The establishment, modification, and discontinuation of degree programs are central processes in degree program development and quality assurance at RPTU.
The LEQS Office coordinates these processes in collaboration with Department 4 and supports the respective projects from the submission of the application through to further processing. Each process is based on a corresponding application in which the applicants provide key information about their project. This information is used to plan and coordinate the respective process and is provided to the relevant committees to inform their decision-making.
The processes for establishing, modifying, and discontinuing degree programs are visualized as process chains and were approved by the Senate as part of the first work package. Familiarity with these processes is essential for the successful implementation of degree program processes.
On this page, you will also find information on planning your degree program initiative and guidance on the specific steps to take. The relevant application templates and further information on the individual processes can be found under“Documents for Download.”
If you have any questions about the degree program processes, the staff of the LEQS Division will be happy to assist you.
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Establishment of a New Degree Program
Please notify the LEQS Office as early as the planning phase of your proposal to establish a new degree program. To do so, please send us a brief note containing the basic information you already have regarding the degree program initiative. Even before you submit the official application to establish a degree program, your idea will be discussed in advance with the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The staff of the LEQS Office will coordinate the schedule for you.
The relevant program administration office must be involved in the planning at an early stage and informed before the process begins.
After the preliminary discussion of the idea for the new degree program with the Vice President, the following documents must be prepared and submitted to the LEQS Office:
2. Application to Establish a Degree Program
The application must be completed in full and submitted with the signature of the dean of the department. Please note that the signature requires a corresponding resolution by the department council to establish the degree program.
In the following cases, the application to establish the degree program () must be signed by additional internal units before submission:
- The dean of another participating department, provided that courses or modules from that department are to be incorporated into the new degree program.
- The management of the ZfLB, if a partial degree program in teacher education is to be established.
- The Chair of the Joint Committee for the Dual-Major Bachelor’s Degree Program, if a new core subject and/or elective is to be established within the Dual-Major Bachelor’s Degree Program.
- The DISC administration, provided that a continuing education program is to be established.
The LEQS Office will obtain further resource approvals from the central administration.
3. If already possible: Decision proposal: Checklist “Assignment of a degree program to a department and campus” (Department 4)
The degree program initiative and the developed degree program concept are presented by the faculty to the Executive Board, which may then issue a recommendation for a decision by the Senate or for a revision of the degree program concept.
The LEQS Office forwards the application and the degree program concept to the Senate for a resolution on its establishment. In the event of a positive resolution, the LEQS Office notifies the responsible ministry of the establishment; the ministry may object to the establishment within eight weeks; otherwise, the degree program is considered approved. Once approved, the degree program is established; for more detailed information on the process, please refer to the flowchart titled “Establishment of Degree Programs.”
Note: Before the degree program begins, it must be accredited in accordance with the Higher Education Act (HochSchG). You can find the procedure for this in the process chain “Accreditation Process” and the page Accreditation Procedures at RPTU .
A concise explanation of the procedure for establishing the program
Changing a Degree Program
ProcessChain: “Modifying a DegreeProgram”
Once the department has confirmed the need or necessity for a change to a degree program during the current accreditation period, an application to change the degree program must generally be submitted:
A request to modify a degree program must be submitted in the following cases:
The change requires an amendment to the examination regulations.
The change meets at least one criterion for a substantial change. The relevant criteria can be found here.
In the first case, the application for a change must be submitted to Department 4 (Student Affairs); in the second case, it must be submitted to the LEQS Office. If both cases apply, the application must be submitted to both units simultaneously.
Required documents:
- A completed and signed Application for a Change to a Degree Program.
- Study Program Guidelines (PO) with the planned changes in edit mode. To do this, you must contact Department 4: Students before submitting the application to change a degree program. The department will then provide the corresponding examination regulations.
- If applicable, a link to the MHB website showing the planned changes.
- For changes to a degree program with no admission restrictions: If applicable, a justified request for an optional simulation of the capacity implications of the proposed changes on the degree program or the departments.
In the following cases, the application must be signed by additional internal units before submission:
- The ZfLB administration, if a component of a teacher education program is to be changed.
- The Chair of the Joint Committee for the Dual-Major Bachelor’s degree program, if a core course or elective in the Dual-Major Bachelor’s degree program is to be modified.
- The DISC administration, if a continuing education program is to be modified.
If the desired change neither requires an amendment to the examination regulations nor meets at least one of the criteria for a substantial change, it may be implemented and documented independently by the department without submitting an application or consulting with Department 4 or the LEQS Office.
After the application is submitted, the next steps will be discussed in a program development consultation session with all relevant stakeholders. In the case of substantial changes to the degree program, this involves a review of the formal accreditation criteria by the LEQS Unit and, in the case of subject-specific accreditation criteria, a review by an internal panel of experts. The review results are submitted to the relevant accreditation committee for a decision. In the event of a positive decision—possibly subject to conditions—the amended program documents may be published, or the corresponding amendment to the examination regulations may be approved at the next Senate meeting.
Once the Senate approves the examination regulations, the degree program is successfully amended; for more detailed information on the process, please refer to the “Amendment of Degree Programs” process flowchart.
Important: The deadlines for submitting an application to amend a degree program are January 15 and June 15. Every change—regardless of whether an application is required—must be coordinated with the academic program management office and documented accordingly. For all changes to the program documentation (examination regulations and module handbook), the department is responsible for ensuring that the documents are always consistent with one another.
Discontinuation of a degree program
Following the discussion regarding the discontinuation of the degree program within the department, the application to discontinue the degree program must be submitted to the LEQS Office. The application must be completed in full and signed by the dean of the department. Please note that the signature requires a corresponding resolution by the departmental council to discontinue the degree program.
In the following cases, the applicationmust also be signed by additional internal units:
- The dean of another participating department, provided that courses or modules from that department are to be incorporated into the new degree program.
- The Executive Board of the ZfLB, if a partial program in teacher education is to be discontinued.
- Chair of the Joint Committee for the Dual-Major Bachelor’s degree program, if a new core course or elective is to be discontinued in the Dual-Major Bachelor’s degree program.
- The DISC administration, if a continuing education program is to be discontinued.
After the application to discontinue a degree program is submitted to the LEQS Office, the matter is presented to the Executive Board, which may then issue a recommendation for a decision by the Senate.
The LEQS Office forwards the application to the Senate for a resolution on discontinuation. In the event of a positive resolution, the LEQS Office notifies the relevant ministry of the discontinuation; the ministry may object to the discontinuation within eight weeks; otherwise, the degree program is considered discontinued. Following approval, a discontinuation regulation may be drafted by Department 4 (Student Affairs) and approved by the Senate. Upon approval of the termination regulations and, if applicable, an extension of the accreditation period*, the degree program is terminated; for more detailed information on the process, please refer to the flowchart “Termination of Degree Programs.”
*The accreditation period is generally extended for students still enrolled if the remaining duration of their studies is not covered by the accreditation period.