Online courses should go through the Quality Course Review (QCR) process before being offered to students. Online courses that have previously completed the QCR process should undergo a quality course re-review every 5 years.
The QCR checklist ensures that your course focuses on student-centered engagement and alignment and that it meets national accreditation and certification.
QCR Timeline
A course review consists of two, independent reviews completed by someone on the CTL instructional design team and a member of our faculty peer review team. Our goal is to provide instructors with feedback within four weeks of submission. Then, we anticipate around four weeks for instructors to complete revisions and an additional two weeks to conduct a final review. Therefore, it can take up to ten weeks before a course is officially certified.
Below is a list of deadlines for submission and subsequent revisions. However, submitting early is always recommended.
Deadlines for Initial Submission
Spring courses – October 31
Summer Courses – March 31
Fall Courses – June 30
Deadlines for Revisions
Spring Courses – January 1
Summer Courses – May 1
Fall Courses – August 1
Courses submitted outside of these timelines may take longer than normal to process.
Before submitting your course for review:
- Review the Quality Course Review Rubric to see what the reviewers will use to conduct the review.
- Check that your course includes the basic components:
- Course-level goals, objectives, or outcomes
- Module-level objectives or outcomes
- A syllabus
- All assignments, necessary directions, and resources for students to complete the course
- If you need to revise your course to prepare it for a review, we are happy to assist you. You may also find the Quality Course Review Guide for Instructors helpful in making the necessary revisions