Diploma and certificate program mapping

Program Mapping helps the college ensure that all of the elements of a program curriculum are designed for student success in meeting the Provincial Vocational Learning Outcomes (VLOs). At Georgian, this means completing a VLO Mapping and Justification and a Detailed Curriculum Map. Both are required for approval during New Program Development and Five-year Program Renewal.

On this page:

Degree program mapping

Detailed curriculum mapping

The Detailed Curriculum Map is a tool used by program teams to show that courses and assessment are developed from the Program Vocational Learning Outcomes (VLOs) as prescribed by the Ministry. It enables program teams to document which Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) satisfy which proposed Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs), Essential Employability Skills (EES), and Institutional Priorities. It also helps teams demonstrate where the CLOs are taught (for the first time) and assessed, or reinforced and assessed in the course. The template also includes additional columns for programs that must meet elements of performance or accrediting standards. Refer to Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Detailed Curriculum Map
Figure 1: Detailed Curriculum Map

A Detailed Curriculum Map is an essential tool in the development and revision of programs. It helps teams do the following:

  • identify any gaps in an existing or proposed curriculum
  • generate discussion about what is working well in an existing program
  • visualize and ensure the proper levelling and sequence of learning
  • examining learning outcomes in relation to current and potential pathways
  • document mapping and changes for accrediting and quality assurance bodies

The Detailed Curriculum Map is completed for the first time, usually during New Program Development. When a new program is proposed, the map of the proposed curriculum accompanies that proposal at Academic Council (AC). At renewal, the current state is re-examined and modified to become the future state. Both the current and proposed future state accompany the Program Renewal at AC.

VLO mapping and justification

The data within the Detailed Curriculum Map is used by the Office of Academic Quality to populate important parts of the application required for Credential Validation Service (CVS) validation of new programs (see Figure 2 below). For existing programs, this information must be kept up to date, and is presented to the Ontario Colleges Quality Assurance Service (OCQAS) for auditing purposes.

VLO Mapping
Figure 2: VLO Mapping for CVS

In addition to the mapping for CVS, colleges are required to justify any changes they make to Vocational Learning Outcomes (VLOs). VLOs are provided for all programs of instruction via a Provincial Program Standard or Provincial Program Description. If a program maps to a Provincial Program Standard, then the proposed PLOs will be identical to the VLOs, so no justification is necessary. Where programs map to a Provincial Program Description, the proposed PLOs may differ from the VLOs on the description. In these cases, teams are required to include a written justification of any changes. This is documented within the Curriculum Information Management system (CIM), after which, the Office of Academic Quality pulls the data, including the rationale, to complete or update the appropriate CVS forms (see figure 3 below).

Program VLOs
Figure 3: VLO justification for CVS

Important: Ask a member of the Office of Academic Quality (OAQ) to check with the Credentials Validation Service (CVS) for Program Descriptions. Sometimes, there may not appear to be an existing Program Description to which a program can be mapped; however, CVS requires teams to map to a Program Description they determine to be similar enough, or to a Program Description with the same name but with a different credential.

General program mapping reminders

  • If mapping to a Provincial Program Description, the VLOs may be modified; however, they must remain vocational (e.g., indicate what a graduate will do in the workplace) and true to the intention of the original outcome.
  • Students must have multiple opportunities to meet a PLO and EES; therefore, two or more courses must map to each outcome.
  • Do not include General Education (GNED) courses in the Detailed Curriculum Map; the college cannot prescribe which GNEDs students take, and so cannot guarantee a student will achieve a PLO based on a GNED course.

Mapping is a complex process, and much of the back and forth between CVS and the college prior to validation has to do with the mapping and justification of proposed PLOs to Provincial Program Description VLOs. The Office of Academic Quality (OAQ) provides support around the mapping process for both New Program Development and Program Renewal.

 Contact the OAQ to arrange a mapping session for your team.