Academic Program Review (APR) survey

The Academic Program Review (APR) survey is administered by the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU), in collaboration with the University of Waterloo’s Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP), and the Academic Quality Enhancement (AQuE) office. Data from the survey informs program review self-studies.

Implementation

The survey is sent to all alumni from the programs under review who have graduated in the past seven years to understand their perceptions of their academic and learning experience at Waterloo. The first survey will be piloted in Winter 2025. The APR survey will be conducted every Fall on an annual basis.

Topics covered in the APR survey may include (but are not limited) to:

  • alumni perceptions of various learning experiences and supports;
  • alumni perceptions of how well their academic program prepared them for employment; and
  • alumni perceptions of the program’s strengths and areas for improvement.

Eligibility and Participation

Survey links are generated for all alumni. Only those who were included in the original invitation list and who received a Program Reviews Survey invitation can participate in the survey. Students interested in sharing their experience can send their feedback to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

Results

Results from the APR survey will be used to inform internal program-related planning, program review self-studies, and strategic decision-making. For more information about programs under review or general inquiries about the APR survey, please email iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

To request results from current campus-wide surveys such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), please submit a JIRA survey data request form to Institutional Analysis & Planning (IAP).

Fall 2025: Communication Arts Alumni Incentive Rules

  1. Sponsor. The Academic Program Review Alumni Survey - Communication Arts Prize (“Contest”) is sponsored by the University of Waterloo, located at 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 (“Sponsor”).
  1. Eligibility. This Contest is open to legal residents of Canada, excluding Quebec, who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence at the time of entry. Employees of the Sponsor, its parent, related and affiliated companies, subsidiaries, departments or agencies, franchisees, suppliers, advertising and promotional agencies, contest administrators, and any other parties engaged in the development, production, or distribution of Contest materials, and those living in the same household are not eligible to enter. By participating in this Contest, entrants acknowledge compliance with, and agree to be bound by, these Contest Rules. Entrants who do not comply with any of the Contest Rules are subject to disqualification by the Sponsor, at the Sponsor’s sole discretion.
  1. Contest Dates and Times. The Contest begins on September 15, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. EST and ends on October 3, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST (“Contest End Date”) after which time the Contest will be closed and no further entries will be accepted.
  1. How to Enter. Entrants can enter by completing the 2025 Academic Program Review Alumni Survey sent to them by email invitation. For this Contest, receipt of an internet Entry occurs when the Sponsor’s internet server records the entry information. All Entries must be complete and are subject to verification by the Sponsor, in its sole discretion. There is a limit of (one) 1 Entry per person as represented by one (1) email address for which they are the owner. Alternatively, to obtain one (1) Entry in the Contest without completing the 2025 Academic Program Review Alumni Survey sent to them by email invitation, print your first name, last name, complete mailing address (including postal code), valid email address, age and signature on a plain white piece of paper and mail it (in an envelope with sufficient Canadian postage) along with a 25 word or more unique and original essay on why you want to enter the Contest to: MC 4049, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON. N2L 3G1 (a “Request”). Upon receipt of a valid Request in accordance with these Contest Rules, you will be eligible to receive one (1) Entry in the Contest. To be eligible, your Request must: (i) be received separately in an envelope bearing sufficient Canadian postage (i.e., multiple Requests in the same envelope will be void); and (ii) be post-marked during the Contest Period and received prior to the Selection Date (defined below). The Sponsor takes no responsibility for any lost, stolen, delayed, illegible, damaged, misdirected, late or destroyed Requests. Any attempt or suspected attempt to use robotic, automatic, programmed or otherwise illicit means to enter the Contest, or any other methods not authorized by these Contest Rules, for example, but not limited to, creating multiple accounts, identities, or registrations, all in the Sponsor’s sole discretion, shall be deemed as tampering and may disqualify you from entering, practicing and/or winning a Prize. Entries that contain false or incomplete information are void. Entries that are late, lost, stolen, illegible, contain false information, are damaged, miscredited, mutilated, garbled or incomplete, altered or otherwise irregular or that do not conform with or satisfy any or all of the conditions of the Contest Rules are void. Entrants grant the Sponsor a non-exclusive license to use all entries for any purpose. No correspondence will be entered into except with Selected Entrants, as defined below. Proof of Transmission (for example, screenshots or captures) does not constitute proof of entry or receipt of an entry.
  1. Contest Prizes. There is a total of (twenty-five) 25 prizes available to be won, each prize consisting of 2 tickets to the Fall mainstage production of William Shakespear’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the University of Waterloo's Theatre of Arts (prize valued at $30) (“Prize”). All winners assume any and all liability for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by entering, participating in this Contest or the use or redemption of a Prize. Prizes must be accepted as awarded and it is understood and acknowledged that they have no cash value. Prizes or any portion of a Prize cannot be combined with other discounts, promotions, or special offers. The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any Prize in whole or in part in the event that all or any component of such Prize is unavailable with a Prize or Prize component(s) of equal or greater retail value, including, without limitation, but solely at the Sponsor’s sole discretion, a cash award. All characteristics and features of the Prize, except as otherwise explicitly stated above, are at the Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion. The Prize winner is solely responsible for all costs not expressly described herein. Prepaid cards are subject to all of the terms and conditions as stated by the issuer.
  1. Odds of Winning. It is understood and acknowledged that the odds of winning are unfixed and wholly dependent on the number of eligible entries received before the Contest End Date.
  1. Skill-testing Question. Selected Entrants will be required, as a condition of winning a Prize, to correctly answer, without assistance of any kind, the Sponsor’s time-limited, mathematical skill-testing question to be administered by email.
