Curriculum/Programs
Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Biomedical Sciences Program
The Biomedical Sciences undergraduate curricula is designed to equip students with a strong foundation in science including biological, chemical and physical sciences to enable further pursuit of graduate and professional studies or employment in healthcare and related fields. The COSAM ADAA Office has administrative oversight for the Biomedical Sciences degree program with the Assistant Dean for Biomedical Sciences serving as the primary administrative contact for the program. The Biomedical Sciences Advisory Committee, led by the Assistant Dean and composed of faculty and staff from across the college, is charged with developing curricular, assessment, and promotional strategies for the program.
The Auburn University Rural Medicine Program (RMP) began in 2006 as a strategic initiative to increase the number of physicians in rural Alabama. The program was designed to prepare students for success in medical school and maintain their resolve for serving rural Alabama after medical school. The RMP accomplishes this by: 1) preparing students for the academic challenge of medical school by having them take rigorous fundamental science courses with renowned faculty in the Auburn University College of Sciences and Mathematics, 2) enhancing students’ knowledge and proficiency of hands-on clinical protocols through one-on-one mentorship with practicing family physicians in local communities, and 3) facilitating the experiential benefit of cohort building with their fellow RMP classmates.
The COSAM ADAA Office is the academic home of the Auburn University Rural Medicine Program. The program prepares students for careers as primary care physicians in rural Alabama. RMP is a joint program of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and Auburn University. Up to twelve students are selected for the program annually.
For more information regarding the Auburn University Rural Medicine Program, contact Dr. Maggie Han (xzh0003@auburn.edu).
COSAM Curriculum Committee
The College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) at Auburn University is dedicated to excellence in education, as reflected in our comprehensive curriculum that encompasses a wide range of courses and programs. The COSAM Curriculum Committee is instrumental in reviewing and approving curriculum proposals, ensuring that any modifications uphold our esteemed academic standards. The COSAM ADAA Office leads the COSAM Curriculum Committee and ensures university curriculum policies are followed before changes are moved forward to the university level committees.
Faculty members are encouraged to contribute to the evolution of our curriculum by proposing new courses or programs, or by suggesting updates to current offerings. Such initiatives are most effective when coordinated with their respective departmental curriculum processes. Proposals that have been fully vetted by the academic department are reviewed by the COSAM Curriculum Committee at monthly meetings during Fall and Spring semesters. All proposals must be submitted within the Courseleaf Curriculum Management System (CIM) and reach the COSAM Coordinator Curriculum Management queue at least 1.5 weeks prior to the COSAM Curriculum Committee meeting date.
- Auburn University Curriculum Management
- Auburn University Bulletin-COSAM Undergraduate Degree Programs
Directed Studies Contracts
The Office of the Provost has specific policies on Directed Studies courses (e.g. directed research, independent study, directed readings, etc.) and a documented agreement must be completed each semester between the student and the professor. In advance of the semester of Directed Studies work, COSAM students, in collaboration with the professor supervising their work, should initiate one of the following processes for obtaining approval to be registered for Directed Studies credit. An official form is submitted for review and approval by the student’s Department Chair and Academic Dean.
- Approval and management of Directed Studies contracts for courses in a COSAM department is completed through an Adobe Sign workflow. Instructions for completing the approval form and initiating the workflow can be found here: https://auburn.box.com/s/qcwyi5ow733j7g51zezr3vunixmnsp1s
- COSAM students who perform research that is supervised by a professor outside of COSAM are encouraged to use the SCMH 4980 form to obtain approval from the Academic Dean. The SCMH 4980 approval request form and instructions for completing the form can be found here: https://auburn.box.com/s/9zn1s954k1mvi8cwihe4xrikz01whdmv
COSAM Course Scheduling
The COSAM ADAA Office manages numerous processes affiliated with the COSAM courses that are offered each semester and coordinates priority initiatives for student registration.
Schedule Building for SCMH Courses
Schedule Building is a semesterly process that occurs months in advance of the semester being built. In collaboration with the Department Chair, Undergraduate Program Officer, Graduate Program Officer, and faculty, department schedulers create the department’s schedule of courses that will be offered each semester to include meeting days/times, classroom location, and instructor of record for each course.
- The COSAM ADAA Office coordinates the schedule building process for all SCMH courses each semester except SCMH 1010/1017 Concepts of Science. (Please contact the COSAM Department of Geosciences for questions regarding Concepts of Science.)
- For information on when a course will be offered next, please see the Long Range Schedules for COSAM Courses section of this webpage.
Long Range Schedules for COSAM Courses
Long range schedules are lists of courses COSAM departments plan to teach in future semesters which aid students and their academic advisors with planning course selection during registration each semester. In collaboration with the COSAM departmental schedulers, the ADAA Office ensures long-range schedules are regularly updated and posted online.
https://auburn.edu/cosam/departments/student-services/academic-advising/long-range-planning.html
Camp War Eagle Priority Scheduling
Incoming students attending Camp War Eagle meet with academic advisors and are registered for their courses during their assigned sessions. In collaboration with department schedulers and academic advisors, the COSAM ADAA Office facilitates a strategy for ensuring an adequate number of seats in COSAM courses are allocated for COSAM students so they are registered for the courses they need.
EASL room scheduling for COSAM courses
The COSAM ADAA Office works with the Biggio Center and department schedulers to facilitate requests for EASL classroom assignments. Faculty who are interested in utilizing an EASL classroom should contact their department scheduler to initiate the request.
COSAM Academic Programs
COSAM Academic Program Assessment Reporting
The COSAM ADAA Office ensures the timely submission of annual assessment reports to the Provost for all undergraduate and graduate COSAM academic degree and certificate programs. The ADAA Office helps facilitate communication between COSAM departments and the Office of Academic Insight to improve assessment reporting and develop strategies for enhanced teaching and learning. A list of COSAM Assessment Report writers can be found here: https://auburn.box.com/s/7hz21jzaii0jxd4wpqc5mlf5s6tvq597
COSAM Academic Program Reviews
The Auburn University Provost’s Office conducts Academic Program Review (https://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/program-review/) to help the university understand how well its academic departments are doing and how they can improve. The process looks at how departments align with the university’s goals, how much support and resources they have, the quality of their courses and teaching methods, the achievements of students and faculty, and identifies what’s working well and what needs work.
The COSAM ADAA Office facilitates the Academic Program Review process for all majors within the college, to include:
- Serving as liaison between COSAM departments and the university-level administration to communicate expectations and oversee the review process
- Working in collaboration with university administration and COSAM departments to develop a timeline of processes and ensure required tasks are completed
- Coordinating the selection of internal and external reviewers and scheduling on-site visits and meetings
- Reviewing departmental self-study report and submitting to university administration