Guidelines for The Submission of Course Proposals

Pathway for Approval of New Undergraduate Programs and Postgraduate Coursework Programs and Major Changes to Existing Programs

1. Pathways for approval from 2008

The flow chart illustrates the approval pathways for new programs and major changes to existing programs, including new generation degrees and postgraduate coursework programs¹. The pathway is based upon the academic structures approved by Academic Board at its meeting on 18 October, 2007 and further defined by the Academic Programs Management Committee and the Committee of Deans. The following details each step of this process beginning in the Faculties and Graduate Schools until Council approval is gained. The pathway reflects the changes that will become operational from the beginning of 2008.

2. Steps in the Pathway

2.1 Initiation of a proposal by Faculty/Graduate School and Course Standing Committee

All proposals for new programs or changes to existing programs are to be made using the new forms, designated Parts A, B and C:

• Part A is a Strategic Statement and Business Plan;
• Part B contains the academic components of the proposal required under the new approved academic structures;
• Part C contains the academic components of the course change

For a new program, Parts A and B must be submitted For a major change to an existing course, Parts A and C must be submitted

Proposals for new programs or major changes to existing programs are initiated by discussion within Faculties/Course Standing Committees and Graduate Schools. These discussions should include advice from:

• Senior Faculty administrators (Manager/Resources Officer) who in turn will consult with the Planning Office (Deputy Vice-Principal, Planning) and Financial Operations (Deputy Vice-Principal and Director of Financial Operations) for assistance with the completion of the Business Plan and Part A of the form and;
• the appropriate shepherd(s) who will assist with the completion of Part B and Part C of the form.

The pathway for approval is the same for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Although the forms require similar information, separate forms for undergraduate and postgraduate programs have been retained as the guidelines for their completion will need to be different.

2.2 Referral of forms to the Academic Programs Management Committee (APMC)

New Courses

Once a proposal has been completed and is ready for submission, both Parts A and B should be forwarded to the Director, Academic Programs, for referral to the Deputy Vice-Principal Planning and the Deputy Vice-Principal and Director, Financial Operations for advice on Part A. Their advice is then referred to APMC. APMC considers and must endorse Part A before the proposal can proceed further, and APMC notes Part B for information. Resolution of problems will be coordinated by the Director Academic Programs and the Secretary of APMC with the initiating body (Faculty/Graduate School/Course Standing Committee) and may include the Planning Office and Financial Operations, depending upon the nature of the proposal.

Once APMC has endorsed Part A, both Parts A and B will be referred to the Committee of Deans. Part B will also be referred to the Academic Board Committees –

• Undergraduate Programs Committee (UGPC) or
• Postgraduate Coursework Programs Committee (PCPC) and,
• where entry requirements are to be approved or amended, to the Selection Procedures Committee (SPC) for review and endorsement.

Major Changes to Courses

Parts A and C should be forwarded to the Director, Academic Programs. APMC considers and must endorse Part A before the proposal can proceed further, and APMC notes Part C for information. Resolution of any problems will be coordinated by the Director Academic Programs and the Secretary of APMC, in the same way as for new course proposals.

Once APMC has endorsed Part A, both Parts A and C will be referred to the Committee of Deans. Part C will be referred to UGPC or PCPC and, where entry requirements are to be approved or amended, to SPC.

2.3 Consideration of forms by Academic Board Committees and Committee of Deans

UGPC/PCPC will consider Part B/C and make recommendations to Academic Board on the curriculum, and, as necessary, SPC will make recommendations to the Board for a resolution on selection. Any queries raised will be referred back to the Faculties/Graduate School/Course Standing Committee. The advice of the Academic Board committees to the Board will be coordinated through the University Secretary’s Department in consultation with the Director of Academic Programs, so that recommendations to the Board from its standing committees and the Committee of Deans are coordinated and consistent. In the event that the Committee of Deans does not endorse the proposal, it will not be submitted to the Board but will be referred back to APMC and to the initiating body.

2.4 Academic Board consideration/recommendation to Council for approval

Recommendations for new programs and major changes to existing programs contained in reports to Academic Board and endorsed by the Board will be referred to Council for approval.

Academic Board is authorised to approve changes to existing programs without recourse to Council.

3. Breadth Subjects

Proposals for new University Breadth subjects and major changes to University Breadth subjects are to be referred to both APMC and UGPC for endorsement using a Breadth Subject form. Minor changes to Breadth subjects will be recorded in the Quarterly Report of the Faculty in which the coordinating body belongs. A definition of major and minor changes is contained in the glossary.

4. Minor Changes to Existing Courses

For the purpose of this outline, major and minor changes are as defined in the current ‘Blue Book’. Minor changes are changes that can be made under delegated authority by a Faculty/ Graduate School or Course Standing Committee and reported to the Board.

This outline applies to undergraduate programs and postgraduate coursework programs only. Proposals for research degrees are to be submitted through the Research Training Management Committee.