  1. Winner Selection and Confirmation. On October 6, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. EST at 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON. N2L 3G1 (“Draw Date”) the Sponsor, or an employee, agent or other representative of the Sponsor, will select the first twenty-five (25) entrants from all eligible Entries received before the Contest End Date and select the potential winners (“Selected Entrants”). Selected Entrants will be deemed winners if they meet all of the eligibility criteria set out in these Contest Rules. If a Selected Entrant does not meet the eligibility criteria, they will be disqualified and will not receive a Prize and another entrant will be selected based on the date and time of entry. Before being declared a winner, Selected Entrants will be required to: (i) correctly answer the Sponsor’s skill-testing question; and (ii) comply with all other Contest Rules, all in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Selected Entrants will be notified within (five) 5 business days of the Draw Date and will be contacted by the email address provided at the time of entry into the Contest. Up to three (3) attempts will be made to contact Selected Entrants within (five) 5 business days following the Draw Date. A Selected Entrant that does not or cannot accept a Prize may be forfeited and a new Selected Entrant will be selected, in the Sponsor’s sole discretion. The Sponsor is not responsible for the failure for any reason whatsoever of a Selected Entrant to receive notification or for the Sponsor to receive a Selected Entrant’s response. Disputes regarding the identity of an entrant: If the identity of a Selected Entrant is disputed, the entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the individual assigned to the email address entered at the time of entry (“Authorized Account Holder”). Each Selected Entrant may be required to provide proof that they are the Authorized Account Holder associated with a selected entry.
  1. Release and Indemnification. All winners must: (i) confirm compliance with all Contest Rules; (ii) agree to accept Prizes as awarded; (iii) agree to release, discharge and hold harmless the Sponsor, its departments and agencies, parent, related and affiliated companies, subsidiaries, franchisees, advertising and promotional agencies, counsel, marketing partners, and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, shareholders, successors, sponsors, partners, licensees, subsidiaries, agents, artists, advisors, assignees, and all others associated with the administration, development and execution of the Contest (“Released Parties”) from and against any and all manner of action, cause of action, claim or demand, loss or injury, use or misuse of a Prize or any travel related thereto, and the use of entries by the Sponsor, suit, debt, covenant, contract, including legal fees and expenses, whatsoever, including but not limited to, claims based on negligence, breach of contract and fundamental breach, failure of any third-party contractor or supplier used in connection with any aspect of the Contest to perform or deliver any goods or services, any act of God or any other event beyond the Released Parties’ control, any dissatisfaction of any kind by a winner with any aspect of the Contest or any Prize, liability for physical injury, death, or property damage which the entrants, guests, their heirs, successors or assigns have, might have or could have suffered, by reason of or arising out of the entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or in connection with the acceptance and/or exercise by the entrant of Prizes as awarded; and (iv) indemnify the Released Parties against any loss, damage or expense, including legal fees, that any of the Released Parties may suffer or incur as a result of any non-compliance by entrants with any of the Contest Rules or participation in the Contest and/or in connection with the acceptance and/or exercise by an entrant of a Prize, and the use of entries by the Sponsor. The Sponsor is not responsible for: (i) incorrect or inaccurate entry information that may affect a person’s ability to participate in the Contest or be awarded a Prize, including but not limited to human error, technical malfunctions, lost or delayed entries for any reason, mail failures, omission, or any combination thereof, and entries that fail to fully comply with these Contest Rules; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (iii) lost, incomplete, delayed, mutilated or misdirected entries; (iv) injury or damage to entrant’s computers or to any other individual’s computer related to or resulting from participating in, or downloading any material regarding the Contest or accepting a Prize; (v) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any Prize, including any related travel and the use of entries by Sponsor; (vi) the security or privacy of information transmitted via computer networks or for breaches of privacy due to interference by third-party computer hackers or otherwise; or (vii) late, lost, misdirect, or unsuccessful efforts to notify a potential winner.
  1. Primacy of the Contest Rules. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between the terms and conditions of these Contest Rules and disclosures or other statements contained in any Contest-related materials, including, but not limited to, any instructions or interpretations of these Contest Rules given by any representative of the Sponsor, the terms and conditions of these Contest Rules shall prevail, govern and control to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  1. Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Contest Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Contest Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with the terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.
  1. Other Conditions. The Sponsor reserves the right to terminate or amend this Contest at any time and in any way, without prior notice to entrants. Without limiting the foregoing, if, for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as originally planned for any reason, the Sponsor reserves the right to cancel the Contest and conduct a random draw from all previously received eligible entries received by the Contest End Date.
  1. Publicity and Entrant Information. By participating in the Contest, entrants consent to the use of their name, address, email address, postal code, telephone number, social media handle(s), comments and image, whether on videotape, photograph or any other means, for the administration of the Contest.  Entrants further consent to the use of their name, social media handle(s) and/or comments and image, whether on videotape, photograph or any other means,  in any publicity carried out by the Sponsor, any co-sponsors, their respective parent and affiliate companies, agents and representatives, and marketing partners, without further notice than that contained herein or any compensation.
  1. Law. The Contest is void where prohibited by law and is subject to all applicable Canadian federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and local laws. This Contest shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the province of Ontario, and the laws of Canada applicable therein, including all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Contest Rules, rights and obligations between entrants and the Sponsor, and procedural provisions, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law. Any dispute shall be adjudicated by the courts sitting in Waterloo, Ontario.
  1. Rule Amendments. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend or modify these Contest Rules, or modify, cancel, or suspend this Contest, without prior notice for any reason whatsoever, without limitation in the event that any cause beyond the reasonable control of the Sponsor corrupts, or threatens to corrupt, the security or proper administration of the Contest.
  1. Intellectual Property. All intellectual property, including but not limited to trademarks, logos, designs, promotional materials, web pages, source codes, images, drawings, illustrations, slogans, and representations are owned by the Sponsor. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized copying or use of any of the Sponsor’s intellectual property without the express written consent of the Sponsor is strictly prohibited.
  1. Use of Personal Information. By entering this Contest, each entrant expressly consents to the Sponsor, its agents and/or representatives, collection, use, storing and sharing the personal information submitted for the purpose of administering the Contest under the authority of the University of Waterloo Act, 1972 and in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F. 31 as amended, as well as in compliance with the Sponsor’s policies (e.g. Policy 46) and guidelines. This section does not limit any other consent(s) that an individual may provide the Sponsor or others in relation to the collection, use and/or disclosure of their personal information. Personal Information will be used for Contest Sponsor(s) marketing purposes with the entrant’s consent. Entrants acknowledge that questions regarding the processing of personal information associated with this Contest are to be directed to rtawfik@uwaterloo.ca.

© UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO 2025. All Rights Reserved.

About the APR survey

The Fall Academic Program Review (APR) survey is administered by the University of Waterloo Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) in collaboration with Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP), and the Academic Quality Enhancement (AQuE) office. Data from the survey informs programs’ self-study portion of program reviews. The purpose of the APR survey is to understand alumni’s perceptions of their academic and non-academic learning environment and experience in their UWaterloo program that is currently under review.

Topics covered in the APR survey may include but are not limited to alumni perceptions of:

  • various learning experiences and supports
  • professional development opportunities
  • program instructors and academic supports

Survey details

What: Participate in the Academic Program Review (APR) survey.

Who: Alumni from selected programs under review who graduated within the last seven (7) years.

When: September 15 - October 3, 2025

Why: Your feedback will help the university understand alumni’s learning experiences, challenges, and successes. Your input guides our ongoing work to improve programs.

Here's how to share your feedback:

Hand clicking on email
  • Step 1: Check the e-mail address you provided to the University of Waterloo’s Alumni Relations unit for an invitation which will be sent starting February 3 from the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (iapscsru@qualtrics-research.com).
  • Step 2: Click the survey link in the email. It only takes ~ 10 minutes to take the survey. If you wish to complete a PDF version of the survey instead, please email iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca

Academic Program Reviews (APR) survey FAQ

Who can participate in the survey?

University of Waterloo alumni who graduated from the programs under review within the last seven (7) years (degree conferred 2018 – 2024) will be invited to participate in the survey. Invited alumni have a valid email address on file with the Alumni Relations unit and have implicitly or explicitly consented to be contacted by the University.

