ct Kwant lenAGENDA

DEGREE PROPOSAL ASSESSMENT COMMITTEEWednesday October 6 1999 415 600pm

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE Surrey Campus Room G3035

1 Call to Order

2 Confirmation of Agenda

3 Approval of Minutes of September 15 1999

4 Draft Revised Guidelines and Proceduresfor Submission ofNew Degree Programs in BC Deferred from last meetingplease review and bring to meeting with comments

5 For information

Bachelor of Business Administration in AccountingApproval from Ministry to proceed to full program proposalstage

Bachelor ofApplied Arts Major in PsychologyLetter from Ministry DPRC offering suggestionsrevisions

6 Election of Vice Chair

Next Meeting

Wednesday November 3 415 pm Surrey Campus Room G2105

Distribution

Dana CserepesrDave DavidsonSue Doucette

Barbara DugganVerian FarnsworthSusan MorrisDana Goedbloed

Jean Church

Linda RogersJudith McGillivrayBarb Melnyk

yea

KSA Rep TBAPaul Richard

Jim Gunson

Colin HaighFrank Ludtke

Casey McConillJohn Slattery

Dana Cserepes

Dana Cserepes

Dana CserepesAttached

Judith

distributed with Sept agenda

Dana

discussion

ct KwantlenUNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Present

Dana Cserepes ChairSusan Morris

John Slattery

RegretsDave Davidson

Mark Stephens

Guests

Alice MacphersonAl Neighbour

Jean Church

Dana Goedbloed

Judith McGillivray

Jim Gunson

Roger ElmesLinda Coyle

1 Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 419pm

DRAFTNOTES

Degree Proposal Assessment CommitteeWednesday 15 September 1999 415 pm

Surrey Campus Room G2105

Barbara DugganFrank Ludtke

Barb Melnyk recorder

Verian Farnsworth

Casey McConillLinda Rogers

Colin Haigh Paul Richard

Harpreet Bachra Karen Metzgeer observerKatherine Zmetana

2 Confirmation of Agenda

Moved by Barbara Dugganthat the Agenda be confirmed with the following revisions

Add Degree Program Concept Social Research Administration and Policy Analysis BrianMacLean

Renumber items as follows

4 Degree Program Concept Social Research Administration and Policy Analysis5 Draft Letter of Intent Non Degree ReSubmission Building Service Worker6 Draft Letter of Intent Non Degree Golf Course TurfGrass Maintenance

CARRIED

3 Approval of Minutes of June 9 1999

Moved by Verian Farnsworththat the minutes of June 9 1999 be approved as distributed

4 Degree Program Concept Social Research Administration and Policy Analysis

Moved by Verian Farnsworth seconded by Susan Morristhat the Degree Program Concept be approved subject to revisions

CARRIED

DISVE1 IRCI

5 Draft Letter of Intent Non Degree ReSubmission Building Service Worker

Moved by John Slattery Seconded by Frank Ludtkethat the Draft Letter of Intent be approved subject to changes and additions being seen by Judithand Dana If changes are satisfactory the draft letter of intent will be passed directly to EductionCouncil

CARRIED

ACTION Vice President Education to consult with Ministry regarding their expectations forbondegree approval

6 Draft Letter of Intent Non Degree Golf Course Turfgrass Maintenance

Moved by John Slattery seconded by Verian Farnsworththat the Draft Letter of Intent be approved subject to modificationsCARRIED

7 Revised Guidelines and Procedures for Submission of New Degree Programs in BCDeferred to next meeting

8 Approval from Ministry to Proceed to Full Program Proposal Stage Bachelor ofAppliedDesign Major in Interdisciplinary Design

Submitted and reviewed for information purposes only9 Election of Vice Chair

Deferred to October 6 Meeting

The meeting adjourned at 615 pm

Next Meeting Wed October 6 1999415 pmRoom G3035 Surrey Campus

3 weeks prior to Education Council meeting

COWMMBA

September 24 1999

Skip Triplett PresidentKwantlen University College12666 72 Ave

Surrey BC V3W 2M8

September 20 1999 the MinistrysInternal Degree Program Review Committeeewed Kwantlen University CollegesKUC Letter of Intent for a Bachelor of

Business Administration Major in Accounting

The Committee felt this was a good proposal with a number of strengths and they wereparticularly pleased that KUC intends to retain the diploma exit The proposal isconsistent with KUCsmandate and KUC is now invited to proceed to the Full ProgramProposal Stage In developing the Full Program Proposal KUC is requested to provideadditional evidence of industry consultation

Once the Full Proposal has been finalized please forward 16 copies to the Ministry sothat it may be scheduled for review at a subsequent meeting of the Degree ProgramReview Committee

I look forward to receiving the Full Program Proposal

Sincerely

Arlene PatonADirector

RECEIVED

SEP3 9 1999

Vice President Education

pc Randy Brown Education Officer Colleges and Institutional Planning BranchDPRC Secretariat

Ministry of Advanced EducationTraining and Technology

University Colleges andProgram Planning Branch

Past Secondary Education DivisionPo Box 9877 Stn Prov GovtVictoria BC V8W 976

RECEIVED

SEP 3 0 199

PresidentsOffice

File 6055520KUCDEG

Telephone 250 3876189Facstrn8e 250 9524110

Ckich

Qrr

BRITISHCOLUMBIA

September 22 1999

Skip Triplett PresidentKwantlen University College12666 72 AveSurrey BC V3 W 2 s 8

Ministry of Advanced EducationTraining and Technology

University Colleges andProgram Planning Branch

Post Secondary Education DivisionPo Box 9877 Stn Prov GovtVictoria BC V8W 976

RECEIVEDSEP3

PresidentsOffice

File 6055520KUCDEG

RECEIVEDSEP 3 0 j99

Vice President Education

On September 2 1999 the MinistrysInternal Degree Program Review Committeereviewed Kwantlen University CollegesKUC Letter of Intent for a Bachelor ofApplied Arts Major in Psychology

In 1997 KUC submitted a Bachelor ofApplied Psychology for Ministry review and weredenied approval to proceed because it was determined that students were reasonably wellserved by existing programs at other institutions The current submission attempts todemonstrate the uniqueness of this revised proposal by focusing heavily on the appliednature of the program While this applied focus may in fact substantiate the claim ofuniqueness it also raises significant concerns with respect to the extent to which graduatesofthis program will be qualified to work in areas that typically require psychologyrelated skills

Before proceeding to the Full Program Proposal stage the Committee requests that KUCaddress the following issues

Program title and credential to be awarded should be the same Calling one aBachelor ofApplied Psychology and the other a Bachelor ofApplied Arts Major inPsychology may be confusing to studentsUse of the word applied in the degree name Ifupon completion the student willhave fulfilled all the academic requirements for a Bachelor ofArts degreeSection C3then what warrants calling it an Applied Arts degree Cv

Telephone 250 3874189Facsimile 250 9524110

Will students who obtain this degree have sufficient background to be admitted tograduate school without extensive further coursework in psychology If not thenthat must be clearly articulated to the student prior to enrolmentDegree component names should be recognizable and understandable to otherpost secondary institutions Human Factors Psychology is not a recognizable termEvidence that KUC has consulted with the universities and received assurances thatIaddering opportunities will be available for students in this programHas KUC considered whether a coop option would be more useful to students than awork placement

In addition to these issues the Committee has concerns with how valuable this type ofdegree will be to students The job destinations identified are not unique to graduates ofthis program Rather graduates of this program will have to compete for jobs withgraduates from any other general arts or social work degree For the program to becomesustainable KUC will have to ensure that their students graduate on at least an equal levelto graduates from the traditional Bachelor ofArts Major in Psychology degree

I look forward to receiving your written response to the issues raised If you have anyquestions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Debbie Andersen at 250 3876268

Arlene Paton

ADirector

pc

2

Alanna Schlatter Manager Degree Approval and Institute LiaisonUniversities and Institutes Branch

Debbie Andersen Manager Institution and Program SupportUniversity Colleges and Program Planning Branch

Donna Woo Education OfficerUniversity Colleges and Program Planning Branch

i

072099

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

FOR THE

SUBMISSION OF NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS

IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

DRAFT

New Degree Program Approval Process

Full Program ProposalSubmitted to DPRC

Letter of Intent

Submittjd to Ministry

Yes

MinistersDecision

To

Institutions

for

Comment

Full Program ProposalSubmitted to Ministry

Recommendation

to Minister

Recommendation

to Minister

Quick Reference Flow Chart

I Background and Rationale 1

II Overview of the Process 3

A Definition of a New Degree Program 3

B Stages in the New Degree Approval Process 4

C Recommendation and Implementation 7

III Submission Guidelines and FormatA Letter of Intent Format

B Full Program Proposal Format

List ofAppendices

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Appendix A

Naming of Degrees A Supplement to the Approval ofNew Degreesin British Columbia Post Secondary Institutions

072099

9

11

13

O

0

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURESFOR THE

SUBMISSION OF NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS

I BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

DRAFT

The Ministry responsible for post secondary education in British Columbia has the mandate toensure that the post secondary education system is of high quality relevant and responsive tochanging economic technological and social forces in the Province and represents a responsibleuse of public resources The Ministrysrole is to work with the institutions in guiding theevolution of the system as it strives to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing environmentThis includes ensuring that British Columbia has a well prepared workforce for the 21 Centuryand that its citizens are prepared to participate fully in the Provincessocial cultural andeconomic future

Education is not a onceinalifetime experience Market and technological changes create aneed for continuous upgrading to ensure sound provincial economic development The growingemphasis on knowledgebased industries and the emergence ofnew types ofbusiness activityrequire changes in postsecondary program offerings and delivery methods Our society alsocontinues to experience significant social and cultural changes that reinforce the importance of arobust education

