Catalog and Curriculum Management

NOTE: The instructions below only apply to permanent courses. Special topic/experimental course sections require a separate process. See Special Topic/Experimental Courses below for more information.

To propose a new permanent course, go to the Course Management Landing Page and click "Propose New Course".

This will open a New Course Form. When you are finished, click "Start Workflow" at the bottom to begin the governance process. 

• Consult with your department chair on the appropriate course number to use. We also recommend soliciting feedback on the proposal from your department chair, departmental colleagues, and other departments.
• Create a syllabus to attach to the proposal. For assistance, see the instructions and resources on the Provost's Syllabus Design page.
• Governance: New permanent courses are considered Category II. See Governance Categories below for more information.
• For assistance with style and formatting, see the Style Guide (PDF).
• To save your work without submitting, scroll to the bottom of the form and click "Save Changes". To resume, go the Course Management Landing Page to search for the course code, exact title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends, then click "Edit Course". See the CourseLeaf FAQs below for more help.

More detailed instructions can be found here: How to Propose a New Permanent Course (PDF).

Communication Intensives (Undergrad Only)

All undergraduate students are required to complete at least one course designated as a Communication Intensive (CI). Additionally, certain business-focused majors must also complete a second CI course within their major.

If you are interested in a CI designation for your course, you can request this under the "Focus Designation" section of the Course Form:

See the CI Course Requirements Overview (PDF) to learn more about the standards governing CI courses. 

Context & Perspective Themes (Undergrad Only)

All undergraduate students are required to take one course in each of six Context & Perspectives themes. C&P designations can only be added to arts & sciences courses and each course can only carry a single C&P designation.

If you are interested in applying a Context & Perspectives theme to your course, you must fill out a separate Context & Perspectives Request Form (more information below). Please note that you will not be able to fill out a C&P request until you have submitted your new course proposal. 

Program Requirements

When proposing a new course, consider whether it could serve as a requirement or elective for an existing program. Keep in mind that adding a course to an existing program requires a separate governance process - see Changing a Program below for guidance.

NOTE: The instructions below only apply to permanent courses. Special topic/experimental course sections require a separate process. See Special Topic/Experimental Courses below for more information.

To propose changes to an existing permanent course, go to the Course Management Landing Page and search by the course code, the full course title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends. When you have selected it, click "Edit Course":

This will open the existing Course Form. When you have finished filling out the form, click "Start Workflow" at the bottom to begin the governance process.

• Prepare an updated syllabus, if needed, to attach to the proposal. If the existing course form does not include learning outcomes, please add these as well.
• If needed, we recommend soliciting feedback on the proposal from your department chair and departmental colleagues.
• Governance: Course changes may be considered Category II, III, or IV, depending on the level of change being proposed. See Governance Categories below for more information.
• For assistance with style and formatting, see the Style Guide (PDF).
• To save your work without submitting, scroll to the bottom of the form and click "Save Changes". To resume, go the Course Management Landing Page, search for the course, and click "Edit Course". See the CourseLeaf FAQs below for more help.

More detailed instructions can be found here: How to Update or Change an Existing Course (PDF).

Communication Intensives (Undergrad Only)

All undergraduate students are required to complete at least one course designated as a Communication Intensive (CI). Additionally, certain business-focused majors must also complete a second CI course within their major.

If you are interested in a CI designation for your course, you can request this under the "Focus Designation" section of the Course Form:

See the CI Course Requirements Overview (PDF) to learn more about the standards governing CI courses. 

Context & Perspective Themes (Undergrad Only)

All undergraduate students are required to take one course in each of six Context & Perspectives themes. C&P designations can only be added to arts & sciences courses and each course can only carry a single C&P designation.

If you are interested in applying a Context & Perspectives theme to your course, you must fill out a separate Context & Perspectives Request Form (more information below).

Program Requirements

If you would like to add this course to an existing program, keep in mind that this will require a separate governance process. See Changing a Program below for guidance.

If a course is no longer in use and/or has not been offered in the past five years, it should be deactivated. Deactivated courses can later be reactivated, if necessary.

