Course & Program Database

Electronic Systems

When the Office of Academic Affairs (VCAA) receives course and program proposals, staff enter the information into the Coursedog curriculum management system, which replaced the Electronic Course Approval System (ECAS) and the Program and Curriculum Approval System (PCAS) in August 2023. ECAS and PCAS will remain accessible to view for a short period of time. 

Coursedog now tracks the approval process for course and program additions and changes over time. Data entered and fully approved in Coursedog are fed into other curriculum management systems used for class scheduling, registration, and advising.

Once course changes are fully approved in Coursedog, the changes are immediate in PeopleSoft and the current online catalog. New courses do not appear in the online catalog until the first day of the effective semester. Faculty and staff can view Coursedog to check the status of course proposals sent to the VCAA, and follow up with their college or VCAA with questions or concerns.   

Program changes generally take longer to fully approve compared to courses because of additional steps including Registrar review, the Office of the Provost (UMN System Office) review/approval, and Academic Support Resources (ASR; UMN System Office) catalog maintenance. New programs may be in Coursedog for several months before final Board of Regents approval.