Before 1963 The University of British Columbia UBC was the only institution in the provincegranting degrees in fields other than theology Under UBCsaegis Victoria College providedthe first two years ofprograms in Arts Science and Education In that year legislative changesprovided for the creation of the University of Victoria and Simon Fraser University In additionto these degree granting institutions the British Columbia Institute of Technology BCIT wasestablished for the preparation of technologists to address important needs in the economicdevelopment of the province A provincial system ofregional colleges was also created with acomprehensive mandate that included twoyear academic or university transfer programs inaddition to technicalvocational and general educatiou programs

The Open Learning Institute OLI was subsequently established to provide distance educationand to facilitate the offering of education at a distance by other BC institutions singly or inconcert Since then the OLI has been merged with the Knowledge Network to form the OpenLearning Agency OLA and it continues to playa number of important roles in postsecondaryeducation In particular it provides a credit bank for students bringing credit from a variety ofinstitutions or seeking credit through prior learning assessment It also collaborates with otherinstitutions in the offering of degree programs some components of which are made available indistributed learning mode

DRAFT

More recently The University ofNorthern British Columbia was established initially with itsown statute Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design emerged as a degree granting institutionsucceeding the Emily Carr College of Art and Design BCIT was granted the power to offerdegree programs Five colleges were made university colleges with the right to offer degrees intheir own names the University College of the Cariboo Okanagan University College theUniversity College of the Fraser Valley Malaspina UniversityCollege and Kwantlen UniversityCollege Since 1995 two new universities have been established under special legislationRoyal Roads University and the Technical University of British Columbia Thus the provincehas progressed from one to fourteen degree granting institutions since 1963

Growth in the number and variety of degree programs must be balanced with assurance ofquality From 1974 until 1987 the Universities Council of BC performed the program approvalfunction The University Act was then revised to give the Minister the power to approve newprograms and the review function passed to The University Presidents Council TUPC Withthe expansion of degree granting authority in 1995 the Ministry responsible for postsecondaryeducation implemented a process under which the Ministrysinternal degree program reviewCommittee the Ministry and an external Degree Program Review Committee DPRC reviewall new and significantly revised degree program proposals The two Committees havecomplementary but separate uithe review process See Section IIB Stages in the NewDegree Approval Process

The process is intended to encourage the coherent development of a broad array of high qualitydegree programs Specifically the review process is meant to ensure that

a high level of educational standards is maintained across degree programsnew degree programs meet the social cultural and economic needs ofthe Provincedegree program development is coordinated across the system andlimited financial resources are used wisely and appropriately within the context oftheparticular institutionsfunding mechanism

The new degree program approval process was developed in order to assist the Ministerresponsible for post secondary education to fulfill the statutory responsibility for approving anynew degree program The process ensures that any new degree program is within the goals andpriorities ofthe British Columbia post secondary system while respecting institutionalautonomy and the different and distinctive roles and mandates of the Provincesdegree grantinginstitutions

The process is intended to evaluate a wide variety ofnew degree programs ranging fromprograms emphasizing liberal education and professional preparation to those that are moreapplied in nature

2

0

II OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS

A Definition of a New Degree Program

Two questions need to be addressed to determine whether a proposed program is required toproceed through the New Degree Approval Process1

What constitutes a new or significantly revised degree program

Institutions will submit for review all new degree programs at the bachelors masters or doctorallevel New associate degrees diplomas or certificates will not be submitted for review withinthis process

In some instances it may be difficult to determine whether a proposed change in programofferings is ofsufficient magnitude to be classed as a new degree Ifthere is doubt theinstitution should err on the side ofsubmitting a proposal If the change is less than a full newdegree both the institutional information required and the review processes will be lessdemanding

If a new degree is being awarded a proposal must be submitted forOther factors which may lead to a decision to submit a proposal couldlde DPRC review

A new major although a new honours program in a field in which a major is currentlyoffered will not require submission or reviewAjoint major which will require review only ifone or more of the fields in the proposedjoint major is not already represented by an approved majorA new minor excluding a minor in a field in which the institution already offers a majorRevision of a significant proportion of the programs objectives or content other than routineupdating A submission of this nature will be exempt from the first stage ofthe processSee Section IIB Exemptions from LoI StageIf the institution is treating the revision as significant enough to warrant credential renamingthen it is likely the DPRC will also need to review

Institutions are advised to discuss with their Ministry liaison director all roneed for a review is not clear p Prmmc the

2

Does the program being proposed warrant degree status or should it be offered as adiploma or certificate

The onus is on the institution as part of its submission to provide the case for awarding a degreein the proposed program

DRAFT

Role of the Ministry at the LoI StageThe Ministry reviews the Letter of Intent in light of relevant information from within theMinistry from other ministries and from other institutions Based on that review the Ministrywill decide whether to give approval for the submitting institution to develop and submit a fullprogram proposal

DRAFT

B Stages in the New Degree Approval Process

The new degree program approval process consists of two stages i submission of a Letter ofIntent and ii submission of a Full Program Proposal The process outlined in this section ispresented in more detail in Section III

Letter ofIntent Lo1 Stage

For each proposed new degree program an institution must submit a Letter of Intent This maybe submitted only after the senior governance body Senate Education Council or equivalent oran academic planning and priorities committee to which it has delegated authority has approvedthe development of the new degree program as appropriate within the institutionsplans andpriorities The LoI is to be forwarded under the signature of the institutional president or vicepresident responsible for academic programs The purpose of the Lol is to inform the Ministryand all other post secondary institutions that the submitting institution intends to develop andoffer a particular new degree program

The LoI is circulated to all postsecondary institutions and they are invited to inform the Ministryand the submitting institution about their own activities and programs in the field of the proposedprogram They may offer relevant information about interest and demand in the field of theproposed program The LoI is not a Full Program Proposal and therefore other institutions arenot expected to make judgments about the nature and quality of the proposed program on thebasis of the LoI

The Letter of Intent stage serves three purposes Itserves to advise the Ministry and other post secondary institutions of the degree programsthat are under development

provides general information to other institutions that may have a special interest in theproposed program

ensures efficient use ofresources by advising the submitting institution relatively early in theprocess of whether the Ministry encourages further development of a program proposal

In the case of a credential new to the BC post secondary system the LoI should provide thebackground and reasons for the degree name selected in order to allow evaluation and assessmentOf the appropriateness of the name refer to Appendix A Accordingly where the proposal isfor a new credential not already offered by a BC post secondary institution additionalinformation will be required in both the letter of intent and the full program proposal

4

O

The Ministrysreview focuses on the following

To what extent does this program address priority interests concerns of the MinistryDoes it provide open access articulation transferability adhering potential or bridgingopportunities for students

How does the program add societal and economic value to the total system of BC postsecondary education ie How does the program fulfill the mandate of the institutionsubmitting the proposal and complement the existing offerings at i the institution ii otherBC post secondary institutions Is there a potential for duplication of service in a programarea also offered by another BC institution

Is there a clear demonstration of labour market and student demand for this programWhat are the anticipated benefitscost of the program What are the cost implicationscapital and operating

Role of the DPRC at the LoI Stage

The DPRC will not normally review the proposed degree program at the LoI Stage Howeverthe Committee will eventually review the LoI and comments from other institutions as part of theFull Program Proposal once it reaches the Full Program Proposal Stage See Section III BExemptions from the LoI Stage

There are some situations when a proposed program may fall within the definition of a newprogram but be exempt from the Letter of Intent stage of the review process This occurs whenthere are revisions to a significant proportion of the existing programsoverall objectives orcontent other than routine updating A submission of ihis nature will lieexempt iii tirerage of the process as no purpose is served by requiring the submitting institution to signal itsintention to offer a program in the field since it is already doing so and therefore if the institutionso chooses it may bypass the LoI and submit a FuII Program Proposal in summary fashiondescribing the revisions and the reasons for them These summary proposals should be no morethan 5 pages in length and framed in consultation with Ministry stag

Secretariat staff will review all proposals in this situation to ensure that they meet thequalifications for exemption

DRAFT

5

DRAFT

Full Program Proposal Stage

If the Ministry review of the Letter of Intent has resulted in approval to proceed the submittinginstitution will develop a Full Program Proposal FPP The FBl3may be submitted only afterthe senior governance body Senate Education Council or equivalentor an academicplaaningand priorities committee to which it has dele ated authority has approvedpproved the development orthe new degree program as appropriatewgrynthe institutionsplans and priorities The FPP is tobe forwarded under the signature of the institutionalpresidentorvicepresident responsible foracademic programs The purpose of the Full Program Proposal is to

Define the aims and goals of the programProvide a detailed description of the new degree programDescribe the educational and delivery structure of the program and coursesProvide information about and a description of the curriculum and learning methodologiesDemonstrate that the institution has the necessary resources needed to mount a qualityprogram of the proposed degree level baccalaureate master doctoralProvide information about the institutionsassessment and evaluation policiesprocedures forall of their programs

Role ofthe Ministry at the Full Program Proposal StageThe Ministry examines the Full Proposal to ensure that it is consistent with the previouslyapproved information provided by the submitting institution at the Letter of Intent Stage

Based on the request of the DPRC secretariat staffat the Ministry will review all incomingproposals to ensure that all of the relevant information is included in the submission before it isplaced on the agenda for DPRC review

Role ofthe DPRC at the Full Program Proposal StageThe DPRC role is to determine whether the proposalseducational and academic merits warrantits approval as a degree program in the Provincespost secondary system The emphasis will beon ensuring that a high academic standard is maintained across a wide variety ofdegreeprograms In particular the DPRC will closely review the following

program and course objectives and intended outcomesprogram content and course content

entrance requirements transfer laddering potential and admission criterialearning environmentsinstructional resources and methodologies

1f during this stage either the Ministry or the DPRC identifies concerns or notes the absence ofinformation the submitting institution will be so advised and will have the opportunity toaddress these concerns andorprovide the necessary information

6

C Recommendation and Implementation

c

The chart on the following page graphically displays the entire approval process

DRAFT

Upon receipt of the recommendations of the Ministry and theIMRC the Minister will make afinal decision as to whether to approve the proposed degree programIf the degree program is approved its implementation will be dependent on institutionalpriorities and resources Educational approval for a new program does not constitute fundingapproval

