Self Funded
Self-Funded Academic Support provides guidance at every stage of self-funded program development, from conceptualization and feasibility assessment to the creation of a final proposal for review and approval through the BOT/BOG process. The support navigates the intricacies of program development, providing valuable insights through labor and academic market analyses, which aid decision-making and business planning with data-driven information on various aspects, including the competitive landscape, labor market demand, long-term growth projections, employment and skills gaps, degree-to-employment pipelines, and the establishment of meaningful relationships with relevant employers.
Florida Board of Governors Regulation 8.002
Self-funded Program Development
From program planning to service sourcing
Academic Support Services offers a centrally supported service to guide you through the appropriate approval processes for developing a Self-Supporting For-Credit program. Our office provides consultation at each phase of development, from concept and feasibility through final Self-Supporting proposal and program marketing, providing labor and academic market analysis to aid your decision-making and business planning.
We meet to determine the scope of the program, potential size of the target audience, and number of known competing programs. We then conduct market research and produce a comprehensive report that evaluates the viability of the prospective program.
Once the research has been conducted and a decision has been made to move forward, we will assist with creating of the Self-Funded proposal and budget template. Contact Self-Funded Academic Services, Self-Funded-Support@ufl.edu, to receive the most up-to-date proposal form.
With all department/college signatures of support in place, the Self-Funded Work Group meets to review all sections of the proposal and budget. Once that review is complete, the proposal will be sent to the Associate Provost of Teaching and Technology, the Provost for institutional approval, then the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors for final approval.
Please note that only programs approved through the UF academic approval tracking system and that have received final approval by the department, college, and appropriate graduate or undergraduate committees can be submitted to the self-funded work group for approval.
Review Process
Department/Unit Level Review
Faculty and/or administrative staff should begin the process by accessing either the "Application for Establishing an Alternative Educational Delivery Platform/ Funding Model" or the "Application for Change in Educational Delivery Platform/ Funding Model" form. Once completed the form should be routed to the department chair for consideration by the department faculty and signature by the chair.
College Level Review
Once the proposal has been signed by the department chair it should then be referred to the appropriate college contact (typically an associate dean) for review and consideration by the college.
University Curriculum Council (UCC) or Graduate School's Graduate Council Approval (GSGC)
Approval for the program must be sought and gained from either the UCC (for undergraduate programs) or the Graduate School's Graduate Council (for graduate programs).
SACS Notification or Approval Prior to Implementation
The program works with the assistant provost and director of Academic Program Oversight for appropriate SACS notification or approval. This should take place during the UCC or GSGC approval process.
Once the proposal has been signed by the dean of the college it should then be sent to the Office of the Associate Provost for Teaching and Technology for review by the Self-Funded Workgroup. The workgroup will make a recommendation to the provost who will provide a review and approval to be moved on to the state level for BOT/BOG approval. Self-supporting programs will have an assigned special program code.
Provost Level Review and Approval
UF students in state-funded programs cannot be in a self-supporting section. If a student needs to take a course that is offered as self-supporting, then a section must be created and the student enrolled in that section.
Once approved by the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors, the program is added to the database of approved self-funded programs, the Board of Governors report, and the Distance Programs website.
Program Market Analysis
Data-driven consultation for existing self-supporting online programs
Self-funded Program Support Services (SPSS) market analysis is a consultative service aimed at supporting the ongoing development of existing online programs by leveraging the labor market, academic market, and employer profile data.
SPSS provides data-driven insight into:
- Your program's competitive landscape
- Labor market demand and long-term growth projections
- Employment and skills gaps by location, industry/occupation, field, and company
- New degree-to-employment pipelines
- Building relationships with the right employers
- Ensuring your program's curriculum aligns with in-demand skills in relevant industries
Academic Program Trends
Using government, resume, and alumni profile data, our office analyzes trends in relevant academic fields to help faculty and administrators better understand their programs' competitive landscape. We build upon this data to generate reasonable enrollment projections in the coming years, a crucial aid in long-term program planning.
Occupational Overview
Our consultation will provide deeper insight into the local, regional, and national economies that drive potential students to your programs. We can help ensure online programs remain aligned with labor market demand and identify key demand gaps across the state and country.
Employer and Job Postings Analytics
Our office leverages proprietary employer and resume profile data to provide programs with information on skills employers seek and the workforce’s readiness to meet those demands. We can review regional trends or analyze industries and companies. This level of detail enables our office to identify potential student interests and regions where education is in low supply. Lastly, this data may help forge new relationships with employers and industry leaders.
Skills Gap Analysis
Working with our office, programs will be able to identify specific skills gaps for specific occupations and job titles relevant to the field. This data can be used to review program curricula, ensure ongoing alignment with in-demand skills, and be a catalyst for conversations with managers to build continuing education opportunities for their current employees.
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What's Next?
Tap trusted UF partners for course production, recruitment and enrollment services. Explore the Center for Online Innovation & Production (COIP) and Marketing & Admissions Support Team (MAST).