Curricular Change Policy

Curricular Change Policy

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine’s Medical Education Committee (MEC) and its subcommittees (Preclerkship Curriculum Subcommittee [PCS], Clerkship Curriculum Subcommittee [CCS], and Electives Curriculum Subcommittee [ECS]) provide faculty and student input and provide approval (MEC only) to curricular related changes to the educational program leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree. Changes to courses or clerkships, phases or the educational program as a whole as described below must be reviewed and approved by the MEC or its subcommittees prior to implementation.

This policy establishes a standardized process to:

  • Define types of curricular change requiring approval
  • Maintain longitudinal integration of the curriculum

Covered Parties

This policy applies to course, clerkship, selective, and elective directors, medical school administration, and deans.

Defined Terms

Minor Change: A change that does not affect course/module objectives, instructional methods, assessment methods, or other courses/clerkships.

Examples:

  • Updating lecture titles or sequencing
  • Revising lecture slides or teaching materials
  • Changing faculty instructors
  • Minor adjustments to session timing that do not affect total hours
  • Session level objectives
  • Revising or creating lecture slides or teaching materials that do not impact the course or clerkship learning objectives.

Moderate Change: A change that affects course-level objectives, instructional methods, but does not substantially alter course structure or duration.

Examples:

  • Addition of, removal of, or substantial change to course-level objectives
  • Introduction of a new instructional method (e.g., team-based learning, simulation)
  • Addition or removal of mandatory sessions

Major Change: A change that alters course/clerkship structure, duration, or impacts other parts of the curriculum.

Examples:

  • Change in course/clerkship length or credit hours
  • Major restructuring (e.g., redesign, integration into another course)
  • Changes to grading schema (e.g., Pass/Fail → Honors/Pass/Fail)
  • Changes to assessment format (e.g., written exam → OSCE component)
  • Addition/removal of required clinical experiences
  • Changes that affect sequencing relative to other courses
  • Changes to Institutional Learning Objectives or Medical Education Program Objectives

Curricular Impact: How a change affects integration across courses, achievement of program objectives, or student progression

Responsible Parties

Medical Education Committee (MEC) is responsible for providing oversight of the curriculum and approval of any moderate or major curricular changes.

MEC Subcommittees consist of the Preclerkship Curriculum Subcommittee (PCS), Clerkship Curriculum Subcommittee (CCS), and Electives Curriculum Subcommittee (ECS). The subcommittees need to be aware of all changes and can make recommendations to the MEC about their corresponding components of the curriculum.

Course Directors are responsible for presenting changes to MEC and its relevant subcommittee.

Subcommittee chairs of PCS, CCS, and ECS are responsible for ensuring changes presented at subcommittee are placed on MEC’s agenda for vote.

Procedures

Minor changes do not require approval and will be reviewed as part of the annual educational quality improvement process.

MEC approval: Moderate and Major changes in the curriculum, as outlined in the defined terms above, require MEC (and potentially Associate Dean) approval.

PCS/CCS/ECS approval: Moderate and major changes in the curriculum, as outlined in the defined terms above, require notification and discussion at the relevant subcommittee by the course director or his/her designee to insure the integrity of coordination and integration of competencies across the curriculum. Proposed changes will then be presented  by the subcommittee Chair at MEC and voted upon by MEC for approval.

Submission Process

All moderate and major changes must include:

  • Description of proposed change
  • Rationale and intended outcomes
  • Must be discussed with the Assistant Dean of Medical Education for Curriculum & Instructional Design before presentation at curriculum committee.
  • Curricular impact assessment:
    • Alignment with program objectives
    • Impact on other courses/clerkships, if applicable
    • Impact on assessment and student workload, as applicable

Please note: Any changes to a course or clerkship can be updated only once by a specific date each year in the school’s Curriculum Database.

Moderate changes are final with MEC approval. Major changes may further require University approval through the electronic Curricular Approval Process (eCAP) process.

eCAP Minimal Modifications form eCAP Standard form and Committee Review
Adding additional course options to fulfill a required content area Changes to total unit requirements for the program
Changes to course units that do not impact the total unit requirement for the degree Changes to the program structure (including its modality)
Slight edits to titles of required course Changes to the learning outcomes of the program
Minor edits to course numbers of required courses due to policy changes or system requirements Changes to requirements including courses, experiences, thesis or exam requirements
Edits to language used to describe program requirements for clarification purposes

Monitoring

The Medical Education Office monitors courses, modules, clerkships, selectives, and sub-internships annually through its educational quality improvement process, where proposed curricular changes are discussed with the Associate Dean of Medical Education and/or the Assistant Dean of Medical Education for Curriculum & Instructional Design.

Approved by the Medical Education Committee on October 21, 2026.

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