Stage Two: Program Design and Consultation
In Stage Two of the New Program Development process, the academic area works toward ensuring that the college is able to deliver the quality of education necessary for the new program’s success. The academic area is responsible for designing the new program curriculum and finalizing the Program Costing. Use the list below for quick access to selected sections of Stage Two:
Program Curriculum Team
The design of a program depends upon a team of academic experts working collaboratively. This team includes the Dean/Associate Dean, lead faculty (often the Program Co-ordinator), faculty experts in the area, and a member of the Office of Academic Quality..
Internal and External Stakeholders
A Steering Committee of industry advisors is also an essential component of new program development. Members provide subject matter expertise and knowledge of the employment landscape, and help to ensure the new program is current and relevant to future employment and academic pathways. Members of this committee generally become members of the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) once the program is launched. Other external stakeholders include regulatory bodies who should be consulted regarding external requirements, and industry partners.
Internally, the Office of the Registrar can confirm admission requirements and help resolve any issues around how the structure of a program may impact funding, student fees, academic space and scheduling. Other academic areas can collaborate around shared courses or potential pathways. Internal stakeholders should be consulted on an as needed basis and can include the following:
- graduates and students
- Credit for Prior Learning
- Physical Resources
- Student Services (Library Commons, Co-op)
- Information Technology
For a list of complete stakeholders, refer to the Integrated Planning and Stakeholder Collaboration process.
Program Development
A new degree program is developed to meet student, community and employment needs, and to complement the strategic direction of the college. A new degree program must meet Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) guidelines through the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board’s (PEQAB) benchmarks and Georgian College’s curriculum standards. MTCU limits both the number of degrees that can be conferred by a college, and the type of degrees that can be granted by colleges. This does not include degrees that are conferred by our university partners. Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAATs) are currently permitted to offer one type of degree: an Honours Bachelor’s degree in an applied area of study. The Ontario Qualifications Framework describes this credential.
Degree Standards
Degree programs in CAATs must meet the MTCU Qualification Standards for a Bachelor’s Degrees (Honours) in an applied area of study, as defined in the Ontario Qualifications Framework, and all of PEQAB’s Degree Program Quality Review Standards and Benchmarks, as outlined in the most recent Manual for Ontario Colleges.
Curriculum Structure
Degree programs contain three basic elements described below: Core courses, non-core or breadth courses, and work-integrated learning.
Core courses
Core courses are defined as those courses with subject matter that is within the main discipline of study. In general, this means that they are in the areas described in the nomenclature of the degree. For example, in Bachelor of Business Administration – Automotive Management, they are courses that are in business, or specifically in the automotive area. Core courses can be either mandatory (specific courses that must be taken to graduate) or elective (courses can be chosen from a list or category of core courses).
For example, a selection of Special Topics courses in the core area may offer students elective choices and allow the program the flexibility for currency. In degree programs there must be a balance of theory and practice in the core area. Program and course learning outcomes should reflect this balance. In addition, “increasingly complex theory” must be supported by the sequencing of course learning outcomes and by the prerequisite structure. No more than 80 per cent of the courses in a degree program can be in the core area of study.
Non-core/breadth courses
By definition, breadth, or non-core courses, are those courses that are taken in areas outside the main discipline of the degree. In general, this means that they are outside the areas described in the nomenclature of the degree. For example, in a Bachelor of Business Administration – Automotive Management, they are courses that are neither in business, nor specifically in the automotive area. At least 20 per cent of course hours must be non-core courses. Some breadth courses are mandatory, but some breadth courses must be electives. Georgian College delivers breadth programming according to our Ministry approved Breadth Plan. This plan requires students to take courses from particular categories and at more than an introductory level. At Georgian College, Multidisciplinary Research is a mandatory non-core/breadth course for all of our degree programs.
Work-integrated learning
Whether the work-integrated learning experience is a paid co-op, an internship or other work experience, the following PEQAB Benchmark must be met:
Any work-integrated learning experience a) is appropriate to the field of the program b) has articulated, appropriate learning outcomes c) is supervised by both a college representative with appropriate academic credentials and an employer/staff member who collaborate to evaluate the student performance and d) provides opportunities and structure for student reflection on program learning outcomes in relationship to work-integrated learning experience(s) and e) amounts to no less than 14 weeks of full-time equivalent work (420 hours), either in one block, or in multiple cumulative blocks appropriate to achieving the learning outcomes. For more information read the guidelines (p.28).
Program Outline
The Program Outline includes essential information about an academic program, including program learning outcomes, courses, admission requirements, graduation requirements, student progression and more. This documents serves the needs of students, faculty, administrators, and external approval bodies. In order for a new program to launch at the college, the Program Outline must be approved both internally and externally.
Program Tracking
The Program Tracking is completed within CIM and illustrates the sequencing of courses as students will take them from semester one through to graduation. Pop-up bubbles linked to the course codes are used within the tracking to provide essential information, including the course description, hours, requisites, and Prior Learning Assessment eligibility. In this section, teams also identify whether or not work integrated learning in the program exists to meet the requirements of a professional or occupational regulatory body.
Program tracking in CIM does require some training. Please refer to the CIM section of our website for further information.
Course Outlines
All course outlines for a new program need to be drafted and approved by the Dean or Associate Dean within the Curriculum Information Management system (CIM) prior to program approval at Academic Council. The course proposal form in CIM provides instruction regarding all of the essential components via help bubbles: title, hours, semester offered, delivery method, requisites and equivalents, the course description, course learning outcomes, course content, and course evaluation.
When developing courses for degree programs, keep in mind such things as:
- purpose and goals of the course within the context of the program
- sequence of learning
- assessment
- instructional methods and resources
- continuous quality assessment and improvement plans
- accessibility and inclusivity (e.g., that students with disabilities and from all backgrounds can participate with an equal chance of success)
- characteristics of degree-level learning such as increasingly complex theory
- well-articulated appropriate learning outcomes for work-integrated learning
- scaffolded requirements for research and academic writing
- recommended reading in the upper years of the program that includes primary source scholarly journal articles
Course outlines are finalized in the system once the Program Outline is approved at Academic Council during Stage 3: Internal Approval.
Program Mapping
There are numerous ways to map the curriculum of a program. Maps are useful in creating a picture of your program from a particular angle, and the type of map you use is dependent upon your goal. Elements of mapping might include program and course learning outcomes, assessment, and accreditation requirements, to name a few.
Mapping requirements for new degree programs includes Detailed Curriculum Mapping.
Detailed Curriculum Mapping
The Detailed Curriculum Map enables faculty to map every Course Learning Outcome (CLO) to each Program Learning Outcome (PLO) and Degree Level Standard, as well as to institutional priorities such as entrepreneurship and Indigenization. In a grid layout, faculty also identify when each CLO is Introduced for the first time (I), Reinforced (R), and/or Assessed (A) in each course.
Curriculum mapping helps faculty to conceptualize the “big picture” in the sequence of course learning concepts and see how the pieces of the curriculum fit together. It helps faculty identify gaps in the intended learning and provides opportunity to re-think course sequencing. Course mapping also helps the college illustrate its adherence to PEQAB Standards and Benchmarks.
Once the program curriculum (including the program outline, mapping, tracking and course outlines) is completed within CIM, it is submitted to Academic Council for Approval. Please refer to Stage Three: Internal Approval.