Course deactivations that do not affect other departments are considered a Category IV change, while deactivations that do affect other departments are Category II (see Governance Categories below).

To deactivate a permanent course, go to the Course Management Landing Page and search by the course code, the full course title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends. When you have selected it, click the red "Deactivate" button on the left:

This will open a pop-up window where you can select the end term and add a comment. When you are finished, click "Start Workflow".

NOTE: These instructions only apply to permanent courses. For special topic or experimental courses, see the next section.

As part of Bentley's core curriculum, all undergraduate students are required to take a course in each of six Context & Perspectives themes:

• Culture, Change, and Behavior
• Globalization
• Institutions and Power
• Race, Gender, and Inequality
• Scientific Inquiry
• Values, Ethics, and Society

Context & Perspectives theme designations can only be added to arts & sciences courses. Each course can only carry a single C&P designation.

To request a C&P theme for a permanent course, go to the Context & Perspectives Landing Page and click "New Context & Perspective". This will open a pop-up. Select the relevant course code, then click "New Context and Perspective":

This will open the Context & Perspectives Request Form. When you have finished filling out the form, click "Start Workflow" at the bottom to begin the governance process. 

• C&P requests are reviewed and approved by the C&P Committee and the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences.
• If submitting a C&P request for a new course, you will first need to submit the new course proposal to workflow. Once the proposal has been submitted, you will be able to complete the C&P Request Form.
• Have the course syllabus ready to attach as supporting documentation.
• To save your work without submitting, scroll to the bottom of the form and click "Save Changes". To resume, go the Course Management Landing Page to search for the course code, exact title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends, then click "Edit Course". See the CourseLeaf FAQs below for more help.

More detailed instructions can be found here: How to Request a Context & Perspectives Theme (PDF).

Special Topic/Experimental Courses

Special topic and experimental courses can be designated as Context & Perspectives, but the process is slightly different. If you are planning to propose a new special topic/experimental course and would like it to fulfill a C&P theme, you can can do both at the same time by filling out the Special Topic/Experimental Course Form - there is no need to submit a separate C&P request. See Special Topic/Experimental Courses below for more information.

NOTE: You may only offer the same special topic/experimental course twice. When repeating a course for the second time, you must submit a NEW Special Topic/Experimental Request Form, even if the course content will be exactly the same. Do not revise the original form and resubmit it.

Special topic and experimental courses are designed to cover specialized topics that are not listed in the academic catalog. These courses are created as individual sections of a permanent (shell) course - for example, EC 299 Experimental Course in Economics or GLS 444 Faculty-Led Study Abroad for Global Studies.

To propose a special topic or experimental course, go to the Special Topic/Experimental Management Landing Page and click "New Sp. Topic/Experimental". This will open a pop-up. 

In the pop-up window, select the relevant shell course code, then click "New Sp. Topic/Experimental":

This will open the Special Topic/Experimental Request Form. When you have finished filling out the form, click "Start Workflow" at the bottom to begin the governance process. 

• If needed, we recommend soliciting feedback on the proposal from your department chair and departmental colleagues.
• Create a syllabus to attach to the proposal. For assistance, see the instructions and resources on the Provost's Syllabus Design page.
• To save your work without submitting, scroll to the bottom of the form and click "Save Changes". To resume, go the Course Management Landing Page to search for the course code, exact title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends, then click "Edit Course". See the CourseLeaf FAQs below for more help.

More detailed instructions can be found here: How to Propose a Special Topic/Experimental Course (PDF).

Context & Perspectives Themes

All undergraduate students are required to take one course in each of six Context & Perspectives themes. If you are interested in having your special topic/experimental course fill a C&P requirement, you can request this on the Special Topic/Experimental Form itself. There is no need to submit a separate C&P request.

Keep in mind that C&P designations can only be added to arts & sciences courses and that each course can only carry a single C&P designation.

Repeating a Special Topic/Experimental Course

If you are seeking to offer a special topic or experimental course for the second time, you must fill out a new Special Topic/Experimental Form, even if the course will look exactly the same as before. Do not revise the old form and resubmit it. This policy is in place to ensure that a record is kept of how many times a topic has been proposed.