7

New Degree Program Approval Process

DRAFT

1

Letter of Intent LoI is submitted to secretariat staff at theof Advanced EducationTraining and Technology MAET1LoI includes

Institutional and Program Identification

Program Description note specific information about curriculum is not includedat this stageAdmission and Transfer RequirementsProgram Resources and Timelines for ImplementationLabour Market Study and Student Demand Information

LoI is circulated by secretariat staff to all post secondary institutions Institutions are requested to send theircomments to the submitting institution and secretariat staff within 30 days2 LoI is reviewed by the Ministry along with the comments from other institutions

The Ministry decides whether the proposed program should or should not proceed to thePull ProgramProposal Stage The Ministry may request additional information from the submitting institution beforemaking a decision The institution will be advised of the Ministrysdecision

3 Full Program Proposal is submitted to the secretariat staff to be reviewed by the DPRC and theMinistry

Prior to forwarding the Full Program Proposal to the DPRC for review the Ministry reviews it to ensure thatthe information is consistent with the previously approved Letter of Intent The Full Program Proposalincludes

Executive SummaryLoI

Description ofCurriculum

Description of Learning MethodologiesFaculty InformationProgram Consultations and EvaluationsOther additional information

4 The DPRC reviews the Full Program Proposal and provides a recommendation to the MinisterThe DPRC may request additional information and subsequent reviews before making a recommendationThe institution will be advised of the DPRCsrecommendation

5 The Minister reviews the DPRCsand the MinistrysrecommendationIn some cases an Order in Council may be required for university colleges and institutesInstitutions are advised of the MinistersdecisionOnce the institution has received Ministerial approval the new degree program can then be implemented

o III SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AND FORMAT

DRAFT

Letters of Intent and Full Program Proposals are meant to be informative but limited in lengthInstitutions however may append the full results of their developmental research anddeliberations as attachments to the FPP The primary objective is to ensure that the Ministry andthe DPRC have adequate information on which to base their recommendations while at the sametime limiting the content to the key elements of the program and presenting it in a uniformmanner In working toward developing program proposals the institutions should be careful inthe choice of language they choose to explain the curriculum concepts The use of conventionalcurriculum terminology familiar to other educators and students in BC will make the proposalsclearer

Given the uniqueness of each institution and each degree proposal some sections will be more orless significant and at times some additional information may be appropriate which is notrequired for these sections However the following sections provide the organizing structure ofthe submissions which will facilitate the review and approval process The institution isexpected to address these sections in the order presented below and using the headings andnumbering system in formatting their proposals for presentation to the Ministry and the DPRC

Proposals for revisions or enhancements of existing degrees offered by the same institution mayrequire responses to only some of the questions In such cases institutions may choose to givevery brief responses or simply to indicate that a question is not applicable to their proposalEach institution will decide the depth and breadth of information to be supplied in addressingeach question balancing the needs both to make the case and to be efficient and focused in thepresentation If the Ministry or the DPRC concludes that additional information is required asupplementary request will be made

The Ministry and the DPRC consider degree program proposals at the undergraduate andgraduate levels within the context ofI The submitting institution2 The British Columbia post secondary system and3 National and international norms

Judgments about each ofthe three levels influence both the process and the outcome of thereview Every effort is made to facilitate the timeliness of the process1 The Submitting Institution

Diversity and differentiation among institutions enrich the entire post secondary systemConsequently the Ministry and the DPRC tend to be more favorably inclined to aprogram proposal in which it is clear that the developers have considered the ways inwhich the institutionsprograms will reflect its own distinctive characterelements particular to its context and incorporate

DRAFT

2 The British Columbia Post secondary SystemIn emphasizing their own uniqueness institutions should avoid stereotyping andmisrepresenting sister institutions and their cognate proggyps Full Program Proposalsshould not ignore other institutions and their programs but work with them toward thedevelopment of truly complementary programs fully understood and fairly representedThe institution proposing a new program will often benefit from engaging sisterinstitutions in the consultations development and evaluation of that programAppropriate documentation submitted with the proposal can be very helpful to theMinistry and the DPRC in understanding the proposed program in the context of BCspost secondary education system

3 National and International Norms

The DPRC does not attempt to make the academic judgments that would be made bycolleagues within a discipline or professional field The DPRC attempts to ascertainwhether that judgment has been made on the basis of sound evidence and appropriatedocumentation Particularly in the case of an innovative program offered by aninstitution with a limited track record the DPRC may seek an independent academicreview from one or more scholars typically drawn from institutions outside the provinceThe submitting institution may facilitate the review of its program proposal by initiatingsuch assessment itself in the process ofprogram development and by developing a rosterofpotential reviewers with the appropriate experience and qualifications and providingthe documentation to the Ministry and the DPRC

The DPRC before final consideration of a proposal may request an institution toundertake further review itself internally or with the help of external assessors or toconsult with other institutions and obtain their comments

t0

OA Letter of Intent Format

0

2 Program Description

DRAFT

The Letter of Intent should be approximatelj 35 pages in length and should provideinformation which adheres to the order and headings that

1 Institutional and Program Identification

This section should include the followingInstitution awarding the degreeIfapplicable please indicate which other institutions will contribute to the

offering of this program and precisely what each institution will contributeThe title of the Programeg Environmental StudiesThe credential that will be awarded to graduates egBScSee Appendix A for guidelines on degree nomenclatureIf the proposal is for a new credentiali What is the rationale for choosing this particular degree nameii Is there a comparable academic program in the province which uses a different

credential If yes why has a new degree name been requestedWere professional associations or other groups outside the institution consulted

fon the name of the degree If yes who If not why not Does this degreerequire accreditation by an external organization 5FA 1

Facultyiesor schoolsoffering the new degree programName title and phone number of the institutional contact person in case moreinformation is required

21 Brief description ofthe program and how it will contribute to the mandate and Sstrategic plan of the institutionDefinethe aims goals and objectives of the newdegree program EA r i

22 Discussion of the target student audience for this program Please include in yourdiscussions

Identification of the student audiencesthat this program is intended to serveAnticipated enrollments for this programAny evidence that this student audience is not currently being served withexisting offerings in the BC post secondary systemA list ofprograms that exist at other BC institutions which may contain similarcontent or have similar objectives and ifsimilar what is the rationale forduplication

Outline of the expected normal time required for students to complete theprogram in years or semesters

B Full Program Proposal Format

The length of the Full Program Proposal submission will vary considerably depending upon thenature of the degree program being proposed but should not exceed 20 pages Sixteen copiesshould be forwarded to DPRC secretariat approximately one month prior to the scheduled DPRCmeetings

Each submission to the DPRC should provide information and discussion ina format thatadheres to the order and headings below

10 Executive Summary

In two or three pages the executive summary should present in a succinct manner thepurpose of the proposal and a summary of the key objectives and outcomes of theproposed program

20 Letter of Intent

Attach the original LoI plus the comments from other institutions that were receivedwhen the LoI was circulated by secretanat stair

30 Curriculum

31 Describe what the student will gain from this programskills knowledge or other attributes Please include adiscussion of how these outcomes will warrant this program to be ofdegree status

32 Specifically describe the courses or other curriculum requirements of theprogram

Explain how the courses and curriculum requirements will be integrated tocontribute to the intended goals of the programIdentify which courses already exist at the institution and which new courseswill be implemented as a result of the programInclude individual course descriptions in an appendix

33 Describe the programcourse structure and the expected class size of courses inthis program egstudentfaculty ratios

34 If applicable discuss research expectations or implications for this program35 Include any other additional relevant comments

40 Learning Methodologies

41 Describe how the learning environment and methodologies will be developed soi as to achieve the intended outcomes for the program

13

DRAFT

23 Evidence of labour market and student demand is required Thisinformation will vary depending on the circumstances and could range from acomprehensive labour market study to an informal survey consisting of letters ofsupport from potential employers This sectionsliould include a discussionregarding the anticipated employment destination for graduates from the proposedprogram Please attach this information as an appendix to the LoI

3 Admission and Transfer

Describe the admission and residency requirements for this program including a plan fortransferability If applicable please include a brief discussion on how the followingapply to the proposed new degree program

Prior Learning AssessmentTransferability both into and out of the programArticulation arrangements that exist or are planned at

i your institutionii other institutions that will allow the students to ladder or transfer into this

program

4 Program Resources and Timelines

41Describe the resources that will be required to mount this programincluding

Existing and shared resources at your institution or at other institutions thatwill be used to offer the program facilities library resources faculty etcAdditional resources that will be required to offer this program facilitieslibrary resources faculty etc

42What ifany other programs will be reduced or eliminated in order to initiate thenew program

43 What is the intended implementation schedule of the degree program

i

DRAFT

12

60 Program Consultations and EvaluationIZ ipcv t L

61

Provide a list and brief explanation of the nature of the consultations that haveoccurred with professional associations employers educational institutions Thisis particularly relevant to new and innovative institutions and programs Pleaseattach any written endorsements or comments in an appendix

62Indicate who else was involved and describe their roles in the collection1t and evaluation of information leading to the development and submission of this

r proposal Where appropriate include evidence ofexternal consultation andorevaluation of the proposed new program by

Other BC institutionsInstitutions outside of BC

Experts in the proposed field ofstudyExternal academic consultants

ct4

50 Faculty

42If applicable discuss how the following will be incorporated in thenew degree program

experiential learning cooperative educationclinical etcdistance education

independent study Computer Assisted Instruction etcemployability skillslectures labs tutorialsother

51Please indicate the number of faculty and other staff required to mount thisprogram and their qualifications Indicate if any of these positions will be new tothe institution If possible include the curriculum vitaes offaculty in anappendix

52

What will be the percentages of faculty time spent on instruction curriculumresearch innovation andor other roles

Ottcu5rd 17 5

63

Indicate whatpoliciesprocedures are planned for ensuring adequate depth andbreadth ofongoing review and evaluation once the program has beenimplemented

64

Ifapplicable describe how membership on advisory committees for this programwill be maintained to ensure that the program will remain current in future years

