Program revision
The need for a program change may be identified as a result of annual Program Assessment, regulatory body or industry requirements, or due to a Ministry mandated revision or adoption of a Provincial Program Standard.
In the case of a major program change, such as the adoption of a Program Standard, please contact the Office of Academic Quality who will assign your team a Curriculum Advisor to support your team throughout the process.
The information below details the basic process steps for making minor and major program outline changes within the Curriculum Information Management (CIM) system. The Course and Program Revision Chart can be used to help teams determine whether a minor or major change is required. The components of a Program Outline, as well as submission timelines can be found at the bottom of the page.
Minor changes
The steps below outline the process of making minor changes to a program:
- Initiator (usually faculty) discusses idea for change with Dean/Associate Dean
- Dean/Associate Dean approves initiator to move forward with change
- Initiator consults other faculty experts and stakeholders
- Initiator makes changes to the relevant program outline fields in Curriculum Information Management system (CIM)
- Initiator contacts the Office of Academic Quality (OAQ) for guidance as needed
- Initiator submits final changes for OAQ review through CIM
- Dean/Associate Dean approves final changes in CIM
- OAQ Curriculum Support Specialist implements approved changes in the system
Major changes
The steps below outline the process for making major changes to a program:
- Initiator (usually faculty) discusses idea for change with Dean/Associate Dean
- Dean/Associate Dean approves initiator to move forward with the change
- Initiator consults with faculty experts and other stakeholders as needed
- Initiator makes the appropriate changes to the program forms within the Curriculum Information Management system (CIM)
- Initiator consults with the Office of Academic Quality (OAQ) for guidance as needed
- Initiator submits proposed changes to the OAQ for review via CIM
- Dean/Associate Dean approves proposed changes via CIM
- OAQ Office Manager includes a motion for the proposed changes on an upcoming Academic Council agenda
- OAQ Office Manager distributes proposed changes to Academic Council members via CIM
- Dean/AD and Initiator present the proposed changes to Academic Council for approval
- Curriculum Support Specialist in the OAQ implements the approved changes in the system
Submission timelines
Minor changes
Minor changes must be submitted by June 30 prior to the academic year effective date. Typographical and grammatical errors will be effective immediately.
Major changes
Major changes are approved according to the Academic Council schedule. Typically, changes received by June 30 are implemented the following year (e.g. changes approved by June 30, 2020 are implemented in the 2021-22 academic year).
Components of a program outline
The following is a list of the components of a program outline. This information can also be found within the field help bubbles in CIM.
| Section | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Title | Display in ALL CAPS |
| Major | Four-digit alpha code assigned by the Office of Academic Quality |
| Program Length | Duration in years |
| Delivery | Duration in semesters |
| Credential | The credential granted upon successful completion of the program |
| Effective Date | Academic year of the first intake the changes will take place (e.g. 2018-19) |
| Location | Campus locations(s) of the program offerings |
| Start | Term(s) the program has an intake (e.g. fall, winter, summer) |
| Description | For additional help, refer to Writing a Program Description |
| Career Opportunities | For additional help, refer to Writing Career Opportunities |
| Learning Outcomes | A list of measurable outcomes that meet or exceed the Ministry standard for the program for additional help refer to Writing Learning Outcomes |
| External Recognition | Include only if applicable, supporting documents must be available on request |
| Practical Experience | Standard statement applicable to co-op programs only |
| Program Progression | Appears in table format showing the program delivery by semester and terms; If there are multiple intakes for the program, include the progression for each intake |
| Articulation | Standard statement to be included in all programs with formal articulation agreements |
| Admission Requirements | For additional help, refer to Writing Admission Requirements |
| Selection Process | Include only if there are requirements other than academic grades to make admission decisions (examples: portfolio, reference letters, resume, etc.) |
| Criminal Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check | Use only if applicable to the program, there are two standard statements to select from (Health Sciences, and Community Studies/Human Services) |
| Additional Information | Paragraph format, use for any additional information not covered elsewhere in the outline |
| Graduation Requirements | List the number of courses by category (e.g. 10 mandatory courses) |
| Graduation Eligibility | Standard statement based on credential type; list of course codes and title by graduation requirement category |
| Course Descriptions | Include course codes, full course titles, total course hours, and any applicable requisites. For additional help, refer to Writing a Course Description. |
| Disclaimer | Standard statement that appears on all program outlines |