Senate-Board of Undergraduate Studies MAJOR MODIFICATION BRIEF
2018-2019 Undergraduate Calendar
Submission Timelines/Deadlines
Guidelines for the Preparation of the Major Modification Brief including:
Undergraduate Degrees, Majors, Minors, Areas of Concentration, adding Areas of Emphasis, and adding Co-operative Education options.
Major modifications include:
· Merger of two or more existing majors
· Addition of area(s) of emphasis to existing majors
· Creation of an area of concentration where an honours major exists
· Addition of a co-operative education option to an existing major
· Name Change to an existing specialization. If a name change is being proposed and no other changes are being made to the associated curriculum please consult with the Director, Academic Programs and Policy prior to proceeding.
Additional Documentation: Provide the following supporting documentation with the major modification proposal:
· Letter of support from the relevant Dean(s) and Chair(s)/Director(s), including confirmation of the adequacy of required resources;
· Confirmation of support from other units a) implicated in the proposal or b) affected by the proposal; the support must be clearly articulated;
· Estimate of student demand from the Registrar (or Associate Registrar, Admission Services);
· For proposed Co-op Programs, include a letter of support from the Director, Cooperative Education and Career Services (CECS), confirmation of approval by the Co-op Coordinating Committee and copy of the Co-op Market Study;
· Include and title as “Appendix I” the proposed calendar copy (preamble, schedule of studies)
· Templates for all new courses proposed to support the modification
· Learning Outcome Alignment Template;
· If applicable, Memo of support from the Head, Information Services, indicating a completed Library Assessment and adequate library resources;
Submission Deadlines
January 9, 2017 – initial major modification brief submitted to the Office of the Associate Vice-President (Academic)
March 1, 2017 – final major modification brief submitted to the Director, Academic Programs and Policy
NB: All major modifications must receive a recommendation to move through the governance process (BUGS, Senate) from the Office of the Provost. Submit the Major Modification Brief to the Director, Academic Programs and Policy. The AVPA’s office, on behalf of the Provost, undertakes the initial review to ensure that the proposed changes are correctly classified as major modifications and the changes are consistent with the strategic plans and directions for growth of the university.
Major Modifications approved by BUGS/Senate are reported for information annually by the AVPA’s Office to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) and to the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (OUCQA).
Program/Specialization Name and Administration
Current Program/Specialization Name:
If changing, Proposed Program/Specialization Name:
Indicate the Sponsoring Department/School and College(s):
Indicate the office(s) responsible for academic counselling.
Proposed Revision
Provide a brief summary of the proposed major modification.
Rationale
Explain the rationale for modifying the existing program. Why are these changes necessary? What does the program seek to accomplish by implementing these changes?
Consistency with the University’s Mission, Strategic Framework, and Strategic Mandate Agreement
Identify its relationship to the plans of the Department/School and College, the University’s Strategic Framework and the approved Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA).
Program Learning Outcomes and University of Guelph Learning Outcomes
Include the Learning Outcome Alignment Template with this submission. The “LO Alignment Template” is available for download on the Learning Outcomes website (refer to the tab under Undergraduate LOS).
If the learning outcomes are significantly modified from those established for the existing program, or new outcomes are added:
Outline and describe how the revised learning outcomes enhance, overall, the undergraduate curriculum.
Indicate how the identified outcomes will be assessed and in which specific courses.
Identify the appropriateness of the proposed method(s) of assessment in evaluating student progress and achievement of the learning outcomes.
Identify which of the five University of Guelph Learning Outcomes are particularly addressed and how the proposed program supports student achievement of the Learning Outcomes.
Identify any distinctive curriculum aspects, program innovations or creative components.
Identify how the curriculum addresses the current state of the discipline.
If the major modification is a new Co-op option to an existing undergraduate major, the proposal must address 1) the proposed Learning Outcomes for work term reports; and 2) work term report guidelines for students. Contact the Director, CECS for more information.