DRAFT

14

70 Admission and Transfer

80 Other

DRAFT

Describe the admission and residency requirements for this program Includea plan for students ability to access the program through transfer course to course orblockprogram transfera description of how students will be able to transfer out of the programcourses intoother programscourses within you institution or at another institution

Include additional information that is relevant to the need for and the educational meritsof this program special features equity considerations etc

15

L BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

APPENDDC A

NAMING OF DEGREES

A SUPPLEMENT TO

October 1997

THE APPROVAL OF NEW DEGREESIN

BRITISH COLUMBIA POST SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

Since its inception in 1995 the Degree Program Review Committee DPRC hasreceived many requests for the approval ofnew degrees programs to the BC post secondarysystem Concurrent with the submission ofnew degree proposals has been a significantnumber of requests for new degree names usually to indicate a specialization within a degreeThis supplement to the original guidelines is intended to provide an element ofstandardizationto degree nomenclature

When the DPRC published its GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES for the approvalofnew degrees in June 1995 among other questions asked was the following What will bethe program title and the name ofthe credential to be awarded to graduates At that timethere were no specific guidelines for the naming of the credential earned

There are two situations that need to be considered when assessing new degrees Fora definition ofnew degrees see GUIDELTNESAND PROCEDURES p16 The first ariseswhen an institution adds to its program offerings a new degree that is not new to theprovincial post secondary education system The second situation arises when a proposeddegree is entirely new to theBC system While the supplementary guidelines outlined beloware relevant in both instances it is the level ofactivity in the second category which hasprompted the refinement of the original degree program approval process

The following guidelines have been developed by the DPRC to assist institutions indetermining the name of the credential they will offer when they are proposing new degreeprograms The establishment of these guidelines is not intended to discourage institutionsfrom proposing new degree names but is expected to bring thesame intellectual rigour to thenaming of degrees as to the design of their program content Ttshould be noted that theguidelines apply only to new degrees existing degree names are not affected

IL GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR THE NAMING OF DEGREES

1 Credentials for new academic programs should ordinarily be selected from degreenames which are widely used and generally understood The list of degrees currently offeredby British Columbia post secondary institutions is already very comprehensive and normallyshould be able to accommodate most proposals for new academic programs

2 A generic degree name which already incorporates a broad range of academicdisciplines or subject areas is preferable to a multitude of specific degree names Obviousexamples include the Bachelor ofArts at the undergraduate level and the Master of Science atthe graduate level In the case of some ofthe newer and more specialized institutions such asthe technical institutes the standard credential awarded should be reflective of the overallmission of the institution ie technology thus leading to a Bachelor of Technology

3 The name should be descriptive of the general area of study which mussilycorresponds to the faculty or school While degrees are conferred by a particular postsecondary institution the degree designation is normally identified with a particular academicunit ordinarily a faculty or school The emergence of interdisciplinary studies has led to anumber ofdepartures from this practice

4 The name should be appropriate for adoption by otherBC postsecondaryinstitutions which develop similar programs Comparable but not necessarily identicalprograms should lead to equivalent credentials To a certain extent the system has alreadydemonstrated its flexibility The two clearest examples are the degrees ofBachelor ofAppliedScience and the Bachelor ofEngineering as engineering credentials and the Bachelor ofCommerce and the Bachelor ofBusiness Administration as business credentials Occasionallydifferent degree names are simply a reflection ofan institutional preference and do notrepresent a divergence of academic programs While the degree designations differ thecredentials are seen to be equivalent

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5 The above principles should apply to both undergraduate and graduate programsHL HOW TO INDICATE SPECIALIZATION IN THE DEGREE NAME

The DPRC assumes that the principal reason for proposing a distinct degree is toindicate an academic area of specialization The question then becomes how to achieve thisobjective while adhering to the five general principles outlined above Where appropriate thesubject of specialization could be included as part of the degree name leading to a new genusof degrees Institutions as a matter of routine already identify majors and areas ofconcentration on the transcript In some instances honours are shown as part of the degree Inaddition the subject area or major is sometimes shown on the parchment as a matter ofinstitutional preference but that does not mean that that information is incorporated into thename of the degree

Increasing speaali7ation is the main reason for the existing diversity and continuingexpansion ofdegree names While there does not appear to be any uniform practice over timecertain models have evolved One is to include the specialization in the degree name itself egBachelor ofScience in Agriculture Another is to indicate the specialization in parenthesesafter the degree name eg Bachelor ofEducation Elementary A third is the creation ofnewgeneric forms eg Bachelor ofAdministrative Studies New degrees which identify an areaof specialization should fit into one ofthe following categories

a Bachelor of Science inThis has become a widely accepted method of

indicating specialization There is a clearly identified and specialized field of study which findsits roots in science but which derives its distinctiveness from being located in a separateacademic unit Examples include agriculture dietetics forestry kinesiology nursing andpharmacy From the examples given it is clear that there is a strong link to a particularprofession What should be noted is that while the degree names follow a standard patternthe degree initials do not Examples areBScAgr and BSNEither format is appropriateand does not appear to lead to confusion

b Bachelor of Science This approach is similar to the previous methodfor naming degrees with a significant scientific component In this instance a descriptiveadjective is used to distinguish the branch of science Examples include Bachelor ofAppliedScience and Bachelor ofHealth Science Again recognized academic units offer the degreeand theresa connection with a particular profession

c Bachelor ofArts in While not as common as the comparable degree

in science there are a few instances where this approach has been adopted eg Bachelor ofArts in Child and Youth Care To warrant a separate degree came the number of coursesrequired in the field of specialization should exceed that required for a major There shouldalso be some demonstrated link with a particular profession or occupation

d Bachelor ofEducation Elementary This approach to indicating specialization isachieved by showing the specialty in parentheses after the generic degree In BC it has beenused primarily to distinguish various kinds of education degrees Unlike the previousexamples these degrees are offered by a single faculty The Education degree is also aprofessional degree and the designated distinction has obvious implications for employmentOther faculties wishing to develop specialized professional programs should consider thisoption An example is the Bachelor of Arts Criminal Justice

e Bachelor of Studies There are an increasing number ofdegrees withan interdisciplinary focus As a result there is greater usage ofdegree names whichincorporate the word studies This trend is found at both the graduate and undergraduatelevels The word studies appears to be used in instances where there is a welldefined

academic program but where the course offerings are provided by a number ofacademic unitsoften including units from more than one faculty There is often a tension between choosing amore generic degree egBA Canadian Studies versus Bachelor of Canadian StudiesBCSThe former is more widely recognized and is the recommended approach

f Bachelor ofTechnology With the expansion of the post secondarysystem to include a greater variety ofacademic institutions generic degrees which reflect theacademic orientation ofthese newer institutions are rapidly emerging In the case oftechnological institutes the academic programs are grounded in the study ofthe practicalapplication of science in a variety ofsubject areas It is recommended that Institutes ofTechnology adopt the generic form of degree Bachelor of Technology The field ofspecialization if necessary can be shown in parentheses following the general degree similarto the practice in the field of education Normally this degree designation will be confined toInstitutes ofTechnology

g Bachelor ofApplied Given that the province has encouraged thedevelopment ofmore applied degrees there has been a gradual increase in requests to use the

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word applied in the tide of the credential offered The dictionary definition of applied isused in actual practice or to work out practical problems

The following guidelines are proposed for new academic programs which incorporatethe word applied in the degree name

i The program should link theory and practice and make clear the balance between theacquisition of employability skills and general educational requirements

ii The program must incorporate a practical component This requirement can takemany different forms such as work experience practicums projects or fieldexperience This component is what distinguishes the degree from others which mayhave similar course content

iii Sponsori institutions should give serious consideration to using a generic degreename such as Bachelor ofApplied Arts name of specialization or Bachelor ofApplied Design name ofspecialization eg Bachelor of Applied Design InteriorDesign Each designation is sufficiently broad to allow a number of specificprograms under a single umbrella Because the degree Bachelor ofApplied Scienceis already identified with engineering its use should be limited to such programs toavoid confusion Since engineering programs are accredited by the profession thisadditional requirement should be a condition ofapproval for degrees using the phraseApplied Science

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THE CURRENT TERMINOLOGY USED INUNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

BY

L PETER MEEI ISON OCPHDUNIVERSITY PROFESSOR EMERITUS

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

APRIL 1999

INTRODUCTION

Degrees are offered by individual institutions under authority conferred on them by the

provincial legislature Each university or university college determines the course of studyfor earning a degree Thus while the several post secondary institutions in the province

offer similar degrees the specific requirements for completing a degree vary from place toplace reflecting the differing academic perspectives of each institution What is also clear

is that over time institutions have developed their own terminology to describe the

requirements to complete a degree program

A degree is not an ad hoc or random selection of courses taken over an indefinite period

of time Instead it is a carefully designed program with internal consistency The principaland perhaps most important decision for students in any degree program is to decide on

the subject or subjects ofspecialization Once that choice is made a second decision is

necessary the extent of specialization There are varying levels of specialization with

alternatives ranging from Honours programs to Majors Minors and various combinations

of these alternatives In choosing a professional degree such as Education Engineering orNursing a student also identifies a field specialization

Given the number of post secondary institutions now offering degrees questions

inevitably arise about the differences in academic terminology in use at the several

institutions To assist individuals who are unfamiliar with academic vocabulary the DegreeProgram Review Committee requested the preparation of a glossary of terms that

universities and university colleges and institutes regularly use in describing their academic

programs and degree requirements The teens found in the glossary are taken from the

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calendars of the post secondary institutions in the province that offer undergraduatedegrees

GLOSSARY

The terminology one most frequently encounters in degree programs pertains to

specialization in a single field ofstudy subject area or discipline To a great extent manyof the foregoing terms can be used interchangeably The three most common terms used

to describe the extent of specialization or concentration are honours major and minor

These terms are used primarily in faculties ofArts and Science As will be seenprofessional faculties which by definition indicate specialization tend to use differentterminology

