Academic Catalog

Cross-Listing refers to the same course being offered under different departmental prefixes (for example, a course offered as both SOC 215 and ES 215).

Northern Arizona University generally does not establish new cross-listed courses. Programs should use the simplest curricular structure that accomplishes the academic purpose while preserving interdisciplinary opportunities and student access.

Cross-listing may be considered when a specialized program accreditor specifically requires separate course identities. The accreditation requirement must be documented as part of the curricular request.

Cross-listing should not be used primarily to accomplish the following:

• Increase the visibility of a course to students in another program or discipline.
• Establish a separate course identity for a program when the course can be offered under one official prefix.
• Support interdisciplinary teaching, team teaching, or faculty collaboration.
• Identifying courses taught by faculty on shared department hiring contracts.
• Allow multiple programs to use the same course.
• Indicate that a course may satisfy the requirements of more than one program.

These purposes should normally be addressed through program requirements, approved elective options, catalog information, advising resources, and interdisciplinary teaching arrangements rather than through multiple course identities.

Alternatives to Cross-Listing

Programs are encouraged to use the following approaches when a course serves more than one academic program or discipline:

1. Establish one official course identity under the academic unit serving as the administrative home of the course.
2. List the course directly within the requirements or approved electives of other programs whose students are expected or permitted to take it.
3. Use catalog and program requirements to communicate interdisciplinary relationships, rather than establishing an additional course prefix primarily for visibility or program identity.
4. Continue interdisciplinary course development, shared teaching, and faculty collaboration using a singular course identity.

A course may therefore serve multiple programs without being cross-listed.

Permanently Cross-Listing Courses

New permanent cross-listing may be considered when a specialized program accreditor requires separate course identities under multiple prefixes.

Requests must include documentation demonstrating the accreditation requirement.

When permanent cross-listing is approved:

1. The cross-listed courses must be at the same level (for example, 300/300, 400/400, etc.).
2. Where possible, the cross-listed courses should have the same number (e.g., GLG 259 and GSP 259).
3. A single syllabus must be used and must identify all approved prefixes and course numbers.
4. The courses must represent the same academic course and be administered in a manner consistent with the approved cross-listing.

Team teaching, interdisciplinary subject matter, shared faculty participation, alternating instructional responsibility, or a desire to make a course more visible to students in multiple programs are not, by themselves, sufficient justification for permanent cross-listing.

Permanently Cross-Listing Courses

Permanent cross-listing requests meeting the accreditation exception must proceed through the applicable curricular approval process, including college-level curriculum committee review.

The curricular request must include the following:

1. Documentation from the specialized accreditor demonstrating the need for separate course identities.
2. Written justification explaining why the accreditation requirement cannot be met through a single official course identity.
3. A single syllabus listing all proposed prefixes and course numbers.
4. Any additional information required through the applicable curricular approval process.

Catalog and Curriculum Operations may work with the requesting unit to determine whether the documented requirement necessitates cross-listing or whether another curricular structure can meet the same academic and accreditation need.