A special topic/experimental course can only be offered twice. If you have offered a course twice and would like to offer it again, consider proposing it as a new permanent course using the New Permanent Course Form.

To propose a new program, go to the Program Management Landing Page and click "Propose New Program":

This will open the New Program Form. When you have finished filling out the form, click "Save and Start Workflow" at the bottom to begin the governance process.

• Consult with your department chair on the appropriate course number to use. We also recommend soliciting feedback on the proposal from your department chair, departmental colleagues, other departments, Admissions, and Career Services.
• Governance: New programs are considered either Category 1A (new degree programs or majors) or Category 1B (new minors or concentrations). Both categories require an advisory meeting with the Curriculum Planning Committee (CPC). See Governance Categories below for more information.
• For assistance with style and formatting, see the Style Guide (PDF).
• To save your work without submitting, scroll to the bottom of the form and click "Save Changes". To resume, go the Course Management Landing Page to search for the course code, exact title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends, then click "Edit Course". See the CourseLeaf FAQs below for more help.

More detailed instructions can be found here: How to Propose a New Program (PDF).

Entering Program Requirements

CourseLeaf's program requirements tool can be tricky to use. If you need help, consult this instructional guide: Program Requirements Help Guide (PDF). It provides step-by-step instructions for adding/removing/reordering courses, creating a list of elective options, adding a footnote, and more.

If you have further questions, please reach out to Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.

NOTE: If you are proposing a new concentration for an existing program, please submit a New Program Form. Contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) if you need assistance.

To propose changes to an existing program, go to the Program Management Landing Page and search by either the program code, full program title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends. When you have selected it, click "Edit Program":

This will open the existing Program Form. When you have finished filling out the form, click "Save and Start Workflow" at the bottom to begin the governance process.

• Consult with your department chair on the appropriate course number to use. We also recommend soliciting feedback on the proposal from your department chair, departmental colleagues, and other departments.
• Governance: The appropriate category for a program change will vary depending on the type of program being modified and the level of change. See Governance Categories below for guidance.
• For assistance with style and formatting, see the Style Guide (PDF).
• To save your work without submitting, scroll to the bottom of the form and click "Save Changes". To resume, go the Course Management Landing Page to search for the course code, exact title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends, then click "Edit Course". See the CourseLeaf FAQs below for more help.

More detailed instructions can be found here: How to Update or Change an Existing Program (PDF).

Entering Program Requirements

CourseLeaf's program requirements tool can be tricky to use. If you need help, consult this instructional guide: Program Requirements Help Guide (PDF). It provides step-by-step instructions for adding/removing/reordering courses, creating a list of elective options, adding a footnote, and more.

If you have further questions, please reach out to Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.

Certain governance categories include a Public Comment period, during which all faculty are encouraged to review and provide feedback on a proposal before it is approved by the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC). This period is required for course and program proposals marked as Category IA, IB, or II. The CIC Chairs will notify faculty via email when a proposal reaches Public Comment.

To review a proposal in Public Comment, you can open the course or program form directly via the link in the CIC Chairs' email:

Alternately, to view all Public Comment proposals in once place, go to the CourseLeaf Approve Pages site and select "Public Comment" from the dropdown menu on the top left:

Once you have opened the proposal, scroll through it to review all of the fields. If you would like to add a comment, click the "Add Comment" button at the top right to open a small text box. Type your comment, then click "Save":

For more detailed instructions, see the instructional guide: How to Submit a Public Comment (PDF).

To review a proposal, first go to the CourseLeaf Approve Pages site. Use the dropdown menu on the top left to select the role for which you will be reviewing/approving, then click on a proposal:

The full proposal will appear on the right-hand side. Note that the top of the page indicates whether the proposal is for a new course/program or a course/program change. If it is a change, check the "What are you changing in this proposal?" section to see what fields specifically have been edited:

Once you have finished reviewing the proposal, click the green "Approve" button at the top to move it to the next step in the workflow. If the proposal requires changes, you can either use the red "Rollback" button to send it back to a previous approver, or the "Edit" button to make the changes yourself:

For more detailed instructions, see the instructional guide: How to Approve a Proposal (PDF).