Honours Program Requires extensive specialization in a single field or

discipline in the last one three years ofstudy Examples include English ChemistryMathematics and Economics The academic requirements for admission and continuation

are set at a high standard so only students with an outstanding record ofacademic

achievement are admitted The number of credits or units to complete an Honours degreeoften exceeds the requirements to complete a standard undergraduate degree requiringstudents to take a heavier course load during the regular academic year Admission to an

Honours program is determined by the academic department offering the programHonours programs provide excellent preparation for graduate study

Major Program Requires some sp alizntion in a single field or discipline inthe last two years ofstudy Examples are Political Science Physics Psychology andFrench Faculties set minimum and maximum numbers of courses a student must take to

qualifyfor a Major while departments outline the specific course requirements for the

Major Choosing a Major program is probably the most important academic decision most

students will make Graduate study is also an open to Majors provided they have the

necessary academic standing

Minor Program Requires limited specialization or concentration within a single

field or discipline As with the Major there is a minimum course requirement A maximum

is not ordinarily specified but normally something below the floor for the Major would be

seen as an appropriate ceiling In choosing a Mutor program students will often choose a

discipline which complements their Major program

Combined HonoursDoubleHonoursJoint Honours Terms used by the

University ofBritish Columbia the University of Victoria and Simon Fraser University

respectively to describe a program ofstudy where the student completes the honours

requirements in two disciplines or fields of specialization To complete such a program

the number of credits required will normally exceed that of a regular honours program

Details of this kind ofprogram are normally worked out by the student the academic units

involved and the relevant Faculty Deansoffice It is not unusual for each program in the

joint offering to be modified or cut back to allow the combined requirements to be

satisfied with approximately the same number ofcredits as would satisfy either component

program alone

Joint Honours and Major Programs A program ofstudy at the University of

Victoria where the student completes the requirements for an Honours program in one

discipline and the requirements for a Major program in another field ofstudy As with a

combined Honours program the details of the program need to be worked out by the

student the academic units involved and the Faculty Deansoffice

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Double Major A program of study where the student completes all the courserequirements for a Major in two disciplines As with double Honours meeting the creditrequirements of two Majors may increase the minimum number of credits necessary tocomplete a degree Normally such programs are reviewed by the student the academicunits involved and the Faculty Deansoffice

Joint Major A program of study where the student completes the courserequirements in two Major subjects The difference between this program and a doubleMajor is that the Joint Major is an established program where the course sequence andcredit requirements have already been predetermined interdepartmentally Simon FraserUniversity has developed a large number of such programs one example being the JointMajor in Psychology and Criminology

Combined Major A program of study where two departments or disciplinesestablish the academic requirements This program is comparable to the Joint Major Anexample is the BA in English and French Canadian Literature at the University ofVictoria

Extended Minor Program A program of study where a student completes thelower division requirements for a Major program and the upper division requirements for aMinor program in the same discipline

General ProgramStudies A program ofstudy where students take a broadspectrum ofcourses and do not specialize Any specialization iskept to a minimum andwould be somewhat less than the minimum requirements for completing a Minor

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General Studies with a Thematic Option A general studies program where

students choose a multi or interdisciplinary theme The number ofcourses in the thematic

option is comparable to a Minor For example programs aiiiied at Okanagan UniversityCollege include Cognitive Science Latin American Studies and WomensStudies

Breadth Requirement A policy established by individual faculties which

requires student to take a specified number of courses outside their major Courses are

taken in other subject areas within the faculty or in other faculties The objective is to have

students broaden their academic experience

Upper divisionLower division Courses of instruction are divided into two

categories upper division and lower division To complete a degree students must take a

specified number ofupper division courses Course numbered at the 100 200 level are

lower division or introductory courses while those at the 300 400 are upper division or

advanced courses The University ofBritish Columbia also indicates that courses at the

100 level are primarily for first year students those at the 200 level for second year

students and so on

Elective An optional course or number of courses In other words electives

involve an element of choice University calendars contain the following qualifiers

governing electives unrestricted program recommended basic Arts and free It is clear

that in some instances students are able to choose whatever course they want provided

they have the necessary prerequisites while in other cases their freedom ofchoice is more

narrow or focused

Cooperative Education Program A cooperative education degree program is

one which combines academic studies and work experience It can be described as a

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process which formally integrates the students academic and career studies on carnpuswith relevant and productive work experience in industry business andorgovernmentBecause of the work experience component students take longer to complete a coopprogram than a regular degree program

Practicum Usually associated with Education Nursing and Social Workdegrees Students are required as part of their program to complete a term or terms ofclassroom fieldwork or clinical experience

Internship An alternative to the coop program developed by the University ofNorthern British Columbia for students who for some reason are unable to pursue thelatter It is more academically intensive than the coop program The internship workexperience is for one full semester rather than four and students receive course creditrather than remuneration

Preceptorship A term usually associated with Nursing programs Students workwith an active practitioner on a one toone basis helping the nurse to care for herhispatients Such experience allows students to advance their professional nursing practice

Option A term frequently used in professional faculties to indicate a degree ofspecialization either within the field of study or a program offered in cooperation withanother faculty One example of the former is the naval architecture option inMechanical Engineering at the University ofBritish Columbia Another example also fromUBC are the several options Accounting Finance Marketing etc offered by theFaculty ofBusiness The difference between the two examples is that students in theBusiness Faculty must select an option whereas students in Mechanical Engineering arenot required to choose an option In terms ofcredits towards the Business degree the

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option is equivalent to a Minor An example of an interfaculty program is the B Eng

Management Option at the University ofVictoria where Engineering students may take a

prescribed set of courses in the Business Faculty The numbdrof courses in the option is

comparable to a Minor

Area of Emphasis Asubspecialization within a Major or Honours program

An example is found in the Computer Science Major and Honours programs at the

University of Victoria where students may choose an area of emphasis from one of five

fields of specialization which is noted on the studentstranscript This phrase is similar to

the term option in use elsewhere

Area of Concentration This phrase is similar to the term option and is used

primarily in professional faculties such as faculties ofbusiness to describe a limited degree

of specialization Because so much of the baccalaureate degree is predetermined students

are given an opportunity to concentrate on subject area such as International Business

Entrepreneurship Accounting Finance etc In terms ofnumbers of courses or credit

requirements an area of concentration is comparable to a Minor Another example is

Health Information Science where students can choose to concentrate in Administration

Health Services Research or Medical Informatics

Area of Specialization A term used by the Open University to describe one of

the requirements for the BA General Students must complete two areas of specialization

consisting of 15 upper division credits each Ifprerequisites are considered this is

approximately equivalent to completing two Minors

Area of Interest A phrase used in the UBC Faculty of Pharmacy to indicate

specialization an example being Community Pharmacy

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Complementary Studies A term used in Engineering at UBC to describecourses pertaining to the profession andor to electives in thehumanities or socialsciences s

Critical Studies A term used by Emily Carr School of Art and Design todescribe electives in humanities social sciences and art history

Diploma There are two very different approaches to the use of the termdiploma and both are used extensively within the post secondary system One is anacademic credential usually reserved for some kind of post graduate study Suchprograms are aimed primarily at individuals with a university degree and who have hadwork experience not necessarily in that particular field or who wish to continue theireducation While these Diploma programs vary in length and can be full orparttime thenorm appears to be one academic year ofstudy usually in a professional discipline Onefinds these diploma programs offered by both universities and university colleges andinstitutes In some areas such as Education there is often a link between the diplomaprogram and a prospective graduate program in that credits earned in the diplomaprogram can be transferred to the graduate program

Diploma programs are also available to individuals who want to study at the universitylevel but who choose not to pursue a degree The community colleges university collegesand institutes offer a wide range of diploma programs in a number ofsubject areas such asbusiness fine arts human services and nursing College diploma programs are two years inlength and represent the equivalent of about half the course work for a degree Sometwoyear diplomas of this type are also offered by universities an example being theUniversity ofVictoriasinterdisciplinary diploma program in humanities

What is clear with both uses is that diploma programs are not the equivalent ofdegreeprograms but specialized programs ofstudy completed in either one or two years Coursestaken in diploma programs may eventually be credited towards a degree To this extentdiploma programs may be viewed as an alternative means of introducing students to postsecondary education both undergraduate and graduate For their efforts graduates earna credential a diploma and in some instances can continue their studies and earn a secondcredential an undergraduate degree

Certificate A credential where the program of study is at the university levelbut where admission does not require a university degree The term certificate anddiploma are frequently used interchangeably leading to a certain amount of confusion as tothe differences between them As the demand for professional development programsincreases it is becoming more common for participants to expect some kind of recognitionor credential for their efforts often in the form of a certificate The certificate normallyindicates what requirements have been completed Usually certificate programs are of oneyears duration and are often offered by continuing education faculties Simon FraserUniversity offers a wide range of certificate programs which in terms of their academicrequirements are comparable to diploma programs offered by other institutions

to

THEAPPROVAL OFNEWDEGREESIN

BRITISH COLUMBIAPOSTSECONDARYINSTITUTIONS

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

PeGSe Comport1 Iaa5

AA at Ines w 411111t rtv Stct drGfesect 10 yon wcEQ rn iec 9en0c

THE MINISTRY OF SKILLS TRAINING AND LABOURAND

THE DEGREE PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEE

JUNE 1995

Table of Contents

I Background and Rationale 1

II Overview of the Process 3

M Submission Guidelines and Format 5

IV Ministry and DPRC Roles 12

V Flexibility in Reviews and Timelines 15

VI Definition of a New Degree Program 16

Appendix A DPRC Terms of Reference 17

Appendix B DPRC Membership 21

L BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

The Ministry of Skills Training and Labour has been given the mandate by Government toensure that the post secondary education system is relevant and responsive to changingeconomic technological and social forces in the Province The Ministrysrole is to guidethe evolution of the post secondary system as it strives to meet the challenges of a rapidlychanging environment

This includes ensuring that British Columbia has a well prepared workforce for the 21stCentury and that its citizens are prepared to participate fully in the Provincessocial andeconomic future

