Approvals and timelines

Approvals

Before the new or modified curriculum can be implemented, it must be approved at a variety of levels. The requirements for approval vary depending on whether it is a new program, a major revision to an existing program or a minor change to a current program. The approval process is outlined in Waterloo’s Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP).

  • Table 2 (p. 21) outlines the  level of approval (i.e., Senate, External Consultants, Quality Council, MTCU) for new programs and major modifications
  • Section D (p. 26) defines a “major modification” and provides helpful guidelines for departments to identify the level of change.

If you are creating a new graduate program, please refer to the new graduate program template provided by the Graduate Studies Office. For new undergraduate programs, please use the new undergraduate program template provided by Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives.

Timeline

The timeline will be based on the approval process required for the change or creation of the new program. For example, the development of a new graduate studies program is expected to take almost two years. Details of this process, including the timeline and resource personnel, are available on the University’s Academic Reviews website. A similar timeline is required for undergraduate programs and is also available on this site. If the change is on a smaller scale, such as modifying a core course, the timeline might be shorter. We recommend contacting your associate chair to verify the approval process required by your department or school and Faculty.

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