Curricular Programs

Curricular Programs (also referred to as course designators) are used to identify offerings in a specific area of the curriculum, often uniting a coherent body of knowledge. In many institutions, the term is used synonymously with “subject code.” In the context of Brown’s open curriculum, course designators, namely First-Year Seminar, Sophomore Seminar, Writing-Designated, Race, Power, and Privilege (which replaced DIAP courses in 2022-23), Collaborative Research & Scholarly Experiences, and Community-Based Learning & Research Courses, highlight relationships between courses across a range of departments. 

Instructors interested in designating a course below the 2000-level as a writing-designated (WRIT), a first-year (FYS) or sophomore seminar (SOPH), or as a Community-Based Learning & Research (CBLR), Collaborative Research & Scholarly Experiences (COEX), or Race, Power, & Privilege (RPP) course may do so at the time they submit the proposal or by initiating a "modification" for an existing course in the course proposal system and then following the steps below. A recent syllabus should be attached addressing the respective criteria listed in each of the sites linked above. Curricular programs should be added (or removed) at least one semester prior to the semester in which the course will be offered. Curricular programs may be modified only until the last day to add a course without a fee ("shopping period") in the semester in which the course is offered.  

1. Log into Banner Selfservice, then select Course Proposal System
2. Choose "create a new course proposal" or "modify an existing course" as appropriate.
3. Once the radio button labelled "no" has been selected under the independent study option, a new option will appear: "curricular programs." 
4. Select "yes," followed by selecting "yes" on the appropriate curricular program(s).