Education is not a once in a lifetime experience Market and technological changes createa need for continuous upgrading to ensure sound economic development The growingemphasis on knowledgebased industries and the emergence of new types of businessactivity require changes in post secondary program offerings and delivery methods Oursociety also continues to experience many significant social and cultural changes thatreinforce the importance of a robust general education

The post secondary education system in British Columbia has responded to thesechallenges in a number ofways Among the more significant changes has been a decisionto expand opportunities to pursue degree level studies These opportunities emerge forexample in amendments to the College andlnstitute Act and the Institute of TechnologyAwhich will encourage the development of additional degree programs that are appliedin nature Planning is also underway for two new universities Royal Roads University andthe new technical university in the Fraser Valley As a result of these developmentssignificant growth in the number and variety of degree programs in the Province isanticipated

In order to encourage the coherent development of a broad array of high quality degreeprograms there is a need for a systemlevel review of all new programs being proposedSpecifically the review process is meant to ensure

that a high level of educational standards are maintained across the degreeprograms

that new degree programs meet the social and economic needs ofthe Provincethat degree program development is coordinated across the system andthat limited financial resources are used wisely

The Minister responsible for post secondary education has the responsibility and authorityto approve new degree programs at all post secondary institutions To assist the Ministerin this regard the new degree program approval process will also ensure that the proposeddegreeprograms are within the context of the Governmentspriorities for post secondaryeducation

The new degree program approval process described in this manual will ensure that thegoals and priorities of the British Columbia post secondary system as a whole arereflected while at the same time recognizing institutional autonomy and the different rolesand mandates ofthe Provincesdegree granting institutions

The process is intended to evaluate a wide variety of new degree programs ranging fromtraditional degrees to those that are more applied or occupational in nature The processwill ensure that new degree programs meet appropriate educational standards are relevantand viable and contribute to the development ofa successful economy and society

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IL OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS

The new degree program approval process involves both the submission of a Letter ofIntent and a full program proposal

More information about the process discussed below can be found in sections III throughVI and Appendix A

Letter of Intent

For each new degree program an institution must submit a Letter of Intent to the Ministryoutlining the major characteristics of the proposed program This Letter of Intent will becirculated to all other degree granting post secondary institutions for information andwhere appropriate comment

Ministry staffwill review the information contained in the Letter of Intent in light of thecomments if any made by other institutions and in consultation with other branches of theMinistry or other ministries Based on that review the Ministry will decide whether togive approval for the submitting institution to develop and submit a full program proposalThe Letter of Intent stage serves three purposes

it ensures efficient use of resources by advising institutions relatively early in theprocess of Ministry support for the development of a flail program proposalit provides information to the institutions that may be useful in the development ofthe full program proposal andit serves to advise the Ministry and other post secondary institutions of the degreeprograms that are under development

Normally the submitting institution should receive a response to a Letter of Intent within30 days

s

If the Letter of Intent has resulted in approval to proceed the submitting institution willdevelop a full program proposal Once it has been submitted to the Ministry and to theDegree Program Review Committee DPRC each of these bodies will review the fullprogram proposal independently and develop a recommendation for the Minister

If during this stage either the Ministry or the DPRC identifies concerns or notes theabsence of information the submitting institution will be so advised and will have theopportunity to address these concerns andor provide the necessary information

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Recommendation and Implementation

Upon receipt ofthe recommendations of the Ministry and the DPRC the Minister willmake a final decision as to whether to approve the proposed degree program

If the degree program is approved its implementation will be dependent on the availabilityof funding which if required will be sought through the annual budget process

The flow chart below graphically displays the approval process

30 days

1Full Program ProsalSubmitted to DP

DPRC Review

1Recommendation

to Minister

1

Letter of IntentSubmitted to Ministry

1Ministry Review

1Ministry Response No

1Yes

1Full Program ProposalSubmitted to Ministry

1Ministry Review

1Recommendation

to Minister

I

MinistersDecision

M SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AND FORMAT

Letters of Intent and full program proposals are meant to be informative but limited inlength Institutions will have the opportunity however to append the full results of theirdevelopmental research and deliberations The primary objective is to ensure that theMinistry and the DPRC have adequate information on which to base theirrecommendations while at the same time limiting the content to the key elements of theprogram and presenting it in a uniform manner

Given the uniqueness of each institution and each degree proposal some questionsincluded in the following guidelines will be more or less significant and at times someadditional information may be appropriate which is not solicited in these questionsHowever the following questions provide the organizing structure of the submissionswhich will facilitate the submission and approval processes The institution is expected toaddress these questions in the order presented below and using the headings andnumbering system in formatting their proposals for presentation to the Ministry and theDPRC

Proposals for revisions or enhancements of existing degrees offered by the same institutionmay require responses to only some of the questions In such cases institutions maychoose to give very brief responses or simply to indicate that a question is notapplicable to their proposal

Each institution will decide the depth and breadth of information to be supplied inaddressing each question balancing the needs both to make the case and to be efficientand focused in the presentation If the Ministry or the DPRC concludes that additionalinformation is required a supplementary request will be made

LETTER OF INTENT GUIDELINES AND FORMAT

Substantial content is required in the Letter of Intent to achieve its purposes of providinginformation for the Ministry review and of generating useful comments from other degreegranting institutions

The Letter of Intent should be approximately 3 5 pages in length and should provideinformation and discussion which adheres to the order and headings which followA Institutional and Program Identification

1 Which institution will award the degree

Which other institutions ifany will contribute to this instructional program andprecisely what will each contribute

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2 Which departmentsfacuttyies or schoolswill be offering the degree

What is the name title and phone number of the institutional contact person if moreinformation or clarification is required

3 What will be the program tide and the name of the credential to be awarded tograduates

4 In what way does this degree program contribute to the mandate and strategic plan ofthis institution

5 What is the intended schedule for implementation of the degree program

B Program Description

1 What economicfmdustriaisociaJcuhural goals is this program intended to serve

How do these relate to identified market niches or societal needs

2 What are the anticipated employment destinations for graduates

What potential does this program provide for research and development or jobcreation

3 What is the expected normal time required for program completion in years orsemesters

4 What specialities majors or minors will be offered I5 What programs exist at otherBC institutions which contain similar content or have

similar objectives and ifsimilar what is the rationale for duplication

6 How does this program relate to other programs offered at this institution shared orrelated expertise other resources etc

7 What Ifany other programs will be reduced or eliminated in order to initiate the newprogram

C Admission and Transfer

1 Who are the intended students

What is the evidence that these students are not presently served reasonably withinexisting BC offerings

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2 What enrolments are anticipated

IHow many of these are expected to represent a new client group to be additionalnew enrolments for this institution

D Program Resources

1 In general what resources existing andornew will be required for this program

FULL PROGRAM PROPOSAL GUIDELINES AND FORMAT

The length of full program proposal submissions will vary considerably depending uponthe nature of the degree program being proposed but should not exceed 20 pages Onecopy is required by the Ministry and 15 copies by the DPRC

Any documents resulting from within the institutionsown development processes thatcontain useful supporting information should be appended with references as appropriateshown in the proposal submission

Each submission to the Miriistry and DPRC should provide information and discussion in aformat which adheres to the order and headings which follow

A Executive Summary

In two or three pages the executive summary should present in a succinct manner thekey information for each category

B Institutional and Program Identificationi

1 Which institution will award the degree

Which other institutions ifany will contr to this instructional program andprecisely what will each contribute

2 Which departmentsfacultyies or schoolswill be offering the degreeWhat is the name title and phone number of the institutional contact person if moreinformation or clarification is required

3 What will be the program title and the name of the credential to be awarded tograduates

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4 In what way does this degree program contribute to the mandate and strategic plan ofthis institution

5 What is the intended schedule for implementation of the degree program

C Program Description

1 What economicindustrialsociaUcultural goals is this program intended to serve

How do these relate to identified market niches or societal needs

2 What are the anticipated employment destinations for graduates

What potential does this program provide for research and development or jobcreation

3 What are the intended learning outcomes of this program skills knowledge attitudesor other attributes

In what way do these outcomes warrant a program of degree status

4 What is the expected normal time required for program completion in years orsemesters

5 Specifically what are the courses or other curriculum requirements of the program

By what means are these integrated so as to contribute to the intended goals of theprogram

Which ofthese courses already exist at the institution Which are new

6 What are the structure and expected class sizes of courses in this program7 What specialities majors or minors will be offered

8 What programs exist at other BC institutions which contain similar content or havesimilar objectives and if similar what is the rationale for duplication

9 How does this program relate to other programs offered at this institution shared orrelated expertise other resources etc

10 What if any other programs will be reduced or eliminated in order to initiate the newprogram

11 What ifany are the research expectations or implications for this program

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D Admission and Transfer

1 What are the admission requirements fordirect entry studentstransfer students

2 What institutional regulations apply to this program residency requirements etc3 Who are the intended students

What is the evidence that these students are not presently served reasonably withinexisting BC offerings

4 What initiatives if any address low participation groups eg aboriginal students

5 What enrolments are anticipated

How many of these are expected to represent a new client group to be additionalnew enrolments for this institution

6 What articulation arrangements with other programs and institutionsnow exist

are planned

7 What provision is made to enable students to receive credit for relevant learningpreviously achieved outside the BC public post secondary system

E Learning Methodologies

1 What learning environment and methodologies will be developed so as to achieve theintended outcomes for the program

2 What use will be made of

experiential learning cooperative education clinical etcdistance education

independent study Computer Assisted Instruction etcother

F Faculty

1 How many faculty and other staff are required and with what qualifications

Which of these positions will be new to the institution

2 Will there be any differentiation of faculty roles instruction curriculum researchinnovation etc

What are the percentages of time spent on teaching research andor other roles

G Program Resources

1 What resources will be required to assure a program of acceptable qualitya Operating Funds

existingnew

b LibraryMediaComputingCommunicationsexistingnew

c Facilitiesexistingnew

d Equipmentexistingnew

e Special Resources institutional community naturalenvironmental etcexistingnew

0 Startup or Development Needs

H Program Consultations and Evaluation

1 What consultations have occurred with professional associations employerseducational institutions Please attach any written endorsements or comments