The Bentley Academic Catalog is published every summer before the start of a new academic year. Each catalog page is "owned" by one or more faculty and staff members, who are responsible for reviewing the page content annually and making any necessary updates. The catalog page review process begins in the spring, when page owners are emailed the direct link(s) to their pages in CourseLeaf NEXT.

To review a catalog page, first open the link to your page in CourseLeaf NEXT. Click the brown "Edit Page" button in the top left:

This will put the page into editing mode. If you would like to modify the content, click "Edit Page Body":

You can then change the page content in the pop-up Page Body Editor. The text editing tools at the top allow you to change formatting, add bullet points, insert links, etc. To add a section heading, highlight the desired heading text and change it from "Normal" to "Heading" in the drop-down menu. When you are finished, click "OK" to save changes.

If your catalog page includes program requirements, please note that these will be enclosed in a gray box, indicating that they cannot be edited directly on the catalog page. To update a program, click "Edit Program Requirements". This will take you directly to the program form, where you can submit a separate program change proposal.

Once you have completed any necessary edits, click the green "Start Workflow" button at the bottom right to send your page along to the next step in the review process. Please note that you must send your page into workflow even if you have not made any changes, since the catalog cannot be published until all pages have completed workflow.

For more detailed instructions, see the instructional guide: How to Review & Update Catalog Pages (PDF).

Page Owner Changes

To request that someone be added as a catalog page co-owner, or to remove yourself as a page owner, please email Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu).

To review a proposal, first go to the CourseLeaf Approve Pages site. Use the dropdown menu on the top left to select the role for which you will be reviewing/approving, then click on a catalog page:

The full page will appear on the right-hand side. The navigation bar will show where it is placed within the catalog:

Scroll down to view any page changes, which will be indicated with red/green markup:

Note that some pages utilize shared content, which allows a section of standard text to be placed on multiple pages. Shared content will appear within a gray box:

Once you have finished reviewing the page, click the green "Approve" button at the top to push it forward. If the page requires changes, you can either use the red "Rollback" button to send it back to the page owner, or the "Edit" button to make the changes yourself:

For more detailed instructions, see the instructional guide: How to Approve a Proposal (PDF).

For permanent courses, visit the Course Management landing page: https://nextcatalog.bentley.edu/courseadmin/.

For programs, visit the Program Management landing page: https://nextcatalog.bentley.edu/programadmin/.

Both forms will allow you to search by the exact course/program code or title. If you do not know the exact code or title, try searching for a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends. For example, searching for *accounting* will bring up all entries that have the word "accounting" in the title:

Yes! To save your proposal, scroll to the bottom and click "Save Changes":

To resume your proposal, search for it in the Course Management or Program Management landing page. You can either search by the exact proposal title, or by searching a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends (for example, searching *business* will find all entries with the word "business" in the title). Once you have found the proposal, click the green "Edit" button to resume your changes.

NOTE: If you save changes on a course or program proposal, do not forget to come back later and click "Start Workflow"! Your proposal will not begin the governance process until you submit it to the workflow.

Take a look at the instructional guide: Program Requirements Help Guide (PDF). It provides detailed instructions for making changes to course requirements, including adding/removing/reordering courses, creating a list of elective options, adding a footnote, and more.

If you have further questions, please reach out to Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.

To open a catalog page in editing mode, look for the brown "Edit Page" button on the top left of the page:

If you do not see this button:

1. Check to make sure you opened the page in CourseLeaf NEXT. You can tell by looking at the URL: pages in NEXT contain "nextcatalog" in the URL, whereas pages in the LIVE catalog (which page owners cannot edit) contain "catalog". The easiest way to find the correct link is through the email sent to page owners about completing the annual catalog page review. If you are having trouble locating this email, reach out to Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.
2. Check to make sure you are actually listed as a page owner. For example, if a colleague has asked you to assist with the page review process but you have not been administratively added as a co-owner, you will not be able to open the page in editing mode. Contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.