For professional program areas, identify congruence with current accreditation and regulatory requirements of the profession and include any formal correspondence with accrediting bodies.
Program Requirements
Outline the modified program (course and additional academic) requirements, including:
a) courses currently offered, with frequency of offering;
b) list of any new courses proposed as part of the submission;
c) required courses mounted by other units and confirm commitment by said unit;
d) research and/or experiential learning activities, indicating whether required or elective;
e) thesis, major paper or other capstone requirement, indicating whether required or elective.
Identify the mode of delivery (in-class, lecture, problem- or case-based learning, online/distance, hybrid) and explain why the methods are appropriate for meeting the program’s learning outcomes.
Identify the appropriateness of the program’s structure and curriculum in meeting expressed learning outcomes.
Anticipated Enrolment and Impact on Existing Programs
Describe the intended to impact enrolment by the proposed major modification, including any impact on existing programs and whether students will move to this program from others and/or whether the major modification is expected to attract new students.
Identify projected enrolment levels for the first five years of operation of the proposed program, including:
a) initial enrolment; b) enrolment after two years; c) steady-state annual enrolment and steady state total enrolment and years these will be achieved.
Identify any programs proposed for closure as a result of this proposed new program. NB: Program closures require approval of the Board of Undergraduate Studies and Senate. Closures are reported for information to the Quality Council and to MAESD.
Admission Requirements
If the major modification includes changes to admission requirements:
List the current admission requirements and proposed revised admission requirements and indicate their appropriateness for ensuring adequate achievement and preparation for entry into the modified program. If the proposed change to admission requirements differ from existing majors within the same degree program, provide the rationale for this difference.
List any proposed alternative admission requirements and rationale.
Human and Physical Resource Requirements
If the change impacts human and physical resource requirements provide evidence of and planning for adequate numbers and quality of:
(a) faculty and staff to achieve the goals of the program; or
(b) plans and the commitment to provide the necessary resources in step with the implementation of the program;
(c) planned/anticipated class sizes;
(d) provision of supervision of experiential learning opportunities (if required); and
(e) the role of adjunct and part-time faculty.
Funding and Resource Availability
If the change impacts funding and resource availability provide evidence that there are adequate resources to sustain the quality of scholarship produced by undergraduate students, including library support, information technology support, and laboratory access.
Indicate whether there are any notable resources available to the proposed program demonstrating institutional appropriateness e.g. Chairs, institutes, centres; unique library collections or resources; facilities such as computer, laboratory, other acquisitions, etc.
Indicate any external financial support demonstrating strength such as facility/equipment donations, other external donations, grants, etc.
Duplication, Student Demand and Societal Need
Identify similar programs offered by other institutions in the Ontario university system and provide evidence of justifiable duplication based on demand and/or societal need.
Provide convincing evidence of student demand for the modified program. Per the MAESD checklist, consider the following in making these determinations:
a) evidence of student demand through application statistics, for example: number of enquiries, applications received, number of qualified applicants;
b) origin of student demand (% domestic and visa students);
c) duration of the projected demand (e.g. short, medium or long-term demand from specified sources);
d) evidence of review and comment by appropriate student organization(s), if applicable.
Identify the societal need for the modified program including:
a) dimensions of the societal need for graduates (e.g. socio-cultural, economic, scientific, technological);
b) geographic scope of the societal need for graduates (e.g. local, regional, provincial, national);
c) trends in societal need for graduates;
d) duration of the societal need (e.g. short, medium, or long-term).
Examples of evidence for justifiable duplication and societal need may include, but not limited to:
· letters from a variety of potential employers of graduates who have seen the curriculum and commented upon the need for graduates within their organization and, more broadly, in their field of endeavour;
· professional society and/or association comments about the need for graduates based on a review of the curriculum;
· employment surveys, survey of the number of positions advertised in, for example, the CAUT Bulletin, AUCC University Affairs, etc.;
· statistics related to the number of Ontario students leaving the province to study in the same field elsewhere in Canada or abroad.
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Major Modification Brief 2018-2019