Who else was involved and how in the collection and evaluation of informationleading to the development and submission of this proposal

2 What suggestions would your institution make to assist the DPRC in evaluating thisproposal names of appropriate program experts sources of supplementary data orinformation etc

3 After the program is implemented what procedures are planned for ensuring adequatedepth and breadth of ongoing review and evaluation

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4 What provision is made for ongoing membership on advisory committees to thisprogram or what other means are provided for maintaining extra institutionalperspectives

What is the nature of the ongoing involvement of professional or other certifying oraccrediting organizations

L Other

1 What additional information is relevant to an explanation of the need for and theeducational merits of this program proposal special features equity considerationsetc

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IV MINISTRY AND DPRC ROLES

The Ministry and the DPRC have unique and complementary roles in the review processThe full program proposal submitted by the institution is the primary information sourcefor both Ministry and the DPRC reviews although the Letter of Intent is also an importantpart of the Ministry review Within the institutional submission some data will be ofgreater interest to the Ministry and other ofgreater interest to the DPRC however someinformation will be of interest to both

M nistty Role

The function of the Ministry role is to ensure a cost effective and coordinated set ofdegree program offerings within the post secondary education system in the ProvinceThe Mfuristry review at both the Letter of Intent and fiill program proposal stages willfocus on the following themes

What ore the anticipated benefitscosts ofthe program

Is there a clear demonstration of employer demand andor other societal need which willbe served Are the anticipated costs appropriate for the anticipated benefits

To what extent does thisprogram address priority interests or concerns oftheMinistry

For example does it provide open access Iaddering bridging Does it serve a clientgroup which is not now being served What provision is made for articulation andtransfer for students entering this program

How does this program add value within the total system ofBC postsecondaryeducation

Does the program appear to unnecessarily duplicate programs already available Howdoes this program fulfil the mandate of the institution submitting the proposalWhat priority does the institution itself give to this proposed program relative to itsother adsting or proposed programs

The appropriate Ministry official may seek advice from other departments and may askthe institution for further information or rationale but ultimately a Ministry decision willbe made In the case of a Letter of Intent the decision is whether to give approval for thesubmitting institution to develop and submit a full program proposal For a full programproposal the Ministry will make a recommendation of either approval or rejection of theproposal to the Minister

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DPRC Role

The DPRC role is to determine whether the proposalseducational merits warrant itsapproval as a degree program in the Provincessystem The emphasis will be on ensuringa high academic standard across a wide variety of degree programs

The DPRC review will focus on the following themes

is the program content ofthe proposed degree appropriate

Do the courses to be offered represent a sufficiently broad scope of knowledge andcomplexity to warrant the designation of a degree Does the course curriculum reflect themost current and appropriate material for this program area

Are the entrance requirements and admission procedures satisfactory

Do entrance requirements recognize previous learning and work experience in aneducationally valid manner Under the proposed admission procedures is it likely thatappropriately qualified students will gain entry and succeed in the program

Is the learning environment described In the proposal suitable andwill it result in theachievement of the programsintended outcomes

Are the instructional methodologies proposed suited to the program content Willprospective students succeed using such methodologies Is the balance between workexperience and study components consistent with program objectivesComplementary Roles

Despite the different focus of the Ministry and DPRC reviews both will have an interest inmuch of the same information Both the Ministry and the DPRC may look for exampleat the information regarding costs The Ministry may ask If it costs that much is itworth it The DPRC may ask Has the institution demonstrated that it plans to allocatesufficient resources to provide a quality program

Both the Ministry and the DPRC may look at the information regarding faculty TheMinistry may ask How many new positions must be added to the payroll and whatadditional benefits will be achieved The DPRC may ask Has the institutiondemonstrated that sufficient faculty of appropriate qualification will be involved inappropriate ways to ensure a quality program

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Both the Ministry and the DPRC may review the proposed timeline for implementationThe Ministry may check on the implications for institutional FTE projections The DPRCmay ask whether the institution has allowed sufficient time for preparation to ensurequality service to the first class of students

Both the Ministry and the DPRC will want to determine how the institution plans to assessthe programs effectiveness from year to year

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V FLEXIBILITY IN REVIEWS AND TIMELINES

The intensity of the reviews by the Ministry and the DPRC will depend in large part uponthe nature of the proposal Ifan institution is requesting approval for a relatively minorrevision or addition within an existing program and faculty many of the questions asked inthe Guidelines may not be relevant and the review may occur relatively quickly IQ on theother hand the proposed program requires new faculties or facilities and substantialfinancial commitments the information provided by the institution will be much moreextensive and the review processes will be more detailed and lengthy

Especially in the initial stages of this new process each institution should keep its Ministryliaison director apprised of all program plans and confirm with himher whichdevelopments require the submission ofa Letter of Intent and a submission requestingdegree program approval Any other ambiguities or questions should also be addressed indialogue between the institution and the Ministry director or the designated staff person tothe DPRC

The program approval process will be refined on an ongoing basis in light of theexperience gained by all involved and should become more efficient over time

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VL DEFINITION OF A NEW DEGREE PROGRAM

Two questions need to be addressed by institutions and the DPRC and Ministry related toeach new program proposal

1 Does this program development represent a change ofthe magnitude that requiresapproval through the New Degree Program Approvalprocess

Institutions will submit for review all new degree programs at the bachelors masters ordoctoral level including degrees which they award involving collaborative programmingwith one or more institutions New associate degrees advanced diplomas or certificateswill not be submitted for review within this process

In some instances it may be difficult to determine whether a proposed change in programofferings is of sufficient magnitude to be classed as a new degree I however there is anexpectation of an internal review or of some form of institutional approval it is probablethat the Ministry and the DPRC are also interested in reviewing the proposed change

In the initial stages if there is doubt the institution should err on the side of submission ofa proposal Ifthe change is less than a full new degree both the institutionl informationrequired and the review processes will be less demanding

If a new school or faculty is being proposed or ifa new credential is being awarded aproposal must be submitted for Ministry and DPRC review Other factors which may leadto a decision to submit a proposal could include

the addition of a new major or minorthe need for new operating or capital fundingthe potential ofduplication of service in a program area also offered by anotherBC institutiona revision of a significant proportion of the programsobjectives or content otherthan routine updating andorthe extent of internal institutional review expected

Institutions are advised to discuss with their Ministry liaison director all programs wherethe need for a review is ambiguous

2 Does the program beingproposed warrant degree status or should It be offered as adiploma or certificate

The DPRC has not yet addressed the necessity of developing criteria or guidelines for thisdecision The onus is on the institution as part of its submission to provide the case forawarding a degree in the proposed program

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MANDATE

APPENDIX A

DEGREE PROGRAM REVIEW COMMITTEETERMS OF REFERENCE

The Degree Program Review Committee DPRC is established by the Ministerresponsible for post secondary education to provide advice on the educational merits of allnew degree programs proposed in the British Columbia education system The primaryfunction of the committeesreview process is to ensure appropriate educational standardsfor new degree programs including the ability of the proposed degree program to achieveits stated objectives and outcomes and to meet the needs of its intended students andsociety

COMM ITEE COMPOSITION AND TENURE

The DPRC has the following membership appointed by the Minister responsible for postsecondary education

two representatives from The University Presidents Council TUPCtwo representatives from the Council of Chief Executive Officers CCEOtwo university facultytwo collegemstihrte facultyan OLA representativea student representativea minimum of two representatives from the general public andone official from the Mutistry ofSkills Training and Labour

The term of appointment for committee members is set by the Mnister and may be forone two or three years While members may serve more than one tenn no member mayserve more than a total of six years

The committee shall annually select its own Chair

Conflict of Interest

A committee member should reveal any personal connection with a submission proposinga new degree program and determine ifheshe should excuse himselfherself from thediscussionreview of that program

In addition a committee member will refrain from voting on matters relating to aninstitution at which heshe is employed

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REVIEW PROCESS

The review by the DPRC is meant to complement other program review processes iethose within the institution and within the Ministry

The DPRC process must be flexible to ensure an appropriate level of review ofproposalswhich range from relatively modest program changes through to significant new programdevelopment

The process is intended to providea an appraisal of the educational merits ofthe program being proposedb unambiguous and constructive feedback to submitting institutions andc a recommendation to the Minister regarding his approval of the program

Submission Guidelines

A submission format has been developed which is expected to provide the informationrequired by both the Ministry and the DPRC

Institutions responses should demonstrate the substance and rigour of their research andprovide data and argument which they consider adequate to support their request fordegree program approval

Institutions are free to supplement their proposals with additional relevant information notrequired by the system format when they believe that their case can be made moreeffectively

Steps in Review Process

1 Letter ofIntent

The Ministry will

a receive a Letter of Intent LOI that outlines the proposed program in amanner consistent with the submission guidelines and format

b circulate the LOI to the other degree granting institutions inviting them tosubmit comments on the proposal

c review the proposal in a according to Ministry guidelines andd decide whether the institution should proceed with the development and

submission of a full program proposal

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2 Full Program Proposal

The Ministry willa receive and log new program proposalsb review the proposal according to Ministry guidelines and simultaneouslyc ensure that the proposals are distributed to the DPRC members well in advance

of their scheduled review meetings

3 DPRC members will review the proposals and come to meetings prepared to discusstheir evaluations Prior to each meeting members are requested to use the providedresponse form to submit their written comments arising from their review of eachproposal These comments will be assembled by staff in preparation for the DPRCmeeting

4 Regular meetings will be scheduled for review of proposals and formalrecommendations will be finalised only at these meetings Members may participateby conference telephone if necessary or by providing written comments but nodesignates or alternates will bepermitted

Whenever possible decisions regarding the proposals will be arrived at throughdeliberation and achievement of consensus rather than by voting

