Special Topics How To
Useful websites
UWW CourseLeaf webpage: for curriculum handbook links and links to course/program/special topics forms, as well as the form for other requests. Also found here—a list of individuals who are resources for all your CourseLeaf questions.
Definitions
Courses numbered in the 290s and 490s are “special” courses. Special courses include those not offered on a regular basis: those whose themes/contents vary significantly with each offering; those whose scheduling requires flexibility beyond normal curriculum procedures and go through an abbreviated curriculum approval process.
See the curriculum handbooks for definitions of specific types of special courses. This how-to is applicable for group activity courses such as workshops, travel study, seminar and special studies courses (X90, X91, X94, and X96, where x= 2, 4, 6 or 7).
Deadlines
Special topic requests are required to be at the provost office prior to the end of the WINS scheduling window each semester (end of August and mid-January). Specific dates can be found on the Curricular Calendar which is updated every year. Please note that travel study proposals have earlier deadlines (mid-March and mid-October) to the respective offices (Office of Global Experiences or Continuing education).
How do Special topics courses work?
All special topics have a ‘shell’ created in CourseLeaf Course Form, which defines the parameters of the course for all offerings under that course number. Anything defined in the shell class (typically range of credits, pre-requisites, course component type, and repeat allowances) is applied to all offerings. Any changes to the shell course goes through typical course approval workflows as a course revision.
If a shell is not created for one of these special topics courses in a subject code, one can be initiated by sending the request to the Registrar’s office (ClassSchedule@uww.edu)
To set up the specifics of an offering for that specific term, the proposal should start from the course form of the shell class and use the “Add New Special Topic” button in the top right (see images below). This will initiate a simplified form for the special topics offering for that term. Specific topics and offerings are differentiated by addition of a unique letter (examples, 491-A or 496-D)
https://www.uww.edu/acadaff/resources/university-curriculum/courseleaf
The same topics for special topics (296/496/696/796) courses may be offered a maximum of three times, after which the topic can only be offered by creating a regular course offering through the curriculum process.
To offer the same special topics course a second or third time, the above method can be used, but a simpler method is to go to the Special Topics form, find the class in question and edit the request, uploading new syllabi and updating content in request as appropriate. If the course remains in any holding queues, please contact the registrar’s office or the curriculum secretary for assistance.
https://www.uww.edu/acadaff/resources/university-curriculum/courseleaf
Workflow
After submitting the proposal, special topics go through a specific workflow (GERC and DCC added as appropriate).
- Special topics, Workshop and Seminar classes (X90, X94, and X96) is abbreviated for maximum flexibility. After submission, the approval string is as follows: Chair → Dean → Provost/AVC → UCC/Grad Council as informational item → Registrar. The course can be scheduled after Provost/AVC approval.
- Travel Study (X91) courses have the default approval string. Chair → Center for Global Experiences → College International Committee → Dean → Provost/AVC → UCC/Grad Council as informational item → Registrar
Course Fees
Fees for Special Courses need to be submitted via the Course Fee form located at https://my.uww.edu/coursefees. Like Special Courses, these fees must be submitted and approved each time the course it offered, regardless of topic.