When does the survey take place?

The survey is available from February 3 – 21, 2025.

How can you participate?

Invitations and reminders containing a unique survey link are emailed to alumni’s email addresses on file with the Alumni Relations unit. Your participation is voluntary and confidential. If you wish to participate via an alternate format, such as PDF or paper copy, please send an email to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

How long does the survey take?

Approximately 10 minutes to complete in one sitting.

I would like to participate but I didn't receive an invitation or survey link.

Survey links were generated for a sample of eligible alumni as described in the "Who can participate in the survey?" section above. Only those who were included in the original invitation list and who received an email invitation can participate in the survey. Students interested in sharing their experience can send their feedback to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

How are the results used?

Survey results will be used to evaluate and improve academic program design, supports, and experiences. Results may also be used to inform strategic decisions about academic programs and how to continually make improvement to the academic experiences of current and future students.

Where and how will the results be displayed?

Summarized program-specific results will be prepared only for the programs and the Academic Quality Enhancement office. If you have any questions about the results of the survey, please send an email to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

Is this survey voluntary?

Participation is voluntary. Participants can decline to respond to any question by leaving it blank or decline to participate by selecting the "do not consent" option at the start of the survey. You may withdraw partial or submitted survey responses by sending an email to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.

Will my responses be kept confidential?

The survey is being administered and analyzed by the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU).

This survey is confidential. The survey does not ask for any personally identifying information, nor does the survey use internet protocol (IP) addresses or other information which could link your participation to your computer or electronic device.

Only authorized staff at the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) and Institutional Analysis and Planning (IAP) tasked with analyzing and interpreting the results, and who have signed a data sharing and confidentiality agreement meant to ensure secure and appropriate handling of data, will have access to the raw survey data.

This survey may also include program-specific questions. Different groups within the University of Waterloo may have specific questions for you about different aspects of your experience during your time at the university, such as your program requirements, learning and professional development opportunities, or various academic support units. If this is the case, de-identified summaries for these program-specific questions will be provided to various programs for evaluation and/or research purposes to help improve university programs and services. Only authorized staff within the University will have access to the de-identified data.

Contact information will be stored separately from survey responses. Your de-identified survey responses may be linked to demographic data (such as your year of study, citizenship, and status in Canada), academic plan information (such as your program and faculty), and academic record (cumulative average), and will be used for evaluation, and/or research purposes only to help improve our programs and services. Results will be reported in aggregate only, ensuring that no individual student can be identified.

This online survey is operated by Qualtrics. Qualtrics has implemented technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect the information provided via the Services from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no Internet transmission is ever fully secure or error free. See Waterloo’s guidelines on secure data transmission for more information.

Respondents may provide their name and email for follow-up via iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca. Once you click on the email link, you will be redirected to a separate email form, and your information will not be linked to survey responses.

PRIVACY POLICY

University of Waterloo Information, Privacy and Record Retention

The University of Waterloo is committed to respecting the privacy of respondents to this survey.  All personal information is collected under the authority of the University of Waterloo Act (1972) and will be processed in compliance with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the University of Waterloo’s Information and Privacy policies.

Questions about the collection, use, and disclosure of information associated with this survey should be directed to iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca. Questions about the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by the university, should be directed to the Privacy Officer at fippa@uwaterloo.ca.

The collected data and reports will be managed according to the University records classification scheme, WatClass, and will be securely destroyed when no longer needed by the University.

Use of Personal Information

The University has provided names, e-mail addresses, ID, and program information to the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) for the purpose of conducting the survey and administering the incentives. Contact information used to administer the incentives will be stored separately from survey responses. Your de-identified survey responses may be linked to demographics metrics (such as your year of study, citizenship, and status in Canada), academic plan information (such as your program and faculty), and academic record (cumulative average), and will be used for evaluation, and/or research purposes only to help improve our programs and services. Results will be reported in aggregate only, ensuring that no individual student can be identified.

Please note that only authorized staff at the Statistical Consulting and Survey Research Unit (SCSRU) tasked with analyzing and interpreting the results, and who have signed a data sharing and confidentiality agreement meant to ensure secure and appropriate handling of data, will have access to the survey data. All data collected will be de-identified and will only be reported in aggregate. Results will be stored for a period of 10 years or until superseded or obsolete, in a secure, encrypted, password or key protected location.

Contact us

If you have difficulty accessing the survey, wish to no longer receive messages related to this survey, wish to withdraw your submitted survey responses or for general inquiries, please email iapscsru@uwaterloo.ca.