed Budget
[Include a proposed budget for your program. You should work with an administrator versed in budget matters at your school. Plan should provide for its long-term financial viability, addressing anticipated sources of funds, the ability to recruit and retain faculty, and plans for assuring adequate library, administrative, and advising support over the long term. Note: You might find useful information in the HHC Toolkit: Budget Template].
12. Proposed Timeline
Appendix 1: Letters
[On Department Letterhead]
[Date]
[Name]
Chair of the University Courses and Curriculum Committee
[University Name]
I am writing to offer my support for the proposed [minor/certificate/major/masters] in Health Humanities. In the [Department/College/School] of X we appreciated the interdisciplinary outreach of this proposal. The Health Humanities program proposes including our class [Prefix Number Title] as an [elective/required] course. Clearly, health humanities students taking [this/these] classes would give them a much needed grounding in [topic]. A health humanities program would be of interest to our students with career aspirations in health, public health, and [other]. Our enthusiastic support of this proposal and participation in the Health Humanities degree is unconditional.
[Signature]
[Name]
[Title]
[Department/Program]
[University Name]
[Unit address, phone, email]
Appendix 2: Minutes and Votes from Curriculum Committees
Appendix 3: New Course Descriptions
[Note: You may find useful information in the HHC Toolkit: Syllabus Repository]
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How to Cite This Document
Health Humanities Consortium. “Sample Proposal Outline” HHC Curricular Toolkit. https://healthhumanitiesconsortium.com/publications/hhc-toolkit/. August 2021.
© 2021 Health Humanities Consortium. The HHC gives permission for this text to be used in part or in whole for the writing of any health humanities related proposal without attribution to this source.
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