II - Proposal development

The Proposal Brief is drafted by the program proponent. A Program Proposal Brief (Volumes I, II, III) is completed in consultation with faculty, staff and students and alumni of similar programs. The Proposal Brief must follow the template provided, and address the criteria outlined in the QAF Evaluation Criteria (QAF 2.1.2.1).

You can now use the information you laid out in the Statement of Interest to write your Proposal – Volume I.

The Proposal – Volume I elaborates on the Statement of Interest and includes additional sections on program requirements, assessment of teaching and learning, admission requirements, quality and other indicators, projected enrolment, summary of learning outcomes mapped to UDLEs or GDLEs and a financial plan.

All programs require a library report written by the Subject Librarian.  

In addition, if the new program includes co-op or work integrated learning, a Feasibility Study, prepared by a Faculty Relations Manager from Co-operative Education is required. Please get in touch with Co-operative Education early in the process.

Once the Proposal Brief (Volume I)has been drafted and approved by the Department/School, the program proponent shares it with the Faculty Undergraduate or Graduate Council, and with the Dean for feedback. The program proponent then submits the proposal to the AQuE Office. The AQuE Office distributes the brief to the appropriate academic support units, AVPA/AVPGSPA and gathers feedback. The program proponent should be prepared to answer questions and incorporate requested clarifications and changes into the Proposal Brief, as needed.   

The Dean (along with the Faculty Financial Officer or Executive Officer, as necessary) works with the Budget and Resource Planning Team in Institutional Analysis & Planning (IAP) to complete a Financial Viability Analysis (FVA) for the new program. The Dean with assistance from IAP, present the FVA and draft of the Proposal Brief (Volume I) to the Provost for decision. Upon approval from the Provost, the new program process can move forward.

The final version of the Proposal Brief (Volume I) is completed by incorporating any requested changes or revisions from the academic support units or Provost.  If changes are substantial, the proposal may be required to go back to the Department/School and Provost for approval.

*Volume I is also required for starting a graduate collaborative program although it is not considered a new program, but rather a major modification.

Unless your program qualifies for an expedited process, you will need to complete Volume II. This includes a list of all the faculty CVs teaching the program.

If you are proposing a diploma or graduate diploma, you will go through an expedited approval and will not need to complete Volume II, however, you will need to add information about the qualifications of your faculty in your Volume I. If you are proposing a graduate collaborative program or joining one, this is considered a major modification.

Volume II is submitted to the AQuE office.

Unless your program qualifies for an expedited process, you will need to complete Volume III since you must have a site visit by external reviewers. This includes a list of all the proposed external reviewers and reasons they are qualified for such review.

Volume III is submitted to the AQuE office who will rank those reviewers and contact them to schedule a site visit.

*Consult selecting arm's length reviewers.

*All versions are due to the AQuE office and to be sent electronically as a Word document. Draft versions will be returned with comments for revisions.

**Consult templates for new programs.

The final version of Volume I (the Proposal Brief), Volume II (Faculty CVs), and Volume III (Proposed Reviewers), as well as the academic calendar descriptions, are submitted to the AQuE Office.

The New Program Proposal (Volume I, II, III) cannot proceed for Faculty-level approval, until approved by the academic support units, the AQuE Office, the AVPA or AVPGSPA, and the Provost.