5 Whereaddidonal information is required or where the committeehasconcernsregarding educational merits the Chair of the DPRC shall write to the submittinginstitution specifying what information is required or what concerns need to beaddressed

When a new faculty school or major program area is being proposed and at othertimes at the discretion of the Committee an inperson presentation by representativesof the submitting institution may also be scheduled

For other proposals the Chair shall inform the institution of the date time and locationof the DPRC meeting and invite a representative to be present to hear the discussionand to respond to specific questions which might be raised Where necessary therepresentative may attend via teleconference

6 In the case where special expertise is required perhaps because the degree programrepresents a major new development in a discipline or a field new to the province theCommittee may choose to establish an Appraisal SubCommittee to review in moredetail the proposal under consideration The Appraisal SubCommittee shall have atleast one member of the DPRC and other such individuals as the DPRC feels arenecessary

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7 As suggested above the review process may be iterative with proposals beingreturned for additional documentation or support and subsequent resubmissionWhen the committee determines that the review process is completed the Chair of theDPRC shall provide a written evaluation of the proposal with the committeesrecommendations The Chairsreport may state

a that the submission warrants a positive recommendation to the Mutister orb that the submission does not warrant a positive recommendation to the

Minister

Whatever decision is reached by the DPRC the Chairs report shall be provided to thesubmitting institution for comment prior to a final report and recommendation to theMinister

8 The DPRC and the institution will be notified in writing of the Ministersdecision

The Ministersapproval may not lead to immediate implementation In cases where nonew resources are required the institution will decide when to implement the degreeWhere implementation is contingent upon new funding capital or operating theinstitution will request funding through the annual budget process

GUIDELINES FOR DEFINING NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS

The level of program change or development which constitutes a new degree programcan be difficult to define For example a new title for a degree program can signify asignificant modification to an existing degree program or a relatively minor variation ofprogram content The DPRC in consultation with the Ministry will develop guidelines toassist institutions in determining what program changesdevelopment should be submittedfor review

ANNUAL REPORT

The DPRC will submit an annual report to the Minister summarizing the work of thecommittee in that year In this report the committee may also comment on variouselements of degree level education in the British Columbia post secondary systemSTAFF SUPPORT

The Ministry shall provide the necessary staff support for the DPRC

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OLA

Dr Sharon Meen

Director Academic StudiesOpen Learning Agency

PUBLIC APPOINTMENTSMs Pat McNamara

Open Learning Agency Board Member

Mr Bruce Hartwick

retired VP BC Tel

STAFF SUPPORTMr Scott Maclnnis

Manager Special ProjectsMinistry of Skills Training and Labour

Mr Lloyd MorinConsultant

Ms Susan Burns Research OfficerUniversities Branch

Ministry of Skills Training and Labour

MINISTRY

Ms Robin Ciceri DirectorUniversities Branch

Ministry of Sldlls Training and Labour

TUPC

Dr Dan Birch

Vice President Academic and ProvostThe University ofBritish Columbia

Dr Deborah Poff

Acting Vice President AcademicsUniversity of Northern British Columbia

CCEO

Mr run WrightPresident

University College of the Cariboo

Mr Brian GillespiePresident

British Columbia Institute ofTechnology

UNIVERSITY FACULTYDr Roger BlackmanSimon Fraser University

Dr Michael BestUniversity of Victoria

COLLEGE FACULTYMs Pam BurryInstructor General NursingDouglas College

Ms Jayne BrooksOkanagan University College

APPENDIX B

DEGREE PROGRAM REVIEW COMM ITEEMEMBERSHIP

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CRITERIA FOR APPROVING DEGREE PROGRAM CONCEPTSAs Approved by the Education Council on November 17 1995

The Education Council has determined that the following criteria shall be used by the DegreeProgram Review Committee DPAC when it decides whether or not to approve ProgramConcepts for development into Letters of Intent

the degree to which the program is likely to attract qualified students in numbers sufficient tomaintain a viable offering

the extent to which graduates of the program will find or be able to create meaningful jobopportunities for themselves in their area of study this includes the extent to which it canprovide a generic rather than a narrowly focused education

the potential for linking and laddering with other programs offered both at Kwantlen and atother institutions eg its potential formultioption development under a common degree

the uniqueness of the program ie it does not unnecessarily duplicate other programs in theprovince

the extent to which it is likely to require highly specialized equipment or dedicated space

These criteria am closely related to Principles 4 5 6 7 8 and 9 of the Purposes Principles andGuidelines document approved by the Council on May 8 1995 Items 3 5 6 8 11 and 12 of theinformation Requirements document will be used as the primary information source for thesesevaluations The other required information willbe used to insure that the personspresenting theConcept have given some advance thought to other dimensions which could prove important laterin the process

In addition to the above a standard form will be developed for use by presenters providing all therequired information This form will contain a statement to the effect that potential developers willbe expected to adhere to the degree model outlined in the Purposes Principles and Guidelines andOutcomes documents approved by the Council with such other requirements as the Ministry theBoard or the Education Council shall from time to time specify

Decision criteria appropriate to Letters of Intent and Full Program Proposals will be developedby the Degree Program Approval Committee DPAC itself once it gets under way

A number of faculty have asked for the criteria that will be used by DPAC and by the Board indeciding in what order of priority which Letters and Proposals will ultimately be sent on to theMinistry In the end the Degree Task Force and subsequently the Education Council decidedagainst trying to predefine such criteria since there are too many factors that could come into playat any given time the ntunber of acceptable proposals and their overall quality the availability ofresources to develop and offer the programs etc It may be assumed however that those Lettersand Proposals that most nearly adhere the Principles will likely be the ones at the top of the list

4tKwantlen

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Degree ProposalsDegree Proposal Assessment Committee

Detailed Status Report October 5 1999

Features of Kwanilen Applied Degree Programs

All Kwantlen degree programs shall be applied learning outcomes based programs that contain

one or more major areas of studya liberal education component andexplicit incorporation of student success and employability skills

A Degrees Approved by Ministry

Bachelor of Applied Design in Interior Design B Applied DesignBachelor of Science in Nursing BSNBachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurial Leadership BBABachelor of Technology in Information Technology BTBachelor of Applied Design in Fashion Design and Technology

Status Report Programs at the Draft Letter of Intent Stage

r

B Letters of Intent approved by Ministry for development into a Full Program Proposal

Yl

Bachelor of Geography and Geographic Information Systems suggested collaboration withBCIT and UCFV These meetings took place Both BC1T and UCFV support Kwantlensdegreeproposal as modifiedFocus GIS workers in industrial location marketing analysis urban planning analysis andresource analysis environmental impact assessmentFeatures National US Center for Geographic Information Analysis core curriculum andapplied geography perspectives drawn from Ryerson Polytechnic University

Bachelor of Applied Design Major in Interdisciplinary Design suggested consultation withTech BC and Emily Carr Institute ofArt and Design reconsider the naming of the degreeFocus to prepare students for ever changing information technologies as well as the invention ofinnovative and expressive formFeatures preparation to meet the challenges of a multidisciplinary learning environment developindividual approaches solve increasingly complex multidimensional problems

05 October 1999 Page 1

Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting Ministry has suggested we provideadditional evidence of industry consultation in the Full Program ProposalFocus To meet the professional accounting associations degree requirementsFeatures This degree expands the breadth of the students education into non traditional areassuch as information technology change management and entrepreneurial leadership

C Letters of Intent Approved by Education Council and Forwarded to the Ministry

Bachelor of Applied Journalism letter receivedfrom Ministry dated Sept 1799 withrecommendations

Focus a broad range of writing courses covering news feature opinion and politics They alsolearn investigative reporting photojournalists newspaper production computer skills and visualdesignFeatures a fourweek work experience in the final semester production and publication of ashortterm weekly andordaily press and possibly production of a magazine

Bachelor of Applied Arts Major in Psychology letter received from Ministry dated Sept2299 with recommendations

Focus To prepare students to apply psychological principles in modern work environmentsFeatures a practicum placement a faculty mentor assemble a portfolio of accomplishments

D Letters of Intent Approved by the DPAC and recommended to Education Council

NA

Status Report Programs at the Degree Program Concept Stage

E Program Concepts Approved by Education Council for Development into Letters of Intent

Bachelor of Technology in Landscape and Environmental ManagementFocus To familiarize working professional with the applied aspects of landscape constructionenvironmental technology and the effective design of sites and help them be responsive to thechanges in environmental legislation placing emphasis on the environmental net gain in eachprojectFeatures Combines elements of horticulture landscape architecture and environmentaltechnology in one applied undergraduate program

Bachelor of Arts in Applied Community Studies approved June 9 1997Focus a community planning evaluation stream and a broad stream with several possible fociECE Sign Language InterpretationDeafStudies etcFeatures close collaboration with other institutions including SFU with possibilities fortransfer at various stages collaborative leaming experiential learning strong PLA distanceeducation inclusion

05 October 1999 Page 2

Professional Practices in Contemporary Visual Arts proposed Letter of Intent beingmodified as directed by DPAC

Focus thorough education in a chosen professional area professional practices related to thatarea with emphasis on those skills related to employability in their area of expertise courses thatwill provide a wider view of the world that the student lives inFeatures interdisciplinary studies emphasis on the essential professional practices smallclasses strong instructorstudent interaction opportunities for networking on a professional level

Bachelor of Arts in Human Communication Studies proposed Letter of Intent underdevelopment since Winter 1997

Focus on the nature process and effects of human communication in interpersonalinterpersonal small group public organizational and multicultural settingsFeatures this discipline makes communication behaviour its unique focus

Social Research Administration and Policy Analysis Bachelor ofApplied Arts SocialResearch Administrator and Bachelor ofApplied Arts Social Policy Analysis recommendedby Ed CouncilOct499 for development into proposed Draft Letter of Intent

F Program concepts Approved by DPAC For Development into Letters of Intent

Bachelor of Public Relations recommended to Education Council for development intoproposed Letter of Intern 20 May 1998

05 October 1999 Page 3