Program Development and Approval Procedures

General

1. The College uses CourseLeaf Curriculum Inventory Management System (CIM) as its online curriculum development and approval system. 

Support

2. The College strongly recommends the use of the following resources to support curriculum development. Use of these resources from the start of the development process will help to facilitate a smooth and timely implementation process: 
   
   
   
   1. Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research (CTLR) will assist with the design of program content guides, course outlines, and course maps to create aligned and inclusive learning outcomes, assessments and learning activities.
   
   
   2. The Registrar's Office (RO) will assist with establishing clear admission requirements, course pre-requisites and student-centred academic scheduling processes, in addition to supporting the implementation of the Curriculum Delivery Framework.
   
   
   3. Finance will assist with completing program costing.
   
   
   
   

Program and Course Development & Approval Process

3. Program and course development will proceed pursuant to the following procedures and relevant procedures under Policy 410 Curriculum Development and Approval.


4. Large curriculum development projects often involve a mix of multiple types of curriculum development, particularly when tuition change or costing is involved. Curriculum Leads might need to follow multiple different sections of these procedures. CTLR, the Registrar's Office, or Curriculum Committee can provide guidance.

A. Program Change

5. Program change refers to all proposals related to: 
   
   
   
   1. New programs.
   
   
   2. New course development, where the course is a required part of a program or credential, and is likely to affect the cost of program delivery.
   
   
   3. Revisions to programs that impact total program contact hours, total credits, or total cost of the program and related courses, unless identified by the Vice President, Academic & Applied Research as being urgent or minor in impact.
   
   
   4. Revisions to courses that impact course implementation, including total contact hours, cost, and course deactivations, unless identified by the Vice President, Academic & Applied Research as being urgent or minor in impact. Written recommendations to the Board of Governors, submitted through the Finance and Audit Committee, will include the essential course criteria needed to inform and enable the Board to maintain the course effectively.
   
   
   5. Revisions to programs resulting from program renewal or accreditation recommendations.
   
   
   6. Revisions to programs resulting from a program suspension process per Policy 414 Suspension and/or Discontinuance of Programs.
   
   
   
   


6. A Program/Credential Benchmark Report will be prepared by the Dean (or designate). This report will contain information on program costs and revenues, longitudinal enrolment projections, and sector comparison benchmarks where available. 
   
   
   
   1. For programs in a renewal and/or accreditation process, the Benchmark Report will be provided to the Program Renewal Steering Committee (refer to Program Review and Renewal Procedures) or Accreditation committees to support their final recommendations.
   
   
   2. For programs in the program suspension process, the Benchmark Report will be provided to the Program Feasibility Working Group (refer to Policy 414 Suspension and/or Discontinuance of Programs) to support their recommendations. The Feasibility Working Group's report will be completed prior to the development of a concept paper to re-start the program.
   
   
   
   


7. To initiate approval for a Program Change in response to the Benchmark Report, the Dean must submit a concept paper and program costing for approval by Senior Team, with input from the Chief Financial Officer or designate and the Registrar or designate.


8. The Vice President, Academic & Applied Research may waive the requirements to complete a concept paper and/or benchmark report.


9. The concept paper and benchmark report will go to both Education Council and the Board of Governors for information.


10. At any point after the concept paper and benchmark report have been received by Education Council, the Dean or designate will write a decision note informing Education Council about matters related to the implementation of the program change proposal.


11. Curriculum development will proceed pursuant to the procedures documented under Program Change in Policy 410 Curriculum Development and Approval.


12. The Education Council Chair will inform the Board of the approval of new, changed, or deactivated curriculum, and will provide Education Council's advice on the implementation of the program change proposal.


13. Program changes under 5c and 5d that have been identified by the Vice President, Academic & Applied Research as being urgent or minor in impact may be approved by Education Council. Education Council will notify the Board of any such approvals. The Board may override the decision of Education Council.


14.  Any affiliation agreements required as part of the curriculum proposal must be approved per Policy 407 Educational Affiliations prior to final approval of the curriculum proposal.


15. The office of the Vice President, Academic & Applied Research coordinates submissions to the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (Ministry) as follows: 
    
    
    
    1. Diplomas and certificates that ladder into diplomas are posted for 30 days on the Post Secondary Institution Proposal System (PSIPS). Comments and feedback are forwarded to the Vice President, Academic & Applied Research and responded to as needed.
    
    
    2. Degree programs are submitted to the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) for approval. Timelines for DQAB reviews are set by DQAB. The College will respond to reviews as required.
    
    
    3. Programs requiring change to credential tuition rates beyond the legislated limits are submitted to the Ministry's Strategic Policy and Initiatives Branch for consideration of new tuition rates.
    
    
    
    


16. The Board may approve new credentials, program and course implementation, and tuition while they are under Ministry review.  


17. Program tuition and fees are approved by the Board in accordance with Ministry guidelines and the College's Policy 310 Tuition and Fees.


18. For new courses that are not a required part of a program or credential: 
    
    
    
    1. The Dean must submit a course costing for approval by Senior Team, with input from the Chief Financial Officer and the Registrar.
    
    
    2. Course tuition and fees are approved by the Finance and Audit Committee and Board in accordance with Ministry guidelines and the College's Policy 310 Tuition and Fees. Written recommendations to the Board of Governors, submitted through the Finance and Audit Committee, will include the essential course criteria needed to inform and facilitate the Board's approval process.
    
    
    3. Admission criteria are approved by Education Council.
    
    
    
    

B. Accelerated Program Change

19. The Board may approve new credentials, program implementation and/or tuition before curriculum is approved.
    
    A decision note from the President must be provided to the Board in advance of the approval. The decision note will normally be accompanied by the concept paper and benchmark report, pursuant to procedure 9. Advice from Education Council and/or the Finance and Audit Committee will be presented to the Board.
    
    
    
    1. Education Council will be advised of approval matters in advance. The Dean or designate will write a decision note informing Education Council about matters related to the creation of a new credential or implementation of a program. Education Council will provide their advice to the Board on matters related to the credential and program implementation.
       
       
       
       1. Education Council has the authority and responsibility to approve program/course curriculum elements necessary for early approval of any credential, such as program admissions criteria, program descriptions or program learning outcomes. 
       
       
       
       
    
    
    2. Simultaneous to any accelerated program change submission, the Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) will submit recommendations to the Board of Governors in relation to the program tuition. The Dean or designate will provide a decision note informing FAC about matters related to program/course tuition.
    
    
    
    


20. The commencement of programs is dependent upon the approval of the curriculum, as governed by Policy 410.

Responsibilities 

20. The School Dean or designate is responsible for monitoring the curriculum development process for Program Changes and supporting consultation with the Registrar, Finance, and external parties. The Registrar and Finance should be consulted on any proposed changes to the Curriculum Delivery Framework or previously-granted Curriculum Delivery Framework exemptions. External consultation may be required for the creation of the Program/Credential Benchmark Report.


21. Deans, Department Leaders, CTLR, and Curriculum Leads will follow the requirements contained in the Curriculum Delivery Framework (Policy 410 Curriculum Development and Approval). Requests for exemptions from the Curriculum Delivery Framework will be compiled by the Dean or designate and brought to the Vice President Academic & Applied Research for decision.


22. The School Dean is responsible for ensuring that: 
    
    
    
    1. any new or revised programs or courses have been costed appropriately, and
    
    
    2. any significant financial requirement for the College or students has been identified, and
    
    
    3. a reasonable timeline has been established to ensure effective implementation of the proposal.
    
    
    
    

Consultation

23. New or revised program content guides and/or course outlines should be submitted to the Registrar and CTLR for consultation at least two months prior to Curriculum Committee submission, except for minor changes (see Policy 410).

Timelines

24. The development/revision and approval of programs and courses may take anywhere from one (1) month (for minor revisions) to 18 months (for a new program). Meeting the requirements of any external regulatory bodies, such as the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB), may require additional time.


25. Program Changes should be approved at least 9-12 months prior to the planned effective date, except when approved on an Accelerated Program Change pathway.

Communication and Record Keeping

26. Following Board approval, a formal resolution is sent by the Board Office to key implementation areas within the College and is posted on the website.