New Undergraduate Program Proposal

Template updated: November 2020

Introduction

The program proposal must address the purpose and content of the new program and the capacity of the unit to deliver a high-quality program.

This template is for all proposals for new undergraduate programs. It aligns with UTQAP requirements and will help to ensure that all evaluation criteria established by the Quality Council are addressed in bringing forward a proposal for a new program. Separate templates have been developed for other types of proposals.

Please note that all proposed new programs are subject to external appraisal.

Name of proposed program: please specify exactly what is being proposed (for example, a new BA degree program in… including Specialist, Major and Minor options)

Degree conferred:

Department/unit (if applicable) where the program will be housed:

Faculty/academic division:

Dean’s Office contact:

Proponent:

Direct entry or selection of POSt at end of 1st year:

Version date (please change as you edit this proposal):

Development and Approval Steps [reusable block]

Date of new program consultation meeting:

Consultation Proponents/Dean’s Office/Provost’s Office

Date of Provost’s Advisory Group:

Date of external appraisal:

Decanal Signoff

In signing off I confirm that I have ensured appropriate:

• compliance with the evaluation criteria listed in UTQAP section 2.3
• consultation with the Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs early in the process of proposal development
• consultation with faculty and students, other University divisions and external institutions

[Name], Dean, [Faculty/Division] [Date of Signoff]

Provostial Signoff

In signing off I confirm that the new program proposal:

• is complete
• includes information on all the evaluation criteria listed in UTQAP section 2.3

[Name], Vice-Provost, Academic Programs [Date of Signoff]

Date of unit-level approval (if required):

Date of Faulty/divisional governance:

Submission to Provost’s Office

Date of AP&P:

Date of Academic Board (if a new degree):

Date of Executive Committee of Governing Council (if a new degree):

The program may begin advertising as long as any material includes the clear statement that, “No offer of admissions will be made to the program pending final approval by the Quality Council and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (where the latter is required).”

Date submitted to the Ontario Quality Council:

Date submitted to the Ministry (in case of a new degree):

1 Executive Summary

Please provide a brief overview of the proposed program summarizing the key points from each section of the proposal. (You may wish to complete this section last.) This may need to be used on a standalone basis:

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2 Effective Date and Date of First Review

Anticipated date students will start the program:

First date degree program will undergo a UTQAP review and with which unit¹:

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¹ Programs that are inter-and multidisciplinary must identify a permanent lead administrative division and identify a commissioning officer for future cyclical program reviews.

3 Academic Rationale

• Identify what is being proposed and provide an academic rationale for the proposed program (what is being created and why?).
• Explain the appropriateness of the program name and degree nomenclature.
• If relevant, describe the mode of delivery (including blended or online; placement, etc.) and how it is appropriate to support students in achieving the learning outcomes of the program.
• Context
  • Discuss how the program addresses the current state of the discipline or area of study. (Identify pedagogical and other issues giving rise to the creation of this program. Where appropriate, speak to changes in the area of study or student needs that may have given rise to this development.)
  • Describe the consistency of the program with the University’s mission as specified within the Statement of Institutional Purpose and unit/divisional academic plan and priorities.
• Distinctiveness
  • Identify any unique curriculum or program innovations or creative components.

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4 Streams (Optional)

Description of streams, if any.

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5 Need and Demand

• Provide a brief description of the need and demand for the proposed program focusing, as appropriate, on:
  • student interest;
  • societal need;
  • employment opportunities for prospective graduates;
  • interest expressed by potential employers;
  • professional associations;
  • government agencies or policy bodies and how this has been determined.
• How is the program distinct from other programs at U of T? (Address, if relevant, how this program might affect enrolment in other related programs offered here.)
• With specific reference to the impact on need and demand, describe how the proposed program relates to (is similar to or different from) existing programs offered by other universities in North America and Internationally (with specific reference to Canadian and Ontario examples). In doing this you may wish to append a table showing other programs.

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6 Enrolment

• Provide details regarding the anticipated yearly in-take and projected steady-state enrolment target including a timeline for achieving it. Include approximate domestic/international mix. (Please adjust the table as necessary.)
• Please provide an explanation of the numbers shown and their relation to the Faculty/division’s enrolment plan. Please be specific where this may differ from approved enrolment plans.

Table 1: Undergraduate Enrolment Projections* [reusable block]

*Please note when the program expects to reach steady state.

7 Admission Requirements

• Provide formal admission requirements as they will appear in the undergraduate calendar or other official admissions materials.
• Explain how the program’s admission requirements are appropriate for the learning outcomes established for completion of the program.
  • How will they help to ensure students are successful?
  • Provide sufficient explanation of any additional requirements for admission to the program such as minimum grade point average, special language, portfolio, etc. (and how the program recognizes prior work or learning experience, if applicable).
• Is this a direct-entry or indirect-entry program; please explain.

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8 Program Requirements, Learning Outcomes, Degree Level Expectations (DLEs) and Program Structure

• In a curriculum map or in the table below, or in another format appropriate for the discipline, state the program learning outcomes and program requirements, and show how the program learning outcomes are appropriate for the degree level expectations.
• Discuss how the design, structure, requirements and delivery of the program are appropriate for the program learning outcomes and degree level expectations.
  • The sequencing of required courses or other learning activities, etc.
  • The mode of delivery of the program (face-to-face; blended or online; placement, etc.) and how it is appropriate to support students in achieving the learning outcomes of the program and the degree level expectations.
  • Describe how the specific elements of the curriculum (e.g., Internships, etc.) will be administered.
  • A clear indication of how faculty “scholarship and research is brought to bear on the achievement of Degree Level Expectations” (UTQAP 1.1).
  • Describe how the program structure and delivery methods reflect universal design principles and/or how the potential need to provide mental or physical health accommodations has been considered in the development of this program.
  • Describe how the program structure and delivery methods promote student wellbeing and resiliency in the learning and teaching environment.
  • Describe any elements that support a sense of community in the program.

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Table 2: DLEs², Program Learning Outcomes and Requirements [reusable block]

² If the degree already exists at U of T, please use the relevant DLEs to populate the DLE column (all U of T DLEs are available on the VPAP website). If the degree does not already exist at U of T, please use the OCAV honours bachelor’s degree DLEs as a starting point.

9 Assessment of Learning

• Appropriateness of the proposed methods for the assessment of student achievement of the intended program learning outcomes and degree level expectations.
• Describe plans for documenting and demonstrating the level of performance of students consistent with the DLEs. (Assessment of Teaching and Learning examples are in the Guide to Quality Assurance Processes.[FIXED])

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10 Program Description and Calendar Copy

• Provide a description of the program (audiences: prospective and current students, staff and employers) that can be used for external and internal posting that includes the key features of the program:
  • Program’s purpose (who is it for, what are the outcomes).
  • Nature of learning environment (including mode of delivery).
  • Approaches to teaching/learning/assessment.
  • Basic information (e.g., FCE count, program length, etc.).
• Provide, as an appendix, a clear and full calendar copy including:
• The program description; the program requirements including all required courses and recommended electives and their prerequisites, including for any streams.
• Provide as an appendix:
• A full list of all the courses included in the program including course numbers, titles and descriptions.
• Please indicate clearly whether they are new/existing. (Please note that all new courses should be proposed and approved independently in line with established academic change procedures. Where possible, append full course proposals as an appendix.)

Program Description

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Please see Appendix [X] for proposed calendar copy.

Please see Appendix [X] for a full list of the course numbers and titles, indicating clearly whether they are new or existing.

11 Consultation

• Describe the expected impact of what is being proposed on the nature and quality of other programs delivered by the unit/division.
• Describe the expected impact of what is being proposed on programs being offered by other units/divisions.
• Describe any consultation with the Deans of Faculties/divisions that will be implicated or affected by the creation of the proposed program as per UTQAP 2.4.2: “The Dean ensures that appropriate consultation is conducted with faculty and students, other university divisions and external institutions.”

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12 Resources

12.1 Faculty

• Complete Table 3 below.
• Brief commentary, including:
  • Evidence of the participation of a sufficient number and quality of faculty who will actively participate in the delivery of (teach and/or supervise) the program.
  • Evidence of and planning for adequate numbers and quality of faculty and staff to achieve the goals of the program.
  • The role of any adjunct or contractual (e.g., stipendiary) faculty.
  • The provision of supervision of experiential learning opportunities, as appropriate.
  • If relevant, plans and commitment to provide additional faculty resources to support the program.
  • Planned/anticipated class sizes (connect this to delivery method, Section 8 and assessment methods, Section 9).
• Provide the CVs of all faculty who appear in Table 3, as evidence substantiating the above. The appendix should form a separate document with a table of contents and all CVs in alphabetical order. CVs should be submitted in a consistent format.

Table 3: Detailed Listing of Committed Faculty

12.2 Teaching Assistant (TA) Support

• Give details regarding the nature and level of TA support required by the program.

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12.3 Learning Resources and Student Support

• Evidence that there are adequate resources to sustain the quality of scholarship and research activities of undergraduate and graduate students, including library support.
• Describe any resources that enhance the learning and teaching environment, including resources to promote student well-being and resiliency in the learning and teaching environment. Note: Standard appendices on the library and student support are always included in the proposal. You may also wish to highlight specific aspects of the following resources and supports as appropriate for the proposed program:
  • Library
  • Co-operative Education
  • Academic Advising (including international student advising)
  • Teaching and Learning Office
  • Technology Support for Teaching and Learning
  • Distance/Online Learning
  • Peer Learning Support
  • Disabilities/Accessibility Services
  • Student Academic Support Services
  • Academic Computing Services
  • Other unit- or program-specific supports/services

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Please see the following appendices:

Appendix [x]: Library statement confirming the adequacy of library holdings and support for student learning.

Appendix [x]: Standard statement concerning student support services.

12.4 Space/Infrastructure

• Evidence that there are adequate resources to sustain the quality of scholarship and research activities of undergraduate and graduate students, including information technology support and laboratory access; address any unique requirements including renovations to existing space, new space, equipment, etc.
• Note: The requirements for physical facilities should be identified by providing information on the change in the number of people to be accommodated by type (i.e., faculty, students, administrative staff, etc.) as well as information on changes in equipment and activities requiring accommodation. The division/Faculty should state whether it plans to bring forward proposals for additional space; the renovation of existing space; or whether the current space allocation to the academic program will accommodate the new initiative.

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12.5 Other Resource Implications

• For example,
  • Are there interdivisional teaching implications?
  • Will the new program affect any existing agreements with other institutions, or will require the creation of a new agreement to facilitate the new program (e.g., Memorandum of Understanding, Memorandum of Agreement, etc.). (Existing joint programs are offered with Centennial, Sheridan and Michener.)
  • If this is a new joint program, please indicate how future reviews of the program will be conducted in accordance with UTQAP 2.1: “Where a program is held jointly with an Ontario institution that does not have an IQAP that has been ratified by the Quality Council, the UTQAP will serve as the guiding document and University of Toronto will be the lead institution. Where a program is held jointly with an Ontario institution that does have an IQAP that has been ratified by the Quality Council, a lead institution will be selected. Program proposals specify how future reviews will be conducted.”
• Please consult with the Provost’s Office (vp.academicprograms@utoronto.ca) early regarding any resource implications described in this section.

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13 Quality and Other Indicators

• Please describe the appropriateness of the faculty’s collective expertise and how it contributes substantively to the proposed program. Define and use indicators to provide evidence of the quality of the faculty (e.g., qualifications, research, innovation and scholarly record).
• Please explain how the program structure and faculty research will ensure the intellectual quality of the student experience.
• Please describe any elements that enhance the program’s diversity.

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Appendix A: Courses

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Appendix B: Undergraduate Calendar Copy

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Appendix C: Library Statement

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Appendix D: Student Support Services

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Appendix E [and others]: [as needed]

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