The Directors of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) play a vital role in the administration of the curriculum as well as in student success and assessment of the undergraduate major.

DUS responsibilities

Departments or programs generally delegate the duties below to the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). However, these responsibilities and how they are delegated by a department or program also depend on the number of students and faculty in the area. Some of these activities might be completed by Chair of the department, for example, and in other cases might be irrelevant.

The following list is provided only as a guideline, with the understanding that each academic area manages responsibilities in a way that works best for its students, faculty, and staff.

  • Chairs the curriculum or undergraduate program committee
  • Proposes changes to the requirements for the undergraduate programs of study administered by the department or program, helping to keep programs updated and responsive to student needs
  • Oversees related updates to the General Catalog
  • Oversees implementation of proposed undergraduate changes that have been approved by the College (i.e., that website is updated; electronic signage is updated; advising informed; and related publicity handled, for example)
  • Reviews Catalog and MyUI schedule of course descriptions and remind faculty to update these as needed
  • Brings issues of pedagogy and best practices and/or related workshops, grants, or UI activities to the attention of the faculty
  • Handles enrollment-management issues
  • Updates the College on related curricular planning issues and ideas
  • Monitors high rates of DFW grades in gateway courses
  • Oversees General Education (GE) CLAS Core courses and other service courses, mentoring instructors and helping them to understand obligations and challenges related to these particular courses
  • Suggests and advises on faculty proposals for GE status for departmental courses
  • Encourages involvement with the Center for Teaching and/or with the Division of Online Education about the redesign of essential GE gateway courses, helping to keep these updated and fresh for entering students
  • Seeks funding for course redesign

  • Coordinates assessment of the undergraduate major or majors
  • Reviews new or revised syllabi for undergraduate courses
  • Oversees enhancement of classroom experiences for students while raising related issues in pedagogy and best practices in faculty meetings or in other ways
  • Reminds faculty of early textbook ordering policy and syllabus attachment requirement
  • Reminds instructors of undergraduate academic misconduct reporting policies, sanctions, and the importance of reporting
  • Advises undergraduate students as needed and/or works with area's professional academic advisor on related advising approaches and issues
  • Authorizes petitions for exceptions and substitutions for requirements of the programs of study with their administrative home in the department or program and submits these to the Registrar’s office
  • Reviews student requests to evaluate transfer credit to apply for the major, minor, or certificate offered by the department or program
  • Reviews student requests for study abroad credit to apply to the programs of study offered by the unit
  • Appoints honor thesis committees in consultation with the thesis advisor and the student or works with any new Honors in the Major faculty advisor as needed
  • Informs faculty of updated information and student opportunities or support from CLAS Undergraduate Programs, the Academic Advising Center, University Honors, the Career Center, the office of Supplemental Instruction/Tutoring, or other offices that support students and faculty

  • Encourages undergraduates to participate in conferences or to publish
  • Works on departmental graduation ceremonies or celebrations
  • Helps with outreach activities, such as involvement in community events, performances and other activities, such as on-campus fairs or open houses
  • Leads related activities on scholarships and awards for undergraduates
  • Encourages undergraduates to participate in research, conferences, and publication
  • Meets with students referred by Admissions or otherwise works with Admissions on related questions and events
  • Helps with alumni outreach, including newsletters and surveys
  • Delegates the organization of panels or workshops on graduate school preparation/choices/opportunities and/or on careers related to major
  • Delegates student club activities

Meetings and related information

DUS meetings and notes

The Directors of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) meet several times each fall and spring semester to discuss issues of mutual interest. A call for agenda items is sent by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education before each meeting.

The Associate Dean also welcomes feedback and agenda items related to undergraduate education at any time during the semester or summer session. Notes from the DUS meetings are shared informally with the DUS and are then added to this page.

DUS are asked to share important information and topics from these meetings with their departments or other units.

Calendar of curricular changes: Guidelines

Please note: Many of these deadlines and processes come from the Registrar and are tied to the academic calendar, including the dates for the "Opening of Classes," "Early Registration," and the "Close of Classes." Each department or program will schedule the actions below while using the start and end dates that work best for the department while maintaining adherence to these final start and end dates. Please see the Registrar's Academic Calendar for specific dates for each semester or session.

  • Annual program assessment update due to the Office of Assessment by the end of June.
  • Planning for a new or a substantially revised major, minor, or certificate: Speak to the CLAS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education as soon as possible and while still in the pre-planning stage of the possible new offering to discuss feasibility, action steps, and a timeline. Resources also need discussion, with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education guiding this process.
  • Course revisions: Any final revisions to courses in the MAUI Course Library must be completed before the related MyUI schedule is published for students. Most changes, however, are expected to be made following the Registrar's Offerings Planner deadlines. After the schedule is published, CLAS allows only minor changes to fix typos or other small errors. Other changes disrupt the students' Schedule Builder and can make the course appear to be no longer available.
  • Review current Catalog pages and consider course revisions needed for the next edition: Revise any courses that must be updated as part of the Catalog editing process; this is especially important if a department or other unit is revising a major, minor, or certificate. The Catalog opens in mid-November and closes in mid-February.
  • Syllabi review: The DEO must review each syllabus before the start of the semester to ensure that the syllabus upholds UI and CLAS policy; this review should be done soon enough to give instructors time to revise a syllabus, if needed.
  • Textbooks orders: Textbooks must be ordered before early registration (ER) starts for the session or semester. The Registrar and the UI bookstore oversee compliance of this deadline mandated by Federal legislation. ER for spring generally starts in early November, and ER for fall in early April.
  • Syllabi attachment: CLAS strongly encourages instructors to attach a syllabus, a short document with key course information, or a thorough MyUI description in MyUI for any course offered for the following session before early registration begins.

  • General Education CLAS Core proposals: Proposals are due in the fall semester by the first week of classes. Information on proposal requirements are here. There is also a spring deadline; see below.
  • Removal of Inactive Courses: Courses not taught in the last four years are considered inactive and must be removed from the Course Library. This is done through workflow process related to the Course Library and is overseen by the Registrar, generally with the process starting in mid-September and ending in mid-October. The Registrar compiles a report for the Regents, as mandated, each year on courses removed and added.

Planning for a new or a substantially revised major, minor, or certificate: Speak to the CLAS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education as soon as possible and while still in the pre-planning stage of the possible new offering to discuss feasibility, action steps, and a timeline. Curricular planning information is here. Changes are implemented at the beginning of the fall semester after approval.

Catalog editing: The Catalog opens for editing in mid-November and closes for editing by early February. Please begin reviewing Catalog pages early in this timeframe. Any curricular revisions anticipated should be completed in time to add to the Catalog or they cannot be implemented until the following year. A first draft of the Catalog is published in time for summer Orientation, generally by June 1. A final draft is published by the start of the fall semester. The Registrar oversees these dates as well as the editing of the Catalog. Wait to make changes to departmental websites until late spring since changes are not effective until the Fall semester.

  • Course revisions: Revisions to courses must be completed for the Summer session and the Fall semester before MyUI Courses is live. The live date for MyUI Courses is decided by the Registrar.
  • Textbooks orders: Textbooks must be ordered before Early Registration begins. The Registrar and the UI bookstore oversee compliance of this deadline. ER for Spring and the following Summer usually begins in early November. See the Registrar's academic calendar for exact dates.
  • Syllabi attachment: CLAS strongly encourages instructors to attach a syllabus, a short document with key course information, or a thorough MyUI description in MyUI for any course offered for the following session before early registration begins.

  • First-year seminar proposals: These proposals are generally due before the start of the spring semester, with the deadline overseen by the Office of the Provost.
  • General Education CLAS Core proposals: Proposals are due in the spring semester by the first week of classes. Information on proposal requirements are here.

The General Catalog closes for editing, generally by early February.

Textbooks orders: Textbooks must be ordered before early registration begins. The Registrar and the UI bookstore oversee compliance of this deadline. Fall Early Registration usually starts in the second week of April. See the Registrar's academic calendar for exact dates.

Undergraduate sample plan editing: Once the Catalog revisions have been approved by related collegiate offices, the sample plans open for editing and are revised to reflect any changes made to the majors, minors, or certificates in the Catalog.

Contacts by department

 
Department or programDirector of Undergraduate Studies (DUS)
African American StudiesLouise Seamster
American StudiesJennifer Sterling
AnthropologyMatthew Hill
Art, Art History, and DesignArt HistoryAmy Huang
Studio ArtAndrew Casto
Asian and Slavic Languages and LiteratureKendra Strand
Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyLori Wallrath
BiologyErin Irish
ChemistryMona Maalouf
CinemaJulia Anna Morrison
ClassicsJustin Vorhis
Communication Sciences and DisordersElizabeth Walker
Communication StudiesDavid Supp-Montgomerie
Computer ScienceElizabeth Kleiman
DanceArmando Duarte
Earth and Environmental SciencesBen Swanson
Economics (BA/BS)Alexandra Nica
EnglishEnglishHarry Stecopoulos
English and Creative WritingKaveh Akbar
General Education LiteratureBluford Adams
English as a Second LanguageMelissa Meisterheim
Enterprise LeadershipDavid Hensley
Environmental SciencesBen Swanson
French and ItalianFrenchDavid Hagan
ItalianIrene Lottini
Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality StudiesAniruddha Dutta
Geographical and Sustainability SciencesSilvia Secchi
GermanGlenn Ehrstine
Global Health StudiesKristine Muñoz
Health and Human PhysiologyExercise Science, Health Promotion, and Health StudiesLucas Carr 
Human PhysiologyGary Pierce
Sport and Recreation ManagementKara Kehe
Therapeutic RecreationEmily Mozena
HistoryElizabeth Yale
Interdepartmental StudiesAndrew Tinkham
International StudiesAri Ariel
Journalism and Mass CommunicationRachel Young
Latin American Studies Program (certificate and minor)Amber Brian
Latina/o/x Studies Program (minor)Rene Rocha
LinguisticsSarah Fagan
Magid Center for WritingDaniel Khalastchi
MathematicsYangbo Ye
MicrobiologyAloyius Klingelhutz
MusicAlan Huckleberry
PhilosophyCarrie Figdor
Physics and AstronomyJane Nachtman
Political ScienceNick Martini
Psychological and Brain SciencesPsychologyPaul Windschitl
Neuroscience (administered jointly with the Department of Biology)Jan Wessel
Religious StudiesDiana Cates
RhetoricCassandra Bausman
Social WorkAlison Oliver
Sociology and CriminologySociologyJennifer Haylett
CriminologyMichaela Ruppert
Spanish and PortugueseDenise Filios
Statistics and Actuarial ScienceStatistics and Data ScienceSanvesh Srivastava
Actuarial ScienceElias Shiu
Theatre ArtsMegan Gogerty
TranslationAdrienne Rose
Need something changed? Updates